That would be great fun, doing holodeck combat simulations. With me having the danger level set very, very low. Like when I'm new to a combat video game. I start with the difficulty level as low as possible. Enemy NPCs are whaling away on my character, doing little to no damage while I try and remember which button does what in the game.
I took fencing for a time in school. No one like being paired with me because they thought I was too aggressive with my fencing. Maybe they were right. Everyone else liked to do, "and one, and two, and three," fencing. I admit to being very, "let's go!" while still staying within the taught techniques.
I get the siren call of skydiving. Part of me is, "flying through the sky, wind blasting, amazing scenery." Another part of me is, "Girl, you are talking about jumping out of a perfectly good plane."
Apples to oranges was my first thought. Guinan is good at listening, helping to sort out someone's thoughts, and if needed saying that there is a path for someone to follow. Quark is about that profit, and when he gives advice it is direct, not subtle. Sometimes accompanied by an insult. I think both are good characters, but Quark is definitely more well-rounded and developed. Over time, little is learned about the El-Aurians from Guinan. A lot is learned about the Ferengi from Quark.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Seeing all of TNG's main cast back together was great. And, that the characters weren't static, they had changed over the years. Yet they weren't complete reworkings of how they were in TNG, as in being unrecognizable. Except for Data, because of his situation. I like this latest iteration of Data. Seeing some non-TNG Star Trek characters was wonderful. I like that we got to see some Raffi 2.0. Clean of her addictions and back in full fighting trim. Still with her determination to keep working on mysteries that threaten the Federation
The story had some highs and some plot holes, but was a fun ride. But, I don't think it was perfect.
I would not have minded if PIC season 3 had fewer episodes if that meant that the pacing would have been tighter. Multiple episodes of, " ... and, they're still in the nebula," got old for me.
Not unleashing the full talent of Amanda Plummer as Vadic until late in the season was a waste. Until episode 7 (IIRC), Vadic struck me as quirky. Nothing more. However, Ms. Plummer's performance as Vadic from episode 7 on blew me away.
Fleet Formation protocol is such a bad idea, I can't imagine how it was approved.
Vadic knows a lot about Starfleet personnel, so it's likely that she knew about Kestra. Vadic's people captured Troi, but how or why did they not also capture Kestra? While I'm glad that Kestra was never in Vadic's clutches, and it's a minor point, I still keep wondering what happened.
Shaw's end. I am still very, very salty about that.
The seemingly dogged determination to not have any sign of the Agnes Borg Queen or Elnor. I know the Agnes Borg Queen is busy (PIC season 2), but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for a Borg Queen vs. Borg Queen mega-throw down. I think Elnor would have fit in the season 3 narration, and absolutely deserved a seat on the bridge of the re-named Titan more so than Jack.
Jack. First, I think Ed Speleers' performance was done well. I applaud how he showed the hurt from Picard choosing Starfleet over having a family, how childhood pains don't always heal over time. However, that couldn't make up for the show's overwhelming attempt to force Jack as Picard: The Next Generation. Right down to renaming the Titan and Q's appearance. There was too much, "why don't you people just talk to each other," forced drama between Jack and pretty much everyone else. And, Jack getting fast-tracked through Starfleet, and a position on the bridge, irked me. Nothing in PIC season 3 convinced me that he deserved that. And, Picard pushing for his offspring to get a free pass through Starfleet seems out of character.
Again, I like PIC season 3. I'll be getting the physical media of it. I recommend others view it.
I don't think there's anything to be angry about. Enjoying some Star Trek shows over others is a compliment to Star Trek. It means that all the shows aren't just a copy/paste of each other. That there is variety, yet they are all Star Trek. We should not, do not, have to apologize for having favorites. Being pissed at someone for preferring a different Star Trek show than ones favorite(s) is silly, and should never happen. LLAP.
Agreed. Maybe he doesn't do it often because of time, and because of the impression you got from Spock when he said that. If Spock said things like that too often, he could come across as unlikable. Like being that person who if I say the sky is blue, they will respond with, "it's cerulean." They may not be wrong, but it can get tedious.
I also had the impression that Kirk was a bit snappish in this episode for no particular reason. It came across as though William Shatner was in a mood, as opposed to being something coming from Kirk. I didn't have that impression from Spock, though. Spock's comment struck me as being on brand for Spock. The sort of thing he would say more often, if time allowed.
I think not having just a bunch of pew-pew for the sake of pew-pew endless fighting has always been a part of Star Trek. When dealing with non-Federation space faring species, Star Trek shines when there is something going on other than just, "let's fight." I think the Klingons history with the Federation is a stand out, with them being on again, off again, frenemies. I wish that there was more exploration of the Romulans, but they too aren't always in open warfare with the Federation.
TOS can lean a bit too much into offering peace, and then doing their darnedest to dismantle a society that slaps away the hand of friendship if that society doesn't conform to Federation norms. TNG onward is much better at dealing with such situations. Not saying perfect, though -- I'm looking at you "Symbiosis" (TNG s1e22).
I think TNG took some time to figure out how to respect the TOS framework without trying to be TOS version 2. "The Measure of a Man" is a standout episode. Where Federation standards aren't just stated, they are examined and demonstrated.
I'm glad I've seen all of TNG, but I agree that the show more consistently finds its footing in season 3.
I don't know the strike rules, but with the WGA possibly still being on strike, and SAG possibly going out on strike, during Comic-Con I'm imagining the panels to consist of non-union background actors who never had speaking roles and aren't in the WGA. Some mild dishing about behind the scenes.
Being the work of bots makes a lot of sense. I'm not a Luddite with social media, but I definitely qualify as a dabbler, i.e. I'm not signed up with most social media sites. I know of bots, and the damage they can do online, but I keep not factoring in bots for something like Star Trek. When I don't like something I spend less time on it, not more.
I agree. Star Trek has always been woke. Comments that this is a new phenomena confound me. I have no idea what sort of mental gymnastics are required for such a stance. Star Trek's IDIC happened right under their noses, yet they didn't notice. TOS by today's standards may not be considered as pushing boundaries. At the time it was broadcast, TOS put out some radical ideas. No more wars between countries on Earth. An end to racism. Uhura and Sulu as part of the command staff on the bridge. Dr. Richard Daystrom was portrayed by William Marshall, a Black actor. Majel Barrett's Number One in TOS's "The Cage" was no a damsel in distress. There are other examples in TOS, too. Subsequent Star Trek series continued and expanded on IDIC with the series stars, guest stars, and stories. But, still there are those who think Star Trek "suddenly" went woke?
Sometimes I think that referring to Star Trek as being suddenly woke is just a dog whistle. But then I'm back to what Star Trek any folks using that term were watching in the first place.
"Your griefs, your pains, fix you to moments in the past long gone. You’re like butterflies with your wings pinned."
I think this is the theme of PIC season 2, and not just for Picard. Processing and accepting the impact of past choices and actions in the here and now. Seven expressing the impact of her post-VOY treatment by others. Raffi admitting to herself that she holds too tightly to those who are important to her in the now because of her fear of loss based on past experiences. Her loss of: Starfleet; her credibility because of her theory about the sythn attack on Mars; and, herself and her family due to her addictions afterwards. Rios' moment of growth when he moves on from always feeling adrift since the events on the Ibn Majid. Agnes and the Borg Queen bonding over shared feelings of loneliness. A strange combo, but one I think Alison Pill and Annie Wersching's strong performances completely sold.
I think PIC season 2's overarching story is muddled because the separate parts seem related more by happenstance rather than being a solid, cohesive narrative. However, I think season 2's theme is always strong, and it resonates with me.
One of the things I love about Star Trek is when it makes me think about how I think. PIC season 2 has me doing a lot of self-reflection. I enjoy, and re-watch, PIC season 2.
That was such a bad situation. The whole, "how dare you question me, get out," loss of Gates McFadden. Dr. Pulaski's introduction as Bones 2.0 instead of as a distinct, unique character, and her first comments to Data. I think Diana Muldaur is very talented and a Star Trek icon -- TOS and TNG. Pulaski is a strong character, but that first impression was hard for me to shake. I was happy when Dr. Crusher returned, but by then I was also also sad to see Dr. Pulaski go. I wish that PIC had made room for a Dr. Pulaski appearance.
lwaxana_katana, great point. I agree with you. It's something I hadn't thought about until you mentioned it. I'd rather see time and energy go to making startrek.website more and more awesome, rather than have something that differentiates the can donate from the can't donate. Sometimes I have spare quatloos; sometimes I'm searching the couch cushion for quatloos. Startrek.website knows who donates. I think that's good enough.
Sorry for not doing your name correctly. I'm still learning and not yet at the how to direct a comment at a particular person part of my learning curve.
That would be great fun, doing holodeck combat simulations. With me having the danger level set very, very low. Like when I'm new to a combat video game. I start with the difficulty level as low as possible. Enemy NPCs are whaling away on my character, doing little to no damage while I try and remember which button does what in the game.