UNCUT - The First Duty (TNG S5E19) | Star Trek Journey 226
Added 2025-02-13 14:33:23 +0000 UTC
Comments
Props to Wes in this one. I would have folded the second I saw that Vulcan and probably confessed to a dozen other misadventures for good measure. Solid Episode. A+
temsik28
2025-03-08 08:35:19 +0000 UTCWhen Alex and Josh were talking about Boothby remembering Picard. Did you not get to that part of their discussion?
Ee'char
2025-02-17 21:23:59 +0000 UTCSorry what does that have to do with anything?
ShazD
2025-02-17 20:10:43 +0000 UTCThis episode would’ve been so much better as the first one we see Wesley in after he left in S4.
Ron Hubbard Jr
2025-02-17 18:35:28 +0000 UTC🤔
Ron Hubbard Jr
2025-02-17 18:33:52 +0000 UTCLOL
Ron Hubbard Jr
2025-02-17 18:32:33 +0000 UTCLocarno really reminds me of someone… 🤔
Ron Hubbard Jr
2025-02-17 18:31:34 +0000 UTCUniforms. I'll say nothing more. Iykyk
E Parhas
2025-02-16 04:55:49 +0000 UTCWell the show can be referred to as a “television series” that has seven seasons. So I guess I’m saying it’s one of the best episodes of the entire run! I’m Canadian by the way.
Jonathan Llyr
2025-02-15 21:04:10 +0000 UTCFrom the UK here, so when you say "series", do you mean "show"? Here we say "new series" while in the US they'd say "new season". NOT that I'm assuming you're from the US!
Ee'char
2025-02-15 19:55:37 +0000 UTCHow about that androgynous species from a couple of episodes ago? And Crusher, when her romantic interest got transferred into a female host?? Nitpicking here lol
Ee'char
2025-02-15 19:52:37 +0000 UTCShortly after I came out of hospital following a brain tumour, I saw my "Year 7" (UK system, age 11-12, at the time 17 years previously) form tutor while she was on a group birdwatch, when I had got up early (16mg dexamethazone gives you insomnia, as well as SERIOUS munchies) to go on a bicycle ride. I could tell that she knew I was about to announce that I had been one of her students, but I'm certain she didn't remember me specifically.
Ee'char
2025-02-15 19:50:17 +0000 UTCOH REALLY, well then tell me who designed and approved those Dress Uniforms in season 1 lol
Prof Moff
2025-02-15 18:11:34 +0000 UTCNo one is gay yet in star trek...lol 😂
Greg Quinn
2025-02-15 16:51:45 +0000 UTCThe Episde the new Starfleet academy should be but won't
Scarpad’s Domain
2025-02-15 03:55:01 +0000 UTCScott, how could i have left that out?! Big favorite of mine when i was a kid. Thanks.
Michael Metrick
2025-02-14 17:27:15 +0000 UTCSex Scoreboard No entry (OR IS THERE?) A small moment leads the Board to ask: Did Weasely score here? How did Weasely's sweater REALLY get in Josh's room? Ski trip or cosplaying sexscapade? Did Weasely and Josh have wompa wompa? We do not have enough evidence so no score (but think about it as a maybe).
Prof Moff
2025-02-14 15:50:25 +0000 UTCI was thinking about Nick being manipulative.. even before Wesley voices his concerns Sito and the other girl do and Nick almost tells them how they should feel.. and says like right guys? And speaks for them later.. I think he played on the underclass men’s fear of being caught to save his own ass
Philbot
2025-02-14 13:45:16 +0000 UTCThey did say they had proximity alerts, but maybe at the speeds they’re going even veering off might not save you.
Philbot
2025-02-14 13:17:12 +0000 UTCThis is very true,
Darren Seal
2025-02-14 11:06:55 +0000 UTCYeah it's a pretty glaring logical flaw with the writing of this one.
Jovet
2025-02-14 10:39:41 +0000 UTCHard “S” from me. One of the best of the series.
Jonathan Llyr
2025-02-14 05:22:59 +0000 UTCListening to their ruminations, I find it funny to think that the guys are going to likely get a very minor spoiler (of sorts) from WWE of all places.
Jeffrey P
2025-02-14 05:05:27 +0000 UTCAnd at the time of filming was a main cast member of Picket Fences on CBS.
Jeffrey P
2025-02-14 04:56:13 +0000 UTCCorrect
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:32:15 +0000 UTCTrue story
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:27:20 +0000 UTCI agree, I had to see these episodes like 10 times to remember what they do in one or 2 watches
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:26:05 +0000 UTCHe sure (just) makes a difference in people’s lives
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:22:41 +0000 UTCI agreed with that too🤪
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:17:55 +0000 UTCWith regards to the occasional low resolution scenes: when they converted the show to high definition, there was no way to take the finished product that they had already made and up convert it to high definition because the finished product from the 90s was digital, so the higher definition information wasn’t there. So, they had to re-scan every piece of film and every element and pass in things like ship flybys and special effects. Then they composed all of it back together into the final product. However, on occasion, they could not find the film for some of the scenes, so they did have to upconvert the finished product that they made in the 90s to high definition for those scenes. Thank goodness they found most of the film, because I would’ve hated to watch the show up converted for the entire series.
Anthony Picard
2025-02-14 04:15:11 +0000 UTCI wonder if there's still time before they get to it for a hail mary ai upscale for DS9
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2025-02-14 03:26:36 +0000 UTCAt 57:09 regarding cadet uniforms in other colors… in the third season episode “Allegiance,” one of the aliens trapped in the room with Picard is wearing the mustard yellow version of the cadet uniform.
Matt Everkoul
2025-02-14 03:18:30 +0000 UTC$650 adjusted for inflation, dang
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2025-02-14 03:17:44 +0000 UTCI would struggle to argue against that
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2025-02-14 03:13:38 +0000 UTCIt's a shame how few 'good' Wesley episodes precede this because the pay off here is amazing. Few arcs get moments as strong as this episode delivers.
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2025-02-14 03:11:07 +0000 UTCFantastic comment. IYKYK
Wrestling With Gaming
2025-02-14 03:02:45 +0000 UTCGreat episode though! Mad-father Picard is scary 😨
Shanelle
2025-02-14 02:59:57 +0000 UTCThe “no proof” they lied thing is a little odd to me. Is the surveillance footage of their ships out of diamond formation not evidence their story was bogus? Since when do we say we can’t trust video? (Before AI) More than one character said either the video is wrong or you kids are wrong. 🤨Huh? The Vulcan knew what was up.
Shanelle
2025-02-14 02:55:39 +0000 UTC"The Game" was fine. It was much more entertaining than previous "Shut up, Wesley!" shit.
Jovet
2025-02-14 02:31:35 +0000 UTCI know my opinion on that matter...
Jovet
2025-02-14 02:29:25 +0000 UTCit’s unique in every way
David Marcoot
2025-02-14 02:28:13 +0000 UTCthe best wesley episode
David Marcoot
2025-02-14 02:25:49 +0000 UTC"Boothby, being in the flesh"... that is just perfect.
Marko
2025-02-14 01:10:04 +0000 UTCIMO this is the best Wesley ep of the show. As others say, it dispenses with the boy wonder trope of earlier seasons and kicks up some mud on Wesley, which makes him more human. I know RDM wasn't a fan of how it made him seem like a snitch, but I appreciate that his character needed to be humbled to learn from the mistake. The ready room scene is one of Picard's best speeches in the show. I've seen a ton of people who were growing up in the 90s cite Picard as a role model/father figure, and I include myself among them. Picard teaches us a lot about personal principles, about having integrity even when it comes at a personal cost. Wesley took that message to heart and emerged a more mature character for it. I do like that Nick decided to take the blame in the end. He comes across very self centered throughout the episode, but in the end he wasn't lying when he said he would put the team first. He still got a friend killed trying to show off, but at least he showed a shred of selflessness at the end. Of course the episode needs to happen, but given it's 350 years in the future, you'd figure they would have collision avoidance systems in their spacecraft. After all cars today have that, though I guess not back in the 90s. Still, S tier episode.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 01:04:35 +0000 UTCI think eps like this is why a lot of kids who grew up in the 90s see Picard as a father figure of sorts
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 00:49:53 +0000 UTCHe was there, if only briefly
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 00:36:26 +0000 UTCAlways check your stats and perks before attempting main character shit
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 00:32:11 +0000 UTCHonestly, AI upscaling is getting better all the time. I expect in a few years one of these upscaling projects of DS9/VOY will produce material good enough to be considered the unofficial remaster of choice in the fandom
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 00:30:37 +0000 UTC@Derek Doubt it. I think a lot of people on both sides of the border and just waiting for a certain someone to get over the "kid in a candy store" phase and stop making headlines.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-14 00:25:58 +0000 UTC'Father' to the sexiest 80s woman alive - OG Valley Girl Deborah Foreman,
Matt Newmark
2025-02-13 23:47:54 +0000 UTCI hadn't seen this episode in a while, so rewatching today with you I raised my rating from an A to an S or S+. Why? Because there were several times during the episode when we just got a gut punch. Albert's father hearing how his son let the team down, Wesley watching that pain and knowing it was a lie, Picard's speech, Wesley telling Mom "don't protect me", Lacarno's leadership, and so on. If that's not what S or S+ is all about, then what are we here for? Pew Pew Pew???
Paul Hess
2025-02-13 23:41:40 +0000 UTCI disagree that Wesley only fessed up once he had no choice. Yes, Picard said that if Wesley didn't say anything, he would - but as Locarno says, he has no proof. Whatever Picard might say, I think it would remain at "suspicion is not proof".
Steven Linden
2025-02-13 23:39:58 +0000 UTCWhen I was a kid, this episode taught me a lot about ethics and how not saying anything is the same as lying. Banger episode
Michael Bradley
2025-02-13 23:30:58 +0000 UTCWesley gets an unfair shake from most people. He was featured in a few good episodes. The season one with the traveler was probably one of the best of that season. The one where he created the little thingies was pretty decent too. The writers did the character dirty, Wil W too.
Ken R
2025-02-13 23:01:15 +0000 UTCI could see a case for that
Ken R
2025-02-13 22:58:28 +0000 UTCEd Lauter was a prolific character actor in the 80s and 90s. He passed away in 2013.
Keith S
2025-02-13 22:32:08 +0000 UTCGood call, Josh. Cadet Sito is Bajoran.
Keith S
2025-02-13 22:28:45 +0000 UTCHe also played Uncle Martin the Martian for three seasons in My Favorite Martian back in the 60s.
Scott Reeves
2025-02-13 22:12:04 +0000 UTCI like to think Picard DID tell his theory to Brand before the final hearing, but like Jake said, it was just a theory without evidence, so Brand couldn't legally do anything with it. And THEN Wesley confesses anyway, so he wasn't really forced into a confession by anything other than his own sense of right and wrong.
Scott Reeves
2025-02-13 22:08:18 +0000 UTCThe First Duty is an amazing episode. Easily the best Wesley ep.
Scott Hadlington
2025-02-13 22:00:14 +0000 UTCIMO, this is one of the best, if not the best, episode of the entire series.
Scott Reeves
2025-02-13 21:37:52 +0000 UTCSo Wesley had an antique!
Paul Hess
2025-02-13 21:21:01 +0000 UTCThe reason DS9 and Voyager are in SD is because even though they do have the 35mm prints of all of the live action footage, much of their special effects was completed in CGI and would all have to be rebuilt from scratch. On top of that the TNG HD upgrade was a hugely expensive effort that Paramount was hoping to profit off of Blu Ray sales. But then streaming took over and in the end they lost money. This is why some argue that DS9 and Voyager will forever remain in SD.
Column Meanie
2025-02-13 21:07:59 +0000 UTCIt’s “Of Mice and Men” for me. “I shouldn’t have let them kill my dog…” 😢 so sad
Shanelle
2025-02-13 21:01:32 +0000 UTCgot to give props to the actor playing the father, he really gave the vibe of a grieving father
Dark Kronis
2025-02-13 20:55:55 +0000 UTCWhat makes this better than the typical TNG episode, is it takes characterization but incorporates it into a very strong story, and the characters are revealed in how they react in the story. We don't need a monologue from Locarno telling us how he feels, we know how he feels from how he conducted himself. Usually, TNG writes character crap in a vacuum, just cheap one-dimensional sentimentality with Hallmark card writing (klingon bar mitzvahs, "daddy, the kids in school don't like me, I think I'll die now", "let me show you how complex I am by drinking tea during a ritual"). None of that here, and this is definitely an A; I'd put it in my top 5.
Ken R
2025-02-13 20:53:41 +0000 UTCThey wish!😜
Derek Orr
2025-02-13 20:52:44 +0000 UTCI mean we might be closing the border to you guys and Americans soon🤷♂️
Derek Orr
2025-02-13 20:52:02 +0000 UTCThis one was pretty meh boring and not particularly inspiring or unique
Derek Orr
2025-02-13 20:49:50 +0000 UTCIt’s a job title, actually 😂
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2025-02-13 20:46:11 +0000 UTCSo we're all just not comment on this Legendary Handle(name)? 👏👏👏👏
A G
2025-02-13 20:44:48 +0000 UTCI have one
Mike Rogers
2025-02-13 20:35:52 +0000 UTCI was surprised they never mentioned that model of the Enterprise in Wesley's room at Starfleet. There were a couple of shots where it was extremely prominent. It was the first pewter Enterprise officially authorized and sold by the Franklin Mint company. I had picked one up and thought it was really funny when I kept seeing it in the episode. Here's a link to the TV commercial on YouTube https://youtu.be/z09b92CdasY?si=AlGmOboyVqEbSLuQ
Rory O'Toole
2025-02-13 20:34:55 +0000 UTCDialog cost a lot less than Holodeck CGI. Also the look on Wesley's face when he hears that Geordi and Data are doing a thorough investigation.
James Baloun
2025-02-13 20:19:57 +0000 UTC"He's (just) a Gardner". Yes. Just like Guinan is (just) a bartender. I think Boothby is more than an elderly human and the Academy means a lot to him.
James Baloun
2025-02-13 20:14:40 +0000 UTCThis is why ds9 is not in hd they didn’t keep the og film and used a bunch of cgi. No spoilers just be prepared for a step down in video quality :(
Lt Dan I scream
2025-02-13 20:06:33 +0000 UTCBoothby is like the academy’s Guinan
LonghillAndy
2025-02-13 20:04:19 +0000 UTCThis is a disturbing comment. Please never respond or interact with me again thanks
ShazD
2025-02-13 19:50:52 +0000 UTCTrying to show how bright you are? NO SPOILERS!
Michael Metrick
2025-02-13 19:48:00 +0000 UTC🤣🤣🤣
Michael Metrick
2025-02-13 19:47:10 +0000 UTCDon't forget his great Broadway career...
Michael Metrick
2025-02-13 19:45:40 +0000 UTCRay Walston was a great Broadway star, he was in South Pacific, and played the devil in Damn Yankees. Ron Moore is the best writer in all of Trek.
Michael Metrick
2025-02-13 19:42:07 +0000 UTCYou guys have pretty good memories.
startrekiborg
2025-02-13 19:00:25 +0000 UTCThis is how Wesley should have been used from the start, young person's perspective contrasted against a mature perspective, instead of the boy wonder nonsense.
James Knight
2025-02-13 18:37:58 +0000 UTCNick Lacarno - Cadet Gaslighter.
River Acheron
2025-02-13 18:16:30 +0000 UTCTrue but the script was rewritten to make it more objectionable for Wesley not to reveal the truth - the exchanges with Alpert's father for example.
ShazD
2025-02-13 18:12:54 +0000 UTCFunny how they mentioned Boothby along with "In the Flesh"
ShazD
2025-02-13 18:09:42 +0000 UTCIt is funny how some of the best episodes turn out to be ones with just one or two characters and not the entire ensemble..That is just good writing..
Badger
2025-02-13 18:05:30 +0000 UTCMid ep at best.
Michael Nemo
2025-02-13 17:57:00 +0000 UTCOn the subject of occasional bad looking shots in the show. Most of them are because that when they did the HD conversions of the show, sometimes the film segments could not be found, so in that case they have to use the standard definition video master to fill in the scene. Back in the day TNG was post produced to videotape after being shot on film.
Mike Rogers
2025-02-13 17:49:21 +0000 UTCThey should give you a raise.
Dale Williams
2025-02-13 17:48:17 +0000 UTCLol
Spritzy
2025-02-13 17:46:59 +0000 UTCAs to cadet rank insignia, it very well may signify what year a cadet is...though it should be pointed out that real world officer training, such as military academies or ROTC, does assemble command structures from the corps of cadets itself, which are assigned cadet ranks such as Cadet Captain, Cadet Colonel, etc, as part of their training for command roles after graduation.
Aaron Wells
2025-02-13 17:33:40 +0000 UTCI need to figure this out. Zoom work meeting on mute in one window with live AI summary just in case, the TA reaction in another window, the actual episode in another window synced with the reaction, and balancing out all the sound levels and latencies just right.
Paul Hess
2025-02-13 17:18:44 +0000 UTCEasy call...work can wait.
Darin Starr
2025-02-13 17:13:21 +0000 UTCAlex would like to talk with this Ron guy….man, it’s a shame you missed the 90s. Ron had a bulletin board on AOL and he talked a lot with fans there. It’s because of what he said there I know how much he hated the resolution, feeling like Wesley ratted out his friends. Yes, he is the epidode writer but at this point in Trek, there was a writers room where a group would break down a story and a person or team were assigned the screenplay. I’m sure there were deviations from that norm but this was more typical. And Ron let us know on he wanted a different resolution for Wesley but was overruled. Knowing those stories doesn’t make me love or hate an episode more, but it does make me value those early internet days when folks like Ron were more accessible. Brandon Braga would answer IMs on AOL as well. I guess it was a smaller world. Gosh I feel old!
Crankygrandma
2025-02-13 16:54:10 +0000 UTCNot specific to this episode, but I love when you guys make offhand wild predictions and we know when they actually will come true in like 15 or 20 years of air time. As you get deeper in the franchise, you could probably make a montage of those.
EnigmaticPenguin
2025-02-13 16:52:56 +0000 UTCI’ve built a backstory in my head that up until the academy, Wesley was the type of kid who was focused on impressing adults. Now he’s surround by kids his age and he’s having to learn how to fit in. Peer pressure can get to all of us and he just needed Picard to shake him up a bit to realize that confessing was the right thing to do.
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2025-02-13 16:38:43 +0000 UTCOne of my favorites. In no small part because Wes takes it in the chin instead of being the boy wonder who saves the day.
Gerald Conde
2025-02-13 16:21:35 +0000 UTCAlso, am I the only one wondering what 'future ugly uniforms' Alex saw? I have a guess, but not sure.
Forbidden Donut
2025-02-13 16:19:54 +0000 UTCAh the one Wesley episode where we want him to speak up and not shut up.
THE LORE!!!
2025-02-13 16:15:44 +0000 UTCPicard’s first duty speech is one of my favorites. Imagine a world where our leaders committed themselves to scientific, historical, and personal truth. We’d probably be traveling the stars by now.
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2025-02-13 16:14:31 +0000 UTCBoothby was played by beloved character actor Ray Walston, best known as Uncle Martin on “My Favorite Martian.” He was also Judge Bone on “Picket Fences.” And he was Mr. Hand in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”
Aramis Calcutt
2025-02-13 16:09:28 +0000 UTCS-tier, but A because no Worf. But in all seriousness, love this episode. Returning to the roots of Starfleet and getting a court drama with Wesley that is a genuinely believable and well-executed? Sign me up. And yeah... being scolded by Picard? I'd rather be tortured by Q.
Paul
2025-02-13 16:02:40 +0000 UTC1:00:00 Picard TOTALLY would have told the investigators his theory about the accident.
Jovet
2025-02-13 16:00:14 +0000 UTCAnd I watched that as a little kid (before Trek). There was a lot of hope about Space in those days
Crankygrandma
2025-02-13 15:57:42 +0000 UTCOn this rewatch, when I think about Locarno, I feel like this could almost be something Kirk might have pulled off when he was at the academy, but Kirk being Kirk, and the plot armor of being Kirk in Star Trek, his team would successfully perform the maneuver and he'd get away with it and become a bigger legend. Unfortunately for Locarno, he doesn't get that main character plot armor.
Forbidden Donut
2025-02-13 15:52:19 +0000 UTCThe actor who played Boothby was Ray Walston, who played a Martian on the comedy tv series "My Favorite Martian" in the early 60s.
Jeff
2025-02-13 15:46:15 +0000 UTCYou two didn't talk a lot during the dialogue, so you must have been really into it.
Jovet
2025-02-13 15:36:49 +0000 UTCAh always liked to think this episode was an apology for giving us the Game as Wesley’s comeback.
Darren Seal
2025-02-13 15:34:31 +0000 UTCFun fact: the legal drinking age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, and here in Quebec.
Adam Zey
2025-02-13 15:29:38 +0000 UTCNo, we just drink there
Josh (Target Audience)
2025-02-13 15:21:09 +0000 UTCThat’s wild
Josh (Target Audience)
2025-02-13 15:20:53 +0000 UTCThe HD conversion of TNG was intensive. They rebuilt every single episode by re-editing from the original film negatives, meaning they had to put episodes together using individual clips on physical 35mm film. So when you see shots that are in standard definition it is because the team which did the HD rebuild of the series was unable to find the original film negative of that specific shot, so they used the best footage they had available to them.
Column Meanie
2025-02-13 15:18:41 +0000 UTC27:29 Josh, wide-eyed, shakes his head NO. LOL!
Jovet
2025-02-13 15:18:33 +0000 UTCThey're not.
Adam Zey
2025-02-13 15:15:01 +0000 UTCWait, are you guys Canadian?
Column Meanie
2025-02-13 15:13:11 +0000 UTCOne of my favourite episodes! Along with a certain episode it may or may not be connected to in the future.
ShazD
2025-02-13 14:59:09 +0000 UTC2:30 LOL @ "Jack Crusher is dead!" That's how many claimed his delivery was. bum-tssh.
Jovet
2025-02-13 14:54:07 +0000 UTCRichard Fancy, the Vulcan on the tribunal, played Mr. Lipman in Seinfeld. "George, it has come to my attention..."
Collin Freeman
2025-02-13 14:45:52 +0000 UTCOne of my favorites! Excited to watch this one.
Spencer Loften
2025-02-13 14:41:15 +0000 UTCYou guys are brutal ---- constantly launching reactions early in the workday and making me face a moral dilemma about whether to wait. I need to have a word with Boothby about you.
Paul Hess
2025-02-13 14:37:29 +0000 UTC
