UNCUT - First Contact (TNG S4E15) | Star Trek Journey 196
Added 2024-10-10 17:15:55 +0000 UTC
Comments
No its not. Good thing it doesn’t happen in this episode.
Column Meanie
2024-10-18 13:21:33 +0000 UTCI always thought it was hilarious that Frasier the character had such a visceral dislike for Star Trek, while Kelsey Grammer is a huge fan. Also the way Frakes delivers that line to Bebe Neuwirth, about needing to go back to his ship 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 is one of the funniest line reads in the show for me.
Moonvest
2024-10-15 16:13:16 +0000 UTCYou’re talking about government-sponsored propaganda and I’m well aware of Goebbels’ campaign. This isn’t what the episode was referring to either.
Column Meanie
2024-10-14 22:59:10 +0000 UTCLighten up. It’s a play on the fact that Riker (the Kirk type) bangs a lady in every port. It has nothing to do with sexual assault, abuse, rape, etc. This scene didn’t make a generation of normal people turn into sex abusers, nor did it hold back the Me Too movement by decades. Sometimes a joke is just a joke. As a survivor myself I find it annoying AF when I see people look for injustice where one does not exist. Give it a rest.
Column Meanie
2024-10-14 22:17:03 +0000 UTCI’m pretty sure no sexual abuser got their idea from this scene. Lighten up.
Column Meanie
2024-10-14 22:12:43 +0000 UTCSexual assault is not funny.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:33:14 +0000 UTCFictional broadcasts refers to what we call popular entertainment.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:27:32 +0000 UTCuhh... for a scene depicting sexual assault? Because that is what it is. Coercion means consent was not given.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:26:45 +0000 UTCThank you. I'm a guy, and this scene always made me uncomfortable.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:25:04 +0000 UTCYes. That scene is textbook sexual assault. Coercion is assault.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:24:37 +0000 UTCI want to give this an A, but I downgrade to a B- for the depiction of sexual coercion that is basically presented as humor. Put Troi or Crusher in Riker's position and a male nurse insisting on sexual favors to assist her escape and this would have never made it past the censors even in the 90's. As a male victim of all kinds of sexual harassment and SA, this is the kind of media depictions that enable further abuse and make it shameful for men to speak up and ask for help.
Sherpa Jones
2024-10-14 20:20:30 +0000 UTCBut we ARE the center of the Federation.
Jeffrey P
2024-10-14 02:55:48 +0000 UTCCheers was filmed on the same lot as TNG making such a one scene appearance possible. (And obviously the DS9 writers were fans.)
Jeffrey P
2024-10-14 02:52:40 +0000 UTCHuh? That couldn't be further from the truth. There are numerous traditions around the world that people love. There are also many societies that build upon those traditions as a foundation. Even extreme liberals have traditions of their own that they value. Often traditions are passed to the next generation because they are beneficial in some way, not just because the previous generation is enforcing it.
SuicuneSol
2024-10-13 21:53:31 +0000 UTCumm wtf???
Derek Orr
2024-10-13 20:49:11 +0000 UTCyup me too!....it really is weird seeing Americans talk about health care like its purchasing a product in a store etc
Derek Orr
2024-10-13 20:47:53 +0000 UTCI agree I think season five is my favorite season as well, it’s close runner-up is season four
Thicketdweller
2024-10-13 17:20:04 +0000 UTCFake news is an old concept most notably utilized and exploited by Adolf Hitler himself during the buildup of the Nazi party through the 20s and 30s
Thicketdweller
2024-10-13 17:12:24 +0000 UTCI’m almost 60 years old, And as I have approached this more advanced age, I am even more convinced that the idea of tradition is just excuses for making the same mistakes over and over again
Thicketdweller
2024-10-13 17:09:24 +0000 UTCNo one can be perfect. And I suspect that calling that a spoiler would be truly a misnomer After all in movies and TV, we’ve always seen series where there’s characters that linger on in the life of the shows universe, but never reappear in the show itself Although in all fairness, sometimes characters that appear and have no future appearances, do have future mentions However, In the scheme of Star Trek and it’s 800+ episodes a faux paw towards an individual character appearing or not appearing again is actually knit picking at it’s finest for those who wish to call you out It all comes down to the trope of the comic book guy from The Simpsons, having a superior attitude, while, not truly being superior in any way. And when Alex read that quote, he did not appear to be in anyway upset or angry or even disappointed.
Thicketdweller
2024-10-13 17:05:27 +0000 UTCThe characters weren't as cliché as those in the film "The Mist" though... 🤕
Jovet
2024-10-13 15:39:16 +0000 UTCI'll sum it up: "Science fiction is a scientifically-plausible past, present, or future."
Jovet
2024-10-13 15:37:21 +0000 UTCGiven how unprepared the Malkorians were for first contact, I don't know it would have been enough, but like in Who Watches the Watchers, this is another example where doing surveillance with drones designed to mimic local birds and insects would avoid a whole lot of trouble. Of course the episode needs to happen, but using such a method you could literally be a "fly on the wall". I find myself more in agreement with Josh on this one, it's an A bordering on a B. There is a lot of great stuff here, but I feel the aspects depicting fear of change and paranoia about alien life is very paint by numbers. Those things are stereotypes on Earth of course, but the common consensus among anyone who has any grasp of science is that if aliens could travel here, they could send an asteroid hurtling into Earth and wipe us all out with little effort. Therefore if they show up asking to talk, they're probably not all that hostile. Even if they do have ill intent of some sort, most military and political leaders would probably opt to try for peace given resistance would truly be futile. As for regular people, in my experience people have either completely dismissed the existence of alien life, or they think if aliens did show up they'd just be dismayed at how backward we were and run away. Some people joke that they want aliens to take over from whatever govt they currently have. Real talk there would probably be more Lanels than Krolas in the general population. Reminds me of a meme someone posted in the discord recently, where it says "NASA warns alien life may not be fuckable" Followed by a picture of Riker saying "not with that attitude". Plus I think a lot of people would just be downright excited to learn there is other life out there in the universe. Granted we might have been a tad less open minded about such things in 1991. This MIGHT be a very slight spoiler as I can't recall specifically if it's been shown up close yet, but the phaser has 1 big and 2 small buttons. The big one is the trigger, the other 2 adjust the power setting. The interesting thing is that almost everything is society is set up with things progressing from left to right. In English and most other languages, you read from left to right. The volume dial on a radio turns right to increase and left to decrease. The AC dial in the car is colder on the left, hotter on the right. But with the phaser, the right power button DECREASES power, somewhat counterintuitively. I figure that was done deliberately so people would tend to subconsciously default to the non lethal setting.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2024-10-13 11:58:07 +0000 UTCperhaps it's explained later on
Timothy Nikiforovs
2024-10-13 10:47:03 +0000 UTCOversimplified explanation: typically how the ST writer's room worked was they had a stack of story ideas, and they would "break the story," where they figured out what needed to happen in the episode on a big white board. Once that was done, it was turned over to one of the staff writers and they write the first draft. They'd then go over the draft and change anything that needed to change, and that was more or less it, the final draft would be written. --- Unlike other shows, ST accepted story ideas and whole scripts from amateurs/fans who mailed them in. Staffers would be assigned to sort through the stack every season. If they found one they wanted, they'd ask the submitter to write a draft. If it was good enough, they'd let that writer write the final draft. If it wasn't, the staff would take over and rewrite it, and the submitter would get a "Story by" credit. Those are usually the ones that had the "walls of writers," as you've called it, as sometimes the idea was so raw it needed a lot of work to hammer out.
tyranusfan
2024-10-12 22:26:37 +0000 UTCThey should have a safety on their phasers where only it’s owner can use it or just lock it on stun.
Philbot
2024-10-12 18:23:35 +0000 UTClol I quote “Lt. Dan, ice cream” all the time
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2024-10-12 16:24:19 +0000 UTCBabylon 5 actually had a similar incident where an alien wanted to have sex with a member of the main cast. The solution there was the cast member realized that the alien would have no idea what human sex was, so they just invented something stupid up on the fly, like a handshake, and said "There! We're done! Was it good for you too?" I wonder if that's what Riker ended up doing? I don't think he was really in a physical condition to go all the way even if he wanted to.
BN13
2024-10-12 15:15:31 +0000 UTCThis episode IS what Sci-Fi is. It's not just about the setting like a B-movie on the Sci-Fi channel, and Sci-Fi doesn't mean it's just full of technobable like Booby Trap. Technobable is just a tool/trope that Sci-Fi sometimes uses to make it's world feel more real. If the technobable is based on our own science, then that makes it even better, but technobable itself is not necessary. I wrote this out in the Devil's Due video too, but what makes something Sci-Fi is it is about something. It is exploring an interesting idea using a Sci-Fi setting. This episode clearly does, as did Devil's Due. Sci-Fi is all about what is being said behind all of the technobable, aliens, and space. It's giving us a fun lens through which to examine ourselves and ask questions. I'll paraphrase a quote I heard somewhere that I think sums this up perfectly: "with Sci-Fi, you are open to possibilities that you had never considered. THAT is the exploration that awaits you. Not mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence."
BN13
2024-10-12 14:53:04 +0000 UTCMy only issue with this episode is it's premise is too on the nose which cuts both ways. On the one hand we have totally unrealistic exposition for our benefit- example the defense minister saying "some think things have gone too far" or whatever, that isn't realistic dialogue, it's simple theater dialogue. The Chancellor would be very aware of that minister's views and vice a versa. On the other, you have things which just seem silly since this isn't an earth clone- an exact version of the hippocratic oath, the "nightly fictions." I mean, I can fanwank by saying it's how this culture is different. By the way, I didn't take them saying they were the center of the universe as a literal view but more trying to describe how world shaking this news would be given the culture and the current situation. It would be maybe analagous to us thinking the interent and ai has gone too far, and then suddenly we learn there are entire organizations of aliens- too much social transformation it would be harmful. So why the premise is brilliant and the episode is easy to watch- it's all sort of stock character types that play in semi-predictable ways. The enlightend scientist, the careful leader riding a balancing pole and seemingly winning at the time, the militant "dont trust them guy" the principled doctor, the unprincipled doctor- it was easy to watch and fun, but it all played out pretty much paint by numbers. The exception, you noted, felt to me more of a "they ran out of time/didn't know how to end it" feel then a clever subversion of the trope. It was just like, ok- the epilogue so to speak was nice. And I liked this episode overall. I think I'm saying why I would give it more of a B rating (which is still "Banger")
paultardspambot .
2024-10-12 09:58:19 +0000 UTCHave either Alex or Josh seen "Cheers" or "Frasier". If so, they didn't seem to recognise Lilith when she was taking advantage of Riker.
Regan
2024-10-12 05:05:18 +0000 UTCSure. A key question is: “compared to what?” I genuinely wish you good fortune in seeking to sort this out in a single human lifetime.
Anthony Michaels
2024-10-11 16:35:21 +0000 UTCSeems that way, until it doesn’t.
Anthony Michaels
2024-10-11 16:34:35 +0000 UTCThe whole "interbreeding" is problematic in and of itself. It is very unlikely that any different "intelligent" species would be able to conceive an offspring, and there is no chance that offspring wouldn't be sterile.
Jovet
2024-10-11 15:29:01 +0000 UTCAnd, in so doing, they portray that humanity's first contact with an alien culture now (then—1991) would have gone poorly.
Jovet
2024-10-11 15:21:41 +0000 UTCNo
Jovet
2024-10-11 15:20:53 +0000 UTC@Greg Quinn Cue Soong's speech about old things...
Jovet
2024-10-11 15:20:33 +0000 UTCThat's a later retcon. The only logical trouble with that is...lips still wouldn't match what is being said. So if you went down to a alien masquerading as one you would need to be able to speak the language. The whole implanted universal translator doesn't really fix that but it's whatever.
Greg Quinn
2024-10-11 08:47:48 +0000 UTCIt is. But we are also talking star trek world where Worf was the only compatible donor for a Romulan and different species are able to interbreed. 🤷♂️
Greg Quinn
2024-10-11 08:45:17 +0000 UTCIt's just funny that they spent a fair bit of time talking about whether or not she'd be back on the show. Lol
Greg Quinn
2024-10-11 08:43:04 +0000 UTCThere are definitely good traditions. There is definitely also a ton of garbage.
Greg Quinn
2024-10-11 08:41:36 +0000 UTCThis is my all-time favorite TNG episode. Seeing Starfleet & the Federation from the aliens’ perspective with a first contact situation is great. This is Star Trek in its purest form.
Ron Hubbard Jr
2024-10-11 07:09:44 +0000 UTCLike the band Soul Coughing said “It was a weather balloon”
Thicketdweller
2024-10-11 04:18:29 +0000 UTCAlex, jokes about private healthcare "because it's like Earth, right?" My Canadian, socially medically insured ass: Yeah, Earth, not America. =P
Nolan
2024-10-11 04:00:17 +0000 UTCoh snap they read my comment ... yeah the screen name is a pun quote from Forest Gump ... You ain't got no legs Lt Dan...
Lt Dan I scream
2024-10-11 03:51:16 +0000 UTCWhat an insane thing to think is true.
StormFather45
2024-10-11 03:12:08 +0000 UTCWhat makes this episode is that first contact fails. Really the first time we saw an "official" first contact and it doesn't work out. It could be argued the Riker incident is what sinks it, but interesting whatever the reason. Also great that Krola may seem like a jerk, but he's a true believer and not shown to just be a paranoid coward as some might make that character.
Joe Concepts
2024-10-11 02:23:44 +0000 UTCLove Bebe Neuwirth, love TNG, love most of this episode, but they basically wrote a sexual assault scene and played it off for laughs bc Riker is a guy and is portrayed as a lothario
Vina
2024-10-11 01:07:07 +0000 UTCEvery aspect of our society teaches us from birth that valuing tradition is backward, foolish, and bigoted. This is extremely rare, and promptly will lead to cultural suicide. Even so, as you grow old your views of the value of tradition may change.
Anthony Michaels
2024-10-11 01:01:07 +0000 UTCWith your namesake being the goat, I had to try!
Josh (Target Audience)
2024-10-11 00:33:09 +0000 UTCThank you 🗿
Josh (Target Audience)
2024-10-11 00:31:58 +0000 UTCThis episode is more timely today than when it was made
Scarpad’s Domain
2024-10-11 00:19:43 +0000 UTCLife happens
Steve Boshear
2024-10-11 00:17:33 +0000 UTCI've been waiting all season for you guys to see that lady beg for Riker's sweet alien love.
Steve Boshear
2024-10-11 00:15:36 +0000 UTCYes. This is sci-fi. Techno-babble and big space battles are more of a cinematic invention. This type of story is more indicative of classic sci-fi. Heinlein, Anderson, Smith, Anthony...more story less flash
StealthMomo
2024-10-10 23:11:33 +0000 UTCWho else thinks Alex isn't kidding about not being here forever?
Alan Thompson
2024-10-10 23:10:04 +0000 UTCThat's what I think Star Wars is. Star Wars is basically fantasy in a science fiction setting. The whole thing hinges on magical bloodlines instead of history and tech development.
Aaron Wells
2024-10-10 23:01:38 +0000 UTCBy the way, the “fictional broadcasts” were not referring to fake news, which really wasn’t a concept in 1991. The writers were making a joke about the Malkorians watching their own version of Star Trek.
Column Meanie
2024-10-10 22:39:02 +0000 UTCI'm not too sure about that because thinking about it *SPOILERS* (just in case alex and Josh read this, so don't guys!) In voyager, the episode the 47s the japanese guy remarks how everyone is taking japanese and Janeway makes a point of referring to her communicator in terms of it translating and that's set a few years on from this episode of course. But I can definitely see that for an undercover first contact surveillance an implanted one would actually make a lot of sense. A communicator is a bit inconspicuous after all lol. I just wish they'd thrown a line in to explain.. They had enough people working on it after all 😅
Incredible Jon
2024-10-10 22:32:37 +0000 UTCLol I'd say a character "not being a main character" is more like soft spoiler than complete spoiler but yeah. Funny thing is, it got a lot of likes, which is why they read it, and even a few replies, with no one saying a damn thing about it being in spoiler territory. But I own the screw up. Josh told me it was no big deal.
THE LORE!!!
2024-10-10 22:19:36 +0000 UTCIf memory serves, by this time in the Star Trek universe, all Star fleet members have a universal translator surgically implanted.
Monty Crawford
2024-10-10 22:13:59 +0000 UTCMarc Zicree, author of "The Twilight Zone Companion", wrote this episode. This is his youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@MrSciFi check it out.
Ronald Baiter
2024-10-10 22:02:15 +0000 UTCgood point. That is the difference between Kirk and Riker. Kirk would have grabbed her, kissed her (in a very uncomfortable / inappropriate way), then told her to go distract the guard. Riker was submissive doing what he was told. (that'll get me hate mail)
Prof Moff
2024-10-10 21:57:54 +0000 UTCBut does he have an entire wall devoted to the study of Area 51??
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:31:45 +0000 UTCThe reason to fear change is that not all change is good change. The "problem" is that change is inevitable. The universe forces it upon us.
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:31:14 +0000 UTCAnd the crossover or interweave of science fiction and fantasy is very interesting to me.
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:29:13 +0000 UTCRiker could have walked out of the door without her. But he needed her to distract the guard first.
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:28:35 +0000 UTCUp his what?? (LOL!)
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:27:05 +0000 UTCHuman beings already have over three dozen blood groups; any likelihood of similarity to any humanoid aliens is unimaginably unlikely.
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:26:41 +0000 UTCAnd it was even funnier considering what was soon to happen in Riker's hospital room...
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:24:46 +0000 UTCThe Lore with a complete spoiler. Lol.
Greg Quinn
2024-10-10 21:14:16 +0000 UTC1:15:02 The verb you're looking for is PORKED !
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:11:10 +0000 UTCWould it? Maybe in this case blood is one similarity between this species and human.🤷♂️
Greg Quinn
2024-10-10 21:06:17 +0000 UTC1:07:00 I "like" how the first Patron Take is a spoiler. 🤦
Jovet
2024-10-10 21:03:18 +0000 UTC55:46 I just am not sure if you've seen that film. I think you have but I'm not sure... T.L.!
Jovet
2024-10-10 20:53:40 +0000 UTCAh thanks guys for taking on the task of reading my book-length comment! I’ll try to be more succinct next time! Sometimes I just got a lot to say about the episodes! 😂
Column Meanie
2024-10-10 20:52:11 +0000 UTC50:10 Yup. Malkorian society is modeled as a mirror of contemporary human society, a few years on.
Jovet
2024-10-10 20:44:04 +0000 UTC"Did he pull out his dick??" Thanks guys...because of that I spewed coffee all over my computer monitor and had to pause for a few minutes because I haven't laughed that hard in weeks. I'm glad I'm not the only sick bitch here. Great reaction to one of my favorite episodes. It's full of plot holes but still give it an S.
Monty Crawford
2024-10-10 20:38:53 +0000 UTC41:34 You can tell the strength of the phaser blasts by the sound.
Jovet
2024-10-10 20:35:29 +0000 UTCThis episode has lived in my mind since I first saw it.
Michael Nemo
2024-10-10 20:33:49 +0000 UTCBAD SCI-FI: "Oh we've found a strange weird new alien species, now they want to kill us." GOOD SCI-FI: "Oh we've found a strange weird new alien species, what do their differences and similarities tell us about ourselves?" GREAT SCI-FI: "Oh, here's an idea that's scientifically plausible that almost nobody has ever considered before so now let's extrapolate it to see what it tells us...about ourselves." The limitless imagination found in the corners of space and time is just the building blocks of a bad horror or action movie IF we can't contextualize what it means to us as people or as a species <3
The Sultan
2024-10-10 20:28:30 +0000 UTCFor the record, Season 5 is my favorite, and not just because it includes my favorite TNG episode.
KatWithAttitude
2024-10-10 20:27:37 +0000 UTC28:48 A simple test of his blood would very quickly prove he's an alien. Big plot hole in this one.
Jovet
2024-10-10 20:22:37 +0000 UTCGreat episode
James Bottas
2024-10-10 20:12:21 +0000 UTCIf Alex is such a big fan of "downer endings," then DS9 will certainly be up his alley.
Shortskirtsandexplosions
2024-10-10 20:11:40 +0000 UTCGlad y'all liked this episode.
Shortskirtsandexplosions
2024-10-10 20:11:20 +0000 UTCThe whole "believing we're in the centre of the universe" thing while inventing warp drive is actually feasible because, from the Earth's POV, we are the center of the universe. The reason why we know we're not is because of things like dark matter, dark energy and how its informed our understanding of Newtonian physics. In short, we Sherlock Holmes-ed our way, through deductive reasoning and evidence, to realize we're not in the center of the universe. It just looks like we are (and that's the same for every planet in the universe - every world looks like its in the center of the universe and the stars are moving away from us specifically no matter what world we're on). As for the writer's accreditation thing - yes, lots of shows - including TREK - have scripts that originate from one writer and basically get filmed. The only person who usually filters it is the show runner and there's both political and logistical reasons why you don't want the showrunners credit on the writing for every episode. But yeah - someone will sometimes write a draft, hand it in, the showrunner will make changes and then it just gets filmed. No writers room involved. And sometimes these scripts don't originate from the writers room, they come out of the blue as an offer or a spec script or something they had lying in the drawer. Writer's Guild of America rules actually specify that accreditation is required when a certain percentage of a script is altered by a writer or a writer's room and they literally hire people to keep track of that and submit reports back to the WGA for accreditation. So sometimes a writer in a writer's room can make significant changes to a script's tone or punchiness, but because the content is so minimal, they don't' get an accreditation. Great example of this is Joss Whedon who did a fair amount of rewrites on TOY STORY, but he never got the credit because they didn't use most of his story rewrites, but THEY KEPT HIS ONE LINERS AND COMEDY DIALOGUE. TOY STORY is replete with Whedon dialogue, but it doesn't add up enough per page to qualify for a story credit. So yeah, sometimes you see an episode credited to one writer and you still don't know if a team of writers punched it up in the background or not.
The Sultan
2024-10-10 20:06:50 +0000 UTCGuys! Make sure you do NOT go through the comments yourself when this goes on YouTube. You would be spoilered to oblivion.
Sam Langanke
2024-10-10 20:04:11 +0000 UTCThe trim looks great, Alex! 👍🐻🧔
Jovet
2024-10-10 19:54:21 +0000 UTCDamn, my man Alex lookin' clean af with the new cut. Also, I'm a big fan of Frasier and there is a lot of cross pollination between these two shows when it comes to actors. Obviously Bebe Neuwirth, but there is an episode where Bebe's character is on a plain with a very nervous passenger played by Brent Spiner. She makes a comment that he looks extremely pale, to which he responds that he always looks like that.
Deep Red
2024-10-10 19:44:21 +0000 UTCYou’re fine
Josh (Target Audience)
2024-10-10 19:41:22 +0000 UTCSorry for my "spoiler" about Mirasta. I should have found another avenue to talk about her without mentioning her appearing or not appearing again. I'm normally in the "let them wonder if this character will show up again" camp but I'll admit it, I done goofed.
THE LORE!!!
2024-10-10 19:36:38 +0000 UTCI'm so happy to say: Yes, there really is a LOT more good Star Trek ahead for you guys, and I'm excited to see you get to it. 90's Star Trek is overall so fucking good!
Forbidden Donut
2024-10-10 19:28:18 +0000 UTCHa, wrote this before hearing the patron takes, thought it would be a nice follow-up for you without spoiling
C
2024-10-10 19:26:22 +0000 UTCThere's only one good reason to fear change per se, which is that sometimes you can't change things back, even if you want to.
SnabbKassa
2024-10-10 19:24:03 +0000 UTCHere is everyone's fav, well just the wierdos like me, The sex scoreboard Riker 9 new +1 Troi 3 Data 1 Picard 1 Worf 1 Geordi 1 & 1 i Broccoli 2 i Chief 1 Keiko 1 extras: Now THAT is the Riker being Kirk. It is time to shag the alien in order to .... um... walk out the door. Okay good enough reason.
Prof Moff
2024-10-10 19:17:06 +0000 UTCScifi isn't technobabble. It doesn't need to be about complex technology or whatever. Its about IDEAS. Scifi is SPECULATIVE FICTION. Its speculation about a scenario that is made possible by a future series of events and developments. Scifi is often set in the future as that creates room for the speculation based on the gulf between now and that future. How contact with a new society/species might go in the future with an eye towards drawing parallels with our own history is the very essence of what defines speculative fiction. This is one of Trek MOST science fiction heavy episodes. Honestly, in terms of narrative, it could be a short story by someone like Heinlein or Asimov. This episode entirely driven by the concepts, the actual technology and such are just props.
Aaron Wells
2024-10-10 19:11:09 +0000 UTCFantastic episode looking at first contact from the ground instead of from orbit. One thing that niggles me, without his communicator how was riker even talking to them? Either he learnt their language or they speak English lol. Minor niggle though, for tv purposes it had to be this way I guess lol.
Incredible Jon
2024-10-10 19:05:24 +0000 UTCPretty sure Bebe Neuwirth was begging for a role on TNG, and so they wrote her alien sex scene into this episode late.
Joshua Langweil
2024-10-10 18:52:19 +0000 UTCYou want a writing credit? You gotta have a good agent/manager to advocate for you. Or a generous producer.
Collin Freeman
2024-10-10 18:50:58 +0000 UTCCompare/contrast Mirasta Yale (alien with lower technology) with Gillian from Star Trek IV (human from past)
C
2024-10-10 18:49:16 +0000 UTCThis was one of the top 5 episodes for me. Encapsulates everything that Star Trek is about, discovering new civilizations, allegories for real world earth right now, wonderment of technology and exploration, dash of humour and adventure, diplomacy, guest appearance by a famous actor.
Derek Orr
2024-10-10 18:16:48 +0000 UTCWOOOO PATRON TAKE DROUGHT IS OVER FOR ME!! Also man you should have seen me react when ds9 was mentioned
Phil Ken Sebben
2024-10-10 18:12:55 +0000 UTCHoly cow, I’m surprised at your ratings! I thought maybe B
Crankygrandma
2024-10-10 18:08:55 +0000 UTCIt's a great episode. Krola is so painfully backwards and you can absolutely see the societal parallels the episode may or may not be throwing towards the viewers at the time - socially regressive, 'traditional' groups afraid of change because change.
Mara
2024-10-10 18:07:28 +0000 UTC🗒️ Josh likes Roswell and aliens
Phil Ken Sebben
2024-10-10 17:31:38 +0000 UTC
