UNCUT REACTION - Star Trek TNG S1E19 - Coming of Age
Added 2023-12-06 14:41:58 +0000 UTC
Comments
This one isn't the best of S1, but it's certainly on the stronger end. We get a decent showing for Wesley, and the story on the Enterprise feels like it's building toward some big event later on, which of course it was. Quinn saying he "sees conspiracies everywhere" is a pretty clear foreshadowing of the penultimate episode looking back.
One thing I don't like about this episode is how extremely exclusive it makes starfleet seem. Granted even if starfleet has 15 or 20 thousand ships, with all the species and colonies in the federation, it's going to be a tiny percentage of people who actually serve on a starship, but there are still starbases, planet side assignments, shipyards. Plus some people are going to die in the line of duty or leave starfleet for one reason or another. I dunno, it makes starfleet seem very elitist that even a boy genius like Wesley who didn't fail any of his tests wasn't good enough.
We also see what I believe is the first "Riker maneuver" here, that being his odd way of sitting down by swinging his leg over the back of the chair.
I get Remmick was doing his job, and he didn't deserve his eventual fate, but man did he dial the asshole up to 11. Riker could have handled it better, but I get his frustrations at the crew being questioned like that.
I always laugh when Welsey gets in Rondon's face, specifically when he says "do you want this to become violent". Like Wes, that dude is 3 times your size, good luck with that one. I guess it worked out though.
I like that scene with Wesley and Worf before his psych evaluation. Pretty good scene for both actors. I've always thought Wesley should have just grabbed the dude cowering in the corner and shove him through the exhaust, but given he barely got the other guy out in time, he never would have made it in time.
Good episode.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2024-06-27 04:48:43 +0000 UTC
Interesting 🤔 it’s really one of those lines that has re-played in my head for years. I love that side of Picard - steady devotion to duty but an underlying caring quality he doesn’t always reveal.
Charles Regazzi Jr
2023-12-09 22:48:47 +0000 UTC
it's quite possible he was over the curve of the planet so the transporter couldn't reach him through it, despite being within physical range.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-12-09 17:33:23 +0000 UTC
Good point. Saavik didn't seem familiar with the KM concept when she took it.
Anthony Bernacchi
2023-12-09 15:05:28 +0000 UTC
Believe it or not, that line is absent from the 3rd revised final draft script, available on the Star Trek Minutiae website, in which Picard simply says, "You're welcome." This raises the possibility that Patrick Stewart suggested the line. The script also does not include the subtle implication in Stewart's facial acting immediately after the line that this is the moment he realizes he wants to stay on the Enterprise.
Anthony Bernacchi
2023-12-09 14:59:13 +0000 UTC
My favorite line from Picard: “ That’s my job young man “
Charles Regazzi Jr
2023-12-09 01:49:31 +0000 UTC
Great reaction, sweetie. 😃 That's really great, I love Denise Crosby (Pet Semetary!!!). I enjoyed this one way more than I thought I would, your reactions help me appreciate the show more! Thank you!
Gary Leyh
2023-12-08 05:43:37 +0000 UTC
Right on. That firm, commanding presence is there for sure. When he tells Remmik to get the hell out of the way and keep quiet or he’ll be removed from the bridge, THAT is Picard. Thoughtful, protecting his crew, but in a measured way, takes no shit. Every shot of him in this episode is “bam! Thats the Picard we know!”
Chris S.
2023-12-07 18:07:33 +0000 UTC
It was a regional sounding thing. Like they filter applicants in to various different starbases depending where they live and each region or area is allotted different numbers to send to the academy.
Derek Orr
2023-12-07 15:56:08 +0000 UTC
He wasn’t better abled
Derek Orr
2023-12-07 15:54:25 +0000 UTC
I understood that reference, lol.
Davidge
2023-12-07 05:23:11 +0000 UTC
Wesley in Rudolph voice: "She said I'm cuuuuuute!"
KatWithAttitude
2023-12-07 00:30:30 +0000 UTC
Oh JD, the guy is already in pain....
StonyD
2023-12-07 00:26:19 +0000 UTC
In this episode I noticed Patrick Stewart has suddenly started to sound a lot more like Jean-Luc Picard in tone and cadence. This must be the episode where he found out that it wasn't going to be a one-season show...
StonyD
2023-12-07 00:23:47 +0000 UTC
I also like this one a lot AND it is a Geek-boy / Boy-of-Geek episode (well like you said half anyway)
Wesley ALMOST made the scoreboard but seemed clueless. So no change in the big board
Tosha - 3
Riker - 2
Data - 1
Troi - 1
Prof Moff
2023-12-06 22:22:31 +0000 UTC
No, that was unintentional, it was a general comment on 80s tv where gay relationships pretty much always ended tragic. But I don't think Gerrold was screwed, his script wasn't good judging by the fan film based on it, Roddenberry was right to reject it.
Phillip Grischa
2023-12-06 19:16:20 +0000 UTC
Man, can't wait for Friday, and you already know why.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-12-06 19:13:49 +0000 UTC
Is this a sideways reference to the David Gerrold episode that Roddenberry screwed him on?
JD Nevesytrof
2023-12-06 19:05:55 +0000 UTC
Ouch, after that I hope you're not too thor, Ragnarok!
JD Nevesytrof
2023-12-06 19:04:53 +0000 UTC
😭😭😭
Josh (Target Audience)
2023-12-06 18:26:07 +0000 UTC
Watch them simultaneously, it's the only way.
Phillip Grischa
2023-12-06 18:16:01 +0000 UTC
But what if I like BOTH kinds of videos? WHAT CAN I DO???
JD Nevesytrof
2023-12-06 18:01:55 +0000 UTC
At the start when Alex asked if Wesley and Jake broke up I had to laugh. It was 80s tv, had Wesley and Jake been in a relationship their "breakup" would have been Jake dying from space aids.
Phillip Grischa
2023-12-06 17:50:16 +0000 UTC
That makes some sense.
Jovet
2023-12-06 17:22:03 +0000 UTC
39:45 The choice would have been to help the better-abled guy first, taking the easy route.
Jovet
2023-12-06 17:14:03 +0000 UTC
In my "head canon" I always assumed this was some special type of test where each year they make room for "one lucky candidate" to fill in a slot, from specially chosen kids. And Wesley got that chance based on his experience as an acting ensign on the Enterprise, which was why they were letting someone so young take the test. Most other looks at the academy show it to be college-aged kids in a traditional college setting.
Joe Concepts
2023-12-06 16:57:00 +0000 UTC
Plot armor: out of transporter range, even though people beam to the planet from where they are and he's not to the planet...
Jovet
2023-12-06 16:55:29 +0000 UTC
The premise that Academy candidates have to be whittled down to one is stupid. Stupid.
Jovet
2023-12-06 16:43:19 +0000 UTC
Thank you! ❤️
Ragnarok
2023-12-06 16:13:14 +0000 UTC
WOKE GARBAGE!
Sorry, I had to. I had to. It's been too long.
The one thing that I appreciate in this episode more than a lot of the other stuff is the way they depict Starfleet training. So often later on it almost feels... pat. Very pat. In the JJ movies they treat the KM like this thing that everyone knows about and talks about, and in reality tests like that - tests of character, shouldn't be something that are widely discussed. The nuances and detail have to be a surprise to the person being tested. So, I really appreciate the way its handled here.
Steven Johnson
2023-12-06 16:08:03 +0000 UTC
I'm at work this week after being laid off for a few weeks, so I won't be able to watch this until tonight. I'll be interested to see what you both think.
KatWithAttitude
2023-12-06 16:03:43 +0000 UTC
Hope you have a quick and positive recovery
Josh (Target Audience)
2023-12-06 15:49:25 +0000 UTC
The look on your faces when Wesley opened the door to that destroyed room... :)
tyranusfan
2023-12-06 15:27:35 +0000 UTC
Aww, this is gonna be good to watch while I’m in the hospital recovering from my appendectomy. Thank you guys for what you do.