UNCUT REACTION - Star Trek TNG S1E5 - The Last Outpost
Added 2023-10-18 15:00:15 +0000 UTC
Comments
Yeah, this is one I never quite got the hate for. It's certainly far from a great episode, and it's rather ridiculous that they chose to have the ferengi act like "pygmy cretins" as Worf said and expect they're going to be the big bads of TNG. But underneath all that I love the addition of the Tkon Empire to the lore of the Star Trek universe. Portal was a pretty interesting character, and I've always wished we would learn more about him and the Tkon. While it's not canon(alpha canon anyway), we do actually see Portal again in the recent Star Trek Resurgence video game. At this point they were clearly still struggling with how best to use most of the cast, but Riker at least was starting to find his groove a bit more. Data's desire to learn more about being human obviously stuck around, but the way it's executed later on is so much better. At this point it's presented as a distraction from his duties, and it makes him feel aloof regarding his job. Mostly just alright as episodes go, but the lore drop does help balance out the negatives.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2024-06-16 08:26:38 +0000 UTCReplying to Collin, even if it might be late. To be honest, you can´t fault people for playing the capitalist game while still hating it. I do it too. I hate capitalism with a passion but I have to think of others. My mom can only afford the barest necessities on her own but she deserves so much more. Without playing this stupid capitalism game I wouldn´t be able to give my mother money/experiences so she doesn´t waste away alone in her flat. Edit: Okay, I read a bit more about what he did. He kinda went over the top. I´ll keep my comment here, but yeah, Roddenberry was a bit of a weirdo. Welp....
Braindead
2023-10-28 07:29:04 +0000 UTCI lost it when I read he took unused effects shots of the Enterprise and sold them frame by frame. Like, WHY DIDN'T THEY GET USED IN THE SHOW GENE??? Ugh, his genius in getting this whole thing started is respectable, the way he self-sabotaged and nearly drove it into the ground is just (stands up, walks off 'cause I should not keep emoting here).
Angelaina Marie
2023-10-26 14:34:57 +0000 UTCCash: No, it was always there, I remember seeing it on the TV broadcasts as well.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-24 00:20:45 +0000 UTCRight? I WISH I could have seen my own face when I heard him call her Tar.. 😂
Lady Beyond The Wall
2023-10-23 00:50:57 +0000 UTCIn Roddenberry's mind, money was responsible for a lot of pain in humankind and so ultra-capitalists probably seemed like ideal villains to him. Of course, he was a hypocrite because he would work the system however he could to make a buck, including starting up Lincoln Enterprises to make money off of Star Trek memorabilia and putting lyrics to the original Star Trek theme so he would earn royalty money anytime the music was used (even though Alexander Courage never wrote it to have lyrics).
Collin Freeman
2023-10-22 19:46:09 +0000 UTCI'm ashamed to admit I've never noticed this detail until this rewatch. Was that always there or just added during the bluray remaster?
Ca$hWednesday
2023-10-22 14:48:33 +0000 UTCAs others have said, the Ferengi get much more tolerable as the seasons progress. They were supposed to be dangerous rivals to the Federation, but they just work better as capitalistic scammers.
PFCoffey
2023-10-22 03:19:47 +0000 UTCThe only one here who is preaching propaganda is YOU.
Sam Langanke
2023-10-21 20:16:49 +0000 UTCIn TOS it was "landing party", in TNG it is "away team". You mixed it to "away party".
Sam Langanke
2023-10-21 20:12:59 +0000 UTCSadly, this is where the episode goes into political messaging and preaching where you have the Ferangi who are said to be capitalist and the actors were given instructions literally to act like angry gerbils, while you have our Heroes like Riker standing tall and proud the messaging becomes clear and it’s on the level of propaganda.
Leighton Cressman
2023-10-20 16:57:43 +0000 UTCData was comic relief early on and that will change
Scarpad’s Domain
2023-10-20 15:13:23 +0000 UTCPicard not beaming down is gonna be forgotten pretty quick
Scarpad’s Domain
2023-10-20 15:11:18 +0000 UTCI have to admit that I do wish they could double their Trek output to 4 eps a week. There's just so much good Trek ahead. I too am "tapping my foot" a bit with TNG S1, while still enjoying the journey. It would be an amazing Patron benefit if they went twice as fast here with the uncut reactions, but continue the slower pace for the YouTube edits. I do appreciate their time constraints though!
Lovok
2023-10-20 14:52:36 +0000 UTCI'm usually not a fan of "it gets better, give it a chance" urging from people. But seriously, if you watch an episode from Season 5 and then go back to Season 1, it almost feels like a different series in some ways.
Joe Concepts
2023-10-20 14:22:27 +0000 UTCHigh Definition remastering can have some downsides for sure lol
Ca$hWednesday
2023-10-20 04:03:55 +0000 UTCThis Ep. was ok, I did like it more when it first aired than now because the Ferengi acted like such Annoying, Hyper & Wormy little Runts! It is a good thing they toned them down in later Eps. 😀🖖
Duane Chancey
2023-10-20 02:29:58 +0000 UTCThe Ferengi start out annoying but end up fantastic. Takes awhile. Yes, Riker was supposed to be the charming “Kirk” of TNG. But he does become a good, distinct character., not a type of a past character. Yknow you guys are reminding me how I did enjoy most of this, even in the weaker first two seasons, because it was Trek.
Crankygrandma
2023-10-19 20:45:21 +0000 UTCIt gets markedly better is season 3
Crankygrandma
2023-10-19 20:30:52 +0000 UTCRhett, sure, Season 1 is definitely the foundation. But I still think it mostly stinks, and isn't representative of the quality to come. I don't ACTUALLY think they should skip it. But I will be impatiently tapping my foot as they make their way through to the better stuff. Also, with them doing 2 episodes a week, it will take them over 5 years just to get through TNG, DS9, and VOY. Hell, by the time they get to Picard Season 3 (the only good season, IMO), I'll be 147 years old.
Tom Occhipinti
2023-10-19 18:09:12 +0000 UTCJeff, it wasn't as groundbreaking, but it was very good.
Tom Occhipinti
2023-10-19 18:04:15 +0000 UTCI did, but then a few years ago I read that "The Naked Now" was a sequel to "Naked Time", it was early covid and I was looking for stuff to watch, so I watched that and then watched a Wesley mini marathon of about 10 episodes. I am just not really impressed with anything I'm seeing here so far, but will keep going. Normally I give a show exactly one episode to interest me.
Ken R
2023-10-19 17:49:18 +0000 UTCPeople can say what they will about the Ferengi, I do feel like they are one of the best Star Trek alien makeup designs.
Ca$hWednesday
2023-10-19 17:33:09 +0000 UTCI always thought this episode was okay. The Ferengi take some getting used to. "I'm not sure if i love them or hate them". Yes, this but I think you will eventually love them more than hate them, even more so if/when you get to the next show.
Ca$hWednesday
2023-10-19 17:15:29 +0000 UTCI hope you didn’t completely give up on this show forever back then. It gets so much better.
Joe Concepts
2023-10-19 17:10:07 +0000 UTCMy parents were TOS fans and definitely were not keen on TNG to start with, but both knew about Patrick Stewart and mum liked Jonathan Frakes in North and South so they kept watching. By season 3 the whole family was watching the show together, literally the only show we ever watched together. Fond memories.
Paul Rymer
2023-10-19 12:53:31 +0000 UTCGuys... no talking about future content plz
Andreas Schmitt
2023-10-19 11:11:09 +0000 UTCWow - I enjoyed this episode way more this time around I still don't think the Ferengi worked here, but there was a lot of great stuff in this episode
Ryan Baillie
2023-10-19 10:57:11 +0000 UTCThis was boring and awful and a great example of why I abandoned this show so quickly. There was never any sense of rising stakes, the script and director did nothing to instill any sense of drama. The crew speak their lines so blasé, so there is never anything creating excitement or interest. The color palette is very muted and the video quality looks awful compared to the film quality of TOS. On the planet the Ferengi never posed any sort of serious threat and even at the moment they knock the crew out all that happens is two seconds later the crew wakes up. Then this god-like character pops up and nobody is impressed much by him either. And then these munchkin Ferengi just prancing around for no reason. Back on the ship the doctor is hearing her son will die and barely can muster a reaction. This episode has no pulse. 3/10.
Ken R
2023-10-19 09:39:55 +0000 UTCThat is the very odd thing about how Worf was written. When he's interacting with other Klingons (or their enemies in the same episode) he is shrewd, self-possessed and highly articulate. Otherwise he's immediately recommending an aggressive immediate response to any situation.
Numinous2019
2023-10-19 07:57:15 +0000 UTCThank you! Not my favorite episode but I can find something to enjoy in all episodes and it's so fun watching you experience them for the first time.
Gary Leyh
2023-10-19 05:13:11 +0000 UTCA good current analogy would be that we have smart phones now with all kinds of information at our fingertips, yet if I drive to a city I haven't been to before and see some type of historical building, I don't immediately know what it is or what its history is just because that information exists online. I have to say "Data, errr, I mean, babe, look up information for that building" lol.
Tristan Rose
2023-10-19 04:37:50 +0000 UTCWhere are the bad episodes? To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite movies: "If you wait for them, they will come." Every season has at least one or two...lesser episodes. Some more than others.
KatWithAttitude
2023-10-19 03:36:34 +0000 UTCThe lead Ferengi on the ground team (the one making all the accusations), is none other than Armin Shimerman, whom you must certainly remember as Principal Snyder from the later episodes of Buffy season 1, after the first principal was eaten by hyena-possessed bullies.
Jeff Cornell
2023-10-19 02:52:14 +0000 UTCI mean, "Time's Arrow" is a fine episode, but why would you put it in the same list with those other three?
Jeff Cornell
2023-10-19 02:49:14 +0000 UTCRhett: Not only that, season 1 and 2 are absolutely vital for some significant moments everyone loves in the future seasons, right up to the finale.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-19 02:47:02 +0000 UTCAs far as generations enjoying TOS and TNG… I can tell you my perspective. In 1987, TOS had just premiered in rerun syndication on the FOX network five days a week. Nickelodeon was airing the TAS on weekends. I’m in Syracuse, NY. TNG premiered and would air on, like Saturday evening. So, all three shows were going strong.
Geoffrey Linehan
2023-10-19 02:45:08 +0000 UTCExcept against other Klingons
Collin Freeman
2023-10-19 02:04:45 +0000 UTCIt was a pleasure to do, and I'm so glad that so many people showed up for it.
Steven Johnson
2023-10-19 01:40:22 +0000 UTCAgreed about the lore elements. Also thanks for hosting the Q&A :) Check the Community chat on the app :) I opened a DIscord to discuss upcoming content :)
Andreas Schmitt
2023-10-19 01:28:45 +0000 UTCYes, Gene Roddenberry intended Ferengi to be the main Federation nemesis. At the time, they were building them up for fans, not showing what they looked like until this episode. What we got was a caricature of the 80's cut throat capitalist. Where the Federation was all about being beyond money and the acquisition of wealth, it was what dominated the Ferengi. Yes, they were more goofy than menacing. Also, some have made a charge that these aliens wallow in Jewish stereotypes (which I think is a huge reach) . So... yeah... this episode might be racist too. LOL
Mike Rogers
2023-10-18 23:56:01 +0000 UTC*Thomas: I personally get the impression that our 2 hosts will end of considering TNG S-1 the foundation for what's to come - and will end up APPRECIATING the stories which they have yet to witness ahead. And remember, everyone, there are more than a few astonishingly good episodes in Season 1; you all know they ones I'm talking about - they surprised me completely, which makes me long for J & A to go ahead and just binge-watch Season 1 all at once. LOL. C'mon, guys: it's SEVEN MORE YEARS OF STAR TREK! So, to paraphrase the graphics seen on-screen at the end of the first movie, Josh and Alex's Star Trek adventure is just beginning.
Rhett Coates
2023-10-18 23:48:03 +0000 UTCThat is an understatement, but totally true: I wish DS9 wasn't so far off for Josh & Alex to see; it also had a rocky start but got INCREDIBLY good!
Rhett Coates
2023-10-18 23:44:38 +0000 UTCHey, Josh & Alex: did you guys notice that John Collicos (Kor in TOS ep. Errand of Mercy) is THE SAME ACTOR who plays Baltar in Battlestar Galactica?
Rhett Coates
2023-10-18 23:41:33 +0000 UTCI was going to relate that small detail; JD beat me to it. That was far more subtle in TOS/TAS, but was hinted at - now it's canon.
Rhett Coates
2023-10-18 23:37:17 +0000 UTCFor Worf's Sash, it's actually the same sash John Collicos wore as Kor in the TOS episode Errand Of Mercy. In universe it's just a Klingon sash used to show off the emblem of what house you belong too. Not a required choice for a Klingon, just an optional way to show off you family crest
Retro Tom
2023-10-18 23:30:30 +0000 UTCThe show definitely takes a minute to find its feet.
MertzRocks
2023-10-18 23:27:26 +0000 UTCIDK if this is a *spoiler alert* (sort of?) Ferengi episodes *throughout* ST are hit and miss. In this one they did seem extremely hyper. They do calm tf down. Some Ferengi characters in the future you may love; others you may hate. You'll rarely be bored lol.
MertzRocks
2023-10-18 23:15:14 +0000 UTCYou will find that Worf does get his ass kicked throughout the series.
Mike Rogers
2023-10-18 23:07:58 +0000 UTCI noticed for the first time how much makeup comes off on Brent Spiner's finger when he get's the finger trap off.
Mike Rogers
2023-10-18 22:58:42 +0000 UTCYou're wrong in wanting to skip part of the journey, good or bad, just to get well down the river to what you consider good. Josh and Alex are enjoying this section of Trek history far more than many of us did, and we should envy them, not pity them.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-18 22:37:23 +0000 UTCWow I'd forgotten that this was First Contact w/Ferengi and I was tempted to use the classic line from a later show: "Didn't they teach you about Ferengi at the Academy??"
MertzRocks
2023-10-18 22:30:30 +0000 UTCCan’t we just skip ahead to Tapestry, or Cause and Effect, or Yesterday’s Enterprise, or Time’s Arrow? I guess not. Josh and Alex…. This is NOT the TNG yet to come. For all your analysis right now…. this will wind up being the season you have no interest in thinking about again. Thankfully, the storytelling, characterization, and even the actor performances improve considerably. Everyone — without spoilers, am I wrong?
Tom Occhipinti
2023-10-18 22:15:29 +0000 UTCYup. Terrible episode. Sorry, folks. I can’t sugar coat this. And I think the Ferengi suck until Armin’s second contribution.
Tom Occhipinti
2023-10-18 22:13:29 +0000 UTCYeah the kids left behind the finger trap. That's how I read it too
James Bottas
2023-10-18 21:52:26 +0000 UTCOne of my favorite things about TNG (and other Star Trek series onward) is the ensemble. All of the command staff have important roles - not in every episode, but most. The captain confers with his group of experts. It's not just the Captain and/or his top 2 friends providing the majority of the input. It's more realistic in that the captain is not a know-it-all or can-do-it-all.
Collin Freeman
2023-10-18 21:46:18 +0000 UTCBarbaric Hu-mans!
SinocTheHodgeheg
2023-10-18 21:17:22 +0000 UTCQuark and DS9 goes along way to redeem the ferengi.
Scarpad’s Domain
2023-10-18 20:51:08 +0000 UTCI did have a good chuckle at just straight up calling Josh's feelings on the Ferengi. I THINK the implication is that those two boys Riker rushed out of the conference room were the ones that left the finger trap, but it wasn't focused on enough to be clear. Worf's sash is from the first appearance of the Klingons back in "Errand of Mercy." In fact, it is the exact same sash worn by John Collicos as Kor in that episode. Worf's actor was apparently very fond of his unique wardrobe accessory. This show will just get better and better at highlighting its whole crew.
Nolan
2023-10-18 20:24:57 +0000 UTCThe Ferengi were this species here with the big ears. The people in the pilot were called the Bandi, and the two shapeshifting "jellyfish" creatures did not have a proper name.
tyranusfan
2023-10-18 20:23:14 +0000 UTCNot just a callback, it IS the sash worn by Kor, John Collicos himself back in the '60s.
Nolan
2023-10-18 20:18:22 +0000 UTCRoddenberry tries the concept of the Ferengi again, using another unsubtle character in the season 1 finale. And, yes, the Ferengi were supposed to be the TNG main 'bad guys', which lasted about several more episodes before petering out.
Numinous2019
2023-10-18 20:17:35 +0000 UTCI think you have already assessed how you will always feel about the Ferengi
AzoriusMage
2023-10-18 19:33:36 +0000 UTCI could see Josh's "Joke Mode" start to warm up during the first finger-trap scene. Lol Also, every time Alex calls Yar, "Tar"...😏 ...no spoilers, but Holy Shit!
Miguel A. Moreta
2023-10-18 19:23:23 +0000 UTCI loved the story on the blu-ray about how they found the little scrap of film in the archives for that animation and remastered that as well.
tyranusfan
2023-10-18 18:59:23 +0000 UTCI've said before that I am glad that you think the episodes are good and are enjoying all of them. I think the perception of them being bad comes from a combination of things but mostly down to repeated viewing. The later stories are just that much better and the characters feel fully formed and not the slightly awkward clunkiness here. So when you've seen the whole series and come back to early stories, it feels very weird. Even the direction choices, the music, etc. I won't say this episode is bad but it definitely does the Ferengi dirty since they didn't know what to do with them.
THE LORE!!!
2023-10-18 18:52:35 +0000 UTCI think I wouldn't have minded them not thinking about the planet for so long if Troi hadn't literally said they've been ignoring the planet followed by everyone continuing to ignore the planet while considering surrendering to the ferengi.
Phillip Grischa
2023-10-18 18:42:19 +0000 UTCWorf's sash is a callback to a similar one worn by Kor, the first Klingon, from TOS's Errand of Mercy.
Mark Chrisco
2023-10-18 17:50:17 +0000 UTCEnjoyed revisiting this episode and the first appearance of the Ferengi. They're not really used well here, but they're definitely entertaining down the line, whether you love them or hate them! They get their best episodes in DS9 in my opinion.
Elizabeth N
2023-10-18 17:28:04 +0000 UTCDon't let the database aspect confuse you. The Enterprises computer is HUGE and has data on basically everything the federation knows about anything. There is no way a crew knows all this by heart. There are countless civilizations and billions of planets out there. They don't know everything. Also, yes the entire point of these ships' mission is to explore unexplored regions of space. So indeed they do NOT know what they're heading into most of the time, and that is kind of the entire point of their mission: exploration, seeking out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go... well you know ;)
Andreas Schmitt
2023-10-18 16:55:23 +0000 UTCI had this one on vhs back in the day. There’s a campy charm to it, but everyone gets some character moments. Early on TNG suffers from pacing and a lack of tension. Even when the crew is in a “life or death” situation, it just never seems serious. Fortunately that’s something the show overcomes when they finally figure out it’s a 80s/90s show, and not a 60s show..
Glenn Johnson Barnes
2023-10-18 16:53:29 +0000 UTCThere is something kind of fun in hearing you ask if they will figure this out and that out. Figure out Data? Yes they will. They pretty much figure out everyone. Troi's character especially early on was made fun of for just being "I sense they're angry, sir." She ends up being used better in the future. This really is in major contrast to TOS an ensemble show. In that way, it's much more a show of its time. Whereas in TOS you have to settle for "Oh, that was a nice little scene for Sulu," versus this series where everyone gets a lot of focus. Granted, if you had seven years of TOS, that would've been more likely.
Joe Concepts
2023-10-18 16:40:31 +0000 UTCThere's a bit more elaboration on the Prime Directive to notice here. When Riker admits that sometimes they withhold advanced tech from beings they deem not ready for it, as well as not always stepping into conflicts between two other species.
James Bottas
2023-10-18 16:38:58 +0000 UTCIt's good you guys liked this one, and I don't think there's anything in particular that stands out as terrible. I just always felt they take a very long time to basically get to nothing that special. The "humans are evolving but are pretty good already" was kind of covered in conversations with Q. It's a common refrain in many Trek episodes. And the opening parts with the Ferengi reminded me again of the parts with the Ligonians where it was all about arguing with unreasonable aliens. I see this as one of the episodes that becomes forgettable, as we often get in 25 episode seasons.
Joe Concepts
2023-10-18 16:35:53 +0000 UTC"If you want battle come to me!!!" Gotta love Worf. They had no idea what to do with him early on, but between Dorn's performance and a few hints along the way he actually has a marvelous evolution in the years to come. I like the universe Judged on intent, this episode fails. The Ferengi were basically supposed to be the Klingons of TNG, and this episode sorta.... Faceplants, the lead Ferengi actor even apologized because he feels his performance is to blame. I think it's a mixture of the make up, writing, and the performances. They don't look particularly threatening when you see them in full. I absolutely love the lore element of the universe though. This ancient species. We've heard about others from hundreds of thousands of years in the past.
Steven Johnson
2023-10-18 16:26:57 +0000 UTCJosh is right about the planet numbering, it's the order of planets from sun out, so Earth would also be called Sol III.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-18 15:30:44 +0000 UTCNothing to do with the episode in particular, but have you guys noticed the tiny tiny person moving through the observation lounge on top of the saucer section during the last ship pass-through of the opening credits? The FX guys were very proud of that.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-18 15:24:01 +0000 UTCWorf's sash is a Klingon baldric that he uses to hold the symbol of his family House as well as signify he's officially a Klingon warrior as well as a Starfleet officer.
JD Nevesytrof
2023-10-18 15:19:15 +0000 UTCYeahhhh..The Ferengi don't really come into their own until Deep Space Nine. There is so much great stuff ahead, that it's fun watching the expanded world building from the beginning again.
Stephen Wright
2023-10-18 15:15:52 +0000 UTCPlease forgive this whole season...
Michael Nemo
2023-10-18 15:05:24 +0000 UTCI meant to say Ferengi, not friends
Rich Cirivilleri
2023-10-18 15:04:01 +0000 UTCI’m looking forward to this one. I have almost no memory of this episode. I saw it once almost 40 years ago. All I remember I think is the massive friend he had on the view screen which I thought was really awful, and some pumpkin headed alien on the planet surface who turned out to be a nice guy. And that. Is. It.
Rich Cirivilleri
2023-10-18 15:03:11 +0000 UTCFirst. The Ferengi were still in Flux
Scarpad’s Domain
2023-10-18 15:02:11 +0000 UTCAww yes!
Bret Kay
2023-10-18 15:01:56 +0000 UTC
