Lloenflys's Gavel is far from just an outlet for legal discussion ... it's also a place where my meandering mind can talk about whatever my heart desires. For a long time I've intended to engage in a project rating *every episode of every Star Trek that there ever has been*, but this is a daunting project and I've never started it. That ends today! There were a number of ways I could have gone about this ... chronologically by release date, starting with the original Star Trek (or TOS - The Original Series - for short). Or I could have gone chronologically by in-universe date, starting with Enterprise. Instead I decided to go with my interest level, which peaks with The Next Generation - the series I grew up with and love beyond question.
If you aren't familiar with Star Trek, the Next Generation is probably the most beloved of the series for people in the age range from about 30-50. Debuting in 1987, it was on the air either in first run or syndication for most of that age group and surpassed the Original Series in terms of depth of characterization, quality of writing, and overall quality by pretty substantial leaps and bounds. The shows that came after have their defenders - especially Deep Space 9, but The Next Generation wins most polls for the best Trek that ever there was. I am firmly in that camp (although DS9 has grown on me over the years). So for me, starting a big project like this that covers literally hundreds of hours of television is best started by re-watching a show I truly love.
My episode ratings will include a very short synopsis of the storyline, a few random thoughts or observations from the episode, and then a letter grade using the American grading scale, with the grades meaning something like this:
A - Great episode, very rewatchable with excellent storytelling
B - Very good episode, rewatchable with few plot holes
C - Acceptable episode but nothing particularly outstanding - run of the mill
D - Poor episode - deficient in some way (characters acting abnormally, poor writing, etc.)
F - Unacceptable episode - Should be tossed into the bin and never dusted off again
+ or - grades of course are added to provide some further differentiation. And so, here goes!
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 1, Episodes 1-2 - "Encounter at Farpoint"
The first season of TNG was a bit rough - as is often the case with a new series - because the actors were still trying to fit into their roles, the writers and directors hadn't quite figured out what they were doing, and no one on the show had the courage to tell the showrunners (including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) how stupid and sexist it looked to have Counselor Deanna Troi dressed in a miniskirt with a giant poodle hairdo. Expect a lot of subpar grades this season ... but to be honest Encounter at Farpoint won't be one of them.
The episode obviously provides a vehicle to introduce the crew of the new Starship Enterprise, a state of the art gigantic ship that carries families and not just crew. For some reason, the Enterprise is sent to the edge of mapped space at Farpoint Station (a little on the nose with the name) to pick up a bunch of crew members (including the ship's First Officer and Chief Medical Officer). Why they were dropped off at the edge of mapped space ... well. Logic isn't reigning supreme here. While on the way, the Enterprise is stopped by a mysterious entity named Q who places humanity on trial for being a dangerous, savage race. Captain Picard convinces Q to let the crew try to solve the mystery of Farpoint Station as some sort of test of their worthiness, and Q agrees. Once they arrive, the Enterprise crew discover that all isn't as it seems with the new Farpoint station, and after some investigating they discover the species who built the shiny new station actually had lucked into capturing a giant space jellyfish with magical genie powers and had managed to force it to appear as a sparkling Federation-quality station. Upon figuring out the truth of the situation, the Enterprise crew helped the injured and captured space jellyfish escape, ending the native alien's hopes of joining the Federation for the time being. Q's trial, meanwhile, seems likely to continue indefinitely ...
Notes of Interest
Final Grade: C+
This show has its flaws, but it also has good moments. The introduction of Q itself pulls this into at least C territory, and some of the hints of character depth that were scattered throughout this 2-hour opener. Unfortunately, it can't possibly go higher. The costumes, the script-writing, the cinematography all scream amateur hour. Still and all, the concept of the story itself is enough to give this initial episode a slightly above average grade.
Let me know what you think of Encounter at Farpoint in the comments if you've seen it, or any other thoughts you might have about TNG in general!
If you aren't familiar with Star Trek, the Next Generation is probably the most beloved of the series for people in the age range from about 30-50. Debuting in 1987, it was on the air either in first run or syndication for most of that age group and surpassed the Original Series in terms of depth of characterization, quality of writing, and overall quality by pretty substantial leaps and bounds. The shows that came after have their defenders - especially Deep Space 9, but The Next Generation wins most polls for the best Trek that ever there was. I am firmly in that camp (although DS9 has grown on me over the years). So for me, starting a big project like this that covers literally hundreds of hours of television is best started by re-watching a show I truly love.
My episode ratings will include a very short synopsis of the storyline, a few random thoughts or observations from the episode, and then a letter grade using the American grading scale, with the grades meaning something like this:
A - Great episode, very rewatchable with excellent storytelling
B - Very good episode, rewatchable with few plot holes
C - Acceptable episode but nothing particularly outstanding - run of the mill
D - Poor episode - deficient in some way (characters acting abnormally, poor writing, etc.)
F - Unacceptable episode - Should be tossed into the bin and never dusted off again
+ or - grades of course are added to provide some further differentiation. And so, here goes!
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 1, Episodes 1-2 - "Encounter at Farpoint"
The first season of TNG was a bit rough - as is often the case with a new series - because the actors were still trying to fit into their roles, the writers and directors hadn't quite figured out what they were doing, and no one on the show had the courage to tell the showrunners (including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) how stupid and sexist it looked to have Counselor Deanna Troi dressed in a miniskirt with a giant poodle hairdo. Expect a lot of subpar grades this season ... but to be honest Encounter at Farpoint won't be one of them.
The episode obviously provides a vehicle to introduce the crew of the new Starship Enterprise, a state of the art gigantic ship that carries families and not just crew. For some reason, the Enterprise is sent to the edge of mapped space at Farpoint Station (a little on the nose with the name) to pick up a bunch of crew members (including the ship's First Officer and Chief Medical Officer). Why they were dropped off at the edge of mapped space ... well. Logic isn't reigning supreme here. While on the way, the Enterprise is stopped by a mysterious entity named Q who places humanity on trial for being a dangerous, savage race. Captain Picard convinces Q to let the crew try to solve the mystery of Farpoint Station as some sort of test of their worthiness, and Q agrees. Once they arrive, the Enterprise crew discover that all isn't as it seems with the new Farpoint station, and after some investigating they discover the species who built the shiny new station actually had lucked into capturing a giant space jellyfish with magical genie powers and had managed to force it to appear as a sparkling Federation-quality station. Upon figuring out the truth of the situation, the Enterprise crew helped the injured and captured space jellyfish escape, ending the native alien's hopes of joining the Federation for the time being. Q's trial, meanwhile, seems likely to continue indefinitely ...
Notes of Interest
- Crewmember O'Brien, played by Colm Meaney, was in this pilot episode I believe as an unnamed character. He would end up being given a backstory as a Transporter Chief, one of the only non-commissioned officers we ever see in the show. He would get a prominent role as a regular on the Deep Space 9 series, and I had forgotten he was in the pilot, but I'm pleased by it!
- The Klingons were not available as the "Big Bad Evil Guys" of the Next Generation because their arc in the movies was toward peace, because Worf was a Klingon serving on the Enterprise's bridge crew, and mostly because they had already trod that ground with the Original Series. Instead, the original plan was for a new race known as the Ferengi to serve in that role. The Ferengi were not seen in episode 1, but they were mentioned prominently in the storyline as a potential foil for the Federation, setting up their intended role as the Big Bad of season 1.
- Counselor Troi was really hideous in this episode. The outfit they made her wear was as sexist as anything I think I've ever seen on television, and the dialogue they gave her was at times painful.
Final Grade: C+
This show has its flaws, but it also has good moments. The introduction of Q itself pulls this into at least C territory, and some of the hints of character depth that were scattered throughout this 2-hour opener. Unfortunately, it can't possibly go higher. The costumes, the script-writing, the cinematography all scream amateur hour. Still and all, the concept of the story itself is enough to give this initial episode a slightly above average grade.
Let me know what you think of Encounter at Farpoint in the comments if you've seen it, or any other thoughts you might have about TNG in general!
