Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1’s Top 5 Episodes

I have been going through Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray since Christmas. I currently started on the third season. I decided sometime ago to blog my top five episodes per season. I will say that I am more than satisfied with the quality of the Blu-ray releases so far.

5. Encounter at Farpoint, Pt. I & Pt. II

It was really hard to choose a top fifth episode. It was a toss up between the Encounter at Farpoint Parts I & II and the Lieutenant Worf centric episode Heart of Glory. In the end, I decided that Encounter was the better episode. Of course it started the whole series too.

In this episode we become acquainted with the characters of the Enterprise. Worf, Yar, Troi and Picard are aboard the Enterprise en route to pick up Riker, La Forge and Beverly & Wesley Crusher from Farpoint Station on Deneb IV. However the Enterprise crew is interrupted by an omnipotent asshat named Q and places all of humanity on trial (I actually love the character Q). The Enterprise undergoes saucer separation for the first time on screen (and no our favourite Betazoid/Human hybrid isn’t behind the wheel… this time…). The saucer under the command of Lieutenant Worf.

The saucer section manages to getaway and the stardrive is held on trial by Q masquerading as a Judge in a post-WWIII courtroom for a session of a kangaroo court. In the end they learn that Farpoint Station is a creature that had been suffering. The loved one came to rescue it. The Enterprise helps reunite them.

I love this episode because well. It’s awesome.

4. Datalore

Am I seeing double?

The crew of the Enterprise comes to Data’s homeworld of Omicron Theta. It isn’t much of a homecoming for the lieutenant commander… They discover the planet lifeless, no colonists, wild and plant life remains. The away team led by no one other than Commander Riker beams down at the coordinates that the Tripoli discovered Data twenty-six years prior.

They eventually stumble across Data’s “Father” Doctor Noonian Soong’s lab. They discover a similar type android in pieces that looks identical to Data. They bring it back to the Enterprise and decide to assemble it. After the assembly of the “new” Android is complete the Android identifies himself as “Lore”. He tells them that he was built after Data and was made more humanlike.

Eventually we’ll find out that this is a lie. Lore informs Data that he was built first but because the human colonists feared him their Father Doctor Soong dissembled him and builds an “inferior” Android – Data. Lore eventually turns Data off and assumes his identity to lure the Crystalline Entity to the Enterprise to pay tribute. It turns out this entity was the root cause of destruction of Omicron Theta. It feeds on life.

Wes suspicions grow about how Data is acting and brings it forward to Picard. The Enterprise crew eventually learns of Lore’s ruse. Data and Lore fight like brothers do. Lore is beamed away.

I love this episode. It makes me wish that I too had an evil twin brother… -sigh-

3. Skin of Evil

And the goop monster enters

The Enterprise is set to rendezvous with Shuttlecraft 13 transporting Deanna Troi from a conference. The Shuttlecraft crashes into Vagra II. The crew of the Enterprise after a series of errors with the dilithium crystals is able to repair – because if you’re an engineer on a starship, you gotta be a bloody miracle worker.

When the away team led by no other but Commander Riker beams down to rescue the shuttlecraft. They come across a sinister entity known as Armus. Who was hellbent on torturing members of the Away  Team and Deanna Troi. At one point he envelopes Riker. And another he downright murders Lieutenant Natasha Yar.

I loved this episode because it shows that space isn’t safe nor does everyone want to befriend you. It’s a dangerous place and gave room for awesome character development for the characters with the death of Natasha Yar.

2. Where No One Has Gone Before

Wesley Crusher wearing his hipster sweater. “Change your sweater, Wesley!” – Picard

In this episode we become acquainted with a recurring character known as The Traveler whom is important in the overall Wesley Crusher storyline. In this episode the Enterprise receives an experimental warp drive modification. Kosinski and his assistant come aboard the Enterprise.

Once they’ve installed the modification the Enterprise gets tossed across the universe to a neighboring galaxy designation M33 also known as the Triangulum Galaxy. They learn that it is Kosinski’s assistant The Traveler that caused the malfunction. The Traveler is exhausted and unsure if he has the energy to bring the Enterprise crew home.

Symptoms of this travel shows that they are see things that aren’t there. Like Picard’s mother, the rape gangs of Yar’s homeworld Turkana IV. They eventually return home to the Milky Way Galaxy with help from the Traveler assisted by no other but Wesley Crusher.

This episode is pretty detrimental for character development for two characters: Picard and Wesley Crusher. Picard learns that although Wesley Crusher is a child he is valued part of the Enterprise‘s crew. And for Wesley Crusher being promoted to acting Ensign.

I have watched this episode countless amount of times while I watched it syndicated, or on DVD and now on Blu-ray disc. Wesley was never really one of my favourite characters and he’s grown on me with my recent re-watch.

1. Conspiracy 

If this won’t give you nightmares… what will?

Captain Jean-Luc Picard receives a communique from an old acquaintance Captain Walter Keel to meet in secret. He is exposed to suspicious activity in the upper echelons of Starfleet. Picard returns to the Enterprise assigning Lieutenant Commander Data to investigate. They stumble across Captain Keel’s command destroyed with no survivors. Their investigation brings them to Earth. They learn that people do not seem to appear who they are. In the end, Admirals are being controlled by an alien race slug. Riker and Picard destroy the Queen.

This is my top favourite episode because I loved the conspiracy and something dark and sinister lingers in the galaxy which makes them a formidable opponent. My only disappointment is that this race’s story never continues, even though the story itself seems to be resolved.

Who Should Replace Matt Smith As The Doctor

You are all probably aware that Matt Smith is leaving the BBC sci-fi dramedy Doctor Who. His final appearance will be the Christmas Special. However he will be making an appearance sometime this fall in the Fiftieth Anniversary Special before then.

If you don’t follow the show I highly recommend it. I have been a fan of the eleventh doctor. I rate him over the ninth played by Christopher Eccleston who returned as The Doctor when it returned to television in 2005 after a eleven year hiatus. I rate the Scottish actor David Tennant who played the tenth as my favourite in the revival series. No one beats the fourth Tom Baker. Baker’s version I believe is the most iconic character in 1970’s British television. There is a lot of speculation and discussion on who is to replace Smith. I want to be a collaborator.

Please note the following people are in no particular order.

Who Should Replace Matt Smith as The Doctor?

John Hurt
If you watched the Series 7 finale Name of The Doctor, you probably spotted this man towards the end. We are not entirely sure which number he’s suppose to do. A lot of speculation on the inter-webs is he’s a re-imagining of a previous doctor and not the twelfth. I have seen John Hurt in a lot of other things and he’s just so goddamn awesome.

Wil Wheaton
I know, I know he’s an American. A lot of people will cause an uproar if an American be casted. But BBC America does cover a lot of the production costs. Hell. The series came to the United States for a few episodes in Series 6. Why the hell not?

He has his own fez and has a beard! #Winning!

I think he would do a pretty good job.

 

 

Alex Kingston
I know that she already has debuted in Doctor Who as the character River Song. Who is the daughter of the Doctor’s companions, Amy and Rory Pond. And she currently is just an apparition in the Series 7 finale. I believe she would be an excellent choice and I think it’d be awesome if The Doctor finally became a woman. We need a strong primary female protagonist.

I understand that she isn’t Gallifreyan but she does have the abilities to regenerate.

 

Lenora Crichlow

Fans of the British series Being Human will recognize her as the troubled ghost Annie Sawyer. I really think it would be amazing for the twelfth doctor to be a woman. Especially a young woman.

She also is an incredible actress!

 

 

 

And finally…

Sir Patrick Stewart

Just make it fucking so!

 

 

 

 

 

What do you guys think? Do you agree? Disagree? Think someone else is better for the role? Discuss!

Spoilers; How We Hate Thee

Entertainment is a major part of our postmodernist culture. It has become entwined with our daily lives from the television shows we regularly watch to the movies we see at the theatre. However our entertainment experience has changed in the last six years with the introduction of social media phenomena. Facebook and Twitter have given us a new medium to meet new people all over the world that love the same television program or new blockbuster film.

I have enjoyed my experience meeting new people who love the same shows and movies as I do. However there’s one thing that really peeves me and that’s people who tweet or update their Facebook Update with spoilers – running the show or movie that I haven’t seen lately. I have unfollowed people because of it. Regretfully, I have to admit that I have been responsible for spoiling stuff as well.

Not to mention due to other ways to watch such as streaming via Netflix or other such services

What is a spoiler?

When someone reveals an unknown aspect of something which you likely would have rather learned on your own.

I believe that this should be adopted by everyone:

Television series: They must be airing their most recent season. You have seventy-two hours (three days) to catch up with the rest of the world. If you aren’t going to watch the show within three days you most likely won’t watch it if you have more than

Film: Not a lot of people go see a movie at the midnight premiere or get advanced tickets. Nor do a lot of people go opening weekend. If they are a blockbuster film (such as Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness and (sadly) Fast & Furious, etc) the spoiler free zone is eight days. However if the movie is not a popular films such as recent release Scientologist propagandistic bullshit After Earth then it’s just three days like television shows.

Video games: Yes, you can spoil a video game storyline as well. If its a blockbuster the same goes with film, eight days. If it’s not going to sell a bajillion copies follow the television method of three days.

Books: You read books…? NERD!! Kidding… I read books too and there’s no shame in being a nerd! Books are a lot different than video games, movies and television shows. They can be very simple to overtly complex. It takes me quite a while to read a book. A month on average. I say the spoiler free zone in this case is three weeks tops. But if the book has been out for over thirteen years like the third book of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire A Storm of Swords (which the third season of Game of Thrones is currently based on) then you are out of luck.

Books in visual media: If your favourite book becomes a television series or a movie or maybe even a video game, please for the love of The Mother (teeheehee) follow what I’ve written above. I know I was snarky to a few people to their reactions to the Red Wedding event that partook in last Sunday’s episode of GoT but I am sure that I didn’t spoil it for anyone. If I did, I’m sorry. But please wait three days or the eight if it is an actual blockbusters because your fellow fans will love you for it.

This is the Anth Spoiler Scale Guide. If you have a better idea, post in the comments!

What are your thoughts on my idea for spoilers?

The Last Resort series finale

For those who aren’t familiar here is some background on this television series: the Last Resort was a military fiction drama television series airing on ABC in the United States and Global in Canada. The series was based on the crew of a fictional Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine the USS Colorado. They pick up a US Navy SEAL team returning from a covert clandestine operation from Pakistan. When they leave Pakistani waters, the crew of the Colorado is ordered to fire a nuclear missile strike against Pakistan that could ignite World War III.

 

Captain Marcus Chaplin played by Andre Braugher  refuses his crews orders. The crew unable to return to the United States in fear of being charged with high treason come to call the fictitious island of Sainte Marina in the South Pacific. The show follows key members of Captain Chaplin’s Colorado crew: Lieutenant Commander Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman, Underworld), Lieutenant Grace Shepard (Daisy Betts) and Chief of Boat Command Master Chief Petty Officer Joseph Prosser (Robert Patrick, Terminator 2). Joseph Prosser is one of Chaplin’s primary antagonist alongside Julian Serrat (played by Sahr Ngaujah) who is the leader of an organized crime syndicate that believes he runs the island.  This show was excellently well casted and I wouldn’t have done anything else if I were the show’s casting director. They were all strong actors who portrayed their characters believably.

Midway through the season Captain Chaplin allows a Chinese dignitary on the island who establishes an embassy/consular office on Sainte Marina. Since he’s in dire need of an ally for political support, food and supplies for his crew and the island inhabitants he’s desperate to put a deal in place. In the finale we find that the Chinese of course manipulated the predicament they were in and send several Chinese vessels to break the US-led blockade of the island.

The series also has a secondary plot back in the United States that follows the story of Kylie Sinclair (played by the beautiful Autumn Reeser) and Sam’s spouse Christine Kendal (played by Jessy Schram). Kylie Sinclair plays a lobbyist for her family’s defense manufacturing company that has expensive equipment that makes the Colorado unique. She learns the truth and the conspiracy at home that goes up to ladder of the Executive Branch of the United States government.

Chaplin returns to the Colorado  in hopes that they’ll intercept the Chinese. He has been made aware by his XO Lieutenant Commander Kendal that there’s a contingent of his crew plotting mutiny led by the COB Prosser. Prosser takes over the Colorado and replots course for the US-led blockade of Sainte Marina… But… the mutinees get mutineed by another element and replots course for the Chinese. Chaplin and Sam break away from being held captive in the crew mess for engineering where they are able to change the heading for shallow waters. Sam is able to break into the communications to request that the Colorado be destroyed.

When the Colorado is beached on the coast of Saint Marina the crew surviving the mutinees manage to escape. Captain Chaplin refuses to leave with his XO Sam and that he won’t allow the Colorado be destroyed due to her imminent destruction. The series ends with the crew coming home after sensible information comes to light about corruption.

While it received an average 5 million viewers in the US, ABC decided not to order a full 22 season or renew it for a second season. They allowed the series to continue it’s full thirteen episodes with a conclusion. While I was disappointed that this show wasn’t picked up for a second season or it’s back nine, I’ll have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the series finale. It gave closure unlike a huge cliff hanger most shows get treatment for.

Thank you Shawn Ryan.

The NBC Boycott

If you follow me over on social media or know me in personally, I love television. I’m fascinated by the technology and mostly the programming. Scripted television for me outweighs it all. I’ve never been fond of reality television. I love this show called Community, I’m sure the vast majority of the global population by now knows of it’s existence. It’s one of my most recent favourite sitcom.

I was pretty nervous and on the edge of my seat last summer during the cancellation scare. It brought tears of joy when NBC decided to renew it for a fourth and final season. Sony who develops the show dropped Dan Harmon as the show runner. I’m on the seat and uncertain how the show will be when it comes back with new talent heading the writer’s room.

Now there was a report that the show has been delayed from its slot for its fourth season premiere originally scheduled for October 19, 2012. It has been delayed “indefinitely” and “will” return some point during the 2012-13 television season. I was hyped up about it’s return but now I’m just down right disappointed by NBC’s actions.

I’m not going to watch *any* of the NBC programming that I watch: The New Normal, The Office, Parks & Recreation, 30 Rock, Parenthood, Go On, Animal Practice and Revolution. I was going to give Chicago Fire a try…. But…. No, not gonna do it.

The boycott will end once Community returns on television whenever that’ll be.

I’m not crazy, right? Have you boycotted a television network for the cancellation/postponement of one of your shows? I’d like to know!

Anth on the Chuck Finale

Warning: The following post does not contain spoilers because I’m not a douche. It just highlights my thoughts without going into much detail on the season finale.

Chuck lost and the Goodbye won Friday night as the action-comedy spy drama series Chuck finished its five season run. I want to thank NBC for their faith into this programme (Fox has given the same treatment to Fringe fans). It was on their cutting block since season two but they kept running with it. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the writing in Season Five until the emotionally driven two-part Series Finale.

This show certainly outlived its shell-life. Boy gets email from an old colleague peer, gets all these kick-ass abilities, becomes a super spy, uber hot chick falls for and marries him. It’s the wet dream of some thirty-something year old nerd still living in their parents basement (shut up, I’m only 26!).

I also have one question because I feel I may have missed something in the final fifteen minutes. Does Chuck ever get the Intersect removed for the billionth time?

Does anybody know where I can get the Intersect?