:: Star Trek 1964 - Today ::

:: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 ::

Star Trek: The Next Generation:

Encounter at Far Point Station, Part 1 and 2

This is the intoductory episode for what at the time was a gamble by Paramount to reserect Star Trek after the success of the movie adaptations of the original series (TOS).

We find ourselves on the Galaxy Class Star Ship USS Enterprise heading for an appointment with the Bandi who have built a Star Base for the Federation, and are seeking approval from them so as to enter the Federation and benefit from the Trade and Cultural associations that will result. So we have Captain Picard and Consillor Troy, Data and others as they make their way to this planet when they are (as we will find, always) interrrupted by that omnipotant annoyance Q. Q decides to accuse Picard and the Enterprise crew with all the crimes of mankind to date. With the theatrics that only Q finds amusing the judgement begins with, yes Q, the prosecutor as Judge and Jury.

That is one of the things I like about Star Trek It is a good mixture of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Human Drama and Mystery, to keep me watching after these many, many years. Q is a completely fantastic character, whereas Data is plausible, at least to those of us that are fans of Isaac Asimov. This android has a positronic brain and the appearance of a man (fully functioning in a later episode), but at the same time has the superior strength andcomputing power that only a machine could possess.

Deanna Troy is a new type of character, half betazoid, half human who retains the betazoid empathic capabilities and certain mind reading skills of her betazoid mother and that heritage that allow her to more than surpass her duties as Ships Councillor, indeed, on a real vessel, such a position would certainly not be on the Bridge. She becomes very useful in deternining the nature of the problem at Far Point Station and the Bandi.

The Captain has negotiated an agreement with Q and they arrive at Far Point Station for the pick-up of more crew and officers and the assesment of the suitablity of Far Point for Federation use. Lt. Commander William Riker and Dr. Beverly Crusher are introduced to us and Captain Picard. Riker has an exemplary career, but Crusher has a history with Picard that is developed during the first season.

The concept of the creature used so rudely by the Bandi for Far Point Station must have come from a brain storming session of the writers at paramount, the idea of a living creature that can do what the transporters and food replicators et al can do is interesting, and their image as a jelly fish in an ocean is fascinating.

Enjoy both of these episides

Live long and prosper

:: Clifford 1:34 pm [+] ::
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