Star Trek TNG-A Die Hard TOS Fan First View & Perspective

Ha! Yeah, that first "Klingon episode" was pretty awful.

Excellent description! That could have been a good episode, but it never quite came together. Still, for the first season, it was one of the highlights. Which tells you just how bad the first season was...

Another highlight from the first season. Well, the intentions were good, anyhow.

 

Well they kind of did that for at least one episode that I recall where the doctor was the only one on the ship.

 

That would be "Arena".

Never mind, I though you said "Gorniest episode ever".

 

Couldn't disagree more. Chalk me up as a Mulgrew fan too. Hamilton would have been too young looking for the role of Captain and wouldn't have been as effective as a matriarchal figure where situations called for it.

I'm sure many despise the Fair Haven episodes, and I kind of did at the time, but since, they have become some of my favorites and fine exemplars of Mulgrew's charm (Computer, delete wife!)

 

Hamilton is a little over a year younger than Mulgrew, and to my mind would be far more believable as a commander. She does "bossy" extremely well, without coming across as elitist. Mulgrew, not so much. Janeway always struck me as sanctimonious and high handed, and more corporate than military.

 

I did say younger looking for a reason. And it's because of the bossiness factor that I don't think she would work as well, especially when so far away from the regular chain of command. You need to balance the bossiness with empathy and leeway, or else you might have a mutiny on your hands.

But, all that's a bit moot as we don't have a counterfactual for comparison... Bottom line, for me, I liked Kate as cap.

 

I think Hamilton does empathy better than Mulgrew, though. Janeway's "empathy" often felt completely forced and as high-handed as her scorn. Hamilton's acting style is a lot more natural. I can't even imagine Mulgrew trying to carry a film - I thought Hamilton acquitted herself very well in several films, including the Terminator franchise and Dante's Peak.

My suspicion is that Trek's producers were worried James Cameron might show up with his then-wife and start questioning some of their incompetence...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NANUpPaiGG8

Darryl

 

Bujold was a bad choice. I'm not sure whose bright idea that was - I guess they were hoping for a female Picard. I have seen some interpersonal scenes she shot for the episode though, and she was better in those...but not by much.



You can tell she knew she was miscast. The direction didn't help either, though. They improved it a lot the second time thru - fewer wide shots (although perhaps they just didn't get a chance to shoot the closeups before Bujold departed).

 

About Voyager. Gave up on it after a few episodes and never went back. Couldn't handle Mulgrew. When she would be talking to somebody in an intense one on one conversation, her eyes would flutter back and forth and it annoyed the bleep outta me.

Pick an eye - either one - or a point in between. I don't care. Just not back and forth 3 times a second for the whole scene.

 

Don't get me wrong...I kinda liked ST:NG, there were some good episodes.

I think that the cohesiveness suffered from a compelling story telling standpoint compared to TOS because of the 'cast of thousands' for the screenplay...look at the credits sometimes - literally a dozen names all muckin' with the script/teleplay which dilutes the end show, imho, of course.

I'll still be watching, though!

 

I always thought that Tricia O'Neil who played Captain Rachel Garrett in Yesterday's Enterprise would have made a kick-ass Janeway.

 

She would have been perfect - I've suggested her myself. Had a commanding presence, and also something of a genuine pioneer spirit about her.

I also think they could have tapped a brit. Carolyn Seymour would have been great in the role I think - she does cold and calculating quite well, and that would have actually worked perfectly for a take on Janeway. It would have been interesting to have a captain who was somewhat villainous, who had a very controlled dark side.

Catherine Schell was reportedly considered for the role as well. She had the unique ability to recite the most ridiculous nonsense dialog and make it sound utterly convincing, which would have come in handy on Voyager given the program's unfortunate reliance on technobabble...

 

I guess his face didn't melt in old age after all!

 

The fake "aged" photo above was from an episode where Picard lives a very long life as a member of a different planet's society. The assumption is that the aging is way more than 20 years. They should have/could have used the elder Picard from the series finale:



Harry

 

Did anything come of the consideration, or was it just on paper? If nothing else, she would have had better effects to work with than the last time she was marooned in space alongside a bunch of humans; the question might be, who had the better scripts, Gerry Anderson or Rick Berman?

 

I think they just did a different make-up job.
The older Picard from the TV episode 'The Inner Light' needed to show what his face looked like after years of the planet going through a drought.

Darryl

 

Applying 'old man' makeup to a younger actor is always going to be problematic. The problem with The Inner Light make-up is that Picard's skin has inexplicably become thicker and melted looking. Real aging is the opposite, features become shrunken and skin becomes thinner and less plastic as collagen content is reduced and genetic defects proliferate.

Likewise, the finale 'old man' makeup is unconvincing as it just adds a gray beard and perhaps some eye wrinkles, but leaving the fullness of the face intact. This is unrealistic in the same way as they make female characters show age - some bags under the eyes and gray streaks in the hair, which runs counter to what many people do in public life, which is to cover gray hair with hair dye and/or have cosmetic treatments.

The only realistic way to age young(ish) characters is by means of sophisticated CGI which can simulate real aging effects.

 

No idea. I don't even know if anyone approached her agent - she was pretty much retired and running a B&B in France with her husband by that point.

 

BBC America Friday 'marathon'

Tapestry, Season 6 Episode 15.

Liked it. Good story line (due to a single writing credit, imho).

 

"Tapestry" is nice.

 

BBC America Friday 'marathon' continues....

Birthright

A dual story line about Warf's father and Data's.

Nice 'intersection' and Data's dreaming/visions...good metaphors.

Very satisfying episode.

 

Once upon a time, I understood that it was a badge of honor amongst the Space: 1999 faithful to have stayed at that establishment. I don't recall whether Schell was aware of that or not. I really ought to get around to finishing that series.

 

BBC America Friday mini marathon

Birthright II (continuation)

Storyline focus on Warf's experiences at the Romulan/Klingon colony.

Acceptable closure of the opening episodes - very moving ending.

Minor qualms - why was Warf allowed to go AWOL and why so long for Capt Picard to 'notice' his absence.

Why did it take so long for the colony leaders, both Romulan & Klingon to recognize Warf's presence as a threat to their social structure?

Like I said - minor qualms.