The episodes of Star Trek: TNG reworked with the title conventions of the sitcom Friends.
S1E1 The One With Space Jellyfish
S1E2 The One Where Data Fully Pleasures Yar
S1E3 The One Where They Raid the "Coming to America" Wardrobe
S1E4 TBD
Showing posts with label star trek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label star trek. Show all posts
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
joseph heller presents space wars
Spoiler alert! This post reveals plot points of the novel Catch-22 as well as the 1993-1999 tv series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Proceed at your own peril.
I didn't intentionally set out to consume two texts about war this semester. As far as Joseph Heller's novel was concerned, it was the only thing on my shelf I hadn't read that wasn't speculative fiction set on the Indian Subcontinent or a history of the penis. At least until Murakami's 1Q84 arrived. As for DS9, well, I wasn't much in the mood for resuming the sitcom watching I began with 3rd Rock from the Sun I began in the spring. Then netflix notified me it had all 7 seasons available for streaming. I loved DS9 when I was a teenager but a stochastic appearance on the tv schedule starting around season 5 meant I didn't get to see how it all turned out.
But reading Catch-22 and DS9 side-by-side has been an interesting if serendipitous coincident. Together, they describe the experience of a people, the modern American people, at war. While these texts differ not only in setting but also tone, they manage to span the seriousness and insanity of being a soldier as well as offer a glimpse at war for the civilians who share space and time with the conflict. Looking back, they also anticipate much about the War on TerrorTM and the Bush years.
TBC
I didn't intentionally set out to consume two texts about war this semester. As far as Joseph Heller's novel was concerned, it was the only thing on my shelf I hadn't read that wasn't speculative fiction set on the Indian Subcontinent or a history of the penis. At least until Murakami's 1Q84 arrived. As for DS9, well, I wasn't much in the mood for resuming the sitcom watching I began with 3rd Rock from the Sun I began in the spring. Then netflix notified me it had all 7 seasons available for streaming. I loved DS9 when I was a teenager but a stochastic appearance on the tv schedule starting around season 5 meant I didn't get to see how it all turned out.
But reading Catch-22 and DS9 side-by-side has been an interesting if serendipitous coincident. Together, they describe the experience of a people, the modern American people, at war. While these texts differ not only in setting but also tone, they manage to span the seriousness and insanity of being a soldier as well as offer a glimpse at war for the civilians who share space and time with the conflict. Looking back, they also anticipate much about the War on TerrorTM and the Bush years.
TBC
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
that's not *my* prime directive
S3E20 'Through the Looking Glass' involves Miles "Smiley" O'Brien from the "evil universe" previously featured in S2E23's 'Crossover' breaking into the main universe and kidnapping Commander Sisko. Apparently, "evil" Ben is the leader of the Terran resistance (which also features other Federation races like the Vulcans) against the Alliance of the Cardassians, Klingons, and Bajorans. Apparently, Ben got himself killed trying to convince Jennifer[1], his very much alive and estranged wife, to quit developing a new sensor array for the Alliance that would collapse the resistance in a instant. Smiley kidnaps our Sisko to complete the mission that "evil" Ben couldn't.
Tuvok of the Voyager series is present[2] and vocal as a member of Ben's resistance. I had to look it up, and the Voyager series was just then getting started.
Without too many details (or spoilers), Ben manages to convince Jennifer to leave the Alliance. She knows, however, that this isn't the Ben she married; maybe because while he has the swagger he doesn't possess the same id or egocentric worldview. And then Smiley sends him home.
I'm sure it violates some variant or subparagraph of the Prime Directive, but he should have "hit that" one more time before going home. I mean, it's his wife that he hasn't seen in over 4 years in his universe. And it didn't seem like she wouldn't have been receptive to this version of Sisko. There has to be a "but she's my dead spouse and willing even though she knows I'm not from her timeline" exception clause. And even if there's not, Sisko already broke the rules by interfering to rescue Jennifer in the first place. In for a penny, in for a pound, they say. And Jennifer Sisko didn't seem like she would have minded giving him change[3].
[1] For those of you without the DS9 scorecard, Jennifer died before Sisko took command of Deep Space Nine (aka Terok Nor). She died when the USS Saratoga was attacked by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359 before the series started.
[2] He isn't given a name, but the voice and mannerisms are very much Tuvok. I don't know if this is official canon but I'm going with it.
[3] Oh, bad pun. I'm sorry.
Tuvok of the Voyager series is present[2] and vocal as a member of Ben's resistance. I had to look it up, and the Voyager series was just then getting started.
Without too many details (or spoilers), Ben manages to convince Jennifer to leave the Alliance. She knows, however, that this isn't the Ben she married; maybe because while he has the swagger he doesn't possess the same id or egocentric worldview. And then Smiley sends him home.
I'm sure it violates some variant or subparagraph of the Prime Directive, but he should have "hit that" one more time before going home. I mean, it's his wife that he hasn't seen in over 4 years in his universe. And it didn't seem like she wouldn't have been receptive to this version of Sisko. There has to be a "but she's my dead spouse and willing even though she knows I'm not from her timeline" exception clause. And even if there's not, Sisko already broke the rules by interfering to rescue Jennifer in the first place. In for a penny, in for a pound, they say. And Jennifer Sisko didn't seem like she would have minded giving him change[3].
[1] For those of you without the DS9 scorecard, Jennifer died before Sisko took command of Deep Space Nine (aka Terok Nor). She died when the USS Saratoga was attacked by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359 before the series started.
[2] He isn't given a name, but the voice and mannerisms are very much Tuvok. I don't know if this is official canon but I'm going with it.
[3] Oh, bad pun. I'm sorry.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
miles o'brien, intergalactic sex symbol
From the looks of it, Miles is as confused about it as I am.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
the cheesiest movie about a space station
Several weeks ago I sat down to watch a 1980s sci-fi movie on netflix called Arena. The plot revolved around aliens and humans living and working on a space station that also hosted an intergalactic blood sport. The human protagonist seeks to become the first human champion in over 5 decades against difficult odds made worse by cheating. At the time I made a joke that the 1990s space station sci-fi dramas (Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5) raided the cast of this movie to fill their own ranks (Ivanova from B5, Quark and Gul Dukat from DS9). And then DS9 showed up on netflix streaming a few weeks later.
Surprise, surprise. I'm a geek. You may have gleaned that from the comic book, anime, and video game related posts. I'm also a sci-fi geek and back in the day I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation. And then in 1993 came Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A black captain?! It worked in Blazing Saddles.
Even though I watched the show religiously for a number of years, I never managed to see the end. Unfortunately, where I lived the scheduling and order of episodes was erratic. I definitely saw Worf join the crew and date Dax. Siddig el Fadil became Alexander Siddig. And then my grasp of the plot gets messy around the time the Shapeshifters invade the Alpha Quadrant with their army of drug-addicted lizard people. I think the Cardassians join them and the Klingons ally themselves with the Federation. Something about a top secret Federation ship illegally modified with Klingon cloaking technology. I'm pretty sure there was a one-eyed Klingon POW at some point. And yeah, it's all pretty hazy.
But thanks to technology, this week I've restarted watching DS9 from the very beginning. And without commercial interruption! So here's some thoughts.
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Sisko in command. His story of losing his wife and moving to the frontier with his son makes for compelling drama. And the navigating of factional politics (the Federation, various Bajoran interests, the Cardassians, and the various parties wanting to get in on the wormhole) made for fascinating, complex plotlines. Much like the early seasons of Babylon 5 before they went and ruined it by hurrying up the war with the Shadows.
I think this show was the first time I ever had a crush on an Asian woman. It wasn't so much a crush as I found the relationship between Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao). Even though she had previously appeared on ST:TNG in the same role (Worf delivered baby Molly - seriously), I found her appearances on DS9 to be much more interesting. I think it was the first time on television I had even seen a conjugal relationship treated seriously. It wasn't one of Picard's flings or the Riker-Troi will they/won't they Who's the Boss vibe. Miles and Keiko fought, made up, and worked to make things work raising a family on the outskirts of Federation territory. I suppose it doesn't hurt that she's fairly attractive, too.
One huge advantage of a space show set on a space station rather than a starship is that you can get rooted in stories that plant seeds that take several shows, sometimes even seasons, to blossom. With a starship, you have to keep moving which often brings a monster/disaster of the week storytelling mentality with a rotating cast of guest stars each week. Being station allows a stable cast of supporting characters to develop. And this led me to be more involved in the various plots, relationships, intrigues, dealings, double-dealings, and cloak-and-dagger.
I'll try to update on a fairly regular basis with my ongoing (re)impressions of the show. I just finished episode 3 where Garak, the only remaining Cardassian on the station, is introduced as a spy working to communicate with the Federation through Dr. Bashir. He helps break up a plot my Bajoran terrorists to destroy the wormhole with the help of Klingon sisters Lursa and B'etor Duras, last seen on ST:TNG failing in a coup attempt of the Klingon High Council.
Yes, I really did watch these shows. A lot.
Surprise, surprise. I'm a geek. You may have gleaned that from the comic book, anime, and video game related posts. I'm also a sci-fi geek and back in the day I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation. And then in 1993 came Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A black captain?! It worked in Blazing Saddles.
Even though I watched the show religiously for a number of years, I never managed to see the end. Unfortunately, where I lived the scheduling and order of episodes was erratic. I definitely saw Worf join the crew and date Dax. Siddig el Fadil became Alexander Siddig. And then my grasp of the plot gets messy around the time the Shapeshifters invade the Alpha Quadrant with their army of drug-addicted lizard people. I think the Cardassians join them and the Klingons ally themselves with the Federation. Something about a top secret Federation ship illegally modified with Klingon cloaking technology. I'm pretty sure there was a one-eyed Klingon POW at some point. And yeah, it's all pretty hazy.
But thanks to technology, this week I've restarted watching DS9 from the very beginning. And without commercial interruption! So here's some thoughts.
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Sisko in command. His story of losing his wife and moving to the frontier with his son makes for compelling drama. And the navigating of factional politics (the Federation, various Bajoran interests, the Cardassians, and the various parties wanting to get in on the wormhole) made for fascinating, complex plotlines. Much like the early seasons of Babylon 5 before they went and ruined it by hurrying up the war with the Shadows.
I think this show was the first time I ever had a crush on an Asian woman. It wasn't so much a crush as I found the relationship between Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao). Even though she had previously appeared on ST:TNG in the same role (Worf delivered baby Molly - seriously), I found her appearances on DS9 to be much more interesting. I think it was the first time on television I had even seen a conjugal relationship treated seriously. It wasn't one of Picard's flings or the Riker-Troi will they/won't they Who's the Boss vibe. Miles and Keiko fought, made up, and worked to make things work raising a family on the outskirts of Federation territory. I suppose it doesn't hurt that she's fairly attractive, too.
One huge advantage of a space show set on a space station rather than a starship is that you can get rooted in stories that plant seeds that take several shows, sometimes even seasons, to blossom. With a starship, you have to keep moving which often brings a monster/disaster of the week storytelling mentality with a rotating cast of guest stars each week. Being station allows a stable cast of supporting characters to develop. And this led me to be more involved in the various plots, relationships, intrigues, dealings, double-dealings, and cloak-and-dagger.
I'll try to update on a fairly regular basis with my ongoing (re)impressions of the show. I just finished episode 3 where Garak, the only remaining Cardassian on the station, is introduced as a spy working to communicate with the Federation through Dr. Bashir. He helps break up a plot my Bajoran terrorists to destroy the wormhole with the help of Klingon sisters Lursa and B'etor Duras, last seen on ST:TNG failing in a coup attempt of the Klingon High Council.
Yes, I really did watch these shows. A lot.
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