Worst episode of the season so far.
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@dgw
My bar of 'worst episode' in this show isn't that low. Yet.
This movie is a disgrace to all of the sacrifices & hard work that went into the moon landing!! By omitting the scene of Neil & Buzz planting the American Flag on the moon, it undermines everything about the mission!!!
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@urban-legend I see what you're saying and I agree...to a certain point. I do think it would have been nice to see that flag-planting moment in the film.
However, having watched the movie last night, to me it felt like the whole focus of the film was not designed to be on the mission itself, but rather on Neil's very personal journey to being the first man on the moon. The scene where he leaves the bracelet in the crater is probably the best example of this, because had the movie been mostly about the mission, they could have shown the flag planting scene then instead of the personal moment remembering his daughter. I actually felt like the movie honored the sacrifices of all those involved in the missions (both Gemini and Apollo) through Neil's reactions to them. And his disgust that politicians would want to pull funding for the missions, especially AFTER the sacrifices his fellow astronauts made and were making to accomplish the objectives.
I thought the movie was very well done.
Riker calls for emergency attention from security, so who shows up? Worf, with Geordi. Neither has a phaser. La Forge isn't even part of the security division—at this point in the series, he's the helmsman. But Dr. Crusher happens to bring along a phaser when called to a medical emergency onboard the ship… because that makes sense. (We'll try to ignore how Worf and Geordi play along with Admiral Quinn's lies about what happened to Riker. That's also bad.)
That chair Remmick is sitting in looks an awful lot like the one used for Admiral Jameson in "Too Short a Season". That's because it was the same prop, redressed.
Not a nitpick, but doesn't fit into the review proper, either: I had no idea Captain Rixx was a Bolian. This is the first appearance of the species in Star Trek, and I guess I'm used to the later makeup design—which uses a much more saturated blue. Bonus trivia: The Bolians were named after Cliff Bole, who went on to direct a total of 42 Star Trek episodes across TNG, DS9, & VOY. He also directed on numerous other well-known shows like MacGyver, The X-Files, Baywatch, and Charlie's Angels.
Some background information on what was happening in the television world at the time explains why this episode wasn't as good as you might think it should be. After all, it's clearly meant to be a taut thriller about the possibility of Starfleet being seized by aliens. It's obviously meant to be part of a larger story arc—that started several episodes back, when Quinn gave Picard that warning.
The writers' strike of 1988 was ultimately responsible for this letdown. This "Conspiracy" plotline was meant to be intertwined with the Borg, who were to be introduced at the start of season two. But the writers' strike delayed the rest of the Borg storyline several months, and this piece of it was dropped. That's why nothing ever comes of the "homing beacon" Data reports.
It's too bad. Aside from it being entirely too easy for Picard and Riker to win against the "mother creature" (in Remmick's body), I enjoyed this one. It's not perfect, but "Conspiracy" as part of something bigger would have been better than what ultimately happened: treating this like any other incident-of-the-week—essentially, pressing the "big reset button" and pretending like these events never occurred.
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@dgw So no one source in particular, I see. I started Star Trek when there was no internet so books, documentaries and even convention visits where my main source of info. Much easier today now. I am surprised that even after decades I still find bits and pieces I didn't know.
Really enjoy reading your comments - keep them coming.
Shout by Ahmed Hamdy
VIP4Will there be an egg?
hahahaha that was funny XD
Good episode, just not that wow, it is somehow poorly written!loading replies
@ahmedhamdy90 I agree. This episode had a good premise, but it was poorly executed.
I think I might just prefer season one of The Orville to season two.
Every episode lately feels like it's own short story, too much so.
We had two episodes in a row that dealt with dating someone in a situation where romantic feelings might be deemed unacceptable socially.
And we don't see as much of the captain. In season one, it was more centered about his struggles. Now he's seen as much as everyone else. But that said, this was a good episode.
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@dewdropvelvet I actually like that it's not the Captain Ed show as much in Season 2. But I do agree about the constant romance drama like there's other types of drama out there.
If you're gonna put a sequence in slow-motion, maybe film it with a high frame-rate camera?
Fun episode, but goodness are there a lot of technical plot goofs. Stuff that people who actually work on oil wells wouldn't miss. And I'm still trying to figure out who owns the land rights, since MacGyver's friends say their "lease" is up soon. Wouldn't the mineral rights (and therefore the right to extract oil from the property) go to the lessor, not the lessee?
It was neat to see Nana Visitor in this role seven years before she walked into Deep Space Nine's operations center, but I do wish the writing had left her a bit more to chew on instead of just "oh, what would I do if my man died?" That sort of one-dimensional female character is unfortunately very '80s (pre-2000s, if we're being honest), and MacGyver so far has been pretty full of them. I think the most fleshed-out female character in the show up to this point was the young girl in 1x03 "Thief of Budapest"…
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@dgw The absence of a high-speed camera is downright professional compared to their "breakdown" on the way back from the strip mine. Did no one on the writing staff know enough about automotive design to realize that if the "Lincoln" spring (is that even a term? I've always just heard it called the throttle return) broke the failure condition would be WOT (Wide Open Throttle, a/k/a "Pedal to the Metal") rather than loss of idle? Or did they just not want to use up that piece of plot tension up so soon, preferring to save it for 60 seconds later when there's a shallow creek around to arrest their momentum after the brakes give out?
Rewatching this show on Amazon Prime Video has been enjoyable, partly because it's made me feel lucky to have been a kid when MacGyver was on the air. Even more than being entertaining, it was inspirational to me back then, providing an image of a guy who could be a nerd without also being a "wuss." If this show had started airing even three or four years later I might have started seeing through their story/science gaffes and found it too corny for me to use as fuel to becoming an engineer myself.
Usually I like Ricky and his style of humor. I love "Extras" but I really struggled through this one. I only finished it because there are only 6 hours in total without the Christmas Special.
It had its moments but in an attempt to make this look like they are doing kind of a documentary on the office staff it feels stiff and studied. Characters are one-dimensional and there is almost no developement. Personally I can`t figure out why this is so highly praised.loading replies
@finfan "Characters are one-dimensional and there is almost no developement. Personally I can`t figure out why this is so highly praised"
My thoughts exactly.
The Season 5 episodes list it's all wrong!!!
"We Love You to DeAth" it'a a special! It's not the 5x13! "How the 'A' Stole Christmas" it's the real 5x13 and not the 5x14! And finally "Through a Glass, Darkly" it's the unaired 5x14 episode and not the 5x13"!
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It's based on the TVDB. The mods there refuse to change it because ABC Family's episode guide lists "We Love You to DeAth" as episode 13 rather than a special. I suggest complaining to ABC Family about how they label their episodes.
So, all of a sudden Peralta and Gina are best buddies and grew up together in the same house? Didn't that come a bit out of the blue?
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@misnomer There is a reference in an earlier episode to her being the only one able to decipher his handwriting, and I think he got her the job at the precinct. But this is pretty thin character development.
Loved This Movie! I Was A Big Fan Of Charlie Hunnam In The First Movie, And This Movie Picked Up Where The Other One Left Of With A Bit More Fun, Bigger Robots, And Better Fights. Boyega Added A Different Kind Of Flavor To The Movie That I Thoroughly Enjoyed.
Watch Out For The Gundam Easter Eggs!
A Perfect Blend Of Action, Robots, And Laughter! You Go To Pacific Rim To Watch Robots Beat The Crap Out Of Monsters And This Movie Thoroughly Delivers On That, I Can’t Wait For The Sequel.
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@zdistrict I can tell you're retarded by the way you type.
A decent enough episode and would have given it 7/10 but being it has Clara FINALLY killed off/leaving the show(hopefully there won't be a gimmick to bring her back one last time with the stasis machine or something other before the season ends) I have decided to give it an 8/10. Such an awful companion imho.
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Huh? what was wrong with Clara? This whole season on the other hand has been sub-par :E
A decent enough episode and would have given it 7/10 but being it has Clara FINALLY killed off/leaving the show(hopefully there won't be a gimmick to bring her back one last time with the stasis machine or something other before the season ends) I have decided to give it an 8/10. Such an awful companion imho.
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I love Clara. I don't get the hate.
Our prayers have been listened to. Behold, brothers, this Show might have a future after all. Fuck you very much Clara, thank you for nothing.
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She was adorable. I don't get the blind hate.
Not sure why they've been inserting blue-white flashes and crackling-electricity noises in the imprint room. First noticed it in the previous episode but thought it was something specific to the Attic procedure. Now it shows up during a regular imprint. Have I just spaced off how imprints worked in earlier episodes, or is this a silent plot development that will be addressed later?
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@dgw Its been 3 years but if you still haven't found your answer, they said that imprint procedure is very painful and the process is done using light in one of the earlier episodes.
[7.3/10] You know, it’s a shame that the show more or less stopped giving Shirley that much to do, because she’s such a treat in the early going here. The way that she and Jeff bond over gossip, get in too deep, but hilariously rag on Vaughn is a hoot from start to finish, and it’s packed with some real pathos of Jeff trying to be a good friend to Britta and Shirley being unable to resist her natural pot-stirring nature. Their friendship is an interesting one, and I wish the show had explored it more outside of this and foosball.
I am, as is my wont, less into the Jeff/Britta will they/won’t they stuff, but Vaugn is a great comic creation. The actor does a great job at making Vaugn both inherently ridiculous but so earnest in his faux-hippie lifestyle that you feel bad for him when he gets his feelings hurt. His triple greeting and propensity to take his shirt off are great gags, but when he says silly things like “this is the least tight thing that’s ever happened to me” or “some worries” it manages to be both absurd but also contains just enough pathos to make it land.
Then you have the great story of Annie roping Troy and Abed’s into Prof. Duncan’s waiting game experiment. It’s a great outing comedically, as Duncan’s Britishness and petulance come to a head at the same time Troy’s childlike extravertedness does. But it’s also really the start of Annie and Abed as a pairing, and the understated meaning in Abed sitting through all that just because Annie said she was his friend hits the same mixture of prettytouching and a little insane that is the fuel this show runs on.
Last but not least, there’s Pierce, who’s to the side and mostly inoffensive here with his “ear-noculars” that actually come into play!
Overall, another good outing early in the show’s run.
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@dgw I deleted the extra one. Thanks for the heads up!
[7.4/10] The A-story here is a little Chang-heavy for my tastes. I know he’s supposed to be annoying/terrible, especially early on, but his jerkassery and racism makes me really just want him off my screen. But I like it as a Jeff story. Jeff hangs out with Chang to soothe his Spanish teacher after a marital separation and reap the benefits of exemptions from Chang’s draconian assignments, only to realize that he’d rather reunite Chang and his wife and get everyone in class off the hook, than have to continue being Chang’s friend just to reap those rewards. It’s a nice instance of Jeff “kind of” doing the right thing for the group.
The B-story, with Troy and Abed trying to recover their lab rat despite Troy’s rodent-phobia’s is a lot of fun. I like the emotional throughline of Troy having to learn to make sacrifices for his friends rather than the other way around, and the American Tail references worked for me hook line and sinker. Plus, Donald Glover’s line read for his remark about Abed dropping the subject was hilarious. It’s a good physical comedy/noise-making episode for Glover in general.
The C-story was good too! It’s rare that we get a Pierce/Shirley story at all, let alone one that doesn't just devolve into sexual harassment. Pierce’s public speaking tips are fun, and the pair have a good comic energy. Shirley embracing Pierce’s tips at the end, right down to a hilarious “Heeeeeeere’s Brownie!” reference, and succeeding, was a good beat.
The more marginal stuff in the episode is all good too. I like the running gag about Pierce thinking Jeff’s ability to get laughs comes from his chair. People pointing out Jeff’s fake outrage and argument tactics is superb. The Dean’s “go green” efforts are a hoot, right down to the “This better not awaken anything in me” line. And the montage that connects Chang’s salsa dancing, Shirley’s presentation, and the meaningful “Somewhere Out There” duet is very well done.
Overall, too much time with Chang, but otherwise a very nice episode.
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@dgw It's one of the better Pierce side-stories I think, if only because, in the end, it's about him helping someone instead of just being a crass jerk.
The way this episode brings together a bunch of characters from different previous episodes feels so rewarding. That's the thing that used to always make Stargate stand out so much for me compared to much of the Star Trek shows, the sense of continuity and consequences. It's great to see Ska'ara again (I wish the show had used him more) and the return of the Nox with Lya. Plus, we get to see the cool new Tollan homeworld which looks suspiciously like a university campus! It works, though.
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@dgw Stargate would throw in call backs to the smallest little things from previous episodes. I always loved it, the characters grew and learned and talked about what they had been through before, and it added so much more meaning.
This one fails to be quite engaging enough to make me care about Shan'auc and her crusade despite a strong guest appearance from Musetta Vander. It's all very lifeless and flat. They really wanted to separate Teal'c from all memories of his wife, didn't they? But it does end well and sets up some intriguing future stories.
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@lefthandedguitarist Agreed. My most pressing question is how did a goa'uld symbiote that was cared for and raised on Chulak under Apophis's reign have genetic memories of his sworn enemy Cronus from as recently as Teal'c's father's death in order to show it to Teal'c?
I swear an episode in season 4 implied that Bra'tac had been killed. Somewhere along the way I must have misheard a line of dialogue.
Update: It was "The Serpent's Venom", in a conversation between Teal'c, Rak'nor, and Terok. It's from when Terok says, "Not even Bra'tac lasted this long," and later, "He did die, Teal'c." So it wasn't misheard dialogue; it was misleading dialogue. I didn't quite pick up on the "interrogation intimidation" vibe.
Any episode that continues expanding on Teal'c and his deep backstory is a great one in my book.
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@dgw I thought the same thing about Bra'tac. I wonder which episode it was and what was actually said. Happy he is still alive. Tony Amendola is wonderful.
For fuck sake, just make a DNA test. Bloody sloppy writers!
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@pjonsson They did do that... It's not sloppiness to assume the kid wasn't who he said he was, just typical of a top-secret facility. So why would they test his DNA before they began to think he might be telling the truth? Also, DNA tests don't generally come back as quickly as they do on crime shows, or they wouldn't have done in 2003, when this episode was made. Frankly, in plot terms this is one of the least sloppily-written episodes of SG-1, and I'm not insulting the rest by saying that, either.
I always thought that this was such a cool sci-fi concept, and it struck me as being quite original. I wouldn't be at all surprised if something similar already existed (Star Trek: TNG's 'Remember Me' has some vague relation), but I have a strong memory of being pretty fascinated by this when it first aired. It's still good fun to watch now, and seeing Christopher Heyerdahl in the first of what will be many appearances in this and other sci-fi franchises is always a good thing. He brings a calming but emotional quality to his work, and I was always jealous of his hair.
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@lefthandedguitarist That hair is a thing of beauty.
Just a couple of episodes ago, they were still using floppy disks to transfer secure data. I'm glad to see that they have suddenly transitioned to memory sticks, but they seem to have just skipped right over CDs!
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@lefthandedguitarist To be fair, that disk was from Season 4. Hammond had just been keeping it in the drawer for four years.
I quite enjoyed this one, even if the politics were a little flat. Dean Stockwell can guest star any time he wants.
Unlike another commenter, I couldn't find any "SJW bullshit" that anyone might want to complain about.
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@dgw that's because there is no "SJW bullshit". Some people are just delusional.
What the hell does "This place is deader than a Texas salad bar" even mean? :joy: Please try to make sense, Mr. Shaft.
Almost a season ago (https://trakt.tv/comments/388513) I was pretty annoyed that Vala had stuck around. At the time, her character felt shallow—and static. Since then, I'm quite pleasantly surprised that the writers turned her around into someone capable of growing and changing, someone with a conscience and a sense of the greater good. So what if her jokes still aren't funny? :grin:
Meanwhile, I still haven't figured out exactly why the creative team puts her in twintails most of the time. Best I can think of is that it's to emphasize Vala's playful, often childish attitude—which works, but doesn't mesh quite as well as the flippancy they were probably trying to replace since O'Neill/RDA left the cast.
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@dgw Really, you didn't get the comment about the salad bar in a state known for its meat? I seriously hope that was sarcasm.
How come there was no one playing the numbers from Lost?
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A customer tried, but Garrett turned him away.
How come there was no one playing the numbers from Lost?
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@onlime did you not pay attention?!
did I miss something, why is Glenn stepping down?
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@abstractlegend he decided at the end of the previous episode - while making a video for his daughter. He realised he was wasting his life as a Manager.
did I miss something, why is Glenn stepping down?
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@abstractlegend this is a month and a year later, but its because he wants to spend more time with his new born
Very very average show. Made it halfway through the first episode and it just wasn't funny in the slightest. Give it a miss. 3/10.
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@jontstaz If you only watched the first show then we cant really trust your critique
Very very average show. Made it halfway through the first episode and it just wasn't funny in the slightest. Give it a miss. 3/10.
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@jontstaz You didn't even watch one episode lol. Why are you even writing a review?
