Thu - February 19, 2004

"Turnabout Intruder" Episode Review Added



After what seems like 10 hours of typing, the latest Trek Bits review has been added, "Turnabout Intruder". (For those who care, this is the first major web page I've done using Vim instead of BBEdit, SimpleText, or that thingy at Case Western Reserve's site. After all those "bus error" crashes, it may be the last major web page I do using Vim.) I wonder what might have happened to Jan and Artie in the ensuing years--maybe they turned Camus II into a twisted "adult" amusement park that was eventually shut down by the UFP authorities for "gross violations of Federation standards of decorum and decency."

Posted at 07:31 AM     Read More  


Wed - February 11, 2004

More TNG Fun



Watched the TNG episode "Sarek" last night (it was supposed to have aired a couple of weeks ago during a Sunday afternoon marathon, but was inexplicably replaced by that horrible episode in which everyone de-evolves into a snake, monkey, spider, fish, lizard, ad nauseam). Watching Picard's ranting/babbling/crying during the mind meld was, frankly, embarrassing. Why couldn't they have given him a tranquilizer before the mind meld took place? Watching Sarek's meeting with the goo-inhabiting aliens would have been more interesting and more entertaining.

Posted at 07:52 AM     Read More  


Fri - January 23, 2004

TNG Thoughts


As promised!

Have been busy this week (working on the next episode review for Trek Bits, scanner shopping, etc.), so I've been late adding the thoughts on TNG I promised on the Trek Bits homepage. I don't mean to sound like the guy who runs the web site listing 5 million reasons why Kirk is better than Picard (I'm only slightly exaggerating -- he does have over 1700 reasons). Really, the only reason I started watching TNG occasionally is for the slightly interesting plots that come along from time to time and to get ideas for my "private" Trek universe. Here goes:

1. The biggest problem I have with TNG is (and I'm sure you've noticed this) is Picard's veddy British accent. Isn't it odd that a Frenchman would speak that way, as well as his brother, sister-in-law, nephew, etc.?
2. The crew on the Enterprise-D spend way too much time in the holodeck; when they're not pretending to be 20th-century private detectives or cowboys, they're...playing poker(!)
3. It's too easy to tell aliens from humans; they all have misshapen foreheads. Not very original. :-\
4. Any episode featuring Picard romancing some poor woman and/or shirtless should be avoided at all costs.
5. It seems that half the episodes are either rip-offs of TOS plots or have plot elements "liberated" from TOS stories (e.g. "Measure of a Man" -- prosecutor is Picard's old girlfriend, ensuing trial pits Picard against his old flame).

Posted at 11:41 AM     Read More  


Fri - November 14, 2003

"Back Pages"


My first Trek story

I have written a sort of rough outline/summary for my very first Star Trek story--a TOS/TNG hybrid called "Back Pages." I know it is a pretty pitiful work, but anyone interested in reading it can e-mail me at m5comp AT warpmail DOT net (if you promise not to make fun of it!) and I will send a URL where the story can be accessed (only 2 pages long).

Posted at 06:42 AM     Read More  


Wed - October 1, 2003

"The Changeling" Episode Review Finished


Hear Nomad speak!

The episode review for The Changeling has been finished and uploaded. Not only does it contain the usual two-dozen-plus screen captures, there are also several sound bites from the guest star himself, Nomad. (They sounded so good that I just zipped them to reduce the file size instead of trying to compress them, etc.) I wonder how many PC users will know what to do with AIFF files (they're the Mac counterpart of .wav files). My mom's cousin-in-law's Dell came with QuickTime already installed, so maybe many of my visitors will have QuickTime already and can use that to play them. I later added a B&W scan from T'Mar to the review page (nice of her to send that).

Posted at 06:32 AM     Read More  

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