FULL DISCUSSION - Star Trek TNG S2E17 - Samaritan Snare

thats based on a quote from some episode where kirk said he always had his head in the bboks and dindnt party or socialize much at the academy. Its one line from TOS and has sometimes been contradicted.

Picard's disatance from everyone is a major aspect of his character and of Picard

I think Pulaski is the most like trapper John being replaced by BJ on Mash, and I like BJ way more than I ever liked trapper, but if you look on paper, they seem to be the same character. They’re like the tall blonde sidekick guy. With Pulaski you could say she’s “the “red headed” older lady Doctor but they are much different characters and I’ve always thought they gave Pulaski much more to do.

Shatner actually wrote and directed "Chaos on the Bridge" himself!

Come on, you think Wrath of---- Oh. Nevermind. (joking)

Okay, hear me out. The beginning of this episode makes it sound like Picard is getting surgery on his junk The episode shows that Picard's character progression was the opposite of Kirk's. The first piece of evidence that springs to mind of Kirk being a straight-laced nerd in the academy is the fact that he got beaten up by the jock Finnegan. In Shore Leave, the illusion of Finnegan kicks Kirk in the junk. It's all connected!

CAUTION: You guys might need to implement your own speculation warning. Your track record. Of predicting things that will happen in the next episode and how they might connect to other Star Trek properties, or movies is downright scary. So I suggest that the phrase spoiler warning could be synonymous with speculation warning Not saying don’t speculate just stop hopping into the Time Machine and setting all these so called coincidences up. 🤣🤔😎😎😏🙃😀😅😯 🖖🏼

Hah, glad you guys like my comment though. I'm pretty sure in the episode his heart was said to be an implant and not a transplant? Course I was listening more to you guys than the episode, so I can't say for certain. It's really funny, I watched another pair of reactors watch through TNG and they had a GREATLY different vibe than you guys, (which is great, everyone watches shows different, that's why these channels have audiences) but they also really thought this episode would be a good Crusher return point and were equally frustrated by the scene. Geordi really shoulda beamed over with some apricots instead of a phaser. That'll make em go.

I am NEVER giving up physical books. It's more than just consuming the content, it's a whole tactile experience. The smell. Books aren't going away. And in Star Trek TNG where they can replicate any matter they wish? Fuget about it. Plus, we've seen them using physical books in the show already. I guess in TOS it was strange that Kirk's lawyer was using books, so perhaps his enthusiasm brought the medium back, though I doubt it fully went away.

Since it may be too early to watch "Chaos on the Bridge," may I suggest a 10 min youtube of Levar Burton on reading rainbow, exploring the set. When this came out, I was so stoked to see my favorite show on Reading Rainbow! I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links or not, as I'm new, but I'll put it below. https://youtu.be/uIRz_qpgD-0?si=-KkRSwNggYdrxiby

Physical gifts would absolutely exist in the future. They wouldnt still be produced to you guys' point but old books would still exist as novelties or collectors items. Just like vinyl and other forms of physical media currently. Remember Kirk received a pair of bifocals from Bones as a birthday gift and glasses are not used or needed in the future. Perhaps that book was given to Picard as a gift. Or as you guys learn his character it is very conceivable that Picard would go out of his way to get a hard copy of his favorite books. Remember he made a statement in that very scene about appreciation of the past.

If I was ill and needed a doctor, absolutely I'm going to see Crusher. But if I was bored and going out for drinks, you know Pulaski can hang.

I thought Picard was getting hair plugs lol

Picard gave Data a book also.

I really enjoy "Chaos on the Bridge", Shatner does a really deep and thoughtful treatment of a show he had nothing to do with creating and it's a fantastic oral history of the troubled start to TNG.

The idea about physical books is that Picard i a traditionalist. He would rather read a printed book than a computer screen. You could replicate any book you want too.

Definite lighting change in this reaction/discussion. Looks nice

Didn’t McCoy give Kirk a physical book for his birthday? It’s been established that some people still prefer to read physical books in the future. It makes sense for Picard.

You two getting more and more annoyed by Pulaski is a highlight of this season run. You allude to the next episode which you've already seen so not a spoiler, which has perhaps her best scene to date. Had we had more of that earlier on, and less shitting on Data, she would have fit in much better.

Yeah I don't think Picard keeps around a lot of actual 20th/21st century or before books to take on his trips but you can easily replicate any book you please and Picard is just enough of a classicist to really enjoy the sensation of going through a paper book.

To quote Giles from Buffy, "books smell". There's an organic, tactile, even transportive feeling they bring that can't be duplicated with a screen. Even replicated books can be passed down as keepsakes from family or friends, cherished as heirlooms, kept on shelves rather than just saved in a file (though obviously that would happen a lot too; much moreso in fact).

15:45 Yes, it's an entirely artificial whole replacement for his heart.

Alex mentioned he wishes there was a website where it tells you which episodes have character stuff and story stuff. There's actually a really good site like that I recommended to people watching Deep Space Nine. Says which episodes can be "skippable" which ones are important to the overarching story, and which ones aren't necessary to watch but have good character development. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend that to you guys, but those resources do exist.

I understand that the writing team wanted a varied set of stories and were trying to come up with something unusual here. However, 'Samaritan Snare' is very low stakes, because the plot requires so much taking leave of common sense by the Enterprise crew. Pulaski was intended to offer a contrast to Crusher. Honestly, Pulaski is a far more competent medical professional. Crusher was written as missing the obvious to keep the plots going. Pulaski has a sandpaper bedside manner, while Crusher is all bedside manner and sporadic competence.

I don't think I agree on your statement about there not being a need for physical books, and physical media dying out. There will always be a love for physical media. I know personally, work in tech and I still prefer to touch paper on a real book when reading, and even though I stream music at work, I have a giant collection of vinyl. Even if it's not practical, us humans still seem to have a strange connection to things we can touch and feel.

I think you're dead wrong about the books thing. By that logic, we wouldn't need musical instruments or plays either.

In Where No Man, Kirk is referred to as a "Walking stack of books with legs." He had a high Academic test score, even taught classes at the Academy before taking command of the Enterprise. There's a reason in Wrath of Khan, Spock and Him are basically running the Academy training program. Kirk was a very high aptitude guy. he was also just way more adept at punching aliens in the face when the situation called for it. Which is why he's still my favorite captain.