FULL DISCUSSION - Star Trek TNG S3E19 - Captain's Holiday

I finally watched the masterpiece that is Captain's Holiday. I generally try to keep up with the broadcast schedule you put out, but if I know an episode is.. a little subpar, it goes onto the back burner until I have time to pay attention to it. So now that we're in the end-of-season lulls (for the viewers, not for you!) for TNG and DS9 and I'm going through some of the older ones I skipped. I'm even thinking of watching your TOS reactions, which aired before I knew about the channel. Well, this was a fun reaction. Not a fun episode, but you guys made it a fun reaction, and a good discussion. Someone once asked Roger Ebert "oh, you must have really enjoyed trashing that movie" because his bad reviews were so entertaining to read. And he said no, bad movies were frustrating not just because they didn't work, but because he knows the people involved could do better, and he REALLY wanted them to do better. Chip Chalmers ended up directing The Wounded, one of your favorite TNG S4 episodes. Ira Steven Behr ends up writing many of the DS9 stories people go ga-ga for. This is a show that had just put out five bangers in a row. You know they're all capable of doing very good work, so that's why you get more annoyed with what felt like a Season 1 episode. And why a couple of Season 7 episodes will no doubt annoy you too. Thanks for reading this, I have no idea if you have the actual time to go back and read comments to things broadcast over a year ago.

You got my name right, which is nice. Also, I didn't mean to indicate that there will be 10 horrible episodes of DS9 like this. Just that the "lead character goes on a break/vacation and an adventure appears" is a trope that the TNG-DS9-VOY-ENT era loved. Sometimes it's in the holodeck, sometimes on a planet. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJHUbtR0yI8

The symbol used on the Hot Streak board represents the Diameter of a Circle in Maths......... So the current streak is Diameter? =P ;)

If they hate this one, I wonder what they’ll think of Tin Man, one of the episodes I dislike most. Just waiting for that reaction to drop today.

The only thing I liked about this episode was the bit with the statue thing, even that the joke is still only mid-level at best. At the end of the day I don’t think I’ve ever re-watched this one more than twice.

Honestly I just find it kind of funny to watch them get so upset over something that I think is just kind of middle of the road okay. I'm sorry you guys didn't like it. Don't worry, there is still you know like four more seasons of great content

Even amongst the best episodes though, there are always going to be clunkers to slog through.

One word: Garbage 🗑️!!!!

Ah Picard finally gets a true love interest. And a gal who likes archeology like he does. He finally deserved it. And Riker's trickery with the Horgan. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to have heard his discussion with Riker about that one after he got back!

Pain! Such Pain! Pain! Unhappiness. Terrible despair.

The front half of this episode is entertaining, the back half makes a train wreck look pleasant.. but you guys gotta start cutting yourselves some slack here. Yeah, sometimes you're gonna be wrong cough Hunt for Red October cough but you're always honest about it. And that honesty is WAY more important than you might think it is. I dislike the offspring because of the ending. I'm a father and that would destroy me, but I recognize that it's a good story and very well told. I don't mind if we disagree because you're coming into it with good faith.

Its not a spoiler, but, the author of this episode will become perhaps the greatest creative force in the franchise

When I was younger I liked this episode because we got to see Picard out of his element. But I never rewatched the episode in its entirety. I would just go back and watch the fun parts. Agree totally.

I think you guys hit it right on the head with the episode. Started out promising with the crew concerned for the captain and trying to help him out. You’d think a good Dixon Hill holodeck episode would be in store to relax the captain. But alas, was not to be. This is one that I try not to rewatch because it’s so forgettable. There are several more quality ones coming up though. This one was definitely a dip in the season.

It's a testament to how much you like the show that you get this upset over a terrible episode.

Good job expressing yourselves here guys. I don't see any problem whatsoever in disliking anything that you see. There were some people who like this episode, but I thought that it was just middling at best

Aww fellas lighten up! its just a fun "live in the moment" episode. I love this episode when 1st aired like many others did too on 1st watching (UK) However It might be to do with I was in my early 20's and seriously getting the horn on for Vash at the time. Its such a different & fun silly episode. He gets the girl, saves the day! sorry disagree with you completely on this one. Don't get too serious and try not to yawn in ANY reaction! lol watched your full uncut reaction but gave up and stopped on your discussion. Not all episodes have to be deep fellas..

Laid

I’m new here but have been watching on YouTube for awhile. I like this episode but it’s not the best. I do really like that Riker was trying to get Picard

Welp, I guess we now know they aren't part of the #AllStarTrek Cult. =P Which I think is natural. The Trek fandom wouldn't be what it is without decades debating the merits and failures of episodes. Risa, the (Dis)Pleasure Planet.

You guys have every right to hate on this (or any) episode. This would have made a better B or C plot story with something much more interesting going on as the A plot. I think this was *A* try at a treasure hunting adventure, it just didnt work having a full episode dedicated to it.

They're right. its shit. Its one of the worst episodes.

19:20 I hate Harry Mudd.

It does make sense that Picard would go for what we would say isn’t his type. That was the point

You guys didn't get the context. it's about the boer war

Got to say, I appreciate their honesty about what they like and don't like, but I'm kind of perplexed by the hostile tone when they're reading patron takes from people who like it.

Don't worry. It won't be long before you're glad to have the new headphones.

Interesting. Sometimes it's hard to predict what these guys will like or hate. I've certainly seen people who think "Captain's Holiday" was mediocre, but I've never seen somebody have Josh's incredibly negative reaction to this. (Referring to them in the third person here because Josh made it quite clear he's not going to read these comments anyway).

I've said this before, when you guys didn't like WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS.... We've been spoiled by 30 years of time travel movies and other TV show Time Travel plots. Maybe that plot point threw you guys off about what to expect? Or, maybe you guys don't connect with Stewart as a ladies man. Jennifer Hetrick was excellent. Or this kind of comedy? Easily a 4/5 from me.

I think you two dislike this episode so much because the the previous 5 reset your baseline for an OK episode

I enjoy watching with you guys. I can’t wait for each new ep!

This is the first episode where I am diverging from your general overview. This one is in the bottom half of my top 10 for Season 3 (7th). I feel it's a really good episode that delves into Picard's hobbies and fleshes out more of his character.

It’s always fascinating to me how differently folks react. Newbie Star Trek loved this episode.

I like the episode but if you feel like you need to tear it apart I think you should. It's not going to hurt my feelings I'm not going to cancel my subscription to your patreon and I'm not going to unsubscribe from your YouTube channel. And if anybody does have that type of reaction they need to check their whole life

I predicted you guys would like it but I was wrong. And I guess it makes sense that I was wrong since, I didn't like it when I first saw it at all. The thing I like about it to be honest is more rooted in nostalgia than it is the quality of the episode

You often suggest episodes stay with the characters and not detour into 'story,' so I was worried you may actually like this one, especially considering the solid opening scenes. Once we hit the pleasure planet it becomes a world class dud. I vote Jennifer Hetrick as the new least convincing guest actor easily dethroning Stubbs.

Damn. I always thought this was a decent episode. Definitely wasn't expecting them to rip it to shreds like this.

Dang, lotta people salty about an episode I consider mid-tier at best. No wonder discourse around modern Trek has been so volitile. I assumed most also felt this was a drudgery episode.

Crossing out the hot streak. OMG, had me on the floor laughing!!!

Gotta say I am surprised. I like this one way more than many other episodes, especially knowing what’s coming up. I enjoy the treasure hunt story and seeing Picard let his hair down so to speak. Plus familiarity with Risa, horgons, etc are good bits of lore to keep in your pocket. But seeing your take is why I’m a patron. We don’t have to like the same things every time, I just enjoy your reactions and discussions. You’ve helped me see some things in various episodes that I haven’t seen or noticed before. So if we don’t agree on this one, that’s perfectly fine. You can be wrong and still have my money 😂. (Jk, of course there are no wrong opinions.)

I'm going to go and re-watch your discussion of 'The Royale' in order to present that as Exhibit A in my prosecution when this discussion is posted to YouTube. I'd rather watch 'Captain's Holiday' five times in a row than re-watch 'The Royale'.

I like the episode overall. But I admit the opening is much stronger...the end I don't hate but don't love....

huh. i really liked it

love the take .. you guys aint wrong. I think what makes it worse is you had so many great ones before it.. take this ep and put it in season 2 you prob think its meh but passable. dont fret still some great ones left in season three.

It's just occurred to me that there is a much, much worse episode set on this pleasure planet in several ST years time.......including a plain ridiculous character backstory.

Captain's Holiday really is kindof a crappy episode. Another "oh damn, not the stupid Ferengi..." one. I never liked Vash that much -- not sexy or sleazy or campy enough. Just kindof... "potential TV girlfriend" material. Give me Karen Allen any day! I love Riker trolling Picard though. What a good wingman... Friday's episode will be... better, but it's not top-tier Season 3 either. Don't worry, they won't all be great, you still have another stinker unwatched in this season!

They way I judge episodes now after watching since I was a little kid is by rewatch and this is one I sometimes skip. When you watching anything new it can be very interesting but I also remember wanting something more from it when I first saw it. I am little worried because one of my favorite episodes is next I really didn't like it as a kid but it has become one of my favorites now.

Maybe they were going for the "a little over the top" camp of the Original Series. In TOS it was fun and expected, in TNG it feels very out of place.

The Streak is Dead.

This is why I love you guys, so full of surprises. I thought the episode was okay, not great, but not bad enough to get upset about.

Be careful not to give too much praise on any one screenwriter or too much hate on one. A great deal of episodes have uncredited rewrites and the final credit is down to WGA rules. Several of the great and also awful episodes are a "gangbang" (as Ron Moore puts it) of different writers. Just look up how episodes like Justice or The High Ground started and what the finished products were. Often the writers hate the bad episodes as much as the audience does.

No, I still got you for another hour had me laughing. And don't worry too much, you found the good in the bad and accurately diagnosed why the episode didn't land for you.

Wow! That was a harsh negative reaction for what was a pretty decent average episode

I would rather have seen PIcard so annoyed with the vacation plotting that he pretends to beam to Risa but instead goes to another ship in orbit to help them with some engine refit for his holiday.

You guys are nuts We get Picard dragged into a mystery-adventure against his will, well landed jokes that you laughed at same as I, and a guest actor for Patrick Stewart to play off of in a way Picard hasn't been able to with anyone else yet. We get a whole new side of Picard and it's wonderful - his playful side without needing to don a Dixon Hill outfit. Handed a two-bit Ferengi and a scooby-do plot he can barely be bothered to frustratingly swat away. He gets to out smart the tomb-raider, punch the annoying Ferengi in the nose, and brush off dubious time traveling aliens. Literally Picard's perfect vacation. Riker wants the ladies, Picard wants a problem to solve. Light work to go alongside his light reading. It has good writing, good characters, an interesting mystery, and good pacing. I suspect if this was Kirk, you'd have loved the episode, but there's more to Picard than what we've seen so far.

The season 3 episode ranking video is gonna be LIT.

It’s interesting that so many people thought that the chemistry between Vash and Picard was terrible. It’s not outstanding, but I thought that the chemistry was good enough for a “woman of the week” episode.

Wash it down with some Horga'hn-inspired loving. Jamaharon!

I got the action figure of those aliens for my birthday in 1993. It was as lame as this episode.

You dislike this more than I did. I found it typical of TNG in many aspects; I've come to expect dull and uninspired I guess. There have been worse, and the next one I turned off in ten minutes.

Josh as Pam's Grandma on The Office: I just had to sit here while it happened to me.

Weird. This is one that I can really enjoy because it's all Picard, because he's fun to watch, and beause it's 'in the world.' I have no problem re-watching this one.

You did indeed give TNG a way stronger honeymoon period than we were expecting

I've never agreed more. This one is weirdly hyped, IMDB rates it higher than The Bonding and A Matter of Perspective, never knew why.

😆😆😆 Josh is going to be recovering all week. And I feel ya, man. This episode feels like sloppy fan fiction.

I think the intent, given how off Picard acts talking to the Vorgons at the end that he had already determined to destroy it and that they weren't trust worthy. But in the end its just not great regardless.

I'm one of those people who like this episode for some reason but I personally think its hilarious to see you guys rip into episodes.

It's all about the writing and the direction in this one. Once Picard gets to Risa, the conversations between characters are boring and the pacing is extremely slow and stilted. As you both said, the direction is flat, and nothing makes us want to keep watching. It was a fairly good idea, poorly executed.

1 thing I now like to look at thanks to these reactions/discussions is the writers/directors and specifically what the've done up to this point and what they will do the rest of TNG. Very fun looking at this director's episodes and feeling: "That's an interesting group of episodes he got." 1 of which I'm fairly certain you'll LOVE. The others.....we shall see.

Clickable Hyperbole? Eh? Eh? LOL!!

Jeezus Christ boys! Bit of a strong reaction LOL. It's not a favorite of mine, I get disliking it but by comparison of your reactions you guys 'loved' The Deadly Years & When the Bough Breaks... are you guys going to be ok? ;) lol

"The next episode could be D tier and I'd be impressed." That's a bold prediction.

Yeah this is one of my least favorite episodes of the entire series. Good news: this is probably the bottom of the barrel from here on out. I can only think of a couple of episodes like this that can't compare to the rest of the series. Thank you for being kind to your fans, I think you're honest but also practical on how you approach this channel.

Don’t get the s1 Ferengi comment. This is actually more in line with where Ferengi businessmen go moving forward

Amidst the hate I just looked up how far away we are from seeing the ONE reaction I am BY FAR most looking forward to seeing. It's 3 years away at the current pace ;( You stick with it, we'll stick with you.

I like your honest opinions. In fact, sometimes it's more fun when you DON'T agree with the majority.

The chemistry between Patrick Stewart and Jennifer Hetrick was real. After they met on set they immediately began sneaking around boning each other’s brains out. Eventually, Stewart left his wife at the time and they dated for a couple of years.

I've noticed they have wildly different takes than mine on several episodes, but it's part of the fun of watching them, at least for me. I guess I have a more average reaction to episodes, as my ratings tend to have close correlation to the per-episode IMDB scores. And no I didn't form my opinions based on IMDB ratings.. I watched these eps when they were first broadcast.

"We trained this episode's director wrong, on purpose, as a joke."

This literally destroyed Josh

First season Ferengi? I missed the part where this guy was jumping on people and throwing his arms all over the room. Lame fight scene? The singular punch fit the tone of the episode. “We didn’t like it” but what and why? Complaining about code 14 because you haven’t heard of it before? That’s an odd reason to not like it. Were you guys just in a bad mood when you sat down to watch this episode? This episode isn’t the greatest but it’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be. It’s not even bad.

It kinda hurts extra because that was a hell of a streak going on banger episodes and the bar was getting set really high.

I just read Patrick Stewart’s memoir this year and never knew that he and Jennifer Hatrick had an affair in real life. It broke up Patrick’s marriage (which seemed to already be on the rocks with his career skyrocketing in LA and his wife staying out in the UK). It’s a pretty tough chapter in the book and I respect him for his openness about it.

The streak... is over.