UNCUT - Cost of Living (TNG S5E20) | Star Trek Journey 227
Comments (77)
When HoloGPT is tasked to create creepy WIzard of Oz set in a hippie commune. Slightly redeemed by Worf looking like a chastised puppy who is forced to take a bath after a good romp in the mud. B-
Love Lwaxana and Alexander’s relationship. I wonder if the very male oriented views of most of your followers actually distorts from a balanced viewpoint of episodes like this. There seem to be very few women commenting or following these threads. This little boy is desperate for some mothering love in his life and neither Worf or Troi is supplying that. He has lost his mother in traumatic circumstances and been forced to see her dead body. He is being raised in a strict Klingon tradition but he had a half human mother. Lwaxana shows more empathy and compassion for Alexander than anyone else in his life, and that is why he loves her. I love the way they share smiles when she appears nude at her wedding. He is not in the least bothered whether she is clothed or not- I don’t think Klingons are prudes! Frankly, I am not bothered about any other plot line in the episode. Also huge respect to Majel Barrett for being so emotionally open and generous in this role so soon after losing Gene.
I’m surprised with all the comments foreshadowing future bad episodes / seasons of TNG & DS9. FWIW, I don’t agree with doing that. We are here to experience Josh’s & Alex’ first time seeing these episodes.
Klingon mud farts are the worst..🔥
After watching this episode again with you guys, I’m downgrading my E grade to an F. Great directing but the WTF is the story?! Like, who wrote this? And why? It makes me angry!
Angry? Why?
Josh and Alex. Don't forget Majel was basically Riker in the pilot episode The Cage.
You always say you want an episode with lots of character development,m they do it and you don't like it WTF , it's supposed to be a lightheareted episode Lile Piece of the action they all can't be dead serious
Yeah, but this episode is terrible
Don't be prudes
You’d think, wouldn’t you? I, like they, am American, and unfortunately, telling that to most of my countrymen is…well, like trying to get Worf to laugh: *very nearly* impossible, given that Guinan once got that very full laugh from him…but only the once.
TNG was before they figureed out they could have a single plot tht was non Sci fi. Now thats all Nutrek is, I think the boys will like touchy feely trek, I Don't
Single plots are boring
Juggler: Oh... I was just juggling, and I happened to catch one in my mouth. It tasted good, so I ate it. Before I knew it, I'd eaten up every one of my worlds. Capt. Picard: We're not qualified to be your judges. We have no law to fit your crime Producers: We are making an episode called "Cost of Living" that centers on Dorf and Lwaxana Troi. Capt. Picard: We're not qualified to be your judges. We have no law to fit your crime.
I tell my friends that this is the episode where the Enterprise has termites. 😏😂
Barrett is easily more memorable as Lwaxana just because Chapel, in my opinion, was never much of a character. She could've been more but TOS never spent enough time on her. She had many more appearances than Lwaxana, but most of those were just as "a nurse."
More appearances maybe but I’m pretty sure actual screen time and dialogue lines are way more for Luxwana
What about Lwaxana talking to the computer.. basically she's talking to herself.
This episode is like an AI-written fever dream. Enjoyable in places, painfully not thought out in others. There are aspects of both the A and B plots that would make good standalone eps but most of the B plot has been done, and done better. I like Majel Barret in this one, she comes off as more endearing than ever, but it's not enough to save it.
The side plot is pure chatgpt
I think I’d go for a “Shades of Grey” marathon than watching this episode…
Is there a thread where we as a community can talk spoilers amongst ourselves in relation to this channel without Alex and Josh up in our business lol?
On Discord.
The Sex Scoreboard apologizes for the delay in this update. We found it hard to stop vomiting long enough when watching this...... episode. There are no additions in an episode centered around a wedding. Of course the reason is right before there might have some horizontal happenings Luxanna went naked and the groom ran away in disgust. You may say it was because of his culture but I think it was him looking at her.
The groom wasn't disgusted! The groom was captivated! The protocol master was horrified! haha
Yeah B plot so unnecessary and as a result rushed and also they would be dead so many times with Data
I thought it was fine.
If you two prudes are disturbed by a holodeck character dancing in a bodysuit, how are you going to handle "This Ain't Star Trek XXX" when you get to it?!?
Americans, scared of a little nudity ;)
for the people who are ick, thats your projection on to it. That is a product of worrying about legitimate concenrs, but in this case we are dealing with a character from a race that is not at all sexually restrained due to their telepathy and how that evolved with their culutre. A Betazoid kids fantasy non sense answer might also include a sensual dancing woman. In betazoid culture it is normal to be naked at weddings. Nudity in and of itself isnt something that has to be inherently sexual. Its all really arbitrary when you think about how all the subtle rules about what was appropriate to wear evlved over time... I didn't see that scene as sexual anymore then the other children at betazed see their culture as "wrong" because everyone goes naked and its just a whole different alien existence. I'm surprised at how many people missed this considering what we have already learned about Betazed
The Higher, the Fewer. This saying has an interesting life that can be traced back to steam engines. This peculiar saying "Why does a mouse when it spins? The Higher, The Fewer." relates to a certain type of governor on steam engines, whereby revolutions of the engine are reduced if a spinning weight (mouse) is lifted up a shaft by its centrifugal force, releasing steam pressure and ensuring fewer revs: the higher, the fewer. Such systems were common on static engines like those found originally in cotton mills in the heyday of the steam revolution. Over time, "Why does a mouse when it spins? wit the answer being "The higher the fewer" took on a memetic life as a meaningless riddle and niche literary joke re-used in many contexts. Likely people heard the original riddle and didnt understand the answer was you were talking about steam boat mechanics as not many people knew about them, so thought they were "nonsense riddles" which ironically spread them much more successfully as memes." The use of the phrase in the way it is used is esentially as a satire of a meaningful statement, which is consistent with the literary history of how it was understoof and used.
The life support thing wasn't confusing. You saw them actively moving people to conserve life support, the whole ship is aware of what is going and is co-orinated, we see a time jump to when thy are passed out and data executes the plan.
Apparently it was Rick Berman who kept insisting on those b plots that guys like Moore hated.
As Gene's 'torchbearer" he defenitely is also responsible for the half and full naked ladies.
I think I hate this episode. This is so bad.
Worse than bad tbh. There's a lot of episodes I don't like but this is one of the few i'd say is actually ass.
Oh Cost of Living, after giving us such a strong Lwxanna episode they give us this just boring 🥱
Well, that's one is done with. Thank fuck. Peter Allan Fields had previously written for Half A Life, and he does have a number of other trek credits, pretty much all of which range from decent to S+ tier fan favourites, so this is definitely his worst work.
That was a super-boring B-plot, even given how it started hot in media res via the cold open. Also, the corrosion -> enterprise breakdowns was dealt with way better in Barclay's debut, Hollow Pursuits. Very similar, yet that was the way to handle a B-plot, where it mixes perfectly with the A-plot
I know I said I haven't seen this in a while and that I might change my opinion while I watch it with you guys. Well it's worse then I remember it, and I originally gave it a D. This is border line E for me. But let's say D-. But damn... Josh still graded this higher than Darmok. That is both hilarious and disturbing :D
On first watch let’s face it - you’re not going to have a clue what to grade this, it’s a mess of great directing and performances vs a terrible, AWFUL A & B ploys that have no relevance to each other. It’s like someone’s son or daughter in Paramount came up with the idea and the director gave their damned best effort to make it work
Oh man. I totally forgot this was the one with Tony Jay in it. Which just speaks to how much they wasted the GOAT. Seriously, if you've never heard that man's vocal performances in anything, you are depriving yourself. Bridge Crew, get 'ReBoot' on your suggestion list! His work as villain Megabyte is just *chef's kiss.*
Maybe this reference is too old, but I wonder if anybody else has noticed this is basically Auntie Mame on Star Trek.
You're not the only one. ;) Lwaxana as Auntie Mame is always a cozy treat on TNG.
I really love Grandma Majel her and Alexander’s relationship saves this episode. Idk about the “hippie” colony it’s the future I think they are less hung up on nudity. Hell Europe is more free wheeling than us!
B story reminds me of Wes and the Nanites..
Peter Allan Fields probably shouldn't take the blame for the B-story. I don't know for a fact that Rick Berman shoehorned mortal peril into this one, but that was the sort of thing he was doing to other episodes around this time.
Hey they can't all be good!
God I always hated this episode, and I remember vividly that so many times I would sit down to watch an episode of Star Trek The next generation reruns on TV and this episode would start and then I would realize what episode it was and I would just turn it off.
Hahahah
Lwaxana stole the show on this one, shamefull A for me 😜
I agree the B plot is unnecessary and uninteresting, but I love the Lwaxana / Alexander storyline.
Are any B plots needed? When thinking of the best episodes, did they tend to have B plots?
Good thing Data didn't have any Nitrium in him huh?
Soongs superior construction methods.
Other than some of the things you mentioned about Majel Barrett, I pretty much loathe this episode. The cringey part for me was not the nudity in front of Alexander... please, I'm a child of the 60s and 70s. It was the other guest stars overacting, from the silly floating head to the Priority Chaparone or whatever he was called. Big D for dumb.
The Juggler made the most of a minor character! I like when he’s juggling 2 and he mirrors the 3rd ball.
I absolutely ABHOR this episode and anything that has anything to do with Majel Barrett anytime she is not a disembodied voice speaking as the computer.
😞 I love Majel she’s kinda a comedic genius.
I think I rated this an E when the poll went up because of the uncomfortable stuff with Alexander and the adults plus a forgettable B plot and then just the other odd holodeck stuff, but watching the whole thing again tonight reminded me there are also some nice Lwaxana moments, so if I voted again I'd upgrade to a D.
Uncomfortable?
Josh, was that a tear I saw when Lwaxana is talking about growing older and having to compromise to not be alone....it certainly looked like your eyes were a bit glassy there :)
It would have been much better if it had just been about Lwaxana. Dock the ship above Betazed and just play out the character stories.
On this re-watch, I quite enjoyed it. Lwaxana and Alexander are quite endearing. And I appreciate the continued suggestion of a society that is not as hung up on nudity and shame.
Yea I always thought it was very in line with a liberated future society.
I hated this episode a lot less on this rewatch. Particularly since Deanna has taken on a next of kin/godmother role with Dworf, Lwaxana did a great job as a kind of grandmother - it was kinda cute that this is his weird little family. ALSO - Goddamn you two for pointing out Patrick Stewart's wild inability to act out a mild jostle. I can't unsee it now!
Little better on rewatch than I remember. Still not great
The metal parasites was also kinda a call back to the episode where Riker is doing the officer exchange on the Klingon ship
The whole nitrium thing was stupid. Even if they get rid of the parasites, the damage they've done is still present. So all of the systems, including life support, would still be damaged, not come back to perfectly normal. You're both right: this B-plot was 100% unnecessary and stupid.
Yeah I pretty much agree. I mean I guess once you don't have further damage they can "patch things up" reroute things, so on. 🤷♂️
It appeared to me that when Brian Bonsell (Alexander) looks up at Majel Barrett after she gives her "I'm alone" dialog, his eyes looked like he was about to cry but holding back. I wonder how difficult that was for her and the crew to shoot.
I always considered this a filler episode for the season, the best is yet to come
Unwatchable to me. I can't stand Lwaxana. Bring on DS9 already. ;)
we're like 2-3 months away from ds9 at least. please stop. it's already annoying.
This is the first time I ever just jumped 45min ahead to just hear the discussion and move on, this is episode is just crap and nothing else needs to be said of it.
This is an odd one. I always kinda liked it, just for the oddity of it, and some nice character moments for Lwaxana, but it's not a top tier episode.
Despite the fact the cost of living is so high, It’s still pretty popular!