FULL DISCUSSION - Star Trek TNG S1E26 - The Neutral Zone
Comments (51)
Picard is in his 60s canonically throughout TNG FYI.
"What if Season 2 is bad?" I like your reference ;-)
SUCH Klingon development is going to come for you during TNG Season 3, and if it wasn't already apparent, more during Season 5
You guys are REALLY easy to please
400 years from now we would seem like primatives. And we do suck
You guys are way too tough on assignment earth I just re watched it I always liked that show, backdoor pilot or not
"Assignment: Earth" was always one of my favorite TOS episodes, so it's a little painful when Alex and Josh refer to it disparagingly. However, I didn't realize until recently what a scumbag move it was for Roddenberry to make what he thought would be the TOS series finale a backdoor pilot for another show, in the hope of keeping himself employed. I can see now why, philosophically, "Assignment: Earth" can reasonably be considered one of the worst TOS episodes. I'll probably have more to say about this if the guys rewatch "Assignment: Earth" as part of their TOS discussion series.
One pointless note: Wesley was cut from this episode. When Sonny says “that young man” made his guitar, he’s not talking about Data, but Wesley.
Which makes sense because it was weird how data left to go deal with entering the neutral zone…but then had time for guitar making with old time music dude
I hate the Romulans new forehead ridges. The ENTIRE POINT of their reveal 80 years prior is that their identical look to Spock surprised everyone. Sure, they broke off from Vulcans centuries ago and could have evolved with time and breeding with conquered species…but not in just 80 years. Hate the stupid foreheads.
It’s really no different the small differences we have on earth. These romulans are like asians or Africans with slightly different physical features compared to caucasians. In TOS we saw romulans from one part of the planet and now we see ones from another part
They could have had a dark outdo by going back to the derelict ship and showing that the "empty" container Data looked at was actually a child that only came halfway up the tube. Just a random thought.
What I find so strange is that after 'Conspiracy' which introduced a major (and long term?) threat, the very next episode re-introduced the Romulans and also evidence of a MAJOR threat by unknown entities (or is this another aspect of the same threat in 'Conspiracy'?). I have never seen a TV series do something like this and it either was a long term plan by the writers, or they were just fumbling around trying to find a way to lead into season 2. Who knows?!! It definitely isn't in the writer's handbook to introduce major series elements in such a scattershot "The next one we try will work" way.
Well, I can only assume the writer's strike at that point caused some shuffling of ideas, not to mention all the behind the scenes struggles in the writer's room.
BTW, Patrick Stewart was 47 during TNG Season 1, but Jean-Luc Picard was 59 -- humans age more slowly in the 24th century. Picard's age allows him to have a more richly detailed backstory, some of which we've learned about in Season 1, such as his long period of service aboard the USS Stargazer.
Yep I went and figured that out the past few days... and was pretty shocked to learn Stewart started on TNG the same age I am now! LOL! And that Jean-Luc was supposed to be that old.
Another episode that makes me cringe. I simply didn’t like the fish out of water B story
Why not?
The Romulan on the left is one of those Trek actors that return as different aliens over the years. And he plays a more important character later on DS9. I don't think the return of an actor as someone else counts as a spoiler, does it?
I think almost anything can be considered a spoiler, but obviously some spoilers are bigger than others. (I also think the Romulan on the left is fairly obviously a much better actor than the one on the right.)
The original Romulans were based on the Roman empire, but they discarded that whole thing. I assumed the descendant who looked exactly like her husband is actually her husband and he thawed out too, and they'll live happily ever after.
The records would have shown he was also a cryonics person from the past. But being a descendant by like 20 generations AND a lookalike of her husband sure does open up some weird possibilities for an awkward sorta kinda taboo love story lol
Enjoying your guys' reactions to the show, good stuff. Can't wait for Season 2.
Not sure if you guys are familiar with the famous theoretical physicist and author Michio Kaku, but he is a big Trek fan, and for what it's worth this episode is his favorite Star Trek episode of all time.
Season 2 is overall great; nothing to worry about there. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is coming up as well between episodes 18 and 19 of TNG season 2. I just checked this and when you watch in strict order it’s rather cool how the sequence works out. The scheduling (in the US) must have been deliberate.
I'm not sure about that. I don't think it's a good idea for them to watch currently-broadcast series. I wonder how they'll end up handling that.
You guys are gonna love what’s coming.
I'm so exited for them! (And us!) It's going to take a while to get through it, though.
“We are back!” is the right kind of comic-book moment, very much like “You have not heard the last of Baltar!” I think the Klingons and Romulans were definitely “flipped” for this series, since the Romulans used to be the ones with a strict code of honor and the Klingons were the pure villains who couldn’t be trusted an inch. Now we have Worf saying the Romulans are without honor.
They do manage to make the Romulans a little less comic book a few seasons in, but yeah totally agree
Great reaction guys. I never thought the first season was "bad", just clunky like all first seasons of every show are. Season 2 is not bad at all, in fact it has a few very good episodes that start defining the series as a whole. And like most episodes, this one had more than one subplot going that enhanced the main one. As far as the 3 people who were brought back to life...they are not mentioned again in the rest of the series. Which is sad, for I always thought that the financier would have made a great ambassador or negotiator for the Federation, especially if he were assigned to the Ferengi. But I think there is a book that he is one of the main characters in, in a capacity of negotiator or something. Keep up the great reactions!
11:30 Nope. In the trial that Q setup in the first episode, we learn enough about subsequent Earth history to know that law firm would not still be around. ("...Kill all the lawyers...")
Oh yeah, forgot earth somehow had another dark age yet still managed to progress back to this far advanced point in just a couple centuries. Still not sure how that makes sense but maybe they’ll go more into it eventually.
9:55 ROTFL! "Kentucky Fried Steak" (You mean Kansas City steak... yum!)
Yes indeed.
8:05 I think the formerly-wealthy guy had his introspective moment because the three of them are in the same boat (literally and figuratively) and he made the lady cry.
6:28 I'm pretty sure you're talking about when Picard ordered hailing frequencies opened, and Worf protested. The Romulans weren't on the viewscreen yet, obviously. I'm pretty sure that Riker was justified in his glare at Worf because he'd not seen Worf not follow orders before.
Also, the series seems to show the first officer is often the guy in charge of discipline and keeping the crew in line.
I loved the tense music starting a few minutes before the Romulans showed up and lasting throughout the encounter
Spot on. Ron Jones was (and is) a genius. When Picard comes back from his briefing, and orders to head into the neutral zone, everyone stops and stares at Picard for a moment. Jones’s 8-note Romulan theme is playing. Its a tense motif that say “uh oh, this is no joke” and it continues into the conference room as Worf snaps his head at Picard…..”Romulans”. To me, its a chilling moment. Honestly, I wish the guys would talk a little less, but its fine.
But who destroyed the outpost? You will find out
...spoilers...
Second half of the first season of TNG features a lot of subtle course corrections going on. They get rid of Denise Crosby (at her wish, sadly) and move Worf to her spot. They bring back the Klingons, and start dropping more references to the Romulans when the Ferengi basically shit the bed. You guys had quite a positive reaction to the show, and that's great. I was not expecting it to go that way at all. It seems like just yesterday we were doing the live stream and the hype was quite real to see what came. I don't care whether you guys love or hate something, I just appreciate seeing it through your eyes.
Last few months have been wild. The deeper analysis of each episode and watching together in person has made the experience very different. Excited to continue
The Romulans are back! They are just the adversary the show needed. Romulans and Klingons may have originated on TOS, but TNG actually turns them into fascinating and multi-faceted characters.
You know I don't like when people say that. Day of the Dove and Errand of Mercy are actually full of background for the Klingons, it's just not in your face. We get a lot of subtle detail from both Kor and Mara in each episode on what the relations between the Federation and Klingons are really like. Same for the Romulans, Between Balance of Terror and Enterprise Incident we are gifted quite a lot of seeds. The writers of TNG and DS9 were big TOS fans, and it shows when the legacy alien races are brought in.
Not every plot point comes up again later. All we can say is...wait and see.
As you know, I love continuity. It rewards the devoted viewer. As far as breadcrumb plot elements, you will definitely see a lot more of them in TNG than you ever did in TOS or TAS. However, you may have to wait awhile before they get around to addressing them, more so than the Coming of Age and Conspiracy tie-in.
Great work guys.
I was never one of the people who thought season 1 was bad, I think I had four episodes I didn’t like that well but they were still good.
If Season 1 did nothing else, it expanded the universe and set the ground work for a lot of exceptional Trek to come. Season 2 still has its misses but the good episodes are really strong.