Picard

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Star Trek TNG S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise "Masterpiece Theater" | First Time Reaction - To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 053)

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First-Time Watch - Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3,
Episodes 13-15

This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation with three very different episodes. This week we get:

  • Q becomes human and mortal

  • Judicial standards in the 24th century

  • A masterpiece?

We covered:

  • Deja Q

  • A Matter of Perspective

  • Yesterday’s Enterprise

Deja Q

Q returns to the Enterprise, but this time he is not quite the all-powerful being we have come to expect. tripped of his powers and forced to live as a human, Q has to confront mortality, vulnerability, fear, hunger, pain, and all of the other strange experiences that come with being one of us.

We talk about Q growing on Aaron, the evolving relationship between Picard and Q, and how surprisingly effective it is to put Q in a position where he has to learn about humanity from Data. There is a great dynamic here as Data explains the human experience to Q, while Q, in turn, explains experiencing the human experience to Data — something Data can understand intellectually, but not truly experience himself.

We also discuss the strange weight Q carries in The Next Generation. He only appears in a handful of episodes, but his presence feels much larger than that. Add in some peer pressure, some pretending to play musical instruments, and a little bit of Star Trek Doug Judy energy, and Deja Q turns into a solid, entertaining episode.

A Matter of Perspective

In A Matter of Perspective, Riker finds himself accused of murder after a scientist is killed in an explosion. The Enterprise crew then has to sort through competing accounts of what happened, with the holodeck being used to recreate different versions of the same events.

This one left us asking some serious questions about courtroom standards in the 24th century. What counts as hearsay? Where is the burden of proof? How much confidence should anyone have in recreated testimony? And would any of us really want to be in court under this system?

We also talk about perspective itself, and how the episode plays with the idea that multiple people can remember the same event differently. Being wrong does not necessarily mean someone is lying, but the episode still leaves plenty of room to debate how well its mystery and legal framework actually hold together.

Yesterday’s Enterprise

And then we get to Yesterday’s Enterprise.

The Enterprise-C emerges from a temporal rift, and the familiar world of The Next Generation is suddenly replaced by a darker, militarized timeline where the Federation is at war with the Klingons. It is a huge shift in tone, and the episode immediately feels bigger, stranger, and more consequential than almost anything the series has done so far.

We talk about the return of Tasha Yar, the alternate version of the Enterprise-D, the way the episode uses Guinan, and Picard once again refusing to surrender even when the situation appears hopeless. We also touch on how this kind of story points toward the broader possibilities of Star Trek, including some discussion of Deep Space Nine.

Yesterday’s Enterprise is widely considered one of the best episodes in all of Star Trek, and after watching it, it is easy to understand why. This is the kind of episode that shows exactly what is possible with this medium: alternate timelines, moral choices, sacrifice, legacy, and a story that feels both massive and deeply personal.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

  • TBG Episode 054 - Star Trek TNG S03E16-18 The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Allegiance | First Time Reaction

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S1E12-14 The Big Goodbye | Datalore | Angel One - “Another Lost Episode” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 036.5)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 1, Episodes 12-14

In this special bonus episode of To Baldly Go, we’re releasing another lost episode as we return to early Star Trek: The Next Generation with “The Big Goodbye,” “Datalore,” and “Angel One.”

This episode we get:

  • A decent episode with a weak close

  • The Enemy Within redux?

  • A bit too clever?

We covered:

  • The Big Goodbye

  • Datalore

  • Angel One

The Big Goodbye

“The Big Goodbye” gives us one an early TNG holodeck story, with the crew stepping into a detective noir simulation that becomes more dangerous than expected.

We talk about this being a strong Crusher episode, the limitations of the holodeck, and why the Enterprise crew doesn’t seem to use the holodeck more often to simulate difficult situations and possible outcomes. We also discuss the episode’s weak ending, how a bad close can sour an otherwise decent story, Brent Spiner’s acting, fake mystery novels, and somehow, Sons of Anarchy.

Datalore

“Datalore” introduces Data’s brother, Lore, and gives Brent Spiner another chance to show just how much range he can bring to the role.

We discuss Spiner’s performance, our disagreement over the episode’s rating, Lore’s tell, Wesley’s role in the story, Riker’s reactions, Beverly running away, and the idea of Data’s human form. We also touch on original-series film and lighting styles, plus some fun name trivia along the way.

Angel One

“Angel One” brings the Enterprise to a planet with a matriarchal society, but the episode struggles to turn its premise into a clear and satisfying story.

We talk about the fun vignettes that don’t really add much to the main plot, why the episode felt unclear and poorly executed, and whether it was trying to be a little too clever. We also get into talking my rating down, Parks and Recollection and the art of writing great television, the first TNG reference to the Romulans, and some Gates McFadden trivia.

Remember - Never give up! Never surrender!

Where we are on our Trek:

If you want to continue in series order, the next episode in line is:

Our regularly Tuesday release will continue next week with:

  • TBG Episode 053 - Star Trek TNG S3E13-15 Deja Q, A Matter of Perspective, Yesterday’s Enterprise | First Time Watch-Through

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

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Star Trek TNG S03E07-09 The Enemy, The Price, The Vengeance Factor – “The Fiftieth!!!” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 051)

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This week on To Baldly Go, we continue our first-time watch of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 with episodes 7 through 9:

  • The Enemy

  • The Price

  • The Vengeance Factor

This week, we get:

  • Worf going against expectations

  • The ethics of the empath

  • Personal connections to Star Trek

The Enemy

“The Enemy” feels like a great example of what Star Trek can be when the formula is executed well. You have a dangerous planet, a stranded officer, an enemy soldier, escalating political tension, and a medical crisis that forces everyone to confront their assumptions.

We talk about the emotional responses from the characters, the way the episode plays with expectations, and especially Worf’s refusal to save a Romulan life. It is a striking character moment because it does not go where the usual Star Trek moral structure might lead us to expect.

We also get into Romulans in Federation space, the idea of disability among Romulans, the deeper lore around Station Salem One, and how our ratings of the episode shifted as we talked through it. Plus, we find our way to Babylon 5 connections and Picard’s chorus.

The Price

The Ferengi are back in “The Price,” and unfortunately, this one does not really work for us.

This episode gives Troi a central role, a high-stakes negotiation over a wormhole, and a romantic subplot that raises some uncomfortable questions. We spend a lot of time talking about the ethics of empathic abilities, Troi’s moral dilemma, and the creepier parts of the episode.

There are interesting ideas here, especially around negotiation, manipulation, and emotional vulnerability, but we are not sure how this episode could have been shaped into something that fully worked. Sometimes Star Trek takes a big swing. Sometimes it hits. Sometimes it gives us this.

The Vengeance Factor

“The Vengeance Factor” feels like it is operating on a slightly bigger scale than some other episodes, with political factions, old rivalries, a murder mystery, and a larger conversation about revenge.

We talk about Riker, Yuta, and the episode’s use of personal attraction as part of the mystery. We also compare Worf’s feelings about Romulans in “The Enemy” with Yuta’s inherited mission of vengeance here. Both stories deal with old wounds, but they lead to very different places.

This one also gives us a chance to talk about tribalism, cycles of violence, and the idea that we are all the villain in somebody’s story. Nate also has a personal connection to this episode, we struggle to think of an episode title, and we ask the important question: is there a default speed when setting a course?

Also: Brull and Wesley. That happened.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a bunch of generally solid episodes. “The Enemy” stands out as the strongest of the three, “The Price” gives us plenty to discuss even if we do not love it, and “The Vengeance Factor” brings in some bigger ideas about revenge, identity, and inherited conflict.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S03E04-06 Who Watches the Watchers, The Bonding, Booby Trap – “The Actual 50th Episode” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 050)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 03, Episodes 04-06

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

And this time, we have officially made it to TBG 050: the actual 50th episode*.

This week, we get:

  • Explanations for things we don’t understand

  • No man can step in the same river twice

  • Human intuition

We covered:

  • Who Watches the Watchers

  • The Bonding

  • Booby Trap

“Who Watches the Watchers” – Is Picard a god?

In “Who Watches the Watchers,” the Enterprise visits a hidden Federation observation post studying the Mintakans, a proto-Vulcan civilization that has not yet developed warp technology. When the observation post is damaged, the Prime Directive gets very messy very quickly, and Captain Picard accidentally becomes the center of a new religious belief.

This episode gave us a lot to talk about. It is clearly critical of religion, but the question becomes: is it wrong? Or, at least, is it unfair?

A lot of the episode centers on explanations for things people do not understand. When something impossible seems to happen, what do people do with that information? Do they build a theory? Do they build a faith? Do they build a god? And how different is that from what any of us do when we hit the limits of our own knowledge?

Some of our talking points:

  • The episode’s critique of religion

  • Whether that critique feels fair or too simplistic

  • Explanations for things we do not know

  • Knowledge problems and the limits of understanding

  • Physics limitations and how people interpret impossible events

  • Picard as an accidental god figure

  • Star Trek jiu jitsu

  • The Prime Directive creating yet another impossible problem

  • Distracted watching vs. rewatching episodes with better attention

  • The value of welcoming questions

  • “The Tucker and Dale vs. Evil of religion”

  • Crusher vs. Pulaski

  • Somehow: lionfish

This is one of those classic Star Trek setups where the philosophical problem is more interesting than the plot mechanics. The Enterprise crew knows the “truth,” but the Mintakans are trying to make sense of the same events from a much more limited frame of reference.

And that is where the episode works best: not just asking whether superstition is bad, but asking what any of us do when reality seems bigger than our ability to explain it.

“The Bonding” – Grief, loss, and not knowing how to read the episode

“The Bonding” follows the Enterprise after an away mission goes wrong and a crew member is killed, leaving behind her young son, Jeremy Aster. The episode becomes less about the mission itself and more about grief, trauma, memory, and the ways people try to comfort someone after an impossible loss.

This was a harder episode to get a clean read on.

On one hand, it deals with universal themes. Loss, childhood grief, found family, and the desire to undo tragedy are all powerful ideas. On the other hand, the execution does not always make it easy to know how we are supposed to feel about the story.

Some of our talking points:

  • Not having a good read on the episode

  • Whether this represents a turning point for Star Trek: The Next Generation

  • Life events impacting how we receive episodes

  • Grief and loss as universal themes

  • How our ratings can change over time

  • Ronald D. Moore’s impact on Star Trek

  • The emotional weight of the premise

  • Whether the episode fully earns that emotional weight

This episode also gave us a chance to talk about Ronald D. Moore, who wrote “The Bonding” and would go on to become one of the major creative voices in Star Trek. Even if this episode does not fully land for everyone, it feels like part of the show’s evolution into something deeper and more emotionally ambitious.

It is also the kind of episode that may depend heavily on when you watch it. Different life experiences can make the same story hit very differently. No man can step in the same river twice, and sometimes no viewer can watch the same episode the same way twice either.

“Booby Trap” – Ships in bottles, ancient traps, and creepy Geordi

In “Booby Trap,” the Enterprise investigates the ruins of an ancient battle and becomes trapped by a centuries-old automated weapon system. With the ship slowly losing power and options running out, Geordi works with a holographic recreation of Dr. Leah Brahms to find a way out.

This episode has a lot of cool ideas. Ancient space battles. A lost civilization. A trap that still works long after the war is over. The Enterprise stuck in a problem that cannot simply be solved with brute force. Picard getting excited about ships in bottles. On paper, that is a great setup.

But the execution felt like it was missing something.

Some of our talking points:

  • The cool premise of the ancient booby trap

  • Good ideas with uneven execution

  • Picard taking the controls

  • Picard’s love of ships in bottles

  • Human intuition as the thing technology cannot quite replace

  • Geordi’s awkward relationship with the holographic Leah Brahms

  • Creepy Geordi

  • The episode feeling like it needed one more pass

  • Tommy Boy

  • Chris Farley, John Candy, John Belushi, and Rick Moranis

The strongest part of the episode may be the idea that the Enterprise cannot calculate its way out of every problem. Sometimes the answer is not just raw data, but instinct, judgment, and human intuition. That is a very Star Trek idea, even if the surrounding story does not completely come together.

And then there is Geordi.

The holographic Leah Brahms material gives the episode one of its more memorable elements, but also one of its more uncomfortable ones. The intent may be to give Geordi a connection and a problem-solving partner, but it plays strangely, especially looking back at it now.

Final Thoughts

This batch gave us three very different episodes.

“Who Watches the Watchers” is a Prime Directive and religion episode with a strong philosophical hook. “The Bonding” is an emotional grief episode that may be more important as a sign of where the franchise is heading than as a fully successful individual story. “Booby Trap” has a great sci-fi premise, a very Picard-y love of ships in bottles, and some Geordi material that does not age particularly well.

Together, they make for a fitting episode 50: thoughtful, uneven, funny, philosophical, and full of the kinds of tangents that make this podcast what it is.

As always, remember - Never give up! Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E16-18 Q Who?, Samaritan Snare, Up the Long Ladder – “Nobody Asked Your Opinion” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 046)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 16-18

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • A new big bad

  • Federation road trip

  • “I think I’m a clone now”

We covered:

  • Q, Who?

  • Samaritan Snare

  • Up the Long Ladder

“Q, Who?” – The universe is dark and full of terrors

The Enterprise is flung across the galaxy by the mischievous Q, forcing Picard and crew into a terrifying first encounter with the Borg. What begins as another of Q’s tests quickly becomes a fight for survival, as the Borg prove unlike any enemy the Federation has faced—relentless, unknowable, and utterly indifferent.

As the Enterprise suffers devastating losses, Picard is forced to confront the limits of Federation confidence and his own assumptions about exploration. The crew escapes only through Q’s intervention, leaving behind a chilling realization: the galaxy is far more dangerous than they imagined.

Things we discussed:

  • I was able to enjoy this episode not knowing the Borg were coming in now

  • Was Q misused?

  • Saying "Thank you" to smart devices

  • What do cold opens add to a story?

  • Consensus

  • Star Trek's Doug Judy

  • What is Q's relationship with Picard?

A very different feel than other antagonists or villains to this point.

“Samaritan Snare” – Picard and Wesley go on a trip

While Captain Picard travels to undergo a risky medical procedure, Geordi La Forge and Wesley Crusher are stranded with a group of deceptively simple aliens known as the Pakled. Initially appearing harmless, the Pakleds reveal a cunning and dangerous side as they manipulate Geordi into helping them acquire advanced technology.

Meanwhile, Picard opens up to Wesley in a rare moment of vulnerability, sharing the story of his artificial heart and the reckless youth that led to it. The parallel storylines explore themes of perception—how easily intelligence and capability can be misunderstood.

Things we discussed:

  • Wesley drawing out a great performance from Patrick Stewart

  • Nate defending Wesley

  • MST3K and RiffTrax

  • Samaritan story

Seriously – how great is Patrick Stewart?

“Up the Long Ladder” – Clones and autonomy

The Enterprise encounters two lost human colonies with drastically different ways of life—one a group of Irish settlers living simply, the other a sterile, highly controlled society dependent on cloning to survive. When the cloning colony begins abducting crew members to sustain themselves, tensions escalate quickly.

Caught between preserving life and respecting autonomy, Picard must navigate a moral dilemma involving identity, reproduction, and what it means to be human. The resolution forces both colonies to confront uncomfortable truths about survival and change.

Things we discussed:

  • Problematical elements

  • Clones

  • Original Series feel, but not as well-executed

  • HIPAA in the 24th century

  • Getting onto a spaceship in anti-technology protest

As the great Weird Al said, “Isn’t it strange?  Feels like I’m lookin’ in the mirror.”

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • A new, constantly looming threat

  • Picard was wild in his youth

  • There is an irony in leaving your society in an anti-technology protest, and doing so by getting onto a spaceship

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E13-15 Time Squared, The Icarus Factor, Pen Pals – “Podunk Bunnyville | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 045)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 02, Episodes 13-15

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Thoughts of Interstellar

  • Family reunions

  • Violation of the Prime Directive

We covered:

  • Time Squared

  • The Icarus Factor

  • Pen Pals

“Time Squared” – Would you like to meet your future self?

The Enterprise encounters a mysterious shuttle adrift in space containing Captain Picard – from six hours in the future.  As the crew investigates, they uncover a growing temporal paradox tied to strange spatial distortion pulling them in.

Second Picard’s broken memories present a disastrous future for the crew, confronting the unsettling possibility that his own decisions are (or will be) responsible.

Things we discussed:

  • Couldn’t tell if I fell asleep or not while watching

  • Patrick Stewart playing two Picards

  • Did Picard surrender again?

  • Great Picard and Riker scene

  • Finding solutions when we struggle to define the problem

  • Were we stuck in a time loop?

  • A captain outliving his crew

Can you be a fundamentally different person six hours from now?

“The Icarus Factor” – Character over career

Riker is offered command of his own ship and must confront long-standing tension with his father.  He must decide where he wants to be for himself and his career.

Things we discussed:

  • Abbie doesn’t like family drama and sitcoms

  • Riker’s dad

  • Worf’s background and Klingon culture

  • A different sort of episode

  • Understanding versus justifying

  • The Icarus story

  • Correct names for things that don’t actually exist

  • Incorrect pronunciations as children

A heavy, character-driven episode.

“Pen Pals” – One does not simply walk into Mordor!

Data secretly communicates with a young girl on a distant planet on the brink of catastrophe.  When he realizes the planet is doomed, the Enterprise crew is forced to confront the reality of the Prime Directive.

Things we discussed:

  • Remembering bits and pieces, but not the entire episode

  • Violating the Prime Directive

  • Wesley’s growth and leadership

  • How do you define “interference”?

  • Is Data an existential threat?

  • When and why we break the rules

  • Philosophy is about people

  • Great Picard episode.  A very un-Data episode

  • An android’s perspective of what an emotional person would do – emulating

  • Handling conflict as a people-leader

  • Lord of the Rings trivia

  • Who is TNG really about?

Does Data pose an existential threat to the Enterprise and crew with his exhibited ability to ignore orders?

Additional Discussion Points

  • Remembering 9/11

  • Feeding bottle baby kittens

  • Studying the moon

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • It is difficult to identify solutions when we struggle to define the problem

  • Icarus was not only warned about flying too close to the sun, but also about dropping too close to the water

  • Apparently a pre-warp civilization has technology that the Federation is lacking

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E04-06 The Outrageous Okona, Loud as a Whisper, The Schizoid Man – “If I Only Had a Heart” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 042)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: The Next Generation  Season 02, Episodes 04-06

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Picard jokes about surrendering…but is it a joke?

  • Advantage from disability?

  • Where does our humanity lie?

We covered:

  • The Outrageous Okona

  • Loud as a Whisper

  • The Schizoid Man

“The Outrageous Okona” – Perhaps the joke was not funny

The Enterprise encounters a charming but mysterious rogue named Okona, whose small cargo ship seems to bring trouble wherever he goes. Two alien factions accuse him of theft and kidnapping, each demanding justice.

As Captain Picard investigates, it becomes clear that Okona’s charisma hides a complicated personal mess involving romance, family expectations, and political embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Data explores human humor by trying to learn stand-up comedy from a visiting comedian on the holodeck. The episode mixes a swashbuckling guest character with an early look at Data’s ongoing quest to understand humanity.

Things we discussed:

  • The continuing exploration of Data’s humanity

  • Not as bad as The Child or Code of Honor

  • Forgettable

  • What a non-comic might think stand-up comedy is

  • Timely political references

  • A poorly-written romance novel

  • SeaQuest D.S.V.

  • Worf’s effectiveness

Sometimes an episode just doesn’t work.  Sometimes they swing and miss.  This felt like one of those episodes.

“Loud as a Whisper” – Turning disadvantage into advantage

The Enterprise transports Riva, a renowned mediator known for negotiating peace between warring planets. Riva is deaf and communicates through a trio of telepathic interpreters who express different aspects of his personality.

When tragedy strikes during the mission, Riva must confront the possibility that his ability to mediate has been destroyed. Counselor Troi helps him rediscover another way to communicate, leading to a powerful moment where Riva adapts and continues his mission.

The episode explores communication beyond language and the idea that understanding others often requires more than just hearing words.

Things we discussed:

  • How does an acting ensign get to pilot the fleet’s flagship?

  • Nepotism in the 24th century

  • Geordi’s choice

  • Freud’s separation of the mind

  • Troi’s abilities

  • Geordi and ChatGPT prompts

  • Transporter capabilities

Sometimes we can find strength in our perceived weaknesses.

“The Schizoid Man” – What does it mean to be human?

The Enterprise transports the brilliant but difficult cyberneticist Dr. Ira Graves, whose mind has begun to deteriorate due to a terminal illness. Fascinated with Data’s positronic brain, Graves secretly transfers his consciousness into the android’s body to escape death.

Initially reveling in his newfound immortality, Graves soon begins to exhibit increasingly erratic and domineering behavior while inhabiting Data. As the crew realizes what has happened, Graves must confront the ethical consequences of his actions and the question of whether preserving his mind is worth sacrificing Data’s identity.

The episode explores ego, mortality, and the meaning of personhood.

Things we discussed:

  • Another great Brent Spiner performance

  • What does it mean to be human?

  • The story of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz

  • What is consciousness?

Lots of discussion points and questions, fewer answers.

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Worf is already more effective than Tasha ever was

  • Prompting people is a lot like prompting AI

  • Seriously – the story of the Tin Woodsman from the original Wizard of Oz novel is one of the most messed up stories ever

We are cruising along through Star Trek: The Next Generation.  These episodes all had a very “Original Series” feel to them, but not like The Naked Now.  TNG still feels like it’s figuring out what it is, but it is getting closer.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

Listen to this episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Where we are on our Trek:

Last week we covered:

Next week we will continue with:

If you want to see my journey from the very beginning, start here:

Also, be sure to check out Nate’s and my other podcast – The In Lap with Aaron and Nate – to listen to us discuss all things Formula 1 on race weekends, wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Star Trek TNG S02E01-03 The Child, Where Silence Has Lease, Elementary Dear Data – “Not Very Effective” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 041)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: TNG Season 02, Episodes 01-03

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • New characters and Star Trek grows a beard

  • Word of the day: Effective

  • The unchanging concerns over AI

We covered:

  • The Child

  • Where Silence Has Lease

  • Elementary, Dear Data

“The Child” – Is it worse than Code of Honor?  Not quite…

Deanna Troi is impregnated by space dust that is curious about the human experience.

Things we discussed:

  • The start of Abbie loving these characters

  • Simple changes could have made it seem much less space-rapey

  • Character changes

  • Twilight

  • Debating character growth

  • Riker’s beard

There are better ways to explore the human experience.

“Where Silence Has Lease” – Did we ever make it out of the Matrix?

The Enterprise is trapped in a void with an entity that is exploring the limits of humanity.

Things we discussed:

  • How primitive Picard and crew are

  • A better exploration of humanity

  • The Expanse comparisons (Abaddon’s Gate)

  • A worse version of Q?

  • An uninspiring villain?

  • Learning all that you need to know

Another Talosian Illusion incident?  Did the Enterprise and crew get out?  Or is everything from this point forward occurring in the Void?

“Elementary, Dear Data” – AI versus humanity

Sherlock Data’s mysteries are too simple, so a new holodeck program is set up which becomes self-aware.

Things we discussed:

  • AI conversations today versus the late-1980s

  • Recitation does not mean understanding

  • Near consensus

  • Exploring Data’s humanity

  • Working with your hands, transcending time

  • Is Data capable of original thought?

  • Sherlock Holmes and copyright issues

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  The conversations surrounding AI have seemingly not changed.  The same conversations were had during The Original Series, Next Generation, and today.

A few other points

  • Gregg has some explaining to do (when he comes back)

  • Star Trek/Star Wars bar trivia

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • Abbie and I know more about Star Wars than Nate

  • Different effectiveness in stories exploring humanity

  • AI conversations have not meaningfully changed in the past 40 years (60 when we consider the same conversations from TOS)

A generally strong start to the second season (The Child notwithstanding).  Looking forward to more.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

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Star Trek TNG S01E24-26 We’ll Always Have Paris, Conspiracy, The Neutral Zone – “The Biggest Trekkie” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 040)

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First-Time Watch – Star Trek: TNG Season 1, Episodes 24-26

Welcome to another episode of the To Baldly Go Podcast, in which I – a newbie to the Star Trek universe – am watching through Star Trek from the beginning, in release order, and discussing with some of my long-time Trekkie friends.

This week, we get:

  • Exceptional mediocrity

  • Practical effects worthy of a Michael Scott production

  • A fight with the Romulans that could have been great

We covered:

  • We’ll Always Have Paris

  • Conspiracy

  • The Neutral Zone

“We’ll Always Have Paris” – At least there’s that much

Sometimes an episode is so great that we don’t take many notes because we can’t get pulled away from it.

Sometimes an episode is so bad that we get pages of notes to discuss how bad it really was.

And then there are episodes like “We’ll Always Have Paris” – which was so exceptionally mediocre, we were all in agreement with almost nothing to say.

Things we discussed:

  • Picard backstory and similarities with Kirk

  • Time implications

  • Nobody cared

  • Writers’ strike impacts

A mediocre, forgettable episode.

“Conspiracy” – Cleanup on Aisle Five!  Threat Level Midnight

Picard brings the Enterprise back to Earth to find answers after the USS Horatio is destroyed, uncovering an alien conspiracy.

Things we discussed:

  • Mystery and intrigue at the Federation

  • Callbacks to prior episodes

  • Worf doesn’t like swimming – or bathing

  • Threat Level Midnight

  • Practical effects reminiscent of the earworms from Wrath of Khan

  • More impacts from the writers’ strike

  • A remaining existential threat?

  • The opposite of zero-trust

We are seeing more callbacks and connections to prior episodes which we didn’t see so much in The Original Series.

“The Neutral Zone” – Romulans?  Nah…

The Enterprise investigates attacks on outposts near the Neutral Zone and a potential new Romulan threat.  While investigating, they find some cryogenically frozen, 20th-century humans from Earth.

Things we discussed:

  • Side stories that detract from the main story

  • Could have been a great opportunity to expand on the Romulans

  • Downside of the writers’ strike again

  • More space for Worf

  • “There’s still much to do.  Still so much to learn.”

What could have been an awesome episode exploring the Romulan threat just fell flat by cramming in story elements that didn’t add up.

Holy crap!  Aaron’s a bigger Trekkie than us!

As the To Baldly Go Podcast’s resident Star Trek fan, I can proudly announce that we have reached the end of Season 1 of Next Generation.

  • Season 1 quiz and Trivia

  • Dealing with internet lag

  • Robin Williams discussion

  • TNG Season 1 wrap up

Final Thoughts

This week, we learned:

  • The writers’ strike hurt the product

  • There’s much more to come

  • You shouldn’t watch Robin Williams on Whose Line is it Anyway? when you are in the hospital after having your appendix removed

  • Through the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I, Aaron, am the biggest Star Trek fan of our little away team.

I have now watched all of The Original Series, The Animated Series, four movies, and the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.  I never would have guessed any of that just a handful of years ago.

Where the end of season 1 of The Original Series felt like it had peaked, Next Generation feels like it’s just getting started.  I can’t where it will take us from here.

As always, remember – Never give up!  Never surrender!

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037 - 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks

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This week:

  • 11001001, Too Short a Season, When the Bough Breaks

  • Nate concedes a point

  • Season 1 has been underwhelming, but we have the best episode yet

  • More commentary on the medium of network or syndicated TV

  • The holodeck

  • Abbie’s anesthesia dream

  • Deliberate scientific inaccuracies in Star Trek

  • An unrelated story in the Star Trek universe

  • 21st century ozone hole

  • An appropriate use for Wesley

  • What is a society?

  • Stories that would work for other series

  • Nate really hates Code of Honor

  • Looking ahead

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036 - The Battle, Hide and Q, Haven

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This week:

  • Ferengi less cartoonish

  • Still difficult to take them seriously as adversaries

  • Lore and worldbuilding

  • Nate sees Picard giving up early

  • A/B storylines and storytelling in Star Trek

  • Improvements in the medium over the 1960s

  • Suspension of disbelief and faster than light travel

  • Solar system versus other star systems

  • Nostalgia

  • Music in Next Gen

  • Returning characters

  • Q is kind of weird

  • Using Q to explore human nature

  • Assuming Q isn’t gone

  • More solar system discussion

  • We’re nerds

  • Personal anecdotes about mutual friends

  • Reusing footage from other episodes and movies

  • Season 1 released immediately in syndication

  • “Bill” Riker?

  • Security lapses

  • Character actors

  • Thoughts on Lwaxana

  • More worldbuilding and lore

  • Filming order

  • Things we miss from The Original Series

  • Conflict in Star Trek

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034 - Never Give Up...Sometimes Surrender

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In this episode:

  • The Naked Now, Code of Honor, The Last Outpost

  • I feel like we’ve seen this before

  • An homage?

  • Gregg’s 9s and 10s and his one problem with the series

  • Gregg doesn’t like Wesley

  • Stories are more refined

  • Too early to have a “different characters” episode?

  • Visionary vs executor

  • Aaron’s Data moment

  • Feeling like Original Series episodes

  • Issues with Tasha Yar

  • Even bad Star Trek is still great Star Trek

  • Prime Directive discussion

  • Minimal character development and bad storytelling

  • Terrible ship security

  • The Ferengi

  • TNG villains

  • Picard surrendered the Enterprise

  • TNG vs TOS beginnings

  • Expectations moving forward

  • Swearing in Star Trek

  • Excited for more

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033 - Encounter at Farpoint

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In this episode:

  • The premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Encounter at Farpoint

  • Joined by my old friend, Gregg

  • Gregg’s background with Star Trek

  • Felt like a pilot episode, but overall good

  • Original Series comparisons

  • Star Trek feel with a much bigger scope

  • A hopeful future with a bleak near-term view

  • Gregg rates a 9 and says it can only go up from here

  • Nate’s old technical manuals

  • Next Generation trailer

  • Target demographics

  • Who is the main character?

  • Differences between the two series

  • Androids and AI

  • My questions or things I hope to see

  • What we are all looking forward to

  • Interesting characters

  • Wesley discussion

  • Nate was the captain of the quiz bowl team in high school