I’ve watched most of the second series of Downton Abbey and I think I understand the widespread appeal now. Don’t misunderstand me, because I liked the first series but I did not comprehend why so many people said it was amongst the best television they’d ever seen. The second series, which deals with wartime events and more convoluted relationships is a far more interesting character piece. I suppose the first series was a setup for this level of critique but it could be too much compared to a French novel of the late 19th/early 20th centuries: far too much redundant information. Okay, that’s actually a bit too harsh. Really, I think it was a wonderfully done story but it lacked the spark that would allow me to label it “amazing.” The second series, though, really has the glamorous grittiness that I so completely love about war stories. (This may explain some of my love of M*A*S*H, maybe.)
Now to turn to yet another dorky Star Trek discussion. You know you love it. That’s why you come here.
TNG turned 25 this year. Feeling old yet? Let me give you life advice from the Admiral Dr. Leonard McCoy, who stated in “Encounter at Farpoint”: “What’s so damn troublesome about not having died?” In any case, yes, the still surviving crew of the Enterprises NCC-1701D- and E have reached the quarter century mark. Topless Robot had a fun write-up on 25 Years of Star Trek Conventions that I’d like to direct you to read. It’s not a long read but it does have video and it’s fun if you’re a ST dork.
Naturally, this segues to a number of other Star Trek news items. Come on, I like other things, too, I swear. It just seems that this blog, titled with a Star Wars reference used in an hilarious context in Futurama has an awful lot of Star Trek news. Yeah, yeah. Don’t care. I’m going to talk about it anyway because despite being surrounded by massively nerdy friends, most of them aren’t very up on the Trek lifestyle.
- The Star Trek proposal image from Reddit actually made me realize how well most of the cast of TNG has done since the show ended. Most of them have had successful careers beyond ST (or even within it as directors, producers, etc.) and they’re generally still very attractive looking people. It’s impressive, actually. (Of course, Patrick Stewart still wins my vote.)
- I have determined that you are not allowed to say “I have seen every episode of Star Trek” if you do not watch the Animated Series in its entirety. This is probably going to enrage some folks but hey, the AS is now on Netflix streaming so you don’t even have to go out and buy the DVDs. Don’t you feel better now? Also it has, furries. (You know, if you’re into that sort of thing, I guess.)
- I re-watched a couple of episodes from the first season of TNG, as something of a nostalgic walk. Good lord, most of the early episodes are just awful. Especially when you compare them to the quality that the show delivered in later seasons. This also helps to affirm the reasons why I love DS9 so much. It starts with a bang, ends with a whimper. TNG starts and ends on a frame story (which is a good one) about the exploration of humanity, and it’s just not as instantly powerful. I like dystopian fiction. What can I say? (I like Utopian fiction, too, but DS9 managed to blend those together really well.)
- Watching TNG from the outset also gave me cause to realize just how many of the key cast have doubles of some kind in the ST universe. It’s kind of surprising. I realize that TOS had the mirror universe and DS9 had the mirror universe (and changeling Bashir) and Voyager had the Species 8472 residual selves, etc. but TNG has a strange variety of “other selves.”
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- Picard has Shinzon, a clone engineered by Romulans (but why exactly?)
- William Riker has Thomas Riker, created by a transporter accident.
- Data has Lore and B4. (Sigh all you want at B4; it’s allowed.) Lore and B4 may not be “exactly” other selves but given their positronic brains and the fact that they are created Androids pretty much puts them in this category. (Especially since B4 is supposed to be the Data mirror to Picard’s Shinzon experience in Nemesis.)
- Worf has mirror universe Worf. The one who’s hanging out with Intendant Kira and Garak in their alliance against the Terrans.
- Miles O’Brien, though not specifically a “key” cast member was regular enough to warrant my mentioning of his mirror universe self, Smiley.
- Tasha Yar has her alternate past self aboard the Enterprise NCC-1701-C who spawns her half-Romulan daughter Sela. (I don’t think Denise Crosby ever found satisfaction with leaving that show.)
- And shockingly, only Data and Tasha Yar are dead. All the other key characters survive. (I’ve always liked that Dexter Morgan killed Tasha Yar… er, I mean a nurse played by Denise Crosby. My version is better, if not sounding oddly of fanfic. Also, I have to put a kibash on too many meta references, even if I am friends with someone who has referred to The Prestige as “Wolverine versus Batman” since the trailer first appeared. To be fair, I called This Means War “Kirk Versus Picard at the same time this friend referred to it as “Kirk Versus Bane” because duh, Chris Pine = Kirk and Tom Hardy = Shinzon = Picard.
DS9 turns 20 in January. What was that advice about not feeling old?
Also, I finally had an opportunity to watch the last few episodes of Futurama’s most recent season. Yes, it’s an excuse to call out Patrick Stewart again as the awesome, awesome fox hunter in “31st Century Fox.” I’m sorry, but when the creators behind dorky shows are also huge dorks, they tend to do things that create meta awesome for their fans. The “Where No Fan Has Gone Before” episode of Futurama nearly destroyed me with awesomeness when it aired. (So very long ago…) The fact that Patrick Stewart showed up as a traditional Englishman and chased around a derpy robotic fox while interacting with the characters of my all-time favorite television show… well, that’s just a nerd’s paradise.
And now, much as Patrick Stewart has done, I’ve seen everything!
Dumpster Jedi 