Cue Training Montage: The Official Starships Collection Issues 96 and 97

We are now just three issues away from 100 and the mythical Daedalus Class.
            

Hold fire though because first we have another remastered starship and a split-second guest-starring one man craft to help get us there.
  

My opinion of the remastered stuff to date is not great. So far I've found every one below par in some respect. Indeed a friend of mine noted, when i said this, that the Antares was decent....but only after a dirt wash. I rest my case.

I can't off the top of my head and there aren't many more remastered ships to go and while it's brilliant that we are getting these recent rare additions to the Star Trek universe included i don't think their design and by proxy their model representation has been all that wonderful.

In many instances it's been a case of turning an unrecognisable blob into something fresh. Mike Okuda's Orion Scout Ship is one such fine example which has even incorporated that spinny blob element into its form.

Originally appearing in Journey to Babel and reformatted into something more distinguishable over 40 years later, it's one to add to the blink-and-miss shelf of starships. First impression is that this is a very small model but the size of the rear circle structure actually determines the size of the rest of the craft based around, i would think, stand shape and boxing restrictions.
               

Starting from the front the Scout Ship has a small wedge shaped command unit which carries a very noticeable two shades of grey mottled together providing a very nice worn finish.
               

Arcing above and below the tight command section are two weapons pods. There's very little detail on either of these pieces either due to size or possibly that there was none on the CG model for the remastered episode since that's where the designs are, I believe, pulled from. Back a little from the module and the small connecting neck section branches out into an arc which then connects into the rear of the craft. Both the bridge module and this connecting arc are metal with the rest of the small, fast ship in plastic.

A direct homage to an original element of the first Matt Jefferies USS Enterprise, the circular enclosure has a well crafted, ridged design element to it that does emphasise the two tone grey colour scheme. I think if it wasn't for the shade difference this would be very low on my appreciation list but this does give the Scout Ship a bit of freestyle and personality. Well, to be fair its the eight translucent balls at the centre of the circle that really make the feature element of the model.

Held in place by eight spindly rods these are the beating heart of the craft and in "reality" would spin to line up with the similar spinning effect that was used when it was just a blob of light in 1967. The rods are basic in design and are more functional than there to admire as part of the design. In fact they are plain from one end to the other.

Now this area of the Scout Ship is high on detail and one of those unique and fiddly areas we model fans love to see. The finish and construction on this bit has come out really well. Certainly waiting 97 issues to hone those building skills has worked as this does look a bit battered and outdated. The bridge itself is poorly finished with a very smooth surface but the further back, the better the result.  

The inside of the engine ring is a smooth finish however which does ruin a bit of the starship illusion but the externals there are pretty good with a repeated pattern marked out around the full circumference.

The Scout Ship is made to look even smaller when you get it on the stand. The plastic grip slots nicely into the bottom curve of the engine circle but because she is quite compact, the Orion ship sits to the rear of the stand leaving a massive gap to the front. It just looks a bit odd.

The magazine once more shows off a lot more weathering, panel detail and finishing touches than the model does which is a little tragic since the images in this issue make it look much better. Maybe a dirt wash will bring out the finer points on this one however I'm not sure it will inspire me any more. The recount of Journey to Babel gives very little on the Scout Ship nor does the subsequent Designing section really push the boundaries on this issue. It was very necessary to make this craft visible for the episode however it is a fleeting glance (even less than the Trainer from the next issue). It's a cute little ship bit one that is for all intents and purposes pretty easily forgettable along with some of the other additions to the remastered The Original Series. Please bear in mind I'd love to see a Doomsday Machine at some point to make it all worthwhile.

Finishing out the issue we have DC Fontana's memories from her time on The Original Series appropriately focused around the seminal Journey to Babel which introduced Spock's parents as well as the memorable Andorian and Tellarite races. 

So to the 97th issue and a craft that was little seen on screen but played a huge part in the fabric of the episode - the Starfleet Academy Trainer from The Next Generation's The First Duty. A compact one/two man craft the trainer is only capable of impulse speed at best and one of the few ships we've seen that's limited in its range.

The oddest thing with the Trainer on first inspection is the yellowed paint scheme. Since it doesnt appear in the episode for that long i couldn't recall the precise shade but ill take this as exact since the research for the collection is meticulous. It does however give the impression that you might have left your model out in direct sunlight for six months. Aside from the not-Starfleet-grey paint-job the model is a great piece for display and I might even group all the "one-manners" together for a nice bit of visual comparison.  Running front to back, purists will straight away know that this model is not 100% screen accurate as licencing issues prevented the use of the GI Joe (Action Force as it was in the UK) Cobra emblem on the nose. 

Instead, in keeping with The First Duty, Eaglemoss have used the Nova Squadron roundel. Technically its much more befitting and on point so there can't really be a complaint that they thought logically what could replace the red serpent.

As with all of the single-seat craft the cockpit is blacked out before the neck of the ship plunges straight to the rear. I am amazed with the panel detail on this one, perhaps more than a lot of others because of the sheer amount of lines crossing the hull. The precision of the grey sections to the yellowed areas is incredibly sharp but the craftsmanship doesn't finish there. This is one of the most heavily decalled ships in the collection. 

Just take a look at the number of red edging strips placed across the wings, around the cockpit and along the neck of the Trainer. Slapped on the two stubby wings we also have the Starfleet emblem and the United Federation of Planets wording just to clarify whom the ship belongs to if you weren't sure.

My favourite thing about the Trainer though has to be the teeny tiny writing on three of the grey (access?) panels. Squint up close and you'll see that this isn't just a jumble of letters but properly scripted warnings designed for the Academy ship. Now that's a sign of dedication and awareness of your fan base. Trekkies love a good bit of precision and this goes that extra mile and a half and more than balances out for not getting the geeky pleasure of the Cobra logo on the nose.

Even on the underside of the Academy Trainer the paneling and edging detail continues once more including a whopping great Starfleet pennant that adorns the centre of the ship and is applied perfectly. In fact I couldn't spot a single red line that wasn't where it should be, was kinked or split. Top marks.

The surface detail on the Trainer really is exemplary. Everything is precise, aligned and adds real character to this ship. Certainly with such a shallow craft having the surface detail - including that bit of greebling towards the back - builds an appreciable depth to the ship.

So, killer question; Best small craft of the collection? Tragically I have to say yes and why tragically? Well, i really didn't want to nor did I expect to like this one. It never appealed to me as one that would be included in the series nor one that would actually turn out to be such a cracking little ship. Even as I've been writing the review I've found my affections for this little ship have increased and it ain't half a great replica.

One disappointment is the centre line where the upper metal and lower plastic sections come together. The join is absolutely fine and clean at all points around the craft however the paint work on the black detailing which is recessed at this point is a bit sloppy with some parts not quite finished to the line and bits of the main yellow hull can be seen. For a series which has had some great finishing paint flourishes this is a bit rough given how precise the lines are at every other point on the hull.

Even without warp nacelles, Eaglemoss have still managed to slip in a few translucent sections to represent the impulse engines (blue) and the thrusters (red) fitted into the rear of the structure. They aren't a stand out part but again they exemplify the accuracy and effort that Eaglemoss are still putting into the collection as we near the 100th edition with no real sign of it slowing down for at least another year.

The all-important stand fitting test is a success with the Trainer as it slots firmly into place at the rear with no effort at all and provides that cool illusion of the ship in flight - just not doing the Koolvort Starburst of course (you need another four to try that out and even then its not recommended).

Turning to the 16 page magazine the opening section offers up the high quality CG close ups that have become an expectation in the series. There's always a fraction of variance from the model and i find it interesting even now to see what could be done in metal and plastic and what was either too fiddly, too expensive or too time consuming to make a reality for collectors. Of course this section provides the chance to reflect on the fifth season The Next Generation episode and also leads nicely to the later piece with Wil Wheaton reflecting on his four year stint (and couple of one episode returns) as boy genius turned Ensign turned Traveller Wesley Crusher.

May is just around the corner and with it will be issues 98 and 99 showcasing the Nova Class modified USS Rhode Island from Voyager's finale Endgame and then the Assimilated Arctic Transport from Enterprise's Borg story Regeneration. Very excited by that second one!

Also we might see the next special, the USS Franklin, break cover and land on doorsteps. The latest shots of the eighth special make it look like it could be one of the best of the series full stop. There have also been sightings of the Franklin ship plaque set to be available around the same time and maybe a shot of the ninth special, the Swarm ship also from the most recent movie, Beyond. Add to that the latest sneak peeks at the first version of the USS Titan and there's a lot to get hot under the starships collar about.

In the coming weeks I'll also be dropping an anticipation post for the next chunk of issues now we definitely know that the Bajoran Transport and the Klingon D5 will be issues 101 and 102 respectively...

Keeping up with the Starships Collection? You can still subscribe by following the link in the left sidebar or maybe drop your thoughts on the latest issues in the comments below!

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Welcome to the Future

A great deal of the fan-made productions right now are relying on the (cheaper to film) Original Series as the basis for their stories.

One exception to this rule is a project that has only recently come to light (in the last couple of months) in the form of Star Trek Futures.

Ok - brief overview time; it's certainly different, making a nod to alternative realities rather than the staple of the Prime Universe we've been familiar with since 1966. Now we could easily just waffle on and copy some stuff direct from the Futures website but we're not like that as regular followers will appreciate. So let's get to the core, let's get into the background and really understand the concept. Now I'm not the best person to tell you about what makes it all tick however I do know a man who can. Put your hands together and welcome Dan Thale to SKoST Towers....

How long has Futures been a dream before it started to take form? What was your inspiration?

Armin Es'al (Cae Ambassador)

To start off some of my biggest on screen influences excluding Star Trek are 2001, Blade Runner, and the anime, Cowboy Bebop. The initial idea of doing a film dated back to 2012 and originally the project was entitled The Red Planet and didn’t involve Star Trek at all. The spark of influence for that project came from an article in regards to brutalist architecture construction during the reign of the Soviet Union. (Google that and tell me those buildings don’t scream SciFi at you.) Anyway, the elements from this original story are structuring the main plot in Star Trek Futures. So this includes the Cesera system, the three different groups involved, and “retro” look and feel of the Cae.

In that story the protagonist experiences a loss and thus has a different view of the world around them. Sound familiar? Being a huge Star Trek: The Next Generation fan it dawned on me that I was telling the story of Wesley Crusher. However in The Next Generation Wesley never really knew his father. So mid to late last year (2013) I decided to scrap most of The Red Planet idea and rewrite it as being a Star Trek first, story.

A'Ren

Why the JJ timeline?  Is it the JJ timeline?!

To accomplish the story of bringing Wesley and his father together I needed a clean slate. So yes in a nutshell, it is the JJ Timeline. Or you can think of it as just one of the emerged alternate universes from the TNG episode, “Parallels” if that gets you in a tizzy. Anyway, you can say what you will about the new timeline and those movies, our story stands alone and only has a few things in common with those stories; namely the destruction of Vulcan and some costume influences. I think I always connected with Wesley and wanted to explore the possible relationship between him, Jack and Beverly. In whatever form it takes, a supportive family really molds an individual and I wanted to give Jack a chance to be a father.

Are we expecting some serious stellar action here?

The short answer is yes, there will be action, but the majority of the cinematography will be focused on telling the story through dialogue and appropriate framing etc. As my influences have shown you don’t necessarily need big flashy action sequences to get a story across. Additionally action is expensive and thus has to be treated with the utmost restraint. The story that we are attempting to tell is based on mystery, intrigue and seriously deep running emotions.

Is it significant that we are on the Enterprise-C and why that ship?

There are a few explanations for using the Enterprise-C. Firstly, we only saw her on-screen once in Yesterdays Enterprise. This was surprising to me as the craft carries the name Enterprise (the flagship of the fleet), yet it's seen less than other ships of that period. So I knew I wanted to shine the light on her. I also thought that the Captain Garrett character deserved the same treatment. Secondly, I had found out that the ship that we do see in Yesterdays Enterprise was not the original design for the Ambassador class. 

The original design was done by Andrew Probert during the first season of The Next Generation. Since he had left the production by season three and various other reasons the design was changed to the model most associated with the Ambassador class. I really wanted to use this original design as I feel it is superior to what we see on-screen. Just a personal opinion. Also, setting our story in the alternate timeline gives a simple explanation as to why "our" Enterprise-C is different than what we've seen before.

Jack Crusher

How will the Crushers differ and can we expect some familiars to turn up? Picard, Pulaski? Riker?

The Crushers will obviously have a different dynamic since Jack is now in the picture. Through the limited lens of The Next Generation we know that the relationship between Jack and Beverly was incredibly deep and strong. So we'll get to see that. We'll also get to see Wesley as a younger child who is just coming into the age of real deep human emotions and awareness of serious consequences from his actions.  Other than the four characters, Jack, Wesley, Beverly, and Rachel Garrett, there won't be any other characters from previous Trek. Personally I feel to incorporate characters that were incredibly popular, yet are too far outside of the integral story ends up hurting the feeling of the film. At some point it just turns into fan service, which is not what this project is about. My train of thought in this regard - If it's not important to the story then it's not going to be on screen.

What makes this different to all the other fan fiction series? It's quite a cluttered market at the moment -  surely there's a lot out there to contend with?

Wesley Crusher

I agree that the fan film space is a little cluttered at the moment.... but that's a GREAT thing for Star Trek! 

In my opinion the more Star Trek that is out there the better. That being said Futures will be vastly different from other fan films. We aren’t trying to compete whatsoever with other productions. It will have a look and feel all it's own and to my knowledge, we are the only production taking place in this time period or even with these characters. We aren't trying to recreate anything, get CBS to notice us, or impress the audience with high-end techno-babble. We are going to tell our story in the way that we feel fit and not be beholden to any previous dogma of what Star Trek should and shouldn't be. It'll be modern, artistic and passionate.

What's the concept and idea behind these more Star Wars Empire coloured uniforms? Is that a hint of movie uniform style? 

1. Budget - to use the original Wool Elastique and color of the Monster Maroon it would have just cost too much money. It was also difficult to find the correct color.

Beverly Crusher

2. Reusability - I knew we would only be able to afford a set number of these uniforms as they have a reputation for being quite labor intensive to assemble. So we couldn't make two or three for each main cast member. So I knew we would have to come up with a design that could easily be reused. The lower armband showing rank is removable, the second set of rank insignia are on the collar of the uniform and not the jacket itself. There are some edging details that are being minimized and simplified to make it a little easier for our tailor.

3. The Collar - It seems as though in every Star Trek series some designer creates a costume that lacks a collar. Eventually they end up adding one and it improves the look of the character ten fold in my opinion. Take Odo from Deep Space Nine for example. Weird long necked shapeshifter in the first couple seasons, they add the collar and he looks instantly more professional like a proper law enforcement official should. Also an issue I had with the original Monster Maroon uniform was when an officer took off his or her jacket there wasn't anything on them to denote rank. Now that the The Next Generation style pips are on the collar this solves this problem. This also goes for any of the flash back stuff we see in The Next Generation.

4. Mix and Match - I know I'm gonna get it for this one, I like the grey dress uniforms in Star Trek Into Darkness, but I also like the uniforms from Star Trek First Contact.  So I split the difference between the two and came up with the grey.

5. Something Different - Why not?!

This looks like it's going to be DARK...?

Dark - Yup 

What's your next major goalpost?  How will this be funded? Any perks for donations ala Kickstarter or Indegogo?

Right now we are solely focused on building the look and feel of this new world, writing the screenplay, and gathering the best equipment we can for our budget. We've just begun creating costumes and physical props. In regards to the short film, and everything up to the completion of that, Star Trek Futures will solely be funded by myself. I'm going 110% on this project so literally every bit of cash I have is going into this. So in that vein, the goalpost would be to complete the short film. 

Post short film, we're going to do a Kickstarter with some cool rewards for backers. We're looking at having some "propaganda" style posters made up as well as some little 3D printed models of the Enterprise-C, Cae cruiser, and the Ra'Zae battleship. We're still working on the designs for the ladder.

Is this a set arc storyline?

Yes absolutely. The story is going to take place over five episodes and will have a clear overarching serialized format.

Are we looking at sets or CGI /blue screen and what resources in the Star Trek universe have you been tapping to get this off the ground? What makes this interesting for the techie Trekker?

When inspecting the landscape of current fan films I noticed that a lot of the films rely heavily on CGI backgrounds. Not to say that this is a good way of achieving a setting, but I firmly believe that if you really want to pull your audience into the world you need a physical set with physical things to interact with the actors. Proud to say that I was a handyman for about five years so I definitely know my way around lumber and power tools. 

So suffice it to say, the goal is to create as many physical sets as possible. Couple that with the style of filming we are going to use I believe that we'll be able to create a believable set using the limited resources we have. We've already begun working with some talented people to create some Star Trek VI style lighted LCARS panels as well as some fantastic matte paintings. 

Again, harking back to some of the other fan films; there is a clear reliance on techno-babble. Personally I love all of it, but we are really trying to appeal to a wider audience and will NOT rely on tech driven dialogue. That being said, we will definitely be throwing a bone to those hardcore techie Trekkers. So not to worry, there will be plenty of plasma manifold malfunctions and dilithium instabilities. :)

Isn't doing this in the more The Next Generation century going to be more expensive than Phase II or Continues? If so, why/why not?

Not necessarily, but everything costs $$$. We are heavily inspired by some of the classic SciFi movies of the late 70's which don't necessarily have big flashy lighted sets and such. The way that much of physical design of costumes and set pieces is being flushed out now. We enjoy brain storming different ways of creating amazing looking stuff on our hairline budget.

Cesera Prime

Are we right in thinking the show will be set in a fixed set of locations with an arc story something akin to Deep Space Nine?

Yup you are exactly correct. The entire story takes place inside the Cesera System which resides on the far side of the Beta Quadrant. It is about 10 light years from the Romulan Neutral Zone and is situated between Starbase 123 and 174.

So who's come up with the artwork so far and have you got any teaser images we can use?  How did you get them on board and  what more will be coming?

Un'Cerar

We have an amazing concept artist named Markus Lovadina. I found him after an exhausting search of Deviantart.com. His landscapes, as well as his character concepts really stood out to me. I immediately knew that he was the right man for the job. He has been simply incredible and  has been completely instrumental in flushing out the vision for Star Trek Futures. I've stuck solely with just him because I really wanted too have a singular vision and style for all the artwork. In my eyes it's important to have a high level of quality as well as consistency. 

Our work flow begins with me writing out a description of what I am looking for. He then extrapolates on that, asks any questions, and does a first draft. Then it gets tossed back and forth as many times as needed until I'm happy. I have to say that I can be incredibly picky in regards to artwork so I sincerely appreciate his constant show of patience. I can't draw to save my life so he is an invaluable asset to Star Trek Futures. We are on a weekly release schedule for publishing artwork so always expect something new mid-week. Artwork can always be found at our website as well as our other social media pages.

The Futures certainly looking good and our thanks to Dan for taking time out from his schedule to talk to us about this unique project. From what we've learnt here and through their media outlets this will certainly be a challenging project especially, if not only because of the choice of time period in which the arc will be set. With such prospects we'll be sure to keep track and update our followers as the Crushers return to the stars...

For more information on Star Trek Futures take a stroll over to their sites and pages which we've listed below.

www.startrekfutures.com

www.facebook.com/startrekfutures

www.twitter.com/startrekfutures

http://plus.google.com/startrekfutures

Another Chance to Play "The Game"

Lefler: Your neutrinos are drifting... 

It's not the first on my list to watch for a second time but my full re-run through of Star Trek: The Next Generation has brought me to "The Game".

What becomes quickly apparent is that they must have been saving the budget for "Unification" which follows this episode. Most of the installment is ship-based with only the pre-titles and any shots of Etana Jol being off the Enterprise - and these are in close quarters head and shoulder viewscreen clips so budget for that set wouldn't have been a massive drain on the available funds. 

So, what are we here to look at?

It would be hard to discuss this episode without mentioning two points - addiction and the return of Wesley Crusher.  Both are at the forefront of "The Game" which has a single A Story but neither makes it any more impressive. I sat down to watch this when I was probably about 14-15 years old and it certainly doesn't seem to have improved with the passing of time.  It's great to see Wes back don't get me wrong - and as the lead character - but the concept of the episode seems fatally flawed almost from the onset as everyone seems to want to over-induldge in this fleeting return and forgot to add any real depth to it.  Starfleet Academy is sprinkled over with only a few coy references (including Boothby who we will see later in the season) and some "hilarious" antics involving that cheeky chappy Mr Crusher. If that's all the Academy is about was it really worth the Borg/Klingons/Romulans et al even bothering with Sector 001? They could've just beamed a load of banana peels or buckets of shaving foam to HQ and everyone would have fallen about laughing...apparently.

I digress...

So, while I can believe that Riker would get addicted to the game very easily especially when introduced to it by the duplicitous/playful Jol on Risa, it's the return to the Enterprise that leaves me cold.  Troi is his first target and I'm glad she's one of the first addicted purely to avoid any more cringe-worthy scenes such as  that which I will term as "The Chocolate Monologue" in Ten Forward: 

Riker: Doesn't it taste good?

Troi: Of course it does but it's not just a matter of taste. It's the whole experience.  First of all you have to spoon the fudge around the rim, leaving only the ice cream in the middle.  Then you gently spoon the ice cream around the sides like you're sculpting it. Relish every bite - make every one an event and then, with the last spoonful, close your eyes.

Urgh. Sadly this is one of my top three most cringe-worthy moments of TNG.  Equally upsetting for Troi fans is the fact that I also accredit spots two and three to the Betazoid counsellor. The first being her sensing of "great joy and happiness" from the alien lifeforms at the end of "Encounter at Farpoint" and the second as Troi's blubbing at the end of Star Trek Nemesis following Data's death. I would ease off a little if she wasn't involved in the travesty that is "These are the Voyages...". Apologies Ms Sirtis but that's just my opinion.

While Troi, Geordi and probably a good proportion of the crew would be susceptible to trying the game I just don't get why Picard or Worf, for example, would readily have a go. The "reality" factor that only Wes and Lefler would not play is pushing it to the limit and this is where the whole premise seems to break down.  Suddenly the entire crew is playing Jol's game and if this is the case who is actually controlling the ship?! Why would the captain or Worf even want a go?  Surely this is a child's plaything for the Klingons and brings no honour? If it's that easy to get addicted the Empire must surely be the next target?! 

OK, I understand that this is an episodic analysis of addiction (the game, Troi's chocolate thing) but it takes it to the very edge of plausibility which is then wrapped up with a flashing light in a matter of seconds with the reappearance of Data. Again Wesley is lucky to be on the ship as he finds the breaks in Data's circuitry that EVEN LA FORGE can't find?  Seriously?  So does this mean that actually the Academy is breeding super-humans who play practical jokes most of the time?  Very confusing and inconsistent in my opinion. There are much better examples of addiction and its results namely the actions and loyalty of the Jem'Hadar in Deep Space Nine and I would refer readers to the episode entitled "Hippocratic Oath" in particular. (Am I being too harsh here???) I'm sure by this point we can see that this episode is hanging by a thread.

Notably this is one of the few occasions where Trek steps a little close to the innuendo line and that's not just the aforementioned chocolate scene. There's the undertones of the Wes/Lefler relationship but the biggest offender here is the titular game itself.  So, what exactly is the prize when you complete a level?! Wes discovers it's affecting the reasoning sections and pleasure centres of the brain.  I will say no more.

I do get the way in which Etana Jol chooses to take control of the Enterprise and then use the crew and ship to conduct acts of warfare. It's a neat little trick and certainly a new spin on the take-over scenario we would potentially predict to see. Even after is all revealed and Data saves the day with some assistance from Wesley,  I still can't bring myself to feel any differently  how I did back in the 90's on its first viewing. "The Game" is average and it focuses too much on a character who left a year previously in a fairly decent segment of the pretty good fourth season. Given the option I would jump at a chance to rewatch "The First Duty" over this.  It's a far superior Wesley installment post-"Final Mission" and most definitely a preference to "Journey's End" (I intend to cover both but this may be as a single blog about Crusher Jr). This isn't to say that having Mr Crusher back on board for a jaunt and the chance to get the girl isn't a good thing and in all truth it probably helps to bring this story out of being quite dull - indeed, Jol's plan would actually have succeeded if he hadn't! So much for the best crew in the fleet - after what they've been through, this kind of "attack" should surely have been picked up within a matter of seconds!!!

Perhaps the question to round off this blog should be around whether or not this episode manages to tackle addiction effectively. I would argue no because of the way in which Wes and Lefler are the only two left when surely they would be more susceptible to giving the game a go. Another point to raise here is the fact that not only are we seeing a story revolve around one returnee in the form of Wesley but he's accompanied by a character who was previously a bit part in "Darmok" and is never seen again although Ashley Judd would go onto much greater things following her appearance here. Notably there was the hope to bring her back for "The First Duty" but that didn't work out which is a shame as she could have become something of a recurring character in the Barclay/O'Brien/Ro/Ogawa mould. Perhaps it is with a retrospective eye that we can be picky around this character because of her limited (although it wasn't known at the time) appearances.  Could she have been a possible Wesley replacement for the final two years?  We know that originally the character Wil Wheaton played was going to be a girl!

Sadly it's one of Trek's failures to grasp the concept of addiction here and really explore it effectively when this could have been a great opportunity to utilise Troi in a more prominent manner. This is surely the kind of plot that the counsellor would be perfect for but once again she is sidelined and this time for two kids.  Also there is the fact that the game device is clearly a call-centre headset doesn't help its argument. It does feel like a space filler of an episode and that can only be justified even further by the fact that "Unification" follows hereafter and they spent up on filming outdoors for "Darmok" but for light entertainment during what has been a heavy start to the season it helps break up the enveloping nature of the greater stories surrounding it.

I'm fully intending a piece on the seminal two-parter and will probably cover the lesser episodes following it as part of a Season Five review when I finish off the box set after Christmas.(Half-way through so another month should nail it). I simply don't want to bore a lot of people with ramblings about Trek episodes week in week out. 

If there are any specific episodes you'd like to debate/see a discussion on please drop a note here/subscribe etc and I'll take a look.  Anything pre-season five can be done pretty much straight away and I'll bookmark anything ahead in six and seven! Thanks also to everyone who has read this.  Feedback is appreciated!