A strange new guest, calling himself the ‘Traveler’, arrives on the Enterprise, along with a propulsion expert named Mr. Kosinski. Both were brought aboard to help improve warp engine efficiency. Kosinski has an inflated ego, and Riker is suspicious of him from the start. The first officer claims that Kosinski was only so successful on … More Unreal Machine, TNG: S1E6 “Where No One Has Gone Before”
The Federation makes first contact with the Ferengi in this little side adventure. Although they grow into a slightly more complex and nuanced race in later seasons, the first appearance of these big-eared aliens portrays them as completely snivelly and back-stabby. One reason for this is because as the Next Generation sought to differentiate itself … More Trade and Value, TNG: S1E5 “The Last Outpost”
Culture is a complex dance between the preservation of tradition, predictable communication, and the regulation of emotions. For example, mutual social understanding of what is expected within a specific situation can help people communicate without speaking, thereby saving them from having to say something potentially hurtful. Cultural norms keep people civilized and regulate behavior. They … More First One to Die, TNG: S1E4 “Code of Honor”
A planet eating space blob terrorizes the galaxy and the Enterprise must intercept it before it reaches a densely populated Federation colony. Comprising an unusual combination of matter and energy, the deadly space cloud at first appears to be some natural formation with an undesirable planet-destroying effect. Without much evidence, Spock concludes that the mass … More Tornado, Amoeba, Brain TAS: S1E3 “One of Our Planets is Missing”
Of all the schools of thought which paint the landscape of psychology as a field, few command as much internet attention as personality theory. Whether your unique existential experience happens to be identical to that of a Disney princess, or if it can be summarized by a series of letters flanking a sliding scale, your … More Overexposure, TNG: S1E3 “The Naked Now”
It is fitting that the second episode of The Animated Series is considered to be the best of this Star Trek iteration, as it is an homage to the greatest episode of the Original Series, “The City on the Edge of Forever”. We see the same all-knowing sentient time portal, the Guardian of Forever, which … More Pain or Logic, TAS: S1E2 “Yesteryear”
Finally, we arrive at one of the greatest Star Trek franchises ever made, and said arrival was surprisingly mediocre. Fans of the show remember it for the iconic Captain Picard, the deeply philosophical issues it explored, and its high production value, the last of which finally brought Gene Roddenberry’s original vision to life. It is … More A Spineless Appearance, TNG: S1E1-2 “Encounter at Farpoint”
The original Enterprise crew is back! Continuing their adventures right where they left off, The Animated Series exchanges Kirk’s five-year mission for an ongoing ‘star charting’ expedition, now rendered in a budget-friendly Hanna Barbara campiness. Aside from the obvious switch into the toonverse, and a shorter run time, there is no real difference between the … More The Ultimate Parasite, TAS: S1E1 “Beyond the Farthest Star”
As we reach the end of the Star Trek that started it all, I’ve decided to take a closer look at a pattern some may have noticed cropping up fairly frequently. Many Star Trek stories feature planets and alien civilizations which are suspiciously uniform. From the proud warrior born from an entire alien species of … More Bonus Article: Planet of Hats
Last, and somewhat least, “Turnabout Intruder” is considered to be a shockingly bad conclusion to the Original Series’s dismal third season. Less of a grand finale, and more just the final episode that aired before the show was ended by the network, Captain Kirk’s closing adventure managed to crap upon everything the show symbolized. In … More Gender Blender, TOS: S3E24 “Turnabout Intruder”
Hopeless Trekkie 