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Star Trek TNG: 201-202 (Patreon)

Published:
2025-09-03 12:00:05
Edited:
2026-01-08 02:36:01
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

Episodes: The Child, Where Silence Has Lease

Go to this site: Cinebingers.ca for the unedited versions of all our content.

👉 https://cinebingers.ca/clJfcNxpS5 👈 for the full reaction where you do not need your own copy.

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Files

Comments

djKENTO

Hell yeah mother fucker!!! Let’s gooooo!!! 5am Star Trek with cold pizza and a fat blunt. Wake and bake to another planet and shit!

Robban6948

As lovely as Simone's face is, it feels a little weird to not have George's camera in shot on the website! Am I the only one?

Cinebinge

Ah, that's a export mistake. Will fix soon

Robban6948

I hear you, friend ! No worries

Kane Is Able

Oh come on! The no sync version teased us thinking we only had tovwatch Simone, but George appears for the reaction.

Raven Dark

Ah, I was wondering about that. I was about to leave a comment, but then saw that someone already did.

lalaland

it seems to be just the intro discussion part.

mpd

Will we be getting Cinebinge branded jorts at some point?

Kane Is Able

He said, he doesn't mean to be indelicate. He's allowed to say whatever he wants after that. Those are the rules.

Jonathan

I was cracking up with the jorts story. A family member pulled a prank of getting every guest at my birthday party to buy me a pair I had so many. I still own one pair.

Young Blood Priest

I’m only halfway thru the first episode but I’m surprised S/G haven’t recognized the actor playing new doctor from TOS.

Robert Cooper

Re: Theme song: the original version was entirely synthesizers, as was the custom for TV themes in the late 80s. The re-recorded it with the Paramount Orchestra. It's technically the same, but it does sound better. It's funny. McFadden ended up not getting her contract renewed because she was shouting at the (then) head writer about the sexism in the S1 scripts. The first episode without her becomes the first of OMG SO MANY "Troi Gets Violated" scripts. Also, in my head we didn't grow the beard until a few episodes in, but I rarely have revisited the early episodes. Oh, yeah, and Whoopi becomes the first of many HUGE stars at the time that get roles on Trek because they called and asked for it.

HansD

George needs a Snickers...

Christina Doxstader

Find it funny that George is sweating his balls off and Simone has a blanket. Also, 'm with Simone, we need a picture George

GAB

Diana Muldaur, of course, was the guest star in two of the original Star Trek series episodes, playing Dr Ann Mulhall in "Return to Tomorrow" and Dr Miranda Jones in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" Quite a number of people dislike the spikey personality of Katherine Pulaski, compared to Beverley Crusher. I saw her as deliberate sand- in-the-Vaseline to create dramatic tension. The main problem for me was that the antagonism was way too obvious.

CT

Just another reminder to watch "The Color Purple" (1985) before watching episode 16. There's a nod to the film in the episode, so it would be a good time to check that film off the list.

SnabbKassa

Nagilum voiced by Earl Boen who played Dr. Silberman in the Terminator films

Brandon

People judged Dr. Pulaski almost entirely on that one exchange with Data. Although she's in the wrong in that situation, people were a little too hard on her character IMO.

lalaland

or, people just love Data that much.

Matt O'Keefe

Good to have Marina Sirtis' hair in a better style. The previous one made it look uncomfortable for the character(obviously it was a wig) and it looked stiff.

Will Sofer

Dr. Pulaski is played by Diana Maldaur, who I believe played two different characters in Star Trek: TOS. Including in one of George’s favorite episodes.

Brandon

Well, no argument there.

REDR58

George, so you ask your girlfriend to take the jorts back to the relative and tell her or him they don’t fit and you’re going to return them and pick out something different?

Hammerdash (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-05 05:00 I think they were trying to recreate the Bones/Spock relationship with Pulaski and Data, they just failed miserably at it.
2025-09-03 14:21

GAB

According to Wikipedia: Producer Rick Berman has been reported as stating that Gates McFadden left due to disputes with the head writer, Maurice Hurley. Also according to Wikipedia, McFadden stated, "I definitely pissed off Hurley. Because I kept saying 'Why is it that I've raised this genius kid...and yet every time there's anything serious it's only the male characters who talk to him?'" She was also highly critical of the episode "Angel One", labelling it sexist. At Hurley's demand, McFadden's contract was not renewed at the end of the first season. Hurley himself left at the end of the second season.

Al

Some complain about the human-centeredness of much of Sci-Fi , but honestly, how can it be any other way? There are literally no aliens to base anything on, so it is just our imagination, which is limited to our psychology and biology. And for all we know, we will never encounter non-earth intelligent aliens (looks more that way every day). The Fermi Paradox is probably solved by realizing there aren't any aliens! Appetites are different, but personally, I get tired of the Cosmic Horror thing because it undercuts the whole reason you would want to boldly go out in space in the first place. Cosmic Horror is an argument for staying home and hiding.

Lintrinsic

Essentially, Maurice Hurley who was made head writer and show runner this season didn't like Gates McFadden and insisted she had to go or he would. The main reason given being that he didn't like her making suggestions as she was used to a more collaborative theatre environment and found her difficult, although other less savoury reasons on his part have been rumoured. Dr Pulaski was an attempt to generate the TOS style banter between Spock and McCoy, and they wanted a more grumpy Bones-like medic. Unfortunately, it seemed more like a stroppy bigoted interloper kicking a puppy than witty repartee to the audience who were already fond of Data and thought she was a bitch. Riker's beard, Guinan and Ten Forward, Geordi as Chief Engineer, Worf as perrmanent Security Chief (with a new head as the original got stolen at the end of season 1) and Wesley's marginally less crap uniform were all popular changes. Dr Pulaski was hated.

lalaland

arrival comes to mind. project hail mary will blow your mind if you think good writing cant go beyond human experience and centrism just cause we dont know any actual aliens.

WayneC

Geordi was promoted to Lieutenant and given a new duty assigment as Chief Engineering Officer. Warf was given a new duty assignment as head of security, but remained a Lieutenant Junior Grade. O'Brien was a Liuetenant in these episodes, but he is Chief (presumably equivalent to Chief Warrant Officer) in later episodes, which is a demotion. The new doctor is a Commander, as was Crusher before her, making her the 2nd or third highest ranking officer on the ship, depending on seniority. Her ranking is the same as Riker's. Data is a Liutenent Commander, the next highest ranking officer on the ship. So the doctor's disrespect is even more confusing. We have mentioned in the past that junior officers are often referred to as Mister by senior officers. It is appropriate that Wesley Crusher is called "Mister" as he has the lowest officer rank of Ensign. I'm not so sure it is proper that Data is called "Mister Data", since he is a senior officer.

W_E_Ray (Dungeons-Dragons Grognard since '81) (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-05 05:00 In addition to the Maurice Hurley issue already mentioned by "Lincynity" -- the introduction of the Pulaski character (who was brilliant as a guest-actor in both of her ToS episodes) was all Gene Roddenberry, trying desperately to recreate the Spock-and-McCoy 'Two-Angels-on-the-Captain's-Shoulder' relationship dynamic.
2025-09-03 14:50

REDR58
>>186028084

I of course, don’t remember any discussion about this at the time the show aired because Internet discussions as we have now were not a thing, but I wonder how many people were more concerned about the fact that Pulaski was on the show as opposed to Troi getting essentially raped

W_E_Ray (Dungeons-Dragons Grognard since '81)
>>186039243

While the following may not be an exact quote, it's effectively accurate: .... Gene Roddenberry: "This is my creative vision and I want two main antagonists, one science-&-logic, one humanity-&heart, to verbally spar like Spock and McCoy. Data will be one since he's popular; let's bring back Diana Muldaur for the other since we're replacing Crusher." .... 5 Billion People on Planet Earth in Unison: "But Lord Roddenberry, if we make Pulaski a rude, condescending bitch who does nothing but attack, belittle and demean Data, that will be really bad." .... Roddenberry: "Respect My Authoritay!" .... And as such we now have a character who everyone hates equally.

Matt O'Keefe

The main actors seem more natural and comfortable in these two episodes for obvious reasons.

Spacedone

Others have mentioned why Gates McFadden was replaced and the attempt to create a kind of McCoy character dynamic with Picard but apart from that I think the way that Pulaski treats Data does have a reason, even if it makes her character come across as less pleassant than Gates McFadden's Dr Crusher and didn't help her popularity at the start of the season. I won't explain any further because the season will delve into it.

fforw

BEARD! BEARD! BEARD!

Thall

Personally I will always vastly prefer Pulaski over Crusher any day. She is just way more badass and she can actually formulate her thoughts and the decisions she made. Crusher is just outraged all the time. That said, 201 will also always be an immediate skip for me, lol. I look foward to watching your reaction to it, figure out if my feelings about that episode are still valid OH MY GOD this is the first episode we see OBrian. He was so friggin young!

DJS302

I hope your AC gets fixed soon George

Lintrinsic

To me, it isn't so much they had a meeting about a colleague mysteriously becoming pregnant, it's them behaving as if they have any say on whether she carries the child to term or not. The decision was ultimately hers, as it always should have been. But also, if the glowing arsehole can say goodbye it could have asked permission to knock her up in the first place.

Ben Stevens

those are some nice jorts, George. buy yourself some fresh white tube socks and New Balances to go with them and rock the middle-aged dad look with your favorite logo t-shirt tucked in. drives the ladies wild. maybe even cut them off a little higher and fray them for the hoochie daddy effect.

DasBigUn

WARE THOSE JORTS PROUDLY!!!! LET YOUR GF SMACK DAT ASS!!! dooooo it for the VIEWS!!! THE VIEWS!!!

Lintrinsic

I think a big difference is McCoy may have questioned Spock's humanity, his compassion and his humane-ness, (and admittedly throws in some racist epithets as punctuation) but those things were already up for debate as Spock is first to admit he isn't entirely human and doesn't want to be, and Spock usually gave as good as he got. Pulaski doesn't just call into question Data's humanity, she questions his personhood and worth as an individual and he's ill equipped socially for that kind of banter. It just doesn't work with these characters, already felt like a dated way to generate friction between characters back in the 80's and made the show feel like a copy/paste.

Lintrinsic

The thing with jorts. I understand cut-offs, comfy old knackered jeans you aren't ready to say goodbye to and might want more wear out of them bumming around the house or washing the car. But I can't understand going to the effort of breaking in a pair of jeans that aren't proper jeans in the first place.

Lintrinsic

O'Brien was in season 1 from the start, he just didn't have a name until now.

Pearl Jam

I figured someone would beat me to Pulaski’s (Muldaur’s) former roles in TOS.

Ben Stevens

i am glad you experienced the same initial intense dislike for Pulaski that I did. her bedside manner could use some work to say the least. that, and Crusher and Troi are perfect and can do no wrong in my eyes. they killed off the badass woman last season, no need to reinvent the wheel with a gruff medical officer character. i can see the Bones parallel though, definitely makes more sense through that lens.

REDR58

The Child: The USS REPULSE is an Excelsior class starship, the same type of vessel as the USS EXCELSIOR (the prototype) which we first saw in The Search for Spock that Scotty messed with its transwarp drive. The view out of the shuttlebay should really show the curve of the upper hull/saucer section of The ENTERPRISE. Instead, what we see looks like an opening from a completely vertical structure. Picard says "Grand" twice. I don't think he ever uses that word again like this, certainly not in later seasons. It always bothers me when background actors are shown observing something odd and just stand there mute. Anakin having no father is almost as silly as the Emperor returning. Somehow... Why is Wesley getting all in Picard's personal space in the turbolift? Back off, son! I like how Worf is instantly bloodthirsty and ready to pull the fetus out of Troi and kill it on the spot. Ok, slight exaggeration. Hester Dealt and the other guy in the background are wearing protective suits that will be seen again, but are never worn again, if memory serves. I like Pulaski despite the heavy-handedness of the writing. She is one of my favorite characters on the series. 4 year old Ian looks like my step-nephew who is now in his second year college. Yikes. Ian to Picard: "You should come to the nursery while the puppies are still there." Still there? Is Worf going to eat them??? Data says "Certain cyanoacrylates" can be sources of radiation. Cyanoacrylates are superglue!

gfixler

Yay, Star Trek Day! Except today's my first day back to work, after looking for work everywhere for probably 6 months now (worst job market I've seen by far in 23 years in my industry), so I have to wait till tonight now. It'll have to be Star Trek Night 😭 Almost makes me want to quit, because Star Trek Day!

JD Nevesytrof

Honestly I like Pulaski in general and I think her bad rap is mostly undeserved, especially just because of some of her early writing. But as a character she has always seemed to me to be much more interesting than Beverly, although I do like Beverly.

Brandon

The documentary "Chaos on the Bridge", directed by Shatner himself covers the drama behind the scenes in the early years of TNG very well. I'd recommend watching it (even if it's just on your own time) after seeing all of TNG so George won't know more than he should about later seasons.

R. Chang

I know that it's popular these days to talk about how Pulaski got a bad rap, but sorry, in this introduction she still sucks. Maybe people who are not ethnic minorities have a harder time relating to this, but if my office had a new hire that came in here and 1) mispronounced my name and then 2) acted like I was in the wrong for caring that my name be pronounced correctly? That person would be on my shit list for a long time. And if, instead, they did it to a coworker that I liked and respected? I'd be up in their face demanding they apologize and reporting it to HR right away. It's completely unacceptable. Yes, she has an arc and she gets better. But she's SO unpleasant and antagonistic in this first appearance that it colors everything that comes after. They didn't need to go this hard just to give her an opportunity to grow.

DonkyDave

The first episode is very weird and I can totally see why it got the reception that it did. Troi being raped by an alien then the bizarre way it's dealt with by her and the crew just really makes no sense.

JD Nevesytrof

I think they were absolutely doing this and that's for one specific reason, Spock had an ego and a strong self-image and was always willing to spar right back with McCoy so the rivalry was much more even. Data has no ego whatsoever, is humble and eager to please, so it's more like an older lady picking on a sweet child.

Robert Gendron

George, you actually have seen more of Pulaski's actress. She played two different characters on the original series.

Patrick - Excelsior

The actor that you didn't like portraying the Genetic Engineer is Seymour Cassel. A veteran of 220 different roles. This is the first episode where Wesley wears a communicator, even though he was made an acting ensign in Season 1. Wesley also debuts his gray "acting ensign's" uniform. Diana Muldaur, Dr. Pulaski, previously made two guest-star appearances on Star Trek TOS. First in S02E20 One of the Enterprise crew that volunteers to be possessed by the energy beings. Second in S03E05, she is the blind woman that is the Federation representative to the Medusan that is so ugly to look at it drives you insane.

REDR58
>>186056907

Pulaski was very warm towards Troi, particularly during the birth of Ian and interacting with him.

REDR58

"Where Silence Has Lease" is a line from the poem "The Spell of the Yukon" by Robert Service: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46643/the-spell-of-the-yukon " There’s gold, and it’s haunting and haunting; It’s luring me on as of old; Yet it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting So much as just finding the gold. It’s the great, big, broad land ’way up yonder, It’s the forests where silence has lease; It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder, It’s the stillness that fills me with peace." Anyway. The opening fight with Worf and Riker, Worf is all hot and bothered because he couldn't kill Troi's baby or eat the puppies from last time, so he had to let off some steam. Just a guess. Note the "Special Appearance by Diana Muldaur" credit from her and the previous episode and that will continue for her time on the show. I guess the ship screen-wrapped when they ran over the beacon after dropping it, kind of like in "Asteroids": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14hJDCLlBrc Worf's bloodlust apparently transferred to Geordi who was all excited when the false Romulan was destroyed. The USS YAMATO is somewhat curiously named for the Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship YAMATO, one of two ships of the YAMATO-Class, the other being the IJN Battleship MUSASHI, both of which saw service and were sunk during The Second World War. YAMATO and MUSASHI were the largest battleships ever built and both carried the heaviest and most powerful guns ever put to sea. Haskell's death is surely one of the most horrific deaths in Star Trek. Charles Douglass gives a wonderful performance and you can only imagine the incredible pain the character is experiencing. I quite like how Nagilum just ended things without a lot of fanfare or speechifying. Quick and to the point. I also though Earl Boen gave a very nice voice performance and I quite like the slightly eerie voice. This is one of my favorite episodes.

Henchmen21

Actually he still doesn't. In both appearances this season so far he hasn't been named yet. Only Simone kind of spoiled it for George by giving his character name.

Jomero

I'm wearing jorts as I watch this. They're comfortable as hell. I even wear them during winter when it's snowing. I wear them while doing karaoke. They are a statement, and that statement is "I truly do not give a flying fuck what other people, especially strangers, think."

REDR58
>>186029792

It sounds like something’s wrong with that building’s air-conditioning system. It should be able to handle that kind of temperature.

Ea-nāṣir, the worst copper merchant in history!

I know this is a very fine detail, but I feel I need to make it anyway. Immaculate conception does not refer to Mary getting pregnant without a man. It refers to Mary's birth, being the first human to be born without original sin (hence being immaculate). Being conceived asexually is biologically called parthenogenesis (although this would entail Jesus being a female due to lacking male chromosomes), or theologically called virgin birth (which is a concept made up specifically for Jesus being conceived asexually).

Henchmen21

The theme song this season is also shorter due to the shorter intro because they were down two names in the intro (Denise Crosby & Gates Mcfadden)

REDR58
>>186042103

It’s remarkable that concept of Troi being raped doesn’t even get verbalized in the slightest. Like there’s nothing even to gloss over because the crew never even mentioned the violation, which is what it was. Troy herself being a therapist, should be one of the first people to speak of this. I wonder if Pulaski spoke with her about this off screen.

Joel

Riker's Beard and Guinan have entered the chat \o/

Downside dn

Alright, fun question God being to be stuck at the whim of Q or Nagillum?

Danny Bryant

Are we completely sure that Nagillum wasn't Q? hmmm

A Red Mage Named Blue

Two episodes in a row where some cosmic being endangers the Enterprise simply because it's curious about them

snthd

A man walks down the street in these jorts, people know he's not afraid of anything.

Andrew

Regarding the jorts, was this a female member of George's girlfriends family? If so, perhaps she just wants to see George in some tight jorts.

Old School Drew

To wear shorts you have to have them loose I wear mine a little bigger so I have air to breathe. In terms of the Heat I prefer it cold you can always add clothes but in the summertime you can only take so many clothes off before the authorities get involved

Eversharpe

How has no one said this yet: Georts

lalaland

i mean its only a statement if you the wearer likes them in the first place... which is not the case for a lot of people, including George i suspect.

PJ P

IIRC some producers didn't like Gates McFadden or her character and that's what gave us the unnecessary change up. I never liked Pulaski. even after she gets more fleshed out she doesn't fit into the show so much as exists within it.

Jomero

True enough.

StonyD

Use the Jorts to fan yourself during the hot days of no AC, and wrap them around your head at night to block out the construction upstairs. WIN/WIN!

DanManMtn

Jorts are great when camping. They keep you cool and can take the punishment of the outdoors. And yeah, they aren’t supposed to be tight.

StonyD

"Hey, remember how we all loved watching Bones and Spock spar with each other? Well, what if a total stranger came on board and started kicking a child-like android in the face for no reason? The fans will love it!" - Coked-up 80's TV Executive

Angela's invisible airfryer (corey)

Seasons 2 is pretty mediocre, ESPECIALLY the second half, with the season finale being widely considered the worst episode in all of TNG. However there are 4 or 5 legit A-Tier episodes (1 possibly S-Tier) so I'm still stoked for the season as a whole.

gfixler

The age-old tale of the city binge and the country binge.

Angzarr

Don't worry, Dr. Rosalind Pulaski falls down a turbolift shaft eventually. Although I may be confusing shows...

Eversharpe

I've heard it said that Rosalind is a fucking nightmare.

Jpsynergy

Star Trek day is always a good day.

Henchmen21

Everyone else has already mentioned all the major changes with this season but one thing to notice is that starting with this season the worked the stardates to make a little more sense. How the stardate system worked in S1 was 4 (because the show took place in the 24th century) then the season number so 41 for season 1, 42 for season 2 etc... then the for season 1 only the next 3 numbers were random production code numbers but starting with this season they made the last 3 numbers make sense in that they operate kind of like a calendar. So like 42001 would be the equivalent of Jan 1 and it does that up to 999 at the end.

Drew Acheson

In the off chance that no one has mentioned this, the actor who plays the new doctor was in TOS in one episode also.

Henchmen21

Also for those old enough to remember, the kid actor playing 8yr old Ian was on a kids show a little later on called "Wake Rattle and Roll"

REDR58
>>186092483

She was in 2 episodes playing 2 different characters. See below for lots of mentions of it. :)

REDR58
>>186085803

I don’t know that I would bother with the last episode. There’s really hardly anything worth watching there.

REDR58
>>186076672

There's nothing like an unfurnished basement for pure comfort.

Angzarr

The dynamic also doesn't work because while Spock could be critical of humans and kind of prickly, Data is generally so agreeable and kind of child-like in a way, sparring with him just comes off as mean.

Bobbobbobo
>>186064617

And the character with the second most Star Trek appearances of all time.

gfixler

George: "That explains why some random guy was on the bridge." How dare you. He had a name. It was Haskell, my favorite programming language. Also, he's a meme. The grabbing the face and shaking is a reaction GIF.

SpankTheMonk

Frame the jorts- seriously. Put it in a box frame with a strong solid color background. It shows in a weird way you respect the gift, you don’t have to wear them. And when the family member visits they will see their being respected by your holding onto the gift. 🎁

SpankTheMonk
>>186027072

Well with age things change, as in the actor is older and they have changed- plus it was a couple of guest appearances

SpankTheMonk

The Child: is it me or is this one of the few or the first episodes to not start with a captain’s log? Congratulations Geordi! Ah the midichlorians have always been criminals in the sci-fi, glad Simone forgot it. I don’t mind the new sandpaper doctor (as mentioned below) in the ointment however I agree that the approach didn’t work and having her being mean to Data actually makes sense if there is some kind of animosity to synthetic life. However we will miss the will they won’t they have Crusher and Picard. Also Guinan Goldberg amazing casting and addition! I love the hat. Diana is half-human and the paternal aspect is potentially human so it might actually be mostly human. Shut up Westley “Standard Orbit”. Just the amount of energy needed to grow a baby in a day or two would be incredible-. No pain or drama as of that is still normal 300 years in the future- I am guessing that it maybe a choice 🤷. What is interesting with Guinan is that it introduces - I believe non-Starfleet or enlisted characters to Star Trek TNG- no? The fidelity of the images of the show are higher in this season it looks like. Will W I think is better at being Westley - not sure who this Ernest person is. Oooh Space-Shutters! A literal star child. Really good acting by Sirtis.

SpankTheMonk

I think there maybe a better way to have the dislike for Data as synthetic life. However it is interesting to have a character treat Data as a thing in this episode. Not to share anything about Data or the Dr. for the future but this was an interesting attempt at showing the disregard in a non-subtle way. She perhaps acts in a more admiral way.

gfixler

Thanks, dude!

DanTurismo

The story with Gates McFadden was that she clashed during season one with the head writer and showrunner Maurice Hurley. She disagreed with aspects of how Dr Crusher and some of the other female characters were being written. Because of those disagreements, Hurley wanted her off the show, which Paramount agreed to. The writers deliberately tried to write Pulaski to be more “McCoy-like”, having her spar with characters like Picard and Data, but it didn’t work as well as TOS, and fans didn’t warm to her (for all the same reasons you’re saying). Maurice Hurley left the show at the end of season two, at which time Patrick Stewart and others in the cast, pushed for them to bring Gates McFadden back.

DanTurismo

Now you’re on to season 2: You should skip the last episode of the season (“Shades of Grey”). It’s a flashback/clips episode that they threw together cause they ran out of money for the season, and it’s kind of a waste of time. It’s the worst rated episode of Star Trek by far, and has zero bearing on the overall story.

Robert Mendoza

I've never liked The Child and I always skip it when rewatching. I agree with Simone, gifts of clothing should be avoided unless you know the other person very well. One year my husband got me a Mass Effect N7 jacket for Christmas. It's one of my favorite gifts ever but he knew I would love it. Pulaski messing up Data's name reminds me of a girl I used to know. My sister and I have unusual but moderately similar names and this girl just couldn't be bothered to get them right. With made up names I'm Sylvia and she's Cynthia and this girl would walk up and say hey SylviaCynthia all like one name. If we corrected her she would say whatever whatever. I disliked her intensely. People get my name wrong a lot so it's a sore point for me.

Simon Pegged Me

In the U.S. navy, on which Roddenberry based his system, Lt. Commander is still a junior officer. He can still be referred to as Mr. It's probably rare, but it's proper. Feel free to correct me on this. I got my commission from the same place I got my medical and law degrees—watching television.

Simon Pegged Me

I agree with George in that I don't think they took the threat of The Child seriously enough. In sum, an alien entity impregnated Deanna against her will and is gestating in her womb for reasons unknown to anyone. Is it a threat? Are other members of its species going to impregnate other crew members and force them to deliver their children? It would not have been out of line for the captain to make the decision of whether the entity is aborted or not, and if it is allowed to come to term, it would not have been out of line for the captain to have the child under guard and raised in a lab. Though it appeared to be a human-betazoid hybrid, it was not, merely taking that form. Its potential for disaster was too easily dismissed. I liked Dr. Pulaski's response to Data. It showed the audience how some members of Star Fleet must have viewed him, as a computer with rank. To actually serve with him, to see officers and members of the crew treat him respectfully, humanely, must have given them a laugh, like watching someone salute a toaster oven: "Really?! I'm I really supposed to ignore the elephant in the room, that Star Fleet has seen fit to commission a mobile computer and we're supposed to treat it like a living being? Sure. Okay." There are officers who bristle at the thought of serving with a Vulcan, as we saw in TOS on those occasions when Spock was in command. They would reject an android in the same way. I thought using an outsider like Dr. Pulaski to show this side of Star Fleet was a good idea.

Michael Bauer

I think with Pulaski they wanted someone to be a sort of Devil’s advocate against Data’s personhood, so this important and complex philosophical question is brought more to the forefront - which I think is in general a good idea. However - because they also wanted to combine that with a curmudgeonly, bantering character, and because Data isn’t as confident as e.g. Spock w.r.t. Bones’ banter - it doesn’t work and just comes across as mean.

s0rd3z

Ah the divisive season 2. Personally I don't think any season is bad overall, it just gets better over time essentially (hindsight is 20/20). As s much as I dislike the way the Pulaski character is written she does have her moments. One of my favorite episodes ever is coming up in this season, one of those defining "Oh this is what TNG can be" moments. Nothing to do with Pulaski though there is one episode she features in I like quite a bit.

Michael

Still only 2 episodes ?

REDR58
>>186124048

I agree. As much as of a completionist as I am, I think the last episode is a complete waste of time. The plot, such as there is, is entirely meaningless and unforgettable. It has no real bearing on anything that comes afterwards. Time is better spent *anything* else. It is TNG’s only clip show and there’s a reason for that. The show is literally filler to end out the season. And it’s a weak way to go out.

REDR58
>>186123940

It’s interesting because they spend so much time *talking* about Crusher and explaining why she’s not there. It almost makes me think a writer or somebody was annoyed that McFadden was kicked out, but they still wanted to remind people about her. I’m almost surprised that they kept on Wesley as a character because of course all it does is remind everyone of his mother who is not there. Back in the day, when a character was written out of a series like this, you typically never heard any of the other characters speaking of that character again.

BubblyRainbows

There's one thing about Star Trek that really bothers me for some reason. It shouldn't, but it does. When the enterprise goes to warp, it shows the light lines of what I assume are supposed to be stars, but the way they do the effect makes it looks like they're passing by small points of light in space. If those are supposed to be suns, they pass so close to the streaks that they should be frying in the heat of every star they pass. They look like they're flying past at a distance where those stars should be gigantic stars, not little streaks of light they pass. Are they not supposed to be passing stars? Anyway, it's just one of the little quirks about the show that for some reason bothers me way more than it should.

REDR58
>>186109601

George is gonna soon notice that there is an endless rotating out of the other person at the conn as the series goes on. You might see the character for an episode or two, but then never see that person again.

sarCC

Ugh, Pulaski is just the absolute worst. Like having a character from a show you hate suddenly appear solely tobe a jerk to all the people you care about.

DanTurismo

I think it's probably because Wesley is there that they have to address it in more detail. I can understand them keeping him on. It's not like Wil Wheaton was clashing with the lead writer. No need to fire him when they can just write an explanation into the first episode of the season and be done with it.

Oz

It always bothered me as well, however I realize that if they would've done it "realistically" (having stars this size way into the distance) you wouldn't get a real sense of high speed motion. I guess it's one of those things that are required on a tv show/movie even though they don't really make sense - like having the ship's engine produce sound even though they're in space.

sarCC

A Canadian complaining about jorts? Well, now I've heard everything!

Commenting After Three: One, Two, Three, Comment

George, you have to allow for the limitations and requirements of storytelling. If they had gone the full "cosmic horror" route, then a bunch of inexplicable events would have occurred, then would have stopped, for no reason they could fathom and no answers forthcoming, in which case what would be the point of the whole episode? And if Nagilum had simply read their minds, or asked them what it wanted to know and they just had Data download the info to it, the show would have been over in 10 minutes.

MacGuffinStuff

Simone's story about Whoopi Goldberg was great, I loved that. I personally liked her in the Star Trek universe, but I'm probably biased because I still love, probably her best movie and I think it was her first: The Color Purple Severely underrated movie

SpankTheMonk

Where Silence: wow the fidelity of season two’s taping/original video (restoration?) is phenomenal I can see all the fine lines on Picard and even tiny pimples from shaving. These Klingons are more animal pirates than the ToS barbarians/Mongols. Dang Picard memorized the invisible screen sectors 🔎. They ask Data to check his memory banks but it would be better to ask the ships computer- my guess it is often a work around from having to reset camera. “Why- explain?” I love that Picard hesitates and welcomes other opinions. Again the antagonism of Pulaski is appropriate if written a bit crudely or harsh as Data is supposed to be incredibly unique and for Starfleet and or the Federation, Data is novel. Think of Dune. Love the “transfer to bridge” since syncing your operational computer experience between devices would have been way after this, as in when the show was made. Geordi a bit too excited when that ship exploded. One of the first episodes without an A and B plot. One reason not to have full touch screen displays- some manual buttons might be good. Warf is having a hard time- but I kinda understand. Alien peak-a-boo or that simpsons kid laughing. In Scottie’s voice, “Producer, I am sorry but we are giving it all we can, the computer just can’t handle the CG!”. Wow Geordi is a bit harsh in this episode. Feels a bit like a ToS episode script. Wow it’s like Kashigi with infinite powers. I think it is interesting and funny that if things get bad we will just blow up the ship. “What is death?” the response was good by Picard. I guess voice recognition was enough for triggering and stopping auto destruction this episode. I think the real Picard response would not be “not interested” but something along the lines of we don’t respect your actions to achieve your results.

ASMR Art Party (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-05 05:00 Cinebinge (George for sure) needs to watch Event Horizon- especially since he is eager for cosmic horror.
2025-09-05 04:03

SpankTheMonk

Wow George- “I will just look it up”. George is ready for a cheat code use ala let’s blow up the Cinebinge ship incase of an emergency 😅

TalynOne

Bones and Spock worked because Spock shit on humanity/emotions and Bones vocal sparing was a response in defense of the human condition and emotions. It was a back and forth. But Data is the opposite of Spock. Data embraced humanity and strived to be more human himself. Data didn't reject humanity and the value of emotions. So when Pulaski keeps shitting on him it comes off as bullying.

TalynOne

Star Trek is a uniquely positive outlook of the future. There's plenty of dystopian predator/alien/love craftanian sci fi out there if you're looking for Eldridge horror. But Star Trek most of the time isn't that, which is actually refreshing. Rodenberry was a ardent atheist and because of that the depictions of "god" entities in Trek are usually as just simply technologically superior or as petty arrogant tricksters. Having a god being we can't explain or reason through is a sign of a primitive culture that Rodenberry's Star Trek future humanity has outgrown.

CT

For more of the actress who played Tasha, Denis Crosby, check out Pet Sematary (1989). Cemetery is intentionally misspelled. It's great and it's based on a Stephen King novel.

Vega's patreon

What if "The Child" was a Xenomorph, I wonder how they would have reacted differently? "Councillor Troi is pregnant." Then blood & screaming everywhere... :)

dc

Whoopi Goldberg asked to be on the show. She grew up a "Star Trek" fan, and tells the story of how she was inspired seeing Uhura on the bridge, and ran through the house calling her mother to tell her that there was a Black woman on TV that wasn't playing a maid.

Robert Cooper

I think the "Internet" discussion at the time was more "OMFG, TNG SUCKS."

Will Sofer

@REDR58 I think it’s mostly because Wesley is the Mary Sue stand-in for an idealized young version of Gene Roddenberry, which has been confirmed many times over by cast and crew. I think they would have a had a bit of a fight on their hands with Roddenberry if they had tried to sack Wil Wheaton, at least at this point in production, wherein Gene still would have been heavily involved. So they probably preemptively wrote him into the season, with a series of ridiculous explanations as to why he’s there.

Will Sofer

Agreed. The roles of navigation officer and transporter operator become a recurring way to showcase up and coming actors, giving them some lines and an AFTRA screen credit. There a several actors and actresses who got their “break” in television this way (Ashley Judd and Teri Hatcher immediately come to mind).

Will Sofer

Far less likely to die when confronted by Q, and technically, you can reason with him. Even if he chooses not to listen. With Nagillum, dissuading him from doing something is almost impossible. You’re pretty much subject to his whims, regardless.

Anthony Villena

Maybe a ski resort town would be a good balance of woods and city life for you guys

punterjoe

George; You said these were from on older person.... Maybe they found these jorts they wore in the 1970s and thought "they're still in good shape. Who could use these now?" My suggestion, you still have plenty of time before Halloween... plenty of time to find a matching mullet wig. 😎 Two words: Hillbilly gigolo. 😁

Michael Kemmet

I'm sure it's been said several times already, but they were shooting to recreate a McCoy/Spock relationship between Pulaski and Data. The core problem was that the crotchety old doctor was a western trope that still worked in the 60s, but not so much in the 80s. I also wonder how much was Gene Roddenberry still thinking his ideas were sacrosanct and everything would be perfect if they just let him do TOS all over again? (obviously I don't venerate Roddenberry as much as the typical ST fan)

RSteele

Season 2 had massive conflicts behind the scenes, Roddenberry leaves, and ends with a writer's strike (why this season only has 22 episodes). In season 3 they finally begin to take control of this sinking ship. There's a couple of great episodes still though.

Dom

DO YOU SEE???????

DonkyDave

It's going to be really tough waiting for Measure of a Man & Q Who

Data Cable

Season 2 started late due to the '88 writers strike (which also affected the tail end of season 1, reducing the number drafts on "The Neutral Zone.") To get a jump-start on production, "The Child" was re-worked from a script originally written for the un-produced "Star Trek: Phase Two." The theme music was re-recorded to account for the removal of 2 names from the credits: Denise Crosby and Gates McFadden. Diana Muldaur was only listed as a special guest star in the act 1 credits.

McShades

It annoys me when a male wants to be offended for a female, it's up to the female to make that call if she's offended or not, not a guy for her. IMO. As for the new Doctor, she just views Data as a piece of machinery, mostly because she just met him and doesn't know Data. As a fan, yeah sure you like Data because you've been watching him for over a year, but you need to look at it from the Doctor's perspective based on her personality and just having met Data and obviously not used to being around androids. Even at her age she can grow. The actress who played Beverly Crusher had issues with a producer (vice-versa) during the first season and he kind of forced her off the show.

Marcus Hicks

McFadden didn't leave TNG. She was fired by Maurice Hurley, the showrunner at the time. He was not a nice guy, and deeply misogynistic by all accounts.....and also not very good as a show runner. He left at the end of season 2, which is where most everyone tends to believe the show's quality markedly picks up.

Mojo Jojo

I never cared for Dr. Crusher. She’s bland and boring—one of the weaker characters on the show, in my opinion. Pulaski has more personality and is a more interesting character overall. She also seems to be a better doctor and scientist. I really couldn’t care less that she’s mean to Data. He’s still a machine, after all, and from her character’s point of view, it makes sense to treat him like one. It would be the same as complaining that someone isn’t polite to a computer. I wish she had stayed after season 2.

This Justin

I feel the writers of TNG intentionally made Dr. Pulaski someone viewers might not like at first because she was not the familiar Dr. Crusher. By leaning into that initial dislike and giving her flaws that could be redeemed, they created room for the audience to grow to like her later in the show, which I think some viewers did.