Star Trek Tuesday: A Weekly Episode Review.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Yeah, they had way way too many Borg episodes in Voyager and nothing the likes of "I, Borg", "Q Who?", or "Best of Both Worlds".

I've said it before (and maybe even on this same board!) but the Borg should have never left TNG.

Voyager also made the Borg too vulnerable. They lost their edge as a villain and never again came across menacing or threatening.

 

I think that started with TNG's "I, Borg" and "Descent," and that whole Hugh storyline, and it was continued with Voyager's Seven of Nine. That whole hive mentality was removed, which is what made the Borg so menacing in the first place. I'm glad "ST: First Contact" reset the Borg back to their "Best of Both Worlds" mode, even though it broke continuity with the series.

[KenJennings]

An interesting approach would've been to have the Voyager encounter the hive in disarray following the events of First Contact. The death of the queen having left the collective fractured and weakened.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

An interesting approach would've been to have the Voyager encounter the hive in disarray following the events of First Contact. The death of the queen having left the collective fractured and weakened.

 

I was just going to ask, how do the timelines (stardates) of "First Contact" and "Voyager" line up with each other?

[Segue Myles]

Voyager was fantastic in the beginning. Then it got lazy.

 

I'd argue that it had the best setup of any of the series.

'Caretaker' was actually pretty good. There are a handful of VOY episodes that are worthwhile, but a handful out of 170 something kind of sucks.

 

If they had more conflict between the Starfleet and Marquis crews (more than just one half of an episode or whatever) it could have been a truly great show. A huge reason it sucked overall was that Chakotay was a non-factor for most of it. Your first officer has to be a great character or the show's gonna' suffer big time. I think Robert Beltran even mailed it in the last 2 or 3 seasons! WTF?!

 

Voyager went downhill the moment the producers chose to make 7 of 9 (featuring Jeri Ryan and her beautiful, massive breasts) the focal point of the show. The series became mostly about her and who was gonna doink her. She also served as Janeway's version of Data. Janeway was all about teaching her about being human.

 

7 of 9 is my all time favourite Star Trek character and until she joined I found the series a little poor. The second half of the shows run is my favourite ever!

[EagleMoon]

Voyager was fantastic in the beginning. Then it got lazy.

 

I'd argue that it had the best setup of any of the series.

'Caretaker' was actually pretty good. There are a handful of VOY episodes that are worthwhile, but a handful out of 170 something kind of sucks.

 

If they had more conflict between the Starfleet and Marquis crews (more than just one half of an episode or whatever) it could have been a truly great show. A huge reason it sucked overall was that Chakotay was a non-factor for most of it. Your first officer has to be a great character or the show's gonna' suffer big time. I think Robert Beltran even mailed it in the last 2 or 3 seasons! WTF?!

 

Voyager went downhill the moment the producers chose to make 7 of 9 (featuring Jeri Ryan and her beautiful, massive breasts) the focal point of the show. The series became mostly about her and who was gonna doink her. She also served as Janeway's version of Data. Janeway was all about teaching her about being human.

 

7 of 9 is my all time favourite Star Trek character and until she joined I found the series a little poor. The second half of the shows run is my favourite ever!

 

So you enjoy the shallow eye candy aspect? ;)

[Segue Myles]

Voyager was fantastic in the beginning. Then it got lazy.

 

I'd argue that it had the best setup of any of the series.

'Caretaker' was actually pretty good. There are a handful of VOY episodes that are worthwhile, but a handful out of 170 something kind of sucks.

 

If they had more conflict between the Starfleet and Marquis crews (more than just one half of an episode or whatever) it could have been a truly great show. A huge reason it sucked overall was that Chakotay was a non-factor for most of it. Your first officer has to be a great character or the show's gonna' suffer big time. I think Robert Beltran even mailed it in the last 2 or 3 seasons! WTF?!

 

Voyager went downhill the moment the producers chose to make 7 of 9 (featuring Jeri Ryan and her beautiful, massive breasts) the focal point of the show. The series became mostly about her and who was gonna doink her. She also served as Janeway's version of Data. Janeway was all about teaching her about being human.

 

7 of 9 is my all time favourite Star Trek character and until she joined I found the series a little poor. The second half of the shows run is my favourite ever!

 

So you enjoy the shallow eye candy aspect? ;)

 

No I found her character fascinating. I never found her "hot", I like her bum though haha

 

But yeah her story and her bond with the captain was really lovely to me.

 

Also really, really love pretty much the entire cast of characters. It just feels warm and human.

 

Second to Voyager is The Next Generation. Picard is pretty much my favourite captain of them all.

 

Growing up, the only show I didn't get on with was Enterprise.

 

I never really got into Deep Space Nine either, but I didn't really try it to be honest. I've heard great things about it though.

[EagleMoon]

Voyager was fantastic in the beginning. Then it got lazy.

 

I'd argue that it had the best setup of any of the series.

'Caretaker' was actually pretty good. There are a handful of VOY episodes that are worthwhile, but a handful out of 170 something kind of sucks.

 

If they had more conflict between the Starfleet and Marquis crews (more than just one half of an episode or whatever) it could have been a truly great show. A huge reason it sucked overall was that Chakotay was a non-factor for most of it. Your first officer has to be a great character or the show's gonna' suffer big time. I think Robert Beltran even mailed it in the last 2 or 3 seasons! WTF?!

 

Voyager went downhill the moment the producers chose to make 7 of 9 (featuring Jeri Ryan and her beautiful, massive breasts) the focal point of the show. The series became mostly about her and who was gonna doink her. She also served as Janeway's version of Data. Janeway was all about teaching her about being human.

 

7 of 9 is my all time favourite Star Trek character and until she joined I found the series a little poor. The second half of the shows run is my favourite ever!

 

So you enjoy the shallow eye candy aspect? ;)

 

No I found her character fascinating. I never found her "hot", I like her bum though haha

 

But yeah her story and her bond with the captain was really lovely to me.

 

Also really, really love pretty much the entire cast of characters. It just feels warm and human.

 

Second to Voyager is The Next Generation. Picard is pretty much my favourite captain of them all.

 

Growing up, the only show I didn't get on with was Enterprise.

 

I never really got into Deep Space Nine either, but I didn't really try it to be honest. I've heard great things about it though.

 

You need to watch DS9 from the beginning. There weren't as many stand alone episodes as TNG, and it wouldn't make as much sense to someone who just watched randomly.

[JohnRogers]

An interesting approach would've been to have the Voyager encounter the hive in disarray following the events of First Contact. The death of the queen having left the collective fractured and weakened.

 

I was just going to ask, how do the timelines (stardates) of "First Contact" and "Voyager" line up with each other?

Because First Contact was a big screen film and it directly tied into Best of Both Worlds I was able in my head to ignore less threatening Borg canon. It wouldn't win me arguments at the pub but helped me enjoy the film more.

[KenJennings]

An interesting approach would've been to have the Voyager encounter the hive in disarray following the events of First Contact. The death of the queen having left the collective fractured and weakened.

 

I was just going to ask, how do the timelines (stardates) of "First Contact" and "Voyager" line up with each other?

 

First Contact takes place during the second season of Voyager- over a year before Janeway and crew encountered the Borg.

 

Somewhere wrong the line, I remember them giving lip service to the reincarnation or resurrection of the Borg Queen, without explaining it all in detail. Basically, when Picard killed the Borg Queen in first contact, the collective was only disabled locally.

 

[KenJennings]

I was going to watch The Wounded this week, but inspiration struck, and I called a late audible.

 

Review Two: 8/9/16

Star Trek The Next Generation, Season 5, Episode 3: Ensign Ro

 

http://www.missionlogpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/196.jpg

"I always thought Starfleet had a lot to learn from me, Captain."

 

Just coming off a tremendous Season 4, The Next Generation was really in its stride. In an effort to keep things fresh, the show's producers hoped to add a character that could tarnish the viewers image of the "perfect starfleet officer". Ensign Ro was introduced to add someone to the cast that could stand with the honor and dignity of a Starfleet officer, but who carries with her the stigma of past bad decisions and a rebellious, defiant attitude. This episode does more than introducing just the eponymous ensign, it introduces the Bajoran people, who would go on to lead in Deep Space Nine, and it represents only the second appearance of the Cardassian species.

 

The plot of this episode is fairly intricate. It does a fantastic job highlighting the treachery and duplicity of intergalactic politics. It begins with a fairly simple premise: Bajoran terrorists attacked a federation outpost, and the Enterprise is sent to find and bring them to justice. An admiral assigns Ro Laren to serve as a liaison on the mission, as one of the only Bajorans in starfleet. But she isn't exactly a respected officer; she's responsible for some past insubordination that led to the death of colleagues, and her imprisonment in a Federation stockade. The episode does a fine job illustrating the stigma surrounding Ro, without going so far to define it in detail. She comes aboard the Enterprise with a chip on her shoulder, immediately drawing the ire of everyone around her. She is painted as one of Starfleet's dregs among a ship of outstanding officers, completely out of place and unwelcome.

 

Early on in the story we get a glimpse of life as a Bajoran refugee. A people that were once independent and celebrated are now reduced to starving huddled masses by the Cardassian occupation of their homeworld; but still they have a sense of pride and community. It's an interesting parable- to draw equivalencies between the Bajoran diaspora and similar real world cultures. It's clear that the Bajora represent a composite of many cultures from Earth's not so distant history, but the most fascinating part of the juxtaposition is that the alien nature strips away our biases, making us realize that very disparate parties here in the now actually share a common path through history. Ro stumbles through the early half of the episode, refusing to make things easy on herself. In fact, her negative attitude exacerbates her situation quite a bit, indicating a lack of trust and understanding in those around her, a reflection of the way she's been treated. It's clearly been some time since she knew what real community- what real friendship meant.

 

But Ro isn't the only star of this episode. Whoopi Goldberg has her strongest performance in Star Trek, as the bartender Guinan. There's a scene where Ro sits in Ten Forward alone; Troi and Crusher approach in friendship, asking if they can join her. Ro firmly says no, to which Deanna immediately responds with a notable offended dirty look. This stood out to me as an indication that maybe Troi is kind of a shitty empath. She clearly isn't doing a good job understanding how Ro feels. Guinan on the other hand, approaches similarly, but refuses Ro's rejection. Actually empathizing with the pain and isolation that Ro is imposing on herself, Guinan forces her way in, striking up a short conversation. She insists on making their friendship clear, letting Ro know that there is somebody there for her to trust.

 

The episode marches on, and you realize that not all is as it appears to be. As the plot reaches its turning point, Ro is forced into a position where she must defy Picard's orders. After doing so, she is confined to her quarters. Again it's Guinan who diffuses the situation by forcing her way into Ro's life, helping to elucidate the situation without bias or agenda. Guinan walks a careful line here: she intrudes while giving space, she shows interest without prying. She goes on to demand a meeting between Ro and Picard, which allows Ro to explain the full depth of the situation. This turning point quickly becomes a bonding moment for the troubled Ensign and the trusted father figure of Picard. Michelle Forbes' performance in this scene is tremendous, and goes a long way to highlighting the realities that a war torn and beleaguered people endure. There is a chilling monologue here that cuts straight to the quick, and helps to define the deep and flawed character that is Ro Laren. The scene also brings us into the late climax of the plot, allowing Picard to wrap things up with the sagacious skill of a badass diplomat, just as we've come to expect from him.

 

Though it all, "Ensign Ro" is one of my favorite episodes of The Next Generation. It introduces a character that added a lot to the series in her limited appearances. It is a story about redemption and the importance of trust and friendship. Michelle Forbes nails it in this episode, creating the perfect kick ass character to add a little black eye to the polished cast. This is an episode with a lot of tumult, intrigue, inner conflict, and uncertainty; but it all comes out perfect in the end. It adds a tremendous amount of depth to the lore of Star Trek, essentially laying the foundation for the entire next spinoff. It is a must-watch for any fan.

Edited August 10, 2016 by KenJennings

[Del_Duio]

You really surprised me with a review of "Ensign Ro", KJ!

 

This episode also makes season 7's "Preemptive Strike" sting all that much more. Picard trusted Ro, she burned him, he gave her another shot and she blew that too. The expression-less look on his face at the end of that one says more than pages of script could have.

 

Ro was a great character, and I liked how she always butted heads with Commander Riker (except for that episode where they bumped uglies while under the influence, haha). I know they wanted her to be on DS9 in Kira's spot but I'm glad things turned out the way they did as far as that goes.

 

EDIT: If you've never read the official season 8 DS9 books, Ro is a main character on the station as the new security chief (replacing Odo, who went back to the great link) and in fact they address her failures with Captain Picard at the end of TNG in interesting ways.

Edited August 10, 2016 by Del_Duio

[EagleMoon]

One of my favorite episodes. Michelle Forbes really brought this character to life. She could've been a Bajoran Tasha Yar but she didn't come across that way at all. She was much more relatable than Tasha who I thought seemed a bit stiff.

 

As far as Troi being a crappy empath, I wouldn't think she would go around sensing everybody's emotions deliberately unless she was working.

[Del_Duio]

Does anybody else periodically check this thread on Tuesdays or is it just me?

 

Also if you notice, I've uploaded a new avatar from a show we played out in 1997- A Deep Space Nine shirt that had most of the main cast and a giant Gul Dukat head front and center! It's too bad they don't really make all those cool Trek tee shirts from the 90s anymore :(

 

The last time I went to a convention I saw a guy wearing a super old TNG shirt that had a cartoon Picard yelling something about 'Jalad at Tanagra' lol. Even my first Trek tee shirt from '95 was pretty awesome: A black Commander Riker job surrounded by glorious Okudagrams.

 

EDIT: I couldn't find my Riker shirt but saw this one HAHAHAHA:

 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/f7/22/6cf7223f540ef5fecf5e96dbd9ddc724.jpg

Edited August 16, 2016 by Del_Duio

[KenJennings]

Three weeks in, and I'm going to go and do something stupid. I may lose all credibility here.

 

Review Three: 8/16/16

Star Trek, Season 1, Episode 27: The Alternative Factor

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hmn6xhfwb-I/UgE4bJLHdaI/AAAAAAAAPFk/G56_Ae34nPo/s1600/Alternative_warp.jpg

"...but what of Lazarus?"

 

There's a lot wrong with this episode... by which I mean almost everything. It's really a disaster from start to finish in terms of plot, pacing and technical accuracy. But through that all, I still love it.The Alternative Factor tells the tale of a mysterious individual known only as Lazarus. Supposedly he is human, supposedly he is a time traveler. Beyond that, we have no idea where he came from or what his nature is. The only thing we know is that with his arrival came a universe wide spacial anomaly that has no explanation.

 

And that's the most important thing for you, the viewer, to accept. This episode can really only be enjoyed when you accept that there is no good explanation for what is going on. The attempts to scientifically justify the events of the episode are so far fetched and ridiculous that you need to suspend your disbelief and convince yourself that the characters know as little as you do in this case. They try to wrap a bow around it, but its too messed up to make sense. Just really bad. All you need to know is that some shit is going down, and this whackadoodle crazy-beard is at the heart of it. He swears that he's locked in a stalemated battle with "a destroyer of worlds", a hideous, unimaginably horrible creature... but there's no evidence of anyone but him.

 

But that setup works somehow. Kirk never lets his sense of confusion cloud his priorities, as Starfleet completely hangs him out to dry on the mission. Here he's faced with one of his greatest and most dangerous mysteries, as a hole in the fabric of the universe is opening beneath him, and he's typically Kirk throughout. Through the episode, crazy psychedelic effects and inexplicable events drive the plot along, leaving you in the middle of the mystery. Toward the end of the hour, you get a somewhat fuller picture, as Lazarus ends up using Dilithium Crystals, stolen from the Enterprise, to repower his ship on the planet's surface. Kirk pursues Lazarus and is accidentally transported by Lazarus' ship to an alternate universe; a trip that Lazarus meant for himself.

 

There, Kirk meets the "monster". In the episode's confusing twist, we find that our Lazarus is the real villain, and that his enemy is actually the alternate universe version of himself... Alternate Lazarus actually turns out to be a good guy- the best, actually. He and Kirk quickly devise a plan to lure the Prime Lazarus into the cross-dimensional corridor at the same time as Alternate Lazarus. There, they can lock in a stalemate eternally, sealed outside the fabric of the universe, thusly saving the day. Oh yea, I forgot to mention that if the two Lazarus' touch eachother in reality, outside of the corridor between the universes, everything everywhere is destroyed for some reason. Don't ask questions, that's just how it is.

 

Like I said, the episode is a mess. So why am I reviewing it here? Because it's a fun one with a big ideological twist at the end. Alternate Lazarus sacrifices himself to lure Prime Lazarus into the void between universes, leaving both men tucked away in their sealed anomaly, at eachother's throats for all eternity. A truly unimaginable hell. When Kirk laments that fact, Spock reminds him that the sacrifice saved two universes. Kirk shakes his head as the episode ends, simply lamenting "...but what of Lazarus?" in a chilly, haunting tone. Is that a worthwhile trade? Is the continued existence of the universe worth the eternal torment of an honorable individual? Alternate Lazarus, in this way, proves himself to be perhaps the single greatest hero in any story I've ever seen. He accepted his fate without flinching.

 

There are also some other great details in the episode. Some classic Kirk-Bones banter is a highlight. We also get to see the underrated Lieutenant Leslie take command for a few moments. You might say "Lieutenant Who?" But the fact is, Leslie appeared in more episodes that either Sulu or Chekov; he was a fixture on the bridge. Sulu and Scotty are notably absent from the episode for unknown reasons, but Scotty's absence left the door open for a groundbreaking portrayal, Lt. Charlene Masters, serving as a science officer (presumably a Dilithium/Engineering specialist) in command of engineering... not only notable for being a woman in a prominent role, ordering subordinate male officers to duty, but a black woman to boot.

 

All in all, this terrible episode is great. I'm left joyfully conflicted while watching it, because as confusing and ill-conceived as it is, it is also Star Trek through and through. If you're a fan who agonizes over details and inconsistencies, I'll try to give you something better next week: this one's not for you. But if you can take everything with a grain block of salt, I think you'll enjoy The Alternative Factor like I did.

Edited August 17, 2016 by KenJennings

[JohnRogers]

I also check this thread each Tuesday and watch the same episode as Ken. I also add an episode of Futurama afterwards since I've never seen them all.

[EagleMoon]

Does anybody else periodically check this thread on Tuesdays or is it just me?

 

Also if you notice, I've uploaded a new avatar from a show we played out in 1997- A Deep Space Nine shirt that had most of the main cast and a giant Gul Dukat head front and center! It's too bad they don't really make all those cool Trek tee shirts from the 90s anymore :(

 

The last time I went to a convention I saw a guy wearing a super old TNG shirt that had a cartoon Picard yelling something about 'Jalad at Tanagra' lol. Even my first Trek tee shirt from '95 was pretty awesome: A black Commander Riker job surrounded by glorious Okudagrams.

 

EDIT: I couldn't find my Riker shirt but saw this one HAHAHAHA:

 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/f7/22/6cf7223f540ef5fecf5e96dbd9ddc724.jpg

 

I still have a couple of my Star Trek shirts from the 90s conventions. One is the logo and the other one is Riker. I wore out the other ones I had. I still have a bunch of pins and a Bajoran earring.

 

That Picard shirt is awesome!

Edited August 16, 2016 by EagleMoon

[KenJennings]

I used to have this T Shirt, but I have no idea what ever happened to it.

 

[EagleMoon]

I also check this thread each Tuesday and watch the same episode as Ken. I also add an episode of Futurama afterwards since I've never seen them all.

 

I adore Futurama

[EagleMoon]

Three weeks in, and I'm going to go and do something stupid. I may lose all credibility here.

 

Review Two: 8/16/16

Star Trek, Season 1, Episode 27: The Alternative Factor

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hmn6xhfwb-I/UgE4bJLHdaI/AAAAAAAAPFk/G56_Ae34nPo/s1600/Alternative_warp.jpg

"...but what of Lazarus?"

 

There's a lot wrong with this episode... by which I mean almost everything. It's really a disaster from start to finish in terms of plot, pacing and technical accuracy. But through that all, I still love it.The Alternative Factor tells the tale of a mysterious individual known only as Lazarus. Supposedly he is human, supposedly he is a time traveler. Beyond that, we have no idea where he came from or what his nature is. The only thing we know is that with his arrival came a universe wide spacial anomaly that has no explanation.

 

And that's the most important thing for you, the viewer, to accept. This episode can really only be enjoyed when you accept that there is no good explanation for what is going on. The attempts to scientifically justify the events of the episode are so far fetched and ridiculous that you need to suspend your disbelief and convince yourself that the characters know as little as you do in this case. They try to wrap a bow around it, but its too messed up to make sense. Just really bad. All you need to know is that some shit is going down, and this whackadoodle crazy-beard is at the heart of it. He swears that he's locked in a stalemated battle with "a destroyer of worlds", a hideous, unimaginably horrible creature... but there's no evidence of anyone but him.

 

But that setup works somehow. Kirk never lets his sense of confusion cloud his priorities, as Starfleet completely hangs him out to dry on the mission. Here he's faced with one of his greatest and most dangerous mysteries, as a hole in the fabric of the universe is opening beneath him, and he's typically Kirk throughout. Through the episode, crazy psychedelic effects and inexplicable events drive the plot along, leaving you in the middle of the mystery. Toward the end of the hour, you get a somewhat fuller picture, as Lazarus ends up using Dilithium Crystals, stolen from the Enterprise, to repower his ship on the planet's surface. Kirk pursues Lazarus and is accidentally transported by Lazarus' ship to an alternate universe; a trip that Lazarus meant for himself.

 

There, Kirk meets the "monster". In the episode's confusing twist, we find that our Lazarus is the real villain, and that his enemy is actually the alternate universe version of himself... Alternate Lazarus actually turns out to be a good guy- the best, actually. He and Kirk quickly devise a plan to lure the Prime Lazarus into the cross-dimensional corridor at the same time as Alternate Lazarus. There, they can lock in a stalemate eternally, sealed outside the fabric of the universe, thusly saving the day. Oh yea, I forgot to mention that if the two Lazarus' touch eachother in reality, outside of the corridor between the universes, everything everywhere is destroyed for some reason. Don't ask questions, that's just how it is.

 

Like I said, the episode is a mess. So why am I reviewing it here? Because it's a fun one with a big ideological twist at the end. Alternate Lazarus sacrifices himself to lure Prime Lazarus into the void between universes, leaving both men tucked away in their sealed anomaly, at eachother's throats for all eternity. A truly unimaginable hell. When Kirk laments that fact, Spock reminds him that the sacrifice saved two universes. Kirk shakes his head as the episode ends, simply lamenting "...but what of Lazarus?" in a chilly, haunting tone. Is that a worthwhile trade? Is the continued existence of the universe worth the eternal torment of an honorable individual? Alternate Lazarus, in this way, proves himself to be perhaps the single greatest hero in any story I've ever seen. He accepted his fate without flinching.

 

There are also some other great details in the episode. Some classic Kirk-Bones banter is a highlight. We also get to see the underrated Lieutenant Leslie take command for a few moments. You might say "Lieutenant Who?" But the fact is, Leslie appeared in more episodes that either Sulu or Chekov; he was a fixture on the bridge. Sulu and Scotty are notably absent from the episode for unknown reasons, but Scotty's absence left the door open for a groundbreaking portrayal, Lt. Charlene Masters, serving as a science officer (presumably a Dilithium/Engineering specialist) in command of engineering... not only notable for being a woman in a prominent role, ordering subordinate male officers to duty, but a black woman to boot.

 

All in all, this terrible episode is great. I'm left joyfully conflicted while watching it, because as confusing and ill-conceived as it is, it is also Star Trek through and through. If you're a fan who agonizes over details and inconsistencies, I'll try to give you something better next week: this one's not for you. But if you can take everything with a grain block of salt, I think you'll enjoy The Alternative Factor like I did.

 

I don't remember much about this episode so I'll have to go back and watch it before I can give an opinion.

[EagleMoon]

I really miss having Star Trek conventions to go to. I used to go to several year and it was always a lot of fun, especially if it was put on by a local group.

[JohnRogers]

Oh! I should have re-watched The City on the Edge of Forever instead.

[Del_Duio]

KJ, I usually poop on Voyager however this past week I've been watching some of the ones I missed when they were first run.

"Drone", "In the Flesh", "Extreme Risk", and most recently both parts of "Equinox".

 

I gotta' say... I may have pooped a bit too much on this show. Either that or I just happened to see a bunch of stink before. These were good to really good episodes IMO. If more of Voyager were like Equinox for example.. Damn, that was a great storyline.

[Del_Duio]

I really miss having Star Trek conventions to go to. I used to go to several year and it was always a lot of fun, especially if it was put on by a local group.

 

Last one I went to was Trek's 48th anniversary and was so sure it'd roll around for the 50th but no dice. I'm really surprised there aren't way more stops this year with it being the 50th and all. In the 90s there were tons of conventions- IIRC even more than 1 in the same city a year (but that could've also been a reg sci-fi convention with some Trek guests, I can't remember).

 

Off the top, I've seen:

 

(from the 90s)

 

Brent Spiner

Denise Crosby

Shatner / Nimoy combo (especially awesome, in retrospect)

Jeri Ryan

Alexander Siddig

Marina Siritis

Chase Masterson

 

(couple years ago)

 

Robert O'Reily

J.G. Hertzler

Max Grodénchik

Aaron Eisenberg

Nana Visitor

Terry Farrell

Tim Russ

Robert Picardo

Garrett Wang

John Billingsley

Anthony Montgomery

Dominic Keating

Connor Trinneer

 

---

 

Twice Avery Brooks was supposed to be at one I was going to, and both times he had to cancel at the last minute.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Del_Duio

[EagleMoon]

I really miss having Star Trek conventions to go to. I used to go to several year and it was always a lot of fun, especially if it was put on by a local group.

 

Last one I went to was Trek's 48th anniversary and was so sure it'd roll around for the 50th but no dice. I'm really surprised there aren't way more stops this year with it being the 50th and all. In the 90s there were tons of conventions- IIRC even more than 1 in the same city a year (but that could've also been a reg sci-fi convention with some Trek guests, I can't remember).

 

Off the top, I've seen:

 

(from the 90s)

 

Brent Spiner

Denise Crosby

Shatner / Nimoy combo (especially awesome, in retrospect)

Jeri Ryan

Alexander Siddig

Marina Siritis

Chase Masterson

 

(couple years ago)

 

Robert O'Reily

J.G. Hertzler

Max Grodénchik

Aaron Eisenberg

Nana Visitor

Terry Farrell

Tim Russ

Robert Picardo

Garrett Wang

John Billingsley

Anthony Montgomery

Dominic Keating

Connor Trinneer

 

---

 

Twice Avery Brooks was supposed to be at one I was going to, and both times he had to cancel at the last minute.

You were lucky to see Shatner and Nimoy, I never got to see them. Probably my favorite convention was at LaGrange Con in Cleveland when I saw Patrick Stewart. He was so sweet and exuded so much testosterone the women in the audience were panting. l'm glad I did since he quit doing conventions not long after that. Second favorite in retrospect was meeting Majel Barrett Roddenberry she and John de Lancie did a rendition of a scene from the book Q-In-Law that was hilarious. Other than that, I've seen:

 

Jimmy Doohan

George Takei

Walter Koenig

Nichelle Nichols

Grace Lee Whitney

Marina Sirtis

Jonathan Frakes

Brent Spiner

Gates McFadden

Denise Crosby

John de Lancie

Michael Dorn

LeVar Burton

Armin Shimerman

Alexander Siddig

Kate Mulgrew

Robert Duncan McNeill

Robert Picardo

Brian Thompson

Tony Todd

Etc.

Edited August 17, 2016 by EagleMoon

[Del_Duio]

I really miss having Star Trek conventions to go to. I used to go to several year and it was always a lot of fun, especially if it was put on by a local group.

 

Last one I went to was Trek's 48th anniversary and was so sure it'd roll around for the 50th but no dice. I'm really surprised there aren't way more stops this year with it being the 50th and all. In the 90s there were tons of conventions- IIRC even more than 1 in the same city a year (but that could've also been a reg sci-fi convention with some Trek guests, I can't remember).

 

Off the top, I've seen:

 

(from the 90s)

 

Brent Spiner

Denise Crosby

Shatner / Nimoy combo (especially awesome, in retrospect)

Jeri Ryan

Alexander Siddig

Marina Siritis

Chase Masterson

 

(couple years ago)

 

Robert O'Reily

J.G. Hertzler

Max Grodénchik

Aaron Eisenberg

Nana Visitor

Terry Farrell

Tim Russ

Robert Picardo

Garrett Wang

John Billingsley

Anthony Montgomery

Dominic Keating

Connor Trinneer

 

---

 

Twice Avery Brooks was supposed to be at one I was going to, and both times he had to cancel at the last minute.

You were lucky to see Shatner and Nimoy, I never got to see them. Probably my favorite convention was at LaGrange Con in Cleveland when I saw Patrick Stewart. He was so sweet and exuded so much testosterone the women in the audience were panting. l'm glad I did since he quit doing conventions not long after that. Second favorite in retrospect was meeting Majel Barrett Roddenberry she and John de Lancie did a rendition of a scene from the book Q-In-Law that was hilarious. Other than that, I've seen:

 

Jimmy Doohan

George Takei

Walter Koenig

Nichelle Nichols

Grace Lee Whitney

Marina Sirtis

Jonathan Frakes

Brent Spiner

Gates McFadden

Denise Crosby

John de Lancie

Michael Dorn

LeVar Burton

Armin Shimerman

Alexander Siddig

Kate Mulgrew

Robert Duncan McNeill

Robert Picardo

Brian Thompson

Tony Todd

Etc.

 

Oh how embarrassing I totally forgot that Walter Koenig was at that 2014 convention too XD

 

Your list of people is amazing! So that's why Patrick Stewart never attends these anymore, he retired?? That really sucks! It would explain why he was the only one missing from the big TNG reunion convention they had here a couple years back :( I'd probably fall over and die while waiting in line to meet him actually hahaha.

 

Second on your list I'd like to see would be Armin for sure. Quark's probably my favorite DS9 character, in retrospect. And you saw Q too! Holy shit that's great!

 

Funny story about the Shatner / Nimoy show: They were fielding questions from the audience, who for the most part were sitting in folding chairs, instead of taking turns from both sides of the auditorium via podium lines. Anyhow so Shatner mentions that Nimoy is from Cambridge MA and they start saying "horse" with a super Boston accent ("HAASE! HAASE!")

 

Then one... um, let's say SKINNILY-CHALLENGED gent stands up to ask a question and before the guy asks his question I shit you not Shatner goes "WHOAH! You don't miss a lot of meals!!" I was dying it was so awesome ROFL. Half the joint was shocked of course and it's not very PC at all but what a legend.