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Pen Pals, Gallifrey Gals Get Warped! S2Ep15

🕑 Added 2020-07-28 17:00:03 +0000 UTC

Comments

Locoturbo

Great episode, but one thing always bugged me. Picard is ready to let them all die. But HEARING her plea changes his mind? Changing the fate of millions? What does that say about any of the decision-making process?? All that intense deliberation regarding the prime directive, but seemingly his mind was changed (again, changing the fate of millions) by an emotional appeal. I don't like it. I agree with the decision but not the why. If you're going to break the prime directive and save millions it should be based on logic, ethics and tempered emotion. Not a single emotional appeal.

Troy Convers

Only one other person has called Worf a coward and lived ..

Pate

Is the video blocked for anyone else?

Ken Quick

Per Memory Alpha, Picard's horseriding scenes were "filmed at a ranch near the LA suburb of Thousand Oaks."

Red Hunter

Kat: I think it’s going to be a Data or Wesley episode Me: 50 points to Slytherin!

Time Lord

okay. now I"m crying -Paula

Time Lord

not weird at all! be silly with us! -Paula

Time Lord

oh gosh, I hadn't noticed that! I'll start to keep an eye out for it, good catch -Paula

Time Lord

aw, yes, that's so true! -Paula

Stuart McConnell

Oh wow. Just realised which episode is next.

Peter Evans

Amen Gerald.

Peter Evans

That name, Pulaski... sounds like the sort of name a 70's maverick cop show would have... Exciting brass score plays. A medical shuttle-craft comes flying over the hill, blue siren blazing. Tight close up on Diana Muldaur's face behind the wheel, determined, followed by a rapid montage... Announcer: "PULASKI! BADGE 417!" Shot: Pulaski bandaging the leg of an adorable eight year old. Shot: Pulaski earnestly debating with Alexander Fleming, Al-Zahrawi and Louis Pasteur, Shot: Pulaski punching a Vulcan through a plate glass window. Shot: Pulaski conducting an orchestra and turning to wink at the camera. Shot: Pulaski putting a sticking-plaster on a giant cybernetic lifeform and patting its knee consolingly before offering it a lollipop. Shot: Pulaski staring fixedly at a culture of spores. Shot: Pulaski pole-vaulting over the crater of a volcano. Shot: Pulaski giving a Ferengi a high-five. Announcer: "Tonight on Pulaski: Badge 417... Fear in the Ferengi-Hood" Captain Picard: *Sneeringly* "You busted up that klingon medical convention pretty good, Pulaski. I got Starfleet Headquarters screaming at me over the phone! The Admiral says you're off the case - for good this time!" Pulaski: *Freezingly* "Sorry chief, I just don't hear you..." (Taps communicator and beams out.) Picard: "PULASKIIIII!" Etc. ANYWAY. I really like Pen Pals. It's sort of a procedural middle-of-the-road episode, nothing earth-shaking, but it all just seems to come together really well. Brent Spiner is once again just marvelous. He's really begun to learn the balance of portraying an android at this stage, and keeping certain 'emotions' ambivalent in his delivery so that you can't be sure if he's genuinely feeling them or just portraying them as he feels that's what a human should do. I especially love whenever he checks his internal memory. Did Brent Spiner win any awards for this? Should have. Patrick Stewart's great as well; making the sort of tough on the spot decisions all captains must do out on the rim, but echoing Wesley's story he shows what command is. See how he defuses heated emotions in the conference room without favouring anyone. Great stuff. Also, he briefly wears a flat-cap, cementing Jean-Luc Picard's yorkshireness. What? He's supposed to be French? But I thought with Patrick... oh, never mind. The standout bit for me in this episode though is always when Data beams down to the planet. For some reason the image of that little girl's room, seemingly all alone and force-field shielded on a hostile, volcanic planet, just really gets me. It's like pulling up the covers over yourself when you're a kid afraid of monsters under the bed. Nothing can hurt you so long as you stay safely within the bed-frame. That violent contrast between the fiery planet (superb matte painting) and the quiet kid's bedroom... opening the wall and the roaring wind coming through. Woah. Star Trek: TNG doesn't do hostile environment often, but when it does... it nail its. Random thoughts: I love Paycheck O'Brien. You can see it on his face as he watches his higher-ups wrestle with breaking the prime directive; "Man, I'm glad I'm at my pay-grade." Riker's Armpit Maneuver stance is actually pretty comfortable for me. I've been trying it out. Pulaski calling a klingon a coward! Love your diplomacy, Pulaski. Man, she's a spiky one isn't she? Worf: "I believe I will not order a third alcoholic beverage. These drinks are making me gassy." Pulaski: "COWARD!" Fun watching you two guys react to Wesley's journey. Kat! You were all ready to kick Davies off the team straight off the bat... but could you have found anyone quite as good at neatly vapourising little rocks? You let your emotions control you. Crazy to think that in the days of the Royal Navy's Age of Sail, a midshipman could have been even younger than Wesley but in the extremes of emergency would have been expected to take command of the ship and sail her home in the event all higher-ranking crew had been lost to disease, nature or enemy action. I assume it's the same case in Star Trek where every qualified officer on board has to know a little about everything - just enough to bring a vessel home, or do a basic job filling in for another vital crew role. Later on in the series there's going to be an episode that really tests Wesley - and it's one of my favourites. So. Super-great reaction once again. Love you guys, you always make me chuckle, and it's great watching you muse on how far the show has come. Season Three is my favourite too, Paula, with Season Four super-close behind. Really intrigued as to what will be your favourite episode... I know mine!

Chris Neumann

Oh I had to check the list too and was DELIGHTED. That'll be a good one. I also had to watch ahead to another episode to see how a certain reveal played out, to anticipate Kat's reaction.

Robert Williams

Imagine finding out that real horses have controls that are as laggy and seemingly random as the horse riding controls in The Witcher 3. :D

Brad Ireland

This episode with all the action/talk about learning to lead, your comments about being the ultimate internship and your reaction to What Would Picard Do reminded me that they actually released a business management book which you can still get that is called What Would Captain Picard Do?: I've never read it but it might make a nice present for TNG fans. https://www.amazon.com/What-Would-Captain-Picard-Enterprise/dp/0515157147/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/140-2765483-5020562?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0515157147&pd_rd_r=5bffe2bc-0ef6-4fd4-8a9d-dadd908076b0&pd_rd_w=Ee3Ip&pd_rd_wg=3fkm1&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=0J63TX04S2AQZZV383RW&psc=1&refRID=0J63TX04S2AQZZV383RW

PIG

THIS episode is what Star Trek is all about for me. Humanity, science, philosophy, duty, and debate. This is lost in all the recent ST shows and it's sad to watch. At least I can watch this hopeful envision of the future in STNG with you guys. Thank you so much for that.

Chris Lane- Venturi 3D

This episode is better than I remember, some great laugh out loud moments as well. Can't wait for NEXT week! :D

Robert Hill

So...an adventure on a basically magic alien ship, the world is saved, but her memories are erased at the end for her own good. Sarjenka's story is basically Donna's story!

Steven morgan

Yet another one I don’t remember ( surprise surprise) my friend told me I’d hate this one but it was really good and funny, quick question is it weird when you girls are being silly and girly at the end I’m giggling and being silly with you? It is thought so. Cool

John

POSSIBLE SPOILER When you finish Season 2, I recommend watching the original series "Journey to Babel" before starting Season 3. Even if you don't react to it, it will give some back story and character info that is called back at some point.

Matthew Berry

Did you notice the difference in the communicators? The regular ones are gold and silver. Wesley's is silver on silver; likely to go with his uniform I would guess. :-D

Pickupthepieces76

Love the philosophical debate in Picards chambers. Also given Picards (and others) reaction when Data brings her on board, you would expect Data to get a lashing in the end, but Picard instead says he understands his motivations and he's got his back. Picard for the win!

trylikeafool

Next episode is my favorite of season two, and one of the most epic of Star Trek IMO because of what it begins. That said, I wasn't looking forward to this episode because it's generally considered a weak one, but Katrina's reaction changed all of that. So glad she's enjoying it, and the best is yet to come. Maybe you guys can start filming in the same room again for season three. FYI - I wouldn't mind seeing "Shades of Grey" with you, but it's your show...so whatever you decide.

John

As good as the reaction to the title would be to see, it would kill her reaction to *spoilers*.

John

In modern Navy terms, O'Brian would probably be the Chief of the Boat - the senior NCO on board.

Scott Archibald

What I find funny about O'Brian is that by the lore of the show he actually has more command experience than every single other person on the ship, besides the Captain. He just isn't an enlisted officer. Probably why he is so relaxed all the time and works so well with the senior staff. If he was an actual officer he'd most likely be a captain.

Scott Archibald

What I like about how they treat Weasley in this episode is that they never treat him as a child or belittle him. They know he's young and he will make mistakes. They just do their best to guide him.

Bruce Bromley

Paula, I was really hoping that you were going to give Katrina the title of the next episode at the end. I would have loved to see that reaction. I do like this episode, but I would have preferred the two stories were separated and on their own. I did like that Pulaski doesn't look down on Data now and took his side on whether or not to help. I also smiled at Picard's gauge on how deep they were getting.

Jeff Seely

One interesting thing to note is that the girl playing Sarjenka is Nikki Cox. She's faded into obscurity over the past 20 years (and hasn't acted since 2011), but she starred in a Married With Children knockoff called Unhappily Ever After in the '90s. Anyway, I think this is a gem of an episode. We have a nice philosophical debate with every senior officer getting a chance to throw in some input from his or her own perspective, and I love the way that it's all rendered moot when Picard hears the little girl's voice. On top of that, we have a good life lesson for Wesley in the B-plot. Pen Pals isn't an outstanding episode, but it works well as a nice bit of filler. As for Shades of Gray... I completely understand not wanting to react to it. There is some fresh material in it; but yeah, most of the episode is a clip show.

August King

Just an FYI, one of the reasons for the last episode being a clip show is that the next episode used a great deal more of the budget for the season than what they planned. All things being equal, I can appreciate the choice they made. I have been looking forward to Miss Katrina's reaction of the next episode since she started watching TNG.

John

Glad you two didn't skip anything. What's coming in the rest of the show is so much more meaningful after you spend these episodes building relationships. Season 1 showed us the TNG universe and introduced the characters. Season 2 shows us the characters in more depth. Season 3 takes it up to a whole new level and it just keeps getting better. Pulaski's growing. She never disliked Data, she just didn't know him. She treated him like a toaster because she had no idea he was more than that. As she's learned about his humanity she began treating him more as a person and not just a machine. I'm so excited to get to Paula's favorite episode. I'm pretty confident I know which one that is because it's my favorite of the entire series as well.

Jarrod Wild

Not a popular episode but one of the best written I feel. Melinda Snodgrass was involved in this one too (Measure of a Man writer). It's slow (even in their universe, it's like 2 months), there's a bunch of talk about geology, Data has a pen pal, there are no big conflicts. But it's still excellent and captivating, and the highlight has to be the outstanding scene in Picard's quarters. That debate was really intriguing, they covered so many bases relative to the challenges with the Prime Directive.