SPOILERS - Nits - "The Disease"
Wulf
sixteenth episode from the fifth season: "The Disease". If you haven't
seen the episode and you want to watch the program before reading a
description of it then do not read this post.
This post also contains a description of "nits" (problems with the
believability of the episode). If you prefer to avoid such
descriptions then you should not read further.
The rest of you are invited to scroll down a few lines.
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Star Trek: Voyager
Season 5, Episode 16
Title: "The Disease"
Nits:
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1. Pushy Janeway.
Is there some rule that says Janeway -must- be arrogantly pushy ? She
agreed that Central Command is off limits but ignores this agreement
to talk to Jippeq. Are communicators and internal ships communications
offline ? She is told the assembly is classified but ignores this
statement. She is told "the job is done" but insists on continuing the
repairs. She describes how the Varo ignored her hails yet obviously
she brow-beat them till they let her 'help'. If this kind of behaviour
is supposed to endear us to Janeway I have to tell you it only annoys
me.
Nit Value: 0.50
2. Voyager's fate.
Janeway claims they could go through several generations before
reaching the Alpha Quadrant. Given how poorly the writers keep track
of the distance travelled this doesn;t surprise me. However, given the
fact that despite claims to the contrary the reported distances
travelled places them in the Beta Quadrant and only 35 years or so
away from home "several generations" is an inaccurate statement.
Nit Value: 0.25
3. More arrogance.
Janeway no sooner convinces Jippeq to let her access the warp assembly
than B'Elanna and Tom walk into the Central Control area. Don;t they
know this area is off limits ? Janeway hasn;t signalled them to let
them know she's gained approval, so were they listening at the door or
listening through her comm badge ? They don;t even ask for permission
to enter let alone ask Janeway if she gained approval for work on the
assembly to begin.
Nit Value: 0.50
4. Was that blanket glued on ?
In Tal's quarters, a theoretically nude Tal turns to face Harry. As
she moves the blanket clings to her body as if it were a dress. I
understand the need for modesty in a family show, but do they need to
advertise the fact this 'blanket' is actually outfitted with a strap
to keep it clinging to her body and avoid any accidental exposure ?
Nit Value: 0.25
5. Still more arrogance.
In the opening scene Harry is in Tal's quarters. The following scene
Janeway convinces Jippeq to allow her to work on the warp assembly. It
is this scene where Jippeq shows her she can access the assembly in
Central Control. So when Harry leaves Tal's quarters why does he go to
Central Control ? Doesn;t he know Central Control is off limits to
Voyager crew ? How did he find out that he's now allowed in Central
Control ?
Nit Value: 0.50
6. Dodging Tuvok.
How likely is it that Voyager cannot pinpoint the source of Harry's
transmission. How much more likely is it that Tom could persuade Tuvok
to let Tom do the search ? And how likely is it that Tom could cut the
signal without Tuvok knowing what he had done ?
Is the head of security really this incomeptent ?
Nit Value: 0.50
7. Doctor Seven ?
When did Seven become proficient with the medical equipment. When did
she learn to diagnose brain activity to the point of recognizing
unusual synaptic activity ? I've no objection to her learning. But to
step up to a console we've never seen her use, and to show proficiency
without any training so as to have her in the room stretches
credultiy.
Even Data wasn;t this good.
Note that she is later found in Engineering and credited with
discovering that the hull virus is artificially created. Omnipresent,
omniscient, omnipotent Seven. Is there anything this crew can do
without her help ?
And how is it she can learn all these skills yet still not learn to
talk or interact like a human ?
Nit Value: 0.50
8. Interspecies protocol.
"All Star Fleet personnel must obtain authorization from their CO as
well as clearance from their medical officer before initiating an
intimate relationship with an alien species".
Since when ? According to this scene Harry learned this as a cadet, at
least a year before the start of Voyager. Did Doc give his medical
approval for that kiss between Janeway and Kashek in "Counterpoint" ?
Did both Janeway and Doc approve that kiss between Valerie Archer (an
8472) and Chakotay in "In the Flesh" ? And that is just -this- season.
Did Janeway put a reprimand for herself in her permanent record for
"Counterpoint" ? Or for Chakotay ? Did we even see anyone mentioning
this protocol ? As I recall Chakotay's intimacy was a joke between
Harry and Tom and Chakotay in "In the Flesh".
Nit Value: 2.00 (this concept should have been stricken from the
script the minute it was read).
9.Getting help on propulsion from the Varo.
Just how likely is it the Varo have any technical knowledge to offer
Voyager when they cannot fix their own warp engines ?
Nit Value: 0.25
10. Harry vs. Janeway.
Janeway orders Harry to end the relationship with Tal after Harry
claims the relationship isn;t a "fling" and that he has "true
feelings" for her. So why doesn;t Harry resign Star Fleet instead of
accepting her conditions ? If he wants to stay with Tal doesn;t it
make sense to quit Star Fleet? And if he doesn;t want to quit Star
Fleet why defend the relationship as something more than a "fling" ?
Nit Value: 0.25
11. Neelix and Tuvok.
Neelix discovers that environmental controls were used to provide an
environment in a Jeffries tube. Tuvok tells him the commands were
encoded to avoid detection. So why is it Neelix discovered this and
not the head of security (i.e. Tuvok) ? Is it time to replace Tuvok
with Neelix as head of security ??
Nit Value: 0.25
12. Following the bread crumbs.
Was it really necessary for the Varo stowaway to leave his food on the
other side of the hatch where he was hiding ? Are they really that
stupid ?
Nit Value: 0.25
13. Harry breaks off the relationship.
Harry enters Tal's quarters alone to tell her he must break off their
relationship.Why did Janeway permit this rather than have Harry call
her through communications and why didn;t she re-assign Harry to some
other responsibility that doesn;t require him to leave Voyager ?
Nit Value: 0.25
14. Keeping secrets.
At first the stowaway refuses to answer questions about the movement
amongst the Varo to escape the ship. But when he is arrested by
Chakotay he tells Chakotay to tell Jippeq there are hundreds more like
him. Does it make sense to have this told to Jippeq, who is only going
to be more on his guard as a result of this information thus making it
harder for anyone to get rid of him ?
Nit Value: 0.25
15. Janeway (grrrr).
While eating a meal with Chakotay she admits her decision regarding
Harry is "a little extreme" but then dismisses it as harry going
through "growing pains".
They're -how- many light years from home ? Harry has been celibate for
-how- long ?
And Janeway shows not the least bit of understanding or compassion.
She claims she applies the same standards to all her officers.
Really ?
Chakotay points out she encourages him to question her orders if he
feels they're wrong. She claims he's her first officer, and that Harry
is just an ensign and hasn;t earned the right to question her orders.
So already we have evidence that she does not set the same standards
for all her officers.
Janeway kissed Kashek in "Counterpoint" without medical clearance. Did
she place a formal reprimand in her own record for this ? Chakotay
kissed Valerie Archer, the 8472 with neither medical clearance nor
Janeway's approval in "In the Flesh". Did Janeway place a formal
reprimand in his record for this ?
What were they thinking ? Is there a reason for encouraging so much
animosity towards the Janeway character ??? Is this the same character
who offered technology to the waterworld aliens in "Thirty Days"
despite the Prime Directive yet locked Tom up for violating the Prime
Directive when he tried to save the waterworld ?
Nit Value: 5.00 (I don;t tolerate hypocrisy in this show very well)
16. Tal's arrival on the shuttle.
How many times have we seen people beamed onto a shuttle with their
backs to the front of shuttle ? We've seen people who were initially
sitting beamed over in an upright position. And no matter which
direction people seem to face they always end up facing forward when
they arrive on the transporter pad.
So why does Tal arrive facing the back of the shuttle ?
Nit Value: 0.25
17. Pulled over.
Why did Tuvok use the Delta Flyer ? Why not simply send a signal
ordering him to return ?
Nit Value: 0.25
18. Docking clamps.
Why is it these things go offline -just- when they're needed most ?
This is like keeping the transporter lock on an away team only to
discover it isn;t functioning when the away team needs to be beamed
away.
Nit Value: 0.25
Summary:
-----------
Nit Value for "The Disease": 12.25
Wulf's Nitpicker Rating: -2.25
-------------------------------
10 - Nit Value = Wulf's Nitpicker Rating
Thanks for your attention.
Wulf
--There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
Nelson Mandela 1994
Bill Simon
alien sex that results in glowing skin? I'm sure that "personal contact"
can be read to include kissing, but the implications of sexual contact and
mere kissing are certainly different, and Janeway had every right to make a
big deal out of this.
Wulf
>
>Don't you see the *least* bit of difference between a kiss and some wild
>alien sex that results in glowing skin? I'm sure that "personal contact"
>can be read to include kissing, but the implications of sexual contact and
>mere kissing are certainly different, and Janeway had every right to make a
>big deal out of this.
>
>> she place a formal reprimand in her own record for this ? Chakotay
>> kissed Valerie Archer, the 8472 with neither medical clearance nor
>> Janeway's approval in "In the Flesh". Did Janeway place a formal
>> reprimand in his record for this ?
The protocol said, in part "before initiating an intimate
relationship".
Such relationships are "initiated" with a kiss. Clearly that was
Janeway's intent when she kissed Kashek in "Cunterpoint".
And given the existence of Herpes in our own species and how this
disease can be passed through kissing (not to mention the common cold
and other orally transmitted diseases) I fail to see why you would
exclude kissing from a protocol that is clearly designed to prevent
the transmission of diseases between species (which is why "medical
clearance" is required).
Wulf
>
>X-No-Archive: yes
>
>
>Bill Simon wrote:
>>
>> Don't you see the *least* bit of difference between a kiss and some wild
>> alien sex that results in glowing skin?
>
>
>course, a person's vision is usually pretty obscured when his head is up
>his ass.
Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
the bandwidth to flame me instead.
Ali Andrews
>Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
>me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
>the bandwidth to flame me instead.
No. He is warning Bill that you are a nutter.
Allie
x
Antony Alonso
>>>Don't you see the *least* bit of difference between a kiss and some wild
>>>alien sex that results in glowing skin?
>>If it ain't involving leather and bullwhips, wulf doesn't see much. Of
>>course, a person's vision is usually pretty obscured when his head is up
>>his ass.
>Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
>me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
>the bandwidth to flame me instead.
No, Steve's encouraging Bill and people in general to keep their eyes open.
Personal, final opinions are up to the various denizens that inhabit this
NG --- whether long-timers, lurkers, or ocassional posters. There's a
difference, but of a subtle nature. Then again, subtleness has never been
your forte, right?
>Wulf
--
*ATTENTION*
==========
Do NOT auto-reply to this message. The return address has been purposefully
altered so as to prevent unsolicited spam mail. To properly respond via
email, delete the "/REMOVE/" in the reply-to address.
Antony Alonso
>On Sat, 24 Apr 1999 07:59:20 GMT, Wu...@idirect.com (Wulf) wrote:
>>Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
>>me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
>>the bandwidth to flame me instead.
>No. He is warning Bill that you are a nutter.
Refreshingly free of political correctness.
>Allie
>x
Aardvark
> > Don't you see the *least* bit of difference between a kiss and some wild
> > alien sex that results in glowing skin?
>
>
> If it ain't involving leather and bullwhips, wulf doesn't see much. Of
> course, a person's vision is usually pretty obscured when his head is up
> his ass.
ROTFL!!
Ok, not that funny... maybe the 6 pack of diet Bud just kicked in.
Stormstruck
Steve Christianson wrote in message <372183...@worldnet.att.net>...
>X-No-Archive: yes
>
>wulf girlishly snivelled:
Hey thats insulting girls!!!
PS - W*lf Sucks
MaxWarlock
>>
On Sat, 24 Apr 1999 07:59:20 GMT, Wu...@idirect.com (Wulf) wrote:
>Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
>me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
>the bandwidth to flame me instead.
No. He is warning Bill that you are a nutter.
Allie
You know, there's a lot of things I disagree with Wulf about. But I'd not call
him a nutter. He strikes me as intelligent, passionate, articulate, and in most
ways I can see, a gentleman.
Maxie.
"In the middle of the journey of my life
I found myself in a dark wood
Where the straight way was lost.
O, it is hard, even now, to describe that land,
Which even in recall renews my fear."
Ali Andrews
>On Sat, 24 Apr 1999 07:59:20 GMT, Wu...@idirect.com (Wulf) wrote:
>>Bill, christianson is warning you that civil, on-topic discussion with
>>me isn;t welcomed here by the regulars who would much prefer you use
>>the bandwidth to flame me instead.
>
>No. He is warning Bill that you are a nutter.
>
>Allie
>
>
>You know, there's a lot of things I disagree with Wulf about. But I'd not call
>him a nutter. He strikes me as intelligent, passionate, articulate, and in most
>ways I can see, a gentleman.
>Maxie.
But some of the most dangerous people in society have been
intelligent, passionate and articulate - it doesn't preclude the
person being a nutter!
As for him being a gentleman - yes he is until you dare to disagree
with him. The way he treated people like FIVEBAND, Anita and Erin -
who had stuck up for him - was disgusting.
Allie
x