Star Trek TNG: 110-112

I'm a bit late, but I wanted to comment on the forever life pill anyway. I would absolutely take it for as long as I'm able. There's always going to be more in life that I want to experience. I'm not really concerned with potentially outliving everyone I know. I'll get over them and meet plenty of new people along the way.

Kevin Bartelen

for the "eternal pill".......you should check out the "Altered Carbon". as for me, whether i would take the pill would depend on the society im living in, and how my life and life in general around me is going. if life and society is pretty decent, i would give it at least a couple centuries.

James Stiles

I would never stop taking that hypothetical pill.

Steven Linden

I did not see it mentioned that Majel Barrett that played Lwaxana Troi and Nurse Chappel was Gene Roddenberry wife, they married in 1969

Vinnero

Ah, & so begins the Holodeck Malfunction trope 😆.

Marcus Hicks

Hide and Q - interesting concept, bad execution. Maybe the Q got their powers as a gift, which would explain why they are so human-like. I have a hard time caring about the other 2 episodes.

Guts

Why couldn’t data stop the holodeck characters? They had GUNS! Data isn’t the flash, he can’t disarm them all instantly. A single shot could have killed Crusher or Picard. As soon as the door was open, Welan was no longer in danger. As soon as they knew they had access to their medical facilities, a gun shot is easily manageable. The holodeck uses a mix of hard light illusion and replicator technology. It can easily create things like lipstick.

Edina Lewis

Re: the conversation at the beginning: Life is a car race, in a car with no brakes, a stuck gas pedal, and a blacked-out windshield. All you have to go by is what's whizzing past the side windows, which is already gone before you even know what you're looking at. You can have a good long look out the rear window if you want, but you can't do anything about that and it still doesn't tell you anything about what's ahead of you. The steering wheel works, for all the good that does; you might as well try it since you're going to be held responsible for what happens anyway. And there is no finish line, no winners or losers, no champagne or trophy. You are going to crash. The nest you can hope for is to last long enough to make it worthwhile, somehow. And you will never know why this is happening, what the point of it all is. You will crash, knowing no more about it than when you started. ...FUCK that noise. Give me the damn pills, and keep 'em coming, at the very least until I get some damn answers.

I Will Not Be Complicit In The Illicit Use Of Ill-Gotten Booty

U should watch In Time with Justin Timberlake I dives into the aging question George asking people stop aging at 25 and use ur time left in ur life as currency

Anthony Varra

The writers were totally trolling Patrick Stewart at the end of The Big Goodbye. Classically trained Shakespearean actor being forced to speak the most absurd fictional language with a straight face. Always makes me laugh 😂

Christian Rennie

I believe they mention in an earlier episode that the Holodeck, which is new, uses technology similar to both their transporters and replicators, in that it can reconstitute matter into different patterns to produce real things like food, clothing, water, lipstick, etc Just like the food replicators create a cup of tea that then exists in the real world. They cannot, however, *produce* living tissue because they essentially use a "lower resolution" pattern than transporters that can't sustain all of living functions of a human body like it can form a wrench or a banana. The transporter similarity also explains why Wesley was worried about them all vanishing, since they could still be "beamed away" (to nowhere) but there would be no way to reconstitute their physical patterns at the right "resolution."

DDK

If I'm not mistaken the actor red block is also joe from reservoir dogs

Old School Drew

Everyone has probably seen "Honest Trailers - Star Trek: The Next Generation"

LazyBoy Stays Up Late Watchin Video Tapes

It's not just you George you don't gotta explain anything about that last episode 😂

LazyBoy Stays Up Late Watchin Video Tapes

just realized that Q is Janes dad in Breaking Bad

simon brouillard

I don't think either saying is true, neither "absolute power corrupts absolutely" nor that it reveals who you are. I think you choose to be the person who you are, power just enables you to have more choices. I also think that most choices are bad choices, and only a few are good choices. So when you get more choices, you get way more bad then good possible choices. Plus your inexperience in the possible new choices you have can make it difficult for some people to navigate the new paradigm. We see this in real life, when people who where less well off win the lottery or suddenly become rich. They get a lot more new possible choices with all the new wealth they have gained, but all to often, a lot of these people waste their money and make a bunch of bad choices. This phenomenon even has a name, Suden Wealth Syndrome. I think Bill Burr made a comedic bit with a similar point about this ones about Tiger Woods and the groupies they are presented with.

gobmob2000

TNG season 1 and to a lesser extent, season 2, is just wildly inconsistent both internally and in the larger series. This is one of the reasons that people often say that season 1 is a bit of a slog.

R. Chang

I feel that the biggest foe the TNG crew ever ran up against was the writers of the show.

Mike FromOz

that the lipstick still stays on picards face after he left the holodeck doesnt makt any sense, even the dixon hill characters disappear after they left the holodeck

overdev

The actual question is , "How long will Simone's spouse go before they give up and stop slipping the pill into her morning coffee each day?"

LazyBoy Stays Up Late Watchin Video Tapes

George, things will be revealed like Data’s story. Only 10 episodes in out of character is hard to say with so many characters. They are working it out the series was hurried into production. You are used to more modern TV where tv shows didn’t have legacy to fall back on, they have to make the best first season possible. Also unlike games or movies TV shows as I understand allow there to be discovery and reveals in the writers room for characters and storylines.

SpankTheMonk

Dick Miller! How fun in the Dixon Hill simulation. That Holodeck woman in pink/red so looks like one of the Tilly sisters- Meg or Jennifer but nothing on IMDB. Good thing there is a doctor. One of the goons could still shoot them. Also think of a super car, you can have fun racing it, it has lots of safety features, but it could still kill you- there are many examples like this. They had to defeat the guy before they got the guy out even after the gun crush- . You are finding flaws within nuances that are trying to be balanced with the script and story and working out the concept of the Holodeck. Data can’t nor can the future solve a head being blown off by accident if they miss fire and shoot Picard in the head. Data is not faster than a bullet, he reacted once he found a moment, and there are at least 2 characters with drawn guns.

SpankTheMonk

George not recognizing Nurse Chapel breaks my little hart. A plot and B plots on TV shows with so many episodes don’t have to align it provides a break from the norm. Obviously you find out they do connect in this episode but I like the episodes with Troi’s mom they provide levity and a great recurring story.

SpankTheMonk

You maybe disappointed as I understand the distances between stars are so great even in galaxy’s that it might be very subtle even as things get ejected and pass through. However you will get a great view of the sun growing larger if you wait till about 5 billion years

SpankTheMonk

Holograms outside of the holodeck were used more early on. Forgot that there are more like the harp players. I am guessing the FX budget was reduced for that and more for the Holodeck sets. Also interesting comment about contemporary music for the characters, someone made a point that coincidentally Star Trek not doing future media like movies and music might be because of AI swarm made only ancient pastimes and art forms more interesting. When it was more likely the writers didn’t want to guess how future media would be so out of date even in a few decades. And they have the Holodeck 🖖

SpankTheMonk

He hadn't just known him for a few hours though. Picard was already established as a longtime fan of the books. He knew that character in his imagination long before he met him on the holodeck.

Lincynity

Questions around temporary sentient beings are addressed in a later series with one of my favorite characters in that series.

Angzarr

Yeah, Data is not impervious to damage. If you prick him, does he not.... leak? This also reminds me of a favorite line from Tom Baker-era Doctor Who, where an exasperated Brigadier exclaims "Just once, I'd like to meet an alien menace that wasn't immune to bullets!"

Angzarr

Yeah, I think taking the pill means that most likely you just end up dying of a car accident eventually.

Angzarr

What do you mean "we?". If this is a simulation, then since I'm the only person experiencing it in first person you probably don't exist either, you're just part of it! Then there's the Boltzmann Brain hypothesis, which is even weirder.

Angzarr

Maybe he just envied Howard Hamlin's "Tan"!

Angzarr

The actor, Lawrence Tierney, appeared in a number of real Noir films. He was also Elaine's dad on Seinfeld, and was so good they would have invited him back to continue playing the role, if he hadn't been kind of a psycho off screen. The cop who takes Picard downtown was played by William Boyett, a favorite of Jack Webb. He was the Sergeant in "Adam-12" and had a recurring role as fire chief in "Emergency", as well as a number of parts in "Dragnet". Since you mentioned cinematic universes, here's a weird one: In Adam-12, there's an episode where the characters from Emergency appear, so they're real within the same universe. However, there's an episode of Emergency where these same the characters watch Adam-12, which makes all the characters in the Adam-12 universe fictional, including themselves. Thus, the Emergency characters are both real and fictional within their own universe. I've always wondered what would happen if they watched the episode they appeared in. And what would I do if I was watching TV and suddenly I appeared? This is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night, because I'm a weirdo.

Angzarr

I would love a proper Maltese Falcon reaction, one of the best detective/noir movies ever and it still holds up all these years later.

Weirdo

The Big Goodbye is one of the early episodes I quite enjoy, personally. It's not perfect but the situation is fun and the comedy is great.

Angzarr

I said "Mork calling Orson!" as soon as I saw it!

Angzarr

Right. Which makes sense, because it would be really weird to eat food on the holodeck and then have it disapear from your stomach when you leave!

Angzarr

He was also on Night Court a number of times, as himself.

Angzarr

in what insane universe is anything they said remotely sounding like "looking down their noses" at the holodeck?? what are you seriously saying this show is absolutely perfect and has no flaws, not in any way goofy at times? even trek fans know S1 and 2 are shit. or is it only acceptable to you if they just sit there passively nodding and only say things you agree with.

robodong

Zerocyde

I agree and would add Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing" to the list.

Ginger

The perfect follow-up to the Dixon Hill episode would be the movie "The Maltese Falcon". You'll recognise that the whiny guy and Redblock are clear references to actors Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet. Their personalities are basically film noir tropes.

Ginger

Data is fast, strong, and resistant to damage, but he couldn't have guaranteed that no-one else would be shot. The episode made sense. It wasn't breaking established rules.

Joe Stacey

Have you heard of the immortal snail dilemma? What would you do?

Mastervodo

I want to see when our galaxy collides with Andromeda in about 2 billion years. Let's schedule staying alive for that and then we'll take it from there. [With Shakespearean dramatics]: What is stronger than Q's limitless power over space and time and life and death? A man's word. Hoho no I think the Q episodes are funny but not nearly as deep as Roddenberry seems to think. The conceit here, to "accelerate" humanity, presumes there's a given endgame of a species' development and a single path to reach it, which Q can only corrupt and render meaningless by offering shortcuts. In the terms of the cheat codes analogy, imagine if it occurred to Q to play outside the designer's intended game parameters rather than just bend them, or even design their own game.

Amelie W

Dixon Hill is based on the private detectives Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe, two of the most popular and famous private eyes in pop culture. Created by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler respectively, they became the archetype for the hardboiled, jaded antihero that became the subject of the noir fiction (and film noir when they were translated into the new medium). The title of the TNG episode comes from Chandler's Phillip Marloe novel, though most of the characters and the plot's search for the "object," come from Hammett's The Maltese Falcon. I told you all that, so I can ask you this: Will you consider watching The Maltese Falcon (1941) and The Thin Man (1934)?

Simon Pegged Me

Growing up I was a huge Star Wars fan and stayed away from watching Star Trek do to the rivalry. But watching the Star Trek TOS, Animated, and films with you guys and now TNG I have become a bigger fan of Star Trek and look forward to watching new Star Trek content every week with you guys. It is now something I can look forward to every week.

Stefan Daniw

With multiple gunmen Redblock maintains control by having multiple people threatened at once. Data, is not faster than a bullet, nor is he completely immune himself. If Data moves to disarm Leech, the Thug can shoot at Picard, if he moves for the Thug, Leech can shoot the Dr. And Redblock is almost certainly armed himself. The Captain and Data both understand this. As to why Picard stayed behind to "say goodbye". To give you an analogy I think will strike home. the Dixon Hill novels, are his LOTR. He was literally able to step into that world, something he's loved since childhood. Imagine you going into the Shire, fucking up Sam's whole worldview and having him stand there looking at you for an explanation. Would you just leave?

Eversharpe

It was weird that Picard stayed behind to talk to his holodeck friend, whom he had known for a few hours, like it was such a terrible goodbye, when he could just play again, and even delete what they all learned, but it wasn't odd that he didn't go with Data and Crusher with the injured guy, because he never does. People get hurt, and the right people take them to sickbay, and he doesn't go with them. Data is not a T-1000 😆 I'll say no more, but I think of a Boston Dynamics robot. They can be really strong, but if you shoot one, it's probably not going to shake it off. Data's not a warbot.

Gary Fixler

Tracy Tormé, son of singer-songwriter, Mel Tormé, wrote the story and teleplay for Haven, and wrote The Big Goodbye (the Dixon Hill episode), and was the executive story editor on episodes 17, and 19-25 of the first season of TNG. He also co-created the TV series, Sliders (1995-2000), which starred Jerry O'Connell and John Rhys Davies. Oh, and he was the producer of I Am Legend (2007). His father, Mel, wrote something like 250 songs, some of which are classics, like "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."). Here's him singing that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiT1lZ6pkK4 Mel is also the guy Jane was dancing all goofy with in The Naked Gun 2 1/2, at the start of the clip here (his turn and shrug was supposed to be a big reveal, but I think most of us didn't recognize him): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiT1lZ6pkK4

Gary Fixler

I don't think it's explained at all until another show, and then only vaguely, but some things on the holodeck are replicated, and some are holographic projection. Food, water, apparently lipstick etc are replicated and can exist outside the simulation. Everything else is made out of light. Essentially, anything an actor carries out through the door and it still exists is replicated. So Wesley dripping with water at Farpoint, Picard covered in lipstick and many more things they cock-up are covered.

Lincynity

I just realized this is the 4th time I’ve followed a reaction channel watching TNG! Can you tell I like the show? One channel finished, and the other two are around Season 6 and 7. Also it’s the second channel with one existing fan and one brand new viewer.

Joe Concepts

To George's point, a few times now, about not needing the B story, and the A would have been enough, I'm pretty sure most TNG, if not all, is built on the A/B plotline format. I think that was just a very standard storytelling thing in the 80s. I didn't know anything as a kid back then, and wasn't very critical of shows I liked, but I recall several times thinking there was no need for another small story on top of the main one.

Gary Fixler

So I disagree that the guys in the holodeck weren't a threat because of data. With multiple guns that could quickly go off there's no guarantee that he could stop them before someone else got shot. So I think them being careful made complete sense. They already saw something unexpected and someone's life was threatened so it would be too risky to just tell data to stop them and risk someone getting shot in the head or something. I think the lack of urgency at the end regarding the guy being shot is it's a pretty basic wound for them to heal now that they had access to their sick bay. It was a concern when they were out of control and couldn't leave... so Picard cared but how many times as a gamer have you spent a bit extra time wrapping up your game when you probably should be doing something else, because you were so invested. Some of that was early holodeck and the rule will be well established later, but also the typical sci-fi trope of something malfunctioning. Keep in mind the episode started setting up the premise with the info that the holodeck had just had a big upgrade, as we know first versions can never be trusted. So they did set it up to be an exception, not a normal circumstance vs the rule. Combined with the alien probe of course. On a separate note you guys really need to give The Expanse a second try. You guys are literally the only people I've ever seen try it as a reaction and not like it. I think it's so info dense and with your flow of not pausing but talking over things you missed a LOT of things that explained what you felt was missing. Might be a bit of an adjustment to try and talk around that and pay attention more but man it's my favorite sci-fi show ever. Over Farscape, all the Stargates, all the Star Treks, etc. It's simply the best and is just amazing. Try it again. I also feel like you guys are a lot more embracing of things now. TBH you guys used to be a bit too hypercritical, sometimes inventing things to nitpick (ok, you still are that way a bit, this whole data could stop them all thing for example, not mentioning even the possibility that he might not stop them all before a shot gets fired and someone gets hurt etc, but you guys are far better than you used to be). The Expanse explains everything... 99.999% of the time if you think it doesn't make sense or isn't explained then you missed something or it's going to be explained and it does all indeed make sense. Give it another try! You'd love it.

Matthew Langley

It took all my brain power, but I finally figured out why I know Wyatt. He was Sam Sullivan on Heroes, T-Bag on Prison Break, Simeon on Stargate Universe, Antonius in the first two Hunger Games, and easily 6 other bit parts. He pops up in a lot of shows. He was so young in this episode!

Gary Fixler

Re: Wyatt wearing a giant triangle, look up Mork spacesuit.

Gary Fixler

So watching the Q episode as little kid like the Wesley death penalty episode was so scary. Not just the reveal of the dead kid but the bayonet stabbings were so gruesome and easy. Felt a little like the scene in Saving Private Ryan. Yeah George the wrap up was to quick.

SpankTheMonk

🖖

SpankTheMonk

On the topic of putting DATA in the line of fire, even though he'd probably be able to take the bullet hits and still function better than any flesh and blood person, there was no way of knowing how much the bullets would affect him or not. They might have an idea of his durability, but even if they were certain of his invulnerability, Picard is not a captain who would willingly order one of his crew to put themselves in that position to shield him or anyone else against attack.

Mitchell Bowker

Great story in the comic series

SpankTheMonk

Yes like mentioned below that the holodeck can create like the food replicators and transporter can create objects and materials too. But the writers typically don’t flesh out every aspect so they have flex

SpankTheMonk

Interesting, also I wonder if people would actually have more kids or would the change of length of time would change that urge.

SpankTheMonk

😉

SpankTheMonk

Maybe a suggestion for Death Becomes Her??!!!

SpankTheMonk

So the everlasting pill question feels like a lot of current “would you…” question I see on Reddit. Too many variables and too big of a concept to provide a concise answer. Not sure how it directly relates to Star Trek but greater sci-fi. In Star Trek the medical breakthroughs are about extending healthy life and there for humans live longer than now but not indefinitely. I think Simone’s answer would be more common than we might think. I have felt the doom many times Simone it sucks, sorry you feel it too.

SpankTheMonk

Never stop trying to sync up with the intro monologue! By the end of season 7, you should will be able to do the whole thing. We need this... now more than ever.

PJ

Season 1 is pretty bad overall...besides a handful of episodes, Season 2 is where you get some good episodes, and a far higher batting average .

Imthecatman

Who-ever knew Teddy (T-Bag) was such a Romantic.

Imthecatman

Have you guys considered an “end of WWII” movie? The 80th anniversary might be a reason. If you did, I’d strongly suggest “The Best Years of Our Lives”, one of the actors (Harold Russell) won a record two Oscars (!) for this one role, which was also his first acting job.

InAz

Fuck, Marry, Kill - Picard Edition which I think is the Kobiashi Maru version of FMK......Q, Wesley, Liwaxana

Knytestorme

I *bleeping* love Star Trek Day

Joshua Milus

Also regarding the Data situation, Simone isn't far off about the difficulty in repairing him, which we'll see more of in literally the next episode so I'm not saying any more.

Simone's Coconut Squire

George's hypothetical question about the immortality pill is a question that "The Good Place" attempts to answer. In other words, WATCH THE GOOD PLACE.

Jesse Coombs

Cyrus Redblock in The Big Goodbye is also Joe in Reservoir Dogs. Does that mean Star Trek and Tarantino are a shared cinematic universe?

Simone's Coconut Squire

George is really feeling some Season 1 now. Don't worry, it gets better! ;)

JD Nevesytrof

Hate Q. For me , he never gets better imo. Love me some wesley crusher!

Brandy Sawyer

About Wesley: this is a great time to recommend Wil Wheaton's Montreal Comic-Con 2025 panel. By far the best panel I saw there, and somebody finally put it up on YouTube. He said at the start to feel free to record and post it - unfortunately the one recording that's up now is missing the first 10 minutes, but it's still got some great stuff addressing what it was like to play a character that was so important to him but often written so badly.

JoeNotCharles

I would take the pill until I couldn't take it anymore. I do want to live for as long as possible and figure out as much as I can. Learn all that is learnable, return that information to my creator. If I'm gonna check out, it will be doing the most dangerous thing that I can think of, but not because I got older. Fair trade.

deskmerc

Has anyone mentioned that the Captains Log part of each episode is actually Picard just recording the the stats on his morning bowel movement? The Federation is really concerned about gut health.

Hamesque

There are various ways to justify events in this episode (nobody knows how strong the computer has made the holographic characters vs Data for instance) but in the grand scheme of things it's missing the bigger point. The first season is very inconsistent with some of its ideas and often clunky in their execution - such as what Q is, and the abilities and limitations of Data - which is why many people recommend skipping it. But a lot of its concepts get picked up on, refined and clarified by future writers so IMO it's still interesting to watch how these ideas develop into staples of the Star Trek universe. Even seeming inconsistencies like the lipstick staying around on Picard become incorporated into the (pseudo)science of how the holodeck functions in the deep lore of the setting. As far as Q episodes go, I think what saves them is John de Lancie and Patrick Stewart just being great actors. With both having background on the stage I think they mostly become entertaining for watching them pace around the set chewing the scenery, and its clear they enjoyed working together. They also become the stand-in for the endless 'godlike beings' episodes in TOS.

Ian Tellam

Can an "Impending sense of doom" be real if there are people that survived to tell about it?

Simone's Coconut Squire

George's intro question: It's impossible to answer, because we literally have zero frame of reference, therefore any answer is a pure guess.

Simone's Coconut Squire

George misses some points about Data strength in the holodeck. They've shown you how impredictable is the holodeck when it fails, so as soon as someone tries to over pass the program, the computer could react badly, such as lowering the temperature as well as increasing it to death. So, unless the captain doesn't give a specific order Data knows he must do nothing. The actor who plays Wyatt in the 11th episode is Robert Knepper, and he plays one of the best villain in series history in "Prison Break".

Light Movies

Regarding the hypothetical pill: To quote Hob Gadling in The Sandman, "Death is a mug's game". I would take the pill and keep going. I want to see what happens next.

Adam Morgan

I maintain that, uneven as the first and second seasons of TNG, they are worlds better than the first and second seasons of “Picard.” UGH. The first and second season of “Picard” are some of the worst television I’ve ever seen.

REDR58

I have a confession to make... Yesterday, my brother gave me the last big portion of a "space cake" he cooked some time ago. Today at breakfast, I was eating a part of it while watching this reaction to TGN, and then suddenly... Simone appeared to me as a supremely beautiful deity (of course), sent to Earth just to bring joy to our poor human souls. Something like that. I wonder : was that the revelation of a cosmic truth ? ✨ But I think that later on the day, Kim Wexler had a similar effect on me, so... ? 😅

Ludovic Ligot

George, your question about wanting to never age and stick around precludes that this world is worth sticking around in extra overtime to see more of LOL

StonyD

It's becoming my favorite part of their reactions

KnittingHaven

Is George in Mexico? he seems to have the Mexico filter on

mpd

Nick Bostrom, an Oxford University philosopher, is a prominent figure who proposed the simulation argument in 2003. In this argument he postulates that if humanity does go extinct in the near future and if we still enjoy creating virtual reality environments then the odds are we are NOT a real environment but a virtual reality ourselves. In fact he calculated that the odds that we are real is 1 in a billion. Crossing my fingers and hoping no one turns us off.

Patrick - Excelsior

George, your hypothetical reminds me a lot of the setup in The Culture series by Iain M Banks. In that series, death from old-age has been eliminated, but humans can choose to die whenever they want. Most people tend to decide to die after about 300 years. Personally, that feels about right to me. That said, even just in the time I've been alive, I've seen the society I live in start to morph in ways that make me start to feel like an outsider. Also, in the world we live in now, I suspect I would die of some accidental or violent death long before I would decide to stop taking the pill.

Lex Kuzma

Idea for Simone's next tattoo. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1712274886119303&set=gm.1789806644975598

Gary Fixler

regarding "the pill"... let's face it, it would never, EVER be that available to everyone, it would be for the rich & powerful & connected, cuz that's just how humans work. we can't have the "unwashed masses" living as long as they want! *pearl clutch* what if they offer no benefit to society!? Or worship the wrong God!? Yada Yada, etc. etc.

Crystal

Let's put it this way about Q. His personality does not remarkably change, but through multiple appearances his character and his species shows some depth, and you realize that sometimes he is sometimes trying to help even as he mocks us. I'd say the same applies to the Ferengi. You start to learn more about the race and society, and you start to see some similarities to our own current and past Earth societies and you meet differnt Ferengi with different outlooks and different ways of dealing. Eventually as the Ferengi begin to interact with Humans, you begin to realize that there are good and bad in them and that they are capable of growth.

Alan Kobb

Similarly, in the first episode Wesley comes running out of the holodeck soaking wet and runs right into Picard. Items in the holodeck are real, but can't hurt visitors as long as the "safety protocols" are engaged.

Glenner7

It has always been established that simple matter is eaay to reconstruct like complex things as humans or animals. The Holodeck is described as a biproduct of the replicator and works on the same principle on simple matter. Rocks, plants, water, snow etc are replicated as real and when the holodeck ks turned off the matter is turbed back into energy. So a lipstick can still stay on A real persons lips if he leave the holodeck because it is in fact replicated real matter.

TomGas2025

If you watch The Maltese Falcon, the Dixon Hill story becomes clearer.

Glenner7

But we have heard a lot of times that just cutting the power off is dangerous for the people inside...what could happen was never told.

TomGas2025

In terms of star trek-like characters realizing they're in aSci-Fi story, you should read "Redshirts". I think there's even an audiobook read by Wil Wheaton. It's a great book, not specifically about Star Trek but it plays with all the tropes. I guess holodeck episodes were just extremely cheap to produce, as they didn't have to build any sets or hire any actors. ;)

Ginger

I always said 50% of star trek plots can be solved by a few simple changes. This one all they had to do was route the main viewer to holodeck 2 and recreate Picard in that holodeck on the bridge, and tell the computer EXACTLY what to say. They would have no way of knowing it wasn't Picard and it is 100% that it'd be better than Picard did even. Another solution is a lever outside the holodeck that just manually cuts power and turns it off.

Eric Wilson

I've thought about George's idea of being able to just not age through some trick, and even what if I could bring along my family, etc. One thing that occurs to me is that part of the reason many of us get along with our family is that we start to lose some of them. One gets in an accident. Some older ones die of old age. I've long felt that if you didn't have that to keep recentering things, and keep reminding you of how short our time here is, and how we want to make all our interactions count, even if it's only a subconscious feeling, that over millennia, things would devolve into family feuds (not the game show), and factions, and Chinese-style familial empires. I'm in my late 40s. Mom's in her early 70s. We feel more each year how little time we have left together. We were always a great mom+son pair, but we're extra kind now. Things she would nag me about my whole life, now she says "It's fine. Everything will work out." I do way more for her, like using my maker abilities to make her all kinds of stuff. If now suddenly we would both just live for hundreds of years, I feel like a lot of that would wane. Like I want to do something nice for her 75th. If the time limit got pushed way back, maybe I'd say "ah, I don't feel like it. I'll make it up to her on her 100th. Multiply that out over tons of things, and many, many more decades. I feel like it would fundamentally change relationships. We could all go back to being angsty teens, 'cause I don't WANNA clean my room! (or whatever the 200-year old equivalent is). Maybe all the time would chill us out, though, like Ents, and it would balance out. I don't know. I think it would also be generational, how it would play out. Like my generation, Gen-X, uses the internet in a very different way than Gen-Z. Like all my late 40s friends look up everything, and have all this curiosity, because we all went 20+ years not being able to. I've been amazed many times meeting some, kids and teens, who don't seem to know anything about the internet. They grew up with it, so they just don't explore it., like how a ton of people who live in an area never do the things in that area until people from out of town/state/province visit. I'm sure many do, but I've really been surprised a number of times, how much kids, who I thought were growing up knowing all this stuff, because it's all around them, have seemed to know nothing. I think we, right now, not having that ability, would think so much differently about it then the kids who would then grow up with it. I always said that human flight would be the most amazing thing, to everyone before it existed. The kids born the day after it was invented would have grown up in a world where it had literally always existed, and it wouldn't be a miracle to them.

Gary Fixler

im sorry but this is just idiotic. enjoying a show does not mean ask no questions and have no thoughts- and this is a reaction channel. the point is to hear their thoughts. at no point had he said "im not enjoying this", but youre so afraid of others not liking something that youre taking any questions as a dislike of the show. theyre not children. you dont need to constantly shout "iT gEtS bEtTeR lAtEr". they are both intelligent people and understand the show grows and changes. stop trying to tell them to react a specific way just cause youre having a nervous breakdown about what if someone has different thought than you. dont repeat the mistakes of the Expanse fans, who endlessly told them they were "reacting wrong and should be thinking X instead". it sucked all the joy of the show and they just stopped watching. its a tv show, interpretation is subjective there is no such a thing as "watching a show incorrectly" trying to force someone to "only enjoy this thing in this specific way" is how you ruin that persons enjoyment and become an annoying gatekeeper.

robodong

George, please, we're begging you: Stop trying to find internal consistency and logic in the first two seasons of TNG! Different writers, different directors -- different visions of what the show is and who the characters are. In this episode the Holodeck is 'A' but in the next the Holodeck could be '8' and next season it could be '*%2G?" This episode someone said, 'Hey, lipstick on Picard's mouth will be funny.' Tomorrow the invention of lipstick is as alien a concept to the characters as Cthulhu would be. Different writers. Different directors. Different visions of what the show is and who the characters are. .... Once Gene Roddenberry is gone and Berman takes full control -- once the writing staff if finalized -- once the actors and directors have 50or so episodes of development -- IT WILL GET BETTER. But for now, for right now, Stop trying to find internal consistency and logic in the first two seasons of TNG. They are making this stuff up as they go.

W_E_Ray (Dungeons-Dragons Grognard since '81)

Re: lipstick -- they were really weird with it in season 1. Like when they first introduce the holodeck, Wes falls in the creek, then is still wet when he leaves. I just don't think the writers understood all the rules. The holodeck and what exactly it does is really kind of nebulous until Voyager when "holograms" became a bigger part of the show.

Robert Cooper

Simone, you got the "Space..." cue for Ep.11 perfectly, but you just didn't commit, I have faith :)

Joel

Reminder that there was no moral dilemma in The Substance. It was all about how you treat yourself. Anyway, I would not take the pill. It's hard enough to survive one day at a time, much less worry about any longer than a year. Also, in America, this would raise the retirement age as well as the eligibility age to receive Social Security benefits.

sarCC

His first appearance we already saw in episode 5, "The Last Outpost", as the Ferengi Letek. Simone recognized his name in the credits.

Gary Fixler

George: The Intro does change, once. I believe starting in Season 3 or 4. The spoken words and music remain, but we get new imagery.

Jomero

did you catch that the suitcase was Quark (the actor that plays him) and his first time on trek?

Eric Wilson

Yes...he was Lurge on the Addams Family, he was also in Men in Black as one of the aliens attacked at the restaurant

Guillermo Antonio Ricci Alvarez

I think Holodeck episodes were a replacement for the "we visited a planet that happens to be Earth themed for some flimsy reason" episodes of TOS. Being on the holodeck solves George's issue where there's a sudden solution to all the world's problems in the last five minutes. Once the danger of the Holodeck episode is resolved, the program ends. Picard doesn't have to set their entire society back on track at the end. Compare this episode to the gangster planet episode, for example. I wonder if Simone is warming up to Holodeck episodes more after watching those TOS themed planet episodes. Nothing from the holodeck can persist outside it, but they screw that up a few times early on. Wesley is soaking wet when he leaves after almost drowning in Ep 1 and the lipstick persists in this episode. I think most fans choose to believe that some of the water and such is made by the replicator so it is more real so the characters can eat and drink.

Robert Gendron

Data is a plot device, it's like magic, if you use it to solve everything you loose the point.

Juanjomaster !

There is also the risk that Data acts and either Picard or Crusher gets shot.

Robert Gendron

Haven: George, you are right about Mr Homm (portrayed by Carel Struycken) looking like Lurch from the Addams Family as Struycken plays that character in the movies. He was also in “Doctor Sleep” as well in the “Twin Peaks” series. Struycken, who is Dutch, was born with Acromegaly resulting in unusual height and other medical issues. The Big Goodbye: Lawrence Tierney who played Redblock was in “Reservoir Dogs.” Tierney was a bit of a jackass to say the least as he was violent and abusive to people. Origin of “toots”: slang familiar form of address to a woman or girl, 1936, American English, short for tootsie, tootsy, from tootsy-wootsy (1895), a familiar form of address to a sweetheart, originally a playful or nursery name for a small foot, from childish pronunciation of foot (n.); compare tootsy. https://www.etymonline.com/word/toots Origin of “broad”: The slang sense of "woman" is by 1911, usually said to be suggestive of broad hips, but it also might trace influence to American English abroad wife, used of a woman (often a slave) away from her husband. Earliest use of the slang broad suggests immorality or coarse, low-class women. https://www.etymonline.com/word/broad

REDR58

There is actually a novel named "Q Squared" by Peter David thad makes Trelane a (young) Q and John De Lancies Q his godfather. Simnoes face, when she realizes: Lwaxana is coming ... priceless

Sven Ketelhut

I agree, there is nothing bestowing or determining “meaning” about what we do beyond ourselves.

REDR58

That’s magnificent.

REDR58

Regarding Data in this episode... Yes, it's "Early TNG" as Simone said... so liberties.... But before they realised anything was wrong (in the holodeck), they are just playing it out in fun... even to Bev clapping when random non-red shirt got shot. Once they realised the computer was misbehaving (not following it's rules), they don't know how they are interpreted in the story. The computer might treat Data no stronger than a human.. he might not be able to pinch the barrel of a gun (since the computer controls every object in the holodeck), or throw a person across a room... Data ONLY used his "superhuman" abilities once the door opened confirming the computer was behaving more in "normal mode"... until that point... the rules were unknown. So you could argue, him trying to take out a henchman could be no more effective than JL or Bev doing the same thing... running the same risks. (EVER, EVER SO SLIGHT SPOILER BELOW) But then again.. Early TNG rules... slowly disappearing outside the holodeck... this is corrected later on.

G Lam

George looks very orange in this episode, Simone looks really slim and also thirsty as hell for Picard

Ph4ZeD

Georges questions, uffff, thank God Simone is there to correct him. Use your imagination a bit bro or accept that you dont know, let that ego rest man. Btw if there are 3 people spread out in a room with a gun, it would not matter how strong you are, it would take one bullet to kill/harm one of them. Pretty simple, why obsess about it.

P S

The face of the talking gift box was Armin Shimerman, an actor from a previous episode of TNG and also the principal on Buffy.

Patrick - Excelsior

Wow, that is EXACTLY what adult Wil Wheaton ended up looking like.

Joe Concepts

Hi, Guys, I am thoroughly enjoying your TNG reactions. Can I ask I favor? Since episode numbering varies from one streaming source to another, it would be helpful if you posted episode titles in your posts, and not just the episode numbers. For example, where I watch TNG (on Fandango At Home), these three episodes were 111, then 105, then 113. Of course, as long as you mention the title during your chat prior to starting the playback, I can always pause your video and find the episode to sync with it. But it would be nice to know the episode titles from the get-go. Thanks. Having a great time with these!!

Alan Jones

Simone, I think that feeling of impending doom - that you won't live to reach old age- is fairly common. When I was still in my 20s I had the feeling I'd never reach the year 2000. I clearly have (and experience all the aches and pains to prove it). As for simple feelings of impending doom in general, I think having Trump as president has given that feeling to most intelligent people. If not for the current social-political climate, and if the pill could also rid me of the aches and pains mentioned before, I'd take the pill for a while. But that is less about living forever and more about curiosity of what the future will bring (again, right now it isn't looking to bright).

D. T. Nelson

It is unreasonable how quickly these TNG reacts have become such an integral part of my week.

John Welch

Isn't Georges question the exact conclusion of "The good place"? I believe, and I want to stress *believe* I'd take it for a few hundred years. I do not want to live forever. I think that's more of a curse than anything else. It's the finality of death that makes life worth something (life as a concept, not what you do with the life). Less than hundred years, as out natural life spans are, can be a bit too limiting though, so I'd think I'd settle for a few hundred years.

Henrik Eriksson

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1099253-star-trek-riker-pose-clock#profileId-1094290

Robert Cooper

Check out the Newbie Star Trek podcast on YT for some great reactions to T Bag showing up.

Gryff

To answer George's question: I would take it and not see myself ever stopping.

Gryff

I just wanna see the end of One Piece man, just to answer your question!

Thall

Also it absolutely makes sense that Data isn't going to take action against the holodeck baddies if there is a risk they could kill Picard or Dr. Crusher before he could stop them. And also you kind of have to take any 'rules' established in TNG Season 1 with a grain of salt. Things get much more consistent once the show found its success and they had writers and directors familiar with the show and who cared about that consistency.

Adam Barry

In response to the living forever pill, there's a great online story called 17776 where everyone on Earth stopped dying ages ago and everyone has just settled into their immortal lives by inventing new ways to play football.

Doug

I'm totally taking the pill forever. I want to live long enough to see Star Trek become a reality. I also forgot T bag was in that episode (prison break, TV show) crazy.

John_rd

ZOMG, I completely forgot Deanna's almost-father-in-law was named Steven Frakking Miller. And because "The Big Goodbye" won a Peabody award, the franchise never had to do another holodeck malfunction episode ever again...

Ken Quick

Jonathan Frakes has a bad back, so Riker frequently has some odd poses to take the strain off his back. Fans call it the Riker Lean. He also has a unique way of sitting down for the same reason that fans call the Riker Maneuver. Once you spot them, you can't stop noticing them. Can't speak for everyone, but a lot of the issues with Wesley is there is some 'the writers suck at writing a teenager" and "the child saves the day" endings that you've already seen that sour a lot of people against his character. He gets better.

Robert Gendron

I loved Q from the first episode I saw him in - which admittedly was somewhere in season 3, I think. Even though he is a dick, he's very charming and has charisma up the wazoo. But a BIG part of that is the fact that I watched John De Lancie (who plays Q) in Days of Our Lives (playing a psychic!) when I was a young teen - and he is sooooooo handsome! . . . . Simone, I probably wouldn't take the pill either (or only for a few years for relationship reasons) -- mainly because I do think it would mess with one's values and ethics, and the ecological consequences of millions off people living much longer than previous decades would probably be very bad. And I think you're going through an existential crisis - which is very normal at any point, and particularly now when the world feels as though it is falling apart. And yes - therapy. That's what I do! 😉

Renee MeowMeow Beans

my fave euphemism for death is "merge with the infinite" from The Hudsucker Proxy", kinda the same idea!

Crystal

I sure hope they react to this someday - I think they will both really enjoy it. 🙂

Renee MeowMeow Beans

right, that was my thought... the "gotcha" would be people would have to stop breeding, or we'd be overrun, like we already kind of are on this planet, displacing other life and consume everything like a biblical plague!

Crystal

Damn season 1 TNG is so horny. They really like to play dress up too.

megamoo chilli

Although they are still hammering out the rules; the holodeck operates using force fields, visual projections and the replicator also creates some stuff. The implication would be that the lipstick was real and applied onto the forcefield that was giving substance to the character.

Alan Pownall

Without aging a typical lifespan under current conditions would still only be a couple of thousand years due to accidents and crimes, though people might become more careful. What we're "meant" to be/do doesn't really make sense unless it's religion/etc-based. We're not evolved to live with electric light either so generally people are really talking about what they're used to. If they put the fountain of youth pill next to the calcium they're under-marketing it. It's worth at least a dedicated display unit.

Dan

As far as the pill goes, can I give it to my dog as well? And the impending doom feeling, I think that’s a normal feeling that you get when you are used to bad shit happening then you get a period of stability. Your brain goes on alert looking and waiting for the ball to drop and the next problem/tragedy.

MikeBdrx

Definitely taking the pill for at least long enough to get me to see the next few centuries. I’m in pretty good shape for my age, but I wish I was back in my 30s. So yes, I don’t want to “age” anymore from this point, which is *not* my 30s…

REDR58

I forgot that Armin Shimerman was a head in Haven. 😄 Regarding Lwaxana Troi, fuck the haters. Yes, she is ridiculous. She is also hilarious and has hidden depths.

Opti_Frog

Hey Everybody! And welcome to.... "S.ssssssssPACE! Fuck! Fuuuuuuuuck! Next time!"

Mastervodo

My problem with death isn't the dying, it's the not getting to know how things turn out. I could easily see myself living a few thousand years.

Robert Cooper

George, Simone is partially right about Data. I hope I can explain this in a way that makes sense, but whether or not he can be repaired depends on the type and degree of damage done. I guess the best way to put it would be to compare it to healing a human (or a living, biological being) for Doctor Beverly Crusher. There are a lot of things she can fix, but even with all the tech and advancements in medicine the Trek-verse has, there are some things that no medical procedure or medicine can heal or cure. If Data is damaged, there are some things certain people can fix, but things can happen to him that no one would know how to repair. This is either because no one has tech that is advanced enough to do it, or because there's no one they have access to who knows how. (I can't explain that better without being too spoilery). Data can't die in the traditional sense, but it is possible to damage him so badly that he ceases to operate. That, for Data, and those who care about him, would be death. In The Big Goodbye, if Data were to be shot, for instance, in the right way, hitting the right parts (or if he was hit with a phaser blast set to kill in a different episode), he could stop functioning and not be able to be fixed. So there is probably validity to what Simone said when she said that Data didn't want to risk getting anyone or himself "killed." I will also say that some of the things you are taking issue with are, as Simone said, the result of this being early TNG, where the show is still finding it's footing. When people tell you this season is weak, that's partly what they're referring to. Including the weaker or disjointed plots. They are also referring to there being more episodes like Haven, the one with Deanna's mother. As the show goes on, there will be fewer clunkers, and you'll start seeing the kinds of deep, impactful episodes that made TNG the legendary show that it becomes.

Raven Dark

Also a valid answer to me^^

Guillaume Huet_rennibou

I think I'd take the pill for as long as there are new shows to watch and new games to play. So a very, very long time.

A Red Mage Named Blue

The actor who plays Troi's mother was also the wife of Gene Roddenberry

Matt O'Keefe

I love Lwaxana. She's great.

Patrick

Haven, more on Troi's accent. Sirtis was led to believe her accent would be something Betazoid they would all do. Then Majel Barrett didn't do it. So they said maybe it was from her Dad. Also another appearance by Armin Shimmerman as the jewellery box.

Lincynity

I would take that pill for AT LEAST 500 years, and lord over everyone else like an Elf talking all proper and shit. I would be all dramatic and insufferable with my responses when people ask me things. I'd be all like: "The race of Men is failing. The blood of the Kingdom of Planet Earth is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of Men that Super Future Herpes survives. I was there Jonathan. I was there three hundred years ago… I was there the day the strength of Men failed. " And they're like "So you DON'T want go in on any hologram pizza then? Jesus Baron, I just can't with you..."

akaTheBARON

Will say I initially despised Q as well but by the time things go by I personally love the dude as an entertaining presence. John De Lancie is also hard to dislike which definitely helps - wonderful actor. For the opening convo, my always curious brain has its ultimate interest piqued by taking a pill with those effects for sure. When it comes to it however, I innately veer to Simone’s camp where I wouldn’t want to live forever beyond others I hope get to outlive me. Also purely because even if I’m able to witness discoveries that are intended to bypass my lifetime, just because I’m around to see them doesn’t mean they’ll be things I enjoy to be a part of. Or maybe I will? Who knows dude haha. As for the sense of impending doom, can definitely relate there at times. Lots of things we all want to accomplish but where to put the time, right? Being a self-aware human is great and scary all at once. That’s why we have movies/tv/music/stories and good people we find to make it all a bit more interesting ☺️

JakeyShakeyBakeyBoy

I would take that pill, but I would eventually die in a horrible car crash so...

HansD

Regarding George's opening question, allow me to suggest a cinematic exploration of a similar technology's societal implications: 2011's "In Time," starring Justin Timberlake.

Ken Quick

It's not just everyone you care about that you'll see taken away, it's everything you've ever cared about as well. Things aren't exactly getting better. You'll be around to see countless species go extinct, nations wiped out, entire peoples, cultures and languages erased, every place you've ever been to or hoped to visit ruined, every piece of art destroyed one by one. Music, films and books forgotten. How many wars can you survive with your sanity intact? Yeah, we're not done with those. I'm not sure I want to be around to see everything I value be destroyed, and it is inevitable. I'd rather take a pill that permanently fixes my arthritis and live out a normal lifespan.

Screamed at by cat

I think wouldn't stop taking this pill if available. Until I die from accident, adverse action or accidental physiological failure. Or!! Until there is really nobody "decent" to interact with anymore, plus life has become a daily struggle that I feel is definitely not worth it anymore (it would take really a lot for me to think that).

Guillaume Huet_rennibou

And, yet another golden opportunity to get shot of Wesley squandered in Hide & Q. Yes, I've always kept count.

Lincynity

I’d take the immortality pill as long as it takes to kill all the other immortals. There can only be one.

Matthew Abbott

The Frakes Captain Morgan stance. Reportedly Jonathan Frakes suffered from lower back issues, also many of the actors also complained the spandex jumpsuits would cause lower back strain. Frakes started putting his foot up on scenery to relieve pressure on his lower back. It became a thing and certainly gave Riker a swashbuckling air.

Lincynity

Assuming I had enough money invested that I never had to work again, I would never stop taking that hypothetical pill. I suppose if the world gets to the point where we're so overpopulated that I don't have somewhere to live away by myself in the forest or mountains, then I would stop taking the pill. Or if, in order to pay for the pill, I had to work full time forever, I don't think I would enjoy that life enough for it to be worth extending it forever.

Chris Davies

There's perhaps no need for a pill. If the quantum immortality hypothesis is correct, your apparent consciousness survives despite all the death events that occur in parallel realities and which terminate the versions of your consciousness therein, which were shared until they terminated. Subjectively, you might even be immortal. In that case, you are likely doomed to experience witnessing all of your friends and loved ones dying. Hugh Everett III, who proposed the many-worlds interpretation thought this was the case. He's no longer alive in our shared subjective branch. There is a documentary made by the BBC featuring his son Mark Oliver Everett (E from the band Eels) that delves into this somewhat.

GAB

About your conversation about not aging, while their may not be any negative effects to you personally, you would have to look at the bigger picture in that as a society, if people didn't age yet society would continue to grow and that would eventually exceed the resources available. So there is always some kind of negative effect. There must be a balance.

ChiefKC

TNG is the reason I got the patreon

David Szoke

Your conversation about prolonging life and losing loved ones really makes me think you should watch the Highlander TV Series. Really does a great job of expanding on the lore and experiences of people who can potentially live forever.

Adam Barry

Like a few characters in this era of Trek, some loved Q from the start, some hated him and that never changed, some hated Q and then he grew on them. The best way I can think to describe him is like a trickster god. But he's always noteworthy as one of the most nuanced and complex antagonists in Star Trek.

Lincynity

For the question George asked: For me the idea of never having a new generation comes to mind. I don't want to stay the same for my whole life and I want to give others the chance to be. It sounds like humanity would stagnate and never move beyond our boundaries. Sounds to me like a very dark future. Also if we set it in the world as it is and not something like Star Trek, there would be 100% a market made to sell these "pills". It wouldn't matter where they came from to begin with, people would create a market and manufacture scarcity. Man I'm usually an optimist but I feel this would be very damaging.

Jasper Collins

I wouldn't take the pill, eventually I would have to age when coming off the pill, so why procrastinate? I'd happily take a pill to be fully fit for my normal lifespan but I'm fine with doing my 80 ish years and calling it a day.

Alan Pownall

We need to get a TNG theme song sing off between Simone and Jen Murray.

Kane Is Able

The pill wouldn't stop anyone dying in an accident. So probably, (if I took it all, and that's a very big if) I'd stop when I lost someone I didn't want to outlive.

Lincynity

George asks about "The Pill" which is a wonderful philosophical exercise, the answer to which will change depending not only on who you ask, but also what stage of their own life they are currently in. If you want to get into some deep thought about this, I suggest you watch all episodes/seasons of 'The Good Place', because this and many other deep philosophical questions are brought out in this amazing show. Plus it's hilarious. (The Pill issue won't be touched upon until the final season, though).

Deano 42

George Q never gets non-irritating to people he interacts with. You the feeling about spoilers that I do. I do not care but I will not spoil things for other people unless they ask spoil them.

Matt O'Keefe