# Rewatched Man Trap and Charlie X....also...ST:TNG is shit. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rewatched-man-trap-and-charlie-x-also-st-tng-is-shit/830553 "2019-03-05T03:15:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2019, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rewatched-man-trap-and-charlie-x-also-st-tng-is-shit/830553/21 "2019-03-05T17:23:42Z")
To me, the very early episodes also really hammer home being in space, how alien it all is and the final frontier stuff. You get miners (who are going to be rich enough to buy planets and get married over subspace radio!) frozen outposts, dead civilizations, two characters pontificating about ‘being out here and what it all means’. Dilithium cracking stations that only get visited once a year. It feels lonely out there. Meanwhile DISC gets a frigging spore drive. Also TNGs theme is (And i think its a good one though I bag on early TNG) “Look how civilized we are now!!!..but…are we?” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rewatched-man-trap-and-charlie-x-also-st-tng-is-shit/830553/22 "2019-03-08T06:31:50Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I personally find the “resolution by god-like aliens” to be an annoying part of the Original Series, and thus Charlie X doesn’t work for me. He is just a lesser Q being naughty. Sure the theme of belonging is interesting, but I find it mired by the “super powerful aliens come back and save the day” ending. I actually like the first TNG episode better because Q doesn’t come in and resolve it once the humans have done all they can. We actually solve the problem. We show up the godlike being who thinks we can’t do it, unlike TOS’s constant “godlike aliens are better than us” vibe. > > “Man Trap” is good, but it feels weird knowing it came so early. It feels like it should be later, after characters have been established more. And I’m not really sure how I feel about “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” IT just feels weird. Even with the godlike aliens, I find that I like the first pilot more. Maybe it’s because, once again, humanity beats the godlike aliens (or, at least, goes beyond their expectations. I know I like the TOS episode with the Gorn for that, too.) Normally, I would agree with you about godlike aliens, BigT. I never cared for Q (save for that episode when he became mortal, asked how he could prove it and Worf said: “Die.” I thought that was hilarious) and the Squire of Gothos. I’ve never been fond of “To Go Where No Man has Gone Before.” However, I think Robert Walker’s great performance makes Charlie X an above-average show. That line about not being able to touch the Thasians says so much in a few words. It kind of reminds me of “Miri,” an episode with enough plot holes to drive a Mack truck through, but one I consider decent because of Kim Darby’s performance. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rewatched-man-trap-and-charlie-x-also-st-tng-is-shit/830553/23 "2019-03-08T13:06:04Z")
I think one thing that gets missed in watching TNG nowadays is the special effects. At the time, the effects on TNG were absolutely AMAZING for a TV show. So real! Better than a lot of movies! In other words, some of the badness of the episode itself was offset by OMG LOOK AT THAT SPACE BATTLE. Of course, nowadays, the effects look like shit. We’ve come a looooong way. But back in the day, TNG had a huge cult following. I remember gathering at whoever’s house / apartment had the best TV and sound system to watch it. My friends knew NOT to try to call me when Trek was on because I would not be answering the phone (and I wasn’t the only one). Seems nutty in retrospect, but it was pretty fun at the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rewatched-man-trap-and-charlie-x-also-st-tng-is-shit/830553.md?page=1)