# ST:TNG, Encounter at Farpoint makes so much more sense ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 21, 2015, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065 "2015-06-21T04:56:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/61 "2015-06-24T01:27:50Z")
I never thought anyone cared about Far Point. It was a great beginning of the series though because of Q and concluding with a space jellyfish. If Q wasn’t there poking at them it really would have been a dull episode. Even Starfleet didn’t really care about Farpoint. The old city is being bombarded: “Wellllll… isn’t that something.” Their leader is floating in mid air being tortured: “Wellllll… do we really want to interfere with that? Let’s think it over first.” Q does love screwing with People but he is actually pretty helpful. If he hadn’t given Picard so many clues that something was going to happen at Farpoint there is a much better chance he would have blown it out of the sky. The whole thing comes off like he’s trying to keep his pet space jellyfish from being killed by another fish in his galactic aquarium. He must not have been fond of that crystalline entity though. He let that die, or maybe being blown to smithereens is how they propagate. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > This thread might be mergable with the one comparing TOS and TNG. And do it with no automation. > [@Morbo](#): > > “Do you remember what I taught you, Imzadi? Can you still sense my thoughts?” > > I didn’t know Betazoids could teach telepathy to humans. That would have been useful for her to teach to…everyone on the Senior Staff. > > It also implies that Riker at one time _could_ sense thoughts - a skill I would have thought he would have tried to keep sharp. Maybe it’s something that can only be learned while having sex. So, yes. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/62 "2015-06-24T01:42:40Z")
Families were included because of Gene’s stubborn insistence that Starfleet is not a military they get into dangerous situations all the time and forget there are children on the ship 90% of the time ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/63 "2015-06-24T01:47:20Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > I never thought anyone cared about Far Point. > > Q does love screwing with People but he is actually pretty helpful. If he hadn’t given Picard so many clues that something was going to happen at Farpoint there is a much better chance he would have blown it out of the sky. I was interested at the time because it was bringing back Star Trek. Q always helped them out despite being an ass. I believe that in some episode it becomes clear that he likes humanity and helps them against the Continuum’s wishes ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/64 "2015-06-24T01:56:43Z")
can’t believe some people don’t like Q he’s a great prankster ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/65 "2015-06-24T04:00:24Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Question withdrawn if the Enterprise periodically returns to Earth. They did so on average once a year or so. Moreover, it’s not like family members couldn’t just travel to meet the Enterprise, as it often visited various space stations or other planets for routine business and patrols, and civilians can apparently hitch rides to places. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/66 "2015-06-24T04:52:23Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Hence needing a therapist on the bridge with him–despite otherwise being completely useless. Not only “on the bridge” but in her own designated chair, where she does nothing but sit for hours and “observe” the crew members. And I thought the Security guards who were always hanging around the bridge on \*\*\*TOS \*\*\*were scary… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/67 "2015-06-24T04:52:35Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Its amazing this series got renewed. It wasn’t until season three that they turned it around. > [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > I like the show a lot - but season 1 was just _painful_. Looking in retrospect, it’s amazing the show survived. Yeah the season 1 shows were terrible. But what other sci fi was there at the time? When I’ve gone back to shows like _Quantum Leap_, I’ve had a similar “what did I ever see in this?!” thought. The success of TNG was down lack of competition, and two other factors IMO: 1. Patrick Stewart. Great actor, even when his character wasn’t fully fleshed out. 2. How upbeat the show was. I still love that, and the TNG theme music still gives me goosebumps. It’s a reality where science has made so many amazing things possible and here we have a crew of the best of the best pushing the boundaries of discovery. It’s actually a very different tone from the “exotic roadtrip” TOS and the darker later treks (though I enjoy all of them). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/68 "2015-06-24T04:55:21Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Families were included because of Gene’s stubborn insistence that Starfleet is not a military [organization]. As sadly noted elsewhere, Roddenberry was in his dotage by this time. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/69 "2015-06-24T14:08:26Z")
My thought process when seeing this thread title: > [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > ST:TNG, Encounter at Farpoint makes so much more sense … “If you’re dropping all the acid.” “Following blunt force head trauma.” “After drinking a gallon of whiskey.” > [@](#): > > … if you’re shitfaced while you watch it. Score! Objectively, Encounter at Farpoint really was not very good, but it was **new** and it was **Star Trek**. Where else would we get our fix? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/70 "2015-06-24T14:39:14Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Not only “on the bridge” but in her own designated chair, where she does nothing but sit for hours and “observe” the crew members. “Councillor” does sound like a euphemistic name for a political commissar – trained to make sure counter-federationary thought doesn’t take hold aboard ship. She senses someone having “incorrect emotions” and makes sure to “suggest” a “counselling session”. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/71 "2015-06-24T14:42:19Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > “Councillor” does sound like a euphemistic name for a political commissar – trained to make sure counter-federationary thought doesn’t take hold aboard ship. She senses someone having “incorrect emotions” and makes sure to “suggest” a “counselling session”. In “Dark Mirror” a STTNG “Mirror Universe” novel, that’s exactly what Deanna’s job was. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/72 "2015-06-24T14:42:24Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Objectively, Encounter at Farpoint really was not very good, but it was **new** and it was **Star Trek**. Where else would we get our fix? I took the brown acid because that was the only acid I could get my hands on it. ---
**Author:** ![moojja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@moojja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moojja)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/73 "2015-06-24T15:23:44Z")
As for children on the Enterprise, I always fanwank it as 24th century attitudes towards kids has changed. After all, cabin boys/midshipmen young as 10 served on old Navy ships. They played important parts in battles too. Depending on the alien culture or even certain human culture, they might feel any risk is balanced by the experience. In ST:Voyager, 7of9’s parents took her with them while studying the borgs. A really stupid risk, even the USS Enterprise left the children home, when they knew they were going to fight the borgs. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/74 "2015-06-24T15:44:05Z")
Yeah, and Kes was what? 3? With NCC-1701D kids doing calculus in 1st grade, maybe kids just matured faster in TNG. Heck they let Wesley drive! (Yes, Kes is a different species. Humor. A fascinating Human concept.) . ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/75 "2015-06-24T15:46:48Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Heck they let Wesley drive! Troi wasn’t too good at it. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/76 "2015-06-24T16:17:00Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > She senses someone having “incorrect emotions” and makes sure to “suggest” a “counselling session”. Hell, there are people like that where I come from. They’re called “social workers,” and spend most of their time with their noses up other people’s asses. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/77 "2015-06-24T17:37:39Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Not only “on the bridge” but in her own designated chair, where she does nothing but sit for hours and “observe” the crew members. And I thought the Security guards who were always hanging around the bridge on \*\*\*TOS \*\*\*were scary… :eek: Not only that, but she’s supposed to be able to detect deception, and emotions, body language and such…from ALIENS. That would be like asking a body language expert his opinion on an Ostrich. When he’s never seen an Ostrich! ---
**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:** [June 24, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/78 "2015-06-24T17:42:05Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Odd how that works. _TOS_ had some pretty good-to-excellent shows season 1 and 2, season 3 just crapped out. And the most recent series, _Enterprise_, hit its peak in season 4 (except for that throwaway last episode). I have no opinion on _DS9_ or _Voyager_ because quite frankly, I was never able to connect with either of those series. I always hated that excuse that the show ‘needs to find its feet’. TOS was great because they had Sci-Fi writers and not a stable of TV writers. They jumped right in without a real ‘origin story’. TNG’s characters were mostly gimmicky. The stories had B and C arcs. No show approximated the feeling of ‘family’ like TOS did. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/79 "2015-06-24T18:21:09Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > TOS was great because they had Sci-Fi writers and not a stable of TV writers. They also had Roddenberry, who was not only an award-winning writer but understood SF as well. The show’s decline started when his involvement began to slacken off until it was “virtually nonexisent” (Nimoy’s words) in the third season. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065/80 "2015-06-24T18:35:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Troi wasn’t too good at it. > :dubious: Of course not. She’s a woman. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/st-tng-encounter-at-farpoint-makes-so-much-more-sense/723065.md?page=5)