They’ve never been consistent in how stardates work and only really just try to make sure they run in a chronological (if inconsistent) order. I’d wave off exact translations of stardates for this reason.

But also allow for human error. I know an event which miscalculated how long they’ve been running based on failing to understand how anniversaries work, and thus have put out a whole lot of material stating they started running a year earlier than they actually did. They could have checked the archives, but didn’t.

Given how Trek is about the human condition, I think character’s messing up basic facts is as good a canon fix as “The Doctor lies” is for Dr Who.

Replace the skin frame with data’s grafted skin scene in FC where the queen blows on it…

“Mmmm, so furry! It tickles!”

Yeah, it was largely Patrick looked better in red. Likewise under the new system Data was supposed to be in red, but it clashed with his makeup so they put him in gold.

It’s acknowledged in universe but they’ve never said why. Just “back then it was the other way around”.

No doubt fans back then were angry at the unexplained canon change.

Amazing TWOK references as always. And again they do stakes without leaning too much into combat. But it did feel like it would benefit from more time, some bits felt rushed. I’d also have liked to see the reclaimed BoP help in some way. It didn’t feel right that he wasn’t in the picture to get back at Locarno. The paywall was amazing.

Yeah, that’s understandable because I have to explain it every single time (already explained it to my mother about 4 times now). Whereas believing in aliens is actually quite reasonable (just not that they are here and spend their time making crop circles and probing trailer trash).

Yes, Rutherford’s old implant that was scavenged at the end of the last season, which explains why Badgy is with them because he was in the implant. No Borg I’m afraid and I think they’re meant to be keeping Borg to a minimum or specific circumstances as they’re decimated and in hibernation between Endgame and Picard.

Assimilated Klingons? You mean the Drookmani where one of them has Rutherford’s old salvaged implant (from the tease at the end of last season)? I’m assuming after finding and using the implant, Badgey convinces them to jailbreak other AI from daystrom.

I agree. They should have led with this. Or maybe only did this.

Though I do feel like this and last week’s were missing a punchline at the end.

This one wasn’t a dumpster fire like the last few, but I still feel it was a set up without a punchline. Something felt missing at the end for the payoff.

It’s a shame he didn’t ask Sunak if he was onboard first. Or maybe he means a France-Poundbury partnership?

It very much feels like someone on the outside looking in and making jokes with their passing knowledge. In contrast to Lower Decks very much being injokes from people who love the series, it’s philosophy and all its tiny details. They should have just given it to writers on Lower Decks. This makes me cringe so much.

These snapshots, combined with Wej du, are the best intro for new people into different Trek species. I love them and I want as many more as possible. Give me Cardassians, Ferengi, Jem’Hadar!

She has lost ALL control eyebrow

Which is ironic because TAS, while a bit whacky, was extremely mature for a cartoon of that era.

Not sure I’d put Masks alongside Measure of Man or Duet. Or indeed have it as an argument for filler episodes.

Given TNG never had much character serialisation, I’d say filler is more like those DS9 and ENT episodes late on that never fit I to anybody’s arc. Like the holosuite ones. Some amazing ones from DS9. Some less so from Enterprise.

But SNW has a good balance between episodic and serialisation. All this comes down to can they keep up the quality on greater volume. That needs more investment at a time when Paramount is cutting back…

Well at that point it’s meant to be they can’t be reasoned with, war / fight to the death inevitable. Then at the end it’s revealed they were just defending their territory.

If we have a situation where understanding is reached, communication and mutual empathy then exactly what is Kirk fighting about and learning in Arena?

It already doesn’t totally work now the Gorn and their space are personally known about by most of the crew present in Arena, by Starfleet etc. but I can wave that off as being worth it for the story. But this would mean that the message of Arena is also damaged, not just continuity. Not sure how I feel about that but I’ll see how they handle it first.

I was concerned that any Trek-like resolution that the series’s tone demands would utterly undermine Arena. But I think we’re past that already so I’ll just accept it out the window and enjoy the ride. But I do wish they’d done this as a new species instead.

While a strong woman, they’ve done shockingly little to tell us anything about her until the last episode when we find out she likes tourism. But we know precious little of her personality and most of the relationship has been seen from Chris’ side. I think she’s been written to be disposable. But I’d love it if they save her and actually develop her more.

Another amazing episode and a certainly fresh idea for the Klingons with their K-pop, or Kling-pop?

I think they towed a good line on whimsy, emotion and gimmicks and kept it well grounded as character exploration. Let’s force everyone to process their season’s emotional growth in song!

Also I have to say I love how much focus SNW gives to lower ranking officers. Classic trek always ended up focusing on a few senior officers but this is a proper ensemble number.

Only thing I want more now is this with Elle Cordova doing her Star Trek technoblabble songs in it.