30th Anniversary TNG Episode Discussion Marathon

[Nate the Great]

I need TNG to be done before Voyager starts, DS9 can wait.
I'm also thinking that I'll run through the first ten movies when TNG is over.

October 18th, "Gambit Part Two"

Fiver by Derek

The Episode

WORF: Direct hit to the port nacelle. Only minimal damage. Hit to the starboard nacelle. Still, no appreciable damage.
TROI: Will must've done something to their weapons.
DATA: I believe you are right, Counsellor. It is now up to us to play along. Release inertial dampers and cut power to decks thirty one through thirty seven.

You do realize that Main Engineering is on Deck 36, right? Surely there are other places that you could subject to a blackout. I also think Data should've called for the maneuvering thrusters to be cut (making the ship seem to be adrift) rather than the inertial thrusters (which will make everyone dead when they bash into the walls).

And it occurs to me that there should already be a preset program to make the ship appear damaged.

WORF: Sir, we cannot be able to track them with our sensors if they go to warp. I can still disable them.

It occurs to me that some of the probes on board could be refit to remove most signal sources and turned into a tracking device that could be launched onto an enemy ship. Of course such a thing would be useless against a Romulan warbird or other large ships, but something as obsolete and small as the pirate ship wouldn't be able to detect it.

BARAN: How long will it take to repair our battle damage?
NARIK: It will take at least five hours to replace the antimatter containment unit.
BARAN: You have three hours, Narik. One minute beyond that and you'll answer for it with your life.

Under these circumstances I don't think demanding a shorter repair time with a death threat is a good idea. Narik has no reason to inflate his repair time, and he won't be able to fix anything if Baran kills him.

WORF: Their maximum speed is warp eight point seven. It will take them at least fourteen hours to reach that position.
LAFORGE: We could be there in five.
DATA: Make it so.

Eight point seven? On a ship with less than ten people on it? A ship that's a hodgepodge of various techs being held together with spit and hope? A ship that doesn't even have one proper engineer on it? You've got to be kidding me.

DATA: You continually question my orders in front of the crew. I do not believe this is appropriate behaviour.
WORF: With all due respect, sir, I have always felt free to voice my opinions even when they differ from those of Captain Picard or Commander Riker.
DATA: That is true. But in those situations, you were acting as Head of Security, not as First Officer. The primary role of the second in command is to carry out the decisions of the Captain in this case, me.

And it's times like this that the series format really falls apart. I get that they can't waste time having Starfleet send over an interim Captain, I really do. But there needs to be SOME sort of logic being used.

Frankly I'm not a fan of the chain of command consisting only of senior officers, there should be some Command division Lt. Cmdrs. in the lower decks who can step up. In any case this is not the time for this debate, Crusher should be in command with Data as First Officer.

DATA: Once I have made a decision, it is your job to carry it out regardless of how you may personally feel. Any further objections should be given to me in private, not in front of the crew. I do not recall Commander Riker ever publicly showing irritation with his Captain as you did a moment ago.
WORF: No, sir.

Fair enough, but this doesn't seem like the appropriate time. Now that I think of it Worf should've had his shot at command by now ("The Emissary" doesn't count) just like Data did in "Redemption".

Or they could've made Crusher the acting Captain with Data as First Officer. It would've been simpler and provided more time for character development on the pirate ship.

DATA: Dismissed. Mister Worf, I am sorry if I have ended our friendship.
WORF: Sir, it is I who has jeopardised our friendship, not you. If you will overlook this incident, I would like to continue to consider you my friend.

A good moment. Data has made progress, even if he still has a long way to to.

RIKER: As a matter of fact, it was Baran who sent me here. He told me to pretend to be friendly with you and help you organise a mutiny, so he can determine who your supporters in the crew and then eliminate them.
PICARD: What a tangled web we weave. I have difficulty remembering whose side I'm on.

It is a bit funny, I just wish this stuff was in a better episode.

PICARD: I have been looking over the glyphs and pictograms from the Calder Two artefact. And although I don't have enough data to translate all the inscriptions, the alphabet and symbology is much more consistent with early Vulcan than Romulan.

It's an interesting question that I could write quite a screed on. How much ancient Vulcan culture would be kept by the proto-Romulans? After all, at least at first there would be no reason to hide the connection.

RIKER: Do these artefacts have some religious or cultural significance, something that would make them valuable enough to kill for?

Valuable to who? While I have no doubt that the Romulans wouldn't have a problem with buying pre-Schism artifacts, they wouldn't be valuable enough to kill for.

PICARD: So, what will Baran do once he's obtained the second artefact?
RIKER: You're supposed to verify its authenticity, and then I'm supposed to kill you, and I take your place.
PICARD: Will, you always seem to be after my job.

I get the joke, but this never made sense. Picard is on board as an archeology expert for this specific "job". Once it's over Baran would have no need for a villainous archeologist. Riker is useful in a completely different sense, his duties on a pirate ship would be completely different.

I do wonder how much baseline archeology knowledge any given Academy graduate would have.

TALLERA: I will not play games with you. I found the message you sent to the Enterprise. When Riker was using his command codes to drop their shields, you sent them a transmission on the same carrier wave. You're a Starfleet officer. Do not deny it. It is the only logical conclusion. My name is actually T'Paal, and I am a member of the V'Shar.
PICARD: Vulcan Security?
TALLERA: That is correct.

Oddly enough the V'Shar never appeared again in canon. I would've thought they could've integrated it into Enterprise, but then again it's doubtful any of the creators over there cared about details this obscure.

TALLERA: First things first, Galen. Who are you?
PICARD: I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise.
TALLERA: Very well.

That acceptance seems a bit too easy. There are any number of questions that should follow it.

TALLERA: To answer your question, for several years now, there has been a small but growing movement of extreme isolationists on Vulcan. A group that believes contact with alien races has polluted our culture and is destroying Vulcan purity. This group advocates the total isolation of Vulcan from the rest of the galaxy and the eradication of all alien influences from our planet.

This seems rather illogical considering the IDIC. Furthermore you'd think Vulcan would be one of the first planets to allow discontented citizens to leave and form their own society on another planet.

TALLERA: I am sure you are familiar with the ancient history of my people, before we found logic, before we found peace.
PICARD: You were much as my people once were. Savage, warlike.
TALLERA: There was even a time when we used our telepathic abilities as a weapon. A time when we learned to kill with a thought.

I've recommended the novel The Lost Years before, and I have to do it again. The true potential of telepathy as a weapon is really explored there.

TALLERA: The Stone of Gol is real, but there is nothing supernatural or magical about it. It is a psionic resonator, a device which focuses and amplifies telepathic energy. It is one of the most devastating weapons ever conceived.

I was going to write a screed about the range of Vulcan telepathy (most of it is touch telepathy, or perhaps a few feet, after all), but then I wondered if conveying thoughts requires a "tighter signal", and a Vulcan could broadcast "static" farther.

PICARD: But according to the legend, the Stone was destroyed by the gods when the Vulcan people found the way to peace.

I didn't notice that bit before, Vulcans having "gods". I suppose I could write a screed tying this into Mintakan culture, but I won't.

[Nate the Great]

Acting Captain's log, stardate 47160.1. The Enterprise is entering the Hyralan Sector, which I believe to be the next destination of the mercenary ship.

Calling these guys "mercenaries" seems a bit odd to me, but that's another screed.

DATA: According to the terms of the Klingon-Federation Treaty, Koral has every right to free transit through Federation space. We cannot board or search his vessel without cause.
WORF: Yes, sir. However, the Treaty does give us the right to conduct health and safety inspections of any ship in our space.
TROI: Health and safety inspections?
DATA: I am not sure that using this clause as an excuse to conduct a search would be consistent with the spirit of the Treaty.

This one seems like a stretch. Furthermore the Enterprise's sensors should be able to handle one shuttle with sufficient sensor coverage.

(Koral is the tallest Klingon in the galaxy, standing head and shoulders above the shuttlecraft hatch, let alone Worf)

Koral is played by basketball player James Worthy, it was Robert O'Reilley (Gowron) that got him into acting on the show.

BARAN: I have an additional task for you, one that will prove your loyalty. This raid is an opportunity to get rid of Galen. Once you've found that artefact, kill him.

I thought Picard was supposed to verify the artifact before Riker kills him!

DATA: Lieutenant Worf has programmed our replicators to make a very good approximation of Klingon bloodwine. I believe you will find it to your liking.
(Koral pours it onto the carpet)

"Drink not with thine enemy."

PICARD: According to Baran's logs, we are to deliver the two pieces to the T'Karath Sanctuary on Vulcan.
TALLERA: I know that place. It was an underground stronghold for one of the factions during the last civil war. It's been abandoned for centuries.

What civil war? I thought the Vulcans had peace after the proto-Romulans left. I suppose in retrospect we could call this a veiled Enterprise reference, but I'd prefer not to.

PICARD: For example, this symbol represents the Vulcan god of war and this is the god of death, but if you look really carefully, you can see a third symbol missing.

I'm still having trouble with the idea that the Vulcans of Surak's time still had gods. Surely they would've passed that Mintakan-like threshold before Surak.

PICARD: You'll never get away with this. Starfleet will never stand and watch you tear apart one of the founding worlds of the Federation.
TALLERA: How little you understand what you're facing, Captain. You're used to fighting enemies like yourself. People on ships with defence shields, energy weapons, warp drives. But this is unlike anything you've ever faced. This is the power of the mind.

And again I must ask why they haven't come up with shields that block telepathy yet. You'd think the Vulcans could manage it in the two thousand years since Surak.

DATA: What will become of the resonator, sir?
PICARD: Satok has assured me that all three pieces will be destroyed.
DATA: It is unfortunate it cannot be studied. The resonator is a key artefact from a remarkable period of history.

Yeah, about that. I assume when they say "resonator" they mean that the composition and shape of this thing redirects telepathic energy. Why does it have to be destroyed to become unusable? Surely you could beam out the "marrow" of the thing and replace it with inert material? Like welding a plug into an antique firearm to make it unusable.

PICARD: Number One, will you set course for Starbase two twenty seven. I'll join you on the Bridge shortly.
RIKER: Wait a minute. You've been declared dead. You can't give orders around here.
DATA: If we are to adhere to the exact letter of Starfleet regulations, then technically, sir, you have been declared a renegade. In fact, I believe you are facing twelve counts of court martial offences. You cannot give orders either, sir.
PICARD: That's quite right. And as I'm supposed to be dead, I'll go and get some sleep. And, Mister Data, I suggest that you escort Commander Riker to the brig.
DATA: Aye, sir.
(Picard enters his quarters)
DATA: (taking Riker's arm) This way, sir.
RIKER: Data, he was joking. You know that, right? Data?

Always a funny scene.

The Fiver

Worf: Let's bring the shuttle aboard with a tractor beam and search it.
Data: I don't know. We might give the pilot a heart attack or something.
Worf: Yes, but by the terms of the Klingon-Federation Treaty, we are allowed to search and give seizure.

That pun hurt.

Riker: Let me add a few more charges.... from my phaser! Mwahahah --
Greedo: ZAP!
Riker: Gak!
Galen: Didn't see that one coming.

Hey! Han shot first!

Tallera: Grr. In that case I have an announcement for the crew, Galen is Picard!
Crew: Yeah, so?
Tallera: Not quite the response I was looking for.
Crew: Sorry.

Guy hiding in the back: Hey! I thought he was really Professor X!

Picard: Drop your weapons! The Stone of Gol only responds to aggression; think happy thoughts!
Riker: Like puppies!
(WHIFF!)
Worf: And chili!
(WHIFF!)
Chili Joke: GAK!

Is that chili joke from an Enterprise fiver?

Memory Alpha

* The TNG Companion notes the Vulcan/Romulan schism happening before Surak. I still don't buy it, unless you're going to tell me that the Romulans forgot some of their supporters.
* One of the pirates reuses the Varon-T disruptor prop. You'd think the thing could've been modified beyond recognition by now.
* The chain of command thing is brought up, calling Worf a mere line officer while Crusher and Troi are staff officers and thus higher up. However, I think this is backwards, as the Expanded Universe Wiki (not to be confused with Memory Beta) says that line officers have to have specialized training to command where staff officers have the command training included in their basic training. Wikipedia agrees with the latter interpretation. To summarize, all redshirts are trained in Command whether or not they intend to specialize in Command or be a helmsman or whatever. Yellowshirts and blueshirts have to have extra training to be allowed to command. Geordi is also brought up as outranking Worf in this case since he has been a helmsman (like Ro).

Nitpicker's Guide

* Since Baran is so paranoid, how did Picard get a weapon?
* The mercenary ship is only invisible to sensors while at warp, so how did they get close enough to the ship to beam over a boarding party?
* Why does Baran have an implant to shock himself with?

[Nate the Great]

October 25th, 1993, "Phantasms"

This episode has good character work, but I warn you there be Treknobabble nits ahead...

Fiver by Nic

The Episode

Captain's log, stardate 47225.7. Commander La Forge has completed the installation of our new warp core. We are preparing to test its capabilities.

Couldn't he at least mention the starbase that they just left where the new core was installed. "Day of Honor" implies that external aid isn't technically needed, but I would sure want the help! Furthermore, I would have to imagine that Starfleet would want a backup ship nearby until the new core is "broken in" and the danger has passed.

PICARD: I just got a message from Starfleet command.
RIKER: Bad news?
PICARD: You could say that. I've been invited to the annual Starfleet Admiral's banquet.
RIKER: My condolences.
PICARD: I've managed to avoid it for the past six years, but now it would seem my luck has run out. I can't think of anything more tedious. Fifty Admirals shaking hands, making dull conversation, uninteresting food, boring speeches.

I'm not going to ask why a captain was invited to an admiral's banquet. I will ask why Picard even RSVP'ed to begin with. Surely such an event is voluntary, it's not like Picard is looking for a raise or promotion.

LAFORGE: Nightmares are part of dreaming, Data. Maybe you've just discovered another new level to your programme.
DATA: Perhaps.

I'm not going to do the research to come up with a psychological reason for nightmares, that sounds boring even to me. I will ask why it would take nine months before he would have one, and I will ask the purpose of a nightmare to Data before he has emotions. The only emotion Data is able to express at this time is curiosity.

LAFORGE: I'll tell you what. Why don't you help Farrell check the deuterium cartridges. I'm just about to bring the warp core online. All right?
TYLER: Anything you say.

Deuterium cartridges? Talk about meaningless technobabble. The deuterium stream should be coming directly from the pods, not some interim mechanism. If anything it should be antimatter "cartridges", there would be a reason to keep small doses of antimatter isolated from the rest.

Furthermore, it's weird that the warp core uses deuterium (a hydrogen atom that has a proton and neutron) instead of protium (a hydrogen atom that's just a proton). I get that the creators want to use a fancier word than hydrogen, but protium is just as exotic. Storing protium and antiprotium would be easier and more efficient than having pointless neutrons around. Plus making antideuterium is much harder to do than making antiprotium.

DATA: Geordi, you do not seem to appreciate Ensign Tyler's enthusiasm.
LAFORGE: She's enthusiastic all right. About me.
DATA: I do not understand.
LAFORGE: She's got a crush on me, Data.
DATA: You do not share her affection?
LAFORGE: Exactly.

Whether or not Geordi likes being chased is a screed by itself. I'll just say that none of the department heads should be dating within their own department. It just creates too many issues.

LAFORGE: It's a thing of beauty, isn't it? Now let's see how fast she can run.

What does the warp core have to do with the speed of the ship? All it does is make warp plasma for the coils in the nacelles. And if the implication is that it can make higher-energy warp plasma, you'd still have to retrofit the rest of the ship to carry the plasma to the nacelles without causing damage.

Couldn't they have mentioned that the warp coils in the nacelles were replaced at the same time?

LAFORGE: I'm on it, sir. There's a warp plasma conduit out of alignment, but I think I've got it fixed now.

You'd think the ship would be running self-diagnoses on the conduits all the time to anticipate these things. Then again, maybe the conduits were replaced along with the warp core and the misalignment was between the old and new stuff.

PICARD: Very well. Ensign Gates?
(all the lights go out)
PICARD: Mister La Forge?

That's just stupid. The fusion engines would be able to handle the lights if there's a momentary power failure.

DATA: I have been watching Spot sleep. In the past fifteen minutes, he has had twelve muscles spasms, which indicates he was dreaming. I have often wondered what Spot dreams about. His twitching and his rapid breathing would seem to suggest anxiety, but Spot has never seen a mouse or any other form of rodentia. He has never encountered an insect, or been chased by a canine.

This seems odd. You can't keep a cat inside an apartment all the time. Surely Data would release Spot into a holographic field from time to time so he can experience new places and chase holographic mice.

(Data plumps the pillow, gets under the sheet fully clothed, kicking Spot off, and approximates a yawn)
DATA: Computer, dim lights.

Always funny.

(Data's dream. Worf is eating a piece of blue cake decorated with a comm. badge)
WORF: Mmm. Delicious.
DATA: What kind of cake are you eating?
WORF: It is cellular peptide cake with mint frosting.

The way Worf says "with mint frosting" has stayed with me all these years.

DATA: My internal chronometer was supposed to wake me thirty five minutes ago.
WORF: You must have overslept.
DATA: That is not possible. Something is wrong.

Yeah, Worf is being dumb. This introduces further questions about how the dream program works. Would Dr. Soong really add an oversleeping subroutine? How much real time does it take for one of Data's dreams to happen? Do they happen immediately or is there a delay?

DATA: I will compare my autonomic logs with the ship's chronometer. Perhaps we have overlooked something.

What's that supposed to accomplish? We're not given any indication that his internal clock is out of synch with the ship's computer like back in "Schisms."

FREUD: Your mechanistic qualities are trying to reassert themselves over your human tendencies. Ego and id struggling for domination. The workmen symbolise the ever present id constantly working to destroy the ego. Now the image of Counsellor Troi, a female, is devoured by you, clearly indicating an unconscious desire to possess your own mother.

And people wonder why Freud isn't respected so much anymore. What nonsense. Not everything comes back to Oedipal and Hamlet complexes, dude!

FREUD: The knife in its violent connotation suggests a certain feeling of sexual inadequacy.
DATA: but I have no sexual desire.
FREUD: Ach! Impotence on top of everything.

1. Why would Data feel sexual inadequacy? Putting aside his full functionality, sexual inadequacy is an emotion and he doesn't have those.
2. What does lack of sexual desire have to do with lack of sexual performance?

DATA: I do not believe I am being helped by this session.
FREUD: Classic transference. Your anger toward me is, in fact, the animosity you feel toward your father.

Oh, the screed that could be written about Data's "animosity" toward Soong...

NAKAMURA [on viewscreen]: Captain. We were expecting you this morning. Is there a problem?
PICARD: Actually, we have been experiencing a few minor difficulties with our new warp core, but my Chief Engineer assures me that we will be under way within the hour.
NAKAMURA [on viewscreen]: You're not trying to avoid this particular engagement, are you, Picard?

Come to think of it, why can't Picard call for another ship to take him to the banquet? The repairs don't require his presence. This would even be a good time to take the Captain's Yacht!

[Nate the Great]

LAFORGE: It looks like we've blown the entire power converter, Captain.

Power converter? The warp core is specifically designed to produce the exact warp plasma that the warp coils require. The extra power for the rest of the ship would have to be converted for local use, but that has nothing to do with the warp engines.

TROI: I think you're developing an almost obsessive interest in your own inner workings. I'd almost call it the beginnings of a neurosis.
DATA: That is not possible.
TROI: Why not? You've eliminated all the technical explanations. And it makes sense that as your neural net becomes more complex, more human, that you might experience the same kind of psychological complexities as a human.
DATA: Do you really think it is possible?
TROI: Data, you must be the first person who's come into my office and been excited at the prospect of a new neurosis.

Ha ha.

PICARD: Unfortunately, the problem has affected our impulse systems. At the moment, we are adrift.

What? The impulse engines have their own fusion reactors! Furthermore, it's not the impulse engines that prevent "adriftness", it's the stationkeeping thrusters!

PICARD: Have you tried reconfiguring the plasma conduits?
LAFORGE: Yes, Captain. Two hours ago.
PICARD: What about the relays? Are you absolutely certain you don't need a new phase invertor?
DATA: I am currently running a level three diagnostic of the relays, sir. We will have the results of the analysis in approximately ten minutes.
PICARD: I see. Oh, perhaps I could reconfigure these isolinear chips.

Yeah, this one is just stupid. Besides, Picard doesn't want to go to the banquet! Is this just ego about not having control of the ship? That seems more like a Kirk thing than Picard.

WORF: Ever since you gave Alexander that music programme, he's been playing it all night, every night.
RIKER: I just wanted to broaden his horizons. Besides, he likes it.
WORF: It is screeching, pounding, dissonance. It is not music.
RIKER: Worf, it's better than music, it's jazz.

Jazz is screeching, pounding dissonance? Don't you need electric instruments for that? I suddenly wonder how Will and Vic Fontaine would get along...

DATA: Unlike a canine, Spot does not respond to verbal commands. (hands him to Worf who holds him at arms length) Goodbye, Spot. He will need to be fed once a day. He prefers feline supplement number twenty five.
WORF: I understand.
DATA: And he will require water. And you must provide him with a sand box. And you must talk to him. Tell him he is a pretty cat, and a good cat.
WORF: I will feed him.
DATA: Perhaps that will be enough.

You'd think after "Force of Nature" Geordi would've insisted on cat training. I must admit confusion as to Worf's resistance to full pet duties. He had a targ as a kid, and the Roshenkos seem like they would have pets.

CRUSHER: They appear to be extracting our cellular peptides. It's roughly analogous to the way terran leeches consume haemoglobin. If they're not removed soon, our bodies are going to lose all their cellular cohesion. We'll collapse into nothing but a few pounds of chemicals.

A few pounds? Is Beverly implying that the non-water part of our bodies is only a few pounds?

LAFORGE: What we want to do, Data, is link your neural net into the holodeck and have you activate your dream programme, so as you dream we can observe the dream images.
PICARD: Perhaps we can learn more about these creatures by interpreting the symbols and images of your dreams.
DATA: I see. The concept is similar to the method of directed dreaming.
PICARD: Exactly.

I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be that simple. Plus this has nothing to do with directed dreaming.

PICARD: Mister Data, what kind of cake is this?
DATA: It is cellular peptide cake.
WORF: With mint frosting.

The mint frosting is essential!

LAFORGE: I do recognise that junction they're working on. It's the plasma conduit we installed with the new warp core.

So they replaced ONE plasma conduit? It must've been a broken part that they decided to replace along with the warp core and it's not an upgrade or anything.

LAFORGE: Well, we're going to have to manufacture a new conduit. That's at least six hours work.
PICARD: Six hour? The banquet will be completely over by then. That's very unfortunate.
LAFORGE: I can try and speed things up a bit.
PICARD: No, no, no. I wouldn't want to sacrifice the safety of the ship.
LAFORGE: Understood, sir.

Ha ha. I'm glad that they're implying that there are industrial fabricators on board and you can't just replicate everything.

The Fiver

Data: Excuse me, no repairs were authorized on this deck.
Construction Workers: Damn the bleeping Starfleet regulations. Did you know that in the Maquis, if something's broken, they just fix it?

What does this have to do with the Maquis? This joke seems like a stretch. There really should be a parallel between the Maquis and the episode's events to justify it.

Picard: Well, I'm going. They must hear my fascinating theories on the Egyptian-Hittite battle of 1294 BC.

This is a reference to the Battle of Kadesh, the oldest battle that we know of that actually employed formal tactics and formations. The battle was a stalemate.

Worf: A modified warp core on a Starfleet ship that works? Hah! And targs fly!

He does present a valid point.

Nakamura: Oh Captain, you could always email us your insights into the Egyptian-Hittite battle. Or drop the subject entirely! It was a draw!
Picard: It was not! The Egyptians won! Ramses II says so!
Nakamura: And why should Ramses II be trusted?
Picard: Because he wasn`t influenced by Romulan astronauts, like those deceptive and double-crossing Hittites!

The first reference was cute, but explaining the joke doesn't make it funny. Plus I think the Romulans would be on the Egyptian's side.

La Forge: (over the comm) Okay, let's try out the new warp core again.
Riker: Everyone say Edsel!

I get that this is a Threshold reference, but people who know the history of the Edsel would laugh even more. Basically the Edsel is what happens when people muck around with an established design to "modernize" it without thinking about why the established design is established.

Troi: Lalala... I've got faith, of the heeeart...

What does Enterprise have to do with this situation?

Data: If you encounter a warp core breach and start believing you're impervious to antimatter explosions -- I'm still dreaming.

This one makes sense.

Picard: Sweet nightmares, Mr. Data!
Data: How thoughtful of you, sir.
Picard: Do you perhaps want a little bedtime story? A Stephen King novel? Anne Rice?

This seems like a missed opportunity to riff on scary Trek literature. The autobiography of Neelix, or Wesley's latest fanfic, or whatever.

Memory Alpha

* They kept the modified warp core prop to use for one of the alternate Enterprises in "Parallels".

Nitpicker's Guide

* Why is Data "sleeping" when the warp core is broken?
* Phil has a problem with Crusher saying that the interphasic organisms are attached to their bodies with tendrils, then showing some of them on their uniforms. I question this, is there a reason why the tentrils (and their mouths) can't reach through the holes in the weave?
* The cat used to portray Spot before and after Worf cares for him (he's still a him at this point, FYI) are quite different? This implies that Worf killed the original (male) Spot and replaced him with a new female Spot who will get pregnant for "Genesis".