30th Anniversary TNG Episode Discussion Marathon

[Nate the Great]

With this post I should be caught up for now...

Oh, and I'm going to be nitpicking the Treknology a lot more this episode, since it's such a big part of the episode. You've been warned.

October 30th, 1989, "Booby Trap"

Fiver (by Marc)
Transcript
Memory Alpha

The Episode

CHRISTY: I just don't feel that way about you.

So why'd she accept the date in the first place? I get it that Geordi was trying too hard, but he was trying to make her feel romantic, not trick his way into her pants. Furthermore, if humanity is so perfect these days, I'd think accepting date offers through pity would be against the ethos.

WESLEY: This was the final battle, wasn't it?
DATA: Neither side intended Orelious Nine to be the decisive conflict.

That's not the question Wesley asked, Data. The appropriate answer is "yes."

WESLEY: Geordi had a big date with Christy tonight. He spent days putting together the perfect programme.

Really? It was a beach with a musician. That shouldn't've taken more than five minutes to make. If anything he should've hand-made a gift for her that took days to do.

RIKER: We're picking up a signal, coordinates two one one mark six one.

I hate it when coordinates are given using only two dimensions. Another instance where there should've been a science advisor around to fix the script before filming.

PICARD: Indulge me, Number One.
RIKER: I would prefer it if Lieutenant Worf and I were able to a security sweep of the ship first.
PICARD: No. Captain's prerogative. This one's mine. We have examined every conceivable risk.
RIKER: The risks on a ship this old and fragile are inconceivable, Captain.

Every conceivable risk? I hope that includes the subspace detonators that killed Marla Aster last week. Riker should've used "incalculable" or "impossible to completely mitigate", not "inconceivable". I do like it when Picard insists on taking command of an away team, but I wouldn't blame Riker for complaining to Starfleet Command on this one.

DATA: There is adequate oxygen for life support, Commander.

I despise when the Trek writers think that life support is just air. Is the artificial gravity functional? How warm is it over there? Just based on the possible structural deficiencies, I'd still wear a space suit, wouldn't you?

O'BRIEN: I did. I really did. Ships in bottles. Great fun.

As one Trek reviewer (who I can't remember the name of at the moment) responded to this line, "Don't be a suckup, Chief."

WORF: Admirable. They died at their posts.

There's a line between a reasonable line of dialogue and a cliched line of dialogue for a specific character, and this one is straddling that line.

LAFORGE: Don't you have anything stronger than this, Guinan?
GUINAN: Yes.
LAFORGE: Would it help?
GUINAN: No.

Good exchange. It's a shame how often I wonder if Guinan is stealing a scene that Troi could do instead.