I ran across this video the other day… (though you may want to read on before you invest time in it)
This video is just a little embarrassing, frankly. I consider myself a geek, but these people are a little over the top to the point I can’t decide if this is really made by nerds for nerds or if it’s actually making fun of nerds. In any case, the premise of this video drifts all over the place. (Didn’t any of these people have basic English composition? State your thesis and stick with it as you defend it! This can’t even agree what it’s thesis is!) Of course the premise that any geeky controversy could ever be adequately resolved to everyone’s satisfaction is ludicrous, so this shouldn’t be taken too seriously anyway.
For the record, Will Riker was both awesome and overrated. The writers couldn’t make up their mind, and it showed. When he was given good material he rocked it. But if anything he was the victim of reality. The creators of TNG tried to emulate a more true-to-form military structure, in which the XO is a critical position. But for story-telling purposes the role tends to be a little redundant. And the writers either didn’t understand what an XO does or they didn’t really try to establish it, and so we often have Will Riker looking like a guy with nothing to do.
I think he also suffered a bit from the “We need a Kirk clone in this” syndrome. In many ways he was Kirk light; chasing skirts, swaggering a bit, cracking jokes, etc. His character did grow in time, and there are some really good episodes that allowed him to really shine.
Now as to the offered-and-retracted-and-ignored charge that Riker was the most awesome character on ST:TNG, that’s just plain silly. TNG was an ensemble cast in ways that even TOS didn’t pull off. Every character had its strengths and weaknesses, their good moments and bad. I liked them all–even Troi became easier to like as time went on. There was a rapport among them that I enjoyed. It’s no wonder, really, why DS9 was such a shock to the system after that. And I have to admit that “First Contact” is one of my most favorite of all Trek movies, right up there behind Wrath of Khan, and Voyage Home.
Anyway, I suppose the video accomplished part of its mission. It’s got me thinking about TNG again. It’s been a long time. I ought to watch it again and see if it’s still holding up.
Oh, Thom. And I had such hope for you. I’ll forgo what you and others would, in the face of all reality, dismiss as hyperbole and just SMH.
Not quite following here. My anti-texting ignorance is showing, I suppose. SMH? Show my hate? Shave my head? Send Mother home? Scatter Malaysian Hindus? Sell major hashish? Shoot my horse? Smoke my hookah? Shovel manure happily? Starve my homies? Shun most haberdashers? Smooch Majel’s husband? Salivate most heartily?
I assume you’re reacting to my even admitting to having liked ST:TNG, but I’ve long accepted we see our Trek differently, considering you like the reboot, while I find it so many empty calories. To be fair, however, I did mention that my impressions may have changed. I’ve not seen TNG in over twenty years. It may not have the same impact it did in high school. But then, for that matter, it’s been about that many years since I watched much of TOS, as well, and now that I’ve been watching it again I’m finding it a little…less than I remember.
Which is kind of the point of the whole post. I can’t bring myself to achieve the same level of nerdity as many of my peers. There are some very fine shows out there, but not even Babylon 5 moves me to the point of abject, unquestioning, blindered fan-boy-ism of the variety suggested by that video. The closest I ever came was standing in line for several hours for the latest ST movie. Well, that and many, many incredibly fun hours of ST:RPG-ing with my sister (in which we consciously chose the setting/period of ST:TWOK, not ST:TNG, I might add).
Shake my head
And your reply simply deepens my remorse and regret. Where did your mother and I go wrong?
I didn’t put no bullet in the furnace, and quit talkin’ ’bout my mother!
Where did you go wrong, Bill? Of course you would throw that out there when you know I don’t have to give such a question the three or for weeks it deserves…
Either you are more concise than I thought possible, or you are living in an alternate reality. ONLY three or four weeks?
Well, to tell the truth I couldn’t possibly go on that long, as talking about anyone other than myself for more than a few minutes is an overwhelming test of willpower.
When did you get a hookah?
Wow such deep conversation between you and Bill. I am not sure what it all means but I like your quirkiness Thom. Also Thom I agree that Bill leave your wonderful Mother out of conversations, unless it is to praise her. Just saying mate. 🙂
Sorry, no hookah, though we did consider opening our game store next to a smoke shop that sold them. Wayne, if you see a deep conversation between Bill and I…it’s probably a mistake we will soon rectify. 😉
The only thing deep in our conversations is what needs shoveled up … generally by someone with hip waders … and a lack of the sense of smell.