#Strategema

[filmjunky-99]

s t a r t r e k t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n created by gene roddenberry [peak performance, s2ep21] 'Strategema'

#star trek #star trek the next generation #the next generation #gene roddenberry #tng season 2 #the next generation season 2 #tng peak Performance #peak Performance #lot: st tng season 2 ep 21/22 (ep 47/178) #johnathan frakes #brent spiner #levar burton #diana muldaur #michael dorn #Roy Brocksmith #william riker #data #geordi la forge #katherine pulaski #worf #Sirna Kolrami #Strategema

[homewrecking-lore]

The thing about the fandom’s interpretation of Data and Pulaski is that it makes both characters extremely flat and boring while also erasing their whole relationship. Data’s made into this flawless, naive baby that can’t defend himself (when he does - when Pulaski mispronounces his name, he tells her exactly why she should pronounce it correctly), while Pulaski is an ugly bitch-hag who is morally reprehensible. Most fanfics portray Data as being uncomfortable or scared of her, while Pulaski’s chomping at the bit to break him into parts. Their whole relationship in season two is based around the fact they both have flaws, and that Data is still learning about what exactly he is capable of as an android.

In “Elementary, My Dear Data”, the big question of the episode is if Data can solve a narrative mystery without it being based on his knowledge of the original stories. Geordi doesn’t know the answer. Pulaski doesn’t. Data doesn’t. From what they know of Data, Pulaski outright dismisses the possibility that Data can, which sparks the episode’s plot.

So when Geordi goes back later and prompts the computer to alter the program to be more challenging, both Data and Pulaski are excited! They want to see where this goes! They are openly having fun with this.

In her first episode, Pulaski dismissed Data when he tried to stay during Troi’s labour, and only relented when Troi said she wanted him there. But by “Penpals”, she assures Sarjenka that Data will be at her side the whole time. When Data expresses doubts, she assures him that this is what’s best for Sarjenka, but that his memories of her will still be important. This is also the same episode where Pulaski defends both her and Data’s personal involvement in the situation to Worf.

In “Measure of A Man”, the game opens with some of the crew playing a poker game. Data and Pulaski are obviously friendly and comfortable enough to socialize together outside of professional circumstances. And again, the scene shows Data calling the game simplistic and assuming he will win, but he turns out to be wrong.

Later in “Peak Performance”, Pulaski sets up Data to compete in Strategema, only for him to end up losing, to everyone’s surprise. The reason why Data’s confidence falls is because he had the exact same assumption about his computational abilities as Pulaski. They were both wrong! When she sees how much losing has affected him, she apologizes:

Data says that he must be malfunctioning. It’s not until Picard tells him that failure can happen even when you do everything right that Data accepts he can make mistakes - and that making mistakes is okay! By the end of the episode, they both know that Data is not infallible, and that he can be affected by failure as much as any human.

Pulaski makes assumptions and mistakes, and so does Data. They learn and grow from them, and their relationship is overall a very positive one despite their very different personalities. It’s an interesting dynamic that gets rewritten by fans entirely, despite the fact that it’s weirdly one of the more developed dynamics in the show.

#tng #st tng #data soong #data tng #katherine pulaski #star trek next generation #i promise this is my last rant post about data and pulaski #tng fans: i wish the crew had more developed and complex dynamics :( #also tng fans: no not like that #anyway my point is data and pulaski were pretty rounded characters in this season #and their relationship is really interesting! #and i dont think its a coincidence that a big chunk of data's growth drops after season 2 #which sucks because its interesting to see him learn about what being an android means! #him and geordi and pulaski on the holodeck was so fun #anyway in this house we love and respect pulaski in both data related and not-data-related matters

[ichayalovesyou]

The worfriker content in Peak Performance is 👀

Worf & Riker’s exchange in Worf’s quarters and the camera choice to focus on Riker looking at the wrestling Klingons statue

✨Intricate Rituals✨ with Worf putting the Strategema finger things on Riker

Riker going out of his way to pick Worf over Geordi as his second in the simulation.

The more I watch TNG man, the more I get why this ship is a thing lol

#peak performance #star trek #Star Trek tng #tng #worfriker #worf rozhenko #william riker #commander riker #worf

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Data

By Ames

It’s the man you’ve all been waiting for! He’s one of the most popular Star Trek characters of all time. He teaches us humanity and friendship and science. He’s the outsider character of his series and uses his unique perspective to open our eyes to the world and the people around us. And he loves cats! No wait, we already spotlighted Commander Spock. Just kidding. I’m, of course, talking about Lieutenant Commander Data!

It’s hard for us at A Star to Steer Her By to narrow down the best moments from our android friend because he gets to do so damn much between The Next Generation series and movies, and he’s also my personal favorite character on the show, but we’ve somehow managed it! So use your positronic brains to read on below and listen to our discussion on this week’s podcast episode (tricorder scan to 1:03:10) to see where we drew the line. Saddle up!

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

You are fully functional, aren't you? As we mentioned in our Picard spotlight, “The Naked Now” has the strangest mix of great and terrible character moments, and I couldn’t not include the incredibly hot Data/Yar romance that it created. It’s just nice to know that Data is programmed in multiple techniques, a broad variety of pleasuring. And later, the physical acting we get from Brent Spiner in that lean and fall was great!

My thoughts are not for Tasha, but for myself While the rest of “Skin of Evil” and the anticlimactic death of Tasha Yar aren’t really our cups of tea, we do have to admit that the tribute scene at the end is moving and well done. And that final moment when Data and Picard talk (even so briefly!) about the point of the ceremony and how empty it will feel without Yar… I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

Tied game, we’re going into overtime I also have to give Data credit for all the times he uses his big android brain to solve a problem, an advantage he has over pretty much any other character. For example, when he busts Sirna Kolrami up in a game of strategema by forcing a constant stalemate in “Peak Performance,” it feels like a win because he thinks outside the fluorescent holographic box!

One android with a single weapon Every so often, we also see Data in command, questioning his leadership skills or having difficulty connecting with his peers (more on that one in a second). But when he’s the only one who can survive the radiation on Tau Cygna, he takes charge to get its colonists to leave by blowing up their aqueduct in “The Ensigns of Command.” Try withstanding Sheliak attacks now, losers!

Thank you for my life While some of us on SSHB didn’t care much for Lal, you’ve got to admit that all of Data’s actions in “The Offspring” are on point. From questioning why he shouldn’t be allowed to create life, to letting his offspring self-identify, to keeping her out of the hands of Starfleet, it’s all good parenting. But what takes the cake is the heart-wrenching farewell scene after he tries to save her.

He who dies with the most toys… is kind of an asshole While we don’t get the cathartic release of Data phasering the hell out of Kivas Fajo in “The Most Toys,” we do get to take some pride that he is capable of overcoming his ethical subprogram to do away with someone who really has no right existing. When Geordi says that he detects a phaser firing in the transporter beam, you know he just needed a fraction of a second more and Fajo would be toast.

Your request for reassignment has been noted and denied Like in the afore-mentioned “The Ensigns of Command,” Data has some trouble adjusting to command when he takes control of the Sutherland in “Redemption, Part II.” It sure doesn’t help that his racist XO Hobson undermines his every decision, but that doesn’t stop Data from single-handedly foiling the Romulans’ plan and telling Hobson exactly where to shove it.

I've never been to a better funeral When it’s apparent that Geordi has been killed in a transporter accident in “The Next Phase,” Data grapples with the loss of his best friend in a very touching way, similar to how he mourned Yar as we mentioned above. And before he solves the puzzle of the episode and saves them, Data throws the best funeral I’ve ever seen for La Forge and Ro! People are just dying for a funeral like that!

The most human decision you’ve ever made We gave Picard a lot of accolades when we discussed his standing up for Data’s right to live in “The Measure of a Man.” Data gets a similar moment in “The Quality of Life” when he refuses to trade the lives of the Exocomps for those of other beings. It’s a nice episode of paying it forward, and we also get to see the scientific method on high display when he and Crusher deduce the little guys are alive.

Radioactive. What does that mean? Speaking of the scientific method! Even with his memories wiped in “Thine Own Self,” Data is able to piece together why the radioactive materials are hurting everyone in the village on Barkon IV. And with that clear slate of mind, we see that in all forms, Data is curious, caring, and willing to help people who are in need, even if it gets him speared in the back a little bit.

Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature… We’d be remiss if we didn’t bring up Data’s beautiful relationship with his cat, Spot. As everyone on SSHB is a devoted cat person, we found it a treat whenever we saw Data interacting with Spot, testing which food she’d like, and writing cat poetry. The best might be when Data reunites with her after the Enterprise crashes in Generations AND he has the emotions to appreciate it!

Resistance is fully functional We noticed in our TOS spotlights that it’s in the movies that most characters get to shine, and First Contact is that chance for Data. His scenes getting tempted by the Borg Queen are dead sexy and you can’t tell me otherwise. And his betrayal of the Collective by purposely sparing the Phoenix and then fumigating engineering to kill Borg Queen are the climax we all needed. I’ll be in my bunk.

—

Worst moments

I am stuck Especially in the early seasons, Data got used to make bad fish-out-of-water jokes. It was a silly habit the show had of depicting him as naïve about human culture even though he’s lived in it for years (and has the memories of the Omicron Thetans when the show remembers). Seeing him get stuck in a fingertrap in “The Last Outpost” is just such an example of dumb sight gags to make him look goofy.

I can’t use contractions, sir This is just a pet peeve of mine that could have been fixed so damned easily. Listen, writers, if you’re going to make it a plot point that Data can’t use contractions in episodes like “Datalore” and “Future Imperfect,” then be consistent. Run an apostrophe search in Microsoft Word and replace them, because in episodes like “We’ll Always Have Paris” when he states “It’s me,” it pisses me off.

Take my Worf, please! Don’t worry, we’re not done pointing out all the bad jokes told at Data’s expense that we see throughout the series (oh god, and just wait for the movies). And it’s a shame because Brent Spiner himself has such great comic timing and delivery, but when you make his jokes so obviously idiotic like in Ames’s least favorite TNG episode “The Outrageous Okona,” we cringe so hard.

Is anybody out there? We mentioned this one in our prime directive chat before, since Data just tramples all over it, but “Pen Pals” has some good discussion on the pros and cons of the situation. But that doesn’t excuse Data for making the decision on his own to get involved with the Dramen people, much less to bring Sarjenka onto the bridge (for crying out loud), necessitating a Pulaski mind wipe!

One seven three four six seven three two one four… There are a handful of times in TNG that we find it a terrible idea that Data (or any single being) has as much power as they have, considering how often they get possessed by things or duplicated by other things. So when Data single-handedly takes over the Enterprise in “Brothers,” disrupting the mission to save Willie Potts’s life, because Soong hacked into his brain, we raise eyebrows.

Jilting by association While I could joke that Data ever introducing Miles and Keiko was a mistake (and I have!), there’re still a lot of bad moves he makes regarding their relationship in “Data’s Day.” When he gets stuck in the middle of their nuptial stress, he’s so clueless how to handle the situation and keeps making things worse when, frankly, Miles and Keiko should have kept things to themselves.

Who programmed the book of love? Moving on to even more lousy relationships: Data’s brief, unnecessary romance with Jenna Desora in “In Theory” proves to be just another example of too many “Data doesn’t understand humanity” jokes that we hoped the show was over by this point. But alas, he’s written himself a love program to basically treat the situation like a sitcom and we were done with it.

Point that thing somewhere else From the moment Data stands directly in front of Bashir’s mystery device in “Birthright, Part I,” it’s obvious he’s going to get zapped by it. Really, Data? You couldn’t have stood literally anywhere else than in front of what is clearly an energy beam? And the rest of the episode, we’re stuck going on a dream adventure, and you already know how I feel about those!

Stop it, stop it, stop it Like in “Brothers,” it just seems weird to have Data getting controlled by his kooky family members when it happens again in “Descent.” This time, Lore has given Data the emotions he thought he wanted all along, but it turns out the very first emotion Data embraces is sheer rage. When he takes pleasure in killing Borg, you know maybe emotions just aren’t for him, and yet…

Open sesame! …when we get to Generations, Data has a fully fledged emotion chip that really needed more testing first. We’re subjected to just way too many of those dopey Data jokes, from Open Sesame to Mr. Tricorder to cackling at a 7-year-old joke. And to add kidnapping and torture to insult, it’s when Data is having a particularly bad reaction that Geordi nearly gets killed by Klingons!

I have been designed to serve as a floatation device We’re not done yet with the Data humor (and just way too much humor in general that doesn’t land) in Insurrection. While this film really gives Jean-Luc his time to shine, the rest of the cast are treated like afterthoughts, including Data who seems to be around for punchlines, like remarking about how the women’s boobs feel firmer, and serving as a life preserver.

Going out in a blaze of failure Finally, I need to criticize Nemesis yet again, as I am wont to do. It’s just… Data’s sacrifice for Picard is so unearned. I’d debate that it’s worse than the Kirk sacrifice in Generations that we put in that Worst Moments list too. Most of it is probably the abysmal script. I’ll sum it up by saying this: if you can’t make me care that my favorite character died, you’ve done something wrong.

—

Now that we’ve found Data’s off switch, we can wrap things up this week. Don’t worry, we’ve got tons more character spotlights for the coming weeks, so keep your sensors here, journey over to SoundCloud or wherever you get your podcasts to follow along with our Enterprise watchthough, break the Prime Directive with us on Facebook and Twitter, and delete that comedian holoprogram from the computer!

#star trek #star trek podcast #podcast #data #the next generation #generations #first contact #insurrection #nemesis #the naked now #skin of evil #peak performance #the ensigns of command #the offspring #the most toys #redemption #the next phase #the quality of life #thine own self #the last outpost #we'll always have paris #the outrageous okona #pen pals #brothers #data's day #in theory #birthright #descent #brent spiner

[bigb0ybroccoli]

I don't play much Roblox, but when i do you know I'm on that FUCKING STRATEGEMA BAYYBEEEE WOOOO YEAAHHHH

#shitpost #shitposting #swag out

[gnosticpriesthood]

“ you have all the answers right in front of you. you just need to look at it differently. ” ( Tilly )

"As good a wager as any, Ensign," Jean-Luc nods, tapping his fingertips against the mahogany-wood of his desk. Not for the first time his thoughts turn to Commander Data. Tumbling about in the laundry-dryer of consciousness that has become his mind. Were Data here, he'd surely have choice commentary on the matter. Ah, all the same. The man's lips separate in a smile. "It's been many years since I've indulged in a good round of Strategema. Would you care to join me?"

#evcryopeneye #sylvia tilly #tilly #star trek #the worst is not so long as we can say / verses #the play's the thing wherein i'll catch the conscience of the king / ask #the breaking of so great a thing should make a greater crack / meme #[ acceptance . ] #heheh hope this one's ok!

[chaptertwo-thepacnw]

strategema |1989|

#gif #star trek #tng #the next generation #strategema #roy brocksmith #brent spiner #sirna kolrami #data #science fiction #1989 #peak performance

[thegreaterlink]

Reviewing Star Trek TNG - S2E21 “Peak Performance”

THE PREMISE

The Enterprise is ordered by Starfleet Command to participate in simulated combat exercises to prepare for the imminent Borg threat. Renowned Zakdorn strategist Sirna Kolrami (try saying that five times fast) is sent to act as the exercise's observer and mediator.

The combat exercise pits the Enterprise against the far inferior 80-year-old Federation ship USS Hathaway, which Riker will be commanding. He recruits Geordi, Worf and Wesley Crusher as his senior crew, while Picard and the others remain on the Enterprise. Back on the Enterprise, Kolrami expresses doubts over Riker's abilities as a commanding officer, making Picard determined to prove him wrong.

MY REVIEW

I'll admit I wasn't sure about this episode when I first saw the premise. I was convinced that it would be middling at best, and I have never been happier to be proven wrong.

The Hathaway is massively outclassed by the Enterprise, with barely any dilithium crystals and no warp speed capabilities. Most of Riker's story is dedicated to him coordinating his crew in getting it up and running again, proving his effectiveness as a leader. As has been pointed out more than once, if he wasn't so dedicated to the Enterprise then he would make an excellent captain.

Back on the Enterprise, Dr Pulaski persuades Data to challenge Kolrami to a game of Strategema, a game with no clear rules aside from putting on some finger clamps and wriggling them around. It looks cool, but I have no idea what's going on.

When Data loses, he suffers a crisis of confidence and resigns himself to his quarters, convinced he is malfunctioning and that Picard cannot trust his judgement. Both Troi and Pulaski (it's nice to see how much she's softened to him since they first met) are unable to convince him otherwise, but Picard reminds him of his duty and gives us this memorable quote:

"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness. That is life."

Data's confidence is restored, and we get some nice character moments thrown into the bargain.

In fact, pretty much every character gets their own moment in the spotlight in this episode:

Picard defends Riker's competence to Kolrami, calling his First Officer "the best" multiple times.

Riker coordinates his crew to get an ancient disabled starship up and running in a matter of hours.

Geordi restores warp core stability to a ship from generations prior.

Wesley uses a school experiment involving antimatter to give the Hathaway an edge.

Worf rigs up a holographic projector for the Hathaway to create illusions to throw the Enterprise off.

The simulation begins, and the Hathaway creates a projection of a Romulan warship to distract the Enterprise while it gets its first shots in (all of the damage is simulated, but the computers of both ships are programmed to respond as if it were real) and the Enterprise regroups and prepares to attack.

So, we have a good story, nice character moments for the whole cast and we’re on track for a pretty fun climax. What could go wrong?

Suddenly a Ferengi warship shows up.

When will this series learn that those big-eared little shits just don’t work as villains?

The Ferengi are also limited to static shots against a cheap-looking background along with some pretty bland performances, especially surprising since one of them (I think the one on the left) is played by Armin Shimerman, who you’ll see play one of many more entertaining Ferengi when we get to Deep Space Nine.

Anyway, their arrival creates an unexpected complication, since they're suspicious of two Federations ships attacking each other and conclude that the Hathaway must be valuable, and demand that it be surrendered to them.

But Picard and Riker concoct a risky but ingenious plan for the Enterprise to fire proton torpedoes at the Hathaway, with the Hathaway using their short warp jump (made possible by Wesley's antimatter) to jump to safety an instant before the torpedoes detonate, which works. The Ferengi are convinced that their prize is destroyed, and retreat when Worf tricks them into making them think that another Federation ship is approaching.

Kolrami is forced to eat his words about Riker, and again when Data challenges him to a Strategema rematch and forces him to give up in frustration. Everyone laughs, fade to black, roll credits.

7.5/10 - A surprisingly solid entry. Glad to see this season is finding its footing again towards the end.

Previous Episode | TNG Masterpost | Next Episode

#star trek #star trek tng #star trek the next generation #the next generation #tng #star trek tng review #star trek review #uss enterprise #jean luc picard #will riker #deanna troi #geordi la forge #katherine pulaski #star trek worf #star trek data #ferengi #simulation

[rikerxworf]

“irritated”?? um?? does this mean love deprivation?? or special attention?? hello?? (◔◡◔✿)

ID: Four gifs from TNG, showing Worf preparing Riker’s fingers for Strategema. He says, “I have wagered heavily in the ship’s pool that you will take him past the sixth plateau” in a low growl. Riker asks, “And if I don’t?” Worf considers this and says, “I will be... irritated.” Riker looks up at him but Worf looks away quickly. End ID.

#gay gay homosexual gay #like c'mon that voice is deep even for worf's standards #how is your man supposed to concentrate after this worf smh #tngedit #gifs #ep. peak performance #riker x worf #*

[soong-type-husband]

'i do not have an ego' says the man pouting in his room after losing a game of Strategema to the best man in the galaxy at it

#my post #data my beloved #your a bit of a himbo

[mylittleredgirl]

gonna keep sharing a few thoughts as i watch the star treks this week. i pinned the post where i was asking for crowdsourced episode suggestions if you want to add some! i couldn’t limit myself to a clever one-liner for each episode and busted out the bullet points, so i’m putting it behind a readmore.

(episodes are all tng for this round: “schisms” / “masks” / “manhunt” / “the emissary” / “peak performance”)

“schisms”:

i LOVE when tng goes horror. that scene in the holodeck where they slowly reveal the alien operating table... 👩‍🍳💋. i need to do a Spooky Trek marathon soon.

add this one to the unofficial “counselor troi is really necessary and good at her job actually” theme for the week -- remember that post about how starships need a Weird Shit officer for people to report weird shit to? that’s deanna! worf had a strange reaction to a pair of scissors in the barber shop and must have immediately gone to tell her, as did riker and geordi and that civilian lady, because that’s what you’re supposed to do when Weird Shit happens in deep space, and that’s how you find out that aliens from another dimension are borrowing your crew.

i’m obsessed with the ship’s counselor role and will go fully feral on anyone who dismisses it.

“masks” for @mrv3000​:

look, this episode gets a bad rap, but it’s hard for an episode to be too bad when you’ve got patrick stewart and brent spiner trying their best, you know?

the premise that super sophisticated aliens sent out a super sophisticated probe that survived 87 million years in deep space for the purpose of a brief mythology larp is weird, but it makes me think that either the interaction with data (an unexpected sentient piece of technology not meant to interface with the probe) caused a glitch OR the 87 million years in deep space meant that the probe probably wasn’t supposed to do this exact thing. it’s like if someone in 87 million years encountered a derelict starship voyager, and whatever sensor beam they sent at it activated the tiny portion of the computer dedicated to Fair Haven and they were like “ah, these people for Spiritual Reasons recreate a ritual where they get drunk and throw ceremonial ring-like objects, how strange for a technologically advanced society to do that.”

actually, an alien holoprogram is the only thing that makes sense by Star Trek Rules™️, because the rules of holoprograms is that you can get stuck in the program, but the program ends and everything re-sets to normal once you play to the end of the story.

can we talk about that opening scene with beverly and deanna where there’s a random sculpture in deanna’s quarters and beverly is like “oooh maybe will left it for you as a little present.” i’m gonna leave aside the fact that they decide it’s probably a secret admirer randomly breaking into a senior officer’s quarters with anonymous gifts, and that’s not a cause for immediate investigation, and just focus on how i adore will and deanna’s are-they-or-aren’t-they relationship and beverly being like SOOOOOO is he leaving you booty call tokens? (and this is like an episode before the deanna/worf story starts heating up)

“manhunt” for @coraclavia:

this is an amazing episode of star trek because absolutely nothing happens. the a plot of the episode is “lwaxana troi is horny for alien reasons and goes around sexually harassing every man she sees.” the b plot is “everyone stares at funny looking aliens in stasis.” the c plot of “assassins attempt to bomb diplomatic conference” takes up 45 seconds of airtime in the last scene of the episode.

i live for pulaski and deanna’s hallway interaction where they decide that actually they ARE going to leave captain picard in lwaxana’s clutches for the evening because it’s probably hilarious

i haven’t read imzadi fanfic in years but someone who does please point me to whatever’s the best of the “deanna absolutely breaks riker with sex when she hits midlife” genre

honestly if i were a famous rock musician i also would want to appear on star trek, absolutely unidentifiable beneath sixteen pounds of latex and a voice modulator

“the emissary”:

K’EHLEYR MY BELOVED

i absolutely, absolutely love every interaction she and deanna have in this episode and i want them to become [girl]friends immediately

the conversation about culture is so rich and i want so much more of it, especially between worf and k’ehleyr -- worf fully klingon but raised by humans, overcompensating by being (as jadzia will later point out) so adherent to klingon honor roles that he can’t loosen up and have fun, but also remaining separate from his home culture; k’ehleyr both as human and klingon, raised by both parents, disdainful of the klingon honor code but also making it her life’s work to be a bridge between the two cultures. IT’S SO FASCINATING!

it also makes me think long and hard about b’elanna, and how both k’ehleyr and b’elanna see their klingon tempers as a dangerous burden they have to control, but k’ehleyr seems so much more comfortable with herself in general. in watching it this time, it occurs to me how much of that is likely due to the homes they grew up in -- b’elanna came from a broken home and is estranged from both parents, with the perception that her father left because she was “too klingon” and that her mother was disappointed in her for not being klingon enough; k’ehleyr seems to come from parents who put work into their relationship and dealt with cross-cultural challenges together (“klingon and human dna is compatible, with a little help -- rather like my parents”). 

i spent LONG HOURS as a kid trying to work out the biology of how klingons can get pregnant through their hands.

“peak performance”:

season two gets a lot of shit -- the episodes aren’t as tightly written as later ones because of the writer’s strike, but that means there’s lots of filler content which is awesome. the cold open poker game in “the emissary” feels like it leads into the whole strategema side-plot in this episode.

i love pulaski and data’s relationship in the back half of season two, with the same part of my heart that loves spock and bones’s relationship. is it unhealthy and problematic? yeah. is it also somehow heartwarming and my favorite part of season two? yep.

i love riker so much. his combination of confident swagger and “who WOULDN’T take the opportunity to be guaranteed pasted by the best” is perfect.

quark!! hilarious to me that the ferengi are still a Real Threat™️. i think they should’ve brought that back actually in the dominion war like oh you guys just FORGOT the ferengi have a fleet of ships that almost destroyed the federation flagship a couple of times? we’ll fight the changelings with you but we’re charging you market rate plus hazard pay for each torpedo used.

#star trek thoughts #tng #trekathon

[vaults-of-zin]

Watching Star Trek TNG for the first time and its weird how they seem to routinely forget that they’re living in a post-scarcity world.

Like character’s will constantly make remarks like “You’re buying me dinner“ but dinner comes out of a replicator?

Worf will tell Data he’s made bet on him winning a game of Strategema. What are you betting Worf??

#star trek #tng

[spockvarietyhour]

Peak Performance but instead of Strategema Data and Kolrami play Magic.

I’ll go one further. Data and Kolrami are playing Star Trek TCG based off of Magic. There’s confusion and fear as it refers to events that haven’t happened yet. 

Data’s deck keeps coming up with this, which is just a horrible portent of things that should not be spoken:

#Hi I need sleep time to go #Anonymous #bareil of borg: what if we made the most cardboard vedek and made him more robotic

[mswyrr]

In explaining her approach to politics as a black Democratic woman in a state controlled by white Republican men, she devotes several pages to a pivotal scene from “Peak Performance,” an episode from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

In the episode, Data, the preternaturally pale android with a greenish cast to his skin, is playing Strategema, a game that appears to be some incredibly complicated form of 3-D holographic chess, against a humanoid grandmaster named Kolrami. Data cannot defeat Kolrami, he discovers, but he can outlast him, drive him into a rage and force him to quit the game, which is itself a kind of victory.

Ms. Abrams writes that this has helped her focus her own thinking. “Data reframed his objective — not to win outright but to stay alive, passing up opportunities for immediate victory in favor of a strategy of survival,” she says in the book. “My lesson is simpler: change the rules of engagement.”

🖖🖖🖖

#a whovian AND a Trekkie???? #😍😍😍😍😍😍 #stacey abrams #star trek #us politics tag

[startrekvsfaceapp]

Strategema

#star trek #faceapp #data #commander data #kolrami #next generation #the next generation #star trek the next generation #tng #star trek tng #peak performance

[jimintomystery]

TNG: “Peak Performance”

Sirna Kolrami, a renowned strategist, stages a combat simulation for the Enterprise crew in the Braslota system.  Commander Riker takes command of the dilapidated USS Hathaway, and prepares for the challenge of defeating the relatively invincible Enterprise.  Lieutenant Commander Data assumes the duties of Captain Picard’s first officer, but soon doubts his capacity to analyze Riker’s unorthodox tactics after losing a game of strategema against Kolrami.  The war game is disrupted by a Ferengi warship that misunderstands the exercise and attempts to capture the Hathaway for profit.

There are other episodes, particularly in this season, that milk the idea that Riker is an absurdly prodigious commander, but this one may take the cake.  Kolrami spends the whole episode dismissing Riker for his unconventional style, all so Will can dazzle us all and live up to Picard’s endorsement: “He’s the best.”  Even when he’s getting crushed at strategema, he manages to make it about the thrill of experiencing the loss, to make it seem like he’s winning life on a level Kolrami could never understand.  By the end I half expect Riker to bite into a beer can to impress the cheerleaders.

The problem with the war game is that Team Riker’s entire strategy is to exploit the fact that it’s not a real battle.  Worf’s sensor ghost trick depends upon the fact that he can hack the “enemy” vessel because he was its security chief an hour ago.  Hathaway manages to score some shots with that stunt mainly because Enterprise’s response time suffers from switching from fake weapons to real weapons and back.  The warp jump trick is only possible because Wesley exploits the lax security between the ships.  This whole thing is supposed to prepare the crew to deal with the Borg.  Can you even imagine “Captain Riker” beating a Borg cube by using his familiarity with its crew, distracting it with a light show, beaming people over to steal stuff, and hacking their main computer?  That’d never work!

Similar to “Elementary, Dear Data,” the strategema subplot requires Doctor Pulaski to confuse Data’s inhuman intelligence and precision for infallibility, and then requires Data to accept her interpretation.  The fact that Data is an artificial intelligence does not guarantee he can win every game he plays--we’ve already seen him lose at poker, after all.  It’s also silly for him to decide he can’t serve as first officer if he can’t be sure his performance is flawless, given that Riker does the job just fine with his gooey, mistake-making human brain. 

Still, Data’s bewilderment about detecting no errors in a losing effort is a fitting dilemma for the character.  His solution--to play the rematch with Kolrami seeking a stalemate instead of a win--is also inspired, and perhaps suggests he’s learning from Riker’s example of thinking outside the box.  I once tried this “play to not lose instead of playing to win” idea in a game of chess on my computer.  I got my ass handed to me.

#star trek #tng #star trek: the next generation #welcome to the 24th century #tng season 2