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TNG episode #21: The Arsenal of Freedom

 
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Bogmeister
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 4:14 pm    Post subject: TNG episode #21: The Arsenal of Freedom Reply with quote

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THE ARSENAL OF FREEDOM episode #21 / Air Date: 4/11/88
written by Richard Manning, Hans Beimler; Directed by Les Landau



This is a story about technology getting away from its creators (see The Terminator films).

In this case, it's weapons technology which wiped out a civilization. This seems to be an attack on the strategy of peace through strength — the idea that "the more powerful the weapons, the less chance they will be used".

Only it also seems the writers tried to wrap a coherent story around this high-falutin' concept and didn't succeed very well.



Also, this is a large scale story about a destroyed civilization, but it's tackled on a TV budget.

Looking at parts of this episode, I couldn't help but be reminded of certain low budget sf films of the fifties & sixties — the ones that take place on some cheesy alien planet jungle, with hostile aliens or lifeforms chasing stranded space travelers.

So, in a way this could be fun. But don't expect any great revelations or insights.



It also tries to throw a lot of things together. Picard beams down for some reason into danger (usually, it's Riker who beams down, and certainly not both captain and 1st officer), and Dr. Crusher is injured.

La Forge was placed in command of the ship when Picard left, and he's in conflict with the chief engineer. There are two newbies are at the helm, and the ship's saucer section separates, per La Forge's orders (last done in the pilot).

Whew. It's a bit of a jumble.



I also didn't know what to make of the scene when the injured Dr. Crusher instructs Captain Picard about how to use a growing plant root for medical purposes. This comes across like a joke. In the Trek universe, plants on different planets are essentially the same?

Also, the climax is reminiscent of all those TOS episodes when Kirk talked a machine to death. It's just less entertaining and maybe even an intended joke.

BoG's Score: 5 out of 10


BoG
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Bogmeister underrated this episode. It's packed with drama, action, and good concepts.

The crew has to outsmart an advanced automated defense system designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the weapons which were developed to win wars! It's a challenge which taxes the bravery and the abilities of the crew.

Bogmeister also didn't catch the explanation of how Dr. Crusher recognized a plant on the alien planet that resembled a plant on another alien planet which (she hoped) had the same medicinal properties. The scene in which Dr. Crusher tells Captain Picard about an emotional event in her past is very moving.

The source of Dr. Crusher's knowledge of the plant was her grandmother, a colonist on a planet which survived a serious medical emergency. The grandmother was forced to learn aspects of holistic medicine she needed to help the colony survive an emergency after all their medical supplies ran out.

Sometime later, Granny taught a young Beverly Crusher what she'd learned to save the lives of the colonist, and this inspired Beverly to pursue a career in medicine.

Apparently, what Bogmeister dismissed as weaknesses in this episode were actually it's greatest strengths. Very Happy

Meanwhile aboard the Enterprise, Geordi La Forge demonstrated his impressive abilities as a commander by sending the civilian population of the Enterprise off to safety in the saucer section while he takes the rest of the ship back to the planet and battles the advanced technology which threaten the ship and its crew! Shocked

Damn . . . what a great episode! Shocked

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Last edited by Bud Brewster on Mon Aug 31, 2020 4:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Pow
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"The Arsenal of Freedom," April 11, 1998.

Writer Robert Lewin originally planned to have his script develop the implied romance between Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher. Gene Roddenberry squashed this idea. Lewin found GR to have had a lack of interest in developing the characters. That, along with ongoing battles with Maurice Hurley eventually led to Lewin exiting the show.

The script had Picard as severely injured, and Beverly revealing her true feeling while both were trapped in the cavern. This was altered to have Crusher as seriously injured and no mention of her feelings for Picard.

The sand used in the cavern scene was infested with fleas and made it a miserable experience for Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden. The director, Les Landau, said that there was creative turmoil during the shooting of this episode.

It took place amidst massive, last-minute rewrites. It became so bad that the set was shut down for a few days due to a lack of a finished script.

Landau still felt that this episode came out well and is proud of it.

The saucer separation sequence for this episode was stock footage from the two-hour pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint." I always thought that the saucer separation scene was beautifully done. I felt they should have at least a few more episodes where the separation was required for a story.

However, they rarely employed this amazing feature of the Enterprise-D in future episodes. It may have been too costly to film new footage — and the fans caught on quickly to seeing stock footage used too much.

The Echo Papa 607 drone was created by FX supervisor Dan Curry. He used a L'EGGS pantyhose container with a shampoo bottle to put it together. Kinda cool looking drone coming from such basic items.

Guess that's why these FX people are called wizards. They can make magical things appear onscreen with common, everyday material. They are also under tight shooting schedules and tight budgets as well. So, you know the pressure on these talented folks is serious.

The surface cannon we see on this episode was rented from the Modern Props company. Years ago I just assumed that sf films and television shows created their own props as needed for their productions. Later I read that film and TV productions rented items from places that offered props.

I also caught on when I watched sf TV shows and noticed they were utilizing props that I knew I've seen in some other TV show.

When a sf TV show does construct their own futuristic gizmos, they're usually quite expensive and limited as to how many of the props — even if it's the same style ray gun for instance — that they have available.

I read one article years ago that guest star Robert Lansing was appearing on the ST:TOS episode/pilot "Assignment:Earth." On that episode Lansing's character, Gary Seven, had a high tech contraption called the Servo. Lansing was playing around with it after a scene was filmed.

A prop man walked over and snatched it right out out of Lansing's hand, startling the actor!

Lansing asked if HE (the prop man) was allowed to do that?

Lansing was told yes, absolutely — not only due to union rules, but also because these props were valuable to the production, and more than one actor had damaged props while clowning around with the!

I have recently read that due to the invention of the incredible 3-D printer that films and TV productions will be able to easily replicate as many sf props as needed. They won't be limited to just a few precious props which prop people must guard with their lives!

Bud, I'm with our late & great friend Bogmeister regarding this episode. Somewhat entertaining, but I doubt this one will end up on anyone's top ten list of finest episodes from ST: TNG.

I realize that technology run amok, as seen here, is a treasured trope in science fiction.

I am a fan of that plot device.

Colossus: The Forbin Project; The Doomsday Machine and The Ultimate Computer from ST:TOS; are some examples of where the premise was utilized wonderfully.

AOF just did not execute the tech amok trope in a truly interesting manner for me.

Beverly finally tells Picard has anyone thought of just turning off the damn computer after suffering through a prolonged battle with it? I rolled my eyes.

Here is the captain of one of the newest and finest star ships in Starfleet; here is a immensely sophisticated android; and here are members of a landing party and such a simple act is beyond their intellect and training?

The best and the brightest that Starfleet Academy has to offer!

I understand that this was troubled production and perhaps all hands on deck did the best they could.

However, I also feel that the episode reflects those troubles and is not the better for it.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Mike, I completely agree. Very Happy

This episode presented an intelligent concept in an unintelligent manner. It was like a dumbed-down version of Forbidden Planet! Shocked

The story had dramatic moments between Picard and Crusher which teased us with worthy drama — but the science fiction elements left us feeling like it was a big-budget version of an episode from Jason of Star Command. Sad

Back in the old days, devoted fans of TNG were so eager to see the merits of every episode that we tried to overlook its occasional flaws. But now — decades later, when both the series and it's original fans are older — we have higher standards.

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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes you just have to ...PULL...THE...PLUG!!!
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Pow
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nitpicks Engaged

Captain Picard demonstrates a clear lack of basic first-aid knowledge. After he and Dr. Crusher fall into the cavern, he immediately attempts to move the doctor.

For a great majority of this episode, Data's tricorder makes no sound, although Yar's & Crusher's do.

My 2 cents: I always found the scene where Picard is struggling to figure out how to thwart the Minos supercomputer and unable to do so foolish. Crusher suggests to him why not simply shut it off.

So much for the best and the brightest from Starfleet Academy not figuring this one out.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Yes indeed, an imperfect episode — but it has its moments, such as when Commander Riker realizes he's taking to a hologram of a nonexistent Starfleet Officer created by the supercomputer, and it wants to trick Riker into revealing information.

Hologram: So, commander, what ship are you assigned to?

Riker: Ummm . . . it's the USS Lollypop. Yes . . . she's a good ship.

A funny moment. Very Happy

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Krel
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I could never figure out how long ago the apocalypse happened. What you saw of the planet was a wilderness with no ruins, so it must have happened a long time ago. But they didn't act like it.

David.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Perhaps the powerful weapons which wiped out the population left very few ruins.

Just a thought . . .

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
Perhaps the powerful weapons which wiped out the population left very few ruins.

Just a thought . . .

If so, than really fast growing Vegetation. Laughing

Oh! That would make a REALLY great weapon. You fly over the planet dropping the seeds, and it grows up covering all the roads and surfaces. Low casualties, but really messes up your enemies infrastructure.

David.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Whoa, that IS a great idea! A "biological weapon" quite different from a plague or a poison!

Suppose these fast-growing plants included carnivorous vegetation, like giant Venus flytraps, which gobbled up the enemy and left everything else alone, as you described. Very Happy


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carnivorous vegetation would certainly up the collateral damage. Laughing If you don't want to kill your enemy, but make them suffer, than make most of the vegetation poison ivy. Twisted Evil

David.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2021 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
The saucer separation sequence for this episode was stock footage from the two-hour pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint." I always thought that the saucer separation scene was beautifully done. I felt they should have at least a few more episodes where the separation was required for a story.

I find myself oddly conflicted on this subject.

The fact that the ship could split into two sections is interesting, and the FX which portray this in the series' pilot are well down.

But for reasons I can explain, breaking the Enterprise into two parts troubles me. The starship is such a beautiful design that I object to breaking it up!

As an artist, I object to the saucer separation for the same reason I just can't appreciate the statue of Venus de Milo . . . without her arms! Sad



__________]


In other words, what's their is beautiful . . . . but what's missing spoils the viewer's enjoyment of the piece! Sad
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:06 am; edited 1 time in total
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2021 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree, considering that ST: TNG had a seven year run, it would have been cool to see more episodes with the saucer separation sequence. If the budget allowed perhaps they could have shot some new & different angles for the scene.

I wonder if the producers were afraid that it would become an overused gimmick if they resorted to saucer separation too often throughout the course of the series?

Plus, the writing would want to establish the separation as critical & logical to the plot.

I remember a friend and I years ago discussing the fact that on ST:TOS they featured the shuttle craft in outer space scenes only about five or six times over three years.

By contrast, it seemed that Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea had the crew running to use the Flying Sub in almost every episode. I am a huge admirer of the FS design, one of the best looking craft ever created for a science fiction TV series. However, by utilizing it so frequently — and not always logically — it took away the uniqueness & excitement of seeing the FS. It became pedestrian and predictable.

So in the end, I believe a show that has such nifty devices is better off only employing 'em whenever the script dictates rather than trotting them out in a repetitious manner where the audience no longer finds it intriguing or exciting.
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