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Which episode do you like better?
The Ensigns of Command 4 (36.4%)
Offspring 7 (63.6%)
Total Votes: 11
Head-to-Head Challenge IV; From Season Three
Topic Started: Jul 29 2005, 01:34 PM (313 Views)
HistoryDude
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Shaken, not stirred...
Wanted to stay in Season three at least once more before moving on...although I'll get back to each season eventually. :)

Episodes: The Ensigns of Command and Offspring
Connection: Concerns Data and his "human" experiences
Synopsis:

The Ensigns of Command -- The Enterprise discovers a human colony living on a planet bathed in lethal radiation. Unfortunately an alien race believe the planet to be theirs under a treaty with the Federation, who knew nothing of the colony when the treaty was signed. As the only member of the crew immune to the radiation, Data goes down to the surface to convince the colonists to leave, but can he overcome their prejudice and save them?

Offspring -- Data becomes a father when he creates an android using a transfer of his own neural programming. Things become complex when Starfleet decides it must adopt the new android, Lal, and take her to a research establishment.
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Sophie
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Keeper of the spider-cats
I chose Offspring. I haven't read Ensigns of Command.
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Deleted User
Deleted User

Offspring is easily one of TNG's finest episodes.

They showed it at a convention i went to earlier this year just before Brent Spiner came on stage.

It's an incredibly sad episode, and in amny ways you feel sorry for Data because he can't feel the loss of Lal.
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Bill
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Cadet 4th Year
Offspring.

The ending of that was almost unbearably sad! :cry:

Bill :shuffle:
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HistoryDude
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Shaken, not stirred...
Yes, probably putting anything up against Offspring wasn't the best approach. It is hard to compete with what is one of the better episodes in the entire series. Simpy a great story, superior acting, and a nice "what-if" scenario to contemplate.

I do think The Ensigns of Command is an over-looked goodie. Aside from the development it provides in Data's character and Picard's great resolution to the situation in throwing the treaty back in the Shelliac's[sp?] face, it again comes down to the issues it raises: What role does place have in 'defining' a society? How important is 'home?' What is worth fighting, and dying, for? And is 'forceful coercion' sometimes necessary?
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Franko
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Shower Moderator


It's interesting that there is another common aspect to both of these episodes: legal technicalities.


Picard is finally at the end of "Ensigns" able to use the treaty's legal "fine print" to compel the Sheliak to allow for evacuation.


In "Offspring", Starfleet Command tries to use it's legal authority to take custody of Data's "daughter".


In both cases Picard finds himself having to wade through the dilemma of perhaps being forced to break a treaty or go against Federation law.

You know, when I think about it, and episodes like "Measure of a Man", the Enterprise D could have used a good senior officer who was also a proficient Federation LAWYER. ;)


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gdog243
Rear Admiral
HistoryDude
Aug 1 2005, 10:49 AM
Yes, probably putting anything up against Offspring wasn't the best approach. It is hard to compete with what is one of the better episodes in the entire series. Simpy a great story, superior acting, and a nice "what-if" scenario to contemplate.

I do think The Ensigns of Command is an over-looked goodie. Aside from the development it provides in Data's character and Picard's great resolution to the situation in throwing the treaty back in the Shelliac's[sp?] face, it again comes down to the issues it raises: What role does place have in 'defining' a society? How important is 'home?' What is worth fighting, and dying, for? And is 'forceful coercion' sometimes necessary?

Agreed about Ensigns of Command. Picard as always was his great diplomatic self at the end. Loved the whole cleaning the plaque scene.

I still picked Offspring though. It is sad, and very emotional.
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DEFIANT
Commodore
Offspring, LAL!

The end was so sad. Lal seemed to have become .....more. It was sad:
LAL - I love you Father.
DATA - I wish I could feel it with you.

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captain_proton_au
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A Robot in Disguise

Ensigns of Command - good commentary on how people can be easily lead and good character development for Data. I vote for this


Offspring - has some good ideas about android rights and parenthood, but I found LAL to be really annoying, how one would play an android in a high school drama class
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DEFIANT
Commodore
For anyone, probably American, who cares, Spiketv will be playing "The Offspring" tomorrow at 2pmEST.
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HistoryDude
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Shaken, not stirred...
gdog243
Aug 1 2005, 11:17 PM
Agreed about Ensigns of Command. Picard as always was his great diplomatic self at the end. Loved the whole cleaning the plaque scene.

Indeed! Hilarious! :lol:

And good insight, Franko. Yes, perhaps a JAG-style officer would have been most appropriate. In fact, don't the larger ships in the US Navy have a JAG officer stationed routinely on board?
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Franko
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HistoryDude
Aug 2 2005, 06:17 AM
In fact, don't the larger ships in the US Navy have a JAG officer stationed routinely on board?



I hope so. Perhaps some of our military members can comment on that.


In today's world, legal considerations are quite important, especially for the US military since they're all over the world, so to speak.


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WolfsLoveRage
Cadet 4th Year
Sorry not to give an answer but apparently unless there just is not enough information... I do not think I have seen Ensigns of Command. Can any one be more thorough?
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