TNG S05E21, S05E22

In this installment:
(viewed September 3rd, 2013)

Star Trek:  The Next Generation, S05E21 - "The Perfect Mate"
Star Trek:  The Next Generation, S05E22 - "Imaginary Friend"

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"The Perfect Mate"

• The Ferengi shuttle which the Enterprise-D encounters "in distress" is of the same class that we've encountered previously and will encounter again.  Most famously, Quark's Treasure is of this design.
• "Mr. Worf, escort our Ferengi guests to quarters--not too close to mine."
  
  Racist.
• "The Captain dines alone."
• Max Grodénchik plays his second Ferengi, Par Lenor, before he finally plays a recurring role (Rom) on DS9.
• For a Starfleet lieutenant commander in charge of the entire engineering department on board the Federation flagship, Geordi La Forge spends a lot of time playing interior designer for stuffy diplomats.
• Hey kids, it's Famke Janssen!
• Damn it, Riker.  Can you not keep your hands off the woman for five f**king minutes?
• Picard's defense of arranged marriages, even taking the long view of history, is unusual for someone who should be about as progressive as possible.
  
  Moreover, his reference to the Prime Directive prompts me to ask this question:  If an alien culture is engaged in activities that violate the Federation's principles, I understand that they sometimes can't interfere because of the Prime Directive.  But does it mean that they have to help (e.g. giving them and their sex-gift a ride)?
• Androids solve so, so many problems.  Are you accidentally hosting a pheromone-spewing sexpot with a desire to please every man she encounters?  ANDROID CHAPERONE.
• Why are there so many random aliens drinking in Ten Forward?  And why are these idiots more afraid of Worf than Data?
• "There it is again."
  
  "What?"
  
  "That wall you put between us."
  
  That's not just you, lady.  He does that to everyone.
• "I'm really quite dull."
  
  We know, Jean-Luc.
• Way to go, Ferengi.  You nearly killed Grandpa Crabby-Pants.
• "Between you and me, Captain, I'm far more interested in the trade agreements."
  
  Well, man.  Like...you haven't met her yet, dude.
• Is there a more ridiculous tender moment in Trek history than Kamala gently rubbing Picard's bald noggin?  It's definitely in the top ten.
• So, Dr. Crusher's clearly enjoying having this conversation with Jean-Luc about the perfect woman that he's fallen in love with.  Right?
  
  
  
• Kamala:  "...as I've bonded with you."
  
  Com Panel:  "Data to Captain Picard."
  
  Picard:  "NOT NOW, DATA!"

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"Imaginary Friend"

• We can determine from the get-go that this whole thing is Counselor Troi's fault.  If she didn't encourage this little kid's "imaginary" friend, none of this would go down.
• Huge portions of this episode remind me of some of my favorite horror movies with little girls and imaginary friends (e.g. The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist)
• When glowing lights from outer space enter the ship through the hull?  Yeah, that's never good.
• Nurse Ogawa exists solely so I have someone onboard to hate more than Counselor Troi.
• "Hello, Clara"
  
  @)_@)
  (@_@(
• "Given the selections, I prefer 'FGC-47'."
• No little kids in Engineering.  Duh.
• Who knew Worf was such a push-over?  Oh, wait.  We all dide.
• "Besides, it's clearly a bunny rabbit."
  
  Nothing is funnier than when Data screws with people.
• No kids in Ten Forward either?  WHY DO THEY EVEN HAVE KIDS ON THE SHIP?!?
• I kind of want a Tarcassian Razorbeast.
• "She said..."
  
  "Clara, tell me what Isabella said."
  
  "She said...she said you'd better leave us alone."
  
  @)_@)
  (@_(@
• They say it a lot, so it must be true...but I've never understood how going to warp could cause hull stress.  I mean, they're creating a bubble around the ship so they can rapidly expand space behind the ship and rapidly shrink it in front of the ship.  The ship itself shouldn't be touched at all.  WHATEVER.
• Every episode of TNG should've featured Counselor Troi getting zapped by a creepy little girl.
• "Or can you only communicate by threatening a small child?"
• So, what was the call sheet like for Isabella?  "Wanted:  One creepy-ass little kid."