Current Post On Trae’s Blog:
So I'm just going to come out and say it: My favorite episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation is "Conundrum." It's episode fourteen of season five, and I just deeply love it.
I don't know if it's because I literally just assumed Erich Anderson's Commander McDuff was a random Enterprise officer of the week (which we saw quite often during the show) when I watched it as a kid during the original run, so the twist actually worked on eleven year old me. I don't know if it's because I just like a good "everyone has amnesia" story. I don't even know if it's just because it's a good Ro Laren episode. I don't know if it's just because we learn that Starfleet doesn't give a crap about lasers.
I just like it. It's neat.
And I rewatched it last night, and feel that it holds up -- which is why I found it deeply weird that the folks who wrote the episode actually think it's not that good. My favorite episode of the entire seven season run of the show was a failure according to the folks who wrote it.
And maybe, as a writer and creator, I should remember that.
Like the hardest part of releasing creative works to the public is that often, after a while, I'll start to judge those things far more harshly than when I first made them. Or I'll compare it to the potential I thought an idea had in my head. And if I don't reach that potential, I'll think of it as "bad" -- when it might just be slightly different than that idea. I have one hundred percent published stories that I thought were just sort of okay and later had someone tell me how much it meant to them to read it.
*cough*I Hate November*cough*
So I should make sure I remember Conundrum. That one of my favorite things to rewatch is considered one of those failures by its creators. That the things I make might have value, just not in the way I originally thought they should.
It's just sort of how things work out.
Remember that on April 5th at 11AM Eastern/10AM Central you can join me for the Critical Thinking Witches' Collective's April Brew virtual event! Attendance is free, and you can register here!
![Nerd & Tie[dot]Social Forums](https://www.nerdandtie.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/natsocial-nicepreview-square-300x300.png)
Seems like you have an extra “D” after “Sarah” in Ruth’s third bubble in the middle panel. Sounds like it should be “Sarah gets lonely” instead of “Sarah’d gets lonely?”
Might have combined two similar thoughts? I do this all time lol! Although much of the time it’s when I’m speaking out loud…
Never noticed before but is every set of glasses worn in this series unique either by shape or color?
It’s not necessarily all that unique for everyone, but I’m consistent with characters. Ruth’s purple glasses have always been a part of her design, so they’re consistently the same color and shape?
Well, it IS rather weird by heteronormative standards.
But by those same standards everyone involved is pretty weird too, so it’s no surprise the relationship is weird…
So long as everyone involved is giving willing informed consent and are happy with it, I see no problem.
I’m sure there will be problems, every relationship has problems, but fewer problems than if they weren’t maintaining informed consent.
Si. You pretty much have your choice between, “This feels kinda weird but at least we’re on the same page.” and “Since we never interact, you are now demonized and are the cause of all the problems in my relationship, now DIE.”