The Second Season of Star Trek the Next Generation has often been downplayed due to multiple production and writing staff problems, and several major cast changes. Although of mixed quality, it does contain some outstanding and brilliant episodes. Senior Trekker is extremely grateful to all those people who worked so hard under difficult circumstances to keep it on our screens.
Data's efforts to understand humour in this episode are probably best overlooked, although I do remember this episode attracting a great deal of criticism at the time. Maybe the plethora of unfunny, "in jokes" about the 20th century entertainment business worried Star Trek fans fearful of the show taking an unwelcome direction into parody. Their fears turned out to be groundless and we did get to hear some extremely well delivered dialogue from Whoopi Goldberg.
The way in which her character, Guinan, was shoehorned into another "caring female" role as a sympathetic bartender ought not to have worked but, hey folks, this lady could make you laugh over a seed catalogue. We were very lucky to have her in TNG and it was wonderful to see the way in which everyone who performed with her from here on in seemed to up their game, almost as if they were straightening their uniform and setting their jaw before a big challenge.
Okona himself, the lovable rogue with a heart of gold, was played by Billy Campbell who seems to have worked consistently in television ever since. His storyline was also pretty forgettable although fans couldn't fail to notice his liaison with soon-to-be-famous Terri Hatcher who apparently thought such a small part was beneath her. Silly girl.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)
Data's efforts to understand humour in this episode are probably best overlooked, although I do remember this episode attracting a great deal of criticism at the time. Maybe the plethora of unfunny, "in jokes" about the 20th century entertainment business worried Star Trek fans fearful of the show taking an unwelcome direction into parody. Their fears turned out to be groundless and we did get to hear some extremely well delivered dialogue from Whoopi Goldberg.
The way in which her character, Guinan, was shoehorned into another "caring female" role as a sympathetic bartender ought not to have worked but, hey folks, this lady could make you laugh over a seed catalogue. We were very lucky to have her in TNG and it was wonderful to see the way in which everyone who performed with her from here on in seemed to up their game, almost as if they were straightening their uniform and setting their jaw before a big challenge.
Okona himself, the lovable rogue with a heart of gold, was played by Billy Campbell who seems to have worked consistently in television ever since. His storyline was also pretty forgettable although fans couldn't fail to notice his liaison with soon-to-be-famous Terri Hatcher who apparently thought such a small part was beneath her. Silly girl.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)