What Makes Darmok the Best Episode of Star Trek: TNG?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the episode "Darmok" from Star Trek: The Next Generation, with participants sharing their opinions on what makes it the best episode. Other episodes are also mentioned, and there are reflections on communication and cultural understanding within the context of the show.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a strong belief that "Darmok" is the best episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
  • Another participant prefers "The Inner Light" and "Remember Me," citing specific plot points and moments that resonate with them.
  • A third participant asserts that all episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation are excellent, indicating a broad appreciation for the series.
  • One participant questions the feasibility of the communication method used in "Darmok," noting the paradox of needing shared cultural history to communicate effectively.
  • A later reply draws a parallel between "Darmok" and Old Norse skaldic poetry, suggesting that understanding cultural references is crucial for comprehension.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on which episode is the best, indicating a lack of consensus. There are also varying interpretations of communication methods depicted in the episode.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific plot details and cultural elements that may require further context for full understanding, particularly regarding the communication style in "Darmok" and its parallels to Old Norse poetry.

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My favourite is

"The Inner Light"
"...While minutes pass for the rest of the crew, the probe makes Picard experience 40 years of lifetime as Kamin..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Inner_Light_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)

followed by

"Remember Me"
Beverly gets caught in a warp bubble.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remember_Me_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)

"Computer, what was that noise?"
"Explosive Decompression in forward compartments."
"Cause?"
"Design flaw. Outer bulkheads missing."
"How is that possible?"
"It seems the Enterprise is larger that the known universe."
 
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All the episodes of Star Trek the next Generation are excellent. IMO
 
I never really understood how they had a shared cultural history if they needed to already know it to communicate.
 
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dlgoff said:
I'm watching what I think is the best episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation:
Darmok: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darmok

A lot of Old Norse, skaldic poems are like this. Translating the literal words is only the first step. They still may seem like jibberish until the "kennings" are better understood.

(I can't read Old Norse. And without a better understanding of kennings, I can't even understand translated Old Norse. [Well, the skaldic stuff anyway.])
 
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