Difference between revisions of "Threshold"
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'''"Threshold"''' is an episode of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' that is almost universally regarded as the worst ''[[Star Trek]]'' episode '''''ever'''''. | [[Image:Threshold title.jpg|thumb|right|Your journey into darkness is about to begin.]] | ||
[[Image:Threshold tom.jpg|thumb|right|Tom is enjoying the ride a little too much.]] | |||
[[Image:Threshold newts.jpg|thumb|right|Behold the future of human evolution]] | |||
'''"Threshold"''' is an episode of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' that is almost universally regarded as the worst ''[[Star Trek]]'' episode '''''ever'''''. It was written by [[Berman and Braga|Brannon Braga]], who will never be allowed to forget about it. Only one other episode can call itself a contender for this lowly spot, and that is the [[Star Trek: Enterprise|''Enterprise'']] episode "[[A Night in Sickbay]]" (co-written by [[Berman and Braga]]). | |||
==Why It Sucks== | ==Why It Sucks== | ||
* The characters keep contriving reasons to say "threshold" over and '''over''' and '''OVER'''. | * The characters keep contriving reasons to say "threshold" over and '''over''' and '''OVER'''. | ||
* They describe Warp 10 as an "infinite speed", but they expect to achieve it by using a special form of [[dilithium]] in their [[warp drive]]. No amount of funky dilithium will allow the ship to generate the infinite amount of energy that would be needed to propel the ship to infinite speed. | * They actually call [[Neelix]] a genius. In fact it's one of his stupid stories that solves the problem for them. | ||
* Travelling at Warp 10 causes Tom Paris to start mutating, a process that [[emergency medical hologram|the Doctor]] describes as Tom undergoing millions of years of "evolution" in a matter of hours. This is utterly absurd, because not only does evolution occur over generations instead of in individual organisms, Tom's mutations should at least be adaptations to his local environmental conditions, which they clearly aren't. | * The story is scientifically stupid on many levels. | ||
* Eventually Tom kidnaps Janeway and escapes with her at Warp 10, only for them to be found on a planet a short distance away, where they've mutated into giant newts. The Doctor is able to completely reverse their mutations off-screen, with no side effects. | ** They describe [[warp drive|Warp]] 10 as an "infinite speed", but they expect to achieve it by using a special form of [[dilithium]] in their [[warp drive]]. No amount of funky dilithium will allow the ship to generate the infinite amount of energy that would be needed to propel the ship to infinite speed. | ||
* Technically, the experiment is a success: they can achieve Warp 10 and use it to get home, they just need someone to use the Doctor's medical procedure at the destination to reverse the mutations they develop. Nonetheless, the whole Warp 10 idea is completely dropped without further comment. | ** Travelling at Warp 10 causes [[Tom Paris]] to start mutating, a process that [[emergency medical hologram|the Doctor]] describes as Tom undergoing millions of years of "[[evolution]]" in a matter of hours. This is utterly absurd, because not only does evolution occur over generations instead of in individual organisms, Tom's mutations should at least be adaptations to his local environmental conditions, which they clearly aren't. | ||
* The | ** Eventually Tom kidnaps [[Kathryn Janeway|Janeway]] and escapes with her at Warp 10, only for them to be found on a planet a short distance away, where they've mutated into giant newts, mated, and produced some smaller newt-things. The Doctor is able to completely reverse their mutations off-screen, with no side effects. | ||
* The test [[shuttle]] flies away from ''Voyager'' at Warp 10 at least twice, but both times it ends up just a short distance from ''Voyager''. | |||
* Technically, the experiment is a success: they can achieve Warp 10 and use it to get home, they just need someone to use the Doctor's medical procedure at the destination to reverse the mutations they develop. Nonetheless, the whole Warp 10 idea is completely [[technology of the week|dropped without further comment]], and it is [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BLAMEpisode never mentioned again] (admittedly an understandable choice). | |||
* The plot can be interpreted as a horribly mangled sexual initiation story. | |||
** Excited talk about getting over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ** Excited talk about getting over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ||
** Oddly | ** Oddly ecstatic behavior from Tom as he goes over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ||
** Bizarre allegory to getting STDs from going over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ** Bizarre allegory to getting STDs from going over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ||
** Unplanned pregnancy as a result of going over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ** Unplanned pregnancy as a result of going over the "threshold" -- CHECK | ||
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[[Category: Star Trek]] | [[Category: Star Trek]] | ||
[[Category: ST Episodes]] | [[Category: ST Episodes]] | ||
[[Category: Stupidity]] | |||
Latest revision as of 17:11, 17 November 2021
"Threshold" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager that is almost universally regarded as the worst Star Trek episode ever. It was written by Brannon Braga, who will never be allowed to forget about it. Only one other episode can call itself a contender for this lowly spot, and that is the Enterprise episode "A Night in Sickbay" (co-written by Berman and Braga).
Why It Sucks
- The characters keep contriving reasons to say "threshold" over and over and OVER.
- They actually call Neelix a genius. In fact it's one of his stupid stories that solves the problem for them.
- The story is scientifically stupid on many levels.
- They describe Warp 10 as an "infinite speed", but they expect to achieve it by using a special form of dilithium in their warp drive. No amount of funky dilithium will allow the ship to generate the infinite amount of energy that would be needed to propel the ship to infinite speed.
- Travelling at Warp 10 causes Tom Paris to start mutating, a process that the Doctor describes as Tom undergoing millions of years of "evolution" in a matter of hours. This is utterly absurd, because not only does evolution occur over generations instead of in individual organisms, Tom's mutations should at least be adaptations to his local environmental conditions, which they clearly aren't.
- Eventually Tom kidnaps Janeway and escapes with her at Warp 10, only for them to be found on a planet a short distance away, where they've mutated into giant newts, mated, and produced some smaller newt-things. The Doctor is able to completely reverse their mutations off-screen, with no side effects.
- The test shuttle flies away from Voyager at Warp 10 at least twice, but both times it ends up just a short distance from Voyager.
- Technically, the experiment is a success: they can achieve Warp 10 and use it to get home, they just need someone to use the Doctor's medical procedure at the destination to reverse the mutations they develop. Nonetheless, the whole Warp 10 idea is completely dropped without further comment, and it is never mentioned again (admittedly an understandable choice).
- The plot can be interpreted as a horribly mangled sexual initiation story.
- Excited talk about getting over the "threshold" -- CHECK
- Oddly ecstatic behavior from Tom as he goes over the "threshold" -- CHECK
- Bizarre allegory to getting STDs from going over the "threshold" -- CHECK
- Unplanned pregnancy as a result of going over the "threshold" -- CHECK