[Captain Tom Coughlin]

The dune buggy thing never bothered me. If anything bothered me about that sequence, it was the entire character of B4. He's simply one of those characters that should not exist, like Wesley Crusher.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by Captain Tom Coughlin

It's funny but I prefer the TOS movies to the TOS TV show, but I prefer TNG TV show to the TNG movies.

I would generally third that as well.

Basically I'm at least in some fashion and to some level appreciative of aspects of 4 out of 6 TOS films (5 if I'm feeling good about TUC) but only 1 out of 4 TNG films (yep, and that's FC)

But then I'm pretty equal on TOS )discounting season 3) and TNG (discounting most of season 7 and a good part of season 6) as series, so it's just in the leap to film for TNG that things went amiss.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by Roysten

Still there was no need for the car...

The only thing that annoyed me there was the blatant contrivance that as soon as they have a 'car' at their disposal the very first thing they encouter is a race that also uses 'cars' to pursue them. Despite almost no alien race we had ever seen before having transportation like that!

I can overlook a whole host of contrivances and conveniences in Star Trek but that one just sticks out like a sore thumb!

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

Originally Posted by kevin

The only thing that annoyed me there was the blatant contrivance that as soon as they have a 'car' at their disposal the very first thing they encouter is a race that also uses 'cars' to pursue them. Despite almost no alien race we had ever seen before having transportation like that!

I can overlook a whole host of contrivances and conveniences in Star Trek but that one just sticks out like a sore thumb!

That's a good point, I never really thought of that.

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by kevin

The only thing that annoyed me there was the blatant contrivance that as soon as they have a 'car' at their disposal the very first thing they encouter is a race that also uses 'cars' to pursue them. Despite almost no alien race we had ever seen before having transportation like that!

I can overlook a whole host of contrivances and conveniences in Star Trek but that one just sticks out like a sore thumb!

It was mentioned by Data before Picard and co. took the Argo down that the technology level of the indigenous race was not exactly super-advanced. (high level industrial, or somewhere thereabouts) High speed wheeled vehicles should've been no surprise. In fact, they should've been counted on. Not so much a contrivance now.

[kevin]

No, it still is. Sorry Martok - there's no changing my mind on that one!

[omegaman]

Originally Posted by kevin

The only thing that annoyed me there was the blatant contrivance that as soon as they have a 'car' at their disposal the very first thing they encouter is a race that also uses 'cars' to pursue them. Despite almost no alien race we had ever seen before having transportation like that!

I can overlook a whole host of contrivances and conveniences in Star Trek but that one just sticks out like a sore thumb!

Very good point!

[horatio]

About Picard and action, in FC Picard was very natural, like in Captain's Holiday. INS already felt a bit forced with this fountain of youth stuff and in the car scene in NEM Stewart was basically out of character and just doing what he loves.

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by kevin

No, it still is. Sorry Martok - there's no changing my mind on that one!

I personally cannot, and will not accept it as contrivance because the set up was written clearly enough into the story. Pre-warp civilization at a late industrial stage of growth....therefore the implication is that it is likely not to have space travel capacity, let alone gravity effect vehicles.

So a car chase made it into Star Trek. I'm sure we've seen far worse.

I just don't get the big deal.

And Picard out of character? I've preached this a thousand times before...we, the fans, do not determine the character of Picard. The writers do. And if Patrick Stewart did not have a problem with it, well, I don't see why we should...for who, outside of the writers, would know Picard better? Certainly not us.

Certainly we have seen far, far worse out of character moments (according to the fans) for the original series crew in Star Trek V....but again, we do not determine character development...the writers, and usually the actors do.

[kevin]

I'm not telling you you should also accept it as a contrivance. I'm telling you I do. There's a difference. I don't really see what the big deal is either here. Emphatic statements notwithstanding, it's a difference of opinion on a point.

And yes, I'm sure there are things I let slide others don't - isn't it all swings and roundabouts in the end?

And I tend to agree it is up to writers to decide, sometimes with the actors where characters go. I don't have issue with that. But it has NEVER been obligatory for the audience to concur.