JC's Trek Talk

On Section 31... I have never been wild about the whole concept of Section 31, since it was first established in DS9's season 6 episode "Inquisition" in which the clandestine organization abducts Dr. Bashir and then tries to recruit him.  The organization was portrayed as rogue, operation outside the purview and even official knowledge of Starfleet and the Federation.  This is in contrast to the Cardassian Obsidian Order or Romulan Tal Shiar both of which are well known and operate with the tacit approval of their respective governments.  Although the concept of Section 31 is an intriguing one in the context of DS9s many shades of grey, I personally find it unnecessary and completely antithetical to Gene Roddenberry's original vision of Star Trek.  In season 7's "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" Section 31 pops up again to meddle in Romulan Tal Shiar affairs, and then at season (and series) end it's revealed that Section 31 created a virus to commit gen...

The Mobile Emitter Paradox(es) In 2373 USS Voyager acquired the mobile holoemitter, a piece of 29th century technology, from Henry Starling, a 20th-century human who had salvaged it from the wreckage of Captain Braxton’s 29th century timeship, the Aeon. Voyager’s EMH continued to use the mobile emitter, eventually bringing it back to earth when Voyager returned home in 2378. Like all the other new technology aboard Voyager Starfleet would study it in detail and ultimately attempt to duplicate it. In Star Trek Picard season 3 ep 5 "Imposters" we see that the Federation/Starfleet has developed a mobile emitter, as evidenced by Worf and Raffi’s holo-duplicates using mobile emitters in their first meeting with the Vulcan gangster Krimm. Krimm even recognizes the mobile emitters as such (meaning that by the early 25th century the technology has not only been developed but is in common use). Krimm: (after shooting holo-Raffi) “Were you under the impression I would not recognize ...

Star Trek Picard Season 1: A Rant Honestly...I'm not all that impressed with Star Trek Picard season 1.  Never have been since I first binge watched it during my free first month of Paramount+ during the COVID lockdowns. Some of my main complaints/peeves: (in no particular order) 1. Content Now I'm not a prude.  But honestly: I really don’t need all the blood gore and F-bombs in my Star Trek. And don't get me wrong, some light swearing is ok and Trek has done that in the past (conservatively, tactfully, tastefully) but seriously: the head admiral C-in-C of Starfleet telling retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard to "shut the f___ up" is unprofessional, unnecessary and unrealistic. And that's not the only time she says it. In the first episode she calls Picard’s plan "sheer f___ing hubris". And she's not the only character to do it either. Dr. Jurati the earth's foremost expert on artificial intelligence (the nerdy scientist girl) drops the F...