Gosh, #TNGSunNight, we were just talking about this.

Quick #TNGSunNight confession: I have some things to do to prepare for the upcoming week every Sunday night/early Monday AM. After I watchalong with the Blu-rays, my home is filled with the sounds of the LCARS beeps and bloops, plus the ship noise (IYKYK) as I’m doing my end-of week chores. Cozy.

Oh golly! Another of the Best Trek Episodes Ever! Can’t wait. #TNGSunNight

I think “The Outcast” is a better episode than some believe. As the U.S. was waking up from Reagan/Bush 1’s time, I think this was probably the best way the show could have dealt with a weighty topic. #TNGSunNight

Whew. Soren’s “recovery” from gender is a speed record almost as fast as Worf’s from his…you know. #TNGSunNight

Only…days? Weeks? After a life-changing injury! #TNGSunNight

The chief arbiter of the J’naii is played by Megan Cole. She comes back late in DS9 as a Romulan, and both times, I think she’s perfectly cast. #TNGSunNight

Yeah… Riker’s not getting a “First Contact” solution here. Can’t just warp away with a fugitive. #TNGSunNight

“…and we worry about the future.” #TNGSunNight

Soren gives a speech here that’s on par with any of Picard’s greatest. Remember, this was broadcast in a less-enlightened era, in an ELECTION YEAR. #TNGSunNight

Whew, they skip to the Drumhead trial fast here, don’t they. #TNGSunNight

Some really subtle camera movements in this convo between Troi and Riker. #TNGSunNight

Hey! Lwaxana actually did something warm and fuzzy for once. #TNGSunNight

And like Magellan, it never comes back! But some of its crew does, and like his crew, some refuse to believe what they say upon their return. The concordances of history! #TNGSunNight

“See you for dinner!” “Lunch time, O’Brien!” -CMDR Riker, MCMXCII #TNGSunNight

Not to mention Dax! I wonder what happened between now and late-stage DS9 to (partially) chant Worf’s mind? #TNGSunNight

Oh, like Riker doesn’t know what Soren was about to say. #TNGSunNight

And here is Worf! Already, he’s so recovered, he’s—spoiler alert—raring to go on a rescue mission on a hostile planet. They NEVER ADDRESS what happened in “Ethics” again. Into the dustbin with it. #TNGSunNight

By now, TNG seems to have settled firmly into saying “inertial dampeners” rather than “inertial dampers.” And believe it or not, my predictive text actually that “dampers” was coming in that sentence. It knows me so well! 😳 #TNGSunNight

THANK YOU!! This could have been an episode centered on any of the main TNG cast, or even a secondary character. But they gave it to Riker. I think that’s saying something. #TNGSunNight

“From the sound of it, there’s not much difference between our species.” FWIW, I think “The Outcast” doesn’t deserve to be hated. It’s a little dusty, but this was WAY before there was a mainstream TV Discourse about this. #TNGSunNight

AGENDER ALIEN LOVE STORY FLYING LOGO TIME #TNGSunNight

The J’naii have a Bynar thing going on. #TNGSunNight

#TNGSunNight this week is a doozy of an episode. And it came only three weeks (including a Leap Day, so, election year) after “Ethics,” which was not exactly an easy episode, either. In MCMXCII—that’s 1992 of the Common Era—TNG was stirring the pot. YES! This was considered progressive!

Suddenly this post is relevant again! Laurie Anderson being prescient, as always. Amelia 💿 still hasn’t grown on me the way Anderson’s other albums have tended to. Perhaps it’s time to fire it up for another few listens. I wonder if we’ll see ARK (United States Live V) in the U.S. ever?

HBD to Avery Brooks. Anybody know what happened to him? He disappeared from the Star Trek convention circuit, and Cirroc Lofton claims Brooks was blackballed. Where’d he go? #TrekSky

I’m in an AMC theater for the first time time in **ages.** I’m regular customer of one of their rivals. Yes, I missed the entire Oath thing, because I never come to AMC. I have to give props where they’re due, though, because AMC is actually playing Homebound 📽️ (Hindi). #DesiWatch

Apparently One Battle after Another 📽️ is an adaptation of Pynchon’s Vineland 📚. Now comes a new detective novel. Pynchon is having a moment.

Just got to see Chinatown 📽️ again on the big screen. It’s a classic—maybe the last gasp of Film Noir. At one of its levels, it’s about people of color in the United States. Fundamentally, it’s about my beloved Los Angeles. Thank God the great James Hong is still with us. #FilmSky

Dammit.

On the day after its birthday, share one image from your favorite TNG moment.

Still thinking about Homebound 📽️ (Hindi). If you see it—and you should—I want to call special attention to the sound design. So often we are distracted by what we see. This movie uses sound very effectively. A study if you are a budding filmmaker. #DesiWatch

“Hey? That’s an anus?” I love this episode. A good follow-up to “Ethics.” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Tendi’s enthusiasm for PESTO is just so delightful to me. I love it! #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

“They-they put implants up my-“ #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Haha, you get a reference to the Lower Decks opening sequence with the final black hole here. #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

I wonder if they key the Crystalline Entity’s VFX to the restored TNG version here? #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

“Must be Crystalline Entity season, or something.” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Freeman: “He’ll be fine! He’s one of our best.” Mariner: “He IS‽” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

“It’s…kind of our thing.” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

All of a sudden, this episode feels like a judgment on your Testing & Evaluation folks… #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Mariner and Freeman don’t even make it out of Spacedock #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Hits a little too close to “Ethics” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

I love that Tendi, of all characters, is most delighted to discover PESTO #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

One of the best lines ever in Star Trek. Fight me. #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

We need a super cut of alllllll the times Brad Boimler goes completely fucking insane in Lower Decks. Let’s be real—it happens A LOT. #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Poor Rutherford!!! #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

Oh God, I forgot that the horse in the Wild West TOS scenario starts doing double-hoof tap dances on Mariner!!! All those horse-riding lessons!! 🤣🤣🤣 #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

🤣🤣🤣 #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT

I love that the *second* Tendi takes Crusher’s side in the Klingon’s death quest, she IMMEDIATELY gets dinged on points. “Well then, let’s send you off to [sing-song] 🎶STO-vo-kor!🎶” #DoubleSecretProbation #TNGSunNight #LOWERDECKSSUNDAYNIGHT