Your Guide To Getting Through Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation was my favourite show as a kid/teenager.  I watched the show, read the novels, got posters, toys, models... everything short of dressing up like a Klingon and learning the language.  I watched the spin-off and saw the movies several times.  I still think the Season 3 finale is the best cliffhanger in television history.

And now the entire series is up on Netflix Canada.  Excuse me while I call in sick for the next week.

But to be honest, the series didn't really hit its stride until the third season, in my opinion.  So, if you want to give the show a go but want to skim over the first 2 seasons while still getting a good base for the series later on, I've chosen a dozen episodes from Season 1 that you should watch to get a good feel for the start of the series: Six are must-watch and six are should-watch.

I'll keep the descriptions spoiler-free, in case you have never seen anything to do with TNG.  But I'll say that I've chosen these episodes because they either have important character development or introduce something that is important later in the series.

Episode 1: Encounter At Farpoint. Must Watch.  The series premier.

Episode 6: Where No One Has Gone Before. Must Watch.  Introduces "The Traveller".

Episode 9: The Battle. Should Watch. Explores what Captain Picard did before the Enterprise.

Episode 10: Hide and Q. Must Watch. Any episode with Q is entertaining.

Episode 11: Haven. Should Watch. Introduces Lwaxana Troi.

Episode 12: The Big Goodbye. Should Watch. Entertaining Holodeck episode.

Episode 13: Datalore. Must Watch. Introduces Lore.

Episode 15: 11001001. Should Watch. Another good holodeck episode.

Episode 19: Coming of Age. Should Watch. A good episode that deals with Starfleet as a whole.

Episode 20: Heart of Glory. Should Watch.  Explores the nature of the relations with the Klingons.

Episode 23: Skin of Evil. Must Watch. Important main character development.

Episode 25: Conspiracy. Must Watch. Kind of out of character episode. Quite graphic for its day. As the title suggests, it deals with a conspiracy at Starfleet.

Happy Trekking.  I might look through Season 2 and do the same thing.  But once you get to Season 3, you're into the good stuff.

It's November!

Hi Patrick!

5 Minutes, Just 5 Minutes

For some reason last night, this commercial popped into my head. I felt like sharing.
 

So I Had A Visit From A Neighbour

So, there I was, watching tv, playing video games or on the computer downstairs when I thought I heard the very faint doorbell for my side door. Now it was later in the evening, maybe 8pm or so,and since I don't get unannounced visitors... ever, I was baffled as to who it could have been. To skip ahead in the story a bit, it turns out it was someone from down the street who was out for a walk and they just wanted to know who treated my asphalt driveway. No big deal.

Now let's go back to right after I heard the doorbell ring a couple times and the subsequent knock (they were persistent). Never before had I hoped so much that there was a pair of pants ready to wear sitting in my laundry room.

Get In Game Shape

I handed in my curling registration form today. I thought it was a good time to start to get ready for the season by not setting back the curler's stereotype by 10 years.

Did I Ever Tell You About The Time...? Jeep Edition

This episode in my life has been sticking in my head lately. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe it's because I've been thinking of buying a car lately. Whatever the reason...

Did I ever tell you about the time a couple week after I bought my Jeep back in 2005 when I got a flyer placed on my windshield when I was shopping at the grocery store.  I was advertising the local KW Jeep Club and inviting me out to join them.  I didn't really think much of it at the time, as I figured they just saw a Jeep and put the flyer on the windshield.  But as time went on some things just stand out as strange about that whole incident to me.

I have never gotten the flyer on my Jeep since that day.  Not in the same Zehrs parking lot, or any other parking lot I had been to in town.  If the club was putting the flyers on local Jeeps to get some new members, doesn't probability suggest that I would have gotten more?  And why only after I had just gotten the Jeep?  Do they keep track of Jeeps that they put their flyers on?  Do they coordinate that information between members, so another member doesn't flyer the same Jeep?  Did the dealership tip off the club that a new Jeep owner was in town?

It has always seemed strange that I only ever got one flyer and only right after I bought it.

That Garage Aroma

Remember the time I complained that my garage smelled like an ashtray? Well as of this weekend, the smell is back, unfortunately. I'm going to have to get some air fresheners again.

On a totally unrelated note: I hosted a poker game in my garage on Sunday. Only Dan, Amanda and myself, so I'm pretty sure it didn't count.

A Brief History of Toast

Judging by the questions/comments/requests that I've been getting, I'm actually starting to believe that relative to most you, I'm a pretty good cook.

Anyway, back by unpopular demand and because I'm having fun with them, here's another video.

 

This Might Be Getting Out Of Hand

Here's a treat for you, my loyal blog readers. Early access to my latest cooking video! The facebook riff-raff will have to wait.

I'm glad I finally got this one done. Since I now only eat food that I've prepared in front of a camera, I was getting hungry.

Cooking Is Hard

I enjoyed making the video about burgers yesterday so much, I figured I'd do the same with my lunch today. With enough of these, soon your skills in the kitchen will be almost as good as mine.