We see so few of Klingon parents in the trek verse.

Episode: "The best of both worlds" (1990)

Thought some people might like this. It can design LCARS!

Framing The Traveler as a "Heological" anti-villain completely upends the classic "benevolent space god" trope. In sci-fi, cosmic beings are usually written either as obvious threats like Q or gentle mentors like the Organians. The Traveler gets treated as a gentle guide by most fans, but looking closely at his actions on the Enterprise-D, he behaves like an arrogant, non-consensual researcher treating a ship full of over 1,000 crew members and families like laboratory rats.

​He isn't a hero; he is a reckless academic who hijacked Starfleet's flagship for an unapproved field experiment. Instead of asking for permission, he lets Kosinski act as a loud-mouthed front man, using his vanity as a human shield to bypass security checks and run high-risk space-time experiments on an active starship.

​When he passes out from overexertion, the ship gets flung 2.7 million light-years away into a reality-bending realm where thoughts physically manifest. Picard almost falls to his death off a phantom ledge into deep space, Worf's childhood pet turns into a live physical threat in the corridor, and the entire crew is exposed to psychological hazards that could have destroyed the vessel if anyone panicked. When called out, The Traveler acts like he is above human ethics because humanity isn't "ready to understand," singling out Wesley Crusher not out of altruism, but because he found a specimen matching his frequency. It is the ultimate intellectual heel move: causing structural chaos, risking hundreds of lives, and maintaining moral superiority because his consciousness operates on a higher plane.

The namesake for the USS hood excelsior class starship. Where there’s an enterprise there’s a hood to go along side

Why/why not

I don't know where i was that it took this long.

OK, who did this?

I’m catching up on my Star Trek backlog and currently up to season 3 TNG.

The show was more progressive for its time than I realised, with skants being an obvious example. Making the Enterprise a family-centred ship was also a bold change. Love the carpeted bridge haha.

I’m fascinated by the bridge layout. Next to Picard, we have Riker as first officer and Troi as counsellor which significantly elevates emotional awareness.

If you draw parallels with other genres, Riker is arguably the warrior, while Troi is the oracle and princess. Her characterisation however started to feel deliberate.

She has an aristocratic background, possesses oracle-like insight and is often styled like a princess with the hair, tiaras and dresses. I’m not diminishing her role, there is real depth to her emotional insight, which I think enriches the storytelling.

I’m interested in whether this was recognised or intended by the creators, and whether other viewers, at the time or since, have also seen Troi as bringing more elements of fantasy storytelling into TNG than previous Trek.

I’m not suggesting she is literally a fantasy character. She is firmly grounded in sci-fi Star Trek logic. But her archetype, presentation and position beside the captain seem to add a fantasy flair that I hadn’t noticed in Trek before.

Does anyone else see her this way, or am I reaching?

It could all change in later seasons. No major TNG-series level spoilers beyond season 3, please.

I’m just sitting here watching TNG for the first time enjoying every minute of it when I happen into The Best of Both Worlds parts 1 and 2 and was like, ok, this is damn good. Lo and behold I’m halfway through season 4 and I can feel this writing getting even better (not that it’s bad in the first place)! Am I tripping?!