Star Trek (TNG): Tin Man

[maquise]

I dunno, I think that a gag about a banana peel that nobody slips on could be quite funny if done correctly. Subversion of expectations and all that.

[PerrySimm]

Fairly well every Betazoid we see on the show is crazy or insufferable, anyway. At least this time they have a guy who's not obsessed with titles of nobility.

[Morgaine]

That line about becoming mayor... was that a Buffy reference?

[RobbyB1982]

That line about becoming mayor... was that a Buffy reference?

Probably not. Far as I know, Chuck hasn't watched Buffy or Angel, and one of the reasons he wouldn't take requests for them (back when he was taking requests) was because they were such lengthy shows.

[Admiral X]

Hey guys, is that a JoJo's reference? :p

[griffeytrek]

This is an episode that always seems to be referenced in fan communities. Just for the life of me I never understand why. I can see where parts of it would have made for an excellent written short story. But as a stage play on Star Trek, it was kind of dull most of the time, mixed with equal parts annoying. On the printed page it is easy to strike that balance between an insufferable jackass of a character and the protagonist. You can blend them easily since you can get into his head and empathize with him. On screen in a visual medium the viewer is like "I hate that guy! I really really hate that guy!"

[Nevix]

Man, this episode was meh, even as a kid. It took me a bit to remember it, and my feelings are still... well, meh.

[TheNewTeddy]

I'm surprised that I seem to be the only one who truly hates this episode. For me it would easily make any "bottom 10" of TNG list.

[Archanubis]

That line about becoming mayor... was that a Buffy reference?

Probably not. Far as I know, Chuck hasn't watched Buffy or Angel, and one of the reasons he wouldn't take requests for them (back when he was taking requests) was because they were such lengthy shows.

Probably hasn't watched them for review purposes, but I'm sure he watches certain shows or movies sometimes just to watch them.

Besides, there is a little thing called "Pop-Culture Osmosis" (I believe that's the right trope) Essentially, you may not have watched the shows where characters like Scotty and Starscream came from, but they're ubiquitous enough in pop-culture that you still know who they are. So yeah, the mayor line was probably a Buffy reference.

[Xaios]

This episode is a lot like Q-Less. Granted, it's better than Q-Less (although YMMV as we don't get to see Sisko punch Q in this one), but it still suffers from the same problem of an outside character coming into the episode out of nowhere, being known to the cast because the writers decided they needed to be, and basically monopolizing the entire episode. Granted, this episode does have Data, who certainly has a more thought-provoking dynamic with Tam than Vash did with Q. On the other hand though, Tam is played completely and utterly insufferably. This may have been by design, as Chuck pointed out, but knowing that in retrospect doesn't make it any easier to actually sit through. Additionally, Harry Groener doesn't have ANYWHERE NEAR as much charisma as Jennifer Hetrick.

What saves the episode, though, is the Tin Man being itself, as well as the intrigue of having to race against the clock against the Romulans.