STar Trek Voyager - False Profits

[FaxModem1]

Interesting fact on this episode. False Profits was actually one of four episodes filmed in Season 2 and held over for Season 3. As such this episode could be slotted anywhere in those two seasons as long as the stardate is consistent.

Now I'm really curious what would have happened if they had run into the Kazon.

[RobbyB1982]

The change in ship sets has got nothing on Data's emotion chip which looked completely different all three times we saw it.

(Also the general lighting on the Enterprise changing from tv lighting to movie lighting for the one time only in Generations was way more offputting.)

[RobbyB1982]

EDIT: Now that I think about it, what wasted potential. Think of the trouble Voyager had with the con artists in Live Fast and Prosper. Imagine if the Ferengi duo were always a step ahead every few episodes with some crazy get rich scheme, and Voyager had to clean up the mess. It's require some better written comedy, but it could work to show that actions have consequences in the Delta Quadrant.

The entire premise of the show was built around the idea of having two crews that didn't mesh being forced to work together.

And that was abandoned by episode 3.

I don't think an ongoing ferengi plot would have fared any better.

I have always wondered though if they hadn't put the Maquis into starfleet uniforms *immediately* the differences might have remained more pronounced and built in by both the actors and the writers.

[Durandal_1707]

Chuck doesn't address this at all, but one thing this episode does that always bothered me is try to expand the lore behind the rules of acquisition, then do nothing with it. DS9 established the rules and Quark's reverence for them, as though they were holy writ to Ferengei. This episode at first seems to take that a step further, as one of the ferengei suggests going to the "Unabridged rules," which contains, beyond the rules themselves, extensive commentaries, major and minor judgements, and considered opinions. When I first saw this episode years ago, that got my attention. I come from a religious background, and even as a kid I had noticed something: When the Bible had a verse that fit what the pastor was teaching, he would just quote the verse and leave it at that. But if someone brought up a "difficult" verse, that went against what he was teaching, then he would appeal to things like history, cultural context, and textual context, and a myriad other things to "neutralize" the offending verse. That's what I thought we were going to get here: quote a rule of acquisition, then they would quote from the commentaries and fast talk past the rule. I bet DS9 would have done something like that.

Have you ever even seen a DS9 Ferengi episode? It would have been 45 minutes of pratfalls, "comedy" that an 8-year-old would cringe at, and annoying performances from Zek, Rom, and whoever's playing Moogie this week.

The change in ship sets has got nothing on Data's emotion chip which looked completely different all three times we saw it.

(Also the general lighting on the Enterprise changing from tv lighting to movie lighting for the one time only in Generations was way more offputting.)

As long as we're pointing this stuff out, the wormhole looked a lot different here than it did in "The Price", too.

[Shuboy07]

Interesting fact on this episode. False Profits was actually one of four episodes filmed in Season 2 and held over for Season 3. As such this episode could be slotted anywhere in those two seasons as long as the stardate is consistent.

Now I'm really curious what would have happened if they had run into the Kazon.

Hence why this episode is another "Voyager finds another way to get home and fails" plot. That type of story can go into any season without referencing bigger continuity like the recurring enemies. Now imagine if they had held back a Season 3 episode to add to Season 4. Would be really weird seeing Kes and no Seven in the episode.

Incidentally, four Season 1 episodes were also moved to Season 2. You can spot them by the stardates. Season 1 had 48xxx stardates and they were kept in Season 2 (which had 49xxx stardates) so it looks like Voyager went back in time four times. When the producers found out early that the same thing would happen with Season 2 episodes going to Season 3, they made sure the stardates (50xxx) were accurate to the season.

[SlackerinDeNile]

A pity that the producers didn't bother to check in on other continuity snarls or the quality of writing or characterisation.

[DanteC]

Slightly off-topic, but I love the new 'You should eat Harry' pic. Is it downloadable anywhere?

[Zoinksberg]

Since this was one I recalled liking when I first watched I re-watched it before the review. Boy it didn't hold up. Nelix cowering at two Ferengi made me embarrassed for him, which is certainly something! Even after showing that they will defend this life they have made with lethal force they still only assign one guard to take them to their quarters. What exactly was security doing that they couldn't spare more than one person? Protecting the food in the mess hall to keep Nelix from complaining about theft again? I hope people who believe Janeway intentionally kept them trapped in the Delta Quadrant use this episode as evidence.

Otherwise it was at least somewhat entertaining. The Ferengi's... um, let's say paid and willing concubines, were an enjoyable part.

[PapaPalpatine]

Frankly, if I were the captain on this outing, my priority would be to sure up the potential ticket home that was the wormhole, and consider the two buffoons down on the planet a secondary objective if there's time to deal with them. True, it's a bad thing that they meddled with the indigenous culture, but that will be a self-correcting problem in time. Generally speaking, you can't keep the god act up forever unless you actually are a god, and those two aren't so much gods as they are clods. When the people they're scamming finally see them for who and what they really are, they'll be well and truly screwed; and that civilization will have learned a valuable lesson in what to do when someone comes before them claiming to be god(s).

[SiskosMuthaFknPmphnd]

I would think a six foot tall Ferengi showing up would kind of give away the plan.

We've still got Garret Wang who has first-hand experience with Ferengi

Let's face it. If they sent Harry Kim down there, the Ferengi would have owned Voyager in about 5 minutes. Even with these particular (stupid) Ferengi.

When the people they're scamming finally see them for who and what they really are, they'll be well and truly screwed; and that civilization will have learned a valuable lesson in what to do when someone comes before them claiming to be god(s)

Those people are kinda stupid though. More likely they'd only figure it out when the Ferengi die of old age. But yeah, I agree with the rest of your post.