By Corey Hines on Wednesday, December 23, 1998 - 11:13 pm:
Why does the Darwin Genetic Reserch Lab even exist. "Doctor Bashir, I Presume"(DS9) states that genetic engineering of any kind is illegal in the Federation.
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By Keith Alan Morgan on Monday, April 19, 1999 - 09:50 am:
Corey: I believe it was stated that someone couldn't serve in Starfleet if they have been genetically altered for any reason other than a life saving procedure.
At the beginning of the episode they say they are going to Star Station India to meet with a medical courier for an unspecified reason, then they never bring it up again. What was so important about this courier? Was he finally delivering Dr. Pulaski's medical records to the Enterprise? (Well, that certainly would have been helpful, don't you think?)
In The Battle Dr. Crusher says that the Common Cold has been cured, an amazing feat considering that the Common Cold is actually thousands of Rhinoviruses. In this episode Dr. Pulaski refers to Thalusian Flu as a Rhinovirus. If they have a cure for all the Rhinoviruses that fall under the heading Common Cold, then why don't they have a cure for the Rhinovirus called Thalusian Flu? (Or is it simply a matter of definition? Do people no longer get the "Common Cold" because the term Common Cold is no longer a legitimate medical term?)
When Dr. Pulaski is first talking to Dr. Kingsly she says, "We understand that you are involved in genetic research?" Gee, where would Dr. Pulaski get that idea, they have only been referring to the place as the "Darwin Genetic Research Station" throughout the show? What's next, going to a nuclear power plant and asking if they have any radioactive elements?
If Dr. Pulaski wrote a book that is used in viral research, then why didn't she know what a marker symbol on a disease meant in the episode The Child?
Why does Dr. Pulaski need to transport one of the children to the ship to scan them? Why not have the scientists scan them on Gagarin IV and transmit the findings to the ship? It is after all a research facility and one would assume that all or most of its resources are for medical purposes. Even if the Enterprise has newer equipment, I believe that all Pulaski did was wave her little medical tricorder over the boy, so just transport one of those down. There was no legitimate need to endanger the ship by transporting the child on board.
Let me see if I have this right, the safety precautions for transporting someone out of a biohazard area are for the diseased people to put the boy in stasis, then surround him with styrolite to seal in any germs he may carry. However, since the styrolite came from the contaminated area, then wouldn't it also be contaminated?
When the child materializes in Sick Bay, Worf thinks it is a trick because the 'child' looks like an adult. So why didn't the Station think to tell the ship of this fact?
The shuttle in the Shuttle Bay appears much larger than any other shuttle ever used on the show. Also it appears to have much more angular corners then the usual shuttles. However, when the shuttle flies out of the bay it looks like one of the normal compact, rounded corner shuttles that they normally use, and it has the same number as the shuttle we saw in the Shuttle Bay.
Why bother transporting the boy back to the Station when the shuttle can just take him there? If they feel the need to transport the boy, why not use the shuttle's transporter?
The scientists at the station and the crew of the Lantree were all affected at the same time, but the crew of the Lantree aged faster and died first. Dr. Pulaski is affected and the comment is made that the close confines of the shuttle increased her exposure, and the inference is that the sealed environment of the Lantree also increased the exposure. All of this leads me to the conclusion that the Station must be some kind of open air facility and the virus (or "active immune system") must spread outward and when it hits sealed walls it bounces back to attack the humans en masse, otherwise all affected should age at the same rate.
A suggestion is made to transport Dr. Pulaski and use the bio-filter to eliminate the virus and O'Brien says that it would not work because the boy had been transported twice already and the bio-filter didn't stop the virus. At this point in the show the boy had been transported three times, not two. Also if the point is to examine the boy for any trace of illness, why transport him with the bio-filter at all?
A suggestion is made to transport Data and Dr. Pulaski back to the Enterprise using their last transporter trace to screen out any deadly viruses or altered DNA and Geordi says that he doesn't think a transporter trace has ever been used that way before, but didn't they do something similar with Picard's transporter trace in Lonely Among Us? (And later used a similar technique in Rascals.)
It is said that the researchers are returned to normal and that they will stay on Gagarin IV, but isn't the rapid aging virus still present on Gagarin IV? As soon as they return to the planet won't they be affected yet again? (Or at least when they come into contact with the children again?) The transporter isn't a cure for the virus it merely removes all trace of the virus and restores their appearance. Unless they develop some kind of anti-body they will have to go through the transporter process over and over again for as long as they stay on the planet. (Hmmm, since the transporter can restore your appearance does this mean that you have to be a plastic surgeon to operate one? That might explain all the restored appearances at the end of Genesis?)
When they come upon the Lantree at the end they blow it up with a photon torpedo. First of all, why not use the transporter trace idea to take the dead bodies off the ship and send them to their home planets and loved ones for burial? Secondly, why doesn't the Enterprise download all of the Lantree's computer files to turn over to Starfleet and maybe send the personal logs to the loved ones? Thirdly, wouldn't blowing up the ship leave chunks and pieces of contaminated material or bodies that might infect someone else in the future? Wouldn't the better course of action be to take remote control of the Lantree and fly it into a star?
Early on Kingsley says the oldest is age 12. We see 7 kids; then the person beamed on to the shuttle looks age 20. Is he the 12-year-old?? And why wasn't he in the room where we see the other kids?
One of the features of the kids is the aggressive immune system--it seeks out and kills other life forms--other than each other, apparently.
They could send an unmanned ship to the planet, have the kids beam onto the ship so they'd be the only ones on board. Then they could work on controlling their aggressive immune systems and other matters.
This episode continues the grand tradition of bright people always having psychic powers.
I guess that's why we haven't heard from these kids or from the Conspiracy aliens--the kids were tracking them down and making sure they wouldn't be a threat any more.
At the beginning of the episode, when Picard asks Troi her opinion of Pulaski, she says that she has never met a more dedicated physician. I guess Crusher isn't as dedicated. Actually, considering the interest Crusher took in attaining command rank, not to mention how quickly she shrugged off her duties in "Sub Rosa", I guess Crusher is a less dedicated physician.
The commander of the Lantree was first called Ely Tolacca. Picard then referred to him as Eso Tolacca, then the reference went back to Ely.
It seems to me that the work done on Darwin station, creating "superior" humans right from the time of conception (or before?) comes a lot closer to what occurred during Kahn's time than what happened to Bashir. Julian's parents were simply trying to correct his genetic defects; I think the fact that he came out of it so much above average was a byproduct. I think they would have been satisfied if Julian had had average intelligence and motor skills. I find it hard to believe that the Federation would be so against correcting birth defects and yet do nothing about the research on Darwin, which was actively trying to supercede the human race with a new one. (The permanent quarantine on Darwin proves that what they were doing was too dangerous.)
Those children were maturing much earlier than they should have. Does this mean that they will age and die sooner, too?
To disagree with Troi, Crusher may be less dedicated (I didn't think she was; in my opinion she was the best female character ever in Trek), but Pulaski is certainly much worse. In "The Measure of a Man," I half expected her to tell Data he was Starfleet's property and that he should go with Maddox, considering she thought he was just a machine. And I've also said before that TPTB created her too much like McCoy, and it did not work this time. Now that I think about it, at this point in the series, Pulaski was probably going to be permanent in the series and the producers wanted to forget Crusher.
What happened to those prefix-codes?
To me, it seems, as if Picard as a Captain, had a code for getting control over all starfleet ships. Maybe, this isn't really a nit. It seems more logical, then waing for any foreign intruder finding all prefix-codes of all ships in one computer (IFOS)
This episode reminded me a lot like "The Deadly Years" (TOS)
Except, of course, no "SPAWNK"!
This episode marks the first time Colm Meany was identified as Mr. O'Brien. (Other times he's identified as "Comm Operator" & "Transporter Operator")
GREAT SFX: The destruction of the USS Lantree was excellent. The officers standing at attention added to the scene as well.
Corey already said it (very first post), but it bears repeating.
Pulaski and Data seem surprised that they're doing genetic engineering, but there's no shock or talk of criminal sanctions, as in DS9:Dr. Bashir, I Presume?.
They really were trying to make Pulaski a McCoy clone, weren't they? Listen to her comments about the transporter at the end of the episode.
I caught that in last night's run of this ep too, Scott. Although I neither like nor dislike the character of Pulaski, she was no Leonard H. McCoy.
Yeah, force fields can fail ... I know, let's install them in all the critical systems!
Picard denies Pulaski's suggestion to put her and the by in a force field to allow her to scan him. He denies it by saying "Even force fields can fail" and that he "won't take that risk".
Wait a minute, what about the brig, the prisions are kept secure via forcefields. If they fail it's dangerous convicts versus that sleeping security guard. Isn't shuttlebay pressurization manitained by a force field? If one of those accidentaily fails don't the shuttlebay techs go splat? And isn't the anti-matter containment system basically a glorified force field? If that fails ... BOOM.
It seems odd that devices as fickle as Picard makes them out to be would be used in so many critical areas.
Sorry Doctor, but the lot is full. We'll have to park here and walk it.
This is kinda a cheap shot, but the graphic of the shuttle landing at Darwin Station is ... interesting. The shuttle comes into the frame looking huge relative to the Station. This makes sense due to the perspective. The shuttle goes into the distance a little bit, still looking big compared to the background buildings, and then proceeds to land! As it's landing it looks at least 3/4th as big as the structure in the background, which would suggest either shuttlecraft are the sizes of genetic reasearch stations, or that Data is just really lousy at finding parking.
"The captain demands a window in his ready room!"
"But we used up all the window space on the bridge already!"
"Hrmm, I have an idea!"
I can't remember exactly where this was, but in one of the shots of the ready room, the "window overlooking the stars" looks suspiciously like a piece of cardboard with some white dots on it ...
Picard's access code: Omicron omicron yadda yadda.
As we all know, omicron is code for 47.
I must ask...why didn't Picard order the destruction of the Lantree BEFORE departing for the station? I mean, the computers were still there...still repairable & accessible...ditto for the weapons and shields...I mean...JUST BECAUSE Picard ordered a beacon to be put near the Lantree telling people & aliens "...do not board"...that doesn't mean that the said people or aliens have to OBEY that warning and comandeer the ship. Picard just got lucky!
And then the problem would be solved as the disease would zap the pirates and age em all into dust.
John: why didn't Picard order the destruction of the Lantree BEFORE departing for the station?
Maybe the Enterprise had run out of padding that week?
Pulaski and Data seem surprised that they're doing genetic engineering, but there's no shock or talk of criminal sanctions.
The original commenter was referring to criminal sanctions in light of what learn about Dr. Bashir in DS9. But what about sanctions just in general? Illegal activities or not, the actions of the scientists at the Darwin station DIRECTLY led to the deaths of 26 Starfleet personnel. Even if you were engaging in a legal activity, don't you think you'd be held accountable for those deaths?
John: why didn't Picard order the destruction of the Lantree BEFORE departing for the station?
It's possible that they still wanted to learn something from the ship. But there's no reason they couldn't have taken the Lantree in tow. That way, they could have kept an eye on her while they were investigating things over at Darwin station.
Anyone stupid enough to ignore the warning that Picard had activated on the Lantree deserves what happens to them, including death.
Why didn't Pulaski wear AN ISOLATION SUIT when she was working in the Shuttle? I mean...she's looking for CONTAGIOUS VIRUSES...right?
Why didn't the 12 year old beamed aboard not have any clothes on except for the white underwear. I don't think Pulaski had to do any invasive exams or any that couldn't scan through some fabric, why not have the genetically engineered super freak wear some more clothing? Trying to appeal to the teenage girls age range or something?
I think it was to show that his body was in perfect shape.
Its too bad they were able to save Dr Plauski in this episode. If she had died, maybe we could have gotten Dr Crusher back early!
Watched this last night:
The shuttle bay door opening only seems to be about the same height as the shuttle itself.
So when Data lifted off to take the shuttle out, he should have flown straight into the top of the door. ;)
The external size of the Shuttlebay doors compared to the size of shuttlecraft has never matched up on TNG. The shuttles are always too large in relation to the apparent size of the bay. This can be estimated from episodes where we see the crew standing next to a shuttlecraft - which gives us a rough size for the shuttles (They should be able to fit onto the bridge of the ship). If you then compare the size of the bridge in external shots to the size of the bridge in external shots it is quickly apparent that the shuttles are way too large or the bays are far to small.
Why destroy the Lantree at the end? The ship is in perfect condition and they know precisely what caused the disease. Remove the bodies of the dead crew and dispose of them in a safe and appropriate manner, then have the ship sterilized and put back in service.