Finally getting started...

[jducoeur]

After about a year of saying how I was going to get back on the exercise bandwagon, the pieces are now in place. It's been clear for a long time that I enjoy the elliptical, but don't particularly enjoy the gym. This morning was the beginning of the solution, as I begin to watch my way through Star Trek: The Next Generation while working on on our new machine. So far I'm pleased by it -- we paid considerably more than I'd originally been planning, but the device runs silky-smooth, giving a good workout without hurting my legs.

I have, however, learned one important lesson: Encounter at Farpoint does not improve with age. Pain. Such *pain*...

Comments

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

No pain, no gain!

I was so thrilled when ST:TNG came out that I liked Farpoint -- but I didn't much like it the second time I saw it. It would have been better if they'd taken out all of Deanna's "emoting" shots, but still...

Congrats on the excercise!

[jducoeur]

Thanks.

Actually, that first episode is striking in how accurately it sets expectations of the actors. The three who stand out throughout the series (Stewart, Spiner and De Lancie) are already fun to watch in the first episode. But most of the rest range from flat to downright terrible. The "deeply heartfelt" scenes between Riker and Troy are so bad they come across as camp...

Setting expectations

[metageek.livejournal.com]

It sets the expectations for the really good actors. Some of the others got pretty good later on.

Re: Setting expectations

[jducoeur]

Well, mostly I meant that it set expectations for the *relative* caliber of the actors. The great ones are merely good here; the decent ones were really bad. Everyone went up a notch or two over the course of the series, as everyone got more comfortable with the scenario and each other. (And got better writing and direction.)

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

As I recall, Deanna doesn't do a lot *but* emote.

In a tight jumpsuit.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

She gets better, I believe, but it does take a while. I plant to start re-watching them soon; I haven't seen TNG for four years since we stopped getting basic cable.

Tight jumpsuit

[metageek.livejournal.com]

It's not just a tight jumpsuit! It's also low-cut.

Re: Tight jumpsuit

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

And there's all the artificial hair.

Re: Tight jumpsuit

[metageek.livejournal.com]

Can't say I noticed...

Re: Tight jumpsuit

[jducoeur]

This was the first episode: no tight jumpsuit yet. Instead, she spends it in a miniskirt. I think someone eventually decided that the pandering was just a little *too* obvious that way, and switched her over to the jumpsuit. (Which was, of course, later perfected as a mode of pandering itself in Voyager, with Miss "I Am Borg, And My Chief Weapon is Boobs" Seven of Nine...)

Re: Tight jumpsuit

[metageek.livejournal.com]

Two of Thirty-Eight.

Re: Tight jumpsuit

[etherial.livejournal.com]

36 of D

[herooftheage.livejournal.com]

Pain. Such *pain*...

Whereas Devil In The Dark holds up very well. It is odd, in that it never quite makes "favorite episode" status for me, but I think it is one of the best crafted of the episodes.

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

And to think that I loved that episode when it first came out. But I was a Data fan from the first moment I saw him.

I too am a huge proponent of working out in front of the TV. After all, we're geeks, and geeks watch TV, so why not combine two activities so that you still have plenty of time left over afterwards to read books?

re: workout + media

[etherial.livejournal.com]

I've been listening to "A History of Russia" while working out.

Re: workout + media

[jducoeur]

Hadn't even thought about listening to a course while working out; I should keep that in mind as an alternative if I find myself getting bored of the TV shows. (And I need to remember to borrow History of Russia one of these days, when I'm not in the middle of one of my own courses...)

Re: workout + media

[etherial.livejournal.com]

I'm having mixed results. I think if I hadn't already studied Russian History, I wouldn't be getting much out of it. As it stands, I'm still learning things (and remembering things I'd forgotten), but I'm not sure it would work with other courses, though maybe those with a video component would be easier to concentrate on.

As for borrowing it, you *are* next on the list of borrowers, though I can't recall if tpau wanted to listen to it before loaning it to you.