S3 E6 "Booby Trap"
Posted by USConservativeVegan@reddit | TNG | View on Reddit | 19 comments
I just randoming watched this episode. I always liked the plot. From the beginning when Picard keeps making "ships in a bottle" references that nobody understands to the overall problem solving.
However, with how today's society is increasing using AI for daily tasks, I got a whole knew appreciation with how they solved the problem. Where the choice was either allow the ship's AI to make the decisions or having a human do it. How Captain Picard finally decides he will take the helm. How even with their advanced AI, it is the human will that is needed to save the ship.
The episode is also a reminder the quality of writing of TNG. How they were able to give these great bottle episodes week after week for 23 plus shows is amazing.
ferretinmypants@reddit
Worf: "I never played with boys" - from the bloopers
Republiconline@reddit
Love this episode!!
Malnurtured_Snay@reddit
It always struck me as weird that no one suggested having Data make the adjustments, as he is an incredibly advanced computer ... but I love it when Picard walks up and relieves Wesley from the conn. Third time we see him flying the ship, I believe.
Aezetyr@reddit
The idea is similar to TOS The Ultimate Computer, where Kirk and the crew are eventually subjugated by the "M5" computer on the Enterprise. Earlier in the episode, the new computer had shown it's reasoning in making good decisions, but ultimately turned a shade evil and had to be logic'ed to death. From that perspective, Booby Trap is a good episode. I did like the reasoning and ultimately simple solution that Geordi and the hologram were able to come up with, and a Human being the one to lead the ship out of danger. Those parts worked well.
There is an interesting inherent mistrust of computers taking over in Star Trek; starting with The Ultimate Computer and seen in later works; like Control in Discovery S2, the Living Construct in Prodigy and others. It's a fascinating parallel with today's world with LLMs and generative "ai" replacing coders, artists, and other Human roles.
Malnurtured_Snay@reddit
I mean ... consider the pushback we're seeing on AI. It's one thing when we're using AI to navigate us through driving instructions, or asking Siri to skip the musical track that's playing .... whole other thing to replace actual creativity or skill based work.
geobibliophile@reddit
La Forge specifically said that even Data couldn’t do the calculations and flying fast enough.
Traditional_Donut908@reddit
Which makes sense. Even if he could mentally do the calculations, he still would be physically touching the console to apply the changes.
Malnurtured_Snay@reddit
Ah, I must've missed that.
Marquedien@reddit
Data at that point didn’t have a great track record of improvisation, which is what was needed to slingshot around that asteroid.
DubbelFunktion@reddit
Did you notice O'Brien sucking up to the captain by claiming he also built ships in a bottle?
Ralph--Hinkley@reddit
Loads of fun!
Admirable-Fail1250@reddit
I never agreed with them destroying the ship. Just doesn't seem like the appropriate response. Set up warning buoys and send in a team prepared for what's there. Destroy or shut down the traps and get that ship out of there safely. So much could be learned from it.
Here I am talking as though it's a real life regret rather than a TV show... LOL
Cambot1138@reddit
I wouldn't call this one a bottle episode. It required a large number of new sets and effects.
Jgolu12@reddit
mcgrst@reddit
I never played with boys.
PicardsTeabag@reddit
This may be my all time favorite TNG episode. It gets some hate for Geordi’s relationship with holodeck Lea Brahms (understandibly) but I think the good far outweighs the bad. The look Riker gives O’Brien after O’Brien says to the Captain that he also played with ships in bottles is classic … as if to say “Quit your brown-nosing Chief”. lol.
USConservativeVegan@reddit (OP)
Maybe O'Brien did make ships in the bottle. I can see that being something he would do when his mom was cooking food instead of using the replicator.
Balthierlives@reddit
Season 3 was when the show really got good. And this is one of those examples.
I do love how they explore the technology of the day and the consequences. It would be so easy for even a smart guy like Geordie to succumb to a virtual version of a doctor in the circumstances. And Barclay shows where the id might take an awkward introverted person to exist in their own artificial reality where everything goes the way they want instead of dealing with real people. It’s pretty crazy writers had the forethought to think of these things that seem amazing and perfect to a 20th century audience but have real downsides we might not consider
geobibliophile@reddit
The computer might have been fast enough to make course corrections faster than the aceton assimilators could react, but the actual propulsion systems certainly would be slower than the computer inputs to them, no? The trap was designed to be harder to get out of the faster they tried to get out of it. The propulsion systems would just be overwhelmed with conflicting orders from the computer.