Captain's Log: Season Five

A new cast member arrives, and the Beige Invasion commences

It seems that by season five nobody would sit still long enough to pose for a cast photo. But check out this Star Trek 25th Anniversary promo shot, in which you can see the classic Trek cast next to the TNG cast! This was taken at the dedication of the Gene Roddenberry Building on the Paramount lot, not long before Roddenberry’s death, which happened during the filming of season five.

It’s a strange irony that I do not rate season five of TNG very highly, despite the fact it is bookended by two of the greatest Trek episodes ever - Darmok and Inner Light. It’s not that there isn’t a lot of good stuff in season five, it’s just that season five has issues, as even showrunner Michael Piller recognised in retrospect. One of those problems is an inability to get outside of the groove the show has successfully dug for itself… there’s good stuff going on, but it’s not pushing the boundaries like season three, or experimenting around its successes like season four. Another is the new title card:

Like it or hate it the ‘warp speed’ effects become decidedly passé by the end of the season, and disappear never to return again.

I like to think of season five as the ‘Ship in Jeopardy’ season. Depending what you count as ‘jeopardy’, there’s at least six episodes in which the excitement is supposed to come from the peril the ship is placed into, but mostly I find I get bored of these after “Disaster”, which is only five episodes in! The other grave risk that the ship faces is the ‘Beige Invasion’, the start of the long march towards less interesting, less colourful uniforms. If many of these outfits aren’t actually beige, they are at least in psychic contact with that dreary colour.

“It’s not biege, it’s just boring.”

Of course, it is also the debut of our replacement Wesley - who is much older, much more female, and much more Bajoran. But we’ll get to her…

Worf’s Season Four Stats

Worf finishes with another losing season, ending up Worf 3, Aliens 4. So far season 2 is his only winning season, and he is overall Worf 9, Aliens 13. Can he turn it around…? We’ll find out!

End of Season Promotions

At the end of each season, somebody on the Away Team gets a promotion! On the whole, this season’s heroic contributions have been from stalwart-commenter Lieutenant Commander British Tennessean. She’s basically already the first officer, so might as well have the rank and title to lord it over y’all.

Elsewhere in the crew, Kovak, our freshly-minted Lieutenant, has been doing great support work this season, despite only having just joined the crew, and so receives a commendation. He joins Lieutenant Ivo and Lieutenant JG, who get their second commendation this season. Thank you for everything you do for the ship! You may well have promotions in your future…

And lastly, Ensign inw is getting his first black pip, and joining the ranks of the other Junior Grade Lieutenants - good things happen to crew members who leave nice comments!

Calling all potential Lieutenants! You have until the new cast member appears to get two gold pips on your imaginary uniform collar at a special discounted rate with this special Season Five offer! Unlock all Top 40 Studio Miniatures and Crew Profiles to read at your leisure and get the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting WAMTNG!

…or leave a comment on any WAM to earn a promotion to the rank of Ensign. It’s the logical thing to do.

Duty Roster

Captain Bateman

Commander British Tennessean

Lieutenant Commander Mower
Lieutenant Commander Stape

Lieutenant Wightwave
Lieutenant Rob
Lieutenant Ivo**
Lieutenant (Adam) Kozak*
+2 Lieutenants currently off duty

Lieutenant JG Elliott
Lieutenant JG Jess H**
Lieutenant JG (Benedict Tiberius) Cato
Lieutenant JG inw

Ensign Haddie
Ensign Gibbens
Ensign (Mordechai) Buxner
Ensign (Gustavo Jaramillo) Luzardo
Ensign (Homer) Picard
+61 crewmen