@crwi:disqus I think Plinkette summed it up pretty well in his review of Nemesis - the highest grossest Trek film before the Abrams reboot was Star Trek IV, which doesn't fit the mold of episode-like, isn't unnecessarily dark, gritty and violent and doesn't have many of the elements typically thought to be "required"…

I'm an admitted LOTR dork, but really just the prospect of a fully fleshed-out battle of five armies has got me really anticipating the second movie. Plus, I like the fact that the elves aren't universally loved in this one like they were in LOTR, there are plenty of asshole wood elves who come off like greedy…

I'm too old to have liked the OC, and I imagine the other people wondering this probably are too. But it's not like people from my generation or those before it  didn't like their fair share of teen-oriented garbage either. Most everyone goes through a phase when they like things that objectively suck, because it…

@avclub-8b8369fc782a66a1118bd9eda89ebc07:disqus - Agreed that when Voyager was good, it was almost always due to a guest star (though I admit to liking Robert Picardo). The best example of that, in my opinion, was the Year of Hell - and again, it had nothing at all to do with the cast. For once the stakes seemed…

I've been saying this for years too, but I think in Hollywood logic the premise is self-defeating. At least big studio remakes are an exercise in low-risk pandering; they take a known quantity and just try to capitalize on whatever remaining brand equity the original had.

Zack, sorry if it's already been asked - but have you watched the RedLetterMedia reviews of the movies? If not - I highly recommend that you hold off on them until after writing your reviews, but then definitely watch them. He does an especially good job with N****** but you wont' be able to think of anything else…

@avclub-bbb04f2a70775131fa0397bbdb4c03de:disqus Agreed that the Russians absolutely won the war in Europe (a fact that never ceases to enrage Brits when I bring it up to them) but the US pretty definitely won the war in the Pacific.

It's actually a really interesting question - if you go back and watch the episodes not as telling the "truth" of the TNG universe but as a kind of pro-Federation propaganda it actually makes a lot of sense.

It's all due to international sales. A lifetime of global travel has taught me one important fact: other cultures (Britain excluded) have terrible senses of humor. They probably found the latter movies funny and entertaining, in the same way a 3 year old might here.

She could have actually filled in the Chipotle role without blowing any character continuity, and if the writers had stayed true to her character from TNG done a hell of lot more with it (though the logical conclusion to that character arc is Janeway dead in her ready room with a knife through her neck.)

Brilliantly parodied in Galaxy Quest, I might add.

That may be true, but the job is just as awful for flight attendants from other countries, and flight attendants on US-based airlines compare poorly with most other international airlines when looking at attitudes and appearances. 

For a second I thought he was talking about Neelix.

I figured he would hold out for the dark reimagining of She's the Sheriff that's bound to be green-lit within the next season or so.

@avclub-cdef27381eb66efd223f0ea7572024b4:disqus  - your ability to bring in Star Control references fairly regularly while remaining nominally on topic really is impressive.

The pollers were aware that Tempestt Bledsoe briefly had her own talk show, right?

Possibly owing more to the overall nerd demographic which still skews decidedly male, I think there's a lot less lusting/sexual obsession focusing on Wheaton than on Day.

It's just more anti-Irish sentiment, which seems to be an acceptable racial prejudice in much of England.  Surprising, since most of the Brits I know fall all over themselves trying to show how tolerant they are in just about every other context (French and Americans are also acceptable targets, though it seems to be…

There will only ever be one Chad, and that is William Zabka.

Was that before or after Jobs was diagnosed with cancer himself?  Doesn't exactly seem like altruism if the end goal of the act is to extend your own life.