Weekend Trek “Cost Of Living”

Whose idea was this episode?  While neither Jimmy nor Tom have expressed much disdain for Worf’s son Alexander, the idea of teaming the kid with Lwaxana Troi–someone neither of the guys cares for all that much–when neither are more than an occasional guest star just seems kinda wrong.  No wonder the episode had to include a space parasite.

Anyway, the guys didn’t have a whole lot to say about “Cost of Living,” and there weren’t many clips on YouTube to slap at the top.  It’s just the one that ends with a bunch of characters in a mud bath.

“Cost of Living”

Lwaxana Troi.  Alexander Rozhenko.  A wedding.  Space parasites.  Goo.  All kinds of stuff seems to be going wrong.

jimmy:  Good thing this wasn’t newer Trek, they might have shown more of Mama Troi.

tomk:  You mean the entertainment on the holodeck of a woman in body paint wasn’t enough for you?

jimmy:  Now that you mention it, that did get pretty close. Maybe we just got lucky.

tomk:  You didn’t want to see the dancer?

jimmy:  The dancer was fine. The bride could have been worse…

tomk:  Are you bodyshaming the late Majel Barrett?

jimmy:  No. I just think we saw enough in those dresses.

tomk:  Fair enough.

I think this episode does demonstrate why this show should not do “whimsical locations” since it always seems forced.

jimmy:  The floating colorful disembodied head and the world juggler seemed forced?

tomk:  Let me put it this way:  this is the disembodied head:

jimmy:  Disembodied heads have cats?

tomk:  Well, he needed comfort after Worf popped his face bubble.

jimmy:  Worf doesn’t do whimsical.

tomk:  Well, would you want to hang out there?

jimmy:  I suppose the bath could be ok depending on the company.

tomk:  Lwaxana Troi?

jimmy:  Hmmm. Maybe a different Troi.

tomk:  Castor Troi?

jimmy:  Maybe after the face switch.

tomk:  What if he wants yours?

jimmy:  It had a good run.

tomk:  You can always use his.

jimmy:  Or the Joker’s.

tomk:  Nah. That won’t fit right.

jimmy:  Fine. I’ll just keep this one that fits pretty well.

tomk:  Yeah.  It didn’t come out of a popped bubble, did it?

  jimmy:  Not that I recall.

tomk:  Ok then.

But man, I think I am with Worf at the end of the episode. You’re just supposed to sit there?

jimmy:  It’s good for your skin…or something.

tomk: Something…

Maybe it’s just me, but forced laughter doesn’t seem much like fun.

jimmy:  We do it every day in the break room with Watson.

tomk:  Watson is the face of forced whimsy?

jimmy:  More like we have to force laughter.

tomk:  I see. Here’s your whoopi cushion back.

jimmy:  Thanks.

tomk:  Regardless, I don’t think either Troi understands parenting. Lwaxana goes to some dork’s idea of a hippie commune while Deanna thinks a contract between Klingons is an excellent idea.

jimmy:  The commune might not have been the best idea, but I felt like she was right when she was explaining why Deanna’s contract idea was just asking for trouble.

tomk:  Maybe they both suck at helping Klingons.

But at least Lwaxana got engaged to Tony Jay. Sure, he’s no Ron Canada, but he does have That Voice.

jimmy:  Didn’t watch the whole thing, but he gets around.

tomk:  But not to Lwaxana’s boudoir.

jimmy:  His aide saw to that.

tomk:  That guy is probably responsible for the ship’s dripping goo. It was him or someone realized there wasn’t enough plot for the episode otherwise.

jimmy:  I think I read somewhere that the original writers hated the B story which was bolted on after to give everyone else something to do, and probably to interest those not caring about a show focused on two B list (or lower) non-regular cast members.

tomk:  True. I do prefer goo to a Mrs. Troi plot.

jimmy:  Most that watch would.

tomk:  That doesn’t mean hitting Lwaxana with goo either.

jimmy:  She’d rather bathe in it.

tomk:  As long as she doesn’t get a glass full of sausages.

jimmy:  I like sausages, but a glass of them is probably not very refreshing.

tomk:  Probably should cook ‘em first.

jimmy:  Well, that too.

tomk:  And then maybe watch out for dripping goo.

jimmy:  Which was actually intergalactic waste.

tomk:  Lousy space parasites, always crashing weddings…

jimmy:

tomk:  Yeah, check out that space parasite.

jimmy:  Always crashing space weddings.

tomk:  Better than crashing into inhabited planets.

Actually, is there much to say about this episode?  Lwaxana as is often the case feels like she just came out of a different show and Alexander by himself isn’t that interesting.

jimmy:  We could talk about goo some more.

tomk:  I don’t like goo. It’s slimy and sticky and it gets everywhere.

jimmy:  And don’t even get you started on sand.

tomk:  Sand?  They call me the Sandman because I put people to sleep.

Wait, that’s not something worth bragging about…

jimmy:  Insomniacs might appreciate it.

tomk:  Well, let me ask you this Jimmy:  remember how in some really old X-Men comics that the Professor was in love with Jean Grey?

jimmy:  I don’t, but I haven’t read much pre-Giant Size X-Men #1 stuff.

tomk:  It’s kinda a famous panel. Even got referenced in the original Onslaught storyline.

jimmy:  That I read but don’t recall the reference.

tomk:  Well…let’s just say I made an elaborate segue to the next episode.

jimmy:  The next episode is about Picard being in love with a teenage redhead?

tomk:  Not quite.

jimmy:  This segue is elaborate indeed!

tomk:  Interested in learning more?

jimmy:  With a segue like that, who wouldn’t?!?

tomk:  Alrighty then.

Next:  “The Perfect Mate”