Voyager had some FPS games (Elite Force iirc) that were fairly standard Quake-Engine early naughties shooters with a Delta Quadrant Flare that were okay, but actually had a clever inventory system.
The way they explained how you could cary a phaser, a compression phase rifle, a special "infinity modulator" for fighting Borg, an an over-the-shoulder mini torpedo launcher, and more was that you had a mobile transporter buffer that held all your equipment, and the weapons would beam into and out of your hands as you changed weapons.
The point was they are supposed to be beyond the need for pockets. You were able to just stick anything you needed to carry with you anywhere on your clothes. OG Trek used velcro and prayers to pull off the effect. Later shows just kind of shot around it.
All the props and staging was incredible too, it's the best Star Trek appearance-wise imo. It all just looks much more real and believable than the rest.
I agree with one exception; use of an IR thermometer as a prop. It’s so obviously what it is that it makes me laugh every time they use it. And for some reason they use it as like their omni-screwdriver so it’s in every other episode.
One of the only other props that I can think of that is as egregious is there’s one episode of TNG where Alexander has this toy that is so obviously an off the shelf Speak n’ Spell type thing that’s upside down.
We can progress as a species ONLY once we all calm down and commit to universal tracksuit wearing. No business suits, no status items - just comfort wear.
Lovely idea, except that to some?/many? people, tracksuits are possibly the least comfortable clothing ever. Nasty clingy sticky plasticky weak sweaty flimsy things.
Yeah I'm not sure I'd categorize all the 90s-era Star Trek onesies as "comfort wear"... especially not on characters with male genitalia. Maybe the 24th century characters didn't care, but I always felt second-hand embarrassment for the 20th century actors!
Yes, in one of the episodes where Archer is being questioned by the reptilian Xindi, he has some kind of proof about the future (I can't remember exactly) and tells one of the Xindi to check his pocket for it (Archer's hands are tied up, so he can't grab it himself)
The only reason I remember that scene, is because the Xindi unzips the pocket on Archer's arm, as if he knew exactly which pocket Archer was talking about... and I'm thinking, "why the hell would you assume the little arm pocket would be the one to check first?"
It was actually a subtle demonstration of Archer's competence because he had placed it in that pocket before it all went down, knowing that that alien's culture started counting up their arms. He even knew which side they'd start with. (His ultra competence was because he thought to ask Phlox about it).
One thing I really love about Archer is that he's not ultracompetent. He's just this really good engineer from anywhere, America, and what drives him and makes him great is his passion for standing humanity up on its own, able to make its own way without the Vulcans holding their hand.
When I buy pants or shorts, not only do they have to have pockets to be considered, but my full hand must comfortably fit into them or it's a deal breaker. Screw those pockets that only fit fingers, what's the point even? Whatever you can fit in is more likely to fall out, plus stiff things make bending your legs at the hips awkward/impossible.
Bonus points if they zip closed and thus can be trusted to hold things on a roller coaster, though I got a fanny pack because great pockets are pretty rare, especially if you also want great pants/shorts attached to them.
60 replies
It even comes into play in the xindi arc. Plot relevant pockets in the episode Azati Prime.
I really want a good Star Trek uniform that's affordable, but have so far had trouble finding anything to my liking.
And yes, I would also like to have the controversial one from Next Generation that was way ahead of the times.
The Skant?
Precisely. Not that I would ever be likely to be speaking in front of Congress; but if I did, this is what I would want to wear.
"Please understand, this is the traditional formal attire of my people."
I like the jacket Torres gets occasionally on Voyager, presumably in response to how silly the pockets situation is.
That's the jacket they put on her to hide the actress' pregnancy. I don't think she ever inserts or retrieves anything from the pocket.
Interesting, I didn't know that.
A real-life reason created something that is actually kinda cool in-universe.
Like the (alleged) reason for the Ryker maneuver: Frakes has a bad back.
Perhaps a step on the right direction, but still a bit silly that there's a token amount of pocket for a token bit of tools
Voyager had some FPS games (Elite Force iirc) that were fairly standard Quake-Engine early naughties shooters with a Delta Quadrant Flare that were okay, but actually had a clever inventory system.
The way they explained how you could cary a phaser, a compression phase rifle, a special "infinity modulator" for fighting Borg, an an over-the-shoulder mini torpedo launcher, and more was that you had a mobile transporter buffer that held all your equipment, and the weapons would beam into and out of your hands as you changed weapons.
The point was they are supposed to be beyond the need for pockets. You were able to just stick anything you needed to carry with you anywhere on your clothes. OG Trek used velcro and prayers to pull off the effect. Later shows just kind of shot around it.
Enterprise was a bit of a mess, but you gotta hand it to wardrobe: utilitarian jumpsuits was a great call for the prequel.
3rd season shouldve been just a subplot and not the whole season. start with the romulan war/ incursion rather than teasing it,.
All the props and staging was incredible too, it's the best Star Trek appearance-wise imo. It all just looks much more real and believable than the rest.
they had potential new aliens that couldve been explored too.
I agree with one exception; use of an IR thermometer as a prop. It’s so obviously what it is that it makes me laugh every time they use it. And for some reason they use it as like their omni-screwdriver so it’s in every other episode.
One of the only other props that I can think of that is as egregious is there’s one episode of TNG where Alexander has this toy that is so obviously an off the shelf Speak n’ Spell type thing that’s upside down.
After all, how were they supposed to predict programming socks and a twirly skirt?
And theme song-wise!
the wierd main theme singing was very cringe, why they switched from the original.
I loved that series, just as much as the others.
I personally struggled to get over the sex-kitten treatment of T'Pol. Seven of Nine was bad enough...
A lot of people did, Rick Berman being thirsty and assuming all the viewers were too is literally the main reason that Terry Farrell left DS9.
I don't mean to excuse Berman in any way whatsoever, but to be fair, Trek has always been thirsty even since TOS because of Roddenberry himself.
For example, Roddenberry wanted Troi to have three or four breasts.
You can never have enough pockets
All Star Trek uniforms are tracksuits.
We can progress as a species ONLY once we all calm down and commit to universal tracksuit wearing. No business suits, no status items - just comfort wear.
Lovely idea, except that to some?/many? people, tracksuits are possibly the least comfortable clothing ever. Nasty clingy sticky plasticky weak sweaty flimsy things.
I'm talking cotton hoodie and pants. Not nylon adidas sportswear.
They make yoga clothes that can also be worn to work. It's happening, at least in places.
is there a term for that like athleisure or something similar?
There was that onesie business suit BetaBrand used to sell. I should have got one before they pivoted to all women's clothes.
And they offer pants for different leg length. Oh god. Imma spend some money I don't have /j
Yeah I'm not sure I'd categorize all the 90s-era Star Trek onesies as "comfort wear"... especially not on characters with male genitalia. Maybe the 24th century characters didn't care, but I always felt second-hand embarrassment for the 20th century actors!
Looks pretty comfortable to me! 🤷
Ah yes, the Scots.
Famously the crew hated especially the first costume design. They did improve them, but they weren't super comfortable by any account I could find.
Hey, I liked the male skants! I thought they were actually more conservative and professional than all the "here's my bulge!" onesies.
How do we know they have male genitalia?
A few frames later, they make an appearance.
Because being trans wasn't invented until DS9. (/s)
Edit: Or at least S05E17.
Season 2 episode 7
What did the old age virus have to do with gender? Or are you talking about some series other than TNG?
Sure, but in canon the space age fabric is supposed to be adaptive to a wide range of temperatures.
...which sounds like a tracksuit to me!
Pockets full of faith of the heart and cheese.
I would like some faith of the cheese, please.
No cheese for you! - Dr. Phlox, probably
Lower Decks uniforms have pockets too.
Also, in TOS they stuck their phasers to their pants with velcro.
"In the future we won't need pockets" said no credible prognosticator, EVAR.
Also, sometime in 2300s, going to the bathroom was made redundant, hence the fashion of unitards.
To be fair, if I could just transport urine and feces directly from my gut and into the replicator disassembly feed, I would.
The question i'm asking my self: have they ever used these pockets?
Yes, in one of the episodes where Archer is being questioned by the reptilian Xindi, he has some kind of proof about the future (I can't remember exactly) and tells one of the Xindi to check his pocket for it (Archer's hands are tied up, so he can't grab it himself)
The only reason I remember that scene, is because the Xindi unzips the pocket on Archer's arm, as if he knew exactly which pocket Archer was talking about... and I'm thinking, "why the hell would you assume the little arm pocket would be the one to check first?"
Why the hell would you assume an alien would have the same intuition about order as a human? 😜
It was actually a subtle demonstration of Archer's competence because he had placed it in that pocket before it all went down, knowing that that alien's culture started counting up their arms. He even knew which side they'd start with. (His ultra competence was because he thought to ask Phlox about it).
One thing I really love about Archer is that he's not ultracompetent. He's just this really good engineer from anywhere, America, and what drives him and makes him great is his passion for standing humanity up on its own, able to make its own way without the Vulcans holding their hand.
Eh, I'm not sure I'd read that much into it...
I have 2 pairs of shorts that have no pockets on them and it's incredibly annoying.
When I buy pants or shorts, not only do they have to have pockets to be considered, but my full hand must comfortably fit into them or it's a deal breaker. Screw those pockets that only fit fingers, what's the point even? Whatever you can fit in is more likely to fall out, plus stiff things make bending your legs at the hips awkward/impossible.
Bonus points if they zip closed and thus can be trusted to hold things on a roller coaster, though I got a fanny pack because great pockets are pretty rare, especially if you also want great pants/shorts attached to them.