In "The Last Outpost", the Enterprise is in pursuit of a Ferengi vessel after discovering it stole some equipment from an unmanned Federation station. The Federation and Ferengi have never been in direct conflict before so this is uncharted waters. Unsure of their technological prowess or even what they look like, the Enterprise finds itself caught in some kind of beam that is sucking the energy from the ship. They soon discover that the Ferengi ship is in a similar state. The energy is being sucked down to the nearest planet's surface. It appears to be a leftover outpost from an ancient empire.
The two ship's agree to beam down together in a co-op away mission to try to figure out how to get out of this predicament. The Ferengi quickly double cross the Enterprise's crew however. With their energy whips they attack the away team and steal their gold chevrons. They end up awakening an ancient guardian named Portal representing the empire. He threatens to destroy them all but changes his mind after having a philosophical discussion with Riker. He spares both ship's but makes the Ferengi give back the Federation's technology.
The Ferengi were intended to be the big bad of TNG but that never really worked out. Here is their first appearance and you can see why it wasn't meant to be. They're extremely annoying little goblin creatures who grate on the eyes and ears of the audience. They never seem like a huge threat, even after incapacitating the away team. They work a lot better as comedic relief.
This isn't a very good episode. It has all the makings of a TOS episode with a god-like being who the humans have to win over. The whole discussion between Portal and Riker is pretty lame and nonsensical. The Chinese fingertrap gag is also something I could do without.
I did enjoy the direction of this episode. We have a few really cool shots and I do enjoy the set design of the planet's surface. It's probably the best episode this far (which isn't saying too much). I think the director has a lot to do with that.
This episode is noteworthy since it introduces the Ferengi for the first time chronologically in the Star Trek universe (discounting that one episode of ST: Enterprise which is kind of a loophole). Beyond that though, this episode is fairly mediocre.
The two ship's agree to beam down together in a co-op away mission to try to figure out how to get out of this predicament. The Ferengi quickly double cross the Enterprise's crew however. With their energy whips they attack the away team and steal their gold chevrons. They end up awakening an ancient guardian named Portal representing the empire. He threatens to destroy them all but changes his mind after having a philosophical discussion with Riker. He spares both ship's but makes the Ferengi give back the Federation's technology.
The Ferengi were intended to be the big bad of TNG but that never really worked out. Here is their first appearance and you can see why it wasn't meant to be. They're extremely annoying little goblin creatures who grate on the eyes and ears of the audience. They never seem like a huge threat, even after incapacitating the away team. They work a lot better as comedic relief.
This isn't a very good episode. It has all the makings of a TOS episode with a god-like being who the humans have to win over. The whole discussion between Portal and Riker is pretty lame and nonsensical. The Chinese fingertrap gag is also something I could do without.
I did enjoy the direction of this episode. We have a few really cool shots and I do enjoy the set design of the planet's surface. It's probably the best episode this far (which isn't saying too much). I think the director has a lot to do with that.
This episode is noteworthy since it introduces the Ferengi for the first time chronologically in the Star Trek universe (discounting that one episode of ST: Enterprise which is kind of a loophole). Beyond that though, this episode is fairly mediocre.