Star Trek by the Minute 084: Future Sandwiches

Scotty explains: "I had a little debate with my instructor on the issue of relativistic physics and how it pertains to subspace travel.  He seemed to think that the range of transporting something like a...like a grapefruit was limited to about 100 miles.  I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system, which is easy by the way, I could do it with a life form."

His fellow officer shakes his head in disbelief at Kirk and Spock, indicating he thinks Monty's theory unlikely, certainly unproven.

Assuming that future Star Trek films will include some minimal science consulting, here is a note for development: grapefruits are a life form made of living material normally called "plants".  Actually, making that assumption about consulting in the next film seems outlandish given the huge cash this dreck hauled in.  And apparently cash reigns supreme, with racism, religious faith and "action" rounding out what Abrams' nuTrek is all about.

 

"So," Mr. Scott continues "I tested it on Admiral Archer's prize beagle."  This actually was a cute inside reference to Porthos.

 Kirk: "Wha? I know that dog...  What happened to it?"

Taking another big swig of ale, Scotty belches out "I'll tell you when it reappears. (cough)  I don't know; I do feel guilty about that though."  While meant to be funny, and perhaps soften the mook portrayal, his dialog and the confirmation by the officer with eyestalks establishes that  Scott (whose rank remains unknown) has an unconfirmed theory that may have already murdered at least one puppy, and an unknown number of fruits & veggies although technically, charges would probably be criminal negligence.

Spock asks: "What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct; that it is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is traveling at warp speed?"

 "I think if that equation 'ad been discovered I'd have heard about it," says Scott, as if one equation would be all it took to produce what is essentially, a revolutionary new technological capability far beyond anything currently known by the best informed specialists in that society.

"The reason you haven't heard about it Mr. Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet."

"Eps..ah...wha...are you from the future?"

Kirk: "Yeah, he is, I'm not."

 "Well, that's brilliant!  ...  Do they still have sandwiches there?"  Again, this makes a mockery of the future chief engineer's character, and presents with in-your-face clarity that the film makers do not take their portrayal of this fictional world seriously and did not put forth the effort and thought required to have substantial characters use believable humor.  Self proclaimed time travelers from the future would not be questioned about sandwiches, they would be asked something credible either about the future or about the present that would support their claim.

Cutting to an outpost interior scene, we see what looks like a large shuttlecraft as Scott declares "Well, she's a wee bit dodgey.  Her shield emitters are totally banjacked, as well as a few other things.  On youse go!" as he waves Kirk and Spock away, before tossing a spanner up end over end and catching it with his right hand.

No women speak or appear in this segment.

In our next episode: Star Trek by the Minute 085: Ample Nacelles, Abrams' nuTrek continues to show us a new Scotty, distinct from the dedicated, competent, hard working and principled engineer of the past, preferring a drunken clown.