Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
I like continuity. And I hate when some shows (Star Trek, cough cough) bring up plots that could very easily be solved by something that was introduced just two episodes ago. Plot stagnation, you might say. It makes the story feel inconsequential, after a while, which, especially for drama, is just bad. If, no matter if the planet/galaxy/city/family/reputation is saved or not, next season/episode/book everything will be the same anyway, what's the point?
If you only choose to enjoy continuity driven shows that is your preference but applying that as a criticism (beyond the run-time of any particular episode) to shows like Star Trek is completely invalid. Because of course it is holding the show to an entirely different methodology by forcing the show to tell one big story instead of being an anthology work using the same stock set-pieces. It's not "plot stagnation" because you have created a patently false premise that Star Trek has a plot. It has episodes which have plots of course (and DS9) but the shows, rather like most television, are instead premises not a plot.

They used something two episodes ago? Well I never noticed much when I first got into the show in the late 90s watching TNG re-runs in syndication where the ordering was rather erratic so chances are I never saw that "just two episodes ago" phenomena. Or it was one created by whomever was programming the cable station.

Not that you have to be able to watch things out of order or anything, but what being able to do at all also means you have a highly contained writing style which is also good for say anyone not able/willing to schedule their life around the television schedule every week. Or otherwise don't watch every episode of something.

It also keeps your show more flexible. If you don't have a plot you're less likely to encounter the problem of suddenly having tied up the whole thing and not having anything left for another season. Not to mention any number of always difficult pacing issues. Or conversely not having your ideas dashed by the eternal truth of uncertain network support. And the added task of riding herd on the writing staff (or doing it all yourself) to be sure no one writes you into a corner or something.

There's good reasons why most programming doesn't confine itself with continuity.

(Also while besides the point Trek also has an issue where you'd have trouble challenging USS Make-****-Up very very quickly if they started remembering their own technobabble and heaven help us improving on it. Nobody wins a Lensman Arms Race in the end.)