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Inconsistencies

No one can expect that everything in 700 episodes and ten movies is logically correct and complies with everything that has been shown elsewhere in Star Trek. Inconsistencies are inevitable. Among them are rather insignificant errors during the shooting such as missing rank pips that reappear only a few seconds later. A number of more general blunders, however, require and deserve further consideration. Note that many if not most of the following are "light-hearted" inconsistencies. I may have come up with explanations but unless otherwise stated I don't insist on them being the only possible truth. Please keep that in mind before contacting me about errors, negligences or omissions.
General Issues
The Realism of (Science) Fiction
- whether Star Trek is really "bordering on silliness"
What is Canon?
- definitions, reasons, interpretations and the EAS canon policy
False Canon -
accounts which are incorrectly regarded as canonical in fandom or in official
Trek
Exobiology
The
Klingon Forehead Problem - the history of the legendary
continuity problem and its new twist in Enterprise
The Evolution of Klingon Foreheads
- fairly complete gallery and commentary
The Trill
Problem - how much they really changed from
TNG: "The Host" to DS9
Vulcan Mind Melds -
"The culture you've come to know isn't the one I helped to create."
(Surak)
Races with Changing
Faces - Major Races - make-up
inconsistencies of Romulans, Andorians, Tellarites, Bolians, Bajorans
Races with Changing
Faces - Other Races - Gorn, Tholians, Nausicaans, Talarians, Tarkaleans, Rigelians, Coridans, Yridians, etc.
Re-Used Make-ups -
the same make-up for different races in different times or quadrants
In Alien Hands
- variations of alien hands in Star Trek
Sexual Dimorphism of Star Trek Aliens
- differences between male and female aliens
Aliens
with Human Appearance - why so many aliens look like
humans
T-Races - Tarellians, Terellians,
Terrellians, Terrelians, Tyrellians galore - including a "T-Race
Generator"!
Other Exobiology Inconsistencies - about humanoid kinship,
evolution, "strong
aliens", pon farr,
Changelings, Klingon blood, etc.
History & Cartography
Warp Drive and Romulan History - how a throwaway line from
TOS continues to cause unwarranted confusion
21st Century Earth History - thoughts about early
interplanetary travel, the Eugenics Wars and the Third World War
Other History and Cartography Inconsistencies - about the size of the
Federation, first contact with the Borg, etc.
Real Stars and Bayer Names
- why Epsilon Indi is correct, "Ceti Alpha" is wrong
and "Delta Vega" is crap ![]()
Planet Mutations
- recurring planets whose appearance varies
Physics & Engineering
Power & Propulsion
- about the right intermix ratio, warp inside a star system, how to stop a starship etc.
Computers & Communication
- about gigaquads & nanometers, holographic backups, universal translators etc.
Transporter, Replicator & Holodeck
- about how transporters, replicators and holodecks may work,
their limitations and problems
Weapons
- about inconsistent weapon and shield efficiencies etc.
Other Technology Inconsistencies
about structural integrity, inoculations, contending hardest substances, forgotten technologies etc.
Props & Sets
Uniform and Rank Inconsistencies
- problems with changing
uniform styles, emblems and rank signs
The Evolution of the Federation Emblem
- exhaustive survey of all
variants
The Evolution of the
Cardassian Emblem
- exhaustive survey of all
variants
The Evolution of the
Dominion Emblem
- exhaustive survey of all
variants
Forgotten Alien Emblems - obscure
Klingon and Romulan emblems of TOS
Variations of the TOS Desktop Monitor
- investigation of its evolution and all variants, including
TOS-like monitors in ENT
Variations of the TNG Desktop Monitor
- investigation of its evolution and all variants, including the
TNG movie monitors
Variations of the DS9 Desktop Monitor
- investigation of its evolution and all variants, including
other monitors of the series
Variations of the VOY Desktop
Monitor - investigation of its evolution and all variants,
including related monitors
Re-Used Props - Medical & Engineering Instruments
- medical instruments, engineering tools
Re-Used Props - Computers & Displays
- displays, consoles, hand-held computers
Re-Used Props - Miscellaneous Equipment
- containers, other equipment
Re-Used Props - Furniture & Decoration
- furniture, art
Re-Used Props - Costumes & Badges
- costumes, badges or jewelry
Re-Used Props - Weapons
- pistols, rifles, blade weapons, other weapons
Variations of the Runabout Interior
- a detailed look at the changes to this regular DS9 set over the years
Re-Used Interior Sets
- starship interiors and other building sets
Re-Uses of the Barkonian Village Set
- tracking the evolution of this set through five episodes
Re-Used Planet Sets
- different planets that are amazingly alike
Re-Uses of the Angel One Matte Painting
- observations about Star Trek's most frequently used matte
painting
Re-Uses of the New York Streets Set
- in-depth investigation
of the set that appeared in 13 episodes
Re-Uses of the Vasquez Rocks Location
- observations about Star Trek's most famous filming location
The Thieves of the Delta Quadrant
- re-used props and sets on the Mari homeworld (VOY: "Random
Thoughts")
Series-Specific
Planets in TOS and TOS Remastered - Part 1, Part
2, Part
3
- survey of the TOS planet models and how they were remastered
Planet Surfaces in TOS and TOS Remastered
- survey of the TOS matte paintings and how they were remastered
The Library Computer Scene of "The Cage" in TOS and TOS-R
- shot-by-shot comparison
Voyager Inconsistencies - including the famous Voyager shuttle count
Movie Inconsistencies - nitpicking in "Star Trek
II...VI", "Generations", "First Contact", "Insurrection" and "Nemesis"
Enterprise Continuity Problems - where the series is in
contradiction to established history
Enterprise Inconsistencies - other problems of Series V
A Close Look at 22nd Century
Technology - complete analysis of its continuity and plausibility in
Enterprise
Re-Used TNG Scenes in ENT: "These Are The Voyages"
- screen cap comparison and "preview" (sort of) of
TNG-R
The Problems of Canonizing TAS
- dealing with possible continuity and compatibility
issues
Star Trek (2009): Reboot or Multiverse? -
thoughts on the continuity and the canon status of the movie premise
Star Trek (2009) Inconsistencies -
continuity issues and nitpicking in the latest movie
Miscellaneous
Biography Inconsistencies -
gaps in biographies and other anomalies
Spot the Difference -
animals with changing faces
Bloopers and Oddities
- funny mishaps and imperfections
In-Jokes
- deliberate in-jokes on displays and props and from other movies
Star Trek Clichés
- recurring oddities that deserve to be mentioned, but are
not necessarily inconsistent
Ethics and Society
Genetic Engineering and Cloning
- about the different ethical implications of this technology
Artificial Lifeforms
- how their rights are gradually acknowledged
Alien Monocultures in Star Trek
- Are the members of most alien species all alike, or is this
impression deceptive?
Religion in Star Trek
- Roddenberry's atheism and its impact on the series
Homosexuality in Star Trek
- essay about the ongoing struggle to portray
gay relationships
The Economy of the Federation
- on the existence of money and free enterprises
Cultural Inconsistencies -
inconsistent names, customs etc.
Human Names in Star
Trek - evidence for lacking
cultural diversity on Earth
Bad Ethics in Star Trek
- episodes that relay the wrong message
Investigating Trek @ Star Trek Dimension for more about Trek vs. real science |
Talking Points @ Trekmania for more on the most popular problems in Trek |
![]() | Last modified: 14.11.09 | |
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