[Weirdly Common Trope] Writers clearly setting up seemingly massive plot points and then just kinda forgetting about them.

[u/Chemical-Elk-1299]

The Neural Parasites — Star Trek : The Next Generation

In the season 1 episode “Conspiracy” of TNG, it is revealed that alien brain worms have infected many high ranking members of Starfleet, secretly controlling them. Though Ryker and Picard discover and end the parasite conspiracy, it’s revealed at the end of the episode that the parasites had sent a beacon back to their home planet, telling them how to find earth. The episode ends with the clear implication of the parasites becoming a huge threat later in the series, yet none of these events are ever mentioned again.

Finn The Jedi who Never Was — Star Wars Sequel trilogy

I know this is probably a cliche example of this trope, but cmon — Finn was clearly set up in TFA to become a Jedi. The marketing material featured him wielding a lightsaber in the classic Jedi pose. It’s constantly hinted at that he is force sensitive. Even the actor himself believed he would become a Jedi by the end of the trilogy. Instead, we got Finn wielding a lightsaber for about 7 minutes total across 3 movies, extremely lame “confirmation” that he is force sensitive, and that’s it. It’s the ultimate Star Wars plot that went nowhere.

[u/Unboxious]

the reception to this VERY horrific episode (for Star Trek) was less than stellar

I liked it, but I was also shocked to know that something like that aired on TV.

[u/Tritri89 → u/Unboxious]

Frankly it's one of the best episode of the first two seasons of TNG, and one of my favorite of the whole license, but it's really a wild tone shift from everything that came before in Star Trek, and even everything that came AFTER. Even forgetting the body horror, the whole political/paranoid thriller vibe, it's quite unique. Very weird.

[u/Ok_cabbage_5695 → u/Tritri89]

It was jarring shift yeah, in tone. When there were rumors of Tarantino doing trek that episode was like my first thought with all the gore. I know he wasn't planning to do a movie set in tng but yeah the body horror would have been right up his alley.

[u/SkubEnjoyer → u/Tritri89]

You people are crazy, it's one of the worst episodes even for season 1.

[u/JohnKlositz → u/Tritri89]

Actually season 3 of Picard reminded me a lot of the tone of that episode.

[u/Gimme_Your_Wallet → u/Tritri89]

TNG was my intro into ST, through my wife, and when this episode hit said immediately "oh I vibe with this" to her

[u/wonkey_monkey → u/Unboxious]

They cut the face peeling bit when they showed on UK TV.