Re: Review - Planet of the Ood

"pbowles@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
" wrote:

> Onto the Ood, then. This episode has seemingly been constructed
> entirely to answer one question arising from the previous story - how
> does a slave race evolve? Disappointing then that the answer involves
> adding still more implausibility to Ood biology. An external brain I
> can buy for the sake of visualisation - chop off this bit and the Ood
> become slaves. Of course there's no terribly good reason humans
> couldn't lobotomise them internally, but if there's an easily
> detachable visible bit to remove it's more accessible to the viewer.
> However, the idea that the Ood have a brain they have to carry in one
> hand all the time stretches credibility too far, for all that I liked
> the imagery of an organic system the 'Persil balls' replaced.

Why would the process of natural selection led to a brain that has to be
carried in one hand?  Wouldn't Oods that don't have to carry their brains
have a big competative advantage over the brain carrying Ood?

When the modified Ood go on a rampage and start killing with their
translater balls, why don't the soldiers smash the translator balls?

In the year 4126, why are humans still using projectile weapons which look
like 20th century machine guns and shoot bullets?  Why aren't they using
lasers or phasers or disintegrators?

The Oodsphere company packs Ood standing up into big boxes.  The Ood
aren't
strapped in in any way, meaning that they will get hurt if the box tips
over or is dropped.  Why aren't these valuable slaves better secured?
Also, why aren't there any toilets in the Ood boxes or cages?