Reviews (4)

Another bad decision under the guise of compassion
The Enterprise answers a distress call, to find that a ship crewed by a group of Talarian boys on a training mission has had an accident. They bring the boys back to the Enterprise for medical treatment and, much to their surprise, they discover that one of the boys is actually Human. Jono initially has no memory of his Human parents and seems completely at ease in the militaristic, male-dominated society of the Talarians. But when those memories do begin to surface and Jono's adoptive father arrives demanding his return, everyone is faced with some very difficult decisions.
There's actually a lot to like in this episode. It makes you think, and there are some strong performances from Patrick Stewart, in an unaccustomed father-figure role for Picard, and the actor playing Jono - whose character provides a good contrast to the nice-as-pie Wesley Crusher. But for me, this episode was really let down by the peculiar attitudes of the Enterprise's crew. Because Jono had a broken arm as a child they assume he must necessarily have been abused by his adoptive father and rush around looking for evidence to prove it. And just when Jono is starting to remember his past and realise what a difficult position he is in (he was orphaned in a battle with the Talarians), with a nod and a smile, Picard hands him back to his adoptive father. Sorry, people, you can't put the genie back in the bottle like that. The end of the episode is not the end of Jono's problems, but their barest beginning.
Three stars.

Better the Alien Species you Know...
The Enterprise rescues a group of young Talarians from a training craft. While dealing with the injured, Dr. Crusher discovers that one of them is human, identified as Jeremiah Rosa. When he was almost four his parents were killed in a border skirmish with the Talarians during their war with the Federation. It was assumed that Jeremiah was killed along with everyone else. However, Endar, a Talarian captain who's own son had died in battle against the Federation, adopted Jeremiah as his own, giving him the name Jono. When Endar asks for Jono to be returned along with the other Talarians, Captain Picard refuses, insisting that Jeremiah should be returned to his biological family. Endar warns Picard that if his son is not returned, there will be another war, but since Jono is of the age of decision, Picard does not believe it will ever come to that.

"Suddenly Human" is a variation on the story found in Westerns such as "The Searchers" or "Dances With Wolves" in which an "alien" culture brings up a child as its own (the theme does pop up in Science Fiction from time to time, most notably in the classic "Stranger In A Strange Land"). The key twist here is that Jono/Jeremiah is old enough to make the decision for himself, so the focus is more on how Picard and Endar make their cases in trying to persuade him where to live instead of the "law" trying to determine what is in the best interest of the child. So this might first seem like a Prime Directive episode, but it ends up being more personal than that. Of course, Talarian culture is a bit more barbaric and a bit less civilized than good old Terran culture (think more "human" looking Klingons), so the cards are stacked in Picard's favor in that regard, but this is the only culture and the only father that Jono knows. It is an interesting debate, even if you do not take it to any sort of allegorical level.

This is the weakest entery in the hightly success series.
This movie has its moments of grandeur, but I found it to be very lame and a real dissappointment (althoughI did like the part where John Luke goes inside that space time continuim and sees his family). The one after this movie "Star Treck First Contact" I think is a much better movie, with better special effects than any of the other ones (including the ones with William Shatner).

Had it's moments
Had it's moment ... Read more

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What is the meaning of the stick figures that appear scrawled one day on the exterior wall of a Northfolk manor? Why do they so terribly upset the American wife (Betsey Brantley) of the gentleman (Tenniel Evans) who lives there? The case proves one of the most tantalizing for Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and his ally and chronicler, Dr. Watson (David Burke). Then it proves among the gravest of Holmes's career when murder enters the picture and the distraught woman is charged with the crime. This is one of those stories from the Holmes canon that practically invites an adaptation; Sherlockians will enjoy seeing the oddly disturbing "dancing men" on screen, while newcomers to Holmes will find the tale particularly compelling. As always, Jeremy Brett remains the definitive Holmes. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The ending isn't that great
I love this film. It is one of the best Sherlock Holmes. I really like it because I like the Shelock Holmes that follow the original story. For some reason I didn't find the ending that great. The sinpector, followed by Holmes's request just puts a gun up to the man's head and he tells his story. The rest of it is exciting and greatly acted!

Excellent adaptation, with one curious exception
This lovely film has a fine murder mystery and a code based on the one used in Poe's THE GOLD BUG. I enjoyed Brett and Burke's performances, as usual. It is the first time I ever saw Holmes lose a client as a result of a mistake he made, and the expression on Brett's face is marvellous when he realizes his error.

My one negative reaction was to the American actors; the villain did not have anything resembling a Chicagoan accent and it was a little foolish having him ride up to the house in a 19th century cowpoke's outfit. Not exactly the typical outfit one would wear if one was a Chicago gangster, even if it was the 19th century...

This is a rare lapse for the Granada series, usually so fine in its recreation of the costumes and manners of different nationalities of the time.

It's a small problem, though, and THE DANCING MEN is a good production. Listen for Patrick Gowers' sly paraphrase of Debussy's NEW WORLD SYMPHONY on the soundtrack. ... Read more

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"We have not yet met our Waterloo, Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in defeat and ends in victory," says Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), in the midst of a bloody mystery with significant moral and ethical implications. Holmes and Watson (Edward Hardwicke) are summoned to the Abbey Grange, where Sir Eustace Brackenstall has been brutally murdered, apparently by a local gang of thieves. But the case proves much more complex, and ends with one of Holmes's rare but decisive and personal interpretations of justice. An early episode in the new onscreen association of Brett and Hardwicke (who ably replaced the departed David Burke), the two actors seem as perfectly meshed as their allied characters.This fine production is as enjoyable for the casual viewer as it is for the most dedicated Sherlockian. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

We love it
When Sherlock Holmes is summoned to investigate the murder of Sir Eustace Brackenstall, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of simple housebreaking gone wrong. However, when Holmes begins to look at all of the clues, his view of the case is turned upside down. He finds a cut bell-rope and a burnt dog-collar. The lady of the house is hiding something, but what?

Every once in a while, an actor comes along who not only plays the role of Sherlock Holmes, but actually redefines the role. In 1984, veteran actor Jeremy Brett (1933-95) actually did it yet again! This fifty-minute episode, the Abbey Grange, was episode two of the third season, and originally aired on July 16, 1986. (By the way, if you like Jeremy Brett, you can see him in an entirely different role in My Fair Lady (1964) as Freddie Eynsford-Hill!)

I loved this tape and think that any fan of Sherlock Holmes, or just plain fan of mysteries, will love it, too. My family and I highly recommend it to you!

ONE OF THE VERY BEST EPISODES OF THIS FINE SERIES.
Outstanding performances from all, terrific script and direction, and a wonderful opportunity to watch Sherlock Holmes deduce the mystery make THE ABBEY GRANGE one of my personal favorites in the series. We see many facets of Holmes' personality here, from the cold calculating machine to the warm and sympathetic friend. Jeremy Brett gives one of his best performances as Holmes and the other castmembers are also outstanding. It's a treat to see the shipping clerk who is also a fan of Doctor Watson's stories helping out with a clue, and even his shy wife is memorable. Watch for the 'trick shot' where you see what Holmes sees and Watson does not observe. Edward Hardwicke is a worthy successor to David Burke as Dr. Watson (I actually prefer his performances since it's obvious that he and Brett had great chemistry working together.) And speaking of chemistry, it's a real treat to see Holmes/Brett's reaction to a particularly grateful client who takes him by surprise. This is a wonderful show. If you want to introduce someone to Brett as Holmes, show them this episode. I did--I loaned this to my parents, old Rathbone fans, and they were instantly also fans of Jeremy Brett. ... Read more

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Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Dr. Watson (David Burke) are approached by Dr. Percy Trevelyan (Nicholas Clay), a specialist in nervous diseases who is the recipient of a rare good deal for a practicing doctor: a man named Blessington (Patrick Newell) had set him up in an office in exchange for free medical care. Despite several successful years of this arrangement, Blessington has become suddenly agitated. After Holmes approaches him, Blessington is found hanging in his room. This episode from the long-running Granada Television series has the wish-fulfillment benefit of seeing the incomparable Brett enact one of Holmes's most dramatic and complex deductions (relating to what really happened to Blessington). A terrific show, from the earliest and perhaps best years of the series. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Recommended
There are some of Doyle's Holmes stories that I never truly appreciated until I saw the Granada version. "The Resident Patient" is one of them. I would highly recommend it.

The film Music
As noteable as Jeremy Brett is composer Patrick Gowers. While maintaining a sense of theme-related continuity throughout the entire series, the score for each film is very much an original, which he invariably gets exactly right every time! I would like to know more about him. A quick internet search hints at a prolific, gifted and eclectic composer. I found choral, orchestral,guitar and organ music in recordings and performances. Somewhere I found the mention that Holmes' violin solo(s) are played by his (Gowers) daughter, Kathy; and so the sense of a gifted amateur. Anyhow, can anyone tell us more about him?

One of the First, One of the Best.
This is one of the first Granada Sherlock Holmes films and, in my opinion, it is one of the best. Not only does it, like all the Granada films, remain true to Conan Doyle's original story, but it arrests your mind, if only for one hour! Both Jeremy Brett and David Burke show their superb acting abilities and, since it was an early one some people think that Jeremy Brett was still awkward with his new role, he portrays the master detective like no other person could. He portrays him as a human.

This story, The Resident Patient, is one of the most interesting of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries because of it's many subtleties, seemingly unrelated clues and occurences, and, of course, Holmes's astonishing revelations. Your mind races to keep up with his! That is why this film, like all of the Granada films, deserves 5 stars.

Perhaps the best of the series!
"The Resident President" is one of my all-time favorites of this impeccable series, due to the complexity of the mystery, incredible performances by Brett and Nicholas Clay, and a wry sense of humor. Holmes takes the case of a young, brilliant physician (played with amusing haughtiness by Clay) whose benefactor and business partner has been behaving in a most bizarre manner. After the "resident patient" is found dead of an apparent suicide, Holmes digs deeper to reveal a case of cold, chilling revenge. The scene where Holmes silently pieces together the circumstances of the murder is nothing short of sheer brilliance by the late Jeremy Brett. I agree with the reviewer who applauded the producers' decision to let the scene be filmed without dialogue and let the actors act! This is perhaps the most memeorable scene in the entire series, and that says a lot! Nicholas Clay's clueless-ness over the entire mystery is quite amusing. "The Resident Patient" is simply a must for Holmes fans and collectors of this series.

They went Hollywood.
Some 'episodes' are very good, but this one sticks out in my mind as being particularly bad. I don't mind that they made up things which didn't really happen to Holmes and Watson, but the things they made up were Hollywood creations, such as the opening dream sequence. The Beethoven Cto 'subplot' was full of it. I recommend buying a different 'episode', a good one, such as 'The Redheaded League' or 'The Dancing Men'. ... Read more

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Though the title sounds generic, "The Chase" is anything but. In this historical mystery with conspiratorial underpinnings, Professor Galen (Norman Lloyd), an archeology legend and Picard's old mentor, tries to lure his favorite student for one last adventure. When Galen is killed en route to a far-flung planet, the Enterprise picks up his quest and finds the Klingons and the Cardassians on the same trail, which has something to do with ancient genetic codes and a DNA pattern. Part intergalactic Indiana Jones and part diplomatic poker game, it's a modest episode with epic dimensions: the search for the secret of the origins of life in the universe, or at the very least its primordial roots. For that reason it all feels a little rushed; this is the kind of story that cries out for a larger arc. Though the series never really revisited the revelations or dealt with its reverberations, "The Chase" remains one of the more conceptually ambitious and hopeful shows in the utopian vision known as Star Trek. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Picard unlocks one of the great secrets of the universe
Captain Picard is surprised when his old archeology teacher Professor Galen (Norman Lloyd) shows up on the Enterprise and asks his former student to join him on an expedition without only vague hints of a profoundly important discovery. Of course, Picard cannot give up his command. But later the Enterprise receives a distress call from Galen, whose vessel is being attacked by Y'Ridians. The Enterprise arrives too late to save the Professor, but Picard vows to retrace the professor's trail and discover just what was so important that it cost the archeologist his life. What he discovers is indeed shocking: Galen had found that certain fragments of DNA from different words are not only compatible, when joined they form a computer program that is over 4 billion years old. But obviously, there are others who are after the secret as well.

"The Chase" is one of the rare SNTG episodes that allows Picard to explore his often professed love of archeology. However, this is also one of those episodes where the set up is not as good as the payoff. As a Klingon says when the secret is uncovered, "Is that all?" However, what fans of Star Trek will recognize is another variation on Roddenberry's utopian future.

Aparently we are all related
This episode brings togeather all the major aliens of the alpha quadrant, friend and foe. The think they are going to find a weaon of unlimmited power instead they find a message from a long dead race that claim they planted races accross the galaxy, and we are in a way related to the cardassians, romulans and thousands of other alien races. ... Read more

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Just as Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) is lamenting the state of his investigation practice--"[It] seems to be degenerating into an agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies from boarding schools"--a letter arrives that would seem to make matters even worse. But only temporarily: the missive is from a Violet Hunter (Natasha Richardson), who seeks advice on whether to accept a position as governess at the Copper Beeches, the home of a genuine oddball named Jephro Rucastle (Joss Ackland) and his equally strange family. Among Violet's duties if she accepts the job are cutting her long hair, wearing a dress chosen by Rucastle each day, and sitting with her back to a window while he entertains her for an hour or so each day with hilarious stories. Just what is going on? This fine adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's clever mystery is absolutely engrossing, and as usual Brett's performance as the famed detective is flawless and true to Doyle's original vision. David Burke does his typically stellar work as Watson, and the addition of one great veteran (Ackland) and one talented then-newcomer (Richardson) to the cast is a real treat. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

another keeper
This is a must-see episode of the Granada series. It is very well done. Jeremy Brett is, of course, great as Holmes. I love the way he made the speech about the "unobservant public". He captured Holmes' arrogance quite well. I concur that Mr. Brett's portrayal of the unoffical consulting detective was definitive. David Burke was also wonderful as Watson. The other actors in the episode are great as well. Natasha Richardson did a very good job as Violet Hunter. My only complaint: I wished that Jeremy Brett had been in the episode a little more.

Another 5 star
Again, it has been done. A movie has been faithfully transcribed to film, and yet nothing is lost. Indeed, this is one of the best in the series.(I say that about all of them, but oh well.) The movie opens to find Holmes in a tantrum because he thinks that he has been hit the rock bottom in his career. However, Violet Hunter's intution is not wrong. Something is definately afoot at the Copper Beeches. The investigation hits its climax inside the turret of a mansion. It is great to see Brett and Burke dashing around while being locked in small confines. Holmes looks just like a caged animal. Stop reading and buy this movie!

"Capital! Oh, Capital!"
With the above phrase, eccentric Jephro Rucastle (Joss Ackland) hires unemployed governess (Violet Hunter) Natasha Richardson to care for his only son in his desolate manor house in rural England. However, Rucastle's demands of Miss Hunter border on the bizarre, and she consults the great detective Holmes to unravel the mystery of The Copper Beaches and why she was really hired. This early Granada episode is nearly flawless. A crucial element I admire so much about this series is the uniformly excellent acting given by all players. Brett and Burke are their usual sublime selves; Ackland is perfectly creepy as Rucastle; however, the clear standout here is Natasha Richardson. Her film debut here is nothing short of superb. Richardson is wholly believable as a strong, independent woman nearly frightened to death by the harrowing circumstances she finds herself in. The first exchange between her character and Holmes is a delight: Holmes, indifferent and annoyed by her at first, is quickly swayed to her cause by Richardson's sly and subtle play on his sympathies. Subsequently, Richardson's scene where her character is frantically consulting Holmes about the strange events is brilliant: Richardson's fright is almost palpable, and the viewer immediately gains her sympathy. I must say I've rarely ever seen such an impressive screen debut as hers. The fact that Natasha Richardson is a stunningly beautiful woman doesn't hurt, either. Highly recommended

Very engaging
The Copper Beaches has all the right ingredients for a fun and entertaining mystery. There is a governess in distress, a murky old mansion, a prisoner in a shuttered turret, and of course, Jeremy Brett as Holmes. The mystery is quite intriguing and reminiscent of Jane Eyre. However, as with all the Holmes stories the real attraction is the relationship between Holmes and Watson. This story gives some great insight into the singular personality of Holmes and Watson's loyalty in putting up with his eccentricities. All in all, it's great fun.

A stunning adaptation
Granada's take on The Copper Beeches is a masterly effort, with Jeremy Brett in excellent form and David Burke similarly superb. The marvellous, eerie story is handled beautifully by the creative team, Bill Craig's adaptation being true to the original and maintaining a maximum of suspense. Joss Ackland's performance is terrific, and Natasha Richardson makes her mark wonderfully. Altogether a splendid outing for the Granada team. ... Read more

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Another of the strongest entries in the long-running Sherlock Holmes Television series from Granada, The Speckled Band finds distraught Helen Stoner (Rosalyn Landor) coming to Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Dr. Watson (David Burke) in fear for her life since announcing her betrothal. The reason: Helen's sister Julia (Denise Armon) died mysteriously and in apparent terror in her bedroom two years earlier, on the night before her own wedding. The only clue to her death was Julia's strange reference to a "speckled band," uttered among her final words. Threatened to keep out of the case by Helen's fearsome stepfather (John Gill), Holmes and Watson proceed anyway, uncovering (in Watson's words) a "horrible and subtle crime" that is among author Arthur Conan Doyle's most imaginative. This episode has it all: a damsel in distress, a considerable villain, lots of suspense, and a solution worth waiting for. Brett and Burke are at the top of their game as Doyle's dynamic duo; this story was, in fact, Doyle's personal favorite from the Holmes canon. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I love it!
This episode is very well done. I love the firepoker scene. That scene is my second favorite one from the canon and I was not disappointed with it here. I love the expression on Burke's face when Holmes straightens out the firepoker and the way Brett smiles after he does it. It is priceless. The rest of the episode is great as well. I highly recommend it.

A little Spooky!
Probably all of you know The Speckled Band. This is one of the most favorite and famous Conan Doyle's. It it a little spooky at the end when they're waiting in the empty cottage and the lamp flickers. They go in and wait holding the guns in the darkness. Soon tey find an ?asp? huddled around the father's neck and head. Jeremy Brett is perfect in this role and this is one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes.

"It is not cold which makes me shiver."
Everyone's favorite Sherlock Holmes story (including Conan Doyle), here given a loving and utterly faithful rendition. The great conversation leading up to Watson's "we are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible crime" will send chills up your spine. One of the best of this memorable series.

Excellent adaption of Conan Doyle's most thrilling tale
This is easily one of the better enteries in the Granada Sherlock Holmes series. It boasts excellent acting, a horrid villian, and ample suspense. This is generally faithful to the story and retains much of the dialogue, including Holmes's initial confrontation with the sinister Doctor Grimesby Roylott. Other highlights include the opening scene, the stakeout on the Roylott compound, and the shattering climax where Holmes and Watson discover the secret of their client's woes and of the truth behind "the speckled band."

What Becomes A Legend Most? This Series!
To me, it would seem like filming such an oft-read classic like this would be equal to trying to re-invent Santa Claus: How do you keep people from hating you? But Grenada proves up to the task and the result is marvelous! The atmosphere, terror, dark suspense and ultimate horror found in the Conan Doyle story fill each and every frame of this loving adaptation. The cast has captured their characters with amazing clarity and Brett continues to prove that he and only he was born to play Sherlock Holmes! I always wondered exactly what it would have been like to watch Holmes deal with a bent poker and this enactment satisfied and impressed me. "I really have some scruples about bringing you along tonight, Watson..." and rightfully so. Add this to your video collection! ... Read more

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Commander Riker and Data are on the planet Melona IV overseeing construction of a new colony. Riker is also starting up an affair with one of the colonists and they seem happy together, which of course means she's doomed. Her destruction comes courtesy of the Crystalline entity, previously seen in the episode "Datalore" from season 1. The entity mines the entire planet for its energy, absorbing everything. All but two of the colonists are saved (Riker's girlfriend is killed when she stops to help another), thanks to a protective cave. Back on the Enterprise, the crew decides to pursue and study the entity, along with the help of xenologist Kyla Marr, who has devoted her life to studying it ever since it killed her son on Omicron Theta. She has no trust for Data because she knows that Data's "brother" Lore was responsible for luring the entity to Omicron Theta, but it's only with Data's help that she learns the secret to communicating with and possibly destroying the alien creature. Because the entity killed her son, she wants to destroy it before it kills again, and Riker agrees, but Picard would rather try to establish communications with it. Though the character of Marr is often annoying, and her communication with her son through Data's access to the Omicron Theta journal entries is a bit much, all is forgiven with an ending that is as brilliant as it is bittersweet. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The ending will blow you away!
Guest star Ellen Geer is memorable as a scientist that has motives, other than science, in her investigation of the mysteriously dangerous "Crystal Entity". The episode abounds in one revelation after the other, with an end that is possibly one of the series' most surprising...and thought provoking.

"Trek" doesn't get any better than this!

What's wrong with everyone's memory?
This is a good, solid episode - well made, and with some real depth to it.
The Enterprise crew are helping some colonists establish themselves on an empty planet when the Crystalline Entity, that "giant snowflake" that sucks the life energy out of entire planets, attacks. Starfleet sends a xenobiologist, Dr Kila Marr, to study the attack and find some way of dealing with the Entity. But she has secrets of her own, and the developing relationship between her and Data, set against the background of their mission, provides some real emotional depth as the tension rises.
There are some flaws with this episode. Dr Marr is allowed to get away with too much, and it seems that Data failed to tell anyone about the growing instability in her behaviour. It also seems that everyone has forgotten about the Enterprise's last encounter with the Crystalline Entity, where Lore proved that it was intelligent and that he could talk to it and understand when it talked back.
But those quibbles aside, this episode is very good. The acting is excellent, as is the pacing. The special effects are rather good, too. This episode also raises some thought-provoking questions. How do you react to a life-form that is so different from your own? How does it view the world around itself, and how can you deal with it? Star Trek: TNG at close to its best.

One Of The Best
This episode has everything! Family loyalty, communicating with an intelligence, and the want for vengence. This one is a keeper & I'd recommend it to any Trek fan...

Yet Another Star Trek twist on "Moby Dick"
Riker, Crusher and Data are visiting a new Federation colony on Melona Four while the Enterprise is conveniently off elsewhere. Suddenly the crystal entity that befriended Data's "brother" Lore in "Datalore" (Episode 14) appears in the sky above them. Data leads the group into some caves and when the Enterprise returns they find the planet has been stripped of all life by the "Silicon Avatar." As they track down the killer crystal, the Enterprise is aided by Dr. Kila Marr, a zenologist who is Starfleet's foremost authority on the crystal entity and who has a melodramatic interest in pursuing it since it killed her son when it attacked the colony of Data's home world. Just to make things interesting, Picard insists that they will try to communicate with the entity before trying to destroy it, if such communication is possible (apparently no one remembers that Lore had no problem communicating with it at all the first time around). Consequently, we have a test of wills between Captain Picard and Dr. Marr to see who will win out. Of course, Marr has a slight advantage because Picard has no idea what she wants to do. "Silicon Avatar" is a slightly below average STNG episode. We have seen better versions of "Moby Dick" on Star Trek and it is somewhat amazing that the crystal entity has avoided being tracked down by Starfleet as it goes around the universe stripping planets of all life. Also, it is interesting that Picard is more willing to talk to the killer crystal entity than he was to Ensign Ro in the previous episode. Ah, consistency is the hobgoblin of shows where different people write different episodes. But "Silicon Avatar" has to be the most pretentious STNG episode title ever.

Criminal Justice with No Laws
Many people seem to feel compassion and mercy for those who have done wrong and even killed, but I am seldom among them. But this episode shows us an unique situation in which a creature, the crystaline entity, seems to kill on a large level because of its nature. IT MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IT IS KILLING.

Now enter the mother of a victim, who, since the death of her 16 year old son at the hands of the creature, has been obsessed with the study and eventual destruction of the entity.

The crew of the enterprise figures out a possible way of communicating with the creature (reminiscent of the "Companion" from the original series). Despite the deadly nature and our contempt for the creature, I found my curiousity in what the creature "has to say" out-weighing my hate for it.

Five stars if it were not for the high standard set by so many other episodes! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Ferengi portrayed as powerful rivals to the Federation
This episode reintroduces the Ferengi, a new rival for the Federation. Their society is based on commercial interests and profit, although in this episode, revenge is the primary motivation. Many years ago, Captain Picard was commanding a ship called the Stargazer, which was the victim of an unprovoked attack by a ship of unknown origin. The Stargazer was on the verge of destruction, and Captain Picard used a desperate technique to destroy the attacking vessel. That action is now known as the "Picard maneuver" and is part of Star Fleet Academy training. However, the Stargazer was so heavily damaged that the crew was forced to abandon ship.
The attacking ship was Ferengi, although the Federation never learned that fact. It was commanded by the son of Daimon Bok, who is the commander of a Ferengi ship that requests a rendezvous with the Enterprise, although no reason is given for the request. Bok and his senior officers beam aboard the Enterprise and present Picard with the gift of the Stargazer, which is no longer a derelict. The ship is a Trojan Horse, as Bok uses it as bait to use a mind-altering device on Captain Picard. The device forces him to relive the battle, only this time he is alone on the Stargazer and he believes that the Enterprise is the enemy ship.
This episode serves to establish the Ferengi as legitimate rivals to the Federation. In episode 8, "The Last Outpost" the Ferengi are introduced, but they are portrayed as sniveling creatures, hardly worthy adversaries for the powerful Federation. In this episode, we see them as a species capable of building starships, with a command structure similar to that of the Enterprise. Riker's private conversations with the first officer of the Ferengi ship are more in the area of one officer to another rather than one species to another.
I rank this episode very highly, (4 1/2 stars is more accurate),as it corrects many of the errors made in "The Last Outpost." It also paves the way for Ferengi characters to appear in later episodes of TNG as well as the subsequent series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

"Let the dead rest, and the past . . . remain the past."
A touch of action, a more threatening portrayal of the Ferengi, and a peek into Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) past was the combination that made "The Battle" one of the more intriguing episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first season.

Captain Picard is in for a surprise as the Enterprise-D rendezvous with a Ferengi vessel that is towing his former ship, the U.S.S. Stargazer. Ferengi commander DaiMon Bok (Frank Corsentino) offers Picard the derelict as a gift, but its return is actually part of a revenge plot against the Enterprise's captain who the Ferengi holds responsible for the death of his son

It is always a treat when Star Trek: The Next Generation fills in the gaps between the start of its series and the end of the adventures of the original Star Trek crew. "The Battle" provides insightful details into Picard's career before taking command of the Enterprise and is an important step in providing his character with more depth. The less comical portrayal of the Ferengi also was a welcome sight as they leave behind their energy whips and employ deception and guile instead to gain the upper hand.

Picard Battles Bok
Battle Scars

In another encounter with the Ferengi; Picard fights the devious Captain Daimon Bok. He's sworn revenge on him for killing his son twenty years ago. Back then, Picard was leading the Stargazer. Bok's son fired on the starship without warning. Our good captain returned fire and inadvertently killed him. The fact his son initiated the "Battle of Maxia"was of no consequence.

Bok returns the old Stargazer as a "gift" to the unsuspecting Picard. He has a mind control device to torture him. As a result, Picard can't understand why he's getting headaches. It's a thing of the past in the 24th century. After a lot of hallucinations and sleepless nights he returns to the bridge of his dead ship.

Who else but Bok is waiting for him to perform the final stroke to finish Picard. Without giving away the ending, this one has a good confrontation between the Captains. One of the better ones of the first season.

DaiMon Bok plays mind games with Captain Picard
One of the improvements on the original Star Trek you get with the Next Generation is a much better sense of the backstories on the characters. In "The Battle" we learn about the fate of one of Jean-Luc Picard's earlier commands, the Stargazer. The Enterprise rendezvous with a Ferengi vessel and after three days of waiting around, during which time Picard mysteriously starts getting headaches, DaiMon Bok of the Ferengi presents Picard with the derelict Stargazer. The ship had been lost seven years earlier in an encounter with an unknown spacecraft, which turns out to have been Ferengi. Bok dismisses what happened as an accident, but it turns out his son was killed in the engagement. A mind control device sends Picard over the edge and he tries to repeat history on the bridge of the Stargazer, only this time with the Enterprise as his target.

You must remember that "The Battle" represents the original conception of the Ferengi, where they are more the marauding pirates of the galaxy than the highest form of venture capitalists. Consequently, it is difficult to reconcile the vengeful DaiMon Bok with Quark and his brethren, although at the end Bok is relieved of command for having engaged in an unprofitable enterprise. You really do have to cut the show some slack with a lot of these early episodes and not hold the producers and writers to everything that happens this early (e.g., in this episode Deanna can sense bad thoughts from Bok, yet in "Menage a Troi" she and her mother complain they can not read Ferengi thoughts).

This is a fairly representative episode of the first season, where the situation is usually simple or easily contrived, but we are getting a chance to learn about these new characters and see them in action. Patrick Stewart gets to work out his acting chops in this episode, which is always enjoyable. If only the original uniforms did not look so cheesy in retrospect.

The Battle
This episode explores Captain Picard's past as captian of the USS Stargazer. The Stargazer is a previously unseen type of starship which was pretty cool. The episodes story is OK which deals not only with Picard's past but with Ferengi (sp) as well. Not bad for the first season. ... Read more

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One of the most interesting stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon, The Devil's Foot finds the Great Detective's friend and ally, Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke), pressuring the exhausted sleuth (Jeremy Brett) into joining him on a vacation on the Cornish coast. Instead of relaxation, however, Holmes and Watson encounter one of the most horrifying multiple murders they have yet come across. Though our heroes nearly die from Holmes's effort to prove the cause of death, they carry on until Holmes finally unmasks the identity of the culprits--and then makes a controversial decision about the fate of one. Brett and Hardwicke excel as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous team, who are under more duress than usual in this fascinating tale. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Beautiful and Dark
I havn't seen all the episodes in this series yet, but so far this is one of my favourites. This is because Jeremy Brett is absolutely PERFECT as Sherlock Holmes ( In all the episodes, not just this one.) This episode reveals his darker, more melancholy side ( one of the things I love so much about Holmes.) He goes for long walks along the beach alone,lost in his own little world.
We also see him shooting up and guiltily trying to hide the evidence when disturbed by Watson, who always shows concerned dissaproval at this habit. However, he cannot keep his secret for long because soon afterwards he starts acting a bit weird-to the surprise of the local vicar who has come to visit.
He is supposed to be on a recouperative holiday but this is soon interrupted by the news that one local person has died and two more have inexplicably gone insane.
This is another reason why I love this episode. It has a strong hint of Victorain gothic horror in it from the scene where the two victims are being driven away to a mental asylum to the scene where Holmes experiments with the drug and has dark, nightmarish hallucinations.
Holmes is his usual, sexy self, with his odd little expressions and always dressed in his smart, trademark black which he never seems to mind getting dirty when he does his usual crawling about on the ground.

Slow moving
I love the Jeremy Brett/Sherlock Holmes, but this isn't that good. Jeremy Brett gives an outstanding performance but it is so slow. This is one of my least favorites. It does have a couple of sceens that are alright. I like the beginning where it shows the drug, The Devil's Foot. This is not that great though I like the performances in the film!

Excellent episode, excellent acting
This episode of The Return of Sherlock Holmes is one of Jeremy Brett's very best performances. With the very capable Edward Hardwicke as Watson and a fascinating screenplay, The Devil's Foot is riveting. It doesn't hurt that it is filmed in beautiful surroundings, either.

This episode sees Holmes leaving London for a period of extended convalescing at the seaside in Cornwall. Naturally, Watson accompanies him, but a terrible set of murders will soon upset the calm.

Some good does come out of the journey; for example, Holmes is shown burying a syringe on the beach, an apparent triumph over his habit of injecting cocaine. The strongest scene shows Holmes willfully ingesting a poisonous hallucinogen in order to test a theory. The psychedlic scenes that result have been criticized by some as overly graphic -- and they are a bit of a departure from the norm for this series -- but this is a very brief interlude that is quickly concluded.

Brett's acting is brilliant throughout -- after all, he's supposed to be recovering, and so he needs to show a wide range of emotions, from depression to frustration and finally elation. Hardwicke gets additional screen time since Holmes is supposed to be resting under doctor's orders at a secluded cottage. The mystery itself is convoluted and will keep you guessing. If you've never seen Jeremy Brett as Holmes before, this is as good a place as any to see the breadth of performance that he was capable of. This is also one of the earlier episodes -- filmed well before both the production values and Brett's health began to decline noticeably. It's well worth a look.

John!
As usual, Jeremy Brett and Edwarde Hardwicke have portrayed the dynamic duo superlatively. Notable events in this show: Holmes kicks his cocaine habit, and is having a breakdown in the beginning. (Don't worry, he gets better.) The best scene is the one where Watson pulls Holmes out of the house after trying the experiment with the Devil's Foot. When Holmes comes to he is hollering and forgets himself for a moment. "John!!!" he screams, and clings to him like a frightened child. Priceless!

This show is not for everyone. Younger children will most likely be frightened by the view of the crazy/dead victims and by the dream sequence. (I watched it when I was 10, and couldn't sleep for days.) Please keep this in mind before showing it to the young ones.

Though rather macabre, this is a wonderful episode.

Perhaps Jeremy Brett's most compelling Sherlock performance
A must have for the die-hard fan. In this truly captivating episode, Sherlock reveals a sincere appreciation and respect for his loyal colleague, Dr. Watson. And, in one particularly captivating scene, Holmes reveals an endearing statement of his appreciation for his friend, with a single, unforgettable word. All told, this episode signifies why Jeremy Brett is the superlative portrayer of this legendary character. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Picard and crew do the time warp again
While returning to the Enterprise in a shuttle, Picard, Data, La Forge and Troi take turns being momentarily frozen in time. They are in an area of space pocketed with temporal distortions. When they get to the Enterprise there is a warp core breach in progress, which has something to do with a nearby Romulan warbird and, in turns out, aliens from another continuum. Picard and his cohorts have to figure out the mystery before every goes "ka-boom." "Timescape" is an average STNG episode, with some interesting variations on temporal distortions, but the series has done much better (e.g., "Cause and Effect," the classic Episode 119).

Great acting, good plot, and a terrific episode in general.
I think that Timescape is a wonderful episode due greatly to the fact that it more realist than most episodes. Now of course I like all of the episodes being a trekker and all, but sometimes the science is a bit looney. This episodes only science flaw was the ability to isolate the crew so well, but I guess it had to be done to keep the show interesting. Still, science aside, the acting was the most important part, you really could feel the tension and the surprise of the crew when they found the Enterprise frozen in time, {well slowed way way down at least} and because of that I keep watching it over and over again. The plot is also excellent, with complexities being added in every ten minutes or so, thus keeping you suspence about what is actualy happening. All in all an excellent performance and definantly worth buying.

The Enterprise and a Romulan War bird frozen in time
This is a rather intruguing episode about what we consider to be the natural progression of time, and how we sometimes view it as going too fast or too slow. While Picard and company are returning to the Enterprise from a mission, Troi suddenly sees the rest of the crew on the shuttlecraft freeze. Later on, when the crew returns to the Enterprise, they notice that their ship was fired upon by a Romulan Warbird, but it's frozen in time! What will happen to the Enterprise once time is restored to its normal progression? ... Read more

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Somewhere along the way, Quark's idiot brother got smart. First, Rom's innate mechanical genius was magically revealed (remember "The Spatula"?), and now he's displaying Un-Yawn tendencies and organizing fellow workers in his brother's bar. Either this Ferengi's as dumb as a fox or there's something in the water on DS9.

The idea for a union comes up while Rom (Max Grodénchik) is being treated for a life-threatening ear infection. Rom's unionization may be accidental, but it's also righteous. Working conditions in Quark's Bar are awful--mandatory wage cuts, no paid overtime, no benefits, and certainly no sick leave--and when the employees strike, it means something. Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) gleefully fuels the fire with tales of Sean Aloysius O'Brien's 1902 anthracite union martyrdom. Quark (Armin Shimerman) arms himself with 10,000 years of Ferengi Tradition. Rom stands up to his brother; O'Brien, Bashir, and Worf end up in the brig for brawling over workers' rights; and since unions are both an obscenity and an offense punishable by death on Ferenginar, Brunt, F.C.A., makes a return appearance with Nausicaan thugs in tow. Watch for that kiss, Sisko's gift for extortion, and Nausicaan Darts. For once, Max Grodénchik really gets to shine. The actor always accepted Rom and liked him, and fans came to like him, too. "Bar Association" is a very funny episode that's also brave and kind of wise. Hidden behind the laughter is a good story about brothers--and a reminder that workers' rights are a hard-won privilege. --Kayla Rigney ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Rom leads the first strike in Ferengi history against Quark
Quark is obviously the focal point of every internal challenge to the Ferengi way of life. His mother wears clothes and turns a profit and now his brother Rom is trying to start a labor union because Quark has cut salaries by a third to increase his profits. Quark tries to laugh it off until his entire staff goes on strike and Liquidator Brunt of the Ferengi Commerce Authority shows up with two Nausicaan enforces to end the dispute. Now, I freely admit that this episode just rubs me the wrong way, even though it does have Rom getting the best of Quark, which is always good to see. But it makes it seem like the Rules of Acquisition have no foundation in basic economic theory (I know, I am aghast to see myself providing an economic critique of DS9). It would be one thing if the Ferengi system was committed to slavery or some form of socialism, but once you start paying workers you have to treat them well enough that you do not waste money hiring new ones. I could say more on this subject, but I will stop. Suffice it to say I find "Bar Association" a below average DS9 episode.

An example of what made this show great
Firstly, I fully acknowledge that Deep Space Nine was the least popular (sadly) of all the Star Trek shows among fans. It was, however, my favorite (to date) and this episode is one example of why that is so. Character development! Not just the main characters, week after week after week but in the shows last four seasons or so they developed the secondary characters (and adversaries) to have their own depth, dimensions, and drives. For the first few seasons Rom was nothing more than Quark's moronic brother and lackey. In this episode he finally stands up for not only himself but for the other employees of the bar, defying his brother. This not only earns him the repect of his brother Quark (grudgingly), his coworkers (especially dabo girl and future wife Leta), and the fans, but gives him the realization that he can be more than just his brother's employee. Okay, I thought being named the next Grand Nagus near the show's finale was a bit too much but hey, it's good to see a nice guy finish on top. There are many other episodes and lesser story arcs in this series that evolve the secondary characters, including villians, from flat, 2-D persons to beings just as intriguing as the main ones. The other shows did not do this to the extent done here (except for maybe Guinan and Chief O'Brien on STNG). This helped keep the show from getting stale and redundant.

GREAT EPISODE
Rom goes against ferengi tradition and forms a Union. This Episodes explains how Quark lost his business licence, and how Rom got his Starfleet job. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Welcome to the wonderful and wacky world of Reg Barclay
"Hollow Pursuits" introduces us to Lt. Reg Barclay (Dwight Schultz), quite arguably the most popular guest star in the Next Generation universe after Q. Come to think of it, Barclay is just about the perfect counterpart to Q since he lacks confidence, . When La Forge complains about Barclay's performance to Picard, the captain insists his chief engineer find a way to motivate the man. What neither knows is that Barclay is spending a lot of his free time on the holodeck, where he acts out inspired fantasies that cast the Enterprise crewmembers in supporting roles and allow him to act out his unrequited love for Counselor Troi. Of course the man is totally addicted to the giant interactive game. However, when Troi, La Forge and Riker are about to do an intervention the Enterprise suddenly starts accelerating faster and faster. The ship is going to self-destruct unless La Forge can fix the warp engines and you will never guess who is suddenly needed to help save the day . . .

Not only does "Hollow Pursuits" have a great title, it deals with two realistic problems of the Star Trek universe, namely the great danger of being addicted to the fantasy world of the holodeck and the fact that not everybody on the Enterprise can be as capable and confident as the bridge crew. In that regard it is very easy for most traditional Trekkers to identify with the character of Reg Barclay. During the last part of the third season on STNG, there were several episodes with absolutely hysterical scenes, and Barclay being caught on the holodeck with his fantasies out is one of the best.

My favorite Star Trek episode
This is my favorite ST:TNG episode, mainly because of the introduction of Reg Barclay, the extremely shy lieutenant with a crush on Troi. Dwight Schultz (Murdock on "The A-Team") plays Barclay very well. Having shown a talent for playing insane pilots and murdering psychiatrists("Diagnosis Murder"), among other things, Schultz reveals his versatility through his portrayal of Barclay's awkwardness and social anxiety. His behavior in the holodeck, as he fences with Picard and flirts with Troi (the Goddess of Empathy) make this episode hilarious.

Beyond Schultz's performance, I enjoyed the attitudes of the rest of the crew during the show. Their initial mockery of "Broccoli" gave way to offense when they saw how they were represented in the holodeck. Troi's indignation alone made the episode worth watching (she's funny when she's mad!). I would recommend this video to any Trekkies, of course, but also to fans of Dwight Schultz, as his acting is a large part of what makes this such a good episode.

"Hollow Pursuits"- Absolutely Hilarious!
This is one of my all time favorite episodes. Barclay, a junior officer who suffers from social anxiety and an extrememly nervous disposition retreats from interaction in the real world to the holodeck, where he creates alternate personas for the main crew of the Enterprise. Picard, Riker and (I think!) Data are the three musketeers, Crusher is a pastoral maiden who feeds Barclay grapes, and, best of all, Troi stars as the "Goddess of Empathy" dressed in Greek robes. When the crew finds out about this program, you can guess how they all repsond to their holodeck counterparts. The best point of the show- when Troi tells the Goddess of Empathy, who is spewing comforting pyschobabble to "stuff it." A must-see episode! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very nearly was Patrick Swayze's last film
This film was not given a fair shake with theatre distribution. Patrick Swayze's performance was very convincing as an innocent man released from prison after serving a long sentence, when new evidence proved the wrong man was convicted. He appeared pale, as you would expect of a person spending so much time locked behind bars. Due to a chain of events beyond his control, he is stalked by a killer, one of several women who had been writing to him while he was in prison. Not having a clue as to who is trying to kill him, a suspenseful pursuit ensues. During filming of a scene where he is fleeing on horseback, his horse bolted and Swayze struck a tree, suffering severe injuries. Trooper that he is, he managed to finish the film (it is noticeable how much pain he is in during the process), but with great effort. Since he is one of the few stars who always felt he should do his own stunt work, he was nearly fatally injured.

This film kept me in suspense to the very end. I give it your top rating.

Excellent Opening Song
I found the movie a little slow at times, but I enjoyed some of the suspense the movie had to offer. I really like the song by the sister group, very original. The movie deserves two stars for the acting and one for that song. I would recommend this movie to friends.

Too Predictable!
This is a movie like another 1000. It's full of common places ,it has nothing new to offer. Decent performances, but without a solid argument. The DVD feautres (interviews, etc...) are quite good, better than many other films, good image, good sound. Honestly, I can not recommend this movie unless you want to espend almost two hours seeing a movie with nothing to offer but a little suspense.

SIMPLE AND DRAGGING
Sound quality is PERFECT and so goes the Picture quality. The first part of the story is a bit of searching what the story is all about, then drags the whole scenario to a whoever did this and that, not quite riveting... and I became a bit sleepy, but in the end...the whole puzzle are put together. It's only a simple story about a mentally disturbed individual, and the story ends with the psycho behind bars... not a SUSPENSE THRILLER I would describe it in my way... ZZZZZZZ, Ngork!

Good Experience
This is a decent movie, and even fairly suspenseful. However, there are parts that keep this Patric Swazye flick from being given 4 or 5 stars. One is that fact that the film is rather contradictory on several points, which I will leave to you the viewer to discover. Another problem is the simpicity of the film. A man is in jail for his wifes murder; he is acquitted; someone trys to frame him by killing associates in the same manner his wife was killed; in the end, he is proven innocent. The same plot as a thousand other films. This movie seems to have striking characteristics seen in "The Fugitive", but it simply goes too far. Not a high recommendation.

GOD BLESS YOU ! ... Read more

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Trek trickster Q (John DeLancie) puts a spin on It's a Wonderful Life when he gives Captain Picard a chance to replay the follies of his youth. Picard lies dying on the operating table after a freak energy discharge damages his artificial heart when Q shows up like a devilish Clarence the Angel, offering him a do-over of his destiny and save his heart. Suddenly the older, wiser captain finds himself a young ensign of 21 (still played by Patrick Stewart, though his twentysomething comrades seem not to notice), fresh from the Academy and ready to take on the world. Picard is determined not to make the same mistakes again on that fateful day at the Academy, but immediately feels the repercussions of his decision when he slingshots back to the present a changed man, careful and cautious and no longer the sum of youthful mistakes. Stewart carries through with his usual dignity and confidence, but the episode really comes alive when he embraces his inner rascal and lets the impulsive ensign out with a smile and a mean right hook. The impish Q really only came into his own in later seasons, when his devious tests revealed an odd, usually well-hidden benevolence, and this is one of his more thoughtful outings. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

What if Picard never took chances?..He wouldn't be captain.
This one shows how if Picard never got into a bar room fight in his acdemy years...he would have never taken chances that would have led him to be a starship captain. Q shows Picard what would have happened had he not taken the big risks that led to his career. I love the scenes with him in a blue starfleet tunic as a researcher for the Enterprise. Another priceless scene is when he asks Riker how he can gain advancement in his career. He essencially gave Picard the brush off. You could see his career was going to be one of redundant reports and endless monotony.

This one is a keeper. It's the ultimate Picard episode that gives you a lot of insight into the character.

Sometimes a second chance is not all its cracked up to be...
The Away Team beams up a badly injured Captain Picard, who dies on the operating table because of problems with his artificial heart. In the proverbial bright light of the afterlife Picard encounters a godlike figure--who turns out to be Q. They are going to spend eternity together, but first Q would like to know if there is anything Picard regrets. After all, if he had a real heart he would still be alive. Q refers to an incident that Picard told Wesley Crusher about in "Samaritan Snare" (Episode 43), where his heart was damaged in a bar fight with some Norsicans. When Picard does indeed express some regrets over having been so headstrong as a youth, Q gives him a second chance: Picard is again a young ensign, two days before the encounter with the Norsicans that will end up with him having a dagger piercing his heart. If Picard can avoid that fight, he will not die 30 years later. The "mature" Picard finds a way to avoid the fight and Q congratulates him and returns him to the present--where "Lieutenant" Picard discovers he is an assistant astrophysics officer, described by his superiors as hardworking but not command material. Jean-Luc has to wonder if maybe he would rather be dead than live out the rest of his life like this.

I have thought about it and I have considered it, and I think "Tapestry" is the best of the episodes featuring Q. We have all seen movies and television shows that deal with the big difference made on lives by little things, but that does not take away from the high quality of this episode. The scenes between Picard and Q have a certain sharpness to them missing in other encounters because of the significance of the subtexts here: this is not only about Picard's "life" as in the opposite of death but also his "life" in terms of who he is at his core being. This is definitely one of the top 5 STNG episodes focusing on Picard. Discuss Topic: It seems the best episodes with Q are the always the ones that do not have Q in their titles. Talk amongst yourselves.

Excellent Episode With A "Dead" Captain Picard!
I must comment on this wonderful episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It involves my favorite , and probably most other Star Trek fans' favorite character, the abominable "Q". In this episode, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard faces death for the first time (and the last time) in my favorite Star Trek series. He perishes on the sick-bay table from a fighting accident and goes to heaven to meet.....who else than God himself, Q! Q welcomes him with open arms (actually, an open handshake) into his eternal world and Capt. Picard is surprised to see him, and does not believe the heavens is run by HIM! But, it is, and Q gives him a chance to make changes and right the "wrongs" that he did as a younger man.....a cadet fresh out of the Academy. This is to relieve Capt. Picard of any regrets that he had when he was alive, so Q doesn't have to hear him...."whining and complaining through time!" "How much time?" says Capt. Picard. "Eternity", replies Q! Q is humorous and witty as usual in this episode and transports him back in time to his Academy days. It is at the point in time just before he got stabbed through the heart by a Nausican where he was transported back to....to his dormitory room. If he can manage NOT to get stabbed through the heart, Q would bring him back to the present day. All of this is REAL, not an illusion that Q made up for his amusement. After many a disillusionment and losing his former friends from the Academy, he DOES manage not to get stabbed through the heart by that Nausican, and is brought back to the present day. But it's not the present day that HE remembered! In his NEW "afterlife", he is just an ordinary crewman serving under Capt. Thomas Halloway as an astrophysics officer! He doesn't like this one bit, and asks Comm. Riker and Counselor Troi if he can be more.....like captain of the ship. Comm. Riker replies, "....We'll see"!. Funny. Capt. Picard mumbles to himself my favorite line that he gives in this episode, "All right Q, you made your point. Having a good laugh now?" He then goes into the turbolift to give his assignment to Lieut. La Forge and is brought back to heaven by Q. He and Q have a one on one confrontation with Q giving him a verbal war of how good he has it now...."with a real heart beating in your chest!" Capt. Picard admits it was a mistake, and that now...."I would rather die on that bed than live the life I just saw!" Q grants him his request and Capt. Picard is revived on his sick-bay bed chuckling at his experience! Was it a dream, or was it a real after-death experience?

A philosopher's episode?
Great episode - brimming with Neitzsche's concept of eternal recurrence - Star Trek TNG seems to find philosophically pregnant themes like this often, to its credit!

100% Compliments! by Elliott Lewis UK
I am no major fan of Star Treck, however I watch it when I can, and thank the lord I did! This was by far the best episode of Star Treck Gen. to ever be showen. The story line is complex and gripping and it realy ilustrates an important fact of life... You have to take chances. In this particular episode "Q" gives the Captain a chance to re-live a part of his life, which indirectly lead to his death, but also helped him become the captain of the Star Ship Enterprise. This was a truly fantasic episode and strangley ironic. SO RECOMENDED! ... Read more

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By the end of season 2, DS9 was a force to be reckoned with. The only thing the series lacked was a really good villain. It got three for the price of one. Turns out the Dominion is a trinity of evil: the Founders, the Vorta, and their enforcers, the Jem'Hadar. This episode marks the first appearance of the Jem'Hadar, those born-and-bred really bad guys whose mission in life is to serve the Founders. We're talking guys who are so bad, they'll ram into a retreating ship just to make a point.

What is supposed to be a working vacation in the Gamma Quadrant for Sisko and Jake turns into a surreal commentary on life and war when Nog and Quark go along for the ride. Sisko's prejudice against Ferengi is laid bare, and Quark calls him on it with remarkable candor. In fact, when the two are captured and imprisoned by the Jem'Hadar and it becomes obvious Quark's particular talents are needed for escape, the little Ferengi defiantly speaks his mind before giving in and contributing. Avery Brooks's Sisko is a very human--and fallible--cCaptain, and Armin Shimmerman really hits his stride with Quark, who is at his best when he has nothing left to lose. (This is the first time Quark serves as the "Greek chorus" for the series, and it's not the last.) Special kudos to Molly Hagen as the creepy Eris. "The Jem'Hadar" is an intelligent, powerful episode that reveals all--and nothing--about the Dominion. --Kayla Rigney ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A jaw-dropping ending propel