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The Enterprise visits a solar system that is being torn apart by unknown geological forces. Riker, eager to forward Wesley's training as an officer, puts him in charge of the geological survey team of Drema Four. Wesley is eager for the work, but worries about giving orders to older and more experienced crew members. Meanwhile, Data picks up a call from Drema Four's surface, and begins what he thinks is a harmless exchange with a child named Sarjenka. (Look carefully under Sarjenka's makeup and you might recognize a very young Nikki Cox.) When it becomes clear that Drema Four is doomed to the same fate as the other planets in the system, Data reveals his friendship to the crew. You guessed it--it just might be time to violate the Prime Directive. For those who always found it a cop-out, this episode contains one of the more extensive discussions of the Prime Directive, and goes a long way towards explaining why it's so important. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Data goes beyond his programming
While scanning broad radio spectrum, Data hears a young female voice say, "Is anybody out there?" Data replies and he and his unseen friend, Sarjenka, become pen pals via the radio broadcasts. Sarjenka (Nikki Cox) tells Data of geological disturbances on her planet. Through the weeks of communication, Data has learned that his young friend lives on Drema Four (so many planets, so few names!), a pre-space travel world that limits what Data can share with her.

Data brings the matter to the attention of the senior staff who seem more than mildly shocked that the Leiutenant Commander could behave in such a reckless manner, possibly exposing a pre-warp civilization to the knowledge of alien beings beyond their world. Data asks that the Enterprise help to save his friend's planet, but Picard is bound and gagged by the Prime Directive. He is angry at Data for having exposed their hearts to a child they must leave to her fate.

Picard orders Data to terminate communications with Sarjenka, and he wryly does so slowly, as Sarjenka's pleas of "Data, why aren't you answering me?" penetrate the room. Picard finds a way out of the dilemma as Data begins to terminate his radio downlink - Sarjenka asks for help.

The other minor plot involves Wesley, who Riker has put in charge of the geological survey team that will attempt to save Sarjenka's planet. Wes is put in a position where he must order and supervise a team that is older, more experienced and has higher rank than he does and goes through a Baptism by fire experience in his first command of sorts.

Data makes a final gesture to Sarjenka that gives a peek into the heart of this heartless android, a subtle, easy-to-miss scene that speaks volumes as Sarjenka's planet is saved and she returns home. A true treasure of an episode.

Sarjenka and the crumbling planet...
Sarjenka cries for help

This episode is one your showcases everyone's favorite android, Commander Data.
He hears a cry for help from his workstation and the Prime Directive is held under a microscope. While Picard is pondering as to help this poor kid, Data continues to receive transmissions for help. It would have been very cold if Picard decided not to break policy...which is what the show does every time. I can't for a minute believe the fiction Prime Directive when it's broken all the time when it suits the interests of Starfleet....I know ... it's only a TV show...

There are lots of good special effects in this one. The deteriorating planet of Sarjenka and the scenes between Data and Sarjenka will bring a tear to the eye in the most jaded of fans. I recommend this one.

A little child shall make them forget the Prime Directive...
Yet another one of those infuriating Prime Directive episodes where Starfleet rules demand that an entire of being die because it would be wrong for them to find out there are beings zipping around the cosmos in starships. The Enterprise is studying violent geothermal activity on planets in the Selcundi Drema system. While Wesley is put in charge of planetary mineral surveys, Data fiddles with the sensor array and comes across a radio transmission from a little girl on Drema IV named Sarjenka. When the child asks the fatal question, "Is anybody out there?" Data answers "Yes." This pretty much violates every rule in the book, but before Picard can get away from the planet, which is about to self-destruct, Sarjenka makes a plaintive call for help. Suddenly this changes everything.

What redeems this episode is the friendship between Data and Sarjenka, which is rather endearing. For some reason I have always liked the way children interacted with Data, much the same way I get a kick out of Naomi Wildmon and Seven of Nine on Voyager. No rationale explanation available, sorry. In "Pen Pals" I am perfectly content to let Picard stew in his own juices as to how to save Sarjenka's planet without letting anybody who lives there have a clue as to what is happening, although I tend to think all those beings might turn to a theological rather than a scientific explanation that might alter their destinies a bit. Besides, never argue with an android with a positronic brain. As somebody said once upon a time, not playing God is just another way of playing God.

"Is Anybody Out There?"
Data breaks Starfleet first contact protocol, talks to scarey orange child; Wesley saves planet. Picard rides a horse. Enterprise rides off into sunset.

Okay; so it's not THAT bad. I find this episode of TNG charming because it explores the fact that sometimes, Data's ethical programming is a lot more "ethical" than Starfleet's Prime Directive. I mean, when Data is faced with the prospect of watching his friend Sarjenka's planet die, he acts. Do any of the PEOPLE act? Not until the android forces the issue.

I found myself wondering what would happen if the humanoid Starfleet officers were faced with a Final Solution type problem? Would they sit around and analyse it and endlessly babble about the Prime Directive while millions died? Data would size up the situation, decide This Is Wrong and take action. Says a lot about "humanity." And that's the whole POINT.

Not as good or as well-written as Measure of a Man or Data's Day-- but worth owning just for the scene where Sarjenka takes one look at Troi, moves behind Data for protection and calmly says "Leave me alone." We're talking this is one smart scarey orange child. She knows where HER bread is buttered! ... Read more

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Taking a page from Rashomon, Akira Kurosawa's classic film about conflicting perspectives, this Next Generation episode finds Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) caught between different points-of-view about whether he murdered a scientist (Mark Margolis) after a failed effort to seduce the latter's wife (Gina Hech). The facts: while visiting the married couple and observing the Federation researcher's work on a new source of energy, the Enterprise's first officer has an argument with the scientist, who is then killed while Riker beams out of the scene. But what really happened? The situation looks cut-and-dry to Tanugan Inspector Krag (Craig Richard Nelson), who arrests Riker but is then convinced by Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) to re-create the varying testimonies in the ship's holodeck. For Trek fans, the episode clearly echoes a show from the original series entitled "Wolf in the Fold," in which engineer Scotty is accused of a heinous sex crime while visiting a planet. The plot is intriguing, the suspense is fine, and the suggestion of a dark streak in Riker will not be lost on fans of the series. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An excellent blend of mystery and science fiction
This episode is a classic whodunit, where three witnesses give accounts of the events that lead up to an explosion and the death of a scientist. Riker and LaForge visit a scientist, Dr. Apgar, whose work on a new energy source is being funded by the Federation. LaForge beams back to the Enterprise from the satellite and hints to Captain Picard that there are difficulties. When Riker attempts to beam back to the Enterprise, there is a problem and as soon as the beaming starts, the satellite inexplicably explodes, killing Dr. Apgar.
Shortly after this, the chief investigator from the planet arrives on the Enterprise and demands that Riker be turned over to him to face charges for murder. Picard refuses and is forced into the position of being an impartial arbiter over whether the evidence indicates that Riker should stand trial. To resolve the issue, the events, based on the testimonies of Riker, Mrs. Apgar and Dr. Apgar's assistant are recreated in the holodeck.
The testimonies are quite different. According to Riker's testimony, Mrs. Apgar threw herself at him and according to Mrs. Apgar's testimony, she was subdued and it was Riker who forced himself on her. However, in the end, the difficult point is that the evidence conclusively indicates that there was an energy surge similar to a phaser blast from Riker's exact position right before he beamed to the Enterprise. It turns out that the explosion was not an accident, but due to the actions of someone attempting to commit murder.
The unique point of this episode is the use of a holodeck to recreate the events significant in a murder investigation. It was interesting to follow through the testimony and try to concentrate on the key points to determine who is guilty, (I got it wrong).
Murder mysteries will be around as long as there are self-aware creatures who can die. This is one that is resolved through the use of technology, and the blend of the two genres of murder mystery and science fiction is very well done.

Lies and Deception aboard the Enterprise
Spoiler Alert for TREK Fans
Read no futher if you want to see the ending...

This one is an otherwise run of the mill episode made interesting by three different points of view of the same story.
We have Riker charged with murder when in fact it's the scientist's experiment that is responsible for the radiation that destroyed the station and almost finished the Enterprise.

We get the wife of the fellow developing this "Kreiger" ray project...she claims Riker made unwanted advances when it was actually her was doing all the advancing. The unethical assistant said he was also going after Krieger's wife. It all turns out to be false when the radiation from his experiment is putting holes in the Enterprise hull and insides of the ship.

It's all put to rest when the radiation bursts are 5.3 hours apart. It's at just such an interval when the station blew up.

All in all it's a good episode. It's worth it to put this one in your collection.

Picard tackles a mystery with a Rashomon twist
Given all the time he spend on the holodeck in Dixon Hill mysteries, Jean-Luc Picard gets a chance to solve a real life mystery. Riker beams back from the Science Station orbiting Tanuga Four when it suddenly explodes. Krag, a representative from Tanuga, accuses Riker of murdering the scientists and blowing up the station to cover his evil deed. Refusing to extradict his First Officer, Picard convenes a preliminary hearing using the holodeck to examine the "evidence." With a tip of the hat to "Rashomon," the one thing all of the witnesses agree on is that something happened between Riker and the wife of one of the dead scientists. There is also physical evidence from the sensors that an energy pulse came from Riker and hit the station's generators as he beamed back to the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Data, La Forge and Wesley are investigating strange energy bursts on the Enterprise. Could this somehow be connected to what happened on the station?

This is one of the better mystery episodes from the Next Generation. We know Riker is innocent, but proving it will be the trick. The fun in this episode is that just because you hear what witnesses say they heard, that does not necessarily mean what they thought it means. Each time the scene plays, another piece of the puzzle falls into place. The resolution is not all that exciting, but it does fit the evidence. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Is there something rotten on the good ship Enterprise?
Gene Roddenberry always thought of the Star Trek universe as a time and place when humanity would finally rise above its barbaric past and live in simple peace and harmony. This was why the Enterprise bridge crew was racially diverse and even included a Russian. The problem is that there is not a lot of dramatic conflict in peace and harmony, which is why we often find episodes like "The Drumhead," where the problems of the present are extended to the future. Certainly on the one hand this episode deals with the evils of righteous persecution, which we saw during the Red Scare of the McCarthy period, but which go back to the Salem Witch Trials and beyond. But this episode also speaks to one of the annoying dramatic conventions of the STNG, which is that while there is not a finer captain in Starfleet that Jean-Luc Picard, there are Admirals back at Headquarters who idiots, controlled by weird little alien creatures, or, in this case, subject to acute paranoia.

Certainly it is great to see a film actress of some repute such as Jean Simmons playing the role of Admiral Norah Satie, but it would be even better if she was not playing yet another Starfleet Admiral jumping off the deep end until Picard brings them back to reality. Satie is investigating possible sabotage after an explosion rocked the Enterprise's dilithium chamber. There had been a report that the Romulans had recently received detailed schematics of the device. Worf uncovers the fact that a visiting Klingon exobiologist stole the plans, but the man denies he had anything to do with the explosion although he admits stealing the schematics. Satie's investigation widens, and when she learns that Simon Tarses, one of the medical technicians, lied about the fact that his grandfather was Romulan and not Vulcan, the admiral's investigation escalates. When Picard tries to offer a reasonable defense for Simon's actions, Satie decides that Picard too is obviously a Romulan collaborator.

I will not quibble with those who really like "The Drumhead." Certainly watching Simmons and Stewart go head to head is worth the price of admission, and when it comes to STNG episodes dealing with Picard in conflict with the clowns who rise to the rank of admiral in Starfleet, you will not find an episode better than this one. I just have a prejudice against stories in which military leaders are invariably portrayed as people too dangerous to have anywhere near advanced weaponry. That stereotype is already too rampant in the movies today and it would be nice if it were eradicated in the Star Trek universe at least. Do we really believe there are more pseudo-Napoleons and Hitlers in our military than Powells and Schwarzkopfs? If so, why are we sitting around watching old episodes of Star Trek?

paranoia self-destroy-a
After a visiting Klingon, J'Ddan (Henry Woronicz) is accused of spying aboard the Enterprise, retired Admiral Norah Satie (Jean Simmons) is dispatched by Starfleet to investigate. With a Betazoid aide to assist her, she remarkably and quickly extracts the truth from the Klingon spy and he confesses.

Satie becomes obsessed. She is certain that this is only one loose thread in a tapestry of deceptions and a large spy network that has obviously penetrated the Enterprise and the very Federation itself. She enlists Worf, who is eager to assist her, to aid her in investigating every member of the Enterprise crew.

During an interview of medical technician Simon Tarses (Spencer Garrett), the Betazoid aide detects that he is nervous and hiding something, so they drill into his background and discover that he lied on his Starfleet application. When filling out family information, he claimed his paternal grandfather was Vulcan, when in fact, he was Romulan. Such a connection would have made Tarses ineligible to apply to Starfleet, yet getting caught in a lie like this could mean a Court Marshall.

Satie is unsympathetic to Tarses, believing he is part of a Romulan plot to undermine the Federation and to destroy it from within.

Picard is furious. Satie has turned a simple investigation into a witches' tribunal. Satie has powerful friends in the Federation and has been in constant communications with Starfleet, behind Picard's back. When Picard gives her an ultimatum, she begins to investigate him, and subpoenas him to appear before their court, where she brings up the 9 times he has violated the Prime Directive.

Suddenly, Worf gets his wake-up call, but it seems like it's too late. The senior staff has their jaws hanging open as it appears their world is falling apart. Satie is grilling Picard in a twisted ends-justifies-the-means vendetta.

Will Picard emerge unscathed? Will the rest of the crew be next? A great, albeit disturbing, episode.

...And Justice For All
Not just an excellent TNG episode but also one of the most superior shows ever done in any of the Star Trek series'. With echoes of Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" and the HUAC hearings, writer Jeri Taylor deftly creates an effective and suspenseful fable about the foibles of suspicion, using the elements of the Trek universe - the Federation's judicial system and a natural skepticism concerning the Klingons. What could have been a long, boring and talky treatise on the fallibility of 'guilty till proven innocent' is instead turned into a chilling and unforgettable examination of power run amuck, paralleling the communist witch hunts of the 1950's very closely.

When a Klingon officer is suspected of spying he is brought before Riker and Troi for questioning. Despite compelling evidence the Klingon proclaims his innocence over and over again; he is then sequestered in his quarters until they reach a starbase where an expanded and more formal hearing can take place. Since the officer had been part of an exchange program Picard remains diplomatic and open-minded on the affair unless someone can present solid evidence suggesting - or proving - guilt. When retired Admiral Norah Satie, a former Judge Advocate General officer, is recalled by the Federation to assist in the investigation Picard is pleased to have her aboard convinced she will resolve the matter most effectively. But the investigations soon become more personal than professional and when Picard attempts to stop the admiral from pursuing the matter further he becomes her next target.

Terse, frightening and utterly believable 'The Drumhead' is one Star Trek's finest hours. The casting of the accomplished film and television star Jean Simmons as Admiral Satie is a real coup and lends even further credibility to the episode. She is absolutely convincing as the insatiable power mad former hatchet of the Federation's JAG office. The teaser (that snippet of the show just before the opening credits run) sets up the episode nicely. As Worf is escorting the Klingon suspect back to his quarters the scoundrel tells Worf "I know people of power who can restore your name. Turn your back for just a second and allow me to leave in an escape pod." Worf's offense gives way to violent anger and afterwards he threatens and taunts the spy. It's a terrific lead into the story and we are immediately on the side of the prosecutors until we have our own eyes opened.

The plotting of the show is well done also; though the Klingon is proven to be a spy he is unfortunately comprised by additional circumstantial but damning evidence; crewman Simon Tarses has his Star Fleet career destroyed by the machinations of Admiral Satie and her unwitting accomplices; Worf becomes a victim also as Satie preys upon his weakness concerning his hatred for the Romulans; even after Data and Geordi offer conclusive proof against the suspected sabotage it isn't enough to convince the admiral to halt the investigations. Though there are many lines of dialogue worth remembering Picard has the most memorable: "The road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think." Spoken eloquently, factually and lending historical significance to the Star Trek canon.

McCarthyism revisited
"The Drumhead" is one of the finest Star Trek Next Generation episodes ever made, reprising the disgraceful period of slander,innuendo, and insinuation conducted under Senator Joseph McCarthy during the 1950's that led to the blacklisting of many talented Hollywood writers and actors.

Legendary actress Jean Simmons is outstanding as Admiral Nora Satie who gradually and insidiously feeds her paranoia and megalomania with the careers and reputations of her opponents during public trials masked as "hearings", ultimately ending with a trial of Captain Picard himself.

The casting of Simmons in this role has an interesting twist -- she played the part of Varinia in the screen adaptation of Howard Fast's novel "Spartacus", directed by Stanley Kubrick, and written by blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo. This landmark film helped break the blacklist.

This episode serves to remind us all about the value of individual rights and freedom.

This is the True Essence of Star Trek!
If one wants to view an episode that explains the staying power of the Star Trek, one needs look no farther than this episode. A timeless tale about the effects of prejudice and ignorance is told here with intelligent wit, stellar performances from all involved, and superb direction. Besides the usual effortless excellence of Patrick Stewart, motion picture legend Jean Simmons does a smashing job as a Star Fleet admiral investigating what appears to be a "blemish" in the perceived unbreakable armor of the Federation. The final few minutes of the episode features acting that is far above the average television program. This is one to own and share with others as a representation of what television can, and should, be: that is,thought-provoking and challenging! ... Read more

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"Redemption, Part II" ends the saga of Worf's discommendation by the Klingon High Council and the civil war that erupts from all of that political backstabbing. When we last left off in "Redemption, Part I," Worf had resigned his commission to Starfleet in order to join the Klingon forces against the evil trilobite-headed, traitorous Duras family that collaborated with the Romulans to gain control of the High Council. Realizing they intend to make this so, Picard creates a tachyon-field blockade to prevent their attack. But the commander of the Romulan forces, Sela, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Enterprise's own Tasha Yar, lost so many seasons ago, which causes the crew pause. Is she really an enemy? She looks so much like their old friend.

Meanwhile, Worf has been kidnapped by the evil but disgustingly seductive Duras sisters who try to turn him to their cause, to install their young nephew as leader. There is also a nice subplot with Lieutenant Commander Data helming a ship of his own, but saddled with a prissy, android-hating first officer, making points about prejudice and helping to defeat the Romulans at the same time.--Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stupid and totally predictable!
The writers of Star Trek TNG cleverly find a way to bring back Lt. Yar (well, her daughter anyways) and then totally misuse the potential. As with many of the season finales, this one is a good story yet nothing really great. Even the "Borg taking Picard" season finale was made into a disappointment,with everything wrapped up neatly at the conclusion of the second part of the episode so that the series goes on as always. The writers of this series certainly didn't "Boldly Go" anywhere in the majority of this show's run.

My suggestion- don't buy this- it's probably on today anyways on the reruns. Save your money instead and use it on one of the Lord of the Rings dvd's.

The future and the past end up haunting the present
If you haven't already seen part 1 of this 2-part episode, do not read further, as this will spoil the shocking ending of part 1.

At the end of part 1, we see a blonde Romulan - played by Denise Crosby. Denise Crosby played Tasha Yar, the Enterprise Security Chief, in the 1st season and she was killed off.

Sela (Crosby) is in the company of the Duras sisters and their nephew, Toral, in an attempt to undermine the Federation/Klingon alliance and to build an alliance with the Klingons by backing the Duras family's rise to power in the Klingon Council.

The beginning of part 2 reveals Commander Sela, speaking with Picard and the senior staff via the viewscreen on the Enterprise. They are shocked and very unprepared to see what appears to be their dear departed comrade, Lt. Yar. Sela claims to be the daughter of Yar, which doesn't seem possible, since she is only a year or two older than Tasha was when she died. Tasha would have been a young child when Sela was born. Troi detects no deception - and announces that Sela believes this to be the truth, whether it is or not.

Guinan tells Picard that she has a "hunch" that Picard, at some time in the future, sent Yar back to the Enterprise C to fight the Romulans - and was captured alive and lived on Romulus.

Picard decides that Sela's resemblance to Tasha is just a distraction and to act as though it was not a factor... but this tidbit of trivia will rear its head in another episode as Picard begins the paradox.

Picard plans a brilliant gambit but is foiled by Sela's ingenuity. As the Federation armada loses it's Tachyon detection grid, Commander Data proves himself as a capable ship captain and more than just a trivia machine on the Enterprise. Data saves the day and once the Romulans are found out, they retreat, leaving the Duras clan to fend for themselves.

Data's maturity as an officer and the development of the characters is truly a pleasure to watch. A great two-parter.

Klingon Justice
Redemption part 2

Worf does some very uncharacteristic things in this one. He is not his boisterous self here. His brother Kurn helps him restore his family name from the Duras family. This one has an appearance from Denise Crosby as Sela. The explanation as to how she came in the current timeline stretch the lines of credibility at best. Of the two parts this one is best. The Klingon star ship battles in this one are worth the price of the cassette. The final standoff between Worf and the young Klingon to take over the Empire are the best in the series. I wish there were more episodes costarring his brother Kurn. He is the opposite of Worf. He is not as near as conscientious as his brother.

Revealed at last: the mystery of Tasha's daughter Sela
When last we left our heroes in the season finale for season four, the Klingon Empire had been plunged into a civil war, Worf had resigned from Starfleet to help Gowron the new Emperor, and a blonde Romulan who looks a lot like Tasha Yar was plotting with the Duras sisters. In one of those intuitive leaps that is necessary for the plot to progress, Captain Picard figures out that the Romulans are behind everything and that the Federation needs to send a fleet of ships to the Clinton/Romulan border to catch the cloaked Romulan vessels when they sneak across by using active tachyon beams (forget for that borders in small are a lot bigger than boarders on a planet and pretend this is a feasible plan). What this allows is for Picard to assemble a fleet of 23 ships, with Riker and Data each getting command of their own ship. This sets up one of the sub-plots for the episode because Data's first officer does not like the idea of taking orders from an android, even though we are sure some of his best friends are computers. But the main action of this episode takes place on the Enterprise.

The Romulans notice the Federation's blockade and the Romulan commander decides to pay Picard a visit, at which point the mysterious blonde from the final shot of part one introduces herself as Commander Sela and claims to be the daughter of Tasha Yar. What happened in "Yesterday's Enterprise" (Episode 63) is new to Picard, but Sela explains how Tasha survived the attack on the Enterprise C and was taken captive by the Romulans, had a child by one of her captors, and was killed trying to escape. Sela then tells the stunned Picard that if he does not remove the Starfleet ships, the Romulans will attack. Picard counters by asking Gowron to make an attack on the Duras family in order to get them to contact the Romulans for help and get them to run the Blockade, thereby inviting Federation assistance. Picard's plan proceeds accordingly, but as the Romulan ships make their move they flood the Neutral Zone with tachyon emissions, making it impossible to track the cloaked ships. One thing you have to say for the writers of STNG: they might have made a major mistake in creating Tasha Yar, the least interesting main character in the history of Star Trek and had to kill her off because they could not come up with much worthwhile for her to do, but they sure made it up to the character and actress Denise Crosby since then. "Yesterday's Enterprise" was a stunning epitaph for the original character and the creation of Sela becomes on of the more memorable and recurring villains in the series. The only drawback in terms of this episode is that Sela's machinations and Data's problem with his bigoted First Officer really detract from the Worf resigns to help Gowron plot line. "Redemption I" sets up Worf at a pivotal moment in the whole Klingon Empire power struggle story arc and then he really becomes just a minor player in "Redemption II." Consequently, there are some great moments in this episode with lots of implications down the road for Picard, Worf and the whole Enterprise crew, but the second part is just not as good as the first part. However, most payoffs are not as good as the set-ups, so such things are to be expected. Fortunately, the next time Sela pops up in the two-part "Unification" both the set-up and the payoff will be first rate.

Klingon Civil war
Worf has resigned from starfleet to go and help prevent a klingon war from erupting. The Duros sisters are trying to take over the empire with the help of the Romulans.

Picard, meanwhile, pursuades Star Fleet to help in the Civil war indirectly. Picard takes charge of a fleet of ships, and sets of blockcade at the Klingon-Romulan border, with tachyon beams suspended between each of the starships, and puts Data and Riker each in command of a starship, If a cloaked ship passes through the tachyon's, that ship will show up on sensors. As the Captain orders the fleet to move away, Data saves the day, by disobeying a direct order, and fires energy beams, uncovering Romulan Warbirds entering klingon space.

Once discovered, the Romomulans retreat back to their space, deserting the Duross sisters. Once the sisters find they are abandoned they escape, and Worf helps Chancellor Gawron stay in power. Worf returns to duty on the Enterprise. ... Read more

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This is a great episode for Troi fans. When the seemingly happy Lieutenant Kwan suddenly commits suicide, Troi and Worf investigate. As the two try to determine whether Kwan's empathic abilities had something to do with his death, they also stir up some surprising feelings for each other. "Eye of the Beholder" is an enjoyable mystery, complete with mysterious, menacing crew members and a touch of Edgar Allan Poe. Troi is very much the focus of the episode: her empathic abilities seem to be the key to understanding Kwan's suicide, and she finds herself overwhelmed by visions any time she gets near the site of his death. Most importantly, we at last have an answer to the question "Do empaths get jealous?" --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A shocking surprise is around every corner
This episode starts out in an interesting way, where everyone is wondering what is going on, and the story soon gives all the answers as it builds up in a very unique way, at the same time showing a deep affection of Worf and Troi, like Picard and Beverly in "Attached".

As the romance winds on, it appears to cause some trouble which is too shocking to talk about, and then that leads to the evidence of who started it all. So, don't miss this exciting mystery episode if you are a Star Trek: TNG lover!

Counselor Troi deals with the Ghosts in the Enterprise
Lt. Dan Kwan commits suicide on the Enterprise by jumping through a force field into the plasma stream of one of the engines. As Troi and Worf are investigating, the Counselor experiences an emphatic jolt of fear, panic and rage. Shaken, Troi tries a second visit to the site and suddenly finds himself back at Utopia Planitia where the Enterprise was constructed, where she sees a couple kissing and a third person who turns out to be Lt. Walter Pierce, now serving about the Enterprise. But when they question the officer, he has nothing to say. That evening, Troi and Worf become a couple. But the next day when Deanna sees him paying attention to young Ensign Calloway (Kwan's girlfriend), she grabs a phaser and kills Worf. Then she goes back to the narcelle tube to throw herself in; just like Lt. Kwan.

The blossoming romance between Troi and Worf follows up on what was started in "Parallels" (Episode 163), where the Klingon saw an alternative reality where he was married to the Counselor. The idea that part of the Enterprise is haunted is a bit much, although like Dr. Crusher's encounter with a "spirit" in "Inheritance" (Episode 162) there is a rational (i.e., scientific) explanation. This is an average STNG episode, memorable mainly because Worf finally makes a move on Deanna.

An Enterprise crewman commits suicide?
One of the worst episodes from the final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. After a crewman commits suicide by jumping into the plasma stream, Troi begins having strange empathic flashes when she investigates. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Just reward for foolishness
This is the story of two people whose romantic relationship falls apart because they got involved with each other for all the wrong reasons.
When Jenna D'Sora wonders aloud why she doesn't fall for someone like Data and then kisses him, the emotionless android ponders, on this minimal encouragement, whether to pursue a relationship with her. After asking advice of all and sundry, he does. And then both he and Jenna discover that Data's unique nature does not make romance an easy prospect.

"In Theory" tackled the subject of Data and romance very well, I thought. It's a sad tale, as we see Jenna's growing disillusionment with Data, and her painful realisation that she did not know him, or herself for that matter, as well as she thought she did. The lack of impact the whole business has on Data is a pointed lesson in itself.
In the other story thread, the Enterprise finds itself in difficulties on account of the mysterious "dark matter" surrounding it. It's a competent plot, but nothing special. And why does Picard always insist on doing the flying himself? Where are all the young hot-shot pilots with superior skills to those of their ageing captain?
It's nice to see that Data has friends and interests beyond the command crew, and you really do feel for him and Jenna as what seems to have been a very comfortable friendship is destroyed. But they are both very silly people. Jenna seems to have been convinced that Data had hidden depths to be discovered, and is quite definitely on the rebound. And Data's motivations seem all selfish; he seems to have no better reason to romance Jenna than "because I can". Perhaps that was another lesson about the character - thoughtlessness and an abysmal lack of understanding can still be possible for Data after so long amongst Humans.
I do find "In Theory" a difficult episode to watch. Data's behaviour makes me cringe, it is so awful. But it is a good episode; thoughtful, well-written, and moving.

In Theory Data's emotions aren't real
"In Theory" emotionally unavailable men aren't good at relationships

Take a guy like Data and the poor Ensign Jenna Anaya. She has a thing for men who are emotionally unavailable. I have to say why did you think Data could provide any real emotion? Before his emotion chip was available this romance was doomed from the start.

The Dark Matter part of the story is much better. While Data is attempting to get in touch with his feelings; parts of the ship start vanishing. There is a good part in this one where Picard has to travel through the nebula to stop the Dark Matter.

The Best stories are those about people's personal lives
Data has always been my favorite character of any star trek series. I've always liked those episodes that delt more with the personal lives of the crew rather than some planetary problem. Here, There are moments that are both interesting and histarical! For instance, people who know the Data character know that he never yells for no reason, but when he is told that all couples fight, he starts a fight with his girlfriend for no reason just because he thinks he is susposed to. It doesn't get much more funny than that.

P.S. MR. BERNADO! I am interested to know that name of that novel where Wesley finds out about Datas' program. If you could tell me I would happy. Thank you.=)

Data in Love (or as close as his romance subroutine can get)
"In Theory" is the episode where Data gets a girlfriend, which is all most people would need to know to want to check this one out. After all, the android is clearly the most popular character on the show even thought the best episodes always seem to revolve around Captain Picard. In one of the STNG novels there is a scene where Wesley figures out that Data has a subroutine that makes seem a babe in the woods. Data explains that he found out people were more comfortable with him when he needed to have things explained to him which certainly makes sense when you remember that Data is basically a walking computer who must certainly have every definition of every slang word, euphemism, or figure of speech ever uttered on file somewhere in that positronic brain. On top of that you also have to remember that Data was discovered twenty-six years before the series began and that he functioned as an "adult" pretty much from the day he was activated which means his life experiences would be comparable to a thirty-something person. So when Data decides to purse a relationship with Lieutenant Jenna D'Sora, who has been helping him reprogram a warp torpedo for a science experiment, he really should not be so clueless. However, that is the charm of Data's character. Meanwhile the science experiment, which was to help explore a "dark matter" nebula is apparently linked to a most bizarre set of occurrences, ranging from everything on Picard's desk ending up on the floor to an ensign who dies when her body is caught in the floor.

However, it is Data's attempt at a love life that dominates our attention here with the most memorable moment coming when Jenna makes the mistake of asking Data what he was thinking about while they were kissing. A big mistake on Jenna's part with a great answer by Data (reconfiguring the warp field parameters, calculating the maximum pressure he should apply to her lips, analyzing the complete works of Charles Dickens, consideration a new food supplement for Spot the cat, etc.). More than any other episode, "In Theory" shows us the price Data pays for not being able to express emotions. Unfortunately, now that the characters have entered the movie universe we will probably never get to see a post-emotion chip Data in love. But it could happen. ... Read more

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There's trouble in the Neutral Zone. Following a distress signal, the Enterprise finds the USS Yamato stranded due to a systems failure, with the Romulans nearby. Even before the opening credits roll thestarship explodes, killing everybody on board. Turns out the captain of the Yamato had been searching for Iconia, a planet legendary for itstechnological advances, and whose technology would be incredibly dangerous if itwere to fall into the wrong (read: Romulan) hands. Then the computer virus thatdestroyed the Yamato starts to infect the Enterprise, and the Romulans show up and start threatening them. To make matters worse, Data himselfbecomes infected. A good yarn--and as the Internet continues to expand, storieslike this one about computer viruses will become increasingly relevant.--Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Iconians
The Gateway

Steve Gerber (creator of Howard the Duck) and writer Beth Woods wrote this terrific entry in the second season. It's about the Captain of the starship Yamato and his startling discovery in the Neutral Zone. He found a civilization that was long ago conquered but it's probes were still intact. The probe tragically infected all the computer systems with a virus destroying the Yamato. The same virus contaminated logs that were downloaded to the Enterprise! The episode has some dramatic moments where Data is almost destroyed by the probe.

When Picard, Worf and Data beam to a site where the signal is located; we discover the conquered Iconians left a legacy of destruction and deadly weapons. We see the gateway where perhaps the civilization escaped to preserve itself.

I was very surprised that Steve Gerber and Beth Woods, the authors of this story, were never called back for a sequel. Not even a book in the new Gateways series. I would have liked to have seen their version of what happened to this great civilization.

Picard races the Romulans for Ionian Technology
After the Yamato self-destructs in the Neutral Zone while searching for the fabled lost planet of the Iconians with their incredible technology, the Enterprise continues the quest. However, by the time the ship gets to the dead planet, it is beginning to experience massive system failures, just like the doomed Yamato. In transferring the Yamato's logs to their own computer, the Enterprise has introduced a computer virus. Picard, Worf and Data beam down to the planet, where Data is similarly infected. To further complicate things, a Romulan ship shows up to lay claim to the Ionian technology. Fortunately, they are facing the same problems as the Enteprise, but the race is definitely on.

"Contagion" is a concise, controlled episode and it is nice to see that Picard and his crew cannot handle everything that comes their way. I especially like the way things keep piling up. Every time La Forge thinks they have a handle on things, a new headache pops up. I also appreciate the irony that as they encounter the Iconian technology, the systems on the Enterprise are failing left and right. For Picard to solve this particular problem, he is going to have to rely on something other than Starfleet technology.

Best Season 2 Episode!
The Romulans make a guest appearence with Carolyn Seymour who would later play several other roles on Star Trek.

This is a welly written episode about the Enterprise stopping the Romulans from getting their hands on a new peice of Technology. About 7 years later the Dominion on Star Trek Deep Space Nine would also try to win control of this Iconian Gateway. GREAT EPISODE!!!! ... Read more

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Investigating the disappearance of the USS Drake, the Enterprise receives a message from a seemingly uninhabited world. Itturns out to be nothing more than an ancient, prerecorded sales pitch (delivered with sleepy enthusiasm by long-faced character actor Vincent Schiavelli) welcoming visitors to Minos, the arms market of the universe. Beaming down to the planet, Riker, Tasha, and Data wander about a lush forest before encountering a series of flying sentinels (vaguely resembling outboard motors minus their propellers), the first easily destroyed by phaser fire, but subsequent incarnations adapting themselves to the crewmembers' attacks. Meanwhile, Picard and Dr. Crusher also go exploring, finding themselves trapped in an underground cave where the captain must tend to the doctor's broken leg. With both Picard and Riker on the planet, La Forge finds himself in command for the first time; he's not the only one questioning whether he's ready for the job. Though the situation is old hat and unfolds with a certain tattered predictability, this is one of the better outings of The Next Generation's first season. The characters are fleshed out without resorting to too much overdrawn dialogue (even the usually aggravating almost-romance between Picard and Crusher is subtly drawn); in particular it's Geordi's day to shine, and LeVar Burton brings a nice self-confidence to the heretofore submissive engineer. Overlooking the studio-bound landscapes typical of early Star Trek, the episode also features some impressive effects in the brief scenes of the Enterprise's saucer separation, a clever device that fortunately wasnever overused on the show. Nothing groundbreaking, though no major missteps either. --Bruce Reid ... Read more

Reviews (5)

"Remember, the early bird that hesitates gets worms."
"The Arsenal of Freedom" is clearly one of the low points of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first season. The only positive this episode contains is Commander William Riker's (Jonathan Frakes) joke about his new ship - the "good ship Lollipop." The rest of the episode is nowhere as amusing.

The Enterprise-D arrives at the planet Minos in search of the U.S.S. Drake. Upon beaming down to the planet, the away team is attacked by floating energy weapons and Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is seriously injured upon falling into a sinkhole. Meanwhile, the Enterprise itself is under siege from an undetectable enemy in space. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) eventually learns that the disappearance of the Drake and the attacks on his away team and his ship are all tied to the missing Minos people themselves.

Watching the crew be put in peril and learning that all the dangers they faced were part of a sales pitch gives an awkward feel to this episode. It's like watching a used-car salesman terrorize a prospective buyer by taking him as a passenger on a reckless jaunt down the freeway in order to demonstrate the merits of a particular car. Well, at least we got a peek at the battle bridge in action again which is always a cool sight. Too bad it was only used to destroy a floor model of a sales product. You would think the writers would have thought of a better situation in which to showcase the battle bridge, but then again you would think that episodes like this one would not have moved beyond the drawing board stage.

when salesmen go in for the kill
The Enterprise tries to find the Drake, a ship Riker was once offered a command on, but passed up to be on the Enterprise. They believe the ship may have crashed on Minos, a now uninhabited planet other that the remnants of war-torn buildings, tropical plants and some wildlife.

An automated sales pitch message comes on the main viewer - a salesman tells about "The Arsenal of Freedom" on Minos, where the best deterrent to war is a strong armament. The away team beams down to locate any sign of the Drake. They find melted tritanium (a material used in the hulls of Federation ships) and know the ship's fate was not a good one.

Suddenly, Riker sees his old Academy friend, Paul, on the surface... Paul was the captain of the ill-fated Drake. It sure looks like Paul, but he doesn't know answers to simple questions and he gives off no bio readings. It turns out to be a clever surveillance device meant to gather information to defeat the enemy. The attack orbs continue to improve after each attack and soon become unstoppable as the automated salesman continues to show off his weaponry for sale.

The other plot is Geordi's growth as an officer. He is left in charge, even though he is not the highest ranking officer and he and the chief engineer get into a machismo contest of words that is way over the top in the cheese meter... and yet another lame excuse to do a saucer separation.

More character growth for Crusher and Picard and a decent episode.

Arsenal of Freedom or....Separation Anxiety!
Geordi commands the Enterprise!

While on a mission to find the missing U. S. S. Drake; the big E encounters a world that sells weapons of war. The away team: Data, Tasha and Riker, find a holographic captain from the Drake. After discovering the fake; a flying robot weapon attempts to eliminate them.

Meanwhile, Picard and Doctor Crusher also beam on the surface. The good doctor falls into a cavern taking the captain with her. Geordi separates the saucer section and goes looking for Picard and crew. This one is the most fx heavy of the season. It shows Geordi taking his first steps as a captain. Fighting off the chief engineer who wants to bump him from the center seat!

Picard, does Minos have the weapons system for you!
Remember when the original Star Trek crew beamed down to a planet for rest and recreation only to be confronted with White Rabbits, knights on horseback and people from their past because the planet was really a galactic version of an amusement park? In "The Arsenal of Freedom" the Enterprise finds that the point of the supposedly uninhabited planet Minos is to sell cutting edge weapons technology. Investigating the disappearance of another Starfleet ship, the crew ignores the holographic sales pitch they received when they dropped into orbit and beam down to the surface where a series of increasingly sophisticated pods attack the away team. Eventually Picard catches on that it is all part of the planet's attempt to impress customers and quickly agrees to buy a weapons system so his crew can survive the demonstration.

Actually, I rather like this episode. Every time one of the pods gets destroyed the crew has to deal with an even more dangerous one, which certainly gives them pause while solving problems on the run. "The Arsenal of Freedom" is also one of the few episodes where the saucer section detaches with Geordi La Forge in charge, giving him a chance to make some command decisions. I always thought this episode set the stage for La Forge to be Chief Engineer, i..e, more than the guy with the visor driving the ship. In turn, would allow Wesley to attain the exalted rank of "Acting Ensign" and sit alongside Data on the bridge.

Fun Episode! First Season Highlight!
The first sesaon of Star Trek: The Next Generation was hard to watch at times. TNG had yet to "find" itself and the writing was...uneven, at best. But toward the end of the first season, the writers and producers finally gave TNG life with such excellent episodes as "Coming of Age", "Heart of Glory" and "The Arsenal of Freedom".

"The Arsenal of Freedom" tells the story of a super-weapon that takes on a life of it's own. The Enterprise encounters this device on a planet that is one giant weapons factory. But something went terribly wrong. These weaponeers created a weapon so smart that it became something more powerful and dangerous than what they intended: It wiped out every intelligent life-form on the entire planet. And when Picard and crew investigate, this weapon attempts to wipe out the Enterprise as well. What sets this episode apart is that we get to see Lt. Geordi La Forge shine as commander of the Enterprise. Picard and most of his command staff are stranded on the planet and La Forge has to not only rescue them from one of the super-weapons but he has to protect the Enterprise from one of these weapons as well. It's fun to see La Forge, a junior lieutenant, face all the problems of command. He contends with threats inside and outside the ship as a ranking officer tries to take over the ship and La Forge stands he ground saying only Captain Picard or First Officer Riker can relieve him of duty. La Forge, along with Worf (acting as both first officer and tactical officer) and two young ensigns save the entire senior staff and the Enterprise from destruction.

Solid episode and one of a very few TNG stories that spotlights La Forge. This is THE La Forge episode to own. And one of only a few first season highlights. ... Read more

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Season 2 opens with the introduction of a bearded William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the promotion of Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) to chief engineer, and the replacement of Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher with Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur). With a scene that's much sexier than it has any right to be, a Tinkerbell-like spark enters the ship, finds a sleeping Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), moves under her covers, and impregnates her. The alien baby starts to grow much faster than a normal gestation period,shrinking the time frame down to a couple of days. Worf wants to terminate the pregnancy, Data wants to study the life form, and Troi decides to keep the baby no matter what anyone thinks. Once born, the boy continues its rapid growth, but is discovered to have an adverse effect on the specimens of a dangerous plasma plague they are carrying to a scientific research facility. None too subtly, the whole episode explores ideas about family. Also included is a guest spot by independent-film veteran Seymour Cassel. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Season 2 starts with a tear-jerker
The Enterprise is enroute to a Federation medical station to retrieve thousands of biological specimens to be studied on another planet, in the hope of developing cures for dangerous illnesses. Newly promoted Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge designs a containment field and containers to hold the deadly specimens and to keep them from growing during transport. Veteran of many independent films, Seymour Cassel guest stars as the Federation scientist escorting the specimens.

Riker has gained a few pounds and a new beard, and Wesley's mother has been promoted to Chief of Starfleet Medical (the actress, Gates McFadden, was on maternity leave in real life) and veteran of the original Star Trek series, Diana Muldaur, is her replacement, Dr. Pulaski. Pulaski is a fiesty, older, in-your-face, no-nonsense doctor - not just a replica of Dr. Crusher. Wesley (the "child" officer on the ship) is pensive about leaving Enterprise and going to the Academy and struggles with his wants and desires, versus his need to fit in, follow orders and do what is expected of him. Whoopi Goldberg makes her debut as Guinan, the host of Ten Forward, and as is revealed in later episodes, a member of a race dispersed around the galaxy due to the Borg - and Guinan herself is at least 400 years old.

A small pixie-like spark wanders through space and penetrates the hull of the ship, wandering from room to room - it enters Counsellor Deanna Troi's quarters while she is sleeping and in a not-so-subtle maneuver, gets under the covers and climbs up to her nether regions. Troi bolts up in bed, startled. The next thing we find out is that she is pregnant, in her first tri-mester - the problem is that that the child was conceived only 11 hours prior to the the first trimester. Pulaski briefs the senior staff and estimates that at its rapid rate of growth, the baby will make his appearance in 36 hours, considerably shorter than a normal 10-month Betazoid pregnancy.

As the senior staff have an abortion vs. pro-life debate, Troi looks at the fetus on the viewer - the fetus inside her. The male child is genetically like her - half Betazoid, half human. She sees the heart beating through his transparent skin and sees his tiny limbs move and announces that she intends to keep the baby.

In a few days the baby arrives, looking very much like he is her child. She names him after her father, Ian Andrew. Picard hears the news and only a few hours after the birth, he goes with the doctor to Troi's quarters to pay respects to her and the baby. Much to his shock, the "baby" is now in appearance as a 4 year old child. He is bright and can talk. The expressions on Pulaski's and Picard's faces are priceless...a very well acted scene that can give you goose bumps.

In just another day he appears to be a child of 8 and his cognitive abilities are in step with this age. Suddenly, alarms start going off in Cargo Bay 3 - one of the specimens is growing and at the rate of growth, will push out of its containment area in less than a day, putting the Enterprise and even nearby planets in grave peril. Due to the nature of the "plasma plague" that is growing, jettisoning the cargo will do no good, since it can develop into a spore in open space and attach itself to a ship's hull or end up on a nearby planet as the solar winds drive it along its merry way. The most innoccous of the specimens would kill all life on the Enterprise in a matter of hours.

An unusual type of Eichman radiation is stimulating the growth of this specimen, and the source of radiation appears to be coming from young Ian Troi. The end result will put a lump in anyone's throat. This is a bittersweet episode with some light-hearted moments. There is an episode that later reflects on Troi's pregnancy and son Ian, so it's a pivotal episode. Trivia buffs will notice that the Computer's voice is still some unidentified male, not Majel Barrett-Roddenberry.

A Good Beginning For Season 2
Episode 27: The Child. One of the best episodes of season 2, this episode revolved around the pregnancy of counsellor Deanna Troi. After having been impregnated by a mysterious alien lifeform, Deanna soon discovers her child's amazing talent: aging several years in a matter of hours. Several changes were made to the cast and settings of Star Trek: The Next Generation for the beginning of season 2, most importantly the replacement of Doctor Crusher who was portrayed by Gates McFadden with Diana Maulder's Doctor Pulaski. Geordi LaForge was finally given an important role:chief engineer. Commander Riker sported a beard and moustache.Whoopi Goldberg was added to the cast as Guinan, the mysterious bartender in ten-forward.Lieutenant Worf got a gold uniform to support his position as security chief. All in all ,episode 27 "The Child" was a solid season primere

Bibilical Meaning of this Epsiode
It seems to me that this Episode has some Bibilical meaning in similarity within it. Think about it, Counsellor Troi acts like a Virgin Mary, and her son, Ian, is the Child Jesus, who sacrifices himself to save the rest of the crew of the Enterprise. Make sense, No? I'd say this is one of the best episode I've ever seen. It's very touchy.

immaculate conception and Bearded Riker first appearance
The Child" is one of those second season premiere episodes prior to a writers strike in Hollywood. This script was actually for the proposed Star Trek Phase Two series in the seventies. Troi gets pregnant (via immaculate conception) with Eon. Remember the Deltan alien in Star Trek The Motion Picture? She was the mother of the unwelcome alien visitor in the seventies version. Now in the eighties one it's Troi.

It's one of those episodes that moves kind of slow but has a point. Put up those shields in unknown territory! It's amazing that with all the equipment on the Enterprise that this one couldn't be detected. Highlights in this episode are a bearded Jonathan Frakes as commander Riker. That's how exciting this one was.

Counselor Troi and the joys of a 36-hour gestation period
"The Child" begins with the Enterprise transporting deadly plasma plague samples that will be used to inoculate people at risk in the Ricellas System. En route, a small energy ball visits the ship, finds Troi asleep and impregnates her. To everyone's stunned amazement, 36 hour later Troi gives birth to a son, whom she names Ian. Within days Ian looks like any normal eight year old boy and Worf, as head of security, suggests they kill Ian before something bad happens. As if on cue, one of the plasma cultures is growing like crazy, threatening to break out of containment and kill everybody on board the Enterprise. Could it possibly be that Troi's child has something to do with all this wackiness?

Things move so quickly in this episode that it is surprising that Troi, let alone anyone else in the crew or the viewing audience, has enough time to form any sort of attachment to Ian. Troi must have extremely strong maternal instincts, or else her body chemistry is completely out of whack, because even given this strange turn of events her acceptance of Ian is pretty complete. This story line could have had a lot more impact if it had been a subplot for several episodes in between its beginning and ending. But at this point Next Generation is very episodic, although it will loosen up a bit in the future, just never to the extent we saw on Deep Space 9. "The Child" might have worked better if it had aired later in the season, after viewers had adjusted to all of the changes and their implications for the characters and their relationships. However, it does put Marina Sirtis as the new and improve Deanna Troi front and center, which was probably the main point. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent concepts
Geordi is the test user of a new interface system that allows him to operate a probe remotely and immerse himself in its virtual environment. The Enterprise is sent to investigate the disappearance of a scientific research vessel, the Ramaan, and finds it deep in the atmosphere of a gas giant. Geordi takes the probe into the Ramaan to learn what happened. Everything is proceeding according to plan, until Geordi sees the image of his mother. Her ship recently vanished without a trace and everyone else has given her up for dead. So why has she now appeared on the Ramaan asking for Geordi's help? Is his mother really there? Are Geordi's grief and guilt making him hallucinate? Or is there something else going on?
Levar Burton does a really good job in this episode. He conveys Geordi's growing obsession with his mother's disappearance and his determination to rescue her no matter the consequences very well. It's a pity the character of Geordi was so regularly underused; we learn more about him and his family in this episode than in perhaps any other. The idea of the interface and all its possibilities, plus the eventual denoument of the situation with the Ramaan, are really interesting ideas. This episode has both strong science fiction and good drama to it. Watch out for the scene where Riker talks of his own grief over his mother's death.

Is La Forge seeing his mother's ghost?
The Enterprise is investigating what happened to the science vessel Raman, which was trying to collect gasses from the lower atmosphere of a strange planet. La Forge is using an experimental probe that interfaces directly with his netural inputs to explore the vessel. The Raman was unable to get back into high orbit and La Forge discovers the crew are all dead. He also suddenly sees his mother. This is not totally strange because Captain Sylvia La Forge and her ship, the USS Hera, have recently been reported missing. She gives her son a cryptic message about how they are dying and need to go down. When La Forge reports his experience to the others, they think he was hallucinating. Picard decides they will find some other way of finding out the truth besides using the probe. Of course, La Forge cannot accept that decision; he must help his mother and her crew. With some help from Data he again interfaces with the probe and visits the Hera.

One of the reasons the Enterprise crew is such a family is that they tend to have major problems with their own families. In "Interface" we find out about Geordi La Forge's familial problems: he was a Starfleet brat whose parents were both career oriented (One of the pleasures of this episode is that La Forge's parents are played by the late Madge Sinclair and Ben Vereen). This episode also relates to what happened in "Descent, Part II" (Episode 153), since Data is willing to help La Forge since he owes his friend for having spent so much time torturing him during that episode. "Interface" is pretty much an average STNG episode in which you should have a pretty good idea of what is "really" happening early on. However, it is one of the better La Forge episodes, which only goes to show how little they did with LaVar Burton's character over the years on the show.

Geordi defies Picard's orders!
After learning that his mother may be alive on another starship, Geordi uses a risky interface procedure to try and contact his mother. But when his life is in danger, he finds no sign of her and Picard orders him not to interface with that ship's computer. However, Geordi defies and and Data helps Geordi interface again, where he fially finds his mother. But is his mother actually there? ... Read more

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On the lifeless desert planet of Velara III, a small group of scientists are hard at work terraforming the planet. When a routine check-in by the Enterprise leads to a testy dismissal from the head engineer, as well as bad vibes for Counselor Troi, the away team goes to investigate.Apologies are quickly made by the newly conciliatory terraformers, who explainthat their manners tend to fade over the decades of isolation required to bringlife to a dead world. (So what exactly happened to Star Trek II's Genesis Project?) But during the brief tour, one scientist is killed by an apparently malfunctioning laser, and suspicions are raised again. Data and Geordi investigate, and discover beyond question that an intelligent force in fact controlled the deadly beam. The three remaining scientists are brought up to the ship for questioning; also beamed aboard is a small crystal whose arrhythmic, "musical" light pulsations have intrigued Data. Despite some insistence from the ship's computer that, lacking organic structure, the crystal simply can't be life (why exactly aren't Starfleet medical programs informed of the silicon-based Horta encountered by the old Enterprise crew?), alive is exactly the right word. Alive, growing, and angry at the attempted extermination of its species by the terraformers. Not to mention able to control the Enterprise's computers, thus puttingthe entire crew at risk. Though the rapidly multiplying creature, eventually dubbed the microbrain, is one of the show's all-time cheapest aliens--basically some glowing penlights placed under a bell jar--the story is a fairly interesting rehash of some classic Trek themes. Plus, any episode that introduces the catchy phrase "ugly bags of mostly water," the microbrain's description of humans, is an instant classic. --Bruce Reid ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"Bag who drill in sand of home had to die."
Star Trek has always produced its fair share of cautionary tales. "Home Soil" is its attempt to point out the unintended dire consequences terraforming can cause. It also is the episode that forces you to wonder if the crystals in your personal collection regard you as "an ugly bag of mostly water" when you're not around.

The Enterprise-D arrives at Velara III to check up on a terraforming group charged with the mission of turning the inhospitable planet into one that will eventually support life. However, after an engineer is killed and Data (Brent Spiner) is attacked, the crew realizes that something is seriously amiss on the surface. A startling discovery is soon made - there are microscopic life forms that are falling victim to the drilling on the planet. The previous attacks were initiated by them as a means to defend themselves.

This variation on the original series' superior "Devil in the Dark" (1967) is filled with problems that it cannot overcome. Guest star Elizabeth Lindsey is strangely stiff in her supporting role, Walter Gotell is over-the-top in his supporting role, the production values for the microscopic life forms must have set a new record for production money saved on creating an alien race, and the line "ugly bag of mostly water" is so unintentionally goofy that it undermines the seriousness of the episode's message because you can't get it out of your head and can't stop giggling once it's spoken on-screen. Well, at least "Home Soil" did teach us that the only way to defeat evil crystals is to shut the lights off. That valuable piece of information is what prevents the episode from being a total lost cause.

Home Soil ....Or Ugly Bags of Water Go Home!
"Ugly Bags of Water"

A terraforming station on Velara III discovers a microscopic life form within the sand of the planet. It kills one of the colonists to save it from destruction. The Enterprise utilizes it's universal translator to communicate. It refers to humans as "ugly bags of water." In this average entry from the first season; actor Walter Gotell, portrays the station supervisor. He's known for his role as General Gogol in the 60's James Bond series.

This episode has a few good highlights. Data disarming the laser cannon in the terraforming chamber. The microscopic entity taking control of the Enterprise. If you've got to purchase all the episodes for your collection; this one's got a few dramatic moments. It's worth a look.

It didn't take Troi's powers to tell us the supervisor was hiding something about the planet.

Picard hears a tiny crystal that flashes beautiful light
Perhaps the most significant liberal principle on Next Generation was the inherent right of sentient beings, whether they are androids, unexpectedly different species, or even holodeck creations. "Home Soil" adds to this progressive argument when the Enterprise arrives at the terraforming project on Velara III. In keeping with the Prime Directive the planet has been officially declared devoid of life, but when the terraformers start pumping subsurface water the laser drill malfunctions and then attacks Data. The source of the malfunction turns out to be tiny crystal that emits light. When the crystal divides, Picard concludes it is alive. This is confirmed when the crystal keeps dividing and uses the Universal Translator to declare war on the Enterprise. After all, the crystal lives in the subsurface water and its civilization was being destroyed by the terraformers.

Whether you find the episode reminiscent of Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hears a Who," Gulliver's travels among the Lilliputians or simply a flip on the standard science fiction analogy that superior races are to humans as we are to the ants beneath our feet, "Home Soil" underscores the constant Star Trek demand for at least tolerance of those who are different, although outright acceptance would be nice. This belief is certainly personified in Captain Picard, not only in this episode but throughout the series (although he has some slight difficulties in being tolerant when it comes to Q). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Three Little Pigs
Hilarious episode from the Faerie Tale Theatre series with an all-star cast. Billy Crystal as well as his on-screen brother actors are excellent as the three pigs, and Jeff Goldblum is show-stealing as the Big Bad Wolf. Valerie Perrine is a knock-out and makes a surprisingly sexy pig in this faerie tale. A great comedic hit for the entire family to enjoy!

I love this series!
My brother, sisters and I grew up watching the Faerie Tale Theatre collection, and loving them all. By the way, they're not just for kids! My mother loved them so much she went out of her way to find them for my little niece to enjoy. I highly recommend them to anyone with (or even without) children to view them!

cute and appealing
Billy Crystal, Valerie Perrine, Doris Roberts and Jeff Goldblum star in the new telling of the tale from FAERIE TALE THEATRE.

One of the more light-hearted entries in the series, its a delightfully comic piece, played out by master comedians Crystal and Roberts, with the beautiful Perrine cutting a mean figure as a porker indeed.

The series was a huge success, boasting a huge multi award-winning cast (Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, etc), and creator/producer Shelly Duvall has earned laurels for one of the finest family series in years.

Best of the Fairie Tale Theatres
I must have rented this video 40-50 times for my then pre-school age son and daughter. We all had the lines memorized. Billy Crystal is terrific as one of the pigs (Peter, Paul and Larry) and Jeff Goldblum is a howl as the wolf. The whole cast is great. This is truly a film that everyone in the family will love. The best.

As Unforgettable as Nat
This was a household staple rented over and over from our local video store, played over and over for all ages whenever our guests seemed willing. There was never ever anything but laughter and appreciation; I'm still trying to find the Samuel Barber music played just so. Please let me know if you know where I can get a copy... there are future grandchildren and grandnieces/nephews in my life whose lives will be incomplete without it. ... Read more