Reviews (4)

Riker evolves
The Enterprise works with the J'naii, a genderless humanoid species, to help them locate a missing J'naii shuttle. The shuttle is stuck in what was previously a theoretical hypothesis, "null space."

Commander Riker ends up working closely with Soren (Melinda Culea), a skilled J'naii pilot. Soren is very curious about species with gender, and asks Riker and others about the differences between their genders.

Geordi has to retrofit the exterior of one of the Enterprise's shuttles so that it will not lose power in null space while on their rescue mission. Riker and Soren work on adjustments on the inside of the shuttle when Soren drops a bombshell. She finds Riker attractive. Riker has felt there was something but had dismissed it. Soren shares that once in a while, a member of her species is born as a "throw-back" to when they once had gender - she is one of them, in this case, female.

Soren explains that in her culture, those with gender are perceived as less evolved and the concept of gender is even reviled. When one of them is "found out," they are forced to go through psycho-tectic "treatments" to remove all remnants of gender and to change their minds about their feelings

Riker falls for her - which reveals a new aspect to Riker's character. Everyone that Riker has had relationships with has been buxom and attractive. Soren is plain, flat-chested and has a chili-bowl haircut. Riker falls for her mind and her heart.

Soren, who has kept her secret hidden her entire life, makes an incredibly stupid error -she shares an intimate kiss with him on her own planet and is discovered by a suspicious J'naii who has been watching the two of them.

The story tries to get a little preachy during Soren's speech to the court that is deciding her fate, so it briefly loses its way as it tries to hard to push the point, as though the even most casual observer could not detect the underlying story.

In the end, however, this is a very memorable episode. We see Riker truly fall in love (not in lust) with someone who doesn't look like a jazz lounge singer or a cocktail bunny, and we see his heart get crushed and broken in two.

The Issue of Gender Indentity in the Star Trek Universe
The Enterprise is helping an androgynous race called the J'naii to search for a missing shuttle that apparently has disappeared into a region of null space. Commander Riker spends time aboard a shuttle with a J'naii named Soren, mapping the edges of the region. Soren finds Riker attractive, however there is a big time cultural taboo involved here. Soren explains that the J'naii sometimes have tendencies towards maleness or femaleness, but that their culture views this as deviance and subjects those individuals to psychotectic treatments to "cure" them. Because Soren is manifesting gender, she is arrested. Riker, of course, cannot tolerate the idea of Soren being cured.

The Star Trek universe rarely touches on the idea of sex in the future, but when it does try to deal with the issue it certainly does so in a provocative way. In "The Host" (Episode 97), Dr. Crusher fell in love with a Trill, not knowing that the object of her affection was a parasite that could start off in a male body and end up as a female by the end of the episode. In "The Outcast," Riker proves himself admirably more open minded in dealing with Soren, whose race is apparently structurally and functionally both male and female. Underlying their relationship is a standard Star Trek dilemma, that of respecting the cultural integrity of other beings whose views we do not want to accept in the present let along in the future. Given the current political subtext of the acceptance of homosexuals in American society, this is a remarkably even-handed episode that gives both sides their say. This is also one of those episodes that makes me realize how much I like the character of Riker, even though in many ways he is the least interesting character of the show since he is only the second in command, not an android, not telepathic, not Klingon, not a kid and not blind. Even with all these handicaps Will Riker is a fully fleshed out character.

Bigotry Lost
This episode not only contained metaphoric references that I am still pondering, but it did much to assist me in my quest to understand relationships other than heterosexual. It has compelled me to be more open-minded and sensitive to all levels of love, regardless of gender. Intensely powerful, moving, and insightful wisdom I have gleaned from "The Outcast." It's a mover and shaker, a real "sleeper" of a movie.

Explores transgender issues well

Although some people think that this episode was about homosexuality and are offended by it, while others think think it's too subtle or euphemistic, I think it explores transgender issues -- the gender identity of an individual (Soren) -- instead of their preferred partner's sex or gender.

Male to Female transsexuality is probably the closest analogy to what took place in this episode, in which Soren, a person from a gender-neutral planet, discovers that she is female.

And considering how many today are beginning to think that gender is a cultural concept and that traditional male-female roles are too black-and-white, this episode was ahead of its time, by having a gender-neutral race portrayed.

Finally, the issue of involuntary psychiatric committment for one's "lifestyle" is portrayed, when Soren is "treated" for being female and Riker tries to protect her from authorities. There are some on Earth today who still think transgenderism, homosexuality, etc. are mental illnesses. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The growth and maturation of Lwaxana Troi
Up until this point in the history of STNG the arrival of Lwaxana Troi invariably signaled a comic relief episode, "Menage a Troi" (episode 72) being far and away the best of the bunch. But in "Half a Life" things take a serious turn, to the betterment of the character and of actress Majel Barrett, who finally gets to do something more dramatic than be the voice of the Enterprise computer. Aboard the Enterprise is a scientist named Timicin who falls for Lwaxana's fabled charms. For forty years Timicin, played pitch perfectly by David Ogden Stiers, has been trying to find a way to revive the dying sun of his planet. However, his grand attempt to restore the sun through the use of carefully programmed photon torpedoes fails horribly. Lwaxana offers the appropriate encouragement, that a future attempt will certainly succeed. But then Timicin drops a little bombshell. On his planet when a person reaches the age of 60 they celebrate "The Resolution," a sacred ceremony where they say farewell to their friends and family before committing suicide. Lwaxana argues that Timicin should reject this horrific custom, and when the scientist suddenly sees how his failed experiment might work those two forces compel him to seek asylum on the Enterprise. However, then when Timicin hears from his heartbroken family, he has second thoughts about his decision.

I usually have trouble with alien cultures that have achieved scientific miracles but still retain some barbaric aberration as a defining cultural element, but Barrett and Stiers give "Half A Life" such gravity and depth you cannot help but be impressed. It is an excellent episode, even if both of the main characters are guest stars. Besides, this episode does not sink into predictability. But the most important thing remains the maturity of Lwaxana's character. There are still the comic overtones (she keeps talking about "Mr. Woof") but certainly she is now a much more rounded character. About time--and there is much better to come.

great
This is a particularly good episode in that it deals with the question of aging and usefulness--and for the series. Previously, Troi's mother was seen as flighty and a little on the ditzy side at times. Now, we get to see the serious side of her. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first season comes to a close with Captain Picard being called to an emergency conference on Starbase 718. While waiting for him to return to the ship, Data and Worf investigate the wreckage of an old space capsule they find, one that was launched from Earth in the late 20th century. On board the capsule are three humans in suspended animation: a businessman, an artist, and a housewife. Each were frozen at the moment they died from fatal diseases, hoping that sometime in the future they could be thawed out and cured. Meanwhile, Picard brings the Enterprise into the neutral zoneto investigate the destruction of a few remote outposts. Rumor has it, after 50 years of quiet, the Romulans have returned to annoy and fight against the Federation. The gravity of the situation is lost on the unfrozen humans, particularly the blowhard businessman who is itching to find out how his stocks are doing after more than 300 years. The comic aspects are rather broad, but the reintroduction of the Romulans is well played. The question of the destroyed outposts isn't resolved until season 2 (hint: it's one of the series' favorite villains), but the most interesting revelation is that TV on Earth only lasts until 2040. Watch this episode now, before it's too late! --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fairly lame
The Romulans return as colonies disappear on both sides of the Neutral Zone and three humans from the twentieth century are reanimated . . .
Rule One of the ST:TNG universe: Everything about the twentieth century is bad.
Rule Two of the ST:TNG universe: Everyone in the twentieth century was American.
Two very disparate storylines are brought together in this episode, to not very good effect. The Romulan storyline is fairly pointless; all it does is set things up for later seasons. And as for the meet the ancestors storyline . . . There was so much the writers could have done with this, and what did they give us? A housewife, an incomprehensible country-and-western singer looking for a drink, and a hard businessman who doesn't want to believe his lawyers are no longer operating? Please!
It never ceases to amaze me how intolerant the crew of the Enterprise are of anyone who is different, and how sanctimonious they are about everything, particularly their own history. These leftovers from the twentieth century needed help and explanations; instead they are treated as annoyingly demanding lower forms of life. They are the ones who have to adjust; the crew of the Enterprise have nothing to learn. And the hint towards the idea that we all have something to learn from the past (such as it was in this episode) could have been made much more effective. For example, it could have been made clear that the businessman saw what no-one else could see.
Lazy and disappointing.

Fine trek film
This film is one the greatest Star Trek films ever produced in the history of man kind. Jonathan Frakes is my favorite actors. I also like the person who plays the country singer. This film is a fine film. Highly recommended to all Star Trek fanatics out there.

The Romulans are Back!
Spoiler Alert: If you have not seen this episode read no further!

"The Neutral Zone" introduces us to the Next Generation version of the Romulan Empire. In this episode the Enterprise encounters a three-hundred year old ship containing cryogenically frozen humans who are from the 20th century. The story presents their dilemma of living beyond their shattered existence in the past. If only there was a follow up to see what happened.

The crew of the Enterprise have more to worry about. Something has destroyed Romulan outposts. It turns out this is the first sign of the Borg. Picard forms a truce with the commanders to share information. For all intents and purposes; this one is worth the cost of the video cassette. I love the part where the former stock broker storms on the bridge. He yells to Picard the Romulans are afraid to admit they "don't know who attacked them." The scene with the country singer telling Data about the "low mileage pet wolfies" was priceless.

Romulans, Defrosted Humans and the first sign of the Borg
In retrospect the last episode from the first season of the Next Generation is certainly remarkably tame given all the season ending cliffhangers that were to come down the road (e.g., "The Best of Both Worlds" at the end of season three). However, "The Neutral Zone" is certainly representative of the first season where the writers tried to use plot lines from the original series whenever possible. This time around it is the derelict spaceship with a trio of cryogenically frozen humans from the 21st century used in "Space Seed." While the revived humans try to deal with the realities of the 24th century the Enterprise hurries to the Neutral Zone. Several Federation outposts have been destroyed and its is feared the Romulan Empire may be up to its old tricks, as in the original Trek episode "Balance of Terror." When a Romulan ship shows up to investigate the destruction of its own settlements and engages in saber rattling with Picard, it is one of the Enterprises' meddlesome guests who provides Picard with a correct reading of the situation and helps to defuse the crisis.

It is interesting to think that 21st century business practices are more in keeping with the Romulan world view than that of the Federation. I imagine the three defrosted humans are supposed to be surrogates for the viewing audience, lost in the wonders of the future and shocked that everything worked out so well. While "The Neutral Zone" is an atypical season finale (i.e., not Part One of two), there is one tantilizing hint of better things to come. The Enterprise investigates one of the destroyed outpost that looks as if the entire installation had just been scooped off the face of the planet by some great force beyond their experience . . . ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Barclay Triumphant, or, Flowers for Reginald
It is certainly understandable why the character of Reginald Barclay, the shy and bumbling engineering officer who likes to imagine Troi as the Goddess of Empathy in his dysfunctional holographic programs, is the most popular and enduring supporting character created during STNG's long run. Part of it is the charm with which Dwight Schutlz plays him, but I think his popularity is due in fact that in the super competent world of the Enterprise bridge crew, Reg is just trying to get through the day and do his job without causing any significant harm. The idea that Picard is trying to build up self-confidence in the man (okay, ordering La Forge to do it), is somewhat endearing. But if it is true that every dog has his day, "The Nth Degree" is most certainly Barclay's turn.

Because it is written that way the Enterprise investigates an alien probe not by using its massive sensor arrays but by sending La Forge and Barclay out in a shuttle so that when the probe emits a burst of energy that overloads the computers on the system, Reg can be knocked unconcious. In sick bay good old Doctor Crusher can find nothing from with Barclay. He appears to be normal (a term being relative when it comes to Reg). Meanwhile, the probe begins following the Enterprise, which can neither out race it nor destroy it with phasers. Again the script contrives things so that the probe is too close to use photon torpedoes. Just as things look bleak, Barclay suddenly reroutes warp power to the shields so that Picard can use the photon torpedoes to destroy the probe. After Barclay pulls a few more rabbits out of hats with just a wave of his hand, Crusher gives him another examination and finds there is a massive increase in Barclay's mental capabilities. For his part, Barclay becomes bored with his slow-minded crewmates and the inadequate interface with the control computer. So he goes to the holodeck and comes up with a contraption that allows him to interface with the computer directly, at which point he sends the Enterprise on a quick trip thirty thousand light years to the center of the galaxy while the crew stands by helplessly.

Plot contrivances away, this episode does a nice job of flipping Barclay and his relationships on their head and it is fun watching Picard and the others strip gears trying to deal with the new, improved Reg. Of course, there is a power far greater than us at work here, and what the far greater power giveth the far greater power can giveth away. In terms of finding out the answer to the mysterious change in Barclay, "The Nth Degree" provides a very satisfying conclusion, which is nice, because usually the payoff is not as good as the set up. Fortunately the writers never got around to milking Barclay's character as much as they did Q as we shall see in the next episode.

My "first contact"of STARTREK
A few years ago I watched this program by accident,sine I had become an enthusiastic trekker! A memorable work for me.

Barclay becomes superhuman!
Poor Barclay. He has a rough time fitting in with the Enterprise crew. But when he and Geordi are sent to investigate a mysterious probe, it attacks Barclay and transforms him into a superhuman, where he takes over the computer systems aboard the Enterprise. ... Read more

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light and hope
i like it because of the charters in the video. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ventax II goes to hell in a handbasket...
...almost. A thousand years earlier, leaders of Ventax II supposedly made a deal with the Devil... a.k.a. "Ardra." The deal: 1,000 years of peace and prosperity. The catch: after 1,000 years, the people become slaves of Ardra.

The Enterprise gets an emergency summons from a group of Federation anthropologists doing study on Ventax II. The public has gone crazy, looting, rioting and engaging in all sorts of mayhem, taking some of the scientists hostage.

Picard races to the planet and saves one scientist who tells them what is going on. The citizens are panicky because Ardra is due to return in just one day. As prophecy dictates, her coming was preceded by earthquakes and visions of her throughout the planet.

Picard does his best to not laugh out loud, when suddenly Ardra (Mara Dubois) appears before them. To prove she is who she claims to be, she causes the earth to shake at a blink of her eye. She changes herself into the Klingon version of the Devil to scare Worf and teleports people here and there just by glancing at them.

Picard is incensed. He knows there is technology, not mojo, behind Ardra's "magic." He sets Geordi LaForge on the task of finding out how Ardra is pulling off this hoax. Meanwhile, he has Data research Ventaxian law to see if there are any loopholes in the contract signed a millennia ago.

The Ventaxians are all but bending over backwards to accommodate Ardra - their limited technology makes them vulnerable to her wiles and makes them believe she is truly the Devil incarnate.

Ardra pushes Picard's buttons by showing up half-naked in his quarters and trying to seduce him. After being rebuffed, she beams him down to the planet's surface, wearing only his pijamas. There is quite a bit of humor in this episode. Picard refuses to allow the Ventaxians to fall prey to this space-faring snake-oil saleswoman and does his best to call her bluff. Entertaining to watch.

The Second Coming of Ardra the She-Devil
The Enterprise responds to an emergency distress call from Ventax Two, a planet with a very unique problem. One thousand years ago the people made a pact with Ardra, the she-devil, with a slight twist on the tradition Faustian deal: in exchange for 1,000 years of peace they would give themselves and their planet into servitude. Well, now the millennium is about to end and the people on Ventax Two are convinced that Ardra is about to show up and claim her inheritance. In anticipation of the end of the world as they know it, the hysterical populace have attacked the Federation science station and taken hostages. When Picard shows up to negotiate with the planet's leaders, Ardra appears and claims the planet, backing up her claim with several nifty tricks. This is Star Trek, so maybe she really is a supernatural demon with a legitimate claim. Be that as it may, Picard wants to see the contract. When Data discovers a possible loophole, Picard calls for arbitration where each side will be permitted to make its case.

Certainly an offbeat episode, "Devil's Due" is very reminiscent of the "Encounter at Farpoint" premier episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation what with a superior being and a trial, although I think this story is better thought of as a cross between "Faust" (as opposed to "Dr. Faustus) and "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Then again, there is a sense in which this episode is another Dixon Hill adventure for Picard, since there is indeed a mystery or two to be solved. One thing you have to say for Jean-Luc Picard, the Captain sure knows how to face down supernatural being. This episode also makes good use of Data, who gets to serve as the arbiter since obviously he is not about to let emotions come into play. The arbitration scene is the best in the episode with a decent job of coming up with intelligent arguments on both sides.

Star Trek: The Next Generation #87
The 87th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation is a blast! Ardra, also known on earth as "THE DEVIL" has made a signed deal with a foreign planet stating that the planet is allowed one millinium of peace for exchange for their slavery. Captain Picard and the rest of his Star Fleet crew must save this planet from destruction. This episode is not one to pass up. END ... Read more

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Data warns Picard: You can't handle the truth...sir
The Enterprise encounters a spacial distortion that knocks everybody unconscious except, of course, Data. When he revives the crew he explains that the ship passed through an unstable wormhole which knocked everybody out for 30 seconds. However, as the Enterprise continues on its way, it becomes clear that there are some holes in Data's story starting with the fact that Dr. Crusher's experiments reflect the passage of twenty-four hours. When La Forge discovers the ship's chronometer has been tampered with, Picard confronts Data with the evidence, but the android refuses to answer. Picard continues to cross-examine Data, using the parameters of both Starfleet regulations and Data's positronic brain to get at the truth. Finally it becomes clear that Data has been "ordered" not to reveal the truth, at which point Picard is stunned to learn that Data claims the one who gave him that order was the Captain. In order to solve the mystery, Picard orders the ship back to the planet where they encountered the spacial distortion.

The little sub-plot where Guinan as Gloria from Cleveland is supposed to join the Captain as Dixon Hill on the holodeck is a not so subtle clue that this is one of those Next Generation episodes where Picard is confronted with a real life mystery. There is a great sense of anticipation to the first half of the episode, especially because we all know that even if Data is doing something wrong he is doing it for the right reasons, and there is the definite feel that Picard may well regret finding out the truth. The exchange between Picard and Data is an excellent scene, one of the best examples of logical argument seen on the show. "Clues" is one of those episodes where the payoff does not match the set up, but I have been saying that about such things every since "Apocalypse Now." Actually, the truth is pretty interesting; it is the solution that leaves something to be desired. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

First Contact is not always a good thing
Commander Riker has beamed down to Malcoria Three to visit a group of observers from the Federation. The planet is about to develop warp drive capacity, which is the point at which the Federation makes "first contact." After all, what happens when you first go out into space and discover the UFP, Klingon Empire, Cardassians, Romulans, Tholians, etc. Unfortunately, Riker is seriously injured during a riot by citizens protesting the development of this new technology and when a routine physical exam reveals he is an alien, he is immediately confined by the Minister of Security. To resolve the situation, Captain Picard and Counselor Troi beam down and meet with the Malcorian scientist who runs their warp drive program. Although thrilled to meet strange visitors from another planet (okay, two other planets), the scientist warns that if this news is made public, the citizens will think this is an invasion force. Picard meets with Chancellor Durken (always nice to see George Coe with a good part to play) and takes the Malcorian leader on a tour of the Enterprise. Everything is progressing nicely until they learn that Riker has been captured and that the Chancellor's political opponents and the planet's isolationist citizenry are about to find out everything that is going on.

"First Contact" is a good title because this is certainly the best STNG episode dealing with that particular facet of tooling around the universe. Ultimately, what makes this an above-average episode is that the resolution is not the proverbial happy ending. When it provides such twists, STNG is at its best. "First Contact" is not a great episode, but it is a very, very good one indeed. It also has one of the best cameo appearances in the history of the series as Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith on "Cheers"/"Fraiser") plays a Malcorian who has the hots for Riker (there is simply no other way to put it). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

one moon circles...
The Enterprise is en route to the last known coordinates of the USS Brattain, 29 days after they sent out a distress call followed only by silence.

The away team finds a disturbing scene onboard the Brattain. All crew members, except one Betazoid, are dead - results of phaser fire and hand-to-hand combat with their crew-mates. The Betazoid is the only living witness, but he is in a disturbed, catatonic state and Troi has trouble reaching him.

Crusher performs autopsies to see if there is any reason for the crew going bonkers and killing each other, and seemingly crippling many of the ship's vital functions. Tension begins to ripple throughout the crew. While finding a ship full of dead Federation crewmembers is disturbing, the behavior of the Enterprise crew is becoming less than ordinary. Their feathers are ruffled and many of them begin to behave in aggressive, paranoid ways.

Troi is plagued with nightmares, where she is flying through space as dark voices attempt to communicate with her, "one moon circles, eyes in the dark...," all with cryptic words she can't make sense of.

Crusher tells Picard that whatever happened on the Brattain is happening on the Enterprise and they need to get away as soon as possible. Picard informs the doctor that they will be leaving within the hour as they prepare to take the Brattain in tow.

As they begin to embark, it's obvious they're not going anywhere. Engines won't respond. Other systems are failing and power is seemingly leaking from the ship. After detailed analysis by Data, it's determined that they are stuck in a Tyken's rift. So named after Captain Tyken, whose ship was in a similar rip in space, bleeding power to the rift. Tyken's experience makes no mention of sleep disturbances or paranoid, aggressive behavior among his crew. Crusher discovers that the only person on board that is able to dream is Troi - everyone else is being deprived of REM sleep and the deprivation is slowly driving them insane... all without explanation.

How are they going to get out of this one? They can't move. They are bleeding power and the crew is starting to lose their wits, with eruptions of violence occurring in Ten Forward and Worf attempting ritualistic suicide due to his plaguing feeling of fear.

Many memorable scenes - probably the most creepy scene is Dr. Crusher in the morgue, as the dead crew-members of the Brattain appear to come to life. This is truly an episode that has the viewer on the edge of their seat.

Wow! That's wierd!
How odd! What a strange stance the away team takes on finding only one person alive on the USS Brattain while all the others are dead. That's...um... I can't describe it. This film is kind of strange when you watch it. It'll probably make you experience the same mental deterioration just like the crew on the Enterprise suffers. It's kind of scary when no one is able to dream. If we can't dream! what's the point of sleeping? Anyway! I know that this is just a movie, and I know that this ain't real. Anyway! I highly recommend this trek video to new future Star Trek fans. Buy it and enjoy.

The Enterprise crew adrift in space and unable to dream
The Enterprise discovers the USS Brattain, which has been missing for 29 days, floating along in space. The away team finds everybody on board dead with the exception of a Betazoid male in a catatonic state. When Counselor Troi tries to reach him telepathically all she gets from him is insane babbling. Dr. Crusher's examination of the dead on Brattain suggests the entire crew simply went insane and killed themselves. Remaining in the area to investigate this mystery, the Enterprise crew then begins to experience their own mental deterioration, compelling Crusher to suggest they leave the area before anything really bad happens. Picard agrees, but suddenly none of the propulsion systems on the ship work. After everybody gets a bad feeling about this Data discovers they are caught in a rift in space that absorbs their energy and prevents them from moving. Obviously this is what happened to the Brattain. The only solution is to use a gigantic explosion to free them. However, it so happens for the purposes of this story that the Enterprise cannot produce the required explosion. Then, to make things really interesting, Crusher scans the brains of the dead Brattain crew and discovers each has a chemical imbalance caused by (you ready for this?) a lack of dreaming. This same imbalance affects everybody on board except for Data (duh) and Troi, who is half-Betazoid. The Ship's Counselor is beset by the same recurring nightmare, which bears a striking resemblance to the rantings on the still comatose patient in sickbay. What ever could this all mean?

"Night Tremors" is an average example of the STNG episode where the Enterprise stumbles across some intergalactic mystery that threatens their very lives. The solution to their problem is somewhat ingenious except for the fact that the problem is rather contrived in the first place. Good thing this particular starship had an android AND a Betazoid aboard. The episode title sort of suggests that we would see the entire Enterprise crew confronted with their nightmares and that certainly would have been much more interesting than what we end up with here.

Night Terrors
I believe when the writers where writing this episode they wanted to make it a diffrent episode. Something we usually don't see in Star Trek. Well that is very true this is quite a diffrent episode from others. The crew begins to suffer from sleep deprivation and things on board the USS Enterprise get a little strange. ... Read more

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Qte Show
Any episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation which features the wonderful John DeLancie as the mischievous Q and Jennifer Hetrick as Picard's "friend" Vash is bound to be excellent, and this definitely lived up to my expectations. Picard as Robin Hood! Data as Friar Tuck! Yes, an hour well spent!

Worf ........."I am not a Merry Man!"
As Worf said ..."I am not a Merry Man!" Q returns with Picard's former love, Vash. She spent some time with him in another episode about a artifact buried on Risa. This one has Q in the era of Robin Hood with ....You guessed it Picard as the swashbuckler Robin Hood. There are quite a few good scenes in this one that make it worth the price of the video. I love the scenes with Data as Little John. It's one of those that can stand repeated viewings and still be enjoyable. This one must have broke the budget for the year. The costumes and stunts were very much like a Robin Hood movie.

Q turns Picard into Robin Hood for some merry mayhem
This is far and away the least of the Q episodes in the long run of STNG. Picard is hosting an archeological conference aboard the Enterprise when who to his wandering eye should appear but Vash, whom we first met in "Captain's Holiday" (Episode 67). When Vash finds out the Captain never said anything about her to his crew she is a bit peeved, but Picard has bigger problems. Q arrives upon the scene and wants to give Picard a gift as payment for the Captain's help in "Deja Q" (Episode 61). Of course, Picard refuses, but Q is not deterred. Meanwhile, the friction increases between Vash and Picard because she feels he is embarrassed to be seen with her and he learns she showed up because she wants to do some illegal digging on the planet below. Q finds this all very amusing and warns Picard that being emotional over a woman only leads to tragedy. To prove his point Q waits until Picard begins his keynote address at the conference to turn his officers into characters from Robin Hood and then send them all off to Sherwood Forest. Of course, Picard is Robin, Vash is Maid Marion, held captive in Nottingham Castle where she will be executed the next morning unless she is rescued. Picard goes off to rescue her and the wackiness continues.

The title of this episode is a lot cuter than the episode. "Qpid" is one of those shows were you just have to put it off to the cast having fun (just think of Worf as a "Merry Man" wearing that little green hat). I guess not every adventure with Q can focus on the end of the galaxy as we know it. Certainly the conclusion of the episode reminds us there are no happy endings when Q is involved, although the old saying that two wrongs make a right somehow comes to mind. It would have been much more interesting to have Vash return without Q in terms of having fun with his awkwardness over her presence. This is not as much fun as when they make fun of Picard's romantic side when Lwaxana Troi is around, but I know my reflections are colored by the fact that two excellent but tragic episodes regarding the Captain's love life are coming down the road.

Merry Men
When the TNG writers add the beloved Q character into the mix, the very idea of taking anything too seriously is thrown out the window, including the oh-so-pensive Captain Picard. In this episode, the crew of the Enterprise trades in their ever-needing-to-be-strightened unforms for the feathered caps and earth-tone tights of Robin hood and his Merry Men. Much fun. Plus, Picard's unpredictable romatic-interest, Vash, is re-introduced. The Vash-Q combo manages to keep the entire Star-Trek menagerie on their toes making this one of the best episodes of The Next Generation. ... Read more

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Not The Silliest Episode I Ever Saw!
The silliest episode? No, the silliest and worst episode would have to be an episode from season 2 called Samaritan Snare. Galaxy's Child may not be the best TNG episode but I think it's pretty good and I thought it was great to have Dr. Leah Brahms back only I was hoping the character would come back again at least as a recurring character. Maybe it's just me but I thought it was a very touching, moving episode of Geordi and Dr. Brahms working together not only to save the Enterprise but also the baby of the alien lifeform that was accidently killed and the baby was only trying to take energy from the Enterprise because it thought it was it's mother.

The Enterprise becomes a nursing mother to a space baby
As a general rule of thumb, when an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation tries to do some variation on an episode of the original series, such as "The Naked Now" (Episode 3), it is a bad sign; but when the series extends off of its own episodes, as is the case with "Galaxy's Child," it is a good sign, a very good sign indeed. In "Booby Hatch" (Episode 54) La Forge became enamored of Dr. Leah Brahms when he worked with a holographic recreation of her while doing creative problem solving. The Enterprise's Chief Engineer had been having more than his fair share of women problems and he hit it off very well with the computer's version of Brahms. Now the real version is coming aboard the Enterprise and La Forge can hardly contain himself: he just knows that he and Leah will be good friends. However, when Dr. Brahms arrives she immediately accuses him of messing up her engines. No matter what La Forge tries it does not work with this woman, who would need to be beamed outside the ship to even begin warming up to the guy. Just when you think things could not get any worse between these two, Brahms discovers the holodeck version of herself that La Forge created and assumes he has been using her as recreation (remember Barclay's "Goddess of Empathy" from "Hollow Pursuits"?).

Meanwhile, the Enterprise discovers a new form of life, a sort of space whale that lives in space and eats by extracting energy directly from stars. When the creature attacks the Enterprise, Picard orders a low-intensity phaser burst and is horrified when the mild response kills the creature. Data discovers there are new energy readings from the creature. Concluding the creature was pregnant, the crew uses the phasers to do an emergency Caesarian and release the baby, which then attaches itself to the ship and begins nursing on the Enterprise's energy. Now the question becomes how to wean the baby before it destabilizes the ship's power supply. Fortunately the person who designed the warp engines just happens to be on board, where she is about to proceed with the dismantling of the Chief Engineer without even using any tools.

This is a painful episode to watch as Geordi gets shot down by the woman of his holodeck dreams. This pain is somewhat reflected in the other plot line when Picard realizes his actions are responsible for the death of this wondrous space creature. "Galaxy's Child" runs against the traditional romantic impulse that compels us to want the characters to live happily every after, which is certainly a turn for a more realistic depiction of what life is like to be sure. Everyone can relate to getting carried away with your feelings for someone who has virtually no clue that you even exist and who has a life of their own that you have failed to take into account. This is one of the best "romance" episodes on the series.

The sillyest episode I ever saw.
The alien creatures in this show look like Tube worms in space, and as useual, Picard acts like a wimp.

Geordi Has A Girlfriend? Not really!
One of the quieter storlines going through most of the NG seven year run is LaForge's lack of success with women. It seems that the only place he can find a good woman that likes him is on the holodeck.

This is when he met the beautiful Ms. Brahms. He had used an image of her on the holodeck in an earlier episode to help him with a technical problem. He gave her a warm personality which suited his desires.

In this episode he finally meets her. But she is somewhat cold and distant, and he soon learns she is married, which naturally crushes him.

He is humiliated when she discovers the saved program that Geordi created. The storyline that accompanies it is somewhat interesting, and some would say uplifting.

I would give this episode 4 stars, but 3 is a better fit. It just seems to miss something that the series is so rich in. But if you are a Geordi LaForge fan, this is a must-have episode. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An episode that almost rises to the level of insipidness
"Identity Crisis" is arguably the worst of the STNG episodes focusing on Geordi La Forge. It seems that five years earlier La Forge was part of an away team from the USS Victory that investigated the disappearance of a colony on Tarchannen Three. One of the other members of that team, Susanna Leitjen has joined the Enterprise, and the two old shipmates learn that two of the other members of that original away team have . . . disappeared! So here is the Enterprise, investigating the site of the missing colony on Tarchannen Three and here is poor Susanna spouting blue veins on the back of her neck while the middle fingers on her hands weld together. What is she changing in to? Could La Forge be next? Of course, La Forge is next, because this is a predictable plot with a mumbo jumbo explanation for why bad things are happening to good people. For some reason this episode reminds me of e-mails you get warning you not to open dangerous e-mails that will destroy your computer (no downloading a file, just opening e-mail mind you). This is hokey science fiction foisted upon characters who are forced to act stupidly to advance the plot. If you like this episode you should know that they took the word "gullible" out of the dictionary.

Okay, okay, its not that bad. But its not a good episode.

Not one of the best.
I thought this episode was one of the weirdest. I usually like weird but this went its own way. I not quite sure how to explain what happened to Geordi and many of the people on his pevious ship but they are mighty ugly. If you are getting just a few of the videos in the series skip this one, go for one of the many other fabulous episodes like cause and effect. If however you are going for the complete collection it's a must. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Puss in Boots
This is a great movie. It's real light hearted and comical. The characters are all very love-able, except for the ogre of course! I also thought it was neat that all the main characters are African American. I highly recommend this film if you're looking for a good, clean, fun movie to enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Prime Directive is put to the test in this interplanetaryexamination of the war on drugs. While studying an irregular star, theEnterprise answers a distress signal from a ship that is being pulledinto a planet's gravity. When contacted, the captain of the ship comes across as fatalistic and possibly drunk. When told to put his crew in the transporter, he ships over his cargo instead, forcing the Enterprise to scramble to try andsave the crew. The cargo is Felicium, a hyper-refined drug needed by the Ornarans to fight a plague on their planet. Unfortunately, the payment for the drug goes down with the ship. The emissaries from the other planet, the one that produces the drug, don't want to let go of the cargo without payment because production of Felicium is their planet's only industry. When Dr. Crusher discovers that the drug is a narcotic and not a cure, Picard has a moral decision to make that will affect both planets. Meanwhile, Wesley has a lot to learn about the history of drug addiction in various cultures. Though a little preachy, the restrictions of the Prime Directive ultimately make this episode interesting. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An entire planet held in chemical slavery
Throughout the history of Earth, when advanced cultures encounter others with a lower level of technology, there is rarely a merging of the cultures to create a new one. The advanced culture generally annihilates the lower one, or at the very least renders it a fraction of what it was. Even today, localized Amazonian cultures are being destroyed as their land is taken over by developers. Therefore, one of the greatest ideas put forward in the original Star Trek series was the principle of the Prime Directive, where Star Fleet personnel are sworn to avoid interference in any culture they may encounter. However, after it was initially put forward, many of the subsequent episodes in the original series tended to ignore it. Therefore, one of the most positive features of the next generation was the change where the Prime Directive was once again taken seriously.
In this episode, the Enterprise is on a routine scientific mission when they receive a distress signal from an ancient freighter. After rushing to their aid, the Enterprise crew finds the freighter crew behaving strangely, more worried about rescuing their cargo than themselves. It turns out that the system contains two planets, Ornara and Brekke, where there is a centuries long plague on Ornara, held in check by a product produced by Brekke. The only industry on Brekke is the production of the "cure" and Ornara is their only customer. After observing the reaction when the victims are treated, Dr. Crusher realizes that the cure is in fact a drug, and the plague was cured centuries ago, something that the Brekkians have understood for centuries, but they have never informed the Ornarians of that fact.
Dr. Crusher vehemently argues with Captain Picard that he must do something to alter this situation, but he refuses, citing the Prime Directive as the justification for his inaction. In order to maintain their market, the Brekkians finally agree to let the Ornarians have the drug on credit, but Picard manages to find a way to alter the situation without violating the principles of the Prime Directive.
It was pleasing to see that, despite strong pressures to the contrary, Picard sticks to the principles of the Prime Directive. He clearly understands that what may appear to be the proper action in the short term can often be a long-term disaster. The short conversation that he has with Dr. Crusher in the turbo lift is one of the classic scenes in the series, where he is speaking as a person rather than as the captain.
The ending is also a classic one, where even though Picard understands that he had no choice, he still dislikes it. I have said many times that Start Trek is at its best when the Enterprise crew is interacting with new cultures. In this case, the interaction is a troubling one, where one planet is held in a state of chemical slavery by another one. Nevertheless, Picard is able to find a solution, although it is not one that leaves a residue of good feeling.

The martians that say, "take me to your dealer"
Symbiosis......or ....How much for that shipment of Felicium?

In this episode of Next Generation; Picard deals with a dependent culture on drugs. The Ornarans and the Bekkians. The Ornarans are the dependents and the Bekkians produce the "cure" for a disease that has left the Ornaran planet long ago. The only dramatic sequence was when Merritt Butrick's character, "T'Jon" threatens to zap Riker with the electrical powers he possesses. If he doesn't get his dose of the Felicium it's over for our favorite first officer. Other than that there is a struggle between both worlds who depend on the other for survival.

It's one of those episodes that you can live without unless you want to see Merrrit Butrick in a role other than Kirk's son. Judson Scott, from the Wrath of Khan makes and appearance here as the Bekkian leader.

One of the better Prime Directive episodes of Star Trek
In the Star Trek comic book there were a couple of issues devoted to Jim Kirk being on trial for violating the Prime Directive with characters from various episodes getting their chance to point accusing fingers, sort of like the last episode of "Seinfeld." The moral high ground of the Prime Directive is certainly idealistic in its conception, but it results in a host of Star Trek episodes dealing with how hard it is to obey the letter of the law when confronted with the inequities of the universe. As a drama based on the imperative of obeying the Prime Directive no matter what the situation, "Symbiosis" is one of the best of these episodes.

In "Symbiosis" Picard stumbles upon a con game of interplanetary proportions. Responding to a distress call from an Onaran freighter, the first attempt to transport the crewmembers to saftey results in the arrival of the ship's cargo instead. Yar rescues four of the crew, two Onarans and two Brekkians, all of whom care more for the rescued cargo then their dead mates. The cargo in question is Felicium, a medicine that is the only product produced by the Brekkians for their only customers, the Onarans. It appears the Onarans suffer from a deadly plague and that Felicium, while not curing the disease, is the only thing that relieves the symptoms. However, Dr. Crusher runs her tests and discovers Felicium is not a medicine, but a drug. The Onarans are not ill, they are addicted, and the Brekkians have been exploiting this situation for generations. Even though the payment for this shipment was destroyed with the freighter, the Brekkians give the Felicium to the Onarans, because otherwise the addiction will wear off and the Onarans will finally figure out they have been tricked. Of course, despite Crusher's vehement insistence that they must expose the Brekkians' charade, Captain Picard can not violate the Prime Directive.

It occurs to me that Gene Roddenberry and his heirs needed to learn a lesson from Isaac Asimov when it comes to this Prime Directive nonsense. Asimov, who's work is echoed in the idea that Data has a positronic brain, developed not one but three initial Laws of Robotics, because he knew that one black and white rule was not going to be good enough in a universe of shifting grays. The Laws of Robotics, like the Prime Directive and the Golden Rule, are all based on the same dictum, expressed in the Hippocratic Oath as "first, do no harm." To do nothing in regards to the situation on Onara is to do harm. Silence assumes assent, and Starfleet has assented to too many evils in the name of the Prime Directive. There has to be a better way, but too much water has gone over the dam at this point to really fix the problem. Besides, it is not like Starfleet ever courtmartials Kirk, Picard or Sisko (So why does Janeway keep obeying the Prime Directive while Voyager is stuck on the far side of the universe?). I still think that having a series of rules similar to Asimov's laws, that would require Picard and crew to work out what is or is not acceptable in a given situation, would have been a good idea.

Prime Directive
This often overlooked and underrated gem is one of my favorite episodes from Season 1 of the Next Generation. In most episodes the Prime Directive is used as a stumbling block. Here we see how important the Prime Directive really is. Look for guest spots by Star Trek II's Merritt Butrick (Kirk's son David) and Judson Scott (One of Khan's followers). Also this is the last episode filmed with Denise Crosby (Skin of Evil was actually filmed before this episode). Look for her wave at the end as Picard and Crusher exit the Cargo Bay. A really interesting and cleverly written episode. ... Read more

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And you thought gremlins were trouble...
Starring Zach Galligan of "Gremlins" and "Waxworks" fame, "The Lawrenceville Stories" are an innocent and impish foray into the friendships and rivalries of silver-tongued "Hickey" Hicks (Galligan), entrepreneur Doc Macnooder (Albert Schultz), and the sly Tennessee Shad (Nicholas Rowe). Set in a turn-of-the-century boarding school, these American Playhouse adaptations of Owen Johnson's "The Prodigious Hickey" and "The Tennessee Shad" are gently funny programmes suitable for the whole family. Movies which do books justice are few and far between, but when you have such fine actors in roles replete with witty dialogue and good-natured pranks, it's easy to overlook a plot change or two... Well worth the purchase if you're a fan of PBS programming.

Decent Disney Mini-Series
This 3 part mini-series is about students at the Lawrenceville School. As a former student there, i found the film most interesting. Unfortunately, it is a way more innocent version of my high school experience. It is still entertaining. The antics of Hickey, Doc McNooter and Tennessee Shad are quite fun while the Headmaster fights to keep it all together. An enjoyable 3 hours. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Federation freighter Odin has been disabled by an asteroid. There are no signs of life on the ship, but three escape pods are missing, so the crew of the Enterprise take a trip to the nearest planet, Angel One, to see if they can locate any survivors. The civilization on Angel One is "similar to mid-20th-century Earth," except the gender roles are switched. Women are the hunters and natural leaders, while the men aretreated as pretty ornaments and playthings. You can imagine how well that playswith Riker. But it's Riker who, in pure Shatner mode, nearly gets lucky with theleader of Angel One, Mistress Beata (Karen Montgomery). Well, it turns out thethree survivors are fugitives from justice because they've been inspiring themen on the planet to campaign for equal rights, and the women just don't likethat. Meanwhile, the Enterprise has been incapacitated by a mysterious virus. The obvious politics of this episode are nicely balanced by the entertainingly "girlish" costumes worn by the men on the planet. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Klingons appreciate strong women."
"Angel One" undoubtedly was intended to be an insightful commentary on the nature of gender dynamics and sexual politics when it was originally conceived. Unfortunately, it comes across as something that not even the most generous viewer would describe as "enlightening." Essentially it wound up in its final form as something closer to the television equivalent of bird cage liner.

The Enterprise-D arrives at planet Angel One to search for survivors from a lost Federation freighter. They discover that the male survivors are considered fugitives due to their refusal to embrace the planet's matriarchal ruling structure. Yet, the men refuse to return to the Federation when discovered because they have found spouses on the planet. After the fugitives are captured, Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) attempts to transport them to the Enterprise-D but abandons his plan when the danger of shipwide contamination by a virus from the planet arises.

Watching Riker save the day in "Angel One" by relying on his "manliness" will either strike you as offensive or will cause you to guffaw uncontrollably. Either reaction is undesirable and speaks to the multitude of problems inherent in this episode from start to finish. Even if you disregard the sloppily-constructed male-female-battle-of-the-sexes angle of the story, the manner in which the threatening virus and the danger in the Neutral Zone come out of left field makes you wonder if any care or serious creative thought actually went into the writing of "Angel One." Ring up this outing as one of the low points of the first season and an episode to avoid whenever it appears as a re-run on cable television.

Riker does the "When in Rome . . ." thing
One of the plot lines of this episode involves the recurring theme that I consider the greatest weakness of TNG. The chief medical officer of the Enterprise, whether she be Crusher or Polaski, never seems able to handle medical problems quickly. When medical problems arise, in this case a dangerous viral infection spreading throughout the crew, Crusher's lines reduce to variations of "I don't know . . .". Considering that only the very best medical minds could be in Star Fleet and the Enterprise is the flagship of the Federation, it is absurd to believe that the only officer who can overrule the captain would appear to be so lacking in capability. Of course, she eventually stumbles on the solution and the crew is cured.
The second major plot line involves the Enterprise searching for survivors of an accident involving another ship. When the ship was destroyed, the nearest planet is one where women are the dominant sex and the males are smaller and subservient. The Enterprise goes to the planet and establishes contact in an attempt to search for survivors. It turns out that there were survivors and they are the leaders of a mini-rebellion against the matriarchal hierarchy.
While it is sensible that Riker would adopt the appropriate attire for a meeting with the headmistress of the planet, his interaction with her is absurd. At one point in Riker's conversation with her, when he is arguing against the death sentence pronounced against the rebels, the headmistress ends a line with , " . . . that attitude." Commander Riker is the second in command of the Federation flagship and a trained diplomat. The headmistress is of course the leader of a planet and also must be a diplomat. It is very hard to believe that they would engage in a conversation at the level of a lover's quarrel. People in their positions would not speak to each other that way.
The premise of a female dominated society is an interesting one, worthy of being the major plot in an episode. However, the implementation leaves a lot to be desired and I consider this one of the weaker TNG episodes.

Shirtless Riker Ain't No Kirk!
Angel One or......Shirtless Riker ain't no Kirk!

In this episode a repeat of Roddenberry's "Genesis 2" concept is part of the plot. The short version?.....Well folks, Mistress Beata is going to execute a band of rebels on her home world. Riker, Tasha and Troi are part of the away team. It's a place were women rule men! Commander Riker must avert what could be a terrible war. Hey.....this sounds like it could be a good Saturday Night Live routine!

Riker on the Planet of the Reverse Gender Stereotypes
One look at the original crew of the Next Generation and it is clear that Gene Roddenberry was interested in advancing gender equality in the 23rd century. The original Enterprise just had Uhura at Communications, but now we have a female Chief Medical Office, Security Chief and Counselor (although the first couple of seasons of "Deanna Troi, Babe Counselor" rather counterproductive, only reinforced by the fact that Marina Sirtis looked a lot sexier in a regulation Starfleet uniform). The idea of gender equality was also advanced in several first season episodes, most notably "Angel One." The title is the name of a planet where not only is there a matriarchal society, but we find the female hunters to be bigger and stronger than the males. Consequently, Angel one is the Planet of Reverse Gender Stereotypes, an idea that is played out to the point that Riker gets to wear one of the skimpy little outfits worn by the native men. The conflict is that there is a group of men, who landed on the planet in their escape pods from a Federation freighter, who wanted to be treated equally to the women. Better yet, there are a group of dissident women who want to treat them that way as well.

"Angel One" represents Star Trek's enduring commitment to providing allegorical critiques of contemporary concerns. However, the fact that once again it is the presence of the enlightened Terrans that bring understanding to the alien culture is getting a bit repetitive, but then the captains of the Enterprise always like to skirt the Prime Directive whenever possible. Speaking of being repetitive, I notice that this is the fifth time in the first fifteen episodes that the Enterprise has responded to some sort of medical emergency. Life sure is rough in that quadrant during the 23rd century. You would think Starfleet would just station a medical vessel out there and let the Enterprise get back to its mission of exploration. ... Read more

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The crew's much-needed shore leave has to be postponed when they runacross anomalies in the space-time continuum. Hiccups in time are causing occasional moments of déjà vu. The distress signal from Dr. PaulManheim (Rod Loomis), a scientist who's been working on experiments in nonlineartime, puts Picard into a bit of an emotional funk. You see, 22 years prior, Picard was supposed to meet a woman in a café in Paris--a woman whom he loved and who loved him. He stood her up for fear of being tied down by a relationship, choosing instead his Starfleet career. Needless to say, the old flame (Michelle Phillips) ended up marrying Manheim, and now it's up to Picard and the crew of the Enterprise to save them both. "We'll Always Have Paris" is an engaging examination of the personal sacrifices made bya workaholic, played against the backdrop of a smart, action-packed story. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Picard relives a moment of great weakness
On their way to a base to engage in some much-needed shore leave, the Enterprise suddenly experiences a brief looping of time. After verifying that the loop did indeed occur, they discover that it was not an isolated event, as it propagated across several thousand light years. Shortly after this, they receive a distress call from Dr. Paul Manheim, a scientist known to be conducting research in the fundamentals of time.
The situation is complicated because Manheim's wife is Captain Picard's first love, someone he was to have met in a café in Paris many years ago, but didn't due to an admitted lack of courage. Which raises the interesting human dilemma that some people who find it easy to face down physical danger fold like a cheap tent when faced with emotional danger. In order to prepare himself for meeting, Picard goes to a holodeck and has it recreate the café where the meeting was to take place.
Arriving at the laboratory, the Enterprise is able to rescue Dr. Manheim and his wife, the only two members of the research time still alive. Clearly, there is still a great deal of attraction between Picard and Mrs. Manheim, which stirs feelings of jealousy in Dr. Crusher. Dr. Manheim is phasing between dimensions, which is damaging his body, so we are once again made to suffer through more instances of Dr. Crusher saying she doesn't know what to do.
Eventually, Dr. Manheim recovers enough of his senses to explain to the Enterprise crew how to bypass the security system in his lab and heal the rift between the dimensions. Data beams down alone and manages to place antimatter in the rift at the right time so that it is sealed.
In terms of human interest with Picard as the focus, this is one of the best episodes in the series. We see him reliving his past, clearly with some sense of regret over his inability to let his emotions take some control over his life. While it is not part of the plot, it does raise the issue that perhaps that is one of the reasons why he is an excellent star ship captain. The feelings of jealousy in Dr. Crusher are also very evident, and both characters play their emotional conflicts very well. The ending scene where both Picard and Mrs. Manheim are in a holodeck simulation of the Parisian café is a classic example of two people putting closure to a part of their life. While they both still have deep feelings for each other, they clearly understand that they must part and they do so with a great deal of dignity.
The one part of the episode that I found detrimental was the role of counselor Troi, whose actions seem out of synch with the rest of the plot. When Picard first realizes that he will be meeting his first love, he obviously reacts with strong emotion. Before Picard can even leave the bridge, Troi stops him and offers him counseling services. We do not need to be told that Picard is undergoing emotional turmoil and he is rightfully annoyed at what should be considered an intrusion. Later, Troi approaches Dr. Crusher, expressing concern over her feelings of jealousy. Once again, this is an instance of over-zealous counseling. The feelings are of no danger to the ship and one would hope that the crew would be able to express natural emotions without having the counselor attempting to get involved in every instance.
Relying on one of the oldest themes in human existence, finding a long lost love, this episode shows Picard at his most vulnerable, where even he demonstrates weakness. Despite this, Picard also shows his greatest strength, in leading the Enterprise crew to the successful completion of a task that had to be done. This episode is good, but not great, slightly better than average when compared to all others.

Au contraire....
Contrary to the review "Time Distortion" just previous, I would have to say that chemistry of a former affair between the characters of Picard and Jenice was, in fact, in evidence. But this former connection was played with subtlety and maturity, not foolish hot kissing and furtive groping, as is so much in evidence on current television. The former affair would have had its after effects, years later, very plausibly in the way it was protrayed. It made an interesting foil to the time distortion story, as well as help to flesh out the human side of Picard's normally brusque character, a necessary development in the first season towar