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

Reviews (2)

Jean-Luc Picard would kill for the love of Lwaxana Troi...
This episode concludes with the funniest scene in the entire run of STNG. The Enterprise is attending a trade conference on Betazed, where Daimon Tog expresses an interest in a very unreceptive Lwaxana Troi. After the Enterprise leaves, Riker and Troi stay behind for a little shore leave. Lxwana joins them for a nice picnic when they are kidnapped by the Ferengi captain, who, as you recall, does not like the idea of females, "hu-man" or otherwise, being clothed. Eventually Picard learns of the abductions and the Enterprise gives chase. Meanwhile, Lwaxana makes Daimon Tog an offer he can not refuse: let Deanna and Riker go, and she will willingly stay with him. However, Lwaxana has failed to tell the Ferengi that Jean-Luc Picard is a very jealous lover . . .

The final scene, where Picard waxes poetic, spouting Shakespeare while threatening Daimon Tog, is absolutely hysterical. After all, Lwaxana is always giving Jean-Luc grief about all those amorous thoughts he has about her, which only makes this scene that much funnier. Besides, "Menage A Troi" does give you plenty of that fun mother-daughter interplay between Majel Barrett and Marina Sirtis. A fun episode from start to glorious finish.

A real winner.
This episode is one of the funniest EVER! When Deanna's mother shows up, she creates all KINDS of problems including the whole deal with her calling Deanna "Little One". Funniest scene is at the end, when Picard's reciting Shakespeare to the Ferengi who kidnapped Lwaxana and her...trying to conivce them of his "sincerity"

Lwaxana: I have a new love, Jean-Luc. And you can't keep killing all my lovers, now that simply has to stop.

Ferengi: KILLING?

Lwaxana: Oh, he's insanely jealous.

This one is really great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The oft-hinted romantic spark between Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) flares a bit in this episode written by Nick Sagan, the son of the late scientist Carl Sagan. Taken hostage by a race called the Prytt--who don't want a neighboring species, the Kes, to join the Federation--Picard and Crusher eventually make a break for it but find (because of a Prytt shackling device) they are attached via their brainwaves. Subjected to uncontrollable sharing of their thoughts, the two soon discover much about each other, including an unspoken, mutual attraction. Meanwhile, Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes, who also directed the episode) wrestles with the politics of the Prytt-Kes conflict while trying to rescue his missing friends. The smoldering-love angle is played largely for its added character development rather than for soapy gratification, though it is fun to see the captain and doctor play around with possibilities. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Best P/C Video Out There!
For all the people who wanted Beverly Crusher and Jean-Luc Picard to finally come together, this is the video that you've been waiting for. The story starts out as Crusher and Picard beam to the planet Kes-Prytt to negotiate with the even-tempered Kes. However, the Prytt see this act as hostile, and capture both of them. Picard and Crusher navigate out of their cell, on the run to Kes territory. They trek through the planet, and one night, by a campfire, as they are able to read each other's minds because of the devices planet on the base of their necks, Beverly senses that Picard was once in love with her. They discuss this, and Picard admits that he was in love with her, but he was guilty when her former husband, Jack, died. They forget this, and each go to sleep. The next day, Riker negotiates with the Kes and the Prytt, convincing them to let Picard and Crusher beam back without any trouble. Picard and Crusher once again arrive at the Enterprise, and have their often dinner together. Picard asks Crusher if they should move forward from being friends, but Crusher denies, and leaves his quarters.

This was a really good video from the beginning, and in the middle you would think that Crusher and Picard would really get together in view of the discussions they have, but the don't. So, I really can't criticize Paramount, but don't watch this video in high hopes of Crusher and Picard getting together. In spite of all that, "Attached" was a really wonderful video.

If only Crusher could read Picard's mind....wait a minute!
"Attached" begins as an interesting exercise in 23rd Century democracy. The Enterprise is visiting Kesprit Three, where the majority of people, the Kes, want to join the Federation, but the isolationist minority, the Prit, want nothing to do with the strange visitors from the sky. When Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher beam down to meet with the Kes, the Prit redirect the transporter beam and capture the two Federation officers. The pair are fitted with neural transceivers in their cerebral cortexes, which the Prit intend to use to interrogate them. But a Kes operative frees them and as they flee Jean-Luc and Beverly learn tha they can read each other's thoughts because of these devices. And what things they learn.

What makes this an above average episode of STNG is the scene by the campfire where Beverly learns that Picard was in love with her during her marriage to Jack Crusher. When her husband died, Picard felt guilty about having such feelings towards the wife of his best friend and never said anything. This is certainly a fascinating revelation and sets up some interesting elements in the series' finale "All Good Things." It is also a wonderful scene between Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden. "Attached" is one of several episodes during the show's final season that really fleshed out the relationships between the characters. This is certainly a special episode for anybody who has a friend they wish was much more than a friend.

Intimate telepathic contact between Picard and Crusher
When Picard and Crusher are captured on a diplomatic away mission, telepathic enhancing devices are implanted in them, which, given time, will send and receive psi-waves. As they escape together, their telepahic contact grows as time goes by. The episode explores what it would be like to be constantly aware of somebody elses thoughts and dreams, especially if that persons loves you deeply and has done so in a quiet way for 20 years. In this episode Jean-Luc expresses his love for Beverly at long last, because it has no use denying it. There are some very moving scenes, and also some quite hillarious ones, as they slowly learn to live with each others thoughts.

If there ever was a P/C episode, than this is it.

Finally!
I have always been a strong supporter of Picard and Crusher and this episode is the one episode you must own if you love Picard and Crusher. IT was very funny and touching I jsut wish that they had kept going with them instead of putting them on the backburner in the movies. Riker and Troi are now together maybe, finally, they will get to THe Captain and the Doctor :)

Picard and Crusher . . . will they or won't they?
For all of you TNG fans, especially the ones who have felt that Picard and Crusher should be together, you won't be disappointed. This is a poignant story - one that has made it to my "favorite TNG episodes" list. I've always been a softie for a love story. The story line regarding the Kes and the Prytt is just a little bonus. The big story is Picard and Crusher. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Gambit" opens with a shocker: the crew searches for a missing Captain Picard in a seedy bar, only to be told by a Yridian eyewitness that he's been vaporized in a fight. Riker vows to track down Picard's killers, and we're off! Soon Riker is also whisked away, captured by the same band of mercenaries that offed the captain. As the crew of the Enterprise scramble to track down their leader, Riker discovers that Picard is also aboard the raiding ship, calling himself Galen and looking distinctly mean. This is a fun episode of shifting loyalties and some deliberate macho posing from both Picard and Riker, as the two feign an adversarial relationship to confuse their captors. The story line also poses interesting dilemmas as Picard and Riker try to warn the Enterprise without blowing their respective covers. Keep an eye out for The Cosby Show's Sabrina Le Beauf as the bizarrely calm Ensign Giusti. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good fun as Star Trek goes swashbuckling
Two part TNG episodes are usually "significant" in some way. This one isn't, and perhaps it's all the better for that. It's an adventure that just happens to need more than the standard 44 minutes.
The story opens with the crew investigating Captain Picard's disappearance. They are horrified to learn that he was killed in a bar fight by a group of mercenaries. A grief-stricken and revenge-seeking Riker is permitted by Starfleet to investigate what happened. While examining a looted archaeological site the mercenaries were known to have visited, the away team is attacked. Riker is abducted by the mercenaries - and finds Picard on board their ship! Picard is posing as Galen, an archaeological smuggler, in an effort to find out what the mercenaries are searching for. Meanwhile, Data is left is command of the Enterprise, and has to decide what to do next.
"Gambit Part 1" is a lot of fun. There's action and excitment, and the plot is very well constructed. There's a lot to fit in, but it never feels rushed. It's also enjoyable watching Picard and Riker acting out of character as they establish themselves amongst the scheming mercenaries.
Good old-fashioned fun.

Picard moonlights as a mercenary artifact smuggler
Receiving a report that Captain Picard was killed in a bar fight with a group of mercenaries, Riker takes the Enterprise to Baratas Three, where the mercenaries were supposedly headed. The Away Team is attacked on the planet and the mercenaries capture Riker, beam up to their ship, and disappear. The captain of the mercenary ship, Arctus Baran, wants to keep Riker as a prisoner and a potential bargaining chip with Starfleet. Riker is surprised to discover that Picard is on the ship, pretending to be Galen, a smuggler of artifacts. Meanwhile, Data, now in charge of the Enterprise, deduces that the mercenaries are dealing in stolen Romulan artifacts, figures out their next destination and heads off in pursuit.

In its later seasons STNG was enamored of two part episodes, using involving dramatic cliff hangers ("Best of Both Worlds") or monumental events (Spock in "Unification"). In that regard, the two-parter "Gambit" is the least significant of the bunch. All we really have here is a good old-fashioned swashbuckling yarn. Picard and Riker are basically pretending to be intergalactic pirates, and it is certainly fun to watch Picard be a tough guy. This is an above average episode of the series, but more importantly, it is just plain fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a satisfying conclusion to part 1. Riker and Picard are aboard a mercenary vessel, forced to fire at their own beloved Enterprise to keep the sadistic Baran from killing them. The episode is full of twists and ruses as Riker and Picard try to hide their Starfleet loyalties while dealing with the shifting alliances of the mercenary ship's crew. Back on the Enterprise, Data and Worf discover a new tension in their relationship as Worf grows increasingly frustrated with Data's slow and methodical command decisions. Richard Lynch enjoyably hams it up as Baran, but it's Robin Curtis (best known to fans as LieutenantSaavik from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock), playing a badass Vulcan named Tallera, who steals the show. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good conclusion
This conclusion to the two-part story begun in "Gambit Part I" is both fun and satisfying. Plot and counter-plot start mounting up on the mercenary ship as Picard and Riker try to figure out what the mercenaries' plan is and stay alive. But who is really in control of the situation? Meanwhile, Data is doing a very creditable job of commanding the Enterprise in their absence, but finds himself in conflict with Worf over his command decisions.
"Gambit Part II" is as tight and well written as its prequel, and there are some nice comic moments. The resolution to the mercenaries' plans on Vulcan does come as something of a surprise - but you expect the unexpected plot twist in a story like this one. And it's good to see Picard's archaeological knowledge being put to concrete use. Both parts of "Gambit" are enjoyable adventures in the old-fashioned, swashbuckling style.

Picard and Riker have fun as mercentary pirates
In Part I of "Gambit," Picard and Riker end up on a pirate ship full of mercenaries. Picard is posing as Galen, a smuggler of artifacts, while Riker. pretending to be unhappy with Starfleet, has just joined the crew. The two "defeat" the Enterprise when it shows up, mainly because Data, now commanding the ship, quickly figures out what is going on and plays along with Picard's ruse. When Picard learns that Arctus Baran, the mercenary captain, has been hired by a group of isolationist Vulcans to reassemble an ancient weapon capable of killing with a single thought, he "kills" Riker and leads a mutiny to take over command of the mercenary shift. But is it too late?

"Gambit" is a good old-fashioned swashbuckling tale, with Picard and Riker pretending to go along with the mercenaries/pirates until the time is right, and then turning the tables on them. Meanwhile, Data is actually in command of the Enterprise, which encounters a very tall Klingon (played by NBA All-Star James Worthy), who has a component for the ancient weapon. The resolution is a bit of a let down considering all the fun we have getting to that point, but this is still an above-average STNG episode. It is certainly a treat to see Picard be so bloodthirsty.

Shocking Beginning, but overall good Episode
We TNG fans are frightened when Troi makes a suprising revelation at the start. Picard is also undercover as the rogue "Galen." We also see Koral, the tallest Klingon in the history of Star Trek. He is played by James Worthy, former NBA Forward from the Lakers. So all those Sports/Star Trek fans, this is an episode for you. I rather liked this episode because two-parters always have good storylines, and this was no exception. The search for this ancient Vulcan relic ends with a bang. I would recommend this to any ST fans for it's great storyline and true TNG feeling! ... Read more

Amazon.com

First, the good news: Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) isbeing given the opportunity to captain his own ship, the Aries, on adangerous mission into a remote part of space. The bad news is that the person offering him this mission is Kyle Riker (Mitchell Ryan), his father, whom he hasn't spoken with for 15 years. Ever since his mom died, Commander Riker has had bitter feelings toward his dad, believing he was all but abandoned by the man. Elsewhere on the ship, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) has noticed that Worf (Michael Dorn) is in a particularly bad mood. With a little investigation and the help of Data and Geordi, he discovers it is the 10th anniversary of Worf's Age of Ascension, a special day that Klingons celebrate with family and pain. While Wesley figures out a way to celebrate Worf's big day, Commander Riker and his dad spar both mentally and physically, and through battle are able to say what they're feeling about each other. Trés masculine. Oh, and in a further attempt to give Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) more of a backstory, it's revealed that she used to date Kyle Riker. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Emotional pettiness has no place among commanders
Star Trek is never better when non-human cultures are being examined and it is sometimes at its' worst when emotions are involved. Star Fleet officers are subjected to the most rigorous training and psychological screening. They are clearly the best people, selected from billions of creatures in the Federation. The Enterprise is also the best ship in Star Fleet, so only the best of the best could possibly command her. Any person who commands a star ship will have enormous power, both military and economic. They possess enough power to destroy civilizations and at any time could engage in actions that could expand the Federation or plunge it into interstellar war
While human nature will remain human nature, no matter where the species goes, there are some things that just will not follow, and that is emotional pettiness. In this episode, Riker is offered the command of a Starship, where the mission is to go to a very remote place to investigate the possibility of another culture. It will take months at maximum warp to get to the location, so he will be completely autonomous. A civilian consultant to Star Fleet beams aboard to brief Riker about the mission, and it turns out to be Riker's father, from whom he is estranged. This is where the story breaks down. Riker reacts like a hurt child, at first refusing to talk with his father, and when he does, is very curt. Since Riker is being offered the command of a mission with the potential for great consequences for the Federation, an officer would not engage in such pettiness.
A secondary story concerns Worf. He is testy, even for Worf and Wesley discovers that Worf is suffering from cultural isolation. It is the tenth anniversary of his Age of Ascension, and he should engage in a ritual to mark the date. With the aid of the holodeck, Worf's friends engage in the ceremony, which involves him walking a gauntlet of Klingons armed with pain sticks. This story line improves the episode, as it gives us further insight into the Klingon culture.
While the emotional pettiness of Riker and his father drag this episode down, the events describing Klingon culture bring it back up into a good, but not great episode.

A story about Riker's Dad and a Klingon coming of age
Anbo-Jyutsu and Worf's Age of Ascension

Spoiler Alert for those of you who want to see the episode..

In this one we get to see Worf's coming of age ceremony with the Klingon Pain Sticks in the holodeck. While Wes, O'Brien and Dr. Pulaski look on.. also this one has Riker's father. He's been absent pretty much all of the time. He tells Riker he's hurting his career and has to move on. It would have been a variation of the formula if Will Riker did take command temporarily and returned to the Enterprise. I can't understand as to how he did keep turning down promotions and Starfleet still offered him the chair. Oh well, that's going to change with the new film "Nemesis."

There's no place like the Enterprise for Riker and Worf
"The Icarus Factor" is the first Next Generation episode to deal explicitly with the idea that the crew of the Enterprise has become a family. There are two plot lines in the episode, both dealing with how Riker and Worf are alienated from their families and both establishing that the spair has found a home on the Enterprise. The episode begins with a threat to our happy little family. Commander Riker has been offered command of the Aries along with a sensitive mission. Just to make things interesting the person sent to brief Riker is his father, Kyle, and it becomes very clear that these two would have to work really hard just to have a strained relationship (which involves martial arts fought blindfolded with large sticks). Meanwhile, Worf is about to celebrate the tenth anniversary of his age of ascension, but as the only Klingon in Starfleet he has no one with whom he can share the moment (which involves a ritual that uses pain sticks).

It is always interesting to me how enlightened Starfleet is by giving Riker a choice to accept a new command or not. You have to admire any sort of military structure that allows such freedom of choice, unless, of course, the episode is written so that Starfleet actually issues orders or something like that. The relationship between Riker and his father is a bit overblown: Apparently they have not seen each other for fifteen years and they can not have a civil conversation unless they are beating each other up on the holodeck. The situation with Worf offers a nice counterpoint, because his situation is more understated. Certainly the resolution to that plotline is more in keeping with the idea of family. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The death of Scully's father figures prominently in Beyond the Sea, an episode in which the agents must scrutinizie claims of psychic powers by a convicted murderer. Brad Dourif is memorable as Luther Boggs, the death row inmate who seems to possess intimate knowledge of another madman poised to strike again if he is not caught.

In E.B.E., Deep Throat resurfaces to inform Mulder about a U.F.O shot down while flying over Iraqi airspace. The agents' faith in their informant is put to the test when he deceives them, hampering in their investigation. This episode also introduces Frohike, Langly, and Byers--collectively known as the Lone Gunmen--three paranoid hackers whose conspiracy theories fuel Mulder's own search for "The Truth.". ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best pair of the first season.
If there is a prototypical "mythology" episode outside of the Pilot, it may be "E.B.E.", one of those great X-Files goose chases in which nothing is in the end for certain and you like it that way. Because it is a succinct briefing on the essential elements of the chase--Mulder and Scully's opposing talents and positions and yet unfailing mutual loyalty--and also introduces the Lone Gunmen, I often show it to X-File newbies to catch them up. But the generally-agreed best episode of the first season is "Beyond the Sea," a biting combination of paranormal mystery and personal drama that also reverses the heroes' usual roles. Brad Douriff makes one of the most memorable guest-star appearences as a death-row mass murderer who claims to have psychic knowledge of the wherabouts of some kidnapped kids. Mulder believes him to be in league with the kidnapper, but Scully is forced to consider his claim when he seems to channel her lately deceased father. The conclusion is unconventional and the script is one of the best. If you only need a small sampling of the first season before moving on to the high-production years, this is it.

two of the best episodes ever.
Beyond the sea is a little better out of the two. Beyond the sea is about scullys father dying, and two teens are missing but with the help from a death row inmate, mulder and scully search for them. Also the death row inmate has the ability to channel spirits, and of course the scully/death of her father is played out. E.B.E. is another great one, this one is about a truck hauling an alien to a control center or something like that. mulder and scully track the truck down and .......... well your going to have to buy it and see, but if youve already seen it than you already know. i would definitly buy this one.

great stuff
E.B.E. Is a great mytharc episode--four stars, but "Beyond the Sea" really stands out in this video --six stars. It continues to be one of my favorite episodes, (Along with "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'," "Momento Mori," "Closure," and "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose."

Agent Scully revealed,"Lone Gunmen" introduced
These two episodes from the first season of The X-Files are both fascinating in their own way. "Beyond The Sea," my favorite episode of the first season, is a unique in-depth character study of the female protagonist of the series. A young couple is kidnapped and it's up to FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully to use a doomed serial killer's psychic ability to save them. The killer, brilliantly played by Brad Dourif (Oscar nominee for "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) has a psychic connection to someone in Scully's life who has recently passed away and Scully shows her willingness to believe in things paranormal. "E.B.E" is somewhat less satisfying. UFO's are the focus of this episode, as the ongoing conspiracies of the series continue for Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Of note to X-Philes, "E.B.E" introduces us to the trio of Frohike, Langly and Byers, otherwise known as The Lone Gunmen, characters who will play an important role to the agents as the show progresses... Five Stars for "Beyond The Sea" Four Stars for "E.B.E" END ... Read more

Amazon.com

When dozens of loggers disappear without a trace, Mulder and Scully travel to the Pacific Northwest to investigate the possibility of foul play. Local feuds, ecological issues, and personal differences help to fan an already incendiary situation, but when evidence suggests that something else is sharing the woods with them, such human concerns turn out to be the least of the agents' worries. Darkness Falls is a classic X-Files thriller, wrought with suspense and paranoia.

In the final episode of the show's first season, The Erlenmeyer Flask, a police chase ends mysteriously as a fugitive completely disappears after being shot. Deep Throat approaches Mulder about the incident, pressing him to look deeper into the case. The investigation uncovers evidence of strange experiments, green-blooded individuals of unknown origin, and the beginnings of the conspiracy further uncovered in subsequent seasons. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

almost perfect, but the erlenmeyer flask braught it down.
well if it wasnt for the erlenmeyer flask this tape would be perfect, but i didnt find the episode that great. But darkness falls is great. Its about some type of bugs that are killing people in the forest. and of course mulder and scully along with a park ranger and some other guy go up to the forest to investigate and....well you probably know what the story developes into.

i loved this tape
i am a late x fiels fan joing the show in seaon three sumer reruns. i wached this episod in the milde of season four. i rented it than brought it. erlihymer flask is one of the most importent myhtos episodes. i loved the mulder deep thoguht relaitonship. i wishj cancer amnw as more used than he was. darkes falls is so lovible epsidoes. i lvoe mulder and sculy in the woods. this is a most have

It's what got me hooked
I love Darkness falls, I have been trying so hard to get it on video. Other than the Bermuda Triangle season 6 episode, Darkness falls is my favorite.

The two stories change the episodes viewer history forever.
Darkness Falls is a personal favorite, I videotaped it and bought the book, a class A episode.

The Erlenmeyer Flask is a favorite of mine because the ending becomes significant in the future of the show, I believe anyway. END

Two different yet excellent episodes from Season 1
These two episodes were two more highlights of the first season of The X-Files...."Darkness Falls" which won an 1994 Environmental Media Award, is also the first to feature insects...which will later be an important part of the show. The episode features some excellent acting and very good special effects, especially with the "firefly" sequences. The second episode, "The Erlenmeyer Flask" was the first season finale of the show and it marks an important change in the show's outlook. The skeptic Scully experiences the paranormal for the first time, and an event occurs that will change Agent Mulder forever. These two episodes are both excellent, but for different reasons: "Darkness Falls" is an episode that could only have been shot in Vancouver, its rainy, murky forests provide the perfect backdrop for this believable episode.. while "The Erlenmeyer Flask" is one of the better conspiracy episodes of the show. It also introduces a slogan that has become part of the show's psyche. Highly recommended. END ... Read more

Amazon.com

In an attempt to track down a lost medical transport, the Enterprise enters the lone safe corridor in an area of space known to be hazardous to warp-driven vessels. They soon encounter two aliens who demand the cessation of all warp travel in the area, claiming it will damage their planet and the space around it. This episode focuses largely on La Forge: ever the technology lover, he's happily engaged in a friendly competition with the chief engineer of another ship to seewho can get the most efficient power conversion levels. The aliens' demands foran immediate halt of all warp transport present a sudden threat to everythingthat La Forge's heart holds dear. The seriousness of the episode is nicelyoffset with a silly subplot about Data's attempts to train his cat, Spot.Geordi's speculation that Spot is a creature that by nature cannot be trained isa subtle comment on La Forge's own refusal to believe the aliens'research. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Keep the universe alive, keep to warp drive five!
The Enterprise is searching the Hekaras Corridor for a Starfleet medical transport, the Flemming, that has been missing for several days. The Hekaras Corridor was created because this sector of space has high concentrations of tetrio particles, which make warp drive dangerous. When the Enterprise encounters a debris field they are hit by a verteron pulse that kills both the warp drive and subspace communication. At that point a small space craft approaches carrying two Hekaran scientists, Roval and Sarova, a brother and sister. They explain to Picard and his crew that they planted the verteron device because all the use of warp drive in the corridor has weakened the fabric of space. The scientists believe this will endanger their planet, so they have been disabling ships trying to force Starfleet to investigate.

Apparently there are not a lot of ecological concerns in space, because while the Star Trek universe has always been a platform for talking about the social problems of the world in which its viewers live, this is one of the few times they get to lecture about the environment. "Force of Nature" ends by establishing a restriction from Starfleet that ships can only go warp five (except in cases of extreme emergency, and you know how often that happens). This is an average STNG episode; I admit I have trouble getting by the idea that warp drive is ripping apart the universe and nobody has noticed before this. The subplot of Data and Spot also rings a bit hollow.

The warp engines prove to be harmful to the universe!
An average story about Warp engines and how they can damage the universe! After investigating a Ferengi ship adrift in space, the ship is soon disabled by two aliens who board the Enterprise in an effort to convince the Federation that warp drive is harmful to the universe. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Hatfields & McCoys of outer space
After a Federation oupost is raided, the Enterprise heads to Acamar Three (it would seem that most planets in Star Trek need to have numbers connected to them) where they meet Marouk (Nancy Parsons), leader of the planet. Marouk explains that a group called "the Gatherers" is to blame for the raid on the outpost. After centuries of blood feuds, the renegade group of Acamarians who call themselves "gatherers" live as space-faring nomads, "gathering" the belongings of others.

Marouk has a sincere desire to reintegrate Acamar Three's lost sons. Marouk's servant, Yuta (Lisa Wilcox), is always at her side. She is almost like a Labrador retriever, being Marouk's "gofer" for everything and treated sometimes like a robot instead of a young woman. Riker finds her to be quite fetching and the two take a liking to each other.

Picard volunteers to help Marouk locate the clan leader of the Gatherers, Chorgan (Stephen Lee), so that they can make peace with them, give them amnesty for their "gathering" crimes and give them a piece of land so they can start to reintegrate into their society.

Unseen to everyone else, Yuta runs across an elderly Gatherer, a member of the Lornack clan, who recognizes her from years before. With a touch of her hand, the old man drops dead. Crusher finds that the man, despite his age, was relatively healthy, but died of a rare virus that was almost designed to attack him specifically. This is the second such death and a connection is made - members of the Lornack clan are dying and the only one left is Chorgan. But who could be killing off the Lornacks? Their sworn enemies were wiped out 50 years earlier?

Some sleuthing by Data and Crusher reveal the secret and Riker must beam into the middle of talks with Chorgan, Marouk & Picard to stop Yuta in her tracks.

An interesting tack on an old theme.

There's no feud like an old blood feud
Picard determines that a Federation research center was raided by the nomadic Gatherers. A century before the Gatherers had left Acamar Three during the height of the clan blood feuds that killed thousands. Marouk, the ruler of Acamar Three wants to have peace talks with the Gatherers and comes aboard the Enterprise with a small group which includes her cook, Yuta, who catches Riker's eye. During the negotiations at one of the Gatherer's camps, Yuta is talking with one of the old men. When she finds out he is a member of the Lornack clan, she touches him and he dies. While Picard tries to keep the negotiations going, Dr. Crusher works on determining how the old man died, and Riker keeps on being Riker.

Star Trek has always been against the Old Testament version of vengeance that demands an eye for an eye until everyone is blind. In that regard "The Vengeance Factor" is another variation on a standard theme, but the story of how Yuta became a living weapon deadly only to the enemy clan that all but obliterated her own, is rather fascinating. You always have to appreciate it when the writers are really able to pull off something reasonably "futuristic." Of course, when it comes to Riker, if it wasn't for bad love . . .

pretty good
This one is pretty good. As someone who has seen and is collecting them all, this is one of the first 40 that I have purchased. Out of 176 or so episodes, that should tell you something. The caracters are very believable and there isn't too much over acting. The story will hold you in for the entire episode. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This lovely episode, which clarifies and expands upon Commander Data's early existence, stars Fionnula Flanagan as Juliana Tainer, a scientist and former wife of Data's late creator, Dr. Soong. Meeting aboard the Enterprise while working to reheat the cooling core magma of a Federation planet, Juliana tells Data that she regards herself as his mother, a remark that initially does not warm the android. His memories having been erased when she and Soong fled the planet upon which he was created, Data does not directly recollect her, and suspects she wanted to have him dismantled back then anyway. The more Data observes her, however, the more he suspects something that even she doesn't know--a truth that inevitably draws them closer together. The whole fairytale-like journey of Data to become as human as possible takes a large step with this story. Brent Spiner's performance, his mix of android dispassion and vaguely mortal yearning, has never been more subtle or soulful than in this program. The episode, fortunately, gets us off the Enterprise a little while and down on the planet's surface, among earthquakes and instability that gives the show an added measure of adventure. -- Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Just pretend it never happened
I hate this episode. Not only is the premise of both story threads based on very dodgy science, it blows continuity to smithereens.
The Enterprise has arrived at a planet to help reliquefy its core, thus preventing an environmental disaster. Sure, we all believe a planet's molten core can solidify within a matter of months and be reliquefied with the injection of some plasma, don't we? One of the geologists, Juliana Taner, turns out to be Dr Soong's wife - hitherto never before referred to in any way, shape, or form. She introduces herself to Data, and we learn all about Data's childhood, and the relationship between Juliana and Dr Soong and the various androids they created together. But Data's suspicions are aroused, and an accident reveals the truth: Juliana is an android, created by Dr Soong to replace the real Juliana, who died after spending months in a coma after they had fled Omicron Theta. In the end, he decides not to tell her the truth, and he and his "mother" part happily.
The idea that an android could be passed off as human for years on end with no-one ever suspecting what she is just beggars belief. What about her weight? How does she go through the transporter? Why does she never get ill? How do the materials in her body go undetected? There is no good explanation of why Dr Soong and Lore never mentioned Juliana; and Dr Soong's character as established in previous episodes to my mind precludes him having a colleague, or any interest in anything other than his work. There's also a rather nasty set of attitudes displayed in this episode - it is made clear, yet again, that artificial life is considered inferior to biological life, even (or especially) by those who create it and profess to be friends with it.
The actress who plays Juliana, Fionnula Flanagan, does a poor job in an annoying role. The character is portrayed as almost completely self-centred, with an annoyingly proprietal attitude towards Data and very little respect for him or interest in getting to know him as he really is, rather than as she remembers him.
The one saving grace in "Inheritance" is Brent Spiner. He turns in excellent performances as Data and as a holographic Dr Soong. By the seventh season, Spiner is making it subtly clear that Data has evolved over the years. It was a wonderful stroke of luck that the producers found such a fine actor for this vital character.

Data finds his "mother" and they have so much in common...
The Enterprise is helping with a geological emergency on Atrea Four: apparently the planet's core is cooling and in danger of solidifying. La Forge and Data plan to use plasma infusion to heat up the core. Then one of the Atrean scientists happens to mention to Data that she is Dr. Juliana Tainer, the former wife of Dr. Noonian Soong who was present when Data was created. Of course Data wants to spend lots of time with "mom" and eventually he discovers an even stranger fact about Dr. Tainer: She is an android. Even more interesting, she does not know that she is an android.

Having met Data's "brother" Lore and "mother" Juliana, I am beginning to suspect that Data is the least sophisticated of Dr. Soong's creations. Juliana is unique in that she has aging routines and will eventually "die" just like a human. Juliana was fatally injured when Soong escaped from Omicron Theta (remember the Crystal entity?), and so he built an android, transferred her mind, and let her "wake up" believing she was human. The big moment in "Inheritance" is not Data discovering his mother, but his decision whether or not to honor his creator's request and not tell Juliana the truth. This ends up being an average STNG episode because we know full well from the start that there is more to Juliana than meets the eye, and we are not overly surprised by the truth. Still, there are some lovely scenes between Brent Spiner and Fionnula Flanagan. I just think this could have been a more memorable episode. Oh, and one last thought: how many millions of years do they have before the core solidifies? Do you think the Enterprise got there just in time?

"Inheritance", We Meet Data's Mom
This episode (Actually #262 on the STTNG lists) is one in which Data meets up with a woman who claims to be his "mother". Juliana O'Donnell-Soong-Trainer was once married to the man who created Data, and was there when he (and his brother Lore) were brought to life. Although Data is gratified to find this link to his past, he cannot help but suspect that there is something not quite "Human" about Juliana. He later learns that she is NOT Human -- she's another Soong android -- but she doesn't know that. Data is then faced the dilemma of whether he should reveal to Juliana that she isn't what she seems to be. This episode features excellent character acting throughout. And fans of Brent Spiner get a sort of "double dose", as he plays both Data and a holographic Dr. Soong. It's a wonderful episode. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Politically Incorrect but Outrageously Funny
Do you like "Blazing Saddles" or "Men in Tights"? How about "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"? if you like that humor, you'll live this video.
This is a take off of the Dirty Harry movies, if Clint Eastwood was played by a complete psychotic gun nut that sleeps with his Magnum. Sledge, the main character/cop is played to the hilt and no group is safe from being insulted by this staggering mass of testosterone. And it is a hoot! Thankfully they have a long suffering boss and partner for Hammer to play off of, which only leads to more hilarious situations.
If you enjoy Python or Mel Brooks, you'll love this video. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

a weird crazy trip up the Howard family tree
Dr. Crusher travels to Caldos IV (all planets in Star Trek have Roman numerals - don't forget it! Caldos was such a popular name, they had at least 4 planets! We have trillions of stars, but each star gets its own name! Why not planets?!) to attend the funeral of her maternal grandmother, Felisa Howard. We learn that Beverly's mother died when she was only a little girl and she was raised by her grandmother, so they were very close.

The colony on Caldos IV started out as a terraforming project with the sole intent of mimicing the Scottish Highlands, so bagpipes are played at the funeral and Mrs. Howard's house is a modest & traditional stone and hay country home. As the mourners leave the gravesite, Beveryly notices a dashing young man (Duncan Regehr) who tosses a camellia (Felisia's favorite flower) onto her casket and as he walks away, he looks over his shoulder and gives a heartbroken, yet seductive look to Beverly.

Beverly enters the house to gather sentimental belongings of her grandmother and she tries to tie up the loose ends in her grandmother's affairs. She catches the caretaker, Ned Quint (Shay Duffin), attempting to throw out an old brass candle holder that has been in Beverly's family for generations, and perhaps one of her most treasured family possessions. Quint claims the candle is a source of bad luck, but Beverly kicks him out of the house and is quite brusque with him.

The Enterprise stays in orbit longer than planned, to fix an unidentified power fluctuation in the weather control net on the planet, which affords Beverly more time to stay on the planet and sleep in her grandmother's house. Beverly finds her grandmother's journals and discovers that she had a young lover named Ronin for years. She falls asleep after reading the journal, having what appears to be an erotic dream, only to be awakened by a man's sultry voice. When she wakens suddenly, no one is there.

The next day, she visits the grave of her grandmother to find it covered with camellias. Continued problems w/ the weather net cause storms to break out, so she runs back to the house, to find the house filled with camellias... and once again she hears the voice of the man who woke her from her special dream. He reveals that his name is Ronin, a ghost of sorts that has loved the Howard women for 8 centuries. He begins to touch her, but she tells him to stop and he retreats.

Geordi & Data discover that Quint is behind the problems with the weather net - as he's caught, he screams a warning, "he'll kill us all!" and is suddenly killed by a plasma discharge. Beverly's tricorder scans reveal that the plasma is not what killed him.

Normally one to investigate further, she is instead drawn back to Ronin and his wiles. He tells her that lighting the family candle will keep him in corporeal (touchable) form. On the Enterprise, she lights the candle and Ronin appears to her. She resigns her post on the Enterprise and decides to become a healer on Caldos IV like her grandmother. Apparently, loving a ghost that got jiggy with her grandmother isn't creeping her out like it should be.

Data discovers energy from the cemetery similar to what killed the caretaker, Quint. Picard goes down to investigate and Ronin blasts him with his green plasma kung fu grip.

Torn between her unquenchable desire for Ronin and her loyalty to Picard, she has an epiphany as to what Ronin really is.

An interesting story, but far from the best that The Next Generation has to offer. We do see some sides of Beverly we don't normally get to see - and for character development, it's a good episode - but easily forgettable.

The Worst Episode of the Series!
Out of every episode of the long run of Star Trek: The Next Generation I have only disliked a few episodes and I have to say that Sub Rosa is the episode that I dislike the most, my #1 least favorite episode followed by Samaritan Snare at #2 and Justice at #3. Bevery Crusher is one of my favorite characters but there are much better episodes that focus on her. I think this is the worst episode of the series but of course that is just a matter of personal opinion!

Sub Rosa,...Non! Sub Standard,...Oui!
While many episodes of the series rarely focused on ship's physician, Dr. Beverly Crusher, this one does and, unfortunately, it's rather tame with little that is commendable. At the end of my initial viewing, I couldn't help but wonder the mindset behind this installment. Repeat viewings have not altered this puzzlement.

Painful
Crusher is prepared to throw in her career for the sake of her new lover, Ronin - the family ghost who has loved the women of her family since the seventeenth century. But why isn't she telling her friends what's going on? And what is the connection with the problems with Caldos II's weather control system?
Gothic romance meets Star Trek? This might have been a good idea in theory, but it didn't come off. The writing is bad and the acting is over the top. The reasons for Crusher's strange behaviour are never really made clear. The faux Scottish setting is twee. And so what if Ronin made Crusher's female ancestors very, very happy? He was a lying creep who fed on them for centuries!
I would go so far as to call this episode unwatchable.

Bizarre!
This episode where Beverly Crusher gets it on with some kind of ghostly being is the strangest episode I have ever watched, not just of a Star Trek the Next Generation episode but of any TV show period! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Repellent attitudes
As a Star Trek story, this is standard fare, combining environmental disaster, conflict between characters, a holodeck problem, and a Prime Directive dilemma. Yes, it's well made and reasonably well-written. But it lacks emotional depth, and more was needed to explain Nikolai's actions and the difficult relationship between him and Worf. And I just don't believe that anyone could transport all those people into the holodeck with no-one noticing.
I've taken one star off because of the repellent atttitudes the crew of the Enterprise display in this episode. They will not lift a finger to intervene and save the Boraalans, which they could easily do without the Boraalans ever noticing. There seems to be no place for compassion or mercy in their world, as they flatter themselves that they are acting with nobler aims than is Nikolai. Picard's posturing was particularly annoying. Where would he and his crew be if Q had not shown them some mercy in "Q-Who"?

Another Prime Directive Fiasco involving Worf's "Brother"
The Enterprise responds to a distress call from Dr. Nicholai Rozhenko, the human stepbrother of Lt. Worf, who is on Boral Two. The planet's atmosphere will disappear in 30 hours ending all life. The problem is that Rozhenko is a Federation cultural observer who has broken the Prime Directive by setting up a force field over same caves nearby a Boralan village. Disguising himself as a native, Rozhenko led the villagers into the cave. Captain Picard refuses to set up atmospheric shields to provide the villagers with long term projection, so Rozhenko ups the ante: he creates an exact replica of the caves on the Holodeck and beams the Boralans on the Enterprise as their planet's atmosphere disappears. Now Picard needs to find a new home for the Boralans while Rozhenko and Worf lead them on a "journey" to their new home.

Having pretty much exhausted the possibilities of Worf's Klingon heritage, the series brings back his human family for another one of those episodes that reminds us that Starfleet believes the universe is served by letting planets of people die because they have not achieved warp drive and are therefore unworthy of belonging to the Federation. You would think at some point somebody in the history of Starfleet would have raised some objections, ethical or otherwise. Of course, the situation is contrived so Picard cannot simply beam the Boralans back to their lifeless planet. The relationship between Worf and his brother seems forced, while the subplot regarding Picard and the man who keeps the chronicle scrolls for the village (who manages to wander off the Holodeck) carries the emotional weight of "Homeward." This is an average STNG episode, burdened by the unnecessary stepbrother relationship of the Rozhenkoes, which adds nothing to the larger questions "Homeward" tries to raise. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

'Weird Science'...Wait...Make That 'Really Weird Science'!
This late ST:TNG series entry has been the subject of much debate and the recepient of many negative comments. I cannot side with those who judge this the worst of the TNG episodes. It has many of the familiar series ingredients that makes it an engaging story, beginning with humor. Barclay obsesses needlessly about being infected with a deadly virus - Beverly informs him he simply has the flu, but only after mildly enjoying Barclay's discomfort. Riker reports to Sick Bay as well, having accidentally rolled onto a cactus in the arboretum and getting it's needles stuck in his back. Worf belches - loudly - during a meal with Deanna, ogles the waitress then Troi. Riker suffers a loss of intelligence (trouble concentrating he says) that is undeniably humorous to see develop - especially the conversation with Geordi about whether to run a level 1 diagnostic. When Picard and Data are in Sick Bay attempting to diagnose what happened to the crew they are interrupted by 'something' beating on the doors. Data scans the area with his tricorder and reports, "It is large. It is approximately 240 kilograms. It is heavily armored..." Do you really need to hear anymore to know that you should arm yourself or get out of harm's way?

Besides that the mystery builds quite nicely allowing for both suspense and intrigue. Worf becomes irriatiable on the bridge and is relieved of duties by Riker; later that night he scurry's about madly in his quarters destroying his bed and has fits of growling; Troi develops an overwhelming need to drink and later to be submerged in water; Barclays exhibits very odd behavior - even for him! However, the episode takes an unfortunate turn halfway through from which it never recovers.

But, ultimately this episode has some story elements that are intellectually difficult to accept. After Picard and Data encounter the Neanderthal Riker Data scans him with the tricorder. He then reports to Picard that Riker's cranial bone structure has increased 20% and that his brain has decreased in size. What happened to the discarded matter that once composed his brain? After the crew is 'cured' by Data's toxin how does Riker's brain reconfigure to it's natural state? Also, both Worf and Barclay are depicted as having their skin replaced or discarded in favor of the new life form they are becoming. How is their skin is repaired if it is missing completely? Actually I suppose one could suggest that in the 24th century an advanced type of reconstructive surgery process could this. Beverly did need it because of the facial damaged caused by Worf spraying her with venom.

Above and beyond all of these though is the theory that dormant genes within humans carry genetic sequences that could surface after an inexplicable event and effect such horrific changes. It simply is unbelievable and insufficiently supported. Some viewers were even offended or disturbed by the show's speculation of human's evolutionary development. Keeping in mind that Star Trek is a show that historically takes adventurous risks (indeed, "To boldly go where no one has gone before!") for such an outlandish idea a stronger scientific platform should have been developed before progressing with the production of this story. A more plausible development would have been that all the crewmembers regress to the same or near Neanderthal state that Riker does.

Still, I don't dislike "Genesis" for all it's flaws. Instead I like it because of the strong first half and also because it does dare take such a risk with storytelling. I don't necessarily agree with the theories it presents but it does make for a lively discussion.

actually not phenomenally stupid
"Genesis" is nowhere near as phenomenally stupid as the synopsis makes it sound. The basic premise is, yes, pretty darned stupid, but if one suspends one's disbelief (and if one cannot do that, why is one watching Star Trek?), there are some fun chills here.

Gates McFadden didn't have much to work with, but she created a fine eerie atmosphere. This one ends up being fun to watch (Troi scarfing down a big plate of caviar, Worf calvinistically suggesting it's too rich) -- and at least it's not preachy.

Excellent Episode That Sends Chills
....It's a television show designed to entertain. I loved this epsiode due to its suspense. The crew of the Enterprise slowly turns into different creatures due to a drug administered into Lt. Barclay. The thing that makes it exciting is that you don't know whats going to happen next and you don't know what everyone is going to turn into. Wipe the science of things out of your head and watch a classic such as this. .... 5 stars all the way.

Will Picard be a lemur or pygmy marmoset?
This is also my choice for the worst STNG episode ever. Dr. Crusher is examining Spot, Data's pregnant cat, and Reg Barclay (Dwight Schultz) in Sick Bay. She gives Barclay a synthetic T-cell that will allow his body to fight off this rare disease to which he is particularly susceptible. Meanwhile, the Enterprise is testing a new targeting program for photon torpedoes. One of them gets lost, which for some reason requires Picard and Data to get on a shuttle and go after it. They return three days later and find the Enterprise crew has de-evolved into hideous creatures. Every time some monstrosity shows up you get to guess who they really are.

I do not know a lot about genetic science, but this sounds pretty far-fetched to even me. A synthetic T-cell becomes an airborne virus and every one starts mutating like crazy? I don't think so. Nor do I think that undoing such genetic mischief is equally easy to accomplish. Certainly the make-up department does a nice job of turning the crew into various creatures. Also, the romance between Worf and Troi continues: he bites her, but this also turns out not to be a good thing. But this is a poor use of Barclay's character and when all is said and done I am left with the conclusion "Genesis" is just a lame episode.

very disapppointed
I'm afraid this is one of my least favorite episodes. The direction and filming were indeed good, but the science behind the episode was completely bogus. (I know a lot of medical people, including geneticists...they hate this ep.) Worse, and perhaps because she directed it, Gates' character,the doctor responsible for the trouble, showed absolutely NO sign of any remorse or regret for her actions...actions which caused a number of murder deaths among the crew. The only redeeming quality was the as usual high quality work of Dwight Schultz, as the neurotic and entertaining Barclay.

ST:TNG has often had trouble with its main characters being wooden or unemotional, or with weak science, but this one I just couldn't forgive. Sorry. ... Read more