1.14 11001001

Rating: 3.5

The Binars, a highly advanced race whose culture is inextricably linked to computer technology, perform what is supposed to be routine maintenance and improvements on the Enterprise, but instead hijack the ship.

Comments

In Where No One Has Gone Before, the Traveler was also supposed to perform routine maintenance and make improvements, but his tinkering almost caused the Enterprise to be lost forever. Maybe it’s time for the Federation to evaluate its policy toward allowing alien races to tinker with the ship.

When Picard and Riker emerge from the holodeck together and find that their ship has been commandeered, they attack the problem and remain side by side and in step at almost all times. It took three viewings for me to see the similarities between their joined-at-the-hip behavior and that of the Binar pairs. Perhaps the creators were trying to draw a parallel between the Binars need to work in pairs, and the Picard/Riker relationship.

Nits

Everyone evacuates the ship; then, when it is too late, suddenly someone asks, "Hey, what about the Binars?" They were totally forgotten about in the evacuation?

Memorable Moments

•    Any external views of the space station – the special effects are impressive.

•    Two binars are speaking, their heads close together. Their heads split, and in the background, we can now see Wesley, intently studying them (nice camera angle).

•    Picard and Riker’s drill of the computer when they emerge from the holodeck into red alert.

Quotable Quotes

"What’s a knockout like you doing in a computer generated gin joint like this?"
– Riker to the hologram Minuet

Yar: Believe it or not, Worf is developing a sense of humor.
Riker: I hope so, for their sake.
(Riker is referring to Worf’s upcoming Parisi Squares contest).