2.21 Peak Performance

Rating: 2

Under the critical eye of the arrogant Mr. Kohlrami, the Enterprise and Captain Picard square off in war games against the crippled Hathaway and Captain Riker. But a surprise visit from a Ferengi ship bent on profit makes it suddenly serious.

Comments

Armin Shimerman is back, playing a Ferengi named Bractor this time. The Ferengi are different once again. Now, they sound almost fierce, like tiny Klingons.

This episode’s script attempts to be clever, but it has too many weaknesses, plot holes, and unanswered questions.

Nits

This is the best plan they could come up with to outsmart the Ferengi: the Enterprise will fire numerous times on the Hathaway and count on the untested warp engines to fire up and effect an escape just before they are blown to bits. Hmmm, if that hadn’t worked, Picard would have had some ’splainin’ to do!

And how did Worf do his little faux ship trick on the Ferengi? He had access codes for the Enterprise, but he had no such codes for the Ferengi ship. And if that was enough to scare the Ferengi away, why didn’t he do it before the Enterprise fired upon the Hathaway?

Memorable Moments

•    None, really, although watching Pulaski apologize to Data was somewhat satisfying.

Quotable Quotes

"Mr. Kohlrami, when I agree to do something, I do it. Would you care to surrender now, Captain?"
– Riker

Worf: I have wagered heavily in the ship’s pool that you will take him past the sixth plateau.
Riker: And if I don’t?
Worf: I will be…irritated.

"You’re better than good, you’re great, brilliant, it’s gonna be fun, carry on."
- Riker’s strange run-on motivational speech sentence to Wesley and Geordi

"I’m less than one hour away from a battle simulation and I have to hand-hold an android."
– Picard

"I busted him up."
- Data