6.20 The Chase

Rating: 3

Picard’s former archaeology professor, Galen, makes a surprise visit with a gift of a rare Kurlan artifact, and an invitation to join him on a year-long expedition. Picard regretfully turns him down. Soon after, Galen is killed when his shuttlecraft is attacked by Uridians. Desparate for answers, Picard foregoes his Starfleet obligations and hops from planet to planet, pursuing clues regarding Galen’s death and research.

Comments

This episode was co-written by Joe Menosky and Ronald D Moore, and directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Any episode featuring Picard is going to be a notch better, and this is an ambitious effort, featuring death, Klingons, Romulans, phaser fights, use of Picard’s long-standing archeology arc, and an allegiance to the optimistic outlook on the future. Nonetheless, the structure and flow somehow lets the overall episode down; any dramatic tension is limited.

Norman Lloyd (Professor Galen) is a prolific veteran movie and television character actor whose first listed appearance in the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) is from 1939.

Salome Jens (the humanoid progenitor) would later play a female shapeshifter on a number of DS9 episodes.

Nits

When Data says, "We are approaching the Loren system," his lips say another word, not ‘Loren’. Possibly, he says, ‘Kurlan’, since this star system is referred to as the Kurlan system earlier.

Early on, when Galen invites Picard on his expedition, Picard asks how long it will take. Galen says, "If I had complete diplomatic access, and a starship, perhaps a matter of weeks." Well, Picard managed to do it in one episode! Maybe Picard should have made that career decision to be an archaeologist!

Memorable Moments

•    Data besting the Klingon at B’hat G’oul

Quotable Quotes

"I had a father, but he was like a father who understood me. And he had his own children but they didn’t follow in his footsteps, so I was like the son who understood him."
- Picard, explaining his relationship with Galen

"My upper spinal support is a poly-alloy designed to withstand extreme stress. My skull is composed of cortenite and duranium."
- Data, explaining to the Kligon why that head butt was not such a good idea

Romulan: Captain, our ships are leaving orbit for Romulan space. Until our next encounter.
Picard: Until then.
Romulan: It would seem that we are not completely dis-siimilar after all; in our hopes, and in our fears.
Picard: Yes.
Romulan: Well, then, perhaps…one day.
Picard: One day.