7.04 Gambit (Part 1)

Rating: 3.5

Investigating the disappearance of Captain Picard, all the evidence and eyewitness accounts point to his death at the hands of mystery aliens. But further investigation leads the Enterprise to the mercenary aliens, where Riker is captured and finds that Picard is very much alive and is masquerading as a mercenary named Galen.

Comments

Robin Curtis, the Romulan mercenary, previously starred as the Vulcan crewmember Saavik in the third and fourth Trek films. She’s plays the Romulan effectively, with a slight edge, and very unlike her more measured performance as a Vulcan.

Sabrina Le Beauf (Ensign Giusti) played Sondra Huxtable on the comedy TV series The Cosby Show.

That’s a decent cliffhanger ending, with Riker succeeding in getting the Enterprise to drop her shields, and then Picard firing phasers and hitting the nacelle.

Nits

Early on, Riker states that because Crusher has positively identified Picard’s DNA, that "…there is no doubt he is dead." So because there is some DNA and an unconfirmed account of a weapon discharge from an alien, Picard is definitely dead?

Arctus Baran has a New York accent. Is that regional accent so pervasive that people will still have them in the 24^th century? J

Memorable Moments

•    In the opening bar scene, Crusher looks cool wielding a phaser and wearing an unusual leather beret

•    Riker looks like he has either lost some weight or tightened his girdle

•    After Riker is captured by the mercenaries, Picard (as Galen) argues vehemently that Riker has no value and should be killed now. He even offers to do it and begins to move toward Riker (without a weapon). This makes no sense, until we see that Picard has also rigged the ship to fail and for set up Riker to save it. Now Riker is seen as having little value as a Starfleet officer hostage but great value as a mercenary member of the crew. That’s a clever little twist, and what’s nice is that it’s subtle (it isn’t explained at all, you just have to decide that’s what’s going on)

•    Data looks and acts very cool and confident while commanding the Enterprise

Quotable Quotes

"I explained to him that I am looking for a man that impregnated your sister."
- Worf to Riker

Alien: You’ll like this. The man [Picard] got what was coming to him. When they knocked him down, one of them took out a weapon. He was vaporized!
Troi: He’s telling the truth!

"You still wish you’d killed me?"
- Riker to Picard/Galen (after Riker saves the mercenary ship)

Picard/Galen: Baran wouldn’t last five minutes as captain if he didn’t have that control device.
Tallera: That almost sounds like a prelude to mutiny.