7.18 Eye of the Beholder

Rating: 2

Lt Kwan commits suicide by jumping into the plasma flow of the warp core. Why did this officer, who up to this point had been successful and positive, take his own life? When Counselor Troi investigates, she also begins to be overwhelmed by suicide-inducing feelings of anger, rage, and depression.

Comments

The teleplay was written by Rene Echevarria, from a story by Brannon Braga. Most of what transpires in the episode is, unbeknownst to us, happening solely within Troi’s mind.

I have mentioned this before, most recently after viewing Parallels: Braga always seems to write about alternative reality. He doesn’t seem to think anything of interest happens in the real world. The problem is, I think, that for Braga, all of Trek is non-real, but for fans who live and breathe it, we see a difference between Troi’s imaginings and what ‘actually’ happens to her.

Nits

Ensign Nara doesn’t seem upset enough for someone who just recently found out that their lover has commited suicide.

After the first incident where Troi feels strong emotions while near Kwan’s workstation, Riker asks if it’s possible that some kind of empathic echo remains. Troi says, "I don’t see how." Not much later, after the second incident, Crusher suggests that perhaps Troi is seeing events through Kwan’s eyes. Troi says, "It’s possible, but I don’t see how it could have happened." For an empath, her mind seems to be very closed to possibilities in this episode.

Memorable Moments

•    Troi and Worf’s unexpected romantic moments, and Troi giggling when Worf almost yells in frustration in reply to Crusher’s interrupting hail (I should have known this was going to be all in Troi’s mind and too good to be true)

Quotable Quotes

"Something must have happened to him, Counselor…something terrible, because it’s not like Dan to take his own life."
- Ensign Nara
(Yeah, because he’s never taken his own life before)

Worf: I mean, I would never want to come between you and someone you are involved with…or, had ever been involved with.
Riker: Is there someone in particular that you’re talking about?
Worf: No. Is there someone in particular you would rather I not be involved with?

7.17 Masks

Rating: 1.5

While investigating a rogue comet, a sensor distortion briefly engulfs the Enterprise. Afterward, a strange sculpture appears in Troi’s quarters, and the computer system and minds of the crew are infused with a series of mysterious symbols. Further investigation of the comet reveals a hidden structure that begins to morph the ship and its system into the artifacts of an ancient culture. The structure communicates through Data in the form of multiple personalities. When Data dons a mask and takes the form of the evil Queen Masaka, Picard sees no alternative but to don the mask of the Queen’s nemesis, Korgano, and attempt to convince Masaka to let them go.

Comments

This episode was written by Joe Menosky and directed by Robert Wiemer.

Menosky is usually one of my favorite writers, and this ambitious fantasy gets points only for effort and imagination, because it does not work on any level.

Nits

Picard says, "I would like to know Masaka, speak with her" – yet all Data has said so far is "Masaka is waking". He has not stated that Masaka is female.

Even for Star Trek, it’s an unusually massive stretch to believe that Geordi could figure out how to communicate the exact crytpogram to an alien computer that will create a temple.

Memorable Moments

•    Robert Wiemer always manages to mix in a few atypical camera shots, such as when the camera pulls back from above to reveal Data at the fire, looking up in fear.

Quotable Quotes

"I am yours. Every part of me is yours."
- Data to Troi/Masaka

"Well, Data, you never may become fully, human, but you’ve had an experience that trancends the human condition. You’ve been – an entire civilization!"
- Picard

7.16 Thine Own Self

Rating: 2.5

While Beverly is commanding the Enterprise on the ‘night shift’, Data’s mission to recover contaminated materials from Barkon 4 goes awry when his presence becomes known to the pre-warp Barkonians.

Comments

There’s not enough of a story about Data to fill up the entire episode, so we also get the story of Troi studying to become a bridge officer.

Any dramatic impact of this episode is lessened because, first, Data is an android, so he could have gained limited emotional impact from his experiences, and second, he has forgotten everything that happened anyway! I thought that Data was a strange choice for the writers to send down to the planet, and that the decision to have him forget everything was not needed.

Nits

I don’t follow this whole ‘night watch’ concept. Why is this considered dead time? Do attacking aliens also sleep in this supposed night time? And do all the other tribulations that the Enterprise crews encounter (like holodeck malfunctions, etc.) take a break at this time?

Barkon 4 provides yet another example of a generic pre-warp culture with a town square, and no motorized vehicles of any kind. (Obviously, there is only one reusable ‘pre-warp town’ set).

Troi decides she wants to test to be a commander, and a few hours later, she is taking the test. Wouldn’t the study period for moving up in rank take a few days or weeks at a minimum?

Why does Data move ever so slowly when he is going to dump the antidote in the town well? Of course, he is caught in the act.

Memorable Moments

•    Troi sacrificing Geordi’s life to save the ship (in a holodeck simulation, but it’s still a dramatic moment)

•    Data’s skin getting ripped off

Quotable Quotes

Data; Where is your mother?
Gia: She died about a year ago. Father said she…she went to a beautiful place…where everything is peaceful, and everyone loves each other. And no one ever gets sick. Do you think there’s really a place like that?
Data: (looking up at the night sky) Yes. I do.

7.15 Lower Decks

Rating: 3

As a number of ensigns compete for promotions on board the Enterprise, one of them – a Bajoran female named Sito Jaxa – is asked to volunteer for a dangerous mission to escort a Cardassian spy.

Comments

This episode was written by Rene Echevarria.

This is a moving, well-written story focused around Ensign Seto (Shannon Fill), a Bajoran who, along with Wesley Crusher, originally featured in the episode The First Duty as one of the cadets who covered up the death of a colleague while performing a daredevil stunt.

Alexander Enberg (the Vulcan Ensign Taurik) later returned in a number of VOY episodes as Ensign Vorik.

Nits

When Taurik informs Geordi that he has discovered a possible way to increase warp drive efficiency, and that he has other ideas for improvements, why is Geordi so dismissive and slightly annoyed? Shouldn’t this kind of research and enthusiasm be treasured and nurtured?

During the ensigns card game, Ben has a King, Jack, Ten, Eight, and one card face down. Lavelle has two pairs showing, and one card face down. Even the most beginning poker player knows that there is no possible way that Ben can beat Lavelle, no matter what their respective hole cards are. Yet Ben makes a big point of anteing up, claiming that he knows Lavelle is bluffing, and Ben wins the hand! Meanwhile, the supposedly uber-intelligent Vulcan Taurik pulls out of the hand, stating some astronomically low odds chance that he can win. Taurik has Five, Four, Two, and One showing, and he knows what his hole card is, so either he has no chance of winning (he doesn’t have the straight) or he does have it, and he’s got a very good chance of winning.

Memorable Moments

•    Picard’s almost mean-spirited verbal ‘dressing down’ of Ensign Seto (this is not only a fantastic scene, but is atypical of normal NextGen scripting)

•    Simultaneous poker games (nice editing, and, again, atypical of NextGen)

Quotable Quotes

"If you are unhappy sharing quarters with me, then you should put in for a new room assignment…just in case you’re not promoted."
- Taurik to Lavelle

Taurik: He’s convinced Commander Riker doesn’t like him.
Ben: Why? Did you crash the ship into something?

Seto: One thing I don’t understand: doesn’t Geek-Tal mean ‘to the death’?
Worf: You speak Klingon.
Seto: Sir, is there really such a thing as a Geek-Tal challenge?
Worf: No. There is not. But perhaps next time you are judged unfairly, it will not take so many bruises for you to protest.

7.14 Sub Rosa

Rating: 2

The Enterprise visits Caldos, a world terraformed in the likeness of the Scottish highlands, to attend the memorial service of Beverly Crusher’s grandmother. A mysterious man leaves a red camilla on her grave, and it is later revealed that he was her lover. He is a ‘ghost’, a lover to a long succession of women in Crusher’s family, able to take corporeal form from time to time, and dependent on the flame from a special heirloom candle, passed down from generation to generation.

Comments

This episode was written by Brannan Braga, from a story by Jeri Taylor, and is directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Unfortunately, after the dismal failures of every other Trek episode featuring Irish or Scottish charicatures (for example, the NextGen episode Up the Long Ladder, or the VOY episode spirit folk, I got the creeps early on when a character started spouting off in a supposed Scottish accent.

One of the gravestones in the cemetary bears the name ‘McFly’, which could be a tribute to the Back to the Future movie trilogy.

Nits

Beverly asks Troi to accompany her to the house, and Troi agrees. Together, they walk out of scene. In the next scene, as Picard talks to the governor, Troi appears in the background, talking to a villager. Did she change her mind?

Early on in the piece, a man who knew Crusher’s grandmother and appeared to have some knowledge of what befell her bursts into the house without knocking and, when confronted by Crusher, proceeds to aggressively yell at her that she should douse the candle. Of course, faced with this assault, Crusher kicks him out. If he really wanted to share some knowledge, why would he take such an adversarial approach? Why not attempt to make friends first, then sit down and in calmer tones, impart his knowledge? I know why: because he is following the goofy script, and it would be a short show if he didn’t!

Memorable Moments

•    Crusher’s weird solo sex scenes

Quotable Quotes

"I’m not seeing anybody. I met someone, that’s all."
- Crusher to Troi

7.13 Homeward

Rating: 2.5

A distress call from Worf’s half-brother, Nikolai Rozhenko, leads the Enterprise to Boral, a planet devastated by atmospheric dissipation. Rozhenko, who was observing the planet’s native inhabitants from a hidden observation post, could not bear to watch them die, so he transported them beneath the surface and set up a deflector shield to protect them. Picard, interested only in following the Prime Directive and not interfering with any pre-warp civilizations, orders Roshenko to abandon the planet and doom its inhabitants, but Rozhenko figures out a way to clandestinely beam the inhabitants into a holodeck recreation of the caves.

Comments

It’s nice to see Michael Dorn without his Klingon makeup.

Paul Sorvino guest-stars as Worf’s half-brother, Nikolai Rozhenko. And Dobara is played by Penny Johnson, who would later appear in numerous DS9 episodes as Cassidy Yates.

Nits

If you check my review of the episodesCode of Honor,Justice,Angel One,Symbiosis, and Pen Pals, you’ll see I am of the opinion that the Prime Directive is an extremely flawed concept that causes any number of problems when used as a plot device (and, unfortunately, it has been used and re-used many times). In short, the Prime Directive states that there should be no interference with pre-warp civilizations. So let me get this straight as it applies to this episode. Because the Boralans are a pre-warp civilization, Starfleet should simply watch them die as their planet self-destructs. But, if the Boralans had developed warp drive (but, for some reason their fleet of ships were disabled or otherwise unavailable), Starfleet would rescue them without a second thought. Does it seem fair to maintain such a strong prejudice toward pre-warp civilizations? Who benefits from this?

If you have ever seen the interior dimensions of the holodeck when it is portrayed as the ‘grid’, you’ll know it is not that big. So is it believable that a group of people could be led around the holodeck on a journey through caves and not be aware that they were in a confined space? For another discussion of this nit, see the review for the episode Ship in a Bottle.

Why doesn’t Worf volunteer to go back and search for the missing chronicle scroll? This would have ensured that Vorin did not have a chance to see any holodeck technology.

At the end, why does Worf take the Chronicles? Don’t they hold extreme significance to the Boralans?

Memorable Moments

•    Vorin’s death by suicide: I was so sure they were going to tie up this loose plot point with a neat thread.

Quotable Quotes

Troi: I know things must look very strange to you, but everything’s going to be alright. No one’s going to hurt you. We’re friends of Nikolai and Worf. Don’t be afraid.
Vorin: Nikolai?
Troi: Yes. He’s my friend. That means you are too. I promise, I won’t hurt you.
Vorin: Please! Help me! [pause] Where am I?

7.12 The Pegasus

Rating: 3

Picard’s reluctant attendance to spend a day with children as part of ‘Captain Picard Day’ is alleviated by an urgent change in mission from Starfleet. They join with Admiral Eric Pressman, Riker’s former commanding officer, to locate a long-missing ship, the Pegasus, before the Romulans find it. But Pressman, and Riker along with him, hide a dangerous secret about the nature of their mission.

Comments

This episode was written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Levar Burton.

This is a solid drama based on chain of command and allegiances, typical of the scripts of Ron Moore.

Smart NextGen writers can always produce an above-par episode by writing some strong dialogue for Patrick Stewart.

A sidenote: It’s nice that they paid some tribute to the great Native American Crazy Horse by naming a ship after him.

Nits

It has been 12 long years since the Pegasus was lost. Rather than mourn the loss of the ship, why didn’t Pressman simply recreate the device? Surely the same notes and specs used to create the first device could be used again.

Memorable Moments

•    Riker imitating Picard

•    Picard grilling Riker on the events of the Pegasus mutiny. It’s amazing to see how Picard uses intonation, dramatic pauses, and variances in tempo and tone to make his questions more dramatic.

•    Picard yanking Riker out of the brig

Quotable Quotes

Picard: The judge-advocate also believes that the surviving officers are deliberately withholding vital information from this inquiry. Further investigation is recommended. Will, there was no further investigation! This report was classified and then it was quietly buried! Why?
Riker: I suggest you take this up with Admiral Pressm-
Picard: (yelling) I’m taking this up with you, Will! The judge-advocate thought that you were participating in a conspiracy to cover up the truth! Now what the hell is going on here, Will? Why did that mutiny happen? Why is Pressman so determined to find your ship 12 years later?
Riker: I’ve said all I can. I’m under direct orders from Admiral Pressman not to discuss this…sir.
Picard: Very well…He’s an admiral, I’m a captain, I cannot force you to disobey his orders, therefore…I will have to remain in the dark on this mission. And I will just have to trust that you will not let Pressman put this ship at unnecessary risk. And if I find that that trust has been misplaced then I will have to re-evaluate the command structure of this ship…Dismissed.

Pressman: I have a lot of friends at Starfleet Command, Captain.
Picard: You’re going to need them.