Home  Info  Starships  Fleet Yards  Treknology  Episodes  Database  Fandom  Community	Space Art in TNG   FAQ   Site Map

The Next Generation (TNG) Season 3

Season 1 - Season 2 - Season 3 - Season 4 - Season 5 - Season 6 - Season 7

Reviews in progress.

Evolution Stardate 43125.8: The scientist Dr. Paul Stubbs has spent 20 years of research to observe a stellar phenomenon in the Kavis Alpha system that occurs only once in 196 years. His mission is endangered when the ship is plagued by computer malfunctions. Wesley discovers that the reason is his experiment to improve the performance of nanites that got out of control when the microscopic robots escaped and developed a consciousness and the ability to reproduce themselves. The nanites now occupy the ship's computer. Wesley reluctantly confesses his error to his mother Beverly, who has recently returned from Starfleet Medical. Stubbs, who is afraid that his experiment could fail, begins to destroy the nanites, whereupon the nanites attack him and sabotage life support on the ship. Data establishes a communication link with the nanites. Picard the urges Stubbs to apologize, upon which the nanites help to repair the computer. They are transferred to a planet in the Kavis Alpha system to continue their evolution.    

The third season begins with an episode that is almost as uninspiring as the clip show at the end of season 2. "Evolution" is a cookie-cutter story with its motive of the unexpected evolution of something that is just not supposed to be intelligent and of the obsessive behavior of scientists that would risk everyone's lives to accomplish their mission. While I appreciate the ethical commentary in "Evolution" about destroying an intelligent and possibly sentient species, this too is something we have had so many times before. We have seen all of the above in episodes such as TOS: "The Ultimate Computer" and TNG: "Home Soil". And the malfunctions on the ship are just like the ones only recently in "Contagion".
The only really interesting aspect of the episode may be Dr. Crusher's return to the Enterprise. I basically like her interaction with her son Wesley after not having been around for about a year. Their chemistry works out for me. But perhaps it was not the right episode for the two to come together again. It is a part of the story that the two keep talking at cross-purposes for a while, as Wes is concerned that his nanites get the ship into trouble, whereas his mother thinks he needs to relax and date a girl. I think Wesley's latter "problem" is overrated and should have been kept out of the story. Thinking even further about it, it may have been better to show a real falling out of the two characters, upon which Wesley would have avoided his mother (to focus on his dilemma with the nanites), which Beverly might have falsely interpreted as her fault.
What I don't like about Wesley's involvement is that he gets the ship into trouble but contributes comparably little to resolve the situation. He should have been given or should have taken the chance to redeem himself, especially considering that he seems to know as much about the nanites as hardly anyone else on the ship.
Regarding Stubbs, I don't care for him at all. At the beginning of the episode he begins to socialize with Wesley, and at this point it looks like he could even become some sort of a father figure. But the hope that this thread could continue is disappointed in the following. The two are following their own paths, rather than working together in some fashion. Moreover, I doubt that Stubbs could be a good father with his patronizing way of dealing with people. As already mentioned, he reminds me very much of Richard Daystrom and the likes and perhaps even more of the equally smug Ira Graves (TNG: "The Schizoid Man"). Moreover, he invokes his being authorized directly by Starfleet Command, like in the worst days of Federation bureaucrats who frequently got the ship in trouble in TOS against better judgment, apparently just to prove their power. Overall TNG continues to give scientists a bad name.
On the bright side, "Evolution" has superb visual effects of the Kavis Alpha stellar phenomenon, as well of the Enterprise, which is shown from the better looking dorsal side more often than ever in this episode.
Nitpicking: Data states that "there has not been a systems-wide technological failure on a starship in 79 years." He obviously forgets what happened on the Yamato and the Enterprise in "Contagion" just a couple of months earlier.
Remarkable dialogue: "Good Lord, you are talking about machines with a screw loose. Simply turn them off and be done with them." - "Doctor Stubbs, your own actions have provided evidence to the contrary. When you destroyed the nanites in the core, they responded by interfering with our life support systems. It is difficult to accept these as random actions by machines with loose screws. In effect, you may have proven that the nanites do have a collective intelligence." (Stubbs and Data)
Remarkable costume: We can see the new two-part uniform with the collar (as opposed to the jumpsuit of season 1 and 2) for the first time. Initially only the higher-ranking officers wear the new uniform.
Remarkable probe: Stubbs' "Egg" is a re-use of the containment module from "The Child".
Remarkable fact: The nanites are made in a plant in Dakar, Senegal.
Rating: 3

The Ensigns of Command Stardate 43133.3: The insectoid Sheliak demand that the human colony on the planet Tau Cygna V has to be evacuated within four days; otherwise they would remove the colonists by force. The planet is in their territory, according to the long-winded Treaty of Armens of 2255. No one in the Federation was aware of the colony that is located in a region of harmful radiation, but when Data takes a shuttle to the planet he finds 15,000 settlers who have adapted to the conditions. Data is on his own to convince the colonists to leave but he has a strong opponent in their leader Gosheven who does not mind the alien threat at all. Data eventually sees no other way but to destroy the water supply that the colonists depend on. In the meantime Picard studies the old treaty and finds a paragraph that buys the Federation several weeks for the evacuation.

It is remarkable how few good Data episodes were in the first two seasons. He was always good enough to save the ship. His private life appeared only in the form of anecdotes. The creative staff were apparently cautious about centering a story around him, for they feared it could get rather silly than really interesting to write about someone who doesn't have and usually doesn't understand emotions. Although Data is finally given a chance to develop in "The Ensigns of Command", even including some rudimentary romantic relationship, I don't like it too much. Maybe it is because the whole plot reminds me too much of TOS: "This Side of Paradise", where there were forgotten settlers likewise, they became immune to fatal radiation likewise, it was a hard task to convince them to leave likewise, it required a bit of violence in the end likewise, and Spock fell victim to unexpected emotions a bit like Data does here.
The roles among the settlers are quite familiar too. Gosheven is the backward, egocentric and charismatic leader who would rather sacrifice the whole colony than abandon his leadership - and his entitlement of always knowing what is right or wrong. He isn't open to reason and he doesn't even listen to Data for a minute. Gosheven won't stay the last of his kind the Enterprise encounters. Ard'rian is the complete opposite to Gosheven. She quickly adapts to the new situation. She is interested in everything new anyway, most of all in Data's fascinating technology. This contrast is just too stereotypical to me, although I like Ard'rian quite a bit because in spite of all her knowledge she has preserved a refreshing naivety that allowed her to see more in Data than the friendly but emotionless android.
The almost equally important sub-plot of Picard negotiating with the Sheliak is more interesting because he manages to beat the Sheliak with diplomacy, turning their own treaty against them. He seems to have quite a bit of fun when the Sheliak finally have to come round.
Nitpicking: The hyperonic radiation is a lame plot device to get Data on a lone mission. Considering that the settlers managed to adapt, it should be well possible for humanoid crew members to go down with some precautions, and for a limited duration. Well, if this were a Voyager episode, the Doctor would certainly develop an inoculation against the radiation in not time. ;-) -- I wonder why it should take a full four weeks to evacuate 15,000 people with shuttles. The Enterprise surely has 20 shuttles of various sizes at the very least, each of which we can estimate could carry an average of 8 people. With each shuttle making one flight per hour, this would take only a couple of days. -- There is one huge error in the sequence of events when the Enterprise is already at warp, heading for the Sheliak ship, but Geordi continues with his attempts to beam through the radiation. Isn't the radiation restricted to the planet or at most to the star system? And even if the radiation pervades a larger region of space, how can he test the transporter at warp? -- The script doesn't get its astronomical nomenclature right. There is a real star of the name Sheliak, but the species of this name inhabits a star system named "Shelia". Also, there is a real star of the name Tau Cygni, which happens to be in the same direction as Sheliak, but the script corrupts it to "Tau Cygna". -- When Data mentions that he needs a phaser, Ard'rian doesn't know what it is. This is odd, considering that the original colonists departed in 2274 when phasers were well known. On the other hand, perhaps they have just lost this knowledge.
Remarkable dialogue: "Not that any computer we have is half as sophisticated as you." (Ard'rian) - "No, I would say not." (Data, maybe with a slight touch of arrogance, looking at a tin can of an android)
Remarkable scene: Picard, with incredible calmness, walks around the bridge, polishes the dedication plaque, while the crew are tensely waiting for his response to the Sheliak.
Remarkable ship: The Sheliak colony ship is a re-use of the Merchantman from "Star Trek III", with a few odd extensions. Unfortunately we get a rather close look at it in the episode, revealing that the ship is not all as advanced as we might expect it. The interior of the vessel with the light rods hanging from the ceiling, on the other hand, looks impressively alien.
Remarkable fact: In the beginning we see a string quartet with a Vulcan and Data (violin), another woman (viola), and O'Brien (cello), playing Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik". Data thinks his playing is just an imitation of two great violinists, but Picard later comes to the conclusion that combining their ways of playing is innovative.
Remarkable fun fact: Picard names the Grisellas to arbitrate in the conflict with the Sheliak, knowing that they are in their hibernation cycle.
Remarkably bad translation: I usually don't mention it, but the German translation of this episode is simply awful. Just for the English-speaking readers to see what they are missing: "Hyperonic radiation" becomes "elementary radiation" - what a nonsense. "Tau Cygna" (which should have been "Tau Cygni" anyway, already in the English version) is initially called "Tau Ceta" and later "Tau Sigma".
Rating: 4

The Survivors Stardate 43152.4: The entire colony on Delta Rana IV has been destroyed by an unknown enemy - except for the house of Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge. After an away team has visited the survivors, Deanna is plagued by a penetrative melody in her mind. An alien ship attacks the Enterprise in orbit, the Enterprise has to retreat. The alien ship returns and destroys the Uxbridge house - but after some time the house reappears. It turns out that Kevin Uxbridge is not human, but an immortal Douwd who refused to fight against the attacking Husnock, even as they killed all the 10,000 colonists, including his human wife Rishon. Furious about his loss, Kevin then wiped out the whole Husnock civilization, numbering 50 billion. Ashamed of what he had done, his only intention was to veil his crime and stay alone.

The Enterprise encounters someone or something that is not what he or it seems to be, an alien vessel keeps attacking, and Troi suffers once again. There is nothing really interesting about this episode until the resolution that is a surprise to everyone but Picard who takes a certain pleasure in playing a real-life Dixon Hill. It may have been the author's intention to keep up the suspense until the culmination at the very end when Kevin Uxbridge reveals his true nature and the crime he has committed. However, it just doesn't work out because the thrill is gone much sooner. Kevin and Rishon's continued senile stubbornness soon gets boring, even frustrating. A bit like the melody in Deanna's mind.
Kevin Uxbridge's whole ploy makes no sense anyway, or he is quite stupid for an almost omnipotent being. He could have cloaked his house in some fashion, so the Enterprise would have found no one to tend to, and the episode would have lasted just five minutes. Picard, on the other hand, seems to be all too concerned with solving the puzzle instead of just taking the two old people aboard without asking them, if necessary. Exactly this he does anyway in the end, when he just orders them to be beamed up. Regarding Picard's hesitation, is there any alternative to evacuating them, considering that the whole planet had been devastated? Without Picard's unnecessary patience Kevin Uxbridge would have been forced to reveal his true nature much earlier; the captain would have saved a lot of trouble for himself, his shipmates and the ship itself. And most importantly for Deanna. Well, in this case the episode may have been perhaps 15 minutes long, so the thin plot was extended to 45 minutes.
Speaking of stretching the plot, despite some action with the Husnock ship the episode is extremely verbose. Everything that happens is described verbally, is further explained, commented on or discussed in some fashion. In this regard it is ironical that Kevin Uxbridge's true nature remains only a footnote, just as the race of the Douwd that he destroyed.
There is one really good scene in the episode, when Picard turns to Worf after the Husnock ship has been detected for the first time, and only with a glance reminds him of his promise that there should be no other ship in the system, which leaves the Klingon baffled and embarrassed. In contrast, I absolutely hate the idea of the noose trap that Riker gets caught in. This is utterly gratuitous and unbecoming of Kevin Uxbridge.
Nitpicking: It is strange that there was obviously enough time to call a meeting of all colonists before the Husnock launched their attack, which is when Kevin decided not to fight. I also can't imagine that the colonists really saw a chance against the Husnock, no matter how the enemy announced his arrival. Maybe they just waited for Husnock ground troops to take as many as possible with them until the inevitable end, and they didn't anticipate that the starship could erase the colony at the push of a button. But in this case it is even more mysterious how they could have been warned in the first place. Maybe it was Kevin? -- Why does Kevin Uxbridge restore the house so soon after it has been "destroyed" by the alien vessel? Wouldn't he detect the continued presence of the Enterprise in a higher orbit? Or was he going to give up his ploy anyway? -- Picard tells Uxbridge: "We're not qualified to be your judges. We have no law to fit your crime." Actually, there is definitely a law concerning genocide, but perhaps none would apply to lifeforms like Kevin.
Remarkable realism: It took the Enterprise three days to Rana IV. It is always good to see that starships don't arrive "at once" wherever they are needed.
Remarkable ship: I really like the Husnock ship, and I wonder why it never reappeared. Considering that the Husnock are now extinct, I should be glad that it's gone for good as well, but I don't think this is the actual reason that the ship miniature vanished too. An interesting feature about the systems of the Husnock ship is something that looks a lot like Borg shields.
Remarkable facts: Rishon and Kevin Uxbridge are botanists, originally from the aquatic city New Martim Vaz in Earth's Atlantic Ocean. They have been residents of the Rana IV colony for five years. Rishon is 82 years old composer of Tao classical music. Kevin is 85 (at least that's what the records say) and a specialist in symbiotic plant life. The two have been married for 53 years. -- Picard makes a reference to renegade Andorians who hid their ships in the Triangulum system once, but doesn't mention a date.
Rating: 2

Who Watches the Watchers? Stardate 43173.5: The Enterprise rushes to Mintaka III to repair the power generator of a "duck blind" for covert cultural observation. Liko, one of the indigenous proto-Vulcans, is injured when he investigates the now exposed strange structure of the duck blind. Dr. Crusher has him beamed up to the ship for treatment, where he briefly wakes up and looks into the face of Captain Picard. Upon his return to the planet he tells everyone that he was dead, and that "The Picard" saved him. As one scientist, Palmer, is still missing on the planet, Troi and Riker beam down in disguise, only to notice that the Mintakans have found him. Riker manages to have Palmer beamed up without the Mintakans noticing it, whereupon they take Troi hostage to please "The Picard". Picard decides to beam up Nuria, the leader of the village, and demonstrate to her that he is not unlike her, and that his power is neither supernatural nor unlimited. Nuria eventually believes him when Warren dies, a woman who suffered severe injuries in the duck blind accident. Back on the planet Liko still doesn't believe that "The Picard" is not immortal, until he injures the captain with a shot from his bow.

This may be the episode with the best dramaturgy in TNG so far, even surpassing "The Measure of a Man", "A Matter of Honor" and "Q Who". It clearly shows that, after two seasons, the writers and production staff have finally learned to link scenes with each other and to let dialogues come to a point. It is entertaining and at the same time insightful, with a pleasant absence of technobabble, of unpleasant guests of the week, of "ship in danger" or similar TNG clichés. 
It's a quite good, but not a perfect episode. Of all characters it is Jean-Luc Picard who leaves a problematic impression here. When the Mintakan patient Liko is in sickbay, Picard doesn't care about him or ask how he is doing at all. At least he is consequential, as he treats him like the other "savages" (the ones from 20th century Earth) he met in "The Neutral Zone". The only thing Picard has in mind is quoting the Prime Directive, and he doesn't really accept Beverly's valid objection that this man was hurt in the first place on behalf of (or by the fault of) the Prime Directive. I wouldn't have expected him to be such a cold-hearted bureaucrat.
The second thing I am annoyed about is that Picard rejects any kind of religion and equates it with superstition. Barron insinuates that a religion could give rise to "inquisitions, holy wars, chaos", which Picard finds "horrifying". The two, however, just look at the negative effects of religion in human history, neglecting that the same level of intolerance and violence may exist and does exist in a secular world just as well. Moreover, rather than obeying the letters of the Prime Directive that would forbid any intervention with alien civilizations in any direction, they give a personal one-sided interpretation of why it exists. Picard's attitude is consistent with "Justice" though, where he tried to secularize the Edo culture likewise.
Picard apparently doesn't want to *allow* the people to believe in something supernatural, not only because he is the subject of their religion and he knows that he is not supernatural, but because of his stance that any form of religion must be backward. While his actions may or may not comply with the Prime Directive, he doesn't give the the Mintakans the benefit of the doubt. The discovery of "miracles" could spark a something like religious revolution on Mintaka III, but more likely the events would fall on deaf ears elsewhere on the planet. And who knows whether all the efforts to "repair the damage" don't have just the contrary effect. Actually, I couldn't imagine anything more counterproductive in Picard's situation than showing Nuria around on the Enterprise and then trying to explain to her the difference between caves, huts and starships! Well, the other members of the crew contribute their share of mistakes too that only aggravate the situation. 
I like the Mintakans very much. They are more enlightened than our human ancestors must have been in the "Dark Ages" mentioned in the episode - although I still don't think this has anything to do with having a religion or not. Anyway, the Mintakans can do without religion until "The Picard" appears. I'm not sure if the way the Mintakans react on "The Picard" is that plausible though. They seem to be quite convinced of and quite content with their secular world but some of them suddenly behave like religious fanatics. I doubt that any civilization, even less "rational" ones, would unearth old myths and begin to burn witches. On the other hand, maybe "The Picard" marks the beginning of a "New Age" movement, something that especially enlightened civilizations seem to be susceptible to. I'm thinking of developments in the real world that are reflected in episodes like "Devil's Due", "Rightful Heir" and, last but not least, DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets".
Although it is controversial (or just because of that), this is one of the key episodes to the Prime Directive. The influence on the Mintakan culture is not (yet) destructive, but they are not ready to encounter aliens and their technical possibilities either. 
Final remark: Although the episode title might suggest something like that, the question if it is appropriate to spy on civilizations like watching rats in a cage is not an issue here. This will be the case as late as in "Star Trek: Insurrection" where we will see a "duck blind" again, and Anij expresses her displeasure about the Federation and Son'a peeping on the Ba'ku.
Nitpicking: When Riker (in Mintakan disguise) calls the ship, his priorities have strangely shifted. The news he reports is not that the Mintakans have just found the injured Palmer that he and Troi were looking for, but that they have chosen to worship Picard as their god! -- After Troi has lured the villagers away, why does Riker mind carrying Palmer off the building when he could signal the transport right away? -- Picard could have chosen a less dangerous trial than being shot with a bow!
Continuity: There is good continuity when Picard mentions the method to remove a person's short-term memory devised by Dr. Pulaski in "Pen Pals". The procedure fails on Liko.
Remarkable scene: When Nuria is beamed aboard the ship, Picard introduces himself with the words: "My name is Jean-Luc... Picard", knowing that Nuria would be frightened by "The Picard". She falls on her knees, and this is both amusing and disturbing.
Remarkable location: The location shootings took place at Vasquez Rocks.
Remarkable dialogue: "A very sensible people. For example, Mintakan women precede their mates. It's a signal to other women." - "'This man is taken, get your own?'" - "Not precisely. More like, 'If you want his services, I'm the one you have to negotiate with.'" - "What kind of services?" - "All kinds." - "They are a sensible race." (Troi and Riker)
Remarkable facts: The Mintakans are called "proto-Vulcan" and "their evolution parallels Vulcan", but it is not mentioned if and how they could be related to Vulcans. -- Picard will decorate his ready room on the Enterprise-D and -E with the Mintakan tapestry he receives as a gift. -- The power source of the duck blind has 4.2 gigawatts, according to Riker this would be enough to power a phaser array or a subspace transmitter.
Remarkable fun fact: Nuria is probably the first person to admire Picard's old Constellation-class model (the yellow one).
Rating: 7

The Bonding Stardate 43198.7: While studying the remains of the extinct Koinonians, archeologist Marla Aster is killed by a still active bomb. She leaves behind her son Jeremy. "Marla Aster", however, reappears and creates a perfect life for Jeremy. Actually, this "Marla" was created by non-corporeal aliens on the planet who once witnessed the destruction of the Koinonians. They feel sorry about Jeremy's loss and try to compensate for it. Picard explains that the boy needs to stay in the real world and make real experiences. He calls Wesley, who once lost his father and learned to cope with it. The alien entity retreats. Worf, who feels responsible for the boy because Marla Aster was killed in his away team, performs the R'uustai with Jeremy, a Klingon brotherhood ritual.

"The Bonding" is remarkable in just one regard. It is the first Star Trek episode in which the death of a "less important" crew member is more than only a side note. It matters that Lieutenant Marla Aster is gone, to her son Jeremy and to those who worked with her and who now have an obligation to care about the boy. Ironically we never see Marla Aster alive in the episode (except in Jeremy's video recordings) and we only hear the audio transmission of the explosion that kills her. I think it is an important part of the story that her death doesn't come across as thrilling in any way, unlike it was with previous crew deaths on TNG and especially the many redshirt killings on TOS where just the fact that anyone was killed mattered but not the person.
After Marla Aster's death several members of the crew are involved in helping the boy in some fashion, while they have to cope with the death of the lieutenant themselves, as well as with their past histories of losing crewmates and relatives. I especially like how Picard, Wesley and Worf are woven into the story. Picard is the one whose duty it is to convey the bad news, just as he did after the Wesley's father was killed. Wesley is naturally reminded of his father's death but he is reluctant to allow his feelings to resurface and talk to Jeremy. Worf thinks he is responsible of Marla Aster's death as he led the away team; furthermore he is an orphan too. He feels an obligation to tend to Jeremy, but with his proposal of the R'uustai he is rushing it as Troi correctly recognizes.
In its first 20 minutes the story never gets exciting or revealing but at least it remains a series of decent character studies. As soon as "Marla Aster" enters the scene, resurrected by an alien intelligence, the story begins to go downhill. It is very disappointing in the first place that an energy lifeform appears and takes on the shape of a crew member, because this happens frequently on Star Trek. I think the whole alien involvement inappropriately draws the focus away from Jeremy's loss and turns it into a problem of how to deal with an unwanted invader. I would have preferred the original story by Ron D. Moore, in which Jeremy would have recreated his mother on the holodeck.
What "Marla Aster" wants to do for Jeremy never makes sense to me. As it is unfortunately customary in Star Trek, the non-corporeal aliens of that planet look down on biological lifeforms and their tendency to destroy each other, just as the Koinonians once did. They obviously didn't understand the Koinonians, and they don't have the slightest idea what the boy really needs either. Yet, they care for Jeremy Aster and they go into great lengths to give him back his mother. 
The crew's debate with "Marla Aster" goes on and on, but the aliens ignore all the valid points brought forward by Troi and Picard, such as "It is at the heart of our nature to feel pain and joy. It is an essential part of what makes us what we are." It is an illogical move that eventually changes the aliens' minds for reasons I don't understand. After everything else has failed, Picard calls Wesley. Wesley tells "Marla" and Jeremy that he held a grudge against Picard because his father died under Picard's command. The intended effect of Wesley's testimony on Jeremy is that he should be angry at Worf. And that he should perform the R'uustai ritual with him. Yeah right. They are telling Jeremy how to feel about his loss and how to deal with it, thereby rushing a process of mourning that should take many weeks. As if the boy wasn't traumatized enough. But strangely this has a bearing on the aliens who end the illusion, although it doesn't concern the boy's mother or them in any way how Jeremy feels about Worf. Oh well, Jeremy finally complies with everyone's wishes how he should deal with his loss and he begins to cry. And when children cry it always has a deeper meaning and it must change something. At least on TV.
Remarkable scene: Worf extinguishes a candle with his dagger to honor Marla Aster.
Remarkable facts: Jeremy is twelve years old. His father died of Rushton infection. He has an aunt and uncle residing on Earth.
Rating: 2

Booby Trap Stardate 43205.6: After investigating an intact 10,000 year old Promellian battlecruiser inside an asteroid field the Enterprise is stuck in a network of energy absorbers. Every attempt to activate the propulsion systems results in more energy being drained, while the ship is bombarded with lethal radiation. On the holodeck Geordi creates the construction site of the Enterprise engines, and together with a holographic representation of the engineer Leah Brahms -to whom he is drawn quite a bit- he devises a method to escape by giving the computer complete control of the Enterprise. When he tells Picard that the alternative option, to steer the ship manually, would have the same chance of success, Picard decides in favor of the latter. He takes the helm, briefly fires the impulse engines to overcome the inertia and controls the ship with the thrusters. Taking advantage of the gravitational pull of the asteroids Picard eventually manages to break the ship free.

"Booby Trap" is an episode that thrives on clever writing and that delves into the ship's technology without much technobabble. I particularly like the realism in the two possible solutions that Geordi outlines. The first one would be to give the computer full control of the ship's engines, which may or may not break the ship free before the radiation dose has become lethal. I take it for granted that when Geordi runs the same simulation of the computer-controlled escape multiple times and the results differ, this is due to a built-in statistical variation of parameters (which is called Monte Carlo simulation in real engineering). The second solution and the one ultimately chosen is to use minimum power to overcome the inertia and to steer the ship manually just with the thrusters, taking advantage of the gravitational forces of the asteroids (the latter to Data's surprise, although the android should be familiar with basic physics and should have anticipated the possibility).
It is the highlight of the episode when Picard takes the helm and controls the ship with just the buttons on the console. It is the second time in the episode that Picard has all the fun, after he already used his prerogative to lead the away team to the Promellian battlecruiser, a ship that already impressed him as a child.
Geordi's romance on the holodeck is not quite as convincing. It is contrived that he would fall in love with the holographic Leah Brahms only a few hours after his unsuccessful date with Christy. It is also unrealistic that he would lock himself up the way he does here, without involving anyone of his team in the investigation. Furthermore, the holographic Leah Brahms created at Geordi's request is too obviously designed to be attractive for Geordi, although he didn't ask for it. Well, I like her change from the talking computer image to the recreation of her personality with a "9.37% margin of error". What a difference!
Continuity: Geordi has a problem with dating women although he previously gave Wesley advice on girls in TNG: "The Dauphin". -- On Picard's question whether anyone used to build model ships Worf replies "I did not play with toys", although in TNG: "Peak Performance" he did build a model ship (or at least tried to). Only O'Brien affirms the question, which Picard will refer to in TNG: "All Good Things", set at the time of "Encounter at Farpoint" when he couldn't know of O'Brien's hobby yet. -- Leah Brahms will return in person in TNG: "Galaxy's Child".
Remarkable quote: "I'm with you every day, Geordi. Every time you look at this engine, you're looking at me. Every time you touch it, it's me." (Leah Brahms)
Remarkably nonsensical name: "Aceton assimilators" insinuates that the solvent aceton is involved in some fashion. 
Rating: 7

The Enemy Stardate 43349.2: An away team discovers a Romulan shuttle crashed on the inhospitable planet Galorndon Core and rescues one survivor, Pahtak. The away team has to leave without Geordi who is held hostage by a second survivor, Bochra. Worf is the only one to help Pahtak with a blood transfusion, but he as well as the Pahtak refuse; the Romulan dies. The situation gets critical as a Warbird commanded by Commander Tomalak approaches and demands that Pahtak be returned. In the meantime Geordi and Bochra have overcome their mutual mistrust and succeed in sending a distress call. Bochra returns to the Romulans.

The Price Stardate 43385.6: The Barzanians arrange a conference with the Federation, the Ferengi and third-party delegates on the Enterprise to sell the control over an allegedly stable wormhole. Deanna Troi falls in love with one of the delegates, the partially Betazoid Devinoni Ral, but he is found to use his telepathic sense in an illegal way. All efforts, however, turn out useless anyway when Data and Geordi discover that the other exit of the wormhole in the Delta Quadrant is unstable. A Ferengi shuttle also investigating the wormhole missed the moving exit and is missing since.

"The Price" is an intelligently written episode that skillfully develops a diplomatic affair from a genuine science fiction scenario. Even the love affair of Deanna and Devinoni Ral is embedded into the story without appearing contrived. The episode has two surprising turning points. The first is when it is found that Devinoni and the Ferengi are working together to trick the Barzanians into making a deal with Devinoni. I am glad that Deanna is more than just the stereotypical lovesick female crew member who falls for a gigolo, as it is her who uncovers the ploy. The second turning point follows almost immediately when Geordi and Data return from the wormhole and reveal that the phenomenon is actually unstable and therefore worthless for Devinoni who has just purchased the transit rights. The futility of this situation works out well, especially when Riker ironically congratulates Devinoni.
On the downside, Ral is just another unsympathetic guest character with a secret (the #1 TNG cliché) and the Ferengi are stupid as always. We have to wonder how they could ever become a major galactic power, considering how easily they abandon common sense whenever there might be a business opportunity. 
Remarkable facts: This episode introduces the division of the galaxy into four quadrants, and it also mentions realistic travel times based on the warp scale. -- The two lost Ferengi will reappear in VOY: "False Profits".
Rating: 7

The Vengeance Factor Stardate 43421.9: The leader of the Acamarians, Marouk, and her young maid Yuta come aboard the ship on a mission to make peace with the last renegade Acamarian clans who all fought each other in a permanent civil war until a hundred years ago. Riker falls in love with the young woman. When mysterious deaths among members of the Lornack clan in a period of 50 years until very recently are investigated, it turns out that Yuta is the assassin. She is the last survivor of the Tralesta clan, and she has been genetically altered to stay young and take revenge. Riker has to shoot her when she attempts to kill Chorgan, the leader of the Lornack.

The Defector Stardate 43462.5: The Enterprise discovers a small Romulan scout ship with the low-ranking defector Setal, who reveals a Romulan plan to retake the Neutral Zone from a secret base on Nelvana III. It turns out that the defector is actually Admiral Jarok on a mission of peace, concerned about his family's future in the case of a new war. Picard orders a course to Nelvana III, where no signs of an invasion are found but two Warbirds decloak. The Romulans have deceived both Jarok and the Federation. The odds seem bad, but on Worf's sign three Klingon ships appear, and the Romulans retreat. Jarok, however, knowing that he will never return to Romulus, commits suicide. 

The Hunted Stardate 43489.2: During a visit to Angosia III, a planet which has just applied for Federation membership, the alleged criminal Roga Danar escapes from his prison and is taken to the Enterprise. Picard delays the extradition when he learns that Danar is actually a genetically altered former soldier who has been imprisoned only because he was found to be dangerous in peace time. Danar manages to escape from the Enterprise too, frees his fellow veterans and takes the Angosian government hostages. Picard leaves them with the hint that this is an internal affair, and if the government should survive, they might be accepted by the Federation at a later time.

The High Ground Stardate 43510.7: During a humanitarian mission on the nonaligned world Rutia IV, Beverly is taken hostage by the terrorist Kyril Finn who is fighting for the independence of his people, the Ansata. They are using an untraceable dimension-shift transporter, whose secondary effect is that it gradually breaks down body chemistry the more often it is used. Finn wants to involve the Federation into the conflict at any cost, and he plants a bomb on the Enterprise which is deactivated by Geordi in time. The terrorists manage to leave with Picard as a second hostage. Data and Wes locate the Ansata underground base, and the hostages are freed. Rutian security chief Alexana Devos kills Finn just as he's about to shoot the captain - and she is not a bit sorry about it for he's better dead than in prison.

Déjà Q Stardate 43539.1: While the crew is trying to keep Bre'el IV's moon from crashing into the planet, Q shows up, apparently stripped of all his power by the Q continuum. He is now chased by the Calamarain, a gaseous lifeform that wants to take revenge on him. In an unusually unselfish act Q leaves in a shuttle so as to prevent the ship from being harmed and allow them to save the planet. Another Q appears and restores Q's power - on a provisional basis. Overjoyed, Q celebrates a fiesta on the bridge and, by the way, moves the moon back into its orbit. 

A Matter of Perspective Stardate 43610.4: Just as Riker returns from a routine visit to the scientist Dr. Nel Apgar who is working on generating Krieger waves, the space station with the laboratory explodes, killing Apgar. Because Apgar's wife, Manua, claims that Will tried to seduce her and apparently a phaser beam was fired at the reactor core from Will's position during his beam-out, he is now accused of having murdered Apgar. While the testimonies are reconstructed on the holodeck, including the whole science lab, unknown periodic energy bursts hit the ship. Eventually this is the proof that Riker is not guilty and that Apgar actually fired himself. In fact, the energy bursts are Krieger waves, generated by the holographic reconstruction of Apgar's reactor. The first burst showed a short delay, exactly the time Apgar's phaser beam needed to reach Riker's ACB, from where it was deflected to the reactor core - boom!

Yesterday's Enterprise Stardate 43625.2: The Enterprise-C was lost with all hands 22 years ago when the ship defended the Klingon outpost at Narendra III against the Romulans. Now the ship appears from a temporal rift, and reality on the Enterprise-D changes. Worf is gone, but Tasha Yar is alive. The Federation is now at war with the Klingons, obviously because the Enterprise-C is missing in the past and does not support the Klingons. Guinan is the only one to notice the change, and eventually she can convince Picard to send the Enterprise-C back to correct history. When she learns that she should be dead, Tasha decides to stay on the Enterprise-C although the ship is facing a hopeless battle. Just when the Enterprise-D is about to be destroyed by Klingon ships, the Enterprise-C enters the rift, and the "real" history is restored.

The Offspring Stardate 43657.0: Data builds an android, his "child" whom he names Lal - Hindi for "beloved". Out of multiple possibilities, Lal chooses a female human form. Admiral Haftel of Starfleet Research comes aboard and insists that Lal should grow up in a lab rather than aboard a ship. Lal, however, has already developed too quickly. She experiences an emotion she cannot handle - fear. Data and Haftel try to repair the damage to her system, but it is too late to save her. 

Sins of the Father Stardate 43685.2: The new Klingon exchange officer turns out Worf's younger brother, Kurn. He tells Worf that their family is about to be dishonored because their father, Mogh, is believed to be the traitor who enabled the Romulan attack on Khitomer. After Kurn has been attacked with a knife, Worf asks Picard to act as his advocate before the Klingon High Council. Their research reveals the true traitor, the father of Duras, Worf's accuser. Klingon leader K'mpec, however, is not willing to reveal the truth since it could trigger a Klingon civil war. Worf, who is facing death penalty, hopes that one day the truth will prevail. He drops the challenge and accepts that he is dishonored instead - although this is worse than death to a Klingon. 

Allegiance Stardate 43714.1: Picard is abducted by unknown aliens and finds himself in what seems to be a cage of lab rats - together with three other individuals from different planets. After some unsuccessful attempts to escape he finds out that the Bolian woman Mitena Haro, one of his fellow prisoners, is not what she appears to be. In the meantime a false Picard is commanding the Enterprise, but his silly behavior helps to unmask him. When Picard is eventually rescued, he gives the three aliens who are responsible for the kidnapping a taste of being imprisoned by confining them in a forcefield.

Captain's Holiday Stardate 43745.2: Picard was going to relax on Risa, but he finds himself in the middle of the chase for a powerful device from the future, the Tox Uthat. Two Vorgons from the 27th century want to take it back to their time and they know that it would be Picard who gives it to them. A Ferengi called Sovak is eager to buy the Uthat - or take it by force. Vash, an attractive woman, is apparently searching for it too, but Picard discovers that she has found it already weeks ago. The two Vorgons appear again, but instead of giving them the Tox Uthat, Picard has the returning Enterprise destroy the device. The Vorgons leave with the remark that this was exactly what was supposed to happen. 

Tin Man Stardate 43779.3: The Betazoid Tam Elbrun establishes relations with a space-dwelling creature called Gomtun that lives in the Beta Stromgren system whose star is about to explode. The Romulans are interested in the creature too. They send two Warbirds of which one is destroyed by Gomtun, under the influence of Elbrun's telepathic abilities. When the second Warbird arrives, Gomtun hurls the Enterprise and the Romulan ship through space, far away from the pending supernova. Gomtun was once a starship with a crew and has decided to commit suicide in the star explosion. Elbrun, who was always plagued by the many voices in his head in the presence of other humanoids, decides to stay with Gomtun. 

Hollow Pursuits Stardate 43807.4: Lt. Reginald Barclay is shy, nervous and unsteady. He spends his spare time on the holodeck where he is a hero who dominates the holographic versions of his superiors. Unfortunately, Riker, Deanna, and Geordi find out about this little secret. When the warp drive shows severe malfunctions, it is Barclay who finds out that the cause is a substance leaking from a cargo container which is spread throughout the ship by the crew members who have touched the container. Barclay, Geordi and Wesley manage to eliminate the contamination in the nick of time. Barclay, with his newly developed self-confidence, deletes all his holoprograms - except for one.  

The Most Toys Stardate 43872.2: Data is presumed dead after his shuttlepod has exploded while returning from dealer Kivas Fajo's ship. Actually, Fajo has kidnapped Data to add him to his collection of unique creatures and artifacts. Data refuses any collaboration, and Fajo doesn't have the desired "fun" with him. Fajo even kills his assistant Varria with a disruptor to break Data's resistance. Data gets control of the weapon and points it at Fajo, but Fajo knows the android wouldn't be able to kill him. Meanwhile, the truth about Data's disappearance has been found out on the Enterprise. Data is beamed out from Fajo's ship - and the disruptor is detected to be activated.

Sarek Stardate 43917.4: 202-year-old Sarek of Vulcan has prepared the conference between the Federation and the Legarans for 93 years. It turns out that he suffers from the Bendii syndrome, a disease which can disable an aged Vulcan's emotional control - and that of other people who get under his telepathic influence. Picard agrees to a mind-meld with the Vulcan, so a part of Picard would give Sarek the strength for the negotiations, and a part of Sarek could live his emotions in Picard's body. 

Ménage à Troi Stardate 43930.7: The Ferengi Tog kidnaps Lwaxana, Deanna and Will during a vacation on Betazed. Aboard Tog's ship Lwaxana does her best to please her lovestruck kidnapper, while Deanna and Will manage to send a secret distress call by modulating the Marauder's warp field. Wesley, although he is supposed to leave for Starfleet Academy, picks up and decodes the signal. Lwaxana can persuade Tog to return Deanna and Will to the Enterprise, but warns him of Picard's jealousy. Picard scares Tog with his great performance as Lwaxana's lover who kills his rivals, and Lwaxana is finally released too.

Transfigurations Stardate 43957.2: A severely injured humanoid is found in the wreckage of an escape pod, but he recovers in only 36 hours. The man who suffers from amnesia is called "John Doe" by Dr. Crusher. He seems to have an amazingly salubrious influence on the crew: Geordi, for one, has the luck with woman he was missing so far. When Worf breaks his neck, John heals him in an instant. A Zalkonian ship appears whose commander demands John's extradition. John's memory returns and he explains that he is not a criminal, but one of the first of his people to take the next step in evolution towards a being of pure energy, chased by a government that fears the unknown.

The Best of Both Worlds I/II Stardate 43989.1/44001.4: Lt. Cmdr. Shelby joins the crew to examine the disappearance of the Federation colony New Providence, apparently caused by the Borg. A Borg cube appears and they demand that Picard personally surrender to them. Thanks to Shelby's quick-witted strategy, the Enterprise breaks away and hides in a nebula where Geordi modifies the deflector to serve as a weapon. When the Borg attack again, they abduct and assimilate Picard who now acts as their speaker, Locutus. Riker assumes command, while a team led by Shelby beams aboard the Borg ship. They can do some damage, but don't manage to retrieve Picard. Back on the Enterprise, Riker orders Geordi's weapon to be fired - without any noticeable effect. Thanks to Locutus the Borg have all of Picard's knowledge about Federation technology and strategy. The Enterprise is not able to follow the Borg cube which has resumed a course straight to Earth. A fleet of 40 Federation ships is going to engage them at Wolf 359. When the Enterprise arrives at the battle site, the whole fleet is lost. The Enterprise catches up with the cube again, and thanks to Riker's unusual and unexpected maneuvers Picard can be freed, while the cube approaches Earth. Data is trying to get in contact with the Borg through Picard's implants. He finally gets a hint by Picard himself who says "sleep", just when Riker is about to give the command to ram the Borg ship. With a "sleep" command, Data disables the cube which destroys itself by a power feedback.

Proceed to TNG Season 4

Home   Top
	Last modified: 08.05.12
http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/episodes/tng3.htm