TNG: Where Silence Has Lease

            This episode is a real mixed bag. Unlike last night which was just bad bad bad this one has a decent over all plot, but some terrible character bits. Pulaski is proving to be totally awful as the new doctor and not just for her refusal to accept Data as a person, Worf is show to be particularily animal like this episode, and Picard is at maximum preachy. It also breaks the TNG rule of no godlike beings who aren't Q with a goofball energy cloud villain straight out of the worst of TOS. Third season is sounding really good right now...
            The episode opens with a fake out. They set it up to appear that Worf and Riker are on a dangerous mission together, but after killing all the enemies Worf is set to attack Riker. He does stand down and we are left to wonder how someone this out of control could have passed that dreaded psyche test to enter the academy. Back on the bridge they encounter a blank void in space. The probes they shoot in disappear alarming Worf. Suddenly they are inside the void and nothing they do seems to move the ship at all. They run into a Romulan ship that opens fire but explodes as soon as they return fire and leaves no debris behind. Then another galaxy class starship appears, the USS Yamato. Riker and Worf beam over but find more of a house of mirrors than a ship. After losing contact with the away team openings in the void start appearing tempting them to escape. Other than racism Pulaski makes her one contribution here pointing out it seems like a science experiment.
            Eventually O'Bryan manages to beam them back and the holes keep appearing, but when they approach they disappear. A diembodied head appears and talks to them. It kills the pilot who was sitting is Wesley's seat that day and tells them he is going to kill half the crew to learn about death. Picard won't stand for it and sets the ship to explode. The being sends fake Data and Troi to talk Picard down, but he won't do it. Just before it is time to destroy the ship they escape and Picard pushes it to the very last minute just to be sure. 

            Review: What a simple episode, and I don't mean that in a good way. Other than the above mentioned bad character moments this one is pretty dull and uncreative. Not the worst of the worst, but also not one I would be excited to watch again.

3 out of 10