It seems odd talking about an episode about Vulcans being emotional, but this one manages to pull it off. The scenes of the crew fighting each other vary somewhat in how successful they are at seeming genuine, the one between Geordi and Wesley didn't really work for me. The only thing I remember from this episode as a kid was that there were aliens coming and they needed to live in a slime pit but you never get to see the slime aliens. For that being what I remember this episode being about there was disappointingly little in the episode about it, but I guess maybe trusting me at age 9 to make plot decisions isn't the most logical course.
The episode opens with Picard preparing to greet their honored guest Ambassador Sarek. Before Sarek arrives his two aides beam over and insist that Sarek is too worn out for any social contact but when he arrives he seems vigorous as ever. Sarek insists in inspecting the conference room/slime pit and isn't pleased with what he sees. Geordi is hassling Wesley about asking an ensign on a date in the slime room since clearly you assign an acting ensign to the job of preparing for super sensitive aliens who care about every detail. Picard stops by Sareks quarters to invite him and his wife to a Mozart concert in his honor. His wife agrees to ask him and after Picard leaves she goes to the back room to check on Sarek and finds him frustrated at his inability to meditate. Back in the slime room Riker has to stop a fight between Geordi and Wesley that is getting extremely heated.
The concert starts as planned by Sarek suddenly starts crying and has to leave. There are starting to be signs of trouble all over the ship. Worf tries to discipline one of his subordinates for being insubordinate, Wesley gets yelled at by his mom, and a huge brawl breaks out in Ten Forward. Troi thinks that it may be coming from Sarek but his aides refuse to let the captain even discuss it with him. Crusher thinks that he may have a rare degenerative Vulcan syndrome that causes total loss of control over emotions. Data manages to get one of the aides to admit he is using his limited telepathic abilities to help Sarek stay in control. The captain confronts Sarek who has a full out breakdown over it.
The treaty signing is now jeopardized since the slime aliens will deal only with Sarek. Picard starts plans to delay the conference by Sarek's wife tells him there is another way. He can mindmeld with Sarek and carry his emotions with him why the signing takes place. Picard agrees by has to talk Sarek into it since the strain on Picard will be enormous. We get to see some serious emoting from Patrick in this one but of course the plan goes off perfectly. Sarek returns home to retire and be secluded and Picard gets to carry part of him in his mind forever.
Review: This is a good episode about the challenges of aging and the stress of not being able to do what one once could. Mark Lenard is fantastic as always. Not the greatest executed episode of all time, but well made enough to enjoy.
6 out of 10
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