The first two part episode in Trek history that had to both parts written by the same crew with an actual plan for what was happening in part II when they wrote part I! Also I know that Nemoy only agreed to be in this episode to promote The Undiscovered Country which he directed, but both TUC and Unification are good enough stories that it doesn't cheapen the experience. Also I had totally forgotten about the quartermaster of the salvage yard, what a fun character and I don't really recall what the solution to that mystery is which makes me look forward to tomorrow night. Of course the title of the episode kinda gives away what Spock's main objective is, but whatever, Spock is in TNG!!!
The episode opens with the Enterprise being pulled of a mission for an important briefing from an admiral. Refusing to use subspace communications the admiral explains in person that an ambassador of the Federation has gone missing, and turned up on Romulus. And not just any ambassador, Ambassador Spock! The Enterprise heads to Vulcan so Picard can meet with Sarek who is dying of Bendii syndrome and Riker can investigate some Vulcan debris found on a crashed Ferengi vessel. Picard meets with Sarek and learns the name of a Romulan senator Spock may be trying to meet with and Riker figures out which ship the debris is from, a ship that should be in a Federation scrap yard.
The next move is to procure a Klingon ship so that Picard and Data can go into Romulan space and then disguise themselves as Romulans and beam down to find Spock. Gowron doesn't seem like he wants to help but after some careful negotiations by Picard the get the ship they need. Data and Picard leave the Enterprise in Riker's hands and head for Romulus. Riker heads to the scrap yard and finds its administrator to be less than helpful. However Deanna manages to get him to work with them and they find the birth that should contain the Vulcan ship they are looking for, but it is gone. And the ship that the parts they are looking to trace should be on another ship in the yard, but that ship is gone too. But the administrator notices that this ship has been receiving regular shipments of parts via tranporter so something is going on. They turn of the Enterprise engines and hide in the scrap yard to see who turns up to get today's shipment.
On Romulus Picard and Data aren't exactly fitting in well. First they walk around talking loudly about Spock with Data moving like an android and constantly calling Picard, "captain." They find the place on the street where Spock was spotted and determine it is the office of a relative of the senator Sarek told them about. They then awkwardly eat soup in a cafe until they are arrested by Romulan security. Back on the Enterprise a ship of unknown origin turns on to get the shipment and it opens fire on the Enterprise when it powers back on. Riker has Worf carefully shoot just the weapons but the ship is so packed full of weapons and arms that it explodes. Back on Romulus Data and Picard realize they haven't been arrested by security but taken to safety by the senator. Right at the very end Spock reveals himself... TOO BE CONTINUED!
Review: This really feels like just half an episode, but honestly it is still better than some of the crap second season. The tension is high many times in the episode and the B story has both mystery and some good humorous bits.
8 out of 10
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