What a frustrating episode! Seeing Picard replaced for an arrogant so called expert so he can be sent on a mission behind enemy lines that is clearly a trap to anyone paying attention is one thing. But seeing Riker and La Forge pushed around and told they aren't good at their jobs any more is pretty much intolerable. About the only part I approve of is making Troi put on a uniform if she is going to be on the bridge of the flagship just makes sense. I don't think the frustration of this episode was created by accident however. By bringing everyone so low they have a good place to get back from, but damn this one is kinda unpleasant to watch.
The episode opens with Admiral Nechayev showing up and relieving Picard of duty. Cut to the admiral briefing Riker, Data and Troi about the situation with the Cardassians, they appear to be preparing for war. When Riker asks about the captain he is told he will be replaced by Captain Jellico who is some kind Cardassian expert. They also learn that Crusher and Worf will also be transferred off the ship. Cut to Picard, Worf and Crusher training in caves for some sort of secret mission. Jellico arrives and starts pissing everybody off from the very start. He wants the ship taken off the standard three shift rotation and put on a four shift rotation. Cut to Ten Forward where the formal handover of command takes place and Riker is clearly worried since they wouldn't normally do this for a temporary transfer.
Down in engineering Geordi is getting it as hard as Riker as he is assigned to do an unreasonable amount of work on the warp core in the next two days. Jellico repeatedly tells Picard how much he doesn't like Riker throughout the whole process which really makes him seem like an asshole. Picard and company keep training for whatever they are doing. They arrive at the point where they are to depart and the three of them fly off in a shuttle to go meet with a Ferengi. Picard then briefs them that the Cardassians are believed to be working on an illegal biological weapon and it is there job to find it and destroy it. Their meeting goes well and they manage to book passage on the Ferengi ship.
Back on the Enterprise the Cardassian ambassador has arrived and after some messing around by Jellico they get down to business. Things seem to be going ok for the Federation until the ambassador reveals that they know all about Picard's secret mission and Jellico is visibly distraught over it. Back on the mission they are making their way through the caves. They repel down a 500 meter cliff with 10 meter long ropes some how. Eventually they find a service hatch to the secret base and after forcing it open find that the whole thing was a trap. Worf and Crusher manage to escape but Picard is captured and taken to be interrogated. The one thing he does get from his captor is that the whole thing was a ploy to get him specifically to come be captured.
Review: I am reviewing just this half episode rather than the whole and I have to say, I didn't really enjoy watching it. It does feel like a pretty good setup, but it doesn't really deliver anything other than frustration. Also the repelling scene is just silly.
5 out of 10
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