Season 5 really knows how to end on a strong note. Wrapping a string of four strong episodes with a time travel adventure is always a good thing. For whatever reason I remember being kinda disappointed by this one as a kid, but I have no idea why. Well, I guess maybe part 2 isn't as good as the first one, but I will leave that problem for tomorrow night. Time's Arrow starts off great right out of the gate with the discovery of Data's head buried for centuries under San Francisco and then seeing him find himself in the past where he will presumably die and deciding to tell everyone he is, "a Frenchman," to put them at ease is just amazing. Then having Guinan hanging out with Mark Twain. I really hope part 2 is better than I remember too.
The episode opens with the discovery of a cave under San Francisco with signatures of an energy only ever used by a few rare species of aliens implying they were on Earth about five centuries early. But also in the cave is Data's head. The rest of the crew take this really hard, but Data thinks it is great. It means that he is mortal like his friends and he finds that comforting while they all find it upsetting. The trace the energy signature to a planet a few star systems away and beam to the surface, but not Data. Troi detects life human life forms, but Geordi figures out they are out of sync with time by just a little bit. They need some sort of very specific equipment that the Enterprise lacks, but Data has in his head to alter their own time enough to interact. Picard approves Data beaming down and he manages to see the lifeforms, but they aren't human. Two more aliens appear to him, with a snake, and then his voice breaks up and they lose him.
Data finds himself in San Francisco in 1893. He asks about the entities with the snake of some passersby and is laughed at for being French. He runs into a homeless miner but is unable to give him any money. He finds his way to a hotel and at first his lack of money is a problem, but he learns about a poker game and talks his way in. After cleaning out all the other players he moves into a hotel room and gets the bellhop the help him get what he needs for some sort of crazy piece of equipment. Back on the Enterprise Guinan learns of the mission and talks to the captain. She tells him that it is vitally important that he participate in the mission to rescue Data. She doesn't tell him why, but he agrees.
Back in the past Data learns Guinan is there and barges into a reception she is attending with Mark Twain. She doesn't recognize him, but agrees to talk when he mentions being on a starship with her. Privately she ask him what he is and isn't surprised when he says he is an android. She then asks if her father sent him, but he explains he is from the future and assumed she was too. Suddenly some cigar smoke blows in and Mark Twain appears, he has heard everything. Back in the future Picard leads an away team to try and rescue Data. Geordi has made one of the things that only Data had in his head and they also see the aliens. Troi figures out they are feeding on life energy taken from humans in terror. A rift opens and two aliens show up with a snake and a bottle full of suffering. They go back through the rift and the away team follows, TO... BE... CONTINUED!!!
Review: It is always hard reviewing the first half of a two part story, but this one seems like it has been planned well enough to have a cool ending. I admit I don't actually recall how they resolve all this, but as I said in the opening I recall being disappointed. But this isn't about what I remember from the first time watching so I am going to have to go with having really enjoyed watching this one.
8 out of 10
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