TNG: Yesterday's Enterprise

            Watching this episode I can't help but wonder what was happening late February of 1990, because I am fairly sure I have never seen this episode before. And what an episode to miss! An Enterprise from the past with a female captain, an alternate timeline where the Federation is losing a war to the Klingon Empire, and Tasha Yar sacrificing her life only this time for a good cause. This may not quite be The Best of Both Worlds, but especially after such episodes as Booby Trap season 3 has more and better action than the first two seasons put together.

            We open with Guinan introducing Worf to prune juice in Ten Forward when he looks out the window and sees a huge vortex in space of some sort and is immediately summoned to the bridge. On the bridge they watch as a ship emerge, and flash! Suddenly the ship is different. The ship the comes out of the vortex is the Enterprise-C and back on the D it is suddenly a war ship. Everyone is armed at all times, the light is much lower and they are at war with the Klingons. Sensors show the C has life signs still so Picard sends over medical teams. About half the crew is dead and the rest are badly hurt. Crusher tends to the wounded while Geordi get the engines going again and restores life support. Back on the D Guinan can tell something is wrong. She wanders onto the bridge and is shocked by the changes. She insists on talking to the captain and even though he is hesitant at first he trusts her. 

            After talking to the captain of the C in sickbay Picard learns she was in the middle of a fight with the Romulans while trying to defend a Klingon outpost. In the middle of the fight there was a flash and they found themselves in the future. Picard figures out that this may be why they have been at war with the Klingons for 20 years, there is no record of the C fighting to defend the Klingons. Meanwhile Tasha Yar is working with the acting commander of the C to try and get their weapon systems working so they can fight the Klingons in the current time period. She falls in love with him pretty quickly and is jarred by Guinan's reaction to her.

            Picard holds a briefing to the staff to explain his decision to send the C back through the time portal to try and stop the war they are fighting. Riker isn't pleased and Tasha is pretty upset. She talks to Guinan who admits to her that she is dead in the main timeline. The Klingons attack suddenly and do a bit more damage to the C before leaving. The captain of the C is killed leaving no one at tactical. Tasha requests a transfer to the C since she is most likely going to be erased from history if she stays and also she is in love with the new captain of the C. Picard hesitantly agrees and she heads over just as they prepare to depart. The Klingons attack again and are on the verge of destroying the D just as the C goes into the rift. And suddenly things are as they were and Guinan is talking to Geordi about Tasha in Ten Forward.

            Review: Star Trek is more known for its mirror universe, but this alternate timeline episode is a solid exception. Sure there is a causality loop in there, but whatever man, it is a solid episode. Lots of action and some solid character interactions to make it all work. Also the dramatic lighting on makes Patrick Stewart look more serious. Maybe this is why the bridge is always so dark in the TNG movies.

9 out of 10

TNG: A Matter of Perspective

            This episodes Rashoman style of showing a murder from multiple perspectives really worked for me as a kid and it still works today. As a kid I only remember that Geordi figured it out in the end, but that is only part of the story. Picard had to look at the three versions of the story they had seen (including the dead man's version, so Rashoman!!!) and figure out why the doctor had tried to kill Riker. Without that I don't think the investigator would have dropped the charges. 
            The episode opens with Picard painting a nude woman in an art class. Data comes in and after complimenting all the other artist work tears Picards attempt apart on all sorts of artistic grounds. It turns out Data is really there to tell the captain they have arrived at a research station where Geordi and Riker and checking in on a scientist trying to make Kreeger waves or something. I am not clear on the time lines but I guess Geordi beamed over a few minutes earlier because when Riker calls up he sounds pissed and Geordi tells Picard there is a story. When O'Brien tries to beam Riker back there is an energy surge but he gets him just in time. Just in time because as soon as he leaves the station explodes killing the researcher. 
            The planet contacts the Enterprise and sends an investigator up. Worf escorts him to the bridge where he attempts to arrest Commander Riker. Picard brings the investigator into his ready room at tells him he is happy to investigate, but he has discretion over whether to extradite. Picard offers to recreate the station on the holodeck and make simulations based on the testimony from Riker and the other witnesses. The investigator agrees and they meet 12 hours later to start the hearing. They begin with Riker's version where the scientists wife hits on him and gets him alone only to be caught by her husband who tries and fails to punch Riker and then threatens to ruin him. The next day Riker tries to convince the scientist he is going to support his research anyway, but he isn't believed and then beams back to the ship. The investigator then tells them the computers linked to the station on the ground detected an energy surge that could be a phaser blast coming from the exact spot Riker was standing.
            During a break in the hearings Worf detects a surge of radiation on the ship which Geordi and Wesley investigate and find it has blasted a hole in one of the ships duranium panels. The hearing continues and they watch the wife's testimony where Riker hits on her and the scientist rushes in to stop Riker but other than that it is pretty similar. Finally the assistant to the scientist testifies they he told her Riker threatened to kill him and sent her and the wife back to the planet. Things aren't looking great, but suddenly there is another radiation surge, this time in the sickbay. Dr. Crusher manages to get out in time but another panel is destroyed. This time they figure it out though. Back in the holodeck Picard puts it all together and explains that the Kreeger generator did work and the scientist was trying to sell it to somebody as a weapon. He thought Riker had him figured out and tried to kill him with the generator. The energy blast the investigator discovered was the beam reflecting off the Riker as he was being transported. There is even a subtle delay just long enough to be explained by this bounce. Charge are dropped and they get the hell out of there.

            Review: This episode does a good job of putting together a mystery and then solving it in a very short period of time. Even the final answer is hinted at when Geordi figures out the timing of the radiation pulses and mentions that it was slightly delayed when the station was destroyed. 

8 out of 10

TNG: Deja Q

            This is probably my favorite Q episode so far, and yes, it is mostly because it is fun to see some of his antics catching up with him now that he has lost his powers. They continue to tease that Guinan is some sort of powerful alien, but all that ever develops into is that she lives a really long time and some of her species got sucked up the ribbon thing in Generations. This episode is improved a good bit by Picard assigning Data to be the one to teach Q about humanity. It is also clearly smart because assuming Q is human at that point Data could easily overwhelm him if it came to that.
            The episode opens with the Enterprise trying to figure out how to stop a moon from falling onto a planet of fishmouthed people. No one understands why this has happened, but they start making guesses when Q suddenly appears naked on the bridge. However Q claims to have been stripped of his powers (and clothes) by the continuum and that he decided to be a human on the Enterprise to be with his buddy Picard. The captain then takes the most reasonable course of action and throws Q into the brig. Nobody trusts Q but he offers to try and use his vast knowledge stop the moon from falling. In engineering he suggests all they need to do is alter the gravitational constant of the universe which gives Geordi the idea of extending the warp field around the moon to decrease its effective mass. 
            Q gets hungry from all the excitement and goes to Ten Forward with Data who suggests an ice cream sundae might make him feel better. Q agrees to try and orders 10. Guinan shows up and stabs Q in the hand with a fork to see if he is human and he passes that test. Suddenly an energy being shows up and starts torturing Q until Geordi modifies the shields to stop it. When the time comes to try and push the moon Q goes to engineering but is too busy sulking that he isn't in charge to actually be helpful. When they drop shields to push the moon the energy being again attacks Q and Data almost dies trying to help him.
            Q doesn't understand why Data would risk his life for him, but when it becomes obvious that they can't push the moon and keep him safe at the same time Q flees on a shuttlecraft. This selfless act is apparently enough to get the Q continuum to give him back his powers. As a parting gift he gives Data a laugh (literally) and moves the moon back to a safe position.

            Review: Not in the top ten all time episodes, but this is one of the more interesting Q episodes. It is always fun to watch a god be forced into a mortal husk and Q is particularly bitter about it. 

7 out of 10

TNG: The High Ground

            Maybe this episode felt different before 9/11, but today it feels more like an episode about Stockholm syndrome. The terrorists/freedom fighters are being led by a sociopath which makes it kinda hard to empathize with them. Unless you are Dr. Crusher apparently. She is not at her best in this episode, especially after she has been held hostage for most of the episode and when Picard mentions that maybe listening to her and not getting her off the surface before she was kidnapped was a mistake she is outraged. Really? Of course he should have gone with his gut and beamed her out of there. They almost destroyed the entire ship!
            While dropping off medical supplies on a neutral planet the away team is at the scene of a terrorist attack. Dr. Crusher insists in helping the wounded even thought he scene is clearly not secure. (As an aside I am an EMT and the first thing you ever worry about at a trauma scene like this is scene safety, you are no good if you end up as another patient.) And to prove my instincts correct she is kidnapped by the terrorists using some sort of untraceable transporter device. She awakens in a cave with a terrorist who offers he food which she refuses. In fact she refuses to talk or acknowledge his presence. Back on the ship Picard has to break it to Wesley that his mom has been taken as a hostage. He is put on the team trying to discover how the transporters the terrorists are using work.
            Riker meets with the head of planetary security who explains that they have been fighting the terrorists for decades ever since they tried to break one continent off from the government. They have killed thousands including many children. Recently they started using the untraceable transporter devices and are even more dangerous now. In engineering Wesley has a breakthrough discovering how the terrorists are transporting, and it is very dangerous. Back on the planet Dr. Crusher eventually agrees to eat and after she is shown a bunch of hurt people she immediately tries to start helping them. But of course she needs supplies which, fortunately for her, the terrorists already stole from the shipment intended for the government. To the head terrorist is totally unsympathetic, but he draws some pictures of Beverley and she seems to think he is a nice guy all of a sudden. 
            Learning the Beverley is from the Federation flag ship the terrorists beam themselves onto the ship and try to blow it up, but Geordi stops them. They do succeed however and kidnapping the captain. They transport so much that Wesley is able to detect more about how they are doing it, he just needs them to do it one more time. And fortunately for them the head terrorist beams over to tell Troi his demands and they are on to them. Riker leads a rescue team of like 5 guys to take on the whole terrorist base and despite this being a terrible plan it of course works. But the head of security shoots the head terrorist dead which upsets Bev. Then a kid who worked with her doesn't kill them all which is a sign of hope I guess?

            Review: It seemed like this episode wanted the audience to feel for the terrorists despite them being totally terrible and unsympathetic. Unlike last nights episode about a harsh government fighting just rebels this one seems like the government is doing the right thing and fuck the terrorists. Except Beverley is convinced that the sociopath leader must be a good guy since he likes to draw or something.

3 out of 10

TNG: The Hunted

            We are in the middle of a series of episodes with The as the first word in the title, and so far it is going pretty smoothly. This episode isn't quite as good as last night, but only by a little bit. The only parts that drag a bit for me are Troi trying to convince the super soldier that he is really a good person and just needs to go with his feelings or something like that. All there parts with Danar trying to escape work really well and are very enjoyable to watch. Worf once again manages to prove he is as much wits as he is brawn, but in this case the engineered super soldier proves to be more than a match for him.
            The episode begins with the captain discussing the entry of Angosia III into the Federation with the prime minister when they are interrupted, there has been an escape from a prison colony and the escapee has commandeered a ship and is considered extremely dangerous. The prime minister asks the Enterprise for assistance and Picard agrees. Data is on the bridge and along with Worf they pursue the vessel. It has no life signs aboard and when it passes behind an asteroid the drive section separates and the rest falls into the asteroid. They figure out that he must be in the drive section and when they approach it tries to ram the Enterprise, but not before dropping an apparently empty escape pod. But fortunately they have all seen A New Hope so they beam the occupant of the pod over. 
            The man in the pod is named Danar and as soon as he is aboard he overwhelms both security officers and O'Brien. Finally Worf arrives and along with the other security officers they manage to get Danar into a detention cell. He still doesn't show any life signs. While sleeping Troi can feel his pain from the hallway and rushes to him. Danar isn't impressed with Troi trying to help him, but she doesn't give up. The Enterprise has access to the computers on Angosia III and Troi looks into his records, it turns out he isn't a criminal, he is a soldier. Danar confirms this and explains that his government modified him and others to be the perfect soldiers but that after the war they were unable to fit into society and have been on a penal colony ever since. 
            Picard agrees it is a messed up situation, but he has no choice but to turn Danar back to his government, Danar promises not to go without a fight. When they try to beam him over he somehow fights out of the beam and escapes to engineering. He sets a series of false leads but eventually uses a phaser to power the transporter in a cargo bay and beams over to the ship that was supposed to take him to prison and takes over. The prime minister contacts them and asks for assistance as Danar has returned to the prison and escaped with a bunch more super soldiers and headed to the capital. Picard agrees to help but instead just beams down himself and a few other support crew including Troi. The captain is able to keep Danar from killing everybody but insists that it is the Angosians problem and if they work it out well the Federation would be happy to accept them.

            Review: This is a mostly action episode and it works well for that purpose. We get to see parts of the ship we haven't seen before as he uses access hatches and Jefferey's tubes move about. Being able to have life signs the Enterprise can't detect is a bit of a stretch, but it is really the only gimme in the episode so that's fine.

7 out of 10

TNG: The Defector

            I know I have seen this episode before, but mostly for the pivotal scene at the end. Even having seen it before the reveal of the cloaked Klingon warships surrounding the Romulans is one of those moments I live for. The actor playing the defecting admiral does a really good job, honestly a fair bit better than the recurring character of captain Tomalak who I swear Picard pronounces tomahawk. This episode manages to keep increasing the level of tension until the very end. Even the hidden object Jarok kept in his boot pays off at the very end of the episode while making the audience think maybe they can't trust him much earlier.
            The episode opens with Data performing a scene from Henry V in which the king has disguised himself as a common soldier to discover what his men really think about the battle he is about to lead them into. This has the bonus of letting Patrick Stewart perform a few lines from the play in the course of the episode and I am ALWAYS ok with that. Picard and Data both rush to the bridge when the Enterprise receives a message from the Federation that a ship has been detected rushing towards the Romulan neutral zone and that sensors confirm it is a small scout ship. The Enterprise rushes in and finds a scout ship in the neutral zone fleeing from a Bird of Prey that is shooting at it aggressively. After the scout enter Federation territory Picard has the Enterprise shields extended around the scout and the one occupant beamed aboard. 
            The man on the scout ship demands to see the captain immediately despite his serious injuries. He tells Picard that the Romulans are preparing to start a war with the Federation and have established a large outpost in a strategic planet in the neutral zone. The question is now whether they can trust him. All signs initially point to no: the Bird of Prey slowed down after shooting the scout ship rather than closing and destroying it, Troi determines the Romulan is lying when interogated, and despite being a traitor he refuses to give the Federation any information that might help in the war when it comes. Only Geordi seems to trust him. Picard gives Worf the job of contacting other nearby allies to come the Enterprises aid if necessary. When time is growing short the Romulan reveals he is not a low ranking officer but instead Admiral Jarok who was responsible for the deaths of many Federation citizens in a Romulan raid years earlier. This makes Picard trust him even less, but in the end Jarok gives him valuable information which convinces Picard. 
            In the end Picard decides he must trust Jarok, especially since a probe from the Enterprise seems to indicate that there is subspace radio traffic coming from the planet in question. They cross into the neutral zone and find the planet empty. Jarok can only figure that he was being tested and fed lies that he Romulans were about to attack. Just as they prepare to leave two Romulan Birds' of Prey decloak and open fire on the Enterprise. They are just firing warning shots though and quickly hail. It is captain Tomalak again and he demands the Enterprise surrender or be destroyed. So Picard has Worf signal the 3 to 5 Klingon Birds of Prey that are surrounding the Romulans to decloak. Tomalak thinks better of it and gets the hell out of there as does the Enterprise. In the end they find Jarok has used the small object in his boot shown earlier to commit suicide leaving a letter to his family. 
            
            Review: This episode does a great job of capturing cold war tension of an incident like the Cuban missile crisis in a way that works great in the Trek universe. This is a tight episode and probably my favorite so far this season. Not quite a Borg attack, but pretty darn close!

8 out of 10

TNG: The Vengeance Factor

            Now this is another episode that could have just as easily been a TOS episode, but not in a bad way. The Vengeance Factor is a bit simplified compared to how these disputes usually take place, but it doesn't exactly end with all the loose ends tied up which is honestly a lot more realistic than a lot of episodes. Following right up on the episode where Troi falls in love with a stranger new to the ship who turns out to not be what he appears I guess I should have figured this would be a bit similar. The twist of Riker having to actually kill his lover was more intense than I expected and was a dramatic way to end the episode.
            The episode opens with Riker beaming into a very green, very wrecked place with an away team. It turns out to be a federation outpost that went silent recently. It has been stripped of valuables and the only survivors are badly injured from being repeatedly stunned. There is also alien blood that could have only come from one race, a race divided between a civilized faction living on the surface of their homeworld and a group of outlaws know as, "the Gatherers," who wander the area raiding and pillaging. Picard decides the Acamarians themselves must end this conflict and takes it upon himself to tell their leader so. Marouk, sovereign of the Acamarians isn't excited about negotiating with the Gatherers, but with some prodding from Picard agrees to try with his help. Her servants beam aboard to aide her on the voyage including her personal chef who Riker takes notice of immediately. She agrees to cook him some authentic Acamarian cuisine if you know what I mean.
            Marouk guides the Enterprise to a system suspected of having a Gatherer outpost. Riker leads an away team down and they find lots of stolen goods, and an ambush! After fighting back the Gatherers Riker pretends to retreat only to ambush them. The local Gatherer leader agrees to meet with the sovereign to discuss their readmission onto Acamarian society. While negotiations are ongoing the chef, Yuta, sneaks off and kills one of the Gatherers with an unknown substance. When his body is found Dr. Crusher beams down to try and help, but it is too late. The Gatherer leader Brull agrees to travel on the Enterprise to meet with the head of all Gatherers on his ship. While they are en route Yuta comes to Rikers quarters, but after some kissing things go wrong when Riker learns Yuta is unable to experience love or pleasure. This is interuped by a red alert and Riker heads to the bridge. 
            The ship is under fire from the Gatherer ship which refuses to answer hails. However they are totally outgunned and the Enterprise knocks out their shields with one shot. The head Gatherer agrees to negotiate after Picard beams over with Marouk. Things aren't going well, but the Gatherers do seem genuinely interested in rejoining society. Back on the ship Dr. Crusher has acquired the records from Acamaria and has found a tailored microvirus is what killed the Gatherer. She also learns it has been used before and when a picture is brought up of the victim Yuta is with him. exactly the same age as she appears now even though the assassination took place 52 years earlier. Riker beams down to the negotiations just as Yuta tries to kill the Gatherer leader. She explains his clan killed all but 5 members of her clan over 100 years earlier and she was modified to not age to allow her to kill all the members of the clan that massacred her own. When she proves immune to stun setting and keeps trying Riker is forced to shoot her at full power and kills her.

            Review: This is a much better executed story than last nights episode. Not one that will be long remembered in the canon, but an enjoyable episode to watch. Some of the Gatherers overact a bit, but they are essentially space pirates so I am willing to put up with a fair bit of that.

6 out of 10