Measure of a Man (extended version)....

[Warped9]

Okay, so I'm behind the curve, but over the weekend I finally got around to seeing this from the new remastered set.

"Measure Of A Man" is my favourite TNG episode. It plays out and resonates in a way that really showed that new Trek could reach me like TOS. Actually quite a bit of TNG's 2nd season does that for me. I find it hard to imagine how the episode could be made any better. I have to say, though, that the extended cut doesn't make it better.

That isn't to say the extended cut ruins or hurts the episode. No, the added footage is polished and looks and sounds authentic. Some of the added scenes do add a bit more texture to characters. Maddox appearing at Data's farewell gathering really makes him seem even more of a dick. Picard prepping Data for the hearing looks convincing as one of those quieter moments that really would have had to happen. Nothing new really felt out of place, but...

The new stuff doesn't bring anything of real value to the existing episode. It's easy to see why the additional footage was initially cut because it detracted from the impact of certain scenes.

The extended cut felt like a decently written short story (which television episodes essentially are), but the aired version is an example of a good story made great with a bit of smart editing to give it impact.

I'm glad I saw the extended cut, but for me the aired cut works better and is the definitive version. Here is a good example of less is more.

[Jefferies]

Could not agree more with what you have said. Hollywood, unfortunately, excercises the power of thrifty editing far too infrequently.

[jimbotron]

I liked about half of the additions.

The fencing scene was good and added to the Picard/Riker rivalry. The Picard/Data scene with Shakespeare was fun.

It fell extremely flat though when Maddox crashed the party and acted like a school bully. It seemed out of character, even for him.

[Warped9]

^^ Even the smartest among us have brain fart moments.

[BillJ]

I loved the extended cut.

[Angel4576]

I just love having the option to watch either version. Bravo.

[Warped9]

Was this done, even moderately, with any other episodes?

[jimbotron]

No, there have been no other extended episodes, though we are now seeing deleted scenes on other episodes.

Measure of a Man is a unique case because it was written by a freelancer who writes dialogue-heavy scripts. That means that she submitted a script that clocks in at nearly an hour when a typical episode needs to clock in at 44.

[Warped9]

jimbotron wrote:

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No, there have been no other extended episodes, though we are now seeing deleted scenes on other episodes.

Any ones in particular?

[BillJ]

Warped9 wrote:

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Any ones in particular?

I know there's a version of The Wounded floating around that has the deleted scenes reinserted. Though I've only seen a few minutes of it. Of course, there's no effects or sound effects track for the reinserted scenes.

[MikeS]

It's a great piece of VAM. A good example of how the editing process works. But as you say it adds little to the story and the scene with Maddox at Data's party seems out of place. I will always watch the aired version during rewatches and the extended cut as part of VAM watches...