Second Chances

[Discofan]

...(Note that Voyager had an episode too early on where one of the crew dies but the duplicated copy of him takes his place... Harry, was it? )
...

Either that or they were all duplicates except for him and Naomi. It's impossible to tell.

 

[Orphalesion]

Yup. Especially if there's a top notch resolution to a loved character, dragging them out to extend (or relive) the plot doesn't always work. Contriving to get him out would be monumental enough to do convincingly...

I think you misunderstood me.
I was saying that if the writers had decided to bring back Tom Riker then no life-long sentence in a Cardassian (or any other) jail would have stopped them from doing so, it wouldn't have meant a thing.

 

[flandry84]

The whole episode smacks of a “Hey wouldn’t it be cool if..” moment in the writers room.Very little thought given to the implications for either Riker ,again displaying a disregard for the character.
How many times did we get Lore or Kurn or bloody Lwaxanna?

 

[Discofan]

The whole episode smacks of a “Hey wouldn’t it be cool if..” moment in the writers room.Very little thought given to the implications for either Riker ,again displaying a disregard for the character.
How many times did we get Lore or Kurn or bloody Lwaxanna?

Maybe Jonathan Frakes didn't enjoy playing this character, which is why he wasn't given more development.

 

[flandry84]

Can’t see why he wouldn’t.
Tom is very interesting in that he gets a kind of “It’s a wonderful life” view of how Will’s life turned out.
Maybe he finally realises that okay,Starfleet has that guy leaving me (Tom) to take another path.

 

[Tribble Threat]

I think Will Riker always had potential as a character, but Tom made a great underdog who suffered in life. But the writers should have had Will be kinder to Tom. This episode was the first and so far the only time I watched Will and really disliked him.

 

[STEPhon IT]

What I liked about the episode was Troi was still in love with a memory and had the opportunity to explore it and wanted Thomas to stay; Marina's expressions when he decided he was going was all there on screen. I felt for her because she showed with just expressions of how much she loved that memory and how that memory can hurt just the same. I thought this was Sirtis' best work on TNG, and this episode may have laid the ground work of her character's well developed, and earned relationship with Worf.

 

[gakelly]

The first time I watched the episode I was expecting Thomas Riker to try to kill Will and take his place when they were alone on the planet.

 

[Sisko_is_my_captain]

You know, thinking back on how Will treated Tom, I wonder if Will doesn't hate (at least) several aspects of himself. Perhaps Tom reminds Will unfavorably of their father. Or maybe deep down, Will just doesn't like himself as much as his gregariousness suggests.

 

[dupersuper]

Well, he's supposed to be serving a life sentence in a Cardassian jail.

Not after Imzadi II and Star Trek Online.

 

[Mojochi]

You know, thinking back on how Will treated Tom, I wonder if Will doesn't hate (at least) several aspects of himself. Perhaps Tom reminds Will unfavorably of their father. Or maybe deep down, Will just doesn't like himself as much as his gregariousness suggests.

Doesn't Worf have a scene with Data where he says something to that effect in that very episode? I think it's clear that the way they played it, Will has some esteem issues, & given how his history eventually fleshes out, it's easy to see why. In some ways Will's projected persona is a big put-on.

 

[Sisko_is_my_captain]

Doesn't Worf have a scene with Data where he says something to that effect in that very episode? I think it's clear that the way they played it, Will has some esteem issues, & given how his history eventually fleshes out, it's easy to see why. In some ways Will's projected persona is a big put-on.

Maybe so - it's been a while since I saw it.

 

[Tribble Threat]

Oh, Will definitely had self esteem issues that motivated him to be a jerk to Tom. But still, his repeated failure to stop himself from being a jerk shows a weakness of character.

 

[AKTunaya14]

The problem with the episode IMO is that they had to squeeze in the planetside shenanigans to appease some sort of required action quotient.
The Riker/Riker character deserved a quiet episode to properly process what had happened to them.Hell they would have done it for Data or transfusion boy.

I hadn't thought about this but I have to agree. I think that would have been very enjoyable. The character definitely deserved it. I see people saying this episode made Will look bad and I didn't see it that way, I was siding with Will most of the time and I think he handled the situation, as jarring as it was, quite well. His annoyance and frustration with him, I think, was a normal response.
I do think that had they done a quieter episode it would have given Will a lot of credit. I really enjoy the episodes where we get to see Will Riker's softer side. That said, even with the action I felt a bit emotional after this one, maybe because I thought the storyline with Deanna was quite sad? I'm not sure.

 

[amp]

Will is often a jerk to people who he considers beneath him. Among others, he's been rude to Barclay, Lavelle, Tam Elbrun, and Ro (in her debut episode). It's rather galling since all of these people (except for Tam) were underlings and in his chain of command.

 

[Mojochi]

Will is often a jerk to people who he considers beneath him. Among others, he's been rude to Barclay, Lavelle, Tam Elbrun, and Ro (in her debut episode). It's rather galling since all of these people (except for Tam) were underlings and in his chain of command.

He's damn well overbearing in general any time he gets promoted to acting captain too. In fact, the only guy I've ever seen be more miserable in a lead role is Worf, & that ought to tell you something. Whenever I rewatch Yesterday's Enterprise, it's actually a little jarring to me how grumpy he is, even to Picard. I'm not saying he's bad at it. He's had some great moments, but frankly, he doesn't seem all that comfortable being in command. He almost seems ill at ease with it

 

[amp]

He's damn well overbearing in general any time he gets promoted to acting captain too. In fact, the only guy I've ever seen be more miserable in a lead role is Worf, & that ought to tell you something.

It seems that every time he takes command either Troi or Guinan has to (metaphorically, at least) hit him upside the head to get him to do his job.

Whenever I rewatch Yesterday's Enterprise, it's actually a little jarring to me how grumpy he is, even to Picard.

I've always thought the undercurrent of dislike between Picard and RIker is a really nice touch in "Yesterday's Enterprise". It is jarring and it illustrates how different that timeline is from the normal one.

 

[Herbert]

Will is often a jerk to people who he considers beneath him. Among others, he's been rude to Barclay, Lavelle, Tam Elbrun, and Ro (in her debut episode). It's rather galling since all of these people (except for Tam) were underlings and in his chain of command.

Beneath him? Well that's one interpretation. His attitudes towards Ro and Tam were completely understandable considering the circumstances. You're glossing over that. Same with Barclay. Remember, Barclay in the beginning was an epic screw up. Could Riker have taken a more mentorish approach? Yea, perhaps he could have but him acting as he did towards Barclay isn't really out of line for a superior officer. Now Lavelle, okay he was a bit of a jerk to him. I'll give you that.

 

[Orphalesion]

Beneath him? Well that's one interpretation. His attitudes towards Ro and Tam were completely understandable considering the circumstances. You're glossing over that. Same with Barclay. Remember, Barclay in the beginning was an epic screw up. Could Riker have taken a more mentorish approach? Yea, perhaps he could have but him acting as he did towards Barclay isn't really out of line for a superior officer. Now Lavelle, okay he was a bit of a jerk to him. I'll give you that.

Tam had a mental condition. So no, Riker's attitude towards him was NOT understandable.
And with Ro he was just pissy that she wasn't overjoyed to be on the Enterprise. "iTs A pRiViLiGe!!1!"

 

[gakelly]

Riker was a real jerk to the woman on ops in the episode where the ship's power was going out. I think it was Contagion.