Best TNG Episode
- Thread starter KayArr
- Start date
The Measure of a Man for me.
Data's just perfect--a machine, but something more. Stewart and Frakes both hit it out of the park. Two great guest stars. An excellent courtroom episode--one of the best on Trek ever. I liked Riker's dilemma, and the conversation between Riker and Data at the end. "Data's a toaster"--such a classic line! It just encapsulates all that Trek is about it. This episode just seems as good as modern Trek could get.
Data's just perfect--a machine, but something more. Stewart and Frakes both hit it out of the park. Two great guest stars. An excellent courtroom episode--one of the best on Trek ever. I liked Riker's dilemma, and the conversation between Riker and Data at the end. "Data's a toaster"--such a classic line! It just encapsulates all that Trek is about it. This episode just seems as good as modern Trek could get.
The Measure of a Man.
In a nutshell? Compelling drama united with interesting arguments, strong performances, and a genuinely intriguing sci-fi line. This episode is Star Trek at its best in philosophy, in character drama, and in science fiction - hell, it's just great, period.
This episode made me a Star Trek fan. I tuned in just as Riker was giving his speech and I've been hooked ever since.
In a nutshell? Compelling drama united with interesting arguments, strong performances, and a genuinely intriguing sci-fi line. This episode is Star Trek at its best in philosophy, in character drama, and in science fiction - hell, it's just great, period.
This episode made me a Star Trek fan. I tuned in just as Riker was giving his speech and I've been hooked ever since.
I'll just copy and paste what I said in another thread about not only my favorite TNG episodes but my favorite Trek two parter, my two overall favorite Trek episodes out of all five series, and what I feel is up there with TWoK as the best feature.--The Best of Both Worlds.
I'm fairly stingy with excellents or A+s but I have no hesitation in doling it out here. This has withstood the test of time becoming a part of television history. It is an absolute stunning classic even 17 years later.
I loved it when I was 13 and I love it as much now always making sure I would catch it whenever it was on in reruns over the years and I always knew when I happened upon it because of the instantly recognizable teaser with the establishing shot of the Enterprise entering orbit of Jouret IV overlaid with Picard’s log followed by the away team beaming down to New Providence colony to learn the fate of its inhabitants only to discover in a shocking visual- the colony was gone all that was left was a massive crater. What an ominous note to launch the episode on.
This episode is rightfully hailed as one of the best of Trek and I certainly wouldn’t dispute that. This watershed moment in tv history was one of those fortunate instances where writer Michael Piller was able to come up with a storyline that resonated on every level with the viewer. I think a large part of its appeal of course is depicting a near Armageddon by taking it as far as he could allowing the audience to believe the worst case scenario could happen. He conceived in my opinion the ideal portrayal of a doomsday-level event and thankfully its presentation came across perfectly incorporating all the necessary and desired elements one would hope to see in such a dire situation. That of course includes a worthy enemy capable of upping the stakes to epic proportions.
And that leads me to a second reason for its popularity owing in no small part to the presence of the Borg, who fans had been hoping to see ever since “Q Who?” ominously hinted at an inevitable confrontation.
The Borg are just one of those instances of writers catching lightning in a bottle by creating an alien race that catches on like wildfire with the fans and that captures their imagination. I mean how many races have that kind of impact after only one brief appearance. Sure they might not be the first cybernetic race in science fiction but Hurley must be applauded for doing something original with them making them such a fascinating group with quite intriguing characteristics and unique behavior. They weren’t quite like anything I personally had seen before. Their appeal for me and I suspect a great many others is the idea of a race of beings that communicate on every level that they are alien. Their society is so fundamentally different in every way..
Also making BoBW just that more effective, Piller knew full well that the audience would be clamoring for the Borg right away but he wisely didn’t cave into that pressure choosing instead to wisely postpone the confrontation with the Borg for just a while longer to allow our anticipation of the encounter to build as we patiently waited through the crew’s careful and sensible investigation into the destruction of New Providence colony then subsequently their preparations for engagement once confirmation of the Borg as the mysterious attackers was determined.
This allowed for the inclusion of some nice scenes showing the characters possibly for the last time before all hell breaks loose--the crew playing poker and Riker contemplating his future. Seeing Riker ponder why he can’t seem to move on and take a command given how driven he was was particularly strong. I’ve certainly been there myself. We also get an effective scene showing the crew fatigued struggling to devise countermeasures culminating with the first of several power struggles with Riker and Shelby.
Atmosphere is always crucial in selling the idea that our crew is in a bleak situation and this episode fortunately has it in spades. Scenes like Riker informing Picard all ships are on yellow alert or the one where the admiral is briefing the senior staff on a possible contact exemplifies this perfectly. Everyone knows the Borg are out there somewhere in Federation space they are just waiting to hear about it. I love the presentation--“At nineteen hundred hours yesterday, the USS Lalo departed Zeta Alpha Two on a freight run to Sentinel Minor Four. At twenty-two hundred hours and twelve minutes, a distress signal was received at Starbase one five seven. The Lalo reported contact with an alien vessel…described as cube-shaped. The distress signal ended abruptly. She has not been heard from since.” That clearly sent chills up the staff’s spine much as it did mine based on the various reactions captured by the camera knowing they were swimming with sharks. I liked how Hanson delivered with emphasis cube-shaped.
The delayed gratification was well worth it when the moment finally arrives signaled by that unforgettable operatic music piece with the haunting voices that accompanies the dreaded moment of visual contact between the Borg and the Enterprise with the sight of the Borg vessel barely visible soon filling the screen revealing the chilling sight of the cube in all its intimidating glory. Wow, what a powerfully effecting image. At that moment it conveyed to me perfectly the sensation one would experience confronting evil incarnate as the cube itself pierced right through me. Picard somberly turns to Worf-“Dispatch a subspace message to Admiral Hanson, we have engaged the Borg.” Fantastic moment as we fade to commercial.
This episode also made me appreciate TNG’s approach to using battlescenes sparingly. For it is in moments like these where we see the Enterprise throwing everything it has in its arsenal (from phasers to a whole spread of photon torpedoes to high energy bursts from the deflector dish to Borg beams slicing into the engineering section to Geordi having to evacuate and seal it off) at the Borg cube that makes it all the more special. I know it isn’t as impressive as what can be done these days with FX but for me at that time I got a real kick out of it and even all these years later I think it still is pretty cool. The fact the Enterprise was fighting instead of talking also further reinforced the gravity of the situation. And the coinciding scenes showed how intelligent these people really are--seeing Shelby come up with a temporary countermeasure allowing for an escape, Picard thinking of the safety of others by hiding inside the Paulson nebula to keep the Borg from harming anyone else(and seeing the cube wait patiently unfazed for the Enterprise to come out before sending in the charges is just so Borg), Wesley & Geordi coming up with the idea of channeling energy through the deflector dish.
Basically every scene in this episode is a favorite but I particularly like this one. In a brief moment of reprieve inside the dust cloud(a simply beautiful visual with the Enterprise all lit up), Picard and Guinan gather in a deserted Ten-Forward to discuss the situation they find themselves in. The references I thought were quite appropriate given the circumstances putting this bleak situation in effective historical perspective. Picard ponders soberingly that much like the ancient Roman Empire, the Federation could very well be facing its own downfall as they face their own 24th century Visigoths—the Borg. Afterall while this is a devastating possible reality one could objectively look at how many civilizations or in the Trek universe how many alien civilizations no longer exist for one reason or another. “Another page in history.” Indeed
I also love how Guinan always shows up in earth-shattering moments dispensing some interesting words of wisdom. Here her pep talk to Picard is interesting and perfectly Guinan in that it is both reassuring and optimistic in one way in that she gives some hope that whatever happens humanity will survive in some form but troubling in that she can't promise him he’ll prevail and that any rebuilding of the human race would be difficult. I’m sure at that moment Picard would have loved nothing more than to hear from such a wise soul that everything will be alright but in typical Guinan fashion she is pragmatic knowing from personal experience the worst might be before them.
After being flushed out by the magntometric guided charges the Enterprise is quickly overtaken and Picard kidnapped. As the crew collects themselves Worf delivers further bad news—the Borg are now on a direct course to Sector 0-0-1—Earth. Seeing the Enterprise struggle to keep pace with the fast moving cube was interesting. Then it comes-- the scene as the Borg escort Picard to the central chamber of the cube revealing in a great matte shot the endless rows upon rows upon rows of Borg. We were used to seeing adversaries who had a hierarchy, leaders, governments to negotiate with; individuals with understandable motives ranging from greed to power to pride and a hope always existed for reconciliation because they always had a similar working frame of reference for the universe they co-existed within. But now the Federation was facing for all intents and purposes a force of nature devoid of any malice or pride directed at their victims, with seemingly no apparent weaknesses, no burden from morality, possessing superior technology, and having a psychology that couldn’t grasp the idea of diplomacy.
What follows is a chilling dialogue that perfectly captures the essence of the Borg by demonstrating just how incompatible the Borg are.
“Strength is irrelevant. Resistance is futile. We wish to improve ourselves. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours.”
But more than that the exchange reveals a society where a fundamental part of humanity-death- doesn’t exist and therefore is incomprehensible. It is beyond their grasp and they lack the frame of reference to understand what it means to humans and other races. And that is why Piller’s decision to add the disturbing element of assimilation to the Borg mythology is so brilliant and terrifying. The idea that the Borg would even deny death as a release from the horrors of assimilation is just a downright disturbing prospect to consider and Stewart's reaction says it all.
When the Borg in unison tell him “Death is irrelevant”, Picard is speechless.
This episode is just full of OMG moments. The presentation of Picard’s reveal of having been assimilated was highly effective providing the most impact with the profile before turning to show half of his face and head were implanted with technology as the laser attachment filled the screen. It hit me like a ton of bricks and the actors did a great job in conveying their stunned reactions and sense of loss whether Shelby’s initial look of horror or Worf’s “He is a Borg” or Beverly thinking of recovering him to Wesley holding his head down.
This was a punch to the gut because by this point in the series I had developed a real attachment to Picard and given how it seemed at the time that the assimilation process was irreversible, I truly believed the man I knew was gone forever. And finally the cliffhanger ending was perfect. I wasn’t happy having to wait until the fall. It was a long summer. I was pretty young then and the ending held so many possibilities. I had no awareness of Usenet and didn't participate in any speculation or generating scenarios. I just anxiously awaited the premiere.
One can debate whether the Borg over the years became a pale shadow of themselves but here they were at their zenith. They were an unstoppable lethal juggernaut who acted with impunity.
And I’ll always have fond memories of this episode because it made me take note of the writer and this is where my respect for Michael Piller started and why I continued to follow his work over the years. These two hours are just so wonderfully written with all the details you'd want, a fair amount of battles, tension, suspense as well as intelligent and reflective dialogue. This is perfection.
I have a very clear memory of the cool promo they had for Part II. “You once knew him as your captain…”
What impresses me is the fact Michael Piller wrote this months later with very little idea how he was going to wrap up Part I yet you couldn’t tell that from watching this masterpiece. I thought it was every bit as solid as Part I and was permeating with the same off-the-scale tension. The show amazingly managed to maintain the momentum built up three months earlier without skipping a beat picking up right where it left off.
The episode was relentless with its action, surprises, harrowing moments, and characterization. Everything was left in doubt until the very end whether it be the fate of Earth or the fate of Picard. I had no clue what would happen from scene to scene and I had no idea how things would ultimately end up.
But first things first, the teaser needed to resolve the cliffhanger regarding what would happen when the deflector fired on the cube.
It turns out that the Borg not only assimilated Picard’s body but all of the knowledge he possessed as well. It might have been just me but I never suspected, even for a second, that they would keep him alive by having the weapon fail to work due to Picard's knowledge that was assimilated by the Collective mind. I didn’t see this coming although in hindsight I really should have. The seeds were laid in Part I so subtlely that I wonder if Michael even knew that they were there to exploit until he sat down to write the second half.
Some writers plan ahead and intentionally go out of their way to put in place plot points that they know they’ll use to get out of a seemingly impossible situation in Part I therefore allowing for an exit from the corner they backed themselves into storywise. I never got that feeling here. This seemed more of an instance of a good writer being creative. I just loved the brilliant simplicity of how Michael resolved this.
This allowed for us in the audience to wonder a little longer about the fate of Picard as well as allowing the story, of course, to continue but it plausibly played off of the Borg’s pre-established MO making the hopes of a victory all the more unlikely given that the deflector was their ace in the hole—their best and only countermeasure to the Borg.
As the crew regroup trying to determine their next course of action and make necessary repairs light years away from their captain, we get our first glimpse of the nightmare Picard is experiencing aboard the cube as it continues en route to Earth. Much like in “Chain of Command”, this is a trauma that Picard must endure alone on his own and one that no one else can even begin to fathom and for which no one can take his place for him. In an agonizing scene to watch, we witness the indignity Picard is subjected to as he is treated like an inanimate object as further alterations are made to him as part of the ongoing assimilation process. We get the first indication that a part of the man is still alive struggling to break free, aware but trapped in his own body helpless to do anything—the Borg not even affording him an opportunity to at least fight back.
It also workd so well because it continues to show how alien the BOrg are. They aren't doing this as punishment or torture but that is the effect nonetheless--they have no empathy. They see it as nothing more than a normal part of how they exist and they can’t even begin to understand the mental torture they are inflicting upon him as they leave Picard as not much more than a neutered silent observer passively watching as he is compelled to assist the Borg in the systematic deconstructing of his humanity as he raises his arm to receive an armature or as a device implants technology into his brain and drains the color from his face.
Picard can only shed a single tear that falls from his cheek. I loved that subtle but powerful touch. This scene is so powerful because it doesn’t use graphic violence or conventional torture but is just as unnerving in that it takes place in such a cold environment with a sterile medical process that facilitates the transformation. This is why I find the portrayal of surgical assimilation to be a thousand times more effective than the instant assimilation facilitated by nanoprobes in demonstrating effectively the horrors of assimilation. The Borg cube is the equivalent of a 24th century house of horrors where unspeakable acts are committed.
The crew is later contacted by Admiral Hanson to brief them on the stand Starfleet intends to make at Wolf 359(I just think that is such cool name). Afterall as Troi puts so bluntly, nanites might be all that is left of the Federation. Here we once again wonder if the Federation will be successful and whether Locutus would escape death once more. The scene shows an acceptance that all hope of retrieving Picard is gone and that the priority now is saving Earth and the rest of the Quadrant from a similar fate befalling them.
The scene works though most effectively when Hanson recalls how he first met Picard and I was most certain Picard was leaving the show no matter what happens which is all the more tragic given that Picard is still alive on that cube.
Another thing both hours has going in its favor is its fatalism.
Michael Piller took every opportunity to keep upping the stakes and portraying events so devastating in their unpredictability realizing the Borg invasion was the one chance to really pull out all the stops. The Borg steamrolled through 39 starships leaving what we later learn is 11000 deaths in its wake. Nothing comes close to the dramatic impact of this scene until years later with DS9 and the Dominion War. I suspect some might have been disappointed in not seeing the actual battle but I preferred this creatively just seeing the aftermath. (First Contact was the time when a full scale Borg battle sequence could have been done justice and been a thrill. In fact I was expecting that but I wasn’t particularly satisfied with it).
Just when you think the Borg threat could not get any more dangerous- they have assimilated an entire colony, kidnapped and assimilated Picard, absorbed all his knowledge now they have just crippled the Federation fleet and are proceeding unimpeded straight to Earth undaunted. The scale of devastation was hard-hitting. The Borg truly seemed unstoppable.
Shelby begins naming off the destroyed ships and the crew takes a moment to absorb this and think of the lives lost in a solemn sobering moment. I also liked the touch of the Melbourne being one of the ships destroyed.
Locutus was a chilling figure. Stewart must be commended on how he captured perfectly the controlled tone never once betraying emotions in his delivery yet he was able to convey menace chillingly. No one before or after has come close to walking this fine line. Jeri Ryan’s portrayal in “Scorpion II” was too human-like.
The wonderfully choreographed assault on the cube with the Enterprise separating off into the saucer and drive sections unleashing the anti-matter spread was not only a visually stunning sight to behold.
Picard’s exchange with Worf was excellent further showing even more insight into the Borg mindset and was yet another great example of Piller's great writing.
By the time Riker is within a second of ordering Wesley to warp into the cube I was drained and on the edge of my seat I was so viscerally engaged in everything that was happening.
The solution was clever. It was just different enough but still keeping with Borg parameters to make sense and played well off the theme of the best of both worlds ie the Borg using Picard to see Federation weaknesses and now the Federation using the Borg part of Picard to see their weakness. Personally for a weak cop-out ending I look to First Contact where by destroying the Queen all the Borg on the E-E self-destruct. And I love the execution of the cube’s demise with it giving off sparks initially before blowing up into pieces as we see the various parts be blown outward.
But even then the suspense wasn’t over since the very real possibility existed Picard could die when his link was severed. I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting him to survive and return to the series but the way in which it was done was extraordinarily satisfying. Patrick captured the sense of wariness just as I would have imagined after his ordeal. Then in the next scene with the accompanying music capturing the emotional release with its upbeatness as though one was emerging from darkness as the Enterprise is in orbit of Earth.
And the final scene as Picard looks with the reflection of Earth framing him as that wonderful little piece of music plays we know the worst is still ahead of him as he begins the process of healing emotionally.
Michael Piller must be congratulated on getting the most out of the Borg’s one major appearance. I figured the Borg were just a one shot wonder and we’d never see them again. I even felt the episode hinted that it might be the whole of the Hive—the entire Borg race—on that one cube and so I felt he did everything he could have using them to full effect that their presence afforded.
I'm fairly stingy with excellents or A+s but I have no hesitation in doling it out here. This has withstood the test of time becoming a part of television history. It is an absolute stunning classic even 17 years later.
I loved it when I was 13 and I love it as much now always making sure I would catch it whenever it was on in reruns over the years and I always knew when I happened upon it because of the instantly recognizable teaser with the establishing shot of the Enterprise entering orbit of Jouret IV overlaid with Picard’s log followed by the away team beaming down to New Providence colony to learn the fate of its inhabitants only to discover in a shocking visual- the colony was gone all that was left was a massive crater. What an ominous note to launch the episode on.
This episode is rightfully hailed as one of the best of Trek and I certainly wouldn’t dispute that. This watershed moment in tv history was one of those fortunate instances where writer Michael Piller was able to come up with a storyline that resonated on every level with the viewer. I think a large part of its appeal of course is depicting a near Armageddon by taking it as far as he could allowing the audience to believe the worst case scenario could happen. He conceived in my opinion the ideal portrayal of a doomsday-level event and thankfully its presentation came across perfectly incorporating all the necessary and desired elements one would hope to see in such a dire situation. That of course includes a worthy enemy capable of upping the stakes to epic proportions.
And that leads me to a second reason for its popularity owing in no small part to the presence of the Borg, who fans had been hoping to see ever since “Q Who?” ominously hinted at an inevitable confrontation.
The Borg are just one of those instances of writers catching lightning in a bottle by creating an alien race that catches on like wildfire with the fans and that captures their imagination. I mean how many races have that kind of impact after only one brief appearance. Sure they might not be the first cybernetic race in science fiction but Hurley must be applauded for doing something original with them making them such a fascinating group with quite intriguing characteristics and unique behavior. They weren’t quite like anything I personally had seen before. Their appeal for me and I suspect a great many others is the idea of a race of beings that communicate on every level that they are alien. Their society is so fundamentally different in every way..
Also making BoBW just that more effective, Piller knew full well that the audience would be clamoring for the Borg right away but he wisely didn’t cave into that pressure choosing instead to wisely postpone the confrontation with the Borg for just a while longer to allow our anticipation of the encounter to build as we patiently waited through the crew’s careful and sensible investigation into the destruction of New Providence colony then subsequently their preparations for engagement once confirmation of the Borg as the mysterious attackers was determined.
This allowed for the inclusion of some nice scenes showing the characters possibly for the last time before all hell breaks loose--the crew playing poker and Riker contemplating his future. Seeing Riker ponder why he can’t seem to move on and take a command given how driven he was was particularly strong. I’ve certainly been there myself. We also get an effective scene showing the crew fatigued struggling to devise countermeasures culminating with the first of several power struggles with Riker and Shelby.
Atmosphere is always crucial in selling the idea that our crew is in a bleak situation and this episode fortunately has it in spades. Scenes like Riker informing Picard all ships are on yellow alert or the one where the admiral is briefing the senior staff on a possible contact exemplifies this perfectly. Everyone knows the Borg are out there somewhere in Federation space they are just waiting to hear about it. I love the presentation--“At nineteen hundred hours yesterday, the USS Lalo departed Zeta Alpha Two on a freight run to Sentinel Minor Four. At twenty-two hundred hours and twelve minutes, a distress signal was received at Starbase one five seven. The Lalo reported contact with an alien vessel…described as cube-shaped. The distress signal ended abruptly. She has not been heard from since.” That clearly sent chills up the staff’s spine much as it did mine based on the various reactions captured by the camera knowing they were swimming with sharks. I liked how Hanson delivered with emphasis cube-shaped.
The delayed gratification was well worth it when the moment finally arrives signaled by that unforgettable operatic music piece with the haunting voices that accompanies the dreaded moment of visual contact between the Borg and the Enterprise with the sight of the Borg vessel barely visible soon filling the screen revealing the chilling sight of the cube in all its intimidating glory. Wow, what a powerfully effecting image. At that moment it conveyed to me perfectly the sensation one would experience confronting evil incarnate as the cube itself pierced right through me. Picard somberly turns to Worf-“Dispatch a subspace message to Admiral Hanson, we have engaged the Borg.” Fantastic moment as we fade to commercial.
This episode also made me appreciate TNG’s approach to using battlescenes sparingly. For it is in moments like these where we see the Enterprise throwing everything it has in its arsenal (from phasers to a whole spread of photon torpedoes to high energy bursts from the deflector dish to Borg beams slicing into the engineering section to Geordi having to evacuate and seal it off) at the Borg cube that makes it all the more special. I know it isn’t as impressive as what can be done these days with FX but for me at that time I got a real kick out of it and even all these years later I think it still is pretty cool. The fact the Enterprise was fighting instead of talking also further reinforced the gravity of the situation. And the coinciding scenes showed how intelligent these people really are--seeing Shelby come up with a temporary countermeasure allowing for an escape, Picard thinking of the safety of others by hiding inside the Paulson nebula to keep the Borg from harming anyone else(and seeing the cube wait patiently unfazed for the Enterprise to come out before sending in the charges is just so Borg), Wesley & Geordi coming up with the idea of channeling energy through the deflector dish.
Basically every scene in this episode is a favorite but I particularly like this one. In a brief moment of reprieve inside the dust cloud(a simply beautiful visual with the Enterprise all lit up), Picard and Guinan gather in a deserted Ten-Forward to discuss the situation they find themselves in. The references I thought were quite appropriate given the circumstances putting this bleak situation in effective historical perspective. Picard ponders soberingly that much like the ancient Roman Empire, the Federation could very well be facing its own downfall as they face their own 24th century Visigoths—the Borg. Afterall while this is a devastating possible reality one could objectively look at how many civilizations or in the Trek universe how many alien civilizations no longer exist for one reason or another. “Another page in history.” Indeed
I also love how Guinan always shows up in earth-shattering moments dispensing some interesting words of wisdom. Here her pep talk to Picard is interesting and perfectly Guinan in that it is both reassuring and optimistic in one way in that she gives some hope that whatever happens humanity will survive in some form but troubling in that she can't promise him he’ll prevail and that any rebuilding of the human race would be difficult. I’m sure at that moment Picard would have loved nothing more than to hear from such a wise soul that everything will be alright but in typical Guinan fashion she is pragmatic knowing from personal experience the worst might be before them.
After being flushed out by the magntometric guided charges the Enterprise is quickly overtaken and Picard kidnapped. As the crew collects themselves Worf delivers further bad news—the Borg are now on a direct course to Sector 0-0-1—Earth. Seeing the Enterprise struggle to keep pace with the fast moving cube was interesting. Then it comes-- the scene as the Borg escort Picard to the central chamber of the cube revealing in a great matte shot the endless rows upon rows upon rows of Borg. We were used to seeing adversaries who had a hierarchy, leaders, governments to negotiate with; individuals with understandable motives ranging from greed to power to pride and a hope always existed for reconciliation because they always had a similar working frame of reference for the universe they co-existed within. But now the Federation was facing for all intents and purposes a force of nature devoid of any malice or pride directed at their victims, with seemingly no apparent weaknesses, no burden from morality, possessing superior technology, and having a psychology that couldn’t grasp the idea of diplomacy.
What follows is a chilling dialogue that perfectly captures the essence of the Borg by demonstrating just how incompatible the Borg are.
“Strength is irrelevant. Resistance is futile. We wish to improve ourselves. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours.”
But more than that the exchange reveals a society where a fundamental part of humanity-death- doesn’t exist and therefore is incomprehensible. It is beyond their grasp and they lack the frame of reference to understand what it means to humans and other races. And that is why Piller’s decision to add the disturbing element of assimilation to the Borg mythology is so brilliant and terrifying. The idea that the Borg would even deny death as a release from the horrors of assimilation is just a downright disturbing prospect to consider and Stewart's reaction says it all.
When the Borg in unison tell him “Death is irrelevant”, Picard is speechless.
This episode is just full of OMG moments. The presentation of Picard’s reveal of having been assimilated was highly effective providing the most impact with the profile before turning to show half of his face and head were implanted with technology as the laser attachment filled the screen. It hit me like a ton of bricks and the actors did a great job in conveying their stunned reactions and sense of loss whether Shelby’s initial look of horror or Worf’s “He is a Borg” or Beverly thinking of recovering him to Wesley holding his head down.
This was a punch to the gut because by this point in the series I had developed a real attachment to Picard and given how it seemed at the time that the assimilation process was irreversible, I truly believed the man I knew was gone forever. And finally the cliffhanger ending was perfect. I wasn’t happy having to wait until the fall. It was a long summer. I was pretty young then and the ending held so many possibilities. I had no awareness of Usenet and didn't participate in any speculation or generating scenarios. I just anxiously awaited the premiere.
One can debate whether the Borg over the years became a pale shadow of themselves but here they were at their zenith. They were an unstoppable lethal juggernaut who acted with impunity.
And I’ll always have fond memories of this episode because it made me take note of the writer and this is where my respect for Michael Piller started and why I continued to follow his work over the years. These two hours are just so wonderfully written with all the details you'd want, a fair amount of battles, tension, suspense as well as intelligent and reflective dialogue. This is perfection.
I have a very clear memory of the cool promo they had for Part II. “You once knew him as your captain…”
What impresses me is the fact Michael Piller wrote this months later with very little idea how he was going to wrap up Part I yet you couldn’t tell that from watching this masterpiece. I thought it was every bit as solid as Part I and was permeating with the same off-the-scale tension. The show amazingly managed to maintain the momentum built up three months earlier without skipping a beat picking up right where it left off.
The episode was relentless with its action, surprises, harrowing moments, and characterization. Everything was left in doubt until the very end whether it be the fate of Earth or the fate of Picard. I had no clue what would happen from scene to scene and I had no idea how things would ultimately end up.
But first things first, the teaser needed to resolve the cliffhanger regarding what would happen when the deflector fired on the cube.
It turns out that the Borg not only assimilated Picard’s body but all of the knowledge he possessed as well. It might have been just me but I never suspected, even for a second, that they would keep him alive by having the weapon fail to work due to Picard's knowledge that was assimilated by the Collective mind. I didn’t see this coming although in hindsight I really should have. The seeds were laid in Part I so subtlely that I wonder if Michael even knew that they were there to exploit until he sat down to write the second half.
Some writers plan ahead and intentionally go out of their way to put in place plot points that they know they’ll use to get out of a seemingly impossible situation in Part I therefore allowing for an exit from the corner they backed themselves into storywise. I never got that feeling here. This seemed more of an instance of a good writer being creative. I just loved the brilliant simplicity of how Michael resolved this.
This allowed for us in the audience to wonder a little longer about the fate of Picard as well as allowing the story, of course, to continue but it plausibly played off of the Borg’s pre-established MO making the hopes of a victory all the more unlikely given that the deflector was their ace in the hole—their best and only countermeasure to the Borg.
As the crew regroup trying to determine their next course of action and make necessary repairs light years away from their captain, we get our first glimpse of the nightmare Picard is experiencing aboard the cube as it continues en route to Earth. Much like in “Chain of Command”, this is a trauma that Picard must endure alone on his own and one that no one else can even begin to fathom and for which no one can take his place for him. In an agonizing scene to watch, we witness the indignity Picard is subjected to as he is treated like an inanimate object as further alterations are made to him as part of the ongoing assimilation process. We get the first indication that a part of the man is still alive struggling to break free, aware but trapped in his own body helpless to do anything—the Borg not even affording him an opportunity to at least fight back.
It also workd so well because it continues to show how alien the BOrg are. They aren't doing this as punishment or torture but that is the effect nonetheless--they have no empathy. They see it as nothing more than a normal part of how they exist and they can’t even begin to understand the mental torture they are inflicting upon him as they leave Picard as not much more than a neutered silent observer passively watching as he is compelled to assist the Borg in the systematic deconstructing of his humanity as he raises his arm to receive an armature or as a device implants technology into his brain and drains the color from his face.
Picard can only shed a single tear that falls from his cheek. I loved that subtle but powerful touch. This scene is so powerful because it doesn’t use graphic violence or conventional torture but is just as unnerving in that it takes place in such a cold environment with a sterile medical process that facilitates the transformation. This is why I find the portrayal of surgical assimilation to be a thousand times more effective than the instant assimilation facilitated by nanoprobes in demonstrating effectively the horrors of assimilation. The Borg cube is the equivalent of a 24th century house of horrors where unspeakable acts are committed.
The crew is later contacted by Admiral Hanson to brief them on the stand Starfleet intends to make at Wolf 359(I just think that is such cool name). Afterall as Troi puts so bluntly, nanites might be all that is left of the Federation. Here we once again wonder if the Federation will be successful and whether Locutus would escape death once more. The scene shows an acceptance that all hope of retrieving Picard is gone and that the priority now is saving Earth and the rest of the Quadrant from a similar fate befalling them.
The scene works though most effectively when Hanson recalls how he first met Picard and I was most certain Picard was leaving the show no matter what happens which is all the more tragic given that Picard is still alive on that cube.
Another thing both hours has going in its favor is its fatalism.
Michael Piller took every opportunity to keep upping the stakes and portraying events so devastating in their unpredictability realizing the Borg invasion was the one chance to really pull out all the stops. The Borg steamrolled through 39 starships leaving what we later learn is 11000 deaths in its wake. Nothing comes close to the dramatic impact of this scene until years later with DS9 and the Dominion War. I suspect some might have been disappointed in not seeing the actual battle but I preferred this creatively just seeing the aftermath. (First Contact was the time when a full scale Borg battle sequence could have been done justice and been a thrill. In fact I was expecting that but I wasn’t particularly satisfied with it).
Just when you think the Borg threat could not get any more dangerous- they have assimilated an entire colony, kidnapped and assimilated Picard, absorbed all his knowledge now they have just crippled the Federation fleet and are proceeding unimpeded straight to Earth undaunted. The scale of devastation was hard-hitting. The Borg truly seemed unstoppable.
Shelby begins naming off the destroyed ships and the crew takes a moment to absorb this and think of the lives lost in a solemn sobering moment. I also liked the touch of the Melbourne being one of the ships destroyed.
Locutus was a chilling figure. Stewart must be commended on how he captured perfectly the controlled tone never once betraying emotions in his delivery yet he was able to convey menace chillingly. No one before or after has come close to walking this fine line. Jeri Ryan’s portrayal in “Scorpion II” was too human-like.
The wonderfully choreographed assault on the cube with the Enterprise separating off into the saucer and drive sections unleashing the anti-matter spread was not only a visually stunning sight to behold.
Picard’s exchange with Worf was excellent further showing even more insight into the Borg mindset and was yet another great example of Piller's great writing.
By the time Riker is within a second of ordering Wesley to warp into the cube I was drained and on the edge of my seat I was so viscerally engaged in everything that was happening.
The solution was clever. It was just different enough but still keeping with Borg parameters to make sense and played well off the theme of the best of both worlds ie the Borg using Picard to see Federation weaknesses and now the Federation using the Borg part of Picard to see their weakness. Personally for a weak cop-out ending I look to First Contact where by destroying the Queen all the Borg on the E-E self-destruct. And I love the execution of the cube’s demise with it giving off sparks initially before blowing up into pieces as we see the various parts be blown outward.
But even then the suspense wasn’t over since the very real possibility existed Picard could die when his link was severed. I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting him to survive and return to the series but the way in which it was done was extraordinarily satisfying. Patrick captured the sense of wariness just as I would have imagined after his ordeal. Then in the next scene with the accompanying music capturing the emotional release with its upbeatness as though one was emerging from darkness as the Enterprise is in orbit of Earth.
And the final scene as Picard looks with the reflection of Earth framing him as that wonderful little piece of music plays we know the worst is still ahead of him as he begins the process of healing emotionally.
Michael Piller must be congratulated on getting the most out of the Borg’s one major appearance. I figured the Borg were just a one shot wonder and we’d never see them again. I even felt the episode hinted that it might be the whole of the Hive—the entire Borg race—on that one cube and so I felt he did everything he could have using them to full effect that their presence afforded.
I'm also very fond of The Measure of a Man. It is one of those episodes that stirs your passions. I was so involved in what was happening to Data that that the episode illicited a whole gamut of reactions.
To this day I remember vividly being outraged over the way Maddox and Starfleet treated Data. Was it not enough to force him to resign but then to exercise dominion over his very rights as an individual. I was devastated when Riker used what Data shared in trusting confidence about his deactivation button to deal a brutal blow to Picard's case as he turned Data off and removed his arm.
I found myself cheering Picard as he argued for Data's status as a sentient being with such fervor and intelligence. I loved the beautiful use of the holographic image of Tasha(an excellent and effective use of continuity to benefit the story).
I loved the going away party the crew had for Data in Ten Forward.
And the Guinan/Picard discussion in Ten Forward was one of those scenes that is what ST is all about. It was so brilliant and hammered home just the right message in just the right way. It spoke to the fact we could be better and is one of those moments that provides a simple truth in such an emotionally resonating way that motivates you to want to be a better person.
Like BoBW, I remember in great detail where I was when I first saw this episode.
To this day I remember vividly being outraged over the way Maddox and Starfleet treated Data. Was it not enough to force him to resign but then to exercise dominion over his very rights as an individual. I was devastated when Riker used what Data shared in trusting confidence about his deactivation button to deal a brutal blow to Picard's case as he turned Data off and removed his arm.
I found myself cheering Picard as he argued for Data's status as a sentient being with such fervor and intelligence. I loved the beautiful use of the holographic image of Tasha(an excellent and effective use of continuity to benefit the story).
I loved the going away party the crew had for Data in Ten Forward.
And the Guinan/Picard discussion in Ten Forward was one of those scenes that is what ST is all about. It was so brilliant and hammered home just the right message in just the right way. It spoke to the fact we could be better and is one of those moments that provides a simple truth in such an emotionally resonating way that motivates you to want to be a better person.
Like BoBW, I remember in great detail where I was when I first saw this episode.
I voted 'Other.' "The Inner Light" is by far my favorite TNG episode. It may, in fact, be my favorite episode of any of the series. I've gone out of the way to make sure I catch a re-run of it a few times. Stewart's acting is fantastic, and, well, everything about it is just fantastic. Kamin realizing what's going on as the probe launches is just an amazing moment.
I should have put that one on the list--I almost did, it was a big award winner, the Hugo, right?
As of Yesterday's Enterprise, I loved it at the time, but the writers totally ruined it by bringing in Tasha's half-Romulan daughter--yuck!
Does anyone know why they thought that was a good idea? YE was so great, and then to wreck it like that. Did they want Denise Crosby to guest star that bad?
As of Yesterday's Enterprise, I loved it at the time, but the writers totally ruined it by bringing in Tasha's half-Romulan daughter--yuck!
Does anyone know why they thought that was a good idea? YE was so great, and then to wreck it like that. Did they want Denise Crosby to guest star that bad?
Wow, what a great encapsulation of the entire 2 parter. As I read I got chills thinking about the scenes you described. The more I look back on it, I think part 1 was clearly the best overall, for the same reason you mention that there was this pervading sense of doom that was somehow maintained in almost every scene throughout the entire episode.
Classic.
Edit: I would also add "The Chase" (S6) to the list, as it's HUGE, canon-wise for the entire Trek universe and a damn good ep.
I'd also add "The Defector" (S3), which is in my top 10. Do yourself a favor if you've never seen it and watch it.
Two more I'd add would be "The Drumhead" (S4) --> the best "bottle-show" you could imagine, and "The Wounded" (S4) that first introduced the Cardassians and gave O'Brian great back story. Check my sig. for one of my favorite quotes from the ep.
If you guys haven't seen these they're some less talked about eps that deserve to be right up in the top 10 for TNG.
This was actually rather difficult to narrow it down. I agree that those mentioned were all outstanding. As my personal favorite, I selected Chain of Command. (It was close with BOBW.)
Patrick Stewart gives one of his most stirring performances in this episode. I also loved the shake-up that Jellico gives the crew. And, yes, Jellico was RIGHT.
Grand stuff.
Patrick Stewart gives one of his most stirring performances in this episode. I also loved the shake-up that Jellico gives the crew. And, yes, Jellico was RIGHT.
Grand stuff.
Ditto!!
:thumbsup:
My thoughts exactly
"The Inner Light" comes awfully close for me. Love that one to death.
Tapestry gets my vote, although every one of those episodes is great. I just love the interplay between Q and Picard in that one, as well as the way it questions Picard's whole pathway in life.
The way Picard laughing as he's stabbed has a completely different meaning at the end of the episode then in the beginning is a great bit of writing, too.
"I refuse to believe you run the afterlife! The universe is not so badly designed!"
The way Picard laughing as he's stabbed has a completely different meaning at the end of the episode then in the beginning is a great bit of writing, too.
"I refuse to believe you run the afterlife! The universe is not so badly designed!"
This was hard! There are a bunch of contenders....The Inner Light, Defector, The Hunted, Lower Decks....I would probably have to go with THE INNER LIGHT.
My favorite episode is "Sarek." It has two phenomenal performances (Stewart and Lenard), and the story is appealing from both a TNG and continuity perspective. It is one of the few Trek episodes that makes me feel true emotion as a viewer.
I do like all of the episodes on the poll a great deal, but this one has it all for me.
I do like all of the episodes on the poll a great deal, but this one has it all for me.
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