I just watched Frame of Mind, the one where Ryker isn't sure if he's in a mental health hospital or his starship. I think they did a masterful job of this episode, and explored interesting themes. What did you think?
Frame of Mind
- Thread starter Tribble Threat
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I thought it was Brannon Braga at his very best. Say what you will about him, his earlier work was consistently great, and throughout his STAR TREK run, he was never short on high concept ideas.
Plus, I always use this episode as a showcase of Frakes' personality as an actor. The man will throw himself and commit himself fully into it, and it shows. You have to respect him for that.
Both points aside, it's always been a season 6 favorite of mine. Very TWILIGHT ZONE-ish, and I can't wait to get to this point on the rewatch with my wife.
Plus, I always use this episode as a showcase of Frakes' personality as an actor. The man will throw himself and commit himself fully into it, and it shows. You have to respect him for that.
Both points aside, it's always been a season 6 favorite of mine. Very TWILIGHT ZONE-ish, and I can't wait to get to this point on the rewatch with my wife.
It’s one of my favorite Riker episodes. 
It's kind of a hard rewatch for me... Because it really strikes a legit chord, & yeah it's mostly because Frakes lands it that way. I never wanted them to blast an alien of the week society more
It was stuff like this that made me think Frakes might've been the 2nd best actor on the show
It was stuff like this that made me think Frakes might've been the 2nd best actor on the show
Braga's specialty was one off episodes where some anomaly or disease affects everyone in weird ways, and this was one of his best. It's one that was considered dark and risque by 1993 standards.
Braga co-teleplayed "Reunion", "Power Play", and "A Fistful of Datas". Teleplayed "Schisms". Wrote "Cause And Effect", "Realm Of Fear", "Birthright, Part I", "Frame of Mind", "Timescape", "Phantasms", "Parallels", and "Genesis". Co-wrote "All Good Things...".
I would call his duds "Identity Crisis", "The Game", "Imaginary Friend", "Aquiel", "Sub Rosa". All except "Identity Crisis" and "Sub Rosa" were co-teleplays. He did the story for "Eye of the Beholder" and "Emergence".
I'd call that a pretty solid track record for his early days. (Early days are what I call his TNG tenure.)
For VOYAGER, I would say his work is best described as someone who needed to be reigned in a bit. His solo credits were pretty strong... "PROJECTIONS", "NON SEQUITUR", "DEADLOCK", and "PREY" are really good episodes. A lot of his work with Joe Menosky was superb... "CATHEXIS", "DISTANT ORIGIN", "LIVING WITNESS", "TIMELESS", and "LATENT IMAGE", as well as the FUTURE'S END", "SCORPION", and "YEAR OF HELL" two-parters.
His biggest failures, I think, were as executive producer, leading into the first two seasons of ENTERPRISE, though a lot of issues there were the result of UPN interference.
Don't get me wrong... he made a fair amount of duds, and some of his later choices were bad. And he dipped into the time travel realm WAY too often. But he brought a lot of good into STAR TREK, and he should get some recognition for that.
I would call his duds "Identity Crisis", "The Game", "Imaginary Friend", "Aquiel", "Sub Rosa". All except "Identity Crisis" and "Sub Rosa" were co-teleplays. He did the story for "Eye of the Beholder" and "Emergence".
I'd call that a pretty solid track record for his early days. (Early days are what I call his TNG tenure.)
For VOYAGER, I would say his work is best described as someone who needed to be reigned in a bit. His solo credits were pretty strong... "PROJECTIONS", "NON SEQUITUR", "DEADLOCK", and "PREY" are really good episodes. A lot of his work with Joe Menosky was superb... "CATHEXIS", "DISTANT ORIGIN", "LIVING WITNESS", "TIMELESS", and "LATENT IMAGE", as well as the FUTURE'S END", "SCORPION", and "YEAR OF HELL" two-parters.
His biggest failures, I think, were as executive producer, leading into the first two seasons of ENTERPRISE, though a lot of issues there were the result of UPN interference.
Don't get me wrong... he made a fair amount of duds, and some of his later choices were bad. And he dipped into the time travel realm WAY too often. But he brought a lot of good into STAR TREK, and he should get some recognition for that.
I think
I think the episode “ identity crisis” is pretty good. I like the mystery plot aspect of it, and the holodeck investigation scenes have a great, creepy atmosphere.
I think the episode “ identity crisis” is pretty good. I like the mystery plot aspect of it, and the holodeck investigation scenes have a great, creepy atmosphere.
Its a great one, I love the themes they explore here with false realities and figuring out what's real and fake. Along with mental heath facilities and how some of them can hurt more than they can help. I especially love the reflection therapy scene with Riker just talking to holo-Troi, Worf and Picard and then the twist when they start talking back, and try to convince him that they want to help. Whew! If I was RIker I woulda've just quit Starfleet after this /j.
It has those moments like you said, but it was overall a middle of the ground episode for me. Maybe it's unfair to judge because season 4 was really, really good. If it was in season 7, I might posdobly rate it higher.
I like "Frame of Mind" but I think it suffers from being a little too similar to season 4's "Future Imperfect". In both episodes Riker finds himself in alternate realities that don't make sense and has to work his way out of the situation. I'd say FoM is the better of the two, but FI came first (by over two years) plus it's always fun to see the future Enterprise.
I'd say Frame of Mind is a bit better in that it can go all in on the central premise whereas FI has to balance both showing off the future and having Riker spot the loose threads of the seeming reality. Plus while the latter loses a bit of steam, FoM manages to keep up the pace and tension throughout.
The thing Future Imperfect has going for it, is that it isn't just alternate reality. We can see it like that in hindsight, but on 1st viewing, until it all starts falling apart, it plays more like an alternate timeline episode.
Frame of Mind is playing with confused perceptions very early on, but for a while, you can really buy into FE's future, & your mind reels at the thought, "Whoa, did we just jump ahead for good here?"
I actually think Future Imperfect is the better episode, because it's got a way more engaging premise. FoM is really good too, but that is mostly because Frakes very much nails it
FoM is played out so well that there were moments I actually started doubting a bit if Riker really hadn't lost his mind and the Enterprise was only in his head, even though I knew rationally he'd end up there again at the end of the episode. That's an achievement for a single episode in a 7 years series I'd say Great eerie atmosphere of an alien mental institution, too.
Great eerie atmosphere of an alien mental institution, too.I agree that season 4 is a very strong season for TNG.
This one was great. Freaked me out as a kid.
I recall Buffy and Stargate Atlantis doing versions of the premise, but they didn't come close.
I recall Buffy and Stargate Atlantis doing versions of the premise, but they didn't come close.
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