If Star Trek: Generations had been a regular two-part episode of the series....

[shivkala]

I think there's a few different ways to come at this question. First, there's the "How would you have done Generations?" question, which I don't think you're really asking. Then there's the, "What changes would have been made to make it into an episode?" question which really hits at the differences between what a movie can do and what a series can do. There's also the, "How would you split this into two episodes?" question. Then, there's a mix of these questions.

I'll address the latter first, since I think that's the crux of what you were asking. Without checking the runtime and making a guess, I'd say the "prisoner exchange" would make for a good cliffhanger. Picard beaming down to the planet I think would work nicely. It gives the 2nd part something to pick up on and is a more dramatic versus action-packed cliffhanger, which is what TNG really used to great effect.

The second question I've seen others address better here, except for the obvious, Data would not get to use a "colorful metaphor," unless it was "Damn."

The first question is probably better for the movie forum and again, is something I don't think you were asking. I'll just say that the whole logic behind the Nexus never made any damned sense to me and I'll take any opportunity to say that needs to be changed. At the very least, some dialogue needs to be inserted to explain why he couldn't fly a ship into the Nexus instead of diverting it.

 

[Phoenix219]

.... how would you restructure it? Where would you place the cliffhanger? What parts of the story would you keep, and what would you drop?

My feeling is I'd almost try to do a 'The Inner Light' on it, with Picard inside his nexus fantasy for longer and becoming much more settled within it. Maybe have him taken into the Nexus sooner, and run the storylines side-by-side, Picard in his Nexus life, and of the Enterprise crew coping with their loss, but gradually finding some evidende to suggest that Picard maybe crossed to another dimension rather than died, and following their leads to track where the Nexus goes next.

I'm not entirely sure if Captain Kirk is a part of this version. If we were going to include him, the obvious place would be at the cliffhanger, but what if.... the hint that the Nexus is a portal rather than a space storm is that Kirk emerges from it into the 24th century, and, having finally figured out the illusion wasn't real, had been trying to escape -- and did -- and is now keen to help the crew of the Enterprise-D rescue their captain?

When the Enterprise gets into an engagement with the Klingon sisters, Kirk assumes command and bluffs/distracts/engages them in battle while Data and Riker mount a mission to enter the Nexus and rescue Picard. *Or*, Kirk is on the mission, and the roles from the finished movie are flipped: Kirk attempting to convince Picard to leave his perfect fantasy life, rather than the other way around?

Thoughts?

I think finding Kirk *exiting* the Nexus would be what gives the crew direction on finding Picard - this would change the vibe from mourning into motivation, and give him a reason to possibly take command.

 

[penguin44]

.... how would you restructure it? Where would you place the cliffhanger? What parts of the story would you keep, and what would you drop?

My feeling is I'd almost try to do a 'The Inner Light' on it, with Picard inside his nexus fantasy for longer and becoming much more settled within it. Maybe have him taken into the Nexus sooner, and run the storylines side-by-side, Picard in his Nexus life, and of the Enterprise crew coping with their loss, but gradually finding some evidende to suggest that Picard maybe crossed to another dimension rather than died, and following their leads to track where the Nexus goes next.

I'm not entirely sure if Captain Kirk is a part of this version. If we were going to include him, the obvious place would be at the cliffhanger, but what if.... the hint that the Nexus is a portal rather than a space storm is that Kirk emerges from it into the 24th century, and, having finally figured out the illusion wasn't real, had been trying to escape -- and did -- and is now keen to help the crew of the Enterprise-D rescue their captain?

When the Enterprise gets into an engagement with the Klingon sisters, Kirk assumes command and bluffs/distracts/engages them in battle while Data and Riker mount a mission to enter the Nexus and rescue Picard. *Or*, Kirk is on the mission, and the roles from the finished movie are flipped: Kirk attempting to convince Picard to leave his perfect fantasy life, rather than the other way around?

Thoughts?

Take my money!

 

[Farscape One]

GENERATIONS has a LOT of flaws, but it try to mean something. As evidence, look at Picard.

A lot of people would take his brother and nephew's death out, but I completely disagree. If that didn't happen, Picard wouldn't have had his great scenes talking about mortality and how the family would not go on because there will be no more Picards. Those were good character scenes for him, and a good message... understanding our mortality and treasuring the moments because they'll never come again.

FIRST CONTACT will always be my favorite TNG film, but I think GENERATIONS had the most meaning in terms of being a film with a message. Ironically, that makes it the most like the series, as Piller said he always wants the episodes to 'be about something'.