Inner Light, LOL

[Shat Happens]

Saw the other thread and musing now.

Back when the "Kirk vs Picard" (and "Data vs Spock", etc) debate theme was all the rage, I frowned at how TNG's best episode was their captain learning to play a little flute.

(and crying)

OTOH, Kirk saved Earth multiple times and kicked a lot of butt.

Not trolling, I really feel it's a no-contest.

ps. Spock's dad can beat up Data's dad.

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

 

[Trekker4747]

I like the episode and it has some charms to it but, yeah, I also feel it's a *bit* overrated and over-loved.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

It is, quite simply, my favorite episode of Star Trek.

Ever.



Picard's emotional journey ... his unwillingness to accept the restrictions society placed upon him, his ability to find meaning in a life that was not what he would have chosen for himself, they speak to an "inner" strength of character.

The flute is symbolic of reconciliation and union ... learning to accept his "past" and move on to a better future.

 

[Mojochi]

If you like Patrick Stewart & his powerful skill as an actor, then there is no excuse to dislike this episode. He takes this mediocre story & turns it into a one man show of powerhouse proportions

 

[Jeyl]

OTOH, Kirk saved Earth multiple times and kicked a lot of butt.

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor, all you need to do if bring up Star Trek Generations to see how awesome Kirk is and how utterly incompetent Picard is.

 

[Green Shirt]

OTOH, Kirk saved Earth multiple times and kicked a lot of butt.

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor, all you need to do if bring up Star Trek Generations to see how awesome Kirk is and how utterly incompetent Picard is.

True. Except that Kirk awesomed himself all the way dead.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

(Looks at avatar)

Right, much more tedious and boring than an episode about people with different colors on different sides of their face totally subtlely persecuting each other.

Back to the OP, the measure for quality of a character isn't strictly about 'Kicking ass'. The Inner Light is an atypical episode for Picard, the episode where a usually proud and stoic man is made vulnerable. Kirk is the man I'd want in charge if a single ship was sent to kill me. Picard is the man I'd want if a superior army declares war on my home planet.

 

[JD5000]

We all get there some day, might as well try to be awesome on the way!

OTOH, Kirk saved Earth multiple times and kicked a lot of butt.

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor, all you need to do if bring up Star Trek Generations to see how awesome Kirk is and how utterly incompetent Picard is.

True. Except that Kirk awesomed himself all the way dead.

I'm in the middle on this episode, if I'm in the mood to watch something character-oriented, I dig it. If I want something action-oriented, I don't watch it. Good thing there are what, 500 something episodes to choose from? They are all fun in their own way!

 

[bbjeg]

I thought Inner Light was pretty good too. It astonished me as a kid and still remains in my top ten list. Darmok is my number one though.

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

(Looks at avatar)

Right, much more tedious and boring than an episode about people with different colors on different sides of their face totally subtlely persecuting each other.

Why, yes, yes it is.

 

[Shat Happens]

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor

I do not *want* that, but that's where it always seems to come to.

I mean, a show about giant ships zooming through space with bombastic orchestral music, aliens, special effects, hot babes and all that jazz -- and they make an episode about a LITTLE FLUTE? come on!

 

[Shat Happens]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

(Looks at avatar)

Right, much more tedious and boring than an episode about people with different colors on different sides of their face totally subtlely persecuting each other.

Why, yes, yes it is.

yes, it is boring, if you consider boring a scene where the captain shows such balls as to threaten to blow the ship with all aboard just so the bad guy doesn get it his way.

To this day I believe he would have done it if the white/black guy (or it was the black/white one?) hadtn't give up.

 

[Armored Saint]

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor

I do not *want* that, but that's where it always seems to come to.

I mean, a show about giant ships zooming through space with bombastic orchestral music, aliens, special effects, hot babes and all that jazz -- and they make an episode about a LITTLE FLUTE? come on!

The City on the Edge of Forever is about a soup kitchen. It's not my favourite TOS episode, but it's oftenly considered as the better.

My problem with The Inner Light is that's too much. After 42 years of another life with a whole family, it's near cruelty.

If you want something with spaceships, aliens and confrontations, you have The Best of Both Worlds and Chain of Command...ok not necessarily the best examples for this debate considering Picard is abducted and tortured in both.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Saw the other thread and musing now.

Back when the "Kirk vs Picard" (and "Data vs Spock", etc) debate theme was all the rage, I frowned at how TNG's best episode was their captain learning to play a little flute.

(and crying)

OTOH, Kirk saved Earth multiple times and kicked a lot of butt.

Not trolling, I really feel it's a no-contest.

ps. Spock's dad can beat up Data's dad.

 

[2takesfrakes]

With few modifications, INNER LIGHT would've made much more sense, had it been a mechanism instead of a probe that Picard found, where he was living someone else's actual memories. By living someone else's life, he could've still experienced all of that and felt a deep sense of loss at the end. Yes, Picard would've been aware he was living someone else's life, but if he couldn't get out of it until the mechanism could either be stopped, or stopped itself, it's likely he would've felt some overlap, there - like it was his family, too. I don't know. The whole idea that this is - somehow - an alien's solution to their going extinct strikes me as absurd ... even bizarre, actually. But as written, it's still got its charm. A lot of emotional drama in this one that was new to Picard, so ... it's kind of forgivable, I guess.

 

[Timewalker]

Hey, if you want a "Kirk vs. Picard" debate to swing in Kirk's favor

I do not *want* that, but that's where it always seems to come to.

I mean, a show about giant ships zooming through space with bombastic orchestral music, aliens, special effects, hot babes and all that jazz -- and they make an episode about a LITTLE FLUTE? come on!

The episode was not about the flute. It was about Picard experiencing another life as a member of an entirely different people who wanted to be remembered.

 

[RandyS]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

Thank you. After twenty years, it's nice to finally find another fan bored to tears by this insipid episode.

My friends (those who are Star Trek fans, anyway) all think I'm nuts.

Of course, I also dislike TOS' most loved episode, City on the Edge of Forever, so, I'm used to being the "outsider" on this stuff.

 

[Timewalker]

I will say that I was annoyed by one aspect of the flute music: It's so very much like the Skye Boat Song, yet not acknowledged as such - I got the impression it was supposed to be a song from the extinct civilization.

 

[BillJ]

I fully acknowledge this as a minority opinion, but "The Inner Light", far from being one of TNG's best, is in fact one of its most tedious, boring and overrated outings.

+1

Forty-five minutes of watching Picard watch a movie. One of my least favorite episodes of Star Trek. Ever.

Plus, people seem to ignore that Picard is essentially being mind raped.