Schisms...genuinely creepy. Rascals...dont think I've ever rewatched that episode.
Revisiting ST-TNG...
- Thread starter Warped9
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Schisms...genuinely creepy. Rascals...dont think I've ever rewatched that episode.
"Chain Of Command" (Part I) ***
Picard, Worf And Crusher are sent undercover into Cardassian space.
Uhhh...yeah. I know I'm going to be roasted by some for this, but I don't think this was particularly good. It wasn't wholly bad, but merely competent.
At this point TNG has developed a way of writing its stories that I find generally unsatisfying. The first part in this story is the totally unbelievable idea of sending assigning Picard, Crusher and Worf to an operation they are completely unsuited for. And then we learn it's just a Cardassian ploy to get hold of Picard. Uhhh...yeah. I'm sure there are a lot simpler ways to abduct a Starfleet Captain. For me the whole thing is undermined by what we're expected to accept on the flimsiest of reasons. For me that's not enough.
Ronny Cox has made a career of playing bastards and here he plays another one. It's obvious we're supposed to dislike Jellico and he makes it easy for us. Mind you Riker and the rest of them don't act all that professionally either.
Hopefully Part II will be better.
Picard, Worf And Crusher are sent undercover into Cardassian space.
Uhhh...yeah. I know I'm going to be roasted by some for this, but I don't think this was particularly good. It wasn't wholly bad, but merely competent.
At this point TNG has developed a way of writing its stories that I find generally unsatisfying. The first part in this story is the totally unbelievable idea of sending assigning Picard, Crusher and Worf to an operation they are completely unsuited for. And then we learn it's just a Cardassian ploy to get hold of Picard. Uhhh...yeah. I'm sure there are a lot simpler ways to abduct a Starfleet Captain. For me the whole thing is undermined by what we're expected to accept on the flimsiest of reasons. For me that's not enough.
Ronny Cox has made a career of playing bastards and here he plays another one. It's obvious we're supposed to dislike Jellico and he makes it easy for us. Mind you Riker and the rest of them don't act all that professionally either.
Hopefully Part II will be better.
I don't think you'll get roasted for that analysis. The set-up of Part I is a little silly, but the set-up allows for Part II, which is masterful.
I don't find myself hating Jellico, though. He has a different command style than Riker, and it works. He also puts Troi into a proper uniform (at last!).
I don't find myself hating Jellico, though. He has a different command style than Riker, and it works. He also puts Troi into a proper uniform (at last!).
I liked Chain of Command Part I. I mean this was back in the day when shows really didn't shake things up and attempt epic type storylines--BoBW and Redemption were the other episodes I consider along these lines with BoBW being the best not only for TNG but pretty much most of tv.
I knew this was going to be a major two-parter and not your routine TNG outing when they replaced Picard with Jellico and reassigned Crusher and Worf, then there was the hint of a coming war with the Cardassians and adding to the foreboding nature was the tension that permeated the whole hour.
I hated Jellico--his command style I hated. I've dealt with people like that. He comes in there bossing everyone around in such an abrasive manner even taking that tone with an equal in Picard. The way he insulted Deanna and forced her to wear a duty uniform although I did like seeing her in it--just not the way the writers got her in one.
I'd give it 3.5 out of 4 stars. It was an effective exciting set up
I knew this was going to be a major two-parter and not your routine TNG outing when they replaced Picard with Jellico and reassigned Crusher and Worf, then there was the hint of a coming war with the Cardassians and adding to the foreboding nature was the tension that permeated the whole hour.
I hated Jellico--his command style I hated. I've dealt with people like that. He comes in there bossing everyone around in such an abrasive manner even taking that tone with an equal in Picard. The way he insulted Deanna and forced her to wear a duty uniform although I did like seeing her in it--just not the way the writers got her in one.
I'd give it 3.5 out of 4 stars. It was an effective exciting set up
"Chain Of Command" (Part II) ****
Picard is tortured while the Enterprise prepares for battle.
I found this somewhat better than Part I mostly because we're not dwelling on the setup for the story. Picard's humiliation is cringing to watch and made worse because we soon see that the objective is not to gather information but merely to break his spirit. The scenes here are effective enough, but it's no joy to watch.
The Federation really look like asses here as it becomes so obvious how they've fallen for the Cardassian ploy, even if in the end they gain the upper hand. It means Picard was made to suffer for nothing.
Picard is tortured while the Enterprise prepares for battle.
I found this somewhat better than Part I mostly because we're not dwelling on the setup for the story. Picard's humiliation is cringing to watch and made worse because we soon see that the objective is not to gather information but merely to break his spirit. The scenes here are effective enough, but it's no joy to watch.
The Federation really look like asses here as it becomes so obvious how they've fallen for the Cardassian ploy, even if in the end they gain the upper hand. It means Picard was made to suffer for nothing.
Chain of Command Parts 1 and 2 are a 5-star episode slam-dunk, absolutely no question. I'm sorry, my friend, but you're just wrong.
In fact, I would say that the brilliance of Jellicho's character is that we DO in fact, in some way we may not like to admit, respect and understand the man by the end, even if we don't like him. It's a great performance, and a very memorable character.
David Warner's turn as the Cardassian torturer is also stellar, and unforgettable. Their 2-man scenes together are chilling.
No, this is fantastic stuff. It's just great drama - great acting acting, great writing, great characterization. There's not a single dull moment.
^^ No, I'm not wrong because it doesn't take long to see what is going on and they all look like saps. It just didn't work for me. This is what happens when you can't create real dramatic tension because too many clues tip you off so that you know what is likely to happen before the characters do. That's sloppy writing.
It may work for you, but it didn't work for me.
It may work for you, but it didn't work for me.
Chain of Command II is one of those shows that makes you unnerved and experiencing as much as anxiety as the character as you share their fear of what is next and what they are being subjected to. This reminds me of the the chilling scene in Best of Both Worlds II where we see Picard being assimilated and while the torture is nice and neat almost sterile it still is torture--a trauma he had to endure all by himself and no one can relate to it in the crew or understand what he went through.
And torture and "dehumanization" of Picard in the second part is, indeed, great stuff.
Oh, so torture and dehumanization of people is great stuff now? 
^^ I'm reasonably sure that's not how he meant it. The torture scenes are effectively done, but they're also disturbing particularly when it's the hero being abused.
I must say that what happens to Picard here certainly softens what happens to Kirk and Spock in "Plato's Stepchildren" in comparison.
I must say that what happens to Picard here certainly softens what happens to Kirk and Spock in "Plato's Stepchildren" in comparison.
Eh, maybe. I'd almost argue the Cardassian imprisonment was worse. With the Borg he as basically zombified and then brought back. He remembers everything he did and is aware he had no control over it so it's little more than a really, really bad nightmare.
With the Cardassian imprisonment he was dehumanized, the Cardassian captor (can't remember his name) took away Picard's clothing, took away his name (simply calling him human) and even spoke about him as if he was an animal in the presence of the daughter. Even look at how he "dehumanizes" picard in the consumption of the egg and how he overall treats Picard. He treat Picard pretty much exactly as you would a pet.
Then there's the attempt at "reprogramming" Picard with the bit with the lights. Maybe it's more powerful to me because we get to see all of this and we got little of what Picard went through in his experience with the Borg. But there we get the impression Picard wasn't in control of his actions or maybe even his own thoughts he was only barely "aware." Probably more like being possessed.
But the Cardassian guy dehumanized Picard in pretty much every way he could.
And when I said it was "great stuff" I meant mostly in how it was treated, acted and presented. It's probably one of the "best" "dark moments" TNG did because it really felt like the kind of thing POWs go through.
"Ship In A Bottle" ****
Professor Moriarty returns and demands help to leave the holodeck.
I found this entertaining enough to nudge it to a four rating. Moriarty was a fun character and this story harkens back to the fun "Elementary, Dear Data." There was also an interesting idea here because it's somewhat similar to what will later be seen in The Matrix some years later, the idea that existence is actually just an illusion or a highly sophisticated computer program.
Barcley doesn't come across as totally useless here.
Professor Moriarty returns and demands help to leave the holodeck.
I found this entertaining enough to nudge it to a four rating. Moriarty was a fun character and this story harkens back to the fun "Elementary, Dear Data." There was also an interesting idea here because it's somewhat similar to what will later be seen in The Matrix some years later, the idea that existence is actually just an illusion or a highly sophisticated computer program.
Barcley doesn't come across as totally useless here.
I loved the ridiculously huge device they had to operate the little cube they ran the program in. Considering the complexity and size of all of the other technology we've seen in Trek that seemed like a pretty large device to have to just simply run a program.
"Aquiel" *
Laforge falls for a woman who may have murdered a fellow officer.
One of the worst sins of a story is to be boring. And this episode excelled at that. No energy, no tangible sense of urgency or drama or tension. Nothing. Even the ending was no surprise.
Just plain boring.
And that brings us to the end of the first half of the season. Despite a few moments of note I'm finding that Season 6 is just as uninspired in general as Season 5 if not more so. The series has settled into a general pattern of predictability and little dramatic tension or energy. It's become basically flat with few exceptions.
Laforge falls for a woman who may have murdered a fellow officer.
One of the worst sins of a story is to be boring. And this episode excelled at that. No energy, no tangible sense of urgency or drama or tension. Nothing. Even the ending was no surprise.
Just plain boring.
And that brings us to the end of the first half of the season. Despite a few moments of note I'm finding that Season 6 is just as uninspired in general as Season 5 if not more so. The series has settled into a general pattern of predictability and little dramatic tension or energy. It's become basically flat with few exceptions.
When Aquiel first aired I enjoyed it but it has very little rewatchability for me. Now don't get me wrong there are some mystery shows that I can enjoy just as much upon repeat viewings i.e. The Survivors, Cause and Effect, Future Imperfect, Clues, Night Terrors, Timescape etc but not this one.
It isn't awful just pretty average. I liked the twist with the dog as the culprit and there were some nice moments for Geordi and I was a big Days of Our Lives fan at the time and got a kick out of seeing Renee Jones as Aquiel.
But yes S6 was the first time I began to wonder how much more TNG they could squeeze out since several episodes gave off the "we are running out of ideas and grasping here" vibe. I also don't think it helped that they launched DS9 at the same time and both shows were competing for story ideas. S3, 4 and 5 for me were the show's heydays.
It isn't awful just pretty average. I liked the twist with the dog as the culprit and there were some nice moments for Geordi and I was a big Days of Our Lives fan at the time and got a kick out of seeing Renee Jones as Aquiel.
But yes S6 was the first time I began to wonder how much more TNG they could squeeze out since several episodes gave off the "we are running out of ideas and grasping here" vibe. I also don't think it helped that they launched DS9 at the same time and both shows were competing for story ideas. S3, 4 and 5 for me were the show's heydays.
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