This is the first genuinely good episode of TNG. While I have handed out a few 7 out 10's to previous episodes, it was often attributed to great moments or campy acting that gave me a belly laugh or beverly crushers hair being glorious.
I would call this a Riker episode and we get some nice character development on big Bill. He's career orientated but still has the hunger for passion and the Bynars are somehow able to see that in him and exploit it with an absolutely delicious holodeck character named Minuet. It was Riker who raised the red flag about the Bynar's being up to something and it was a clever piece of writing to tie-in to Riker's personal conflict of career vs settling down.
The writers also lay down a few tracks on the star trek railroad in establishing Geordi and Data as being buddies. When watching this episode, I could see Spiner getting a handle on who this character is.
We also get our first great Worf moment with his line, "Rest assured we will win whatever the cost!" during the American Gladiators competition they are having.
I noticed some interesting camera work ---- Focusing on the shimmer of Minuets necklace. Was it meant to foreshadow that she was a distraction? Probably just looked cool.
I can picture humanity being in the same place as the Bynars if we had a sun burst that knocked out our electrical grid. Is it a good thing to be so reliant upon technology that you die without it?
A solid episode!
Assorted thoughts:
I would call this a Riker episode and we get some nice character development on big Bill. He's career orientated but still has the hunger for passion and the Bynars are somehow able to see that in him and exploit it with an absolutely delicious holodeck character named Minuet. It was Riker who raised the red flag about the Bynar's being up to something and it was a clever piece of writing to tie-in to Riker's personal conflict of career vs settling down.
The writers also lay down a few tracks on the star trek railroad in establishing Geordi and Data as being buddies. When watching this episode, I could see Spiner getting a handle on who this character is.
We also get our first great Worf moment with his line, "Rest assured we will win whatever the cost!" during the American Gladiators competition they are having.
I noticed some interesting camera work ---- Focusing on the shimmer of Minuets necklace. Was it meant to foreshadow that she was a distraction? Probably just looked cool.
I can picture humanity being in the same place as the Bynars if we had a sun burst that knocked out our electrical grid. Is it a good thing to be so reliant upon technology that you die without it?
A solid episode!
Assorted thoughts:
- Picard's stand in stuntman apparently gets a guest actor appearance in this one.
- Picard is being a bit of a dad in this one. He's patting people on the back and telling them they are doing a good job.
- They tied in the holodeck probe issue from a few episodes back into this one. A light dusting of serialization/carry over. Nice.