It's pretty neat to make a visit to a starfleet training center. I always enjoyed the starfleet academy centric episodes of TNG. Our very own wonder child --- Wesley Crushers does not succeed in getting the starfleet academy posting and given his prominence in previous episodes that is a bit surprising --- but I like to be surprised.
It was nice how the writers tied in Picard's decision to stay on as Captain with saving the life of Jake. Picard is definitely having a few surrogate dad moments in this one ---- he tells Wesley that he also failed his first attempt to get into the Academy ---- I think he was just throwing Wesley a little life preserver to feel better about not making the cut. This is Jean Luc Picard we are talking about.
We even get some slight Worf development in this one. We get some warrior wisdom, "Only fools have no fear..." and he drops some wisdom bombs on Wesley. Where's Tasha you ask? Tasha is currently standing behind Picard with folded arms.
The starfleet B plot is very 'after school special' in it's overall message. The message being that it is okay to lose if you did your best. It's like a motivational poster you would put in your office cubicle. In fairness --- Wesley works well with the Mordock character in this one and it was surprising that Wesley did not win.
My takeaway from the investigation A plot is that the crew of the enterprise has Captain Picard's back. Worf was 2 seconds away from hitting Remmick with a chair, Bev was giving him the death stare ---- sure, they forgot to ask Tasha Yar but she was too busy in her quarters looking in the mirror and saying, "I am a CROSBY, what the hell am i doing with my life here!?"
There was enough in this episode to keep me entertained with laying foundation for future episodes ---- It warms my heart to see crew camaraderie.
It was nice how the writers tied in Picard's decision to stay on as Captain with saving the life of Jake. Picard is definitely having a few surrogate dad moments in this one ---- he tells Wesley that he also failed his first attempt to get into the Academy ---- I think he was just throwing Wesley a little life preserver to feel better about not making the cut. This is Jean Luc Picard we are talking about.
We even get some slight Worf development in this one. We get some warrior wisdom, "Only fools have no fear..." and he drops some wisdom bombs on Wesley. Where's Tasha you ask? Tasha is currently standing behind Picard with folded arms.
The starfleet B plot is very 'after school special' in it's overall message. The message being that it is okay to lose if you did your best. It's like a motivational poster you would put in your office cubicle. In fairness --- Wesley works well with the Mordock character in this one and it was surprising that Wesley did not win.
My takeaway from the investigation A plot is that the crew of the enterprise has Captain Picard's back. Worf was 2 seconds away from hitting Remmick with a chair, Bev was giving him the death stare ---- sure, they forgot to ask Tasha Yar but she was too busy in her quarters looking in the mirror and saying, "I am a CROSBY, what the hell am i doing with my life here!?"
There was enough in this episode to keep me entertained with laying foundation for future episodes ---- It warms my heart to see crew camaraderie.