Top 50 Episodes #44-42

EPISODES 44-42

# 44. THE NTH DEGREE

The Next Generation, Season 4

Episode Number 93

Info and General Credits

Directed by Robert Legato

Written by Joe Menosky

Aired April 1991

Stardate 44704.2

Guest Cast

Reginald Barclay Dwight Schultz

Lt. Larson Saxon Trainor

En. Anaya Page Leong

En. Brower David Coburn

Cytherian Kay E Kuter

Albert Einstein Jim Morton

Premise

When investigating control failures on the Argus array, a mysterious alien probe is discovered. On analytical inspection Barclay is knocked unconscious, but the lingering after effects endow Barclay with super-human intelligence. Using his advanced skills he pulls the Enterprise to the centre of the galaxy, and to the home of the Cytherians, those who were responsible for his intellectual enhancements.

Comments

This was definitely the best of The Next Generation Barclay stories. Mysterious abilities due to alien influence isn't a new idea, but this differered in the way of it originating from a benign source. One could certainly understand the initial skepticism of the crew to Barclay's transformation, but one can't help feel a little puzzled by their lack of utilisation of his new abilities, at least that is before he attaches himself to the Enterprise computer. (See Here for more comments on this episode).

On the whole it was an enjoyable episode from an impressive line-up of fourth season outings. It always is engaging to see Barclay and Troi on screen together, something carried forward into Voyager. But it was disappointing that virtually no information regarding the Cytherians was forthcoming. It would've been nice (altough not practical) to review a little of the ten days the Enterprise supposedly stayed in their company.

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Soundbites:

It's all way over Riker's head:

Riker: "Mr. Barclay.... Everyone's still trying to figure out exactly how you did it....?"

Barclay: "Well, it just occurred to me that I could set up a frequency harmonic between the deflector and the shield grid using the warp field generator as a power flow anti-attenuator, and that of course, naturally, created an amplification of the inherent energy output."

Riker: "Ah-ha, I see that."

Troi was obviously impressed with Barclay's pick up line:

Picard: "Has Mr. Barclay done anything that could be considered.........potentially threatening?"

Troi: "Well, he did make a pass at me last night.......a good one...."

The Cytherian quantifies Starfleet:

Cytherian: "Emotive. Electro-chemical stimulus response. Cranial plate. Bipedal locomotion. Endoskeletal.....contiguous external integument."

Picard: "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Federation starship Enterprise."

Cytherian: "Heirarchical collective command structure!"

# 43. TIMESCAPE

The Next Generation, Season 6

Episode Number 151

Info and General Credits

Directed by Adam Nimoy

Written by Brannon Braga

Aired June 1993

Stardate 46944.2

Guest Cast

Romulan/Alien Michael Bofshever

Romulan 2 John DeMita

Engineer Joel Fredericks

The Story

On their way back from a conference, Picard, Data, La Forge and Troi experience some peculiar and puzzling time distortions aboard their Runabout. On arrival at the Enterprise's location, it appears frozen in time, engaged in battle with a Romulan Warbird. Utilising modified transporter armbands as an innovative means of providing a temporary shield to the time distortion they beam aboard the Enterprise to assess the situation. Discovering an apparent hostile Romulan boarding party, things are further complicated by a warp core breach in progress. The real key to the situation is discovered on the Romulan ship, and the young of a group of extra-dimensional entities using the Romulan's artificial singularity as a kind of nest. Disturbed by data's tricorder, time starts up again, the Enterprise is destroyed, stops, and is reintegrated as times shifts backwards again. The situation is saved when Picard orders the Runabout to block the active power transfer beam between the two ships, hence returning local time to normal.

Comments

There's plenty to enjoy and admire in this technically complex episode. By complex I don't necessarily mean convoluted, but intricately sub-layered. We have time anomalies, we have Romulans, we have extra-dimensional entities and hopeless situations you believe they cannot possibly get out of. It could be a mess, but it in fact is transmuted into something quite triumphant, not least of all by the general suspense and excitement created by a great, innovative premise, sharp effects, and more 'initially' suspected Romulan treachery. For once they turn out to be as innocent and helpless as Starfleet, but initially their case didn't look good. It was refreshing to get our first look inside a Warbird's engineering compartments.

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Soundbites:

So, Troi then shares a trait with Riker..:

La Forge: "He really is an expert on inter-species mating practises."

Data: "Did you help him with his research Counsellor?"

Troi: "Absolutely not!"

Data: "I thought it was a topic you were interested in."

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# 42. THE GAME

The Next Generation, Season 5

Episode Number 106

Info and General Credits

Directed by Corey Allen

Teleplay by Brannon Braga

Story by Susan Sackett, Fred Bronson, Brannon Braga

Aired October 19931

Stardate 45208.2

Guest Cast

Wesley Crusher Wil Wheaton

Etana Jol Katherine Moffat

En. Robin Lefler Ashley Judd

O'Brien Colm Meaney

Ogawa Patti Yasutake

Premise

Renegade Ktarians initialise a bold scheme to take control of Starfleet and the Federation by distributing psychotropically addictive games amongst Starfleet circles. The effects of which renders the afflicted subject extremely susceptible to control and suggestion. But their plan is ultimately doomed due to the tenacity of Cadet Wesley Crusher, and the immune Data.

Comments

Stepping up allegorical material as TNG entered its fifth season, this is Trek's comment on computer game addiction, oh, and how to eat chocolate desserts. Clinical in its delivery, it is easily swept along in the current of the episode's sinister overtones. Paranoia is something Trek does well, just watch DS9's 'Whispers'. Indeed it was shocking at how treacherously different the crew became after being exposed to the game. Almost being unnerving at times. But one was left a little surprised at how unsatisfactorily it was all wrapped up, ie, what indeed were these Ktarians up to? This race has been portrayed a few times on Trek, in the previously reviewed episode above 'Timescape' sees Troi describing a Ktarian scientist at a Federation seminar. Later we see Naomi Wildman on Voyager who is the daughter of a Ktarian. So who are they? Enemies, Federation members, or a politically unstable affiliate? We wait for more to be disclosed.....

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