Everyone Gets Mean . . . And The Big Bang Theory Season 7 Becomes Almost Unwatchable!

The Good: Moments of humor, “The Convention Conundrum”
The Bad: Predictable jokes, Painful character moments, Largely stagnant characters, Only one “wow” performance the entire season, A number of mean jokes.
The Basics: The seventh season of The Big Bang Theory is an unfortunate mix of stagnation and jokes that attack the show’s loyal fanbase.


When it comes to television shows that I have been behind on, I cannot think of one I was more excited to catch up on than The Big Bang Theory. Being relegated to only two television stations over the air (plus two PBS stations!), I had to wait until The Big Bang Theory The Complete Seventh Season was released on DVD to catch up on the popular series. While the show has become a bit more predictable, I was psyched to pick up the DVDs and do a marathon of the twenty-four episode season.

Sadly, that excitement did not last long. It is not long into the seventh season of The Big Bang Theory that a disturbing new trend became painfully obvious. So much of the familiar formula was there: Sheldon’s social awkwardness, Raj’s quiet misogyny, the “will they or won’t they” of the Leonard/Penny relationship, Amy pining for Sheldon to pay her any sexual attention . . . but mixed in with the familiar dynamics and highbrow diction are jokes that are just plain mean. The sheer volume of one-liners that attack fat people, women and the characters make the show far less pleasant to watch. In fact, more than any of the prior seasons, the relationships in The Big Bang Theory make less sense in Season Seven and none of the protagonists seem especially likable or smart.

The Big Bang Theory Season Seven opens with Sheldon having nightmares about Leonard getting killed while on his boat mission (which is where Season 6, reviewed here!, ended), so he turns to Penny for companionship. They begin talking more than ever before while Amy and Bernadette bond (and then have a falling out) while at a conference together. After Leonard returns and the friends reconnect, Raj sends the group on a scavenger hunt. But tensions soon rise within the group as Howard imposes on Raj’s time with the women, Sheldon has a major scientific breakthrough that makes him a celebrity in the scientific community and Penny decides to take a leap with her acting career.

Penny’s commitment to her acting puts her and Leonard at odds (she does not believe he is supporting her and when her car dies abruptly, he proves her wrong) and leads the two to take the next step in their relationship. But when Penny takes an acting gig in the sequel to one of her first roles, a b-rate horror movie that just insults her talents (and those of Wil Wheaton). While Howard struggles to get out of returning to the International Space Station and Raj juggles two women, the collapse of Sheldon’s research leads him to have a falling out with his love of string theory physics . . . and a dramatic change in his life!

The best episode of the season, and by far the only one worth watching, is “The Convention Conundrum,” which features James Earl Jones and Carrie Fisher as guest stars. James Earl Jones is given the most fun role of his career as a comedic version of himself and he and Jim Parsons play off one another incredibly well!

The cast of The Big Bang Theory is otherwise familiar in Season Seven and its principle characters all return. In the seventh season of the show, the main characters continue to be:

Sheldon – After bonding with Penny over Leonard’s absence, he is hurt when Penny blows off his “deep revelation” to him. During the scavenger hunt, he is paired with Penny and they have fun working together. He gets “in the zone” and discovers an element, but gets cocky about it. Unfortunately, a math error robs him of his sudden celebrity and he falls out of love with string theory. Facing wholesale change in his life after Stuart’s comic book shop burns down (in combination with the other huge changes foreshadowed), he makes a drastic life change,

Leonard – After being the life of the party on an arctic boating expedition, he returns home a few days early, but keeps it from Sheldon. He is paired with the very competitive Bernadette during the scavenger hunt and he learns what Penny actually thinks of him. Leonard is the one who manages to disprove the existence of Sheldon’s element. He inadvertently hesitates when a drunken Penny proposes to him and that jeopardizes their relationship. But when he buys Penny a new car, he proves his commitment to her and he has the change to get everything he wants in life,

Raj – Finally able to talk with women without drinking, he still pines for Lucy. He tries to develop a relationship with Mrs. Davis, a single parent who works at the University. He organizes the incredible scavenger hunt around Pasadena for his friends after they blow off his murder mystery party. After meeting a veterinarian on Valentine’s Day (a plotline that is abruptly dropped!), Lucy comes back into his life after he and Amy woo a woman Raj met online. In juggling the two women, Raj starts to learn that his cute paramour might be seriously disturbed,

Howard – He and Amy are paired up for the scavenger hunt and they begin to bond because they have some fun. To get himself out of the doghouse with his wife, he writes her a song (which is the emotional high-point of the season). When NASA wants him to go back into space, he has to be reminded just how miserable the experience was the last time. With the help of his doctor, he manages to get out of going back into space, but soon his mother needs full-time care and he and Bernadette find themselves woefully unable to deliver,

Bernadette – She is super-competitive, which comes out during the scavenger hunt. She and Amy ditch Penny and start seeing one another socially outside the group, which leaves her temporarily compromised with Howard. She continues to be the breadwinner in the family and she and Howard start to have their first serious conversations about having children together . . . conversations which take a very different turn after they have to take care of Howard’s mother,

Amy – Finally breaking the rule with Howard, she goes for a ride with him during the scavenger hunt and they realize they have a shared love of Neil Diamond. When she inadvertently ruins Raiders Of The Lost Ark for Sheldon, he sets out to ruin Little House On The Prairie for him. She comes to work on a project at the University, which causes some friction between her and Sheldon. Her big Valentine’s train trip with Sheldon is ruined when they meet another man who loves trains and Sheldon pretty much ditches her. She tries to manipulate Sheldon when Leonard wants to get a dining room table for the apartment, but she overshoots,

and Penny – Thrilled to have Leonard home early, she arouses Sheldon’s suspicions by throwing out her take-out food containers! She begins reading Leonard’s mother’s book on Leonard and his troubled childhood, which upsets the scientist. After a guest-starring role on N.C.I.S. is cut, she gets drunk, proposes to Leonard, and quits working at the Cheesecake Factory. Devoting her efforts to acting entirely, she initially turns down a role in the sequel to the b-horror movie she appeared topless in when she first moved to Los Angeles. When Leonard proves his devotion to her, she makes a big move in their relationship.

Howard’s song to Bernadette is well-delivered and Melissa Rauch’s reaction is the acting high point of the season (save, of course, the comedic presentation of James Earl Jones). Without a word, Rauch manages to connote the depth of Bernadette’s love for Howard.

But the two moments – the song and James Earl Jones’s appearance – do not justify the rest of the season. The seventh season is not only less funny than prior seasons, it is the season where The Big Bang Theory actually became unpleasant to watch. Between Amy’s longing and hurtful jokes that miss their mark, season seven of The Big Bang Theory is the first season of the show that is perfectly safe to skip.

For other shows from the 2013 – 2014 television season, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Game Of Thrones - Season 4
New Girl - Season 3
The Walking Dead - Season 4
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Season 1
The Newsroom - Season 2
Breaking Bad - Season 5
The Clone Wars - Season 6
Orange Is The New Black - Season 2
Parenthood - Season 5

2.5/10

For other television season reviews, please check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Fun, But By No Means Good: Flubber Fizzles!

The Good: Moments of performance and direction
The Bad: Utterly predictable, Simplistic character arcs, Erratic execution of special effects
The Basics: Flubber is a flop of a family film, despite having an impressive cast.


As the world copes with the suicide of Robin Williams, many of us are finding solace in watching his works. For me, that means rewatching films of his that impressed me, like The Fisher King (reviewed here!); for my wife, it means revisiting the films that delighted her in her childhood. It was she who wanted to watch Flubber, which I had never seen. While I was suitably pleased with the quality of the cast, Flubber is a ridiculous movie that sacrifices most of its moments of merit in order to be family-friendly. The humor is slapstick, the plot and character arcs are thoroughly predictable and the direction is so sloppy in relation to the special effects that only a child will not notice.

Flubber is a Disney live-action film that trades on simplicity and a sense of movement that is more significant than anything in the movie is substantive. As a result, the film features a villain who is adversarial for the sake of being antagonistic, an utterly unrealistic savior (in the form of big business!), and human relationships that are so poorly-conceived as to border on the ridiculous. Despite its many faults, Flubber is fun and easy-to-watch, is more than can be said for some of Robin Williams’s other films geared toward children.

Professor Philip Brainard is such an absentminded professor that he has missed his wedding to Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds two times before. While he promises not to miss it a third time (this time planned to be a big event purposely so he might remember it), Brainard’s floating robot, Weebo (who does all of his scheduling) fails to remind him of it the night before. As a result, the next day Brainard’s experiments in trying to create a sustainable power supply explode and distract him long enough to miss his own wedding. In the process, Brainard inadvertently creates a semi-conscious goo that is exceptionally elastic and has the potential to be used for an unlimited power supply.

But Brainard’s discovery does not solve all of his problems. Instead, Dr. Reynolds is wooed by Brainard’s competitor at the college, Wilson Croft, and the college is due to be shut down due to the machinations of Chester Hoenicker. To try to thwart both, Brainard uses the flubber to help the basketball team thwart their rivals – which costs Hoenicker quite a bit of money and helps Reynolds win a bet against Croft. While Hoenicker sends goons to steal the flubber, Brainard illustrates its uses to Reynolds and together the two work to save the university.

The flubber is a bright green goo that moves on its own and causes anything to which it is attached to bounce in violation of all of the traditional laws of physics. The creation serves as an excuse to have characters like the basketball players bounce across the court in a single leap or bounce back when they fall on their butts. Brainard uses the flubber to make his car fly and that becomes the method by which he and Dr. Reynolds figure out a way to earn enough money to save the college.

The character arcs in Flubber are painfully predictable. Brainard is set up as such an unfocused genius at the outset that any sort of wholesale change to the character in the course of the film would be unrealistic. As a result, much of the character development in Flubber is focused on how the other characters interact with him. Croft is a generic adversary for Brainard in both the personal and professional arena. Croft somehow has survived at the college long enough to live in Brainard’s shadow and steal some of his prior discoveries . . . without ever being reprimanded for it. Similarly, Croft only seems to have any potential for a relationship with Reynolds by the fact that he shows up. Reynolds seems not at all interested in him, but his advances are met with something other than indifference once Brainard misses their third wedding attempt.

While I am always thrilled to see Wil Wheaton in any of his post-Star Trek: The Next Generation roles, his part as Bennett Hoenicker is a distracting enemy that is essentially a third goon from his father. Wheaton’s role is entirely unnecessary and it interfaces poorly with Brainard’s storyline. At least Clancy Brown and Ted Levine might be relegated to the roles of Hoenicker’s goons, but at least they are supposed to be somewhat generic thugs: the addition of a son for Chester adds nothing to the story. Robin Williams and Marcia Gay Harden have fine on-screen chemistry, even if they are not a great cinematic couple.

Flubber makes decent use of Robin Williams’s manic physical acting style, but director Les Mayfield is sloppy with the special effects. The flubber moves at an incredible speed and Mayfield does not make sure to line up the eyelines of Williams or most of the other characters. As a result, most of the characters are not looking anywhere near the flubber or flubber-affected characters when they are bouncing around.

The result is that Flubber is a disappointing film that is utterly forgettable even though it is not unenjoyable while it is on.

For other Disney live-action works, please check out my reviews of:
Saving Mr. Banks
The Lone Ranger
Oz The Great And Powerful
The Odd Life Of Timothy Green
John Carter
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Tron: Legacy
Oceans
Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
Alice In Wonderland
Old Dogs
G-Force
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement
The Princess Diaries
Tron

2.5/10

For other movie reviews, please check out my Film Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Bottom Ten Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes!

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The Basics: Even classic shows have some duds. With Star Trek: The Next Generation, these are the episodes you can easily pass on. . .


I grew up watching and loving Star Trek: The Next Generation. In fact, had I not been raised on Star Trek: The Next Generation, I don't think I would have been in a place to appreciate Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (my favorite show of all time) as much as I came to. But even with my love of the series, it's hard to go back and watch it objectively now because there were some episodes that were just plain terrible. There were some episodes that give terrible a bad name.

So, as a public service and for the enjoyment of my readers, and for those Scholars of Star Trek, here are the episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation to pass on, even when playing the drinking game, they are hours of your life you cannot get back:

10. "Code Of Honor" - reviewed here! - Garrett Wang (Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager) tells a wonderful story of his trepidation to join the series when his only experience with Star Trek: The Next Generation was this episode. It's easy to see why; "Code of Honor" has a b-grade camp quality to it that makes one cringe when watching it. It's amazing that the series survived its third week (when this episode aired) given how quickly it had such a significant dud,

9. "Man Of The People" - reviewed here! - Who doesn't love Counselor Deanna Troi? No one I know! After all, she strides around the ship in fun outfits, illustrating that she's a busty woman. Who wouldn't want to go to counseling when Troi is the counselor? I don't know, but it's a shame that when she gets an episode early in the seventh season and she becomes a psychic spittoon for a jerk that Marina Sirtis was forced to go along with it. And yes, the make-up is just plain terrible,

8. "Where Silence Has Lease" - reviewed here! - Second season, Star Trek: The Next Generation, writer's strike imminent. Episodes will be rerun many, many times before new episodes are written and shot. Why did this have to be one of them?! My review of the episode is so stark because NOTHING HAPPENS IN THIS EPISODE! How much can someone write about an episode where the ship flies around in circles for several minutes before giving up and waiting for everyone to be killed? I hope whoever wrote this one got sacked as part of the writer's strike negotiations,

7. "The Neutral Zone" - reviewed here! - And joining that person should be whoever wrote this episode. Someone thought they could be clever and write an episode that simply combined elements of the original Star Trek episodes "Balance Of Terror" and "Space Seed" and throw in a hick to boot. The only thing that keeps this in the upper five of the bottom ten is that Marc Alaimo appears for a few seconds in the episode. Yea Marc! But really, whoever thought that this finale would get people to come back the next season, they ought to be prevented from ever doing anything creative again,

6. "The Outrageous Okona" - reviewed here! - How many famous celebrities can appear in an episode of a television show and have it still suck? Well, outside the main cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, this episode features Whoopi Goldberg, Joe Piscapo, Billy Campbell, and Teri Hatcher (yes, THAT Teri Hatcher!) and it's still a dog. It's a dog that's so mangy kids don't cry when it's taken out back and shot. Half the episode involves Data trying to become a stand-up comic and the other half involves a rogue sleeping with various members of the crew, but the whole thing is just dumb,

5. "Shades of Gray" - reviewed here! - Clip show as a season finale. Do I honestly need to say more? Poor Pulaski to be written out on such a note,

4. "Hero Worship" - reviewed here! - I was shocked at a recent Star Trek convention to discover that there are people who actually love this episode! I'm convinced these people are the Star Trek fans most comparable to those people of faith who believe the Bible is the literal word of god and completely infallible (including all of the contradictory stuff, the concept of slave ownership and the right to stone your neighbors for sinning). When a young boy begins to emulate Data to avoid a trauma, the psychology is solid, but the episode is anything but,

3. "Devil's Due" - reviewed here! - As a person who sells Star Trek memorabilia, I'm keenly aware of things that interest fans of Star Trek. Recently, a Star Trek: The Next Generation trading card set was released and the incentive card for the binders was an autograph from the woman who played Ardra in this episode. Now despite the fact that this woman is rather attractive (even with the prosthetics), never does conventions, and has never signed for any of the trading card releases, her autograph in the binder did not drive anyone to buy a binder from me. That's how disliked her character was, that's how bad this episode was,

2. "The Royale" - reviewed here! - Second season again and this one was a close call for the worst of the bunch. You know how I suggested that whoever wrote "The Neutral Zone" ought to be barred from doing anything creative ever again? Well, "The Royale" is original, but it's so bad, it's a parody of bad and it's a parody of Star Trek: The Next Generation. When Riker, Worf and Data get trapped in an alien casino, things go from terrible to dismal to just plain suck. Not only should the writer and director of this episode be barred from ever making anything again remotely creative, they ought to be sterilized so they cannot have children who might make such monstrously stupid works. Added to that, the entire guest cast (save Sam Anderson) ought to be expelled from the Screen Actors Guild just for participating in this piece of utter idiocy,

and . . .

drumroll please . . .

1. "Force Of Nature" - reviewed here! - I'm an avid environmentalist and I still hate this episode! Two crazy environmentalists board the Enterprise with a crackpot theory that warp speed travel is destroying space (much like the deterioration of the ozone layer). They blow a hole in space to prove their theory and the science behind this episode makes no sense, nor does the whole plot and the characters are just ridiculous parodies. Even the actors walk through this last season episode looking like it's a bad idea. Maybe this was the real reason the series was canned . . .


For other, similar articles, please be sure to visit my articles on:
The Top Ten Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes
The Top Ten Star Trek Episodes
The Bottom Ten Star Trek Episodes

For other Star Trek reviews, please be sure to check out my Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Top Ten Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation!

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The Basics: The classic science fiction television show Star Trek: The Next Generation is easily available on DVD, VHS and (soon) downloads; here are the ones most worth watching . . .


Star Trek: The Next Generation was easily one of the most popular science fiction series' of all time and with its easy availability in syndication, on VHS, on DVD and via digital download, it seems strange that so few people (outside StarLog Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and people at Star Trek conventions) have offered a comprehensive list of the best episodes of the series for those thinking of dipping into the series or just looking for great television.

In considering the ten BEST episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, there was some pretty stiff competition as figuring out the ten best out of 178 episodes can be a real challenge. There were some worthy near misses from the highly rated pile, including: "Conspiracy," "Clues," "First Contact," "Darmok," "Chain Of Command, Part II," "The Drumhead," and "Family." But if you're going to spend time watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, the episodes you cannot miss are:

10. "The Emissary" / "Reunion" - reviewed here and here! - It seems I always cheat on these top ten lists and squeeze a little something extra in; at least this time I'm getting my cowardice out of the way early! Two Worf stories lead off the list as a perfect pair of episodes that act quite nicely as a two-parter, despite being separated by over a season. These are the two episodes that feature K'Ehleyr, Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire, a human-Klingon hybrid and former lover of Lt. Worf. She appears on a mission and reignites the passions of Worf, then returns . . . with Worf's son in two memorable episodes made perfect by guest star Suzie Plakson,

9. "Too Short The Season" – reviewed here! - Easily the most contentious episode on this list, this first season episode is a surprise to those rewatching it these days. Originally despised for the poor special effects, this episode stands up and knocks out the viewer now with the quality of the story and character study of a man going to extreme lengths to right a past wrong. While the Enterprise journeys to a planet to negotiate a hostage situation, the aged Admiral Jameson begins to de-age as he tries to wrest power from a planetary leader who he once was involved with shady weapons dealings with,

8. "I, Borg" – reviewed here! - A similarly quiet episode finds the U.S.S. Enterprise rescuing a Borg teenager and instilling in him the concept of individuality. Clever and an amazing character study and moral play, "I, Borg," presents the arguments behind the conventions of war in a clever way that asks the viewer to look at the humanity of the enemy in a very real way. Jonathan Del Arco and Patrick Stewart give great performances,

7. "The Survivors" - reviewed here! - The penultimate episode that I've never seen in anyone else's top ten list, this is a weird episode with a sharp moralistic sentiment. The Enterprise arrives at a planet to find the whole place utterly destroyed, save two people and their home. While Counselor Troi becomes tormented by telepathic music, Riker and Picard begin to unravel a mystery of how these two survivors could have been spared on a planet devastated by a cunning and brutal enemy. The result is a mystery and a morality play that is brilliant and the judgment of Captain Picard at the episode's climax is enough to found a new religion,

6. "The Vengeance Factor" - reviewed here! - Similarly neglected by virtually every other fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, this episode becomes something different and amazingly clever. Long before Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Star Trek: The Next Generation offered an episode where known murderer is brought aboard the Enterprise and the crew has to figure out what the audience already knows (who it is) and determine the motive. While the Enterprise crew negotiates between two cultures of aristocrats and scavengers, the episode becomes a simple love story for Riker that is not to be missed,

5. "Measure Of A Man" - reviewed here! - Despite what so many people looking at the series think, it was not always about Picard and Data. Indeed, originally about Riker and Wesley Crusher, it took some time for Picard to break out, and for Data and Worf to follow. The first real episode where Picard and Data explode onto the screen is a masterful episode where Data's rights are determined when a StarFleet scientist wants to disassemble and replicate the android officer. Faced with Data's possible death or a StarFleet filled with an android slave populace, Picard forces a hearing in one of the most directly intellectual hours of the series,

4. "The Best Of Both Worlds" - reviewed here! - And sometimes the lists get it right. When the Borg return to Star Trek: The Next Generation, they seem strangely interested in Captain Jean-Luc Picard in an episode that capped the third season and left the viewers begging for more. Still a nailbiter today, this episode is one of the most clever hours, balancing the Borg menace with the threat of Riker being replaced by a new first officer when he is offered his own command,

3. "Parallels" - reviewed here! - Late in the series, the show got especially clever with a Worf story that explored some of the "roads not taken." When Worf passes through a spatial anomaly, reality begins to bend around him such that he sees elements of his life changing radically, like the state of the Enterprise, his position aboard her, the role of the major powers in the galaxy, and his relationship with Counselor Troi - who he soon finds himself married to. The journey is a clever exploration of the different directions the series could have taken Worf as well as a wonderful lesson on parallel universe theory,

2. "Frame Of Mind" - reviewed here! - Who would have guessed that Jonathan Frakes could dominate an episode that charted this high?! In an incredible Riker story that finds the first officer in a degenerating mental state, the viewer is taken on a reality-bending odyssey that questions whether Riker is the victim of an alien experiment or if he is truly going insane. Blending time aboard the Enterprise where Riker prepares for a play involving his portrayal of a mentally ill man with an incarceration on an alien planet in their mental ward, "Frame Of Mind" keeps the viewer guessing the first time and entertained with the sophistication of how well it is put together each other viewing,

and . . .

drumroll please . . .

1. "The Inner Light" - reviewed here! - Too many people who take on this topic top this list with the phaser battles and intensity of one of the episodes like "Yesterday's Enterprise," but this is the top of the heap for the sophisticated viewer. Picard is doing his normal routine when an alien probe knocks him out. Unconscious on the bridge, he awaken in another place, with another name, on a planet he has never heard of. There he spends over forty years as Kamen, a scientist, artist and father who learns to love, play music and live a different life from that of the starship captain until he finally accepts that his other life was just a dream. Kamen's story is brilliant and an amazing change of pace for the series and a character study that only enhances Captain Picard's stature.

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to visit the Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Mostly Publicity Shots Guts The Legends of Geordi, Wesley, and Yar!

The Good: One interesting shot, Limited edition nature of set, Cardstock
The Bad: Too many publicity shots!, Cost/value imbalance, Condensing characters
The Basics: When Geordi LaForge, Wesley Crusher and Tasha Yar are crammed into one nine-card Legends Of Star Trek set, all three characters suffer.


When the Legends Of Star Trek set began, I had high hopes for it. My goal had originally been to get the center card of each set autographed by the celebrity who portrayed the character from each set because with only sixteen pages in the original binder, it became clear that not every character would be considered a "Legend." My hopes were first dashed when the "Legends Of McCoy" (reviewed here!) set was announced as DeForest Kelley had been dead for years. Then, Rittenhouse Archives, who produces the trading cards, announced a set that put together Scotty, Sulu and Uhura. When the "Legends of Chekov, Chapel and Rand" (reviewed here!) was released, the concept was pretty much dead.

With the Star Trek: The Next Generation characters, the supposed "legends" to get the similar treatment were Lt. Commander (misidentified as "Commander") Geordi La Forge, Ensign Wesley Crusher and Lt. Natasha Yar.

Basics/Set Composition

The Legends Of Star Trek sets are nine-card, limited edition, individually numbered sets that - traditionally - focus on a single character. In the case of the "Legends of Geordi, Wesley and Yar," the set grants three cards per character and as a result the entire legendary history of each character is crammed into six images. This is not a problem for Tasha Yar and not that bad for Wesley Crusher, but considering Dr. Crusher got a nine-card set, one wonders why Geordi was condensed into this set (as opposed to having a "Legends of Wesley, Tasha and Guinan" set later!).

The L9 card in each of these sets is individually numbered out of 1701 and is visible through the cellophane wrap of the package. This is where is helps to have a good relationship with one's dealer. So, for example, all of my sets are numbered 0440/1701! When complete, I will have the complete set with that limited edition number.

The Legends Of Star Trek sets are printed on a thicker cardstock - 20pt. - and utilize a state of the art UV resistant coating to prevent fading and color bleeding so this very collectible set will stay pristine either in its cellophane wrapper or when taken out and put in a binder.

The basic concept of the Legends Of Star Trek was to provide images that were not the typical ones that were already in the marketplace on every 8 X 10 and t-shirt and in this way, the "Legends of Geordi, Wesley and Yar" is a bit of a letdown.


Common Cards

There are no bonus cards in this set and the complete set comes packaged together, so there is nothing to hunt down. Unfortunately, the eighteen images that make up the "Legends of Geordi, Wesley and Yar" are a disappointing mix, largely because six are obvious publicity shots and two others are publicity shots to those who know the business well.

Geordi, in addition to suffering from a lack of material, is given bland images that hardly represent the range of his character's journey. To be fair to Rittenhouse Archives, all viewers truly know about Geordi LaForge after seven years of Star Trek: The Next Generation is that he's blind and he constantly strikes out with women, which puts him in the company of Data quite a bit. But for six images that utilize two publicity shots (second season and Star Trek: Nemesis) it is disappointing that the set did not begin with his earliest shot. There are no images of Geordi in his red uniform from when he was ship's navigator. On an equally weird note, three of the images have Geordi without his iconic VISOR, which does not capture the majority of his time on the series. The only remotely imaginative shot is of Geordi as Dr. Watson from "Elementary, Dear Data."

But Geordi had other moments that would have made for more interesting images. Where is Geordi as altered from the parasite from Tarchannaen? How about Geordi when he was plugged into the "Interface?" And Geordi had natural eyes in Star Trek: Insurrection and "Hide And Q," why not an image from either of those? Or his get-up from "Q-Pid" would have made for a more interesting shot. Instead, it's three shots of Geordi in his gold uniform, two in his Star Trek: Nemesis outfit and the one holodeck adventure outfit; what a letdown. And, oh yes, where is the Geordi from "All Good Things..." shot?!

At least with Wesley Crusher, Rittenhouse chose some imaginative shots. Sure, there are three publicity shots, from the second, third and fourth seasons - neglecting HIS first season image - but the others make good use of the film-capture material. As a result, there is a Wesley Crusher in Cadet outfit, a moment captured from his appearance in "The Game" and his rendering from "Journey's End." Outside something from the very first season, all the fans could truly wish for that is not here is a shot of him from Star Trek: Nemesis.

Tasha Yar appears with the only genuinely interesting shots of the collection. Outside the obvious publicity shot and the very common "this isn't a publicity shot" publicity shot from "Yesterday's Enterprise," Yar is given two images from "All Good Things" with her weird collapsed hairstyle. But the gems are the back of L7 which has her in a shot from "Code Of Honor" and the even better outfit from "The Naked Now." Yes, the legendary moment before Tasha seduced Data is captured in this set!

Chase Cards

There are no chase or other cards in this set that are not in each and every cellophane wrapped pack.

Overall

The "Legends Of Geordi, Wesley and Yar" is a disappointment, despite the beautiful shot of actress Denise Crosby's navel on the L9 card. The set is geared toward fans looking for something different and this set woefully underwhelms on that front. Fans of Levar Burton will be disappointed by his second-teir presentation alongside two characters who did not make it the entire series!

Fans of any one of these characters will likely resent shelling out $20 for a set given that their favorite only has three cards. But for the person who watched Star Trek: The Next Generation largely for Geordi, Wesley and Yar, this is the only set to gobble up. For the rest of us, it's easy to say "pass."

This set culls images from Star Trek: The Next Generation, most notably:
"Elementary Dear Data"
"Journey's End"
"The Naked Now"
"All Good Things . . ."
and Star Trek: Nemesis

For other Legends Of Star Trek cards from Star Trek: The Next Generation, please be sure to read my reviews of:
Legends Of Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Legends Of Data
Legends Of Riker
Legends Of Counselor Deanna Troi
Legends Of Lieutenant Worf
Legends Of Doctor Beverly Crusher

3/10

For other card reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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And Where Have You Gone, Wesley Crusher? "Journey's End"

The Good: Excellent character development, Nice acting, Good story, Nice consequences
The Bad: Special effects look campy now
The Basics: When Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise, he takes a moral stand in defiance of StarFleet and achieves his potential in the process.


In my quest to write reviews for all of the episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation and Star Trek Deep Space Nine, I tried to look at each season and evaluate who the important characters of the series was. This comes very much to light in my DVD reviews of the season boxed sets. One of the conclusions I make on the early seasons of Star Trek The Next Generation is that it is a show dominated mostly by Captain Picard and Wesley Crusher.

That Wesley Crusher had such an important role in establishing Star Trek The Next Generation, set up an interesting dichotomy within the series. Instead of being simply about the Captain and leader, the show was balanced with the perspective of the civilian and prodigy. It was a shame to lose that depth on the series and when Wesley Crusher left the show in the fourth season, the tenor of the show did change. Fortunately for all concerned, Wil Wheaton - who played Wesley - opted to return to give Wesley a proper send off from the series in "Journey's End."

Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise while the Enterprise is on a mission in the borderlands separating Cardassian and Federation space. On a small planet that is populated by Native American Indians who colonized the planet decades ago, Picard finds himself caught in a moral dilemma. StarFleet has turned the planet over to the Cardassians and when Picard is unable to convince them to go with words, he is drawn to the reluctant conclusion that forcing the colonists to leave may be necessary. Wesley Crusher, seeing what he feels is a grave injustice, renounces StarFleet and accomplishes something that sends him down the road of meeting his true potential.

I don't remember if back in the days when Star Trek The Next Generation first aired I was a fan of Wesley Crusher or not, but upon reviewing the series now (some fifteen years later), I am impressed by the character of Wesley and the acting of young Wil Wheaton. So, knowing that I am a fan of him, it may seem strange that every time I watch this episode (and I find lately that is not an uncommon occurrence), I am disappointed yet again by Wheaton's brief cameo as Wesley in Star Trek Nemesis (reviewed here!). "Journey's End" sends Wesley off with such magnificent, sensible resolve, that his return to StarFleet (as he is seen in the movie in a StarFleet uniform) seems both unlikely and unfortunate.

While much of the episode is involved with Picard facing his own demons, as he learns that his family's history involves a violent incident of Indian displacement, this is very much Wesley's story. Wesley moves along the action of this episode and actually forces Picard's hand. Despite all of Picard's moralizing, it is Wesley's ability to stand outside the StarFleet viewpoint and push an ethical view that makes "Journey's End" come together.

Furthermore, fans of the Star Trek franchise will enjoy "Journey's End" because it becomes integral in the future of the Star Trek storylines. Due to the resolution of "Journey's End," the Star Trek Deep Space Nine storyline that begins with "The Maquis" is developed and as a result of that, half the characters on Star Trek Voyager are created.

For those who are not fans of Star Trek The Next Generation, "Journey's End" tells a compelling story of the importance of individuality and the limitless nature of the human potential. Think of it as The Matrix without the Matrix. More than that, it is a haunting reminder of how even those who study history, people of conscience, may be drawn into repeating history's crimes. Unlike some episodes that follow a modern day parallel theme, "Journey's End" does not seem overly heavy-handed. It seems necessary and important to remember the sovereign rights of other peoples.

What binds "Journey's End" together is quality acting. It seems that everyone here is playing their a-game. Patrick Stewart manages to play Picard as considerate, thoughtful and somewhat powerless, a position he is not often in throughout the seven years of Star Trek The Next Generation. The reluctance Stewart toys with is far more compelling than playing him as angry (after all one of the last times he encountered the Cardassians, he was tortured nearly to death). Gates McFadden does an excellent portrayal of Dr. Crusher as a mother, focusing her energies there with great realism.

The piece is held together by Wil Wheaton, who gives the performance of his life. "Journey's End" illustrates how talent may flourish when it is properly nurtured. While Wheaton had been away from Star Trek The Next Generation for years, he makes his return seem effortless and presents his character with a level of growth that implies quite well that Wesley has been becoming a man in his absence from the screen. That's not an easy thing to do, but Wheaton makes it appear effortless.

"Journey's End" is one character's bow out of Star Trek The Next Generation done properly and will be most appreciated by those who are fans of the series. Those who are not will enjoy the story of the importance of infusing imperialism with humanity.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Your Average Episode About The Importance Of Not Telling A Lie: "The First Duty"

The Good: Decent acting, Interesting - if unrealistic - character development
The Bad: Certain aspects of the plot
The Basics: When Wesley Crusher is injured and another cadet is killed, the facts of the investigation do not match with the cadets' story and Wesley must choose where his loyalties lie in "The First Duty."


Every now and then, Star Trek The Next Generation did an episode so obvious it was almost insulting to the viewers intelligence. Sometimes, the message was so obvious it was insulting, but the execution of it is classy enough. "The First Duty" is the latter type; it is rather straightforward in its message about not lying, but it gets there in an interesting enough way to keep us interested.

The Enterprise is recalled to Earth when Wesley Crusher is wounded in a flight accident. As Picard and the Enterprise staff lend a hand to the investigation, it becomes clear that the cadet flight squadron, led by the charismatic Nick Locarno, is not being entirely forthcoming with the reason one of the cadets lost his life in the accident. Picard quickly learns Wesley is part of a cover-up and works to impress upon the youth the importance of not lying.

What is nice is that Wesley Crusher appears, for the first time, as a less than perfect individual. He suddenly seems very realistic and his moral dilemma about sticking with his friends or telling the truth is a worthwhile one. It's presented well and Crusher, who always had so much potential, seems to be knocked down a few notches here in a way that makes his character instantly more empathetic. Add to that that Crusher and his moralistic sense makes a great deal of sense to be the one to come forward.

The way that it fails to be believable is in the time element. Wesley Crusher spent three and a half years on the Enterprise where he was given the most responsibility and trust he had ever had in his life. Since then, he has been back once where he restrengthened the bonds to those people by saving all of their lives. Now, less than a year and a half since he first left, he has fallen in with a group that asks him to lie to the people he has loved and trusted for a significantly longer time. That makes less sense than one would like to admit.

Beyond that, it's easy to see how strong Picard comes on and Locarno seems savvy enough to be at least possible as a leader. So, in the end it becomes a battle of wills between Picard, who reasons the truth, and Locarno, who wants to conceal it, via Wesley Crusher. And in the end, it makes sense that Picard ought to be victorious.

But in the process, there's another awkward aspect and that is how long it takes for all of the facts in the case to come to light. Given the amount of time it takes for the Enterprise to arrive at Earth, it seems inconceivable that the video images of the flight squadron was not already available. In short, it makes little sense that the cadets would even have the chance to lie by the time the Enterprise arrives.

Given that is not the case, the plausibility of the episode falls squarely on the acting and it is what eventually throws the episode over. Robert Duncan McNeil plays Locarno and in the process creates one of the more memorable guest characters. McNeil has a rogue quality to him and a natural charm that easily comes through. Perhaps this was the reason he was later tapped to play Lieutenant Tom Paris on Star Trek Voyager. He makes a great foil to the stern demeanor of Patrick Stewart in the role of Captain Picard. Stewart manages to tone down his performance, hone his range to simply fill the gaps between his character and McNeil's. In the end, Stewart refines Picard to simply be all of the things that Locarno is not and as a result, he makes the message that much more poignant and clear.

In the end, the episode hinges on Wil Wheaton's performance and he lives up to the responsibility. Here he makes Wesley Crusher visibly conflicted in a way that has not been well presented before. He's a conflicted character now and it works with where he is and where he is going. Wheaton makes him feel like a character in transition and his place in the episode is secure.

In the end, "The First Duty" is a piece that can be appreciated by anyone as it is a bottle episode more about the morality of telling the truth than anything even remotely science fiction oriented. As a testament to the strength of the episode, on the DVD bonuses for Season 5, one of the behind the scenes facts mentioned about this episode is that it has been shown in military classes to promote the importance of telling the truth. Well, if that's not enough to give you hope, what is?

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fifth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

6/10

For other Star Trek episode, movie or DVD set reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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Wesley Crusher Returns To Save The Enterprise In "The Game!"

The Good: Acting, Character, Special effects
The Bad: Plot and believability
The Basics: Pretty much the ultimate average episode of the series, “The Game” puts Wesley Crusher back on the Enterprise to save the ship from an alien game.


Many people who were fans of Star Trek The Next Generation begrudge Wesley Crusher his place in the pantheon. I think many were wrong to loathe the youth, especially seeing the early seasons of the series in retrospect. Wesley Crusher represented much of what humanity could be and actor Wil Wheaton accurately captures the energy and enthusiasm of youth. He's a nice contrast to Captain Picard's curmudgeon role, to boot. When Wil Wheaton left Star Trek The Next Generation in the fourth season, he took with him an important element of the cast. Fortunately, it was not his last appearance.

"The Game" finds Riker on Risa meeting an alien female who convinces Riker to try a video game. While on leave from StarFleet Academy, Wesley Crusher arrives on the Enterprise. Drawn to a young officer named Robin Lefler, Crusher avoids his friends for the most part to pursue the engineer. Shortly after Riker returns from leave, Data is incapacitated and the members of the Enterprise crew become addicted to playing the strange alien game. As one of the few to not try the game, Wesley Crusher becomes the last chance for the Enterprise crew to resist an alien invasion.

The understandable view that people who dislike Wesley Crusher comes at this point in the series. There's the general sensation that when Crusher returns, he will do something extraordinary. Thus, we come to expect Wesley Crusher to save the day and here is the prime example of that occurring. Instead of just having Crusher return, Crusher's return becomes the crux of resolving this episode. Somewhat essential to this episode is Wesley Crusher's new status outside the "family."

More than any problem with Wesley Crusher's character, this episode is plagued by a somewhat silly idea. While it's an intriguing idea to have a video game that interfaces directly to the central nervous system and rewards its players with an orgasm to advance each level and it's not an entirely bad idea to use such a thing for a smokescreen to an alien invasion, that the Enterprise crew so easily succumbs to it is hard to swallow. That is to say that certain members of the crew other than Data ought to have been just as immune to the effect of the game as the android. Worf comes easily to mind and the idea of Captain Picard even trying the awkward contraption is silly.

Once one suspends their disbelief to the mechanics of the plot, "The Game" works fine. This is a tense episode and it has the whole Invasion Of The Body Snatchers feel to it. While that has been done to death in science fiction, here they manage to pull it off just fine. The emotion behind the episode works.

While Picard's character does not entirely work, Wesley Crusher's works wonderfully. He has clearly developed in his time away from the Enterprise and that is immediately evident. Crusher's lack of interest and then open wariness toward the game make a great deal of sense as does the methods by which he foils the plot.

What keeps the episode flowing is the acting. Wil Wheaton steals the episode as Wesley Crusher and he returns to the series with more presence here, a confidence that translates from actor to character. One will quickly note Robin Lefler, the young officer Wesley falls for. She is played by Ashley Judd, the same Ashley Judd who is now an a-list actor. She portrays Lefler well as a young, ambitious, self-sufficient character. She uses her inner energy and charm that others would later recognize and use to cast her for parts.

"The Game" is a tough sell to those who are not fans of Star Trek The Next Generation. Anyone who likes suspense or science fiction will find something here to enjoy. The acting is good and the special effect when the game is first turned on is pretty cool. But if you don't like science fiction or suspense, this is not an episode that you're likely to want to see over and over again.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fifth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

6/10

For other Star Trek episode, DVD or film reviews, please check out my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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So Long, Wesley Crusher: "Final Mission" Sees The Youngest Member Of The U.S.S. Enterprise Off!

The Good: Excellent acting, Good character development, Good effects, Excellent directing.
The Bad: Low on plot, Silly b-story
The Basics: In a wonderfully directed episode, Wesley Crusher finally leaves the Enterprise for StarFleet Academy, he only has to save himself and Picard, first!


Sometimes, there's a character in a television show that has a great character arc and when the actor or actress who plays them decides to give up acting, that character simply leaves as opposed to being killed off or such. In the case of Star Trek The Next Generation, Ensign Wesley Crusher's departure was long expected, even teased; he needed to grow up and go to the Academy. In "Final Mission," the teasing is over. This is Wesley Crusher's last mission aboard the starship Enterprise.

Time once more for Crusher to leave for Earth and StarFleet Academy, Picard enlists the young man to go on one final mission, aiding a pilot and himself in getting a small craft and its cargo where it needs to go. Unfortunately, shortly after they leave, the Enterprise is called away to deal with a radioactive garbage scow that is harming a nearby planet. Picard and Crusher and the pilot crashland on a desert moon where it appears they will dehydrate and die. They make for the distant mountains and discover a bit of water. Unfortunately, it's hidden behind a forcefield and in the attempts to get at it, Picard is critically wounded and the pilot is killed. That leaves Crusher with the last chance to save the Captain's life and his own.

Right away, I would like to say that "Final Mission" has two of the best transitions between scenes ever, both involving the sun. The explosion from the crash fades into the sun and it works perfectly. It's directorial genius and it's refreshing to see someone with an eye for style directing this episode. The two transitions works magnificently and that alone is worth the price of admission on this one.

The detraction to it is the contrivance of the plot. While the initial shuttle mission may be justified, the radioactive garbage scow is just a silly waste of time. It serves the function in the episode to keep the Enterprise from rescuing Wesley and the Captain, but it has the distinct feeling of being the entire reason for that part of the episode. The purpose here feels like the purpose and that's just insulting to our intelligence. Where's a good Romulan threat to keep the Enterprise away in a reasonable fashion?

It's obvious from the beginning that the point of the episode is to get rid of Wesley and to do it with style and in a way that leaves the option open for him to return later on. Despite that, it seems a worthwhile outing for Picard and Wesley.

That's refreshing, because Crusher deserved a good send off. He's been an important character all along.

What makes the episode work is the acting of the two main characters. Wil Wheaton and Patrick Stewart bond onscreen amazingly as Crusher and Picard, respectively. Wheaton is emotive and passionate in his attempts to save Picard's life and his desperation "reads" as very real and very needy. Stewart, for his part, plays being near death very convincingly.

It's an irony here that Wesley's final chance at being a hero as a regular does not result in any sort of good-bye scene between Wesley and his mother. That's fine, though; Wesley and the Captain have always had a far more meaningful and profound on-screen relationship than the Crushers ever did.

But, it's hard to recommend this episode to a non-fan; much of it deals with saying good-bye to Wesley and seems like an inside joke to those who care nothing for the character. It's like expecting a teary good-bye for a family member you don't know; it's an unrealistic expectation. Moreover, in their conversations, Wesley and Picard allude to "Samaritan Snare" (reviewed here!) and those who have not seen that episode will not appreciate the depth of the conversation here.

For those who are, though, this is a nice send off. And it's a better way to leave a character than Tasha Yar, Diana Muldar, and Gates McFadden were disappeared.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fourth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

6.5/10

For other Star Trek episode and movie reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L,. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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Then Wesley Grew Even More . . . "Remember Me"

The Good: Good character development, Good acting
The Bad: Drawn out pace, Slow plot development, Weak Concept
The Basics: In a disappointing, yet significant episode for Wesley Crusher, episode of the series, Dr. Crusher disappears into a place where everyone dematerializes around her.


Sometimes, there's a character's story where one character is the focus, but it's not truly their episode. That is, the most significant aspects of the episode involve a character other than the one who appears most central. A perfect example of this is "Remember Me," which most fans of Star Trek The Next Generation think of as a Dr. Crusher episode. The truth is, focus on Dr. Crusher is a pretense for Wesley Crusher to make the most significant character leap he will make in the series.

Dr. Crusher greets her old friend, Dr. Quayce, her mentor from her Academy days who comes on board from a Starbase. Soon after, she visits Wesley in engineering and when she leaves engineering, Dr. Quayce has disappeared. Dr. Quayce is the first of many people who simply disappear until the ship itself begins to shrink, indicating that time and space are somehow malleable around Dr. Crusher. Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher reveals that Dr. Crusher has disappeared into a static warp bubble. His attempts to rescue her are met in vain until an old comrade, the Traveller, reappears.

What makes this episode work is the resolution to the episode, but I'm not going to ruin that for my readers. Why? It's unfair and it's a great leap of character that will foreshadow the ultimate fate of Wesley Crusher. As that episode won't occur for three more seasons, it seems unfair to ruin that here. On the plus side, it is a Wesley Crusher character leap that happens and it makes a lot of sense. Everything in the series up until now has pointed to Wesley being a special young man. Here, that is proven. And Wheaton rises to the occasion, making Wesley both strong and confused with the direction his life is taking. Ultimately, his aspect in the plot makes a lot of sense.

Unfortunately, much of "Remember Me" is spent with Dr. Crusher. She witlessly fumbles around the starship asking the wrong questions, accepting too much flack from people before she actually stands up and says "No, I actually AM right here!" Gates McFadden is mostly fine as Dr. Crusher, but there are moments of melodrama in her acting, especially her facial expression when Picard ultimately disappears.

In short, the episode has the feeling of being drawn out, as if there was too little plot and it had to be made into a full hour episode. And it is. The entire Dr. Crusher plot is a contrived method for introducing Wesley Crusher's character development. The episode sets up Wesley to do something extraordinary and he rises to the occasion, but too much of the episode is spent on Dr. Crusher and her little paranormal experience inside the static warp bubble.

And it's a huge mistake. There are other ways to have Wesley rise to the occasion that would not waste as much time as "Remember Me" does. In fact, the whole episode is deceptive in that it points toward the Dr. Crusher plot, but the only thing important about that plot is how Wesley rescues her from it.

Unfortunately, there is nothing here for a person who is not a fan of Star Trek The Next Generation. The technical jargon is high and the interesting aspect of the spatial anomaly wears off quickly. The character aspects, both Crusher's attempts to understand her predicament and Wesley's leap at the end, are incomprehensible for those who are not people who follow the series.

In short, this is an episode that had a great idea. It needed to change the fundamental abilities of Wesley Crusher. It just picked the worst possible way to get there. A disappointment.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fourth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

3.5/10

For other Star Trek episode, movie and DVD boxed set reviews, please visit my index page!

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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The Perfect Story Of Healing: "Family" Develops Nicely!

The Good: Well acted, EXCELLENT character development, Good plot
The Bad: None really
The Basics: In a perfect episode, Picard returns to his "Family," Worf's parents visit, Wesley puts his father's death to rest and O'Brien gets a name.


Following "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2," (reviewed here!) Star Trek The Next Generation needed to give the opportunity to deal with the consequences of those events. Unfortunately, the producers of Star Trek The Next Generation took a little while to realize this. That's why there were two episodes of the series between "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2" (Episode 75) and "Family" (Episode 78).

"Family" is a three-pronged plot story. First, the main plot involves Picard returning to his family's vineyards in LeBarre, France to recover from the Borg Incident. Second, Worf's human parents visit to check up with him following his discommendation from the Klingon Empire in "Sins of the Father." The last plot involves Wesley Crusher. His father apparently left a message for him to view when he was older and Dr. Crusher believes the time is now. While Picard struggles with his older brother, Robert, Worf comes to terms with his adopted parents' presence in his life and Wesley Crusher finally buries his father. And O'Brien finally gets a first name!

More impressive than coming up with "Miles Edward" O'Brien, is that this episode has some significant character work. Picard actually deals with the consequences of unwittingly aiding the Borg in killing thousands of people. Even better, it does it in an interesting way. Considering resigning from StarFleet to go work in the oceans on the Atlantis Project, Picard is tempted and to make his decision he actually has to confront his actions in the recent past. It's genius. It's also a necessary thing. It's been tiring watching character after character on Star Trek The Next Generation have incredible experiences, then never suffer consequences of those actions.

But that's what "Family" is about. In addition to Picard, Worf deals with his discommendation since he was first exiled from the Klingons. As well, we see that his family is wonderfully supportive and they care so much about Worf and his status.

Add to that, Wesley Crusher's part in the story seems to fit the motif, even if it does not completely fit his character arc. Crusher's character seemed to make peace with his father's death back in "The Bonding" in the third season, but here the issue comes back up, though it is finally put to rest once and for all.

Even better than the character work and the plot is the acting. The plot is well constructed and the character work is necessary, but the actors all give the episode their best shot and it pays off quite obviously. First, Marina Sirtis introduces the Picard plot very well by giving Troi a very emotive professionalism. She abandons the cold facade Troi has had for the first few seasons.

Patrick Stewart plays Picard as wounded. Here Stewart is vulnerable, agitated, and confused. He plays them off perfectly. Picard's facial expressions and body language supplement the quiet, subdued way Stewart has his character grow through the experience. Dorn is uncomfortable as Worf, playing that wonderfully in every scene he has with his parents.

But Wil Wheaton again rises to the occasion as Wesley Crusher. It's impossible to see the young boy Wheaton was at the series' outset. Here, he's mature and his body language is confident, powerful. He works very well at advancing his character and putting the central internal conflict of his character to rest.

More than anything, "Family" is a chance to see the emotional consequences of the series' best conflicts thus far. It's a must for anyone who is a fan of Star Trek The Next Generation. It's liable not to be as enjoyable by those who are not fans of the series as it makes allusions that need to be seen to understand the significance of. But for the casual viewer who watched "The Best of Both Worlds," this is the necessary, humanistic conclusion.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fourth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

9/10

For other Star Trek episode and DVD set reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.




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