Four seasons down, three to go...- We begin with the resolution of "Redemption" from last season. Picard calls for a blockade so the Romulans can't help the Klingons, using an electronic "net" among the ships. There's not enough experienced crew for all the ships (remember the Borg?), so both Riker and Data and given their own commands. Meanwhile, the Klingons are fighting among themselves (how did they ever achieve spaceflight?). Data is having his own problems--his first officer refuses to work with him. We learn that the mysterious blond Romulan is Tasha's daughter--the one who went to the Enterprise-C in "Yesterday's Enterprise". Worf is kidnapped by Duras's sisters and offered a deal--of course, he refuses. Picard sets a trap, the Romulans pull a counter move, Data figures out how to find them even cloaked, and the Romulans retreat. The Klingon bad guys give up, and Worf returns to the Enterprise. Whew! There's just too many storylines going on here--it's a confusing episode.
- We forced ourselves to watch "Darmok"--an episode about language. An attempt to communicate with a bizarre race ends up with Picard and the alien captain (Paul Winfield) working together to survive on a planet. The race's language is all based on metaphor, which makes it hard for anyone not familiar with the references. The episode also introduces Picard's new uniform (which I have a copy of), a minor change to the show's logo, and a recurring minor character played by a then unknown Ashley Judd.
- The next episode introduces "Ensign Ro", played by Michelle Forbes. The Bajoran / Cardassian conflict is also introduced--it's the Palestine conflict IN SPAAACE. This concept is the basis for the DS9 series and influences Voyager. Ro is "assigned" to the Enterprise by a Starfleet admiral--she has a troubled past that resulted in a court martial--in order to stop Bajoran separatists that attacked a Federation settlement. Guinan ends up befriending her when no one else would. It turns out the admiral sent Ro to give weapons to the separatists. She opens up to Picard, who decides to play out the plan and "see what happens". In the end, Picard convinces Ro to stay on the Enterprise. They do make a big deal about Ro's earring and Starfleet "dress code", despite the fact that Worf wears a sash and Troi wears whatever she likes.
- The Crystalline Entity last seen in "Datalore" returns in "Silicon Avatar". It attacks a planet being colonized, wiping out all life (Riker and an away team survives in a cave). An expert on the entity, Kila Marr (played by Ellen Geer), comes on board--she detests Data, based on what she knows about Lore. Her son died on the same planet Data is from, and has spent her life tracking it down. The story turns into Moby Dick, with Marr as Ahab. In the end, she realizes that Data is nothing like Lore. Data, who has the memories of all his home world's colonists, reads her son's journals to her in his voice. Despite all this (or maybe because of this), she uses a method of communications to destroy the entity. Data, in an uncharacteristic rude moment, tells her his son would be saddened by hat she did.
- The next episode is worthy of Irwin Allen--it's a "Disaster". The ship is hit by some technobabble thingy which takes out ships power and causes lots of injuries. Fortunately, lots of interesting scenarios were set up beforehand. Picard is taking some kids on a tour of the ship, leaving Troi inadvertently in charge when the ship is hit. Crusher and LaForge are in a cargo hold with radioactive stuff. Keiko (who's suddenly very pregnant) and Worf are on Ten Forward. Picard gets the kids and himself out a broken turbolift, Riker and Data move from Ten Forward toward the bridge, but he's forced to take off Data's head to make it. Troi managed command very well, with help from O'Brien and Ro, despite having no clue what to do (She really needs Starfleet training). The doctor and the engineer depressurize the hold to get ride of the bad stuff, and Worf delivers Keiko's baby despite a lousy bedside manner.
- Speaking of disasters, Wesley's back in "The Game". He's on the Enterprise on vacation from the academy, and runs into officer Leffler (Ashley Judd again)--they hit it off. Meanwhile, Riker brought a new electronic game from Risa. It's very popular on the ship--it ties into your neural network and gives you a shot to your pleasure center when you win. It starts taking over the crew--at one point, Crusher takes out Data! It's a whole "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" vibe. Picard brings the Enterprise to meet a strange ship--it's the girl that gave RIker the game on Risa. They plan to send the game across the Federation. Data Ex Machina saves the day with a flashlight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some Angry Birds to play...
Star Trek: The Next Generation is available on Netflix--more to come!