You’ll fall head over heels for Craggus’ Trek Trek Phase II Vol 6!
Craggus Trek Trek Phase II Vol 6 brings us, mercifully, to the end of season 2 although it saved the worst for last.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E16: Q Who
Q is back and Guinan implies she has some kind of Kung-fu anti-Q powers that will never be explored or mentioned ever again. But Q isn’t here to exchange snarky quips with a barkeeper – this isn’t Space Cheers, it’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and it’s about to play its series trump card, introducing Cybermen-homage The Borg to the Star Trek universe. It’s a dark and jarringly brutal introduction to one of TNG’s greatest antagonists and, for once, there’s a real sense that the crew can’t just brush this encounter aside and merrily carry on to the next planet. Things have been set in motion, even if we have to wait a whole season for them to come to fruition and then for subsequent series and movies to completely mess up the continuity this episode sets up.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E17: Samaritan Snare
Riker shouts at unpleasantly realised aliens whose defining stereotype seems perilously close to ‘having a learning disability’. Meanwhile, Picard takes a road trip with Wesley but his heart’s not in it. The planned commercial breaks do Troi’s dialogue no favours but I do enjoy how pissed she is at Riker for constantly ignoring her advice.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E18: Up The Long Ladder
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again; at least until the replicative fading kicks in. Clumsily pro-immigration but steeped in so many offensively broad stereotypes this feels more like a season one episode than anything else in season two.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E19: Manhunt
Lwaxana Troi is back and she’s in touch with her inner Blanche Devereaux as she stalks the decks of the Enterprise looking to get herself a man. Picard hides in his own Private Dick fantasy to get away from Lwaxana’s very public dick fantasy while fishy assassins lurk in the transporter room. Lwaxana’s not the only thirsty visitor to the Enterprise either as Mr Homn drinks his way through the absent Guinan’s liquor supply.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E20: The Emissary
The sleepers have awakened and they are not happy. In a parable of the stories of soldiers emerging from the jungle still expecting to be fighting the Second World War, a Klingon sleeper ship rouses and gets ready to rumble. K’Ehleyr is a fun guest character with great chemistry with Worf in one of the earliest episodes to successfully manage a romance for one of the main cast.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E21: Peak Performance
As an early reminder of The Borg threat, we’re treated to a jowly strategy expert visiting to test out the crew of the Enterprise’s tactical nous. Pulaski – now apparently a big fan of Data – pushes him to challenge Kolrami to a game of space battleship but the worst thing this episode does is promise The Borg and deliver the Ferengi instead.
Star Trek The Next Generation S1E22: Shades of Gray
Star Trek The Next Generation S3E01: Evolution
It’s commonly held that season three marks the point where Star Trek The Next Generation got good but what’s less readily understood is that it wasn’t an immediate sea-change as this bland season opener demonstrates. There are certainly improvements that are immediately apparent – the uniforms, for one. But mostly it’s the complete refresh of the writing staff and departure of showrunner Maurice Hurley that pays the most dividends. The interminable concurrent storyline approach is jettisoned in favour of a more compelling single narrative approach although this first outing, featuring a chilling look into the future of a ‘child prodigy’ for Wesley Crusher, isn’t the greatest. Still it’s not a clip show, so let’s be thankful for that.
