Topic: Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews

[Tom]

Star Trek
3.11 Wink of an Eye
Writer: Arthur Heinemann (Screenwriter), Lee Cronin (Original Material By), Gene Roddenberry (Original Characters By)
Director: Jud Taylor
Cast: William Shatner (Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), Kathie Browne (Deela), Jason Evers (Rael), James Doohan (Scott), George Takei (Sulu), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel), Erik Holland (Ekor), Geoffrey Binney (Compton)

An episode about some time-accelerated aliens who try to take over the Enterprise. A nice episode, but nothing really special.

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[Tom]

Star Trek
3.23 All Our Yesterdays
Writer: Jean Lisette Aroeste (Writer), Gene Roddenberry (Original Characters By)
Director: Marvin Chomsky
Cast: William Shatner (Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), Mariette Hartley (Zarabeth), Ian Wolfe (Mr. Atoz), Kermit Murdock (The Prosecutor), Ed Bakey (The First Fop), James Doohan (Scott), Anna Karen (Woman), Al Cavens (Second Fop), Stan Barrett (The Jailor), Johnny Haymer (The Constable)

This episode has a promising start. Kirk & co are on a planet whose sun is going supernova. But they find that everybody on this planet already left. To the past. This could have turned out to a very good episode, but then it gets rather boring.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
1.26 The Neutral Zone
Writer: Maurice Hurley (Screenwriter), Deborah McIntyre (Original Material By), Mona Clee (Original Material By)
Director: James L. Conway
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Denise Crosby (Lt. Tasha Yar), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Doctor Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Marc Alaimo (Commander Tebok), Anthony James (Sub-Commander Thei), Leon Rippy (Sonny Clemonds), Gracie Harrison (Clare Raymond), Peter Mark Richman (Ralph)

Not really a time-travel episode. But three persons from the 20th century are found frozen. Strangely this side-story takes over way too much, considering the A plot of this episode is the return of the Romulans and hints at the Borgs. Because of this, this episode has generally bad reviews. But besides this, I somehow enjoyed it nonetheless.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
2.13 Time Squared
Writer: Maurice Hurley (Screenwriter), Kurt Michael Bensmiller (Original Material By)
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Diana Muldaur (Doctor Pulaski), Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien)

The first real time-travel episode of The Next Generation. And it just doesn't make sense. Even the characters try to find an explanation at the end without success ("Maybe it is..., or maybe it was an illustion..."). Added to that Picard is really grumpy in this one (even more than it was usual in the early episodes).

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
4.08 Future Imperfect
Writer: J. Larry Carroll (Writer), David Bennett Carren (Writer)
Director: Les Landau
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher), Andreas Katsulas (Tomalak), Chris Demetral (Jean-Luc/Ethan), Carolyn McCormick (Minuet), Patti Yasutake (Nurse), Todd Merrill (Gleason), April Grace (Transporter Chief Hubbell), George O'Hanlon, Jr. (Transporter Chief)

Commander Riker wakes up in the future without a memory of the last 16 years. I always enjoyed this episode. A nice what-if episode.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
5.09 A Matter of Time
Writer: Rick Berman (Writer)
Director: Paul Lynch
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Stefan Gierasch (Dr. Moseley), Matt Frewer (Rasmussen), Sheila Franklin (Ensign), Shay Garner (Scientist)

A man claiming to be an historian from the future arrives to witness the current mission of the Enterprise. An entertaining episode. Especially the scenes where this man is interacting with the crew.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
5.18 Cause and Effect
Writer: Brannon Braga (Writer)
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Michelle Forbes (Ro Laren), Patti Yasutake (Nurse Alyssa Ogawa), Kelsey Grammer (Captain Bateson)

This episode starts with the destruction of the Enterprise followed by the Opening credits. What follows is Star Trek meets Groundhog Day.
The crew relives the same few hours leading up to the destruction to the Enterprise again and again without remembering the previous loops. Only a feeling of deja vu follows the crew.
I always liked this episode. It has one of the shortest, but also one of the most effectful opening teasers in the entire run of the series. We also have a cameo by Kelsey Grammer as the Captain of the other ship (which was trapped in the loop for 90 years).

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
5.25 The Inner Light
Writer: Morgan Gendel (Screenwriter), Peter Allan Fields (Screenwriter), Morgan Gendel (Original Material By)
Director: Peter Lauritson
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Margot Rose (Eline), Richard Riehle (Batai), Scott Jaeck (Administrator), Jennifer Nash (Meribor), Patti Yasutake (Nurse Alyssa Ogawa), Daniel Stewart (Young Batai)

Counting this as time-travel is a little stretch, but I just wanted to see this wonderful episode again. Picard lives a lifetime on a long gone planet in a matter of minutes. During this time he almost forgets his old life on the Enterprise and embraces his new life and family. The ending is very moving.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
5.26 Time's Arrow: Part One
Writer: Joe Menosky (Screenwriter), Michael Piller (Screenwriter), Joe Menosky (Original Material By)
Director: Les Landau
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Jerry Hardin (Samuel Clemens), Michael Aron (Bellboy), Barry Kivel (Doorman), Ken Thorley (Seaman), Sheldon Peters Wolfchild (Indian), John Murdock (Beggar), Marc Alaimo (Gambler), Milt Tarver (Scientist), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), Michael Hungerford (Roughneck)

Data's head is found in a cave on Earth, where it was lying since the 19th century. During the investigation of this, Data gets pulled into the past.
This season cliffhanger may not have the big impact expected from such a cliffhanger, but I always enjoyed this episode.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
6.01 Time's Arrow: Part Two
Writer: Jeri Taylor (Screenwriter), Joe Menosky (Original Material By)
Director: Les Landau
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Jerry Hardin (Samuel Clemens), Pamela Kosh (Mrs. Carmichael), William Boyett (Policeman), Michael Aron (Jack the Bellboy), James Gleason (Dr. Appollinaire), Mary Stein (Alien Nurse), Alexander Enberg (Young Reporter), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), Bill Cho Lee (Male Patient)

A good conclusion to this two-parter. I always liked how Mark Twain gets confronted with the future he thought impossible.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
6.04 Relics
Writer: Ronald D. Moore (Writer)
Director: Alexander Singer
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Lanei Chapman (Ensign Sariel Rager), Erick Weiss (Ensign Kane), James Doohan (Scotty), Stacie Foster (Bartel), Ernie Mirich (Waiter), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice (voice))

Scotty ends up in the 24th century. I always enjoyed this episode. We even get to see the bridge of the old Enterprise again (on the holodeck). It is handled well how Scotty must feel being thrown into a future where his engineering knowledge is out-of-date.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
6.25 Timescape
Writer: Brannon Braga (Writer)
Director: Adam Nimoy
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Michael Bofshever (Romulan / Alien), John DeMita (Romulan), Joel Fredericks (Engineer)

The Enterprise is frozen in time together with a Romulan Bird of Prey. At first glance it looks like those two where in battle. But is this really the case? Picard and company, arriving from a seminar, have to investigate. I like this episode. You have to suspend disbelieve dealing with this premise, but if you do, it is an enjoyful episode.

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[Tom]

I haven't got any time-travel episodes listed from the "Enterprise" series yet. I only have watched this series once and don't remember the details of each episode. Does anyone know which episodes contain time-travel elements worth to be included in this marathon? I know the third season had a "temporal cold war". But which episodes of those would really match this marathon?

[Tom]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
7.11 Parallels
Writer: Brannon Braga (Writer)
Director: Robert Wiemer
Cast: Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William T. Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Patti Yasutake (Nurse Ogawa), Mark Bramhall (Gul Nador), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice (voice))

Worf jumps between different parallel universes. It's fun to see different realities of the Enterprise crew. For example Worf's reaction when Deanna is coming onto him because they are married in the reality he jumped into.

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[Tom]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
3.11 Past Tense, Part I
Writer: Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Screenwriter), Ira Steven Behr (Original Material By), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Original Material By)
Director: Reza Badiyi
Cast: Avery Brooks (Commander Sisko), Rene Auberjonois (Odo), Siddig El Fadil (Doctor Bashir), Terry Farrell (Lieutenant Dax), Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko), Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien), Armin Shimerman (Quark), Nana Visitor (Major Kira), Jim Metzler (Chris Brynner), Frank Military (B.C.), Dick Miller (Vin), Al Rodrigo (Bernardo), Tina Lifford (Lee), Bill Smitrovich (Webb), Henry Hayashi (Male Guest), Patty Holley (Female Guest), Richard Lee Jackson (Danny), Eric Stuart (Stairway Guard), John Lendale Bennett (Gabriel Bell)

In "present" time, there is a lot of techno-babble which gets ridiculous, just to explain how it could be, that Sisko, Dax and Bashir were transported back in time during beaming. And why the Defiant is not affected by the changes which happen because the past has been changed.
The scenes in the past are also not that exciting, but it's a premise which promises to be at least somewhat interesting.

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