PATRON TAKES - Star Trek TNG S4E2

I always thought it was great that the show had the courage to do a serialized episode on the aftermath of The Best of Both Worlds, rather than just jumping right back into its regular episodic cadence. Picard was not OK after his Borgification and we get to see the beginning of his emotional recovery.

“Resistance is futile” it was definitely founded from Star Trek TNG. This episode really helps to cement the idea as we observe the aftermath through the eyes of Picard. I love the character development, because this episode advances story for a few characters not just one. In comparison to the original Star Trek, Captain Kirk, and Captain Picard both show a true love for their ship. Personally, I think the story of Picard (the last 2 episodes), really helps us to see how nothing would get in the way of him commanding the Enterprise. I am interested to hear what you have to say about this episode, as I can’t really tell if this would be an episode that you would enjoy or not.

Me thinks you guys will like this one.

I really love this episode. You feel for Picard or Wesley and Worf's getting the proud Parents treatment to the fullest, is just hillarious. Just a beautiful episode.

I HAVE ALL THE SPECS AND DIAGRAMS AT HOME!

Wait WHAT?

The one question I have is, will this episode finally make Alex and Josh actually feel sympathy for Wesley Crusher for once.

Great episode. One thing that bugs me that I am sure bugs no one else is when Picard's friend Louis says to Picard something like "you always reached for the future, your brother the past" and Picard says "there should be room for both"....Picard is into archeology...that is reaching for the past so he does do both. Sorry just always felt like it should be mentioned...even though it would make no sense (from a story flow standpoint) to insert that into the dialog.

I haven't seen anyone else mention it so I will. After Berman relented to Moore and Piller to get this episode made, Moore pitched the idea to Gene. Roddenberry said that he hated the episode idea, as he felt that the animosity shown by the Picard brothers would not exist at that point in the future. He said it was not Star Trek as it had no action or jeopardy. After the meeting was over, Moore asked Piller and Berman what he should do and was advised to ignore Roddenberry's comments and write the script.

This is the episode The Bonding wished it could have been.

Prediction: You will love this one! No sci-fi plot. Everyone just needs a break. Even the Enterprise needed 6 weeks of TLC!

This is the first time where we get an episode that feels like it comes right after the previous one. There is a HUGE amount of Picard development in this episode. It's emotionally relevant to what just happened previously and was absolutely necessary in addressing the obvious trauma that Picard just faced. This is a truly powerful episode.

A-plot: Aces! B-plot: Beautiful. C-plot: Charming. This one covers a lot of ground with interpersonal relationships, backstories, and familial connections.

"Best of Both Worlds: Part 3". Or... "Aftermath" would have been good titles for this one. Solid, timeless character episode - when taken in context of recent events.

Piller and Moore fought Berman to get this episode made. Berman wanted to get back to episodic and not do any Picard followup. He relented, but had them add a sci-fi B-plot (of course), but thankfully it didn't fit so it was removed. The B-plot idea because a different episode.

You wanted an episode that was all character and no plot: here you go! It's like a cake of just frosting! Seriously, I always cry with Picard when he cries in this; like watching my dad cry.

I know you guys like character, well this is THE character episode. Excellent all around.

I always viewed this as a three parter. You have the build up to the Borg in part 1, the rescuing of Picard and defeat of the Borg in part 2, and then the after effects here in part 3 on a micro scale w/ Picard and him coming to terms with allowing himself to be used by the Borg to nearly wipe out the Federation. This is, imo, one of the key episodes to understanding Picard as a character.

Captain Picard’s emotion is that much more meaningful when compared to the stoicism he has displayed from episode one.

Are u reading the takes before you watch the episodes? Am not getting

I love this episode because it deals with the emotional ramifications of what happened to Picard. We finally really see past the captain facade to Picard's struggles and true feelings.

Vin Diesel's favorite episode.

As a kid, I didn't quite get all the impact until I was older. This is an episode about pain, loss and recovery, in addition to family, and at that age I had yet to experience something that intense. It wasn't until a decade later, when Life makes all of us grow up, and then it started hitting harder. And as I get older, it hits even harder. And makes me love Patrick Stewart more and more.

All around fantastic episode. This is the pay-off that explores how Picard is dealing with his violation and the scars it will leave. We get more of his past and his family, which opens another page of the Picard book to us. Also, the Wesley and Worf side stories are great and provide missing pieces of their past as well.

"Family" is probably my favorite episode in all of Trek as it really establishes that TNG isn't just a great sci-fi show but a great show that takes place in a sci-fi setting.

I'm gonna open myself up to a certain degree of criticism here. I hate this episode. I really, really, really dislike it. I think you guys will like it, I think it's good that Picard has a little bit more reaction to his experience with the Borg. I think conceptually, it's a good idea. Even execution wise, it's nice, and it doesn't even have a ship-focused b-plot, which would have necessarily weakened the a-plot. But for some reason, I cannot like this episode, and it's always going to be lumped in with my least favorite episodes of the series. The main reason I dislike the episode is two paragraphs worth of spoilers on the entire arc of the series, so I won't go into it. I'll try to remember to include it in a post after every bit of TNG (including the movies) has been finished. Point is.... I think y'all will love it. But it ain't for me.

"Of all the Star Trek:TNG episodes I have known, this was the most... human." The terrific acting, writing and direction make this an episode that is relatable, and brings everyone a little closer to the universe of Star Trek.

With the toll of Sarek's emotions and his assault by the Borg, Picard will never be the same. This episode is definitely in my top 10 of TNG. We all need time to heal from something.

This is really the first serialized episode of TNG. Everything about it is the fallout from the BoBW .. and I think its exactly what was needed. you cant have what happened in the last 2 episodes go down and not talk about it in depth. This was the trek we needed and I think it was very well done.

How freakin' awesome are Worf's parents???

This is the Captain's Holiday we were actually waiting for. Sarek certainly has Stewart's most explosive performance, but man, this episode breaks my heart in the best way possible. Picard was experiencing Sarek's pain for him, but this time it's his own, and, man, is it such a gut punch when he finally breaks down.

An episode without a plot proves what we already know - it's the writers, the characters, and the actors that portray them that makes TNG great.

"The Best of Both Worlds" gets a lot of attention as a Star Trek milestone (and rightfully so), but "Family" is a sneaky-great episode that puts a perfect bow on the two-parter. No sci-fi B-story (although Gene wanted to add one); just a quiet exploration of how our ongoing story has affected our characters, and an acknowledgement that these events will continue to affect them. 10/10, great stuff and a welcome step forward in the serialization department.

Total respect to the show and all involved for not just having Picard and the Enterprise immediately bounce back to normality. Then it gets even better with the comedic touch of Worf’s parents visiting to check he is OK after the events of Sins of the Father. In addition you get some lovely lower-key scenes with Troi, Beverley and Wesley, reflecting how all have changed and grown as characters. It’s top-notch stuff and a great start to a great season.

Fun fact, this is the only TNG episode to not have Brent Spiner at all, or any scene on the Enterprise bridge. Other than that, I have nothing to add that hasn't been said...perfect episode!

Riker is back to Commander in this episode. I speculated in part 2 it was likely, due to a chunk of the fleet being destroyed. It's also possible it didn't go through because the Admiral that promoted him died before it was made official. Or is it possible Riker agreed to stay on as First Officer because Starfleet was now unsure of Picard and Riker agreed to remain Commander as a stop gap to keep an eye on Picard in the event he may be, as BSG would say, a sleeper agent in the fleet? Because after being part of a massive destruction of that many ships, it's a bit surprising Picard was allowed back to Captsin the Enterprise. And I can see Riker agreeing to act as back up and keeping an eye on Picard because it means supporting his friend and protecting his Enterprise family.

While we’ve had character focused episodes before, this one feels the most consequential, using continuity to drive the drama instead of the in episode plot or “danger from unknown space anomaly”. Stewart is fantastic of course, but Wheaton shows good range for a change.

Beautiful concept. Beautiful episode. I think the last shot captures all of us kids who grew up with TNG.

On a side note, I was watching an episode of Columbo recently, and immediately recognized one of the main guest stars as being the actor for Worf's Dad Sergi. Thought that was a fun coincidence. Especially since the episode with William Shatner was two episode's prior to it. THEN we meet that guest character's wife and she looks strangely familiar too, only for my to discover it's the actress that plays Robért Picard's wife. I was blown away. These two actors both ended up in the same two episodes, 14 years apart but in one they were in completely seperate storylines and never interacted. And then a VERY young Jamie Lee Curtis showed up in a bit part as the icing on top.

I have a feeling you guys will be happily surprised on the fade in to see Enterprise still at Earth. What is this? CONTINUITY? Even as a kid I loved this episode. Deep character stuff and no scifi story at all. Truly enjoy Jeremy Kemp and Samantha Eggar’s performances as Robert and Marie. The chemistry between them feels real. And the breakdown….”I tried to stop them!”….rips my heart out every time. Fun fact: one line cut (but filmed) from Jack Crusher’s monologue was that one of his ancestors was a horse thief in Nimbus III. Nice Trek 5 reference!

This completes the best 3part story in tng … and Patrick knocking it out of the park with his breakdown

Whenever I need a good snooze, I watch TNG S4E2.

Secret three-parter. And it's the type of episode you guys have been dreaming of for SEASONS now. No plot here. "It's a show where nothing happens?" "It's a show about NOTHING." (Except crippling trauma and unresolved feelings)

A captain must not show weakness, whether emotionally or physically. After such a traumatic event, Picard needed to be vulnerable to someone, and it should have been his family, but he was not welcomed. His outburst in the mud was not only a culmination of Best of Both Worlds, but also his inability to share it with an already disapproving family.

I always feel tears wanting to come out on rewatch when I get to Picard's breakdown. Sometimes, they still escape. Just an incredible, cathartic moment. Excellent performance by Patrick Stewart.

I predict this will be one of your favorite of the season. It is all character stuff and a real departure from the tendency of how a main character overcoming such trauma in one episode is fully fine in the next.

One of the very best episodes of TNG completely character based and zero plot to speak of I predict you will love this as it’s very much of what you’ve been asking for.

During the BoBW part 1 reaction, you said you wanted a wind-down episode but you doubted you'd get one. Here's your big treat! People mostly remember this one for Picard breaking down, but I love that Worf finally accepts his dual-heritage and Wesley get's to stand in full uniform before his holographic dad. I actually recorded a similar video for my daughter a few days after she was born because of this episode just in the event something happens to me before she grows up.

The first episode that shows most English Shakespeare-lover, Earl Grey-drinker, rider, fencer and archaelogist Picard really could be French. Well, sort of.

Hey, Alex. Welcome to your favorite episode of Star Trek ever. Best scene - Patrick Stewart knows Picard so well. What we see is a complete breakdown.. for Picard. Just a couple of tears and only his brother there to see it.

I love this episode so much. In a time when mental health was rarely a consideration in society, they took the time and effort to show just how traumatic Picard's experience was.

I think you'll like this more than the last two. It deals with the emotional aspect and that seems to be where you guys really enjoy.

Knowing what you like, this might be one of your Top 5 episodes of the entire series.

This is my favorite episode of TNG. I consider this episode to be “Best of Both Worlds Part 3” - even if it’s not called that. The performances of the estranged Picard brothers coming together is so cathartic. Also, this is lowkey one of the best Worf episodes.

This is probably my favorite TNG episode. I think they really took their gloves off here about letting people feel HUMAN (or Klingon) and allowing us to honestly connect with the characters. What a jewel !

I would predict this is a top 2 episode for both of you for this season

The best of both worlds part 3