UNCUT - The Mind's Eye (TNG S4E24) | Star Trek Journey 205
Comments (95)
When the old Klingon dude is telling Geordi to kill the governor, he specifically tells him to kill him "in front of many witnesses."
Dorf wants to be an interior decorator when he grows up.
I think what I like about this episode is that in the way I read it you can tell he's just regular Geordi who isnt brainwashed like most of the time when he comes back to the Enterprise it's just there can be this switch that will flip him into this murder machine and them flip him back into regular Geordi and for me that's a lot more interesting and horrifying than if he was brainwashed all the time and didnt remember any of it
So I just rewatched this. I take back everything I said. I forgot that there was so much packed into this episode, and that it furthers along the Klingon arc. I think I experienced a classic case of what can happen when you watch this series 100 times over but always skip certain episodes. I don't think I've seen this one since my first viewing. When I first saw this episode, I was in middle school, I saw the show in random order, and I already had the entire Klingon plot of the show spoiled in a way where it never got me invested in it. So when I first saw this episode, I had no idea what was going on, and I just felt bored and uncomfortable the whole time. I filed this in my head as "the one where Geordi gets tortured for no reason," and I always skipped it because I didn't want to feel uncomfortable and bored again. Turns out I did myself a great disservice. I'm glad you guys can experience this episode in its full glory. And I guess this is a lesson to others to give episodes that they always skip or remember poorly a second chance.
An interesting detail to note here is that in the last scene with Geordie and Troi, he insists that he went to Risa. He is a chief engineer and is just as capable of running a forensic investigation as Data. If he had seen the results of Data's investigation it would have made it easier for him to accept what happened, but while that may have helped Geordie heal, it wasn't in the best interests of Federation security. Geordie has been compromised and this scene heavily implies that his security clearances were revoked until Troi was able to uncover and undo the programming and determine that he was no longer under Romulan control, even passively. This adds a lot of weight to Troi's duties and responsibilities in her role as ship's counsellor. In her treatment of Geordie, she must balance what is best for him with what security protocols require. It is my assumption that Geordie was on medical leave for a good time after this.
The real lesson: Stop going to Risa.
Before rewatching these, I had forgotten how they kept having different examples of Romulans messing with Klingons and the Federation alliance throughout the season, and going all the way back to the stuff with Duras. And had it all come to a head eventually. Laying the groundwork like Trek really never did.
This is for all of you that think you need to make leading comments or drop hints about what is to come. (Bill spoils Constellation Battles for Cricket) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFSPV87lS3I
Could be the best thing Disney has put out in 50 years.
Careful out there on the internet, boys. I see another TNG reactor out there with some major spoilery thumbnails!
I don't know how they've managed to avoid spoilers. They must have some crazy filters going on YouTube. Maybe if they would pick up the pace to three episodes a week they could get ahead of the other reactors. 😉
I'll save you guys the trouble. This is in fact the first time that the pre intro teaser has only featured 1 character. Every TOS episode has multiple people in the teaser, and same for TNG till this point. First Contact only had 1 MAIN character in the teaser, namely Riker and the alien hospital staff, and Hollow Pursuits almost qualified with Barclay and a bunch of holograms, but then there was that sequence where Riker chews him out. So yeah, it's a first for this episode.
I hadn't thought about that before.
The whole thing with beaming people out, you're right, they can't beam through shields, that's always been a thing, even since TOS days I'm pretty sure. Even the shuttle's shields will prevent beaming, that said, the shuttle's shields wont stay up long if a Romulan Warbird wants to knock them out. In that scene, you hear in the background that the computer announces that the shields are failing just before Geordie is beamed away.
The times when alien powers/races can transport through shields should be more alarming or invoke a bigger reaction than they seem to get.
TNG does the Manchurian Candidate...if you guys aren't familiar you should check it out.
Okay, if you guys ever get around to it, please watch The Manchurian Candidate on which this episode is based. The '62 version. It's brilliant.
Who is that? No no! I was talking about the clean shaven guy. Who'd you think I was talking about? ..... Geordi: "How do I know my memories of Risa are fake?" Troi: "You said you had a good time, and you said you met someone." Geordi: "I see what you mean." Leah: "Wait. Does that mean there is someone on Risa who thinks she had a connection, but it's with a fake Geordi?" Geordi: "Maybe. Why do you ask?" Leah: "Just curious." ..... lol sorry, that was mean. To be fair this is actually a great Geordi episode. I love how in this episode the visor somehow suddenly makes him seem a bit sinister, like it's hiding his true intentions. I love how even though we know Geordi is going to be the instrument to carry out the plan, it's not until near the end that we find out what it is. I think LeVar Burton did a great job switching back and forth between 'brainwashed' mode and normal mode as well. As far as when certain plot details are revealed, I guess you could cut out all references to Geordi being kidnapped and 'brainwashed' until later. My only concern with that is there is now so much more that potentially needs to be explained at the end of the episode on top of the twists we already get. I still like what we got, but it's interesting to think about.
The shuttlecraft was named after Ellison Onizuka who was an astronaut who died in the shuttle Challenger disaster.
It seems that you enjoy most of the Romulan episodes. Great discussion!
Romulans are just brilliant for good episodes tbf, they're pretty much the perfect adversary to the federation, and the fact that they play so much in the shadows can make for great stories, rather than just an all out shooting war.
Who is the mysterious Romulan woman n the shadows? I wonder….
Careful
kinda unsafe to testing unknown weapons outside the warp core, you think they have a room for that
I’ve seen this episode a number of times and this is honestly the first time just how insanely dangerous their complete lack of safety there is - think Geordi was even leaning on the target for the beam when they’re talking at the end of the scene. Just a good thing season 1 Wesley isn’t around to ‘helpfully’ come turn the rifle back on or something.
It's kind of funny that part of Troi's therapy is to make him recall torture lol
It's not just therapy, they need to find out what happened and how to prevent it.
On this rewatch with you guys, I had a thought. Since the Romulans would not have cared if Geordi was caught, I have to assume that when he transported the weapons from the enterprise, he was TOO GOOD at deleting the trail that went backer to him… lol they messed up!
Perhaps. But they also did not program him in the instance his plan was foiled, so when Picard grabbed his arm, he La Forge just kinda ...stopped and didn't react or do anything. He didn't actually kill his programmed target, so there was nothing for him to do next.
I have intentionally not commented on some episodes as it would be too easy to make spoilers
Thank you.
So the Romulan in the shadows the face isn't...but the voice? Is that who I think it is? And they just used a different face? Edit: apparently same face different wig.
Careful. Close to spoiler territory.
How much? Lol
Fish-Eye lens.
Geordi got short shrift in the first three seasons, and he's had two or three good episodes in this one. Of course, in one of them he creeped out Lea Brahmas, and in this one he was a brainwashed spy. But still.
If you like the sense of things being "bigger" (something that effects the entire galactic political order) you will love DS9. Plenty of that semi-serialization with a mix of smalle character drive episodes that still manage to advance multiple arcs that combine in surprising and fulfilling ways.
Or let them find that out on their own? They're already gonna watch it, we don't really need to convince them, lest we run the risk of over-hyping it.
discommendation
In yesterday's enterprise, the Enterprise C had responded to a klingong distress call where a base was under atttack by romulans. Even though the C was lost, had that event never happened, the federation and Klingons would have gone to war. We don't know what happened with the romulans in that alternate timeline but we can assume they were happy to sit back and watch the federation and Klingons fight it out. I'm surprised you're forgetting this, it was the federation at war with the klingons because the C had never intervened in that romulan atack on a klingon base so long ago.
😏
If not for the scuffle, no one would have been suspecting anything and it might have worked.
What?!?! We're back to season 1 Alex? Riker would never....
Gotta change my appearance every few months to keep my self hatred at a manageable level
Geordi was supposed to claim he was acting under orders in support of Kriosian independence. Even if he had failed and just tried and made that claim and they never figured out the romulans were involved it would have looked pretty bad.
No sex scoreboard update except for GeorGi (fake Georgi) gets + 1 going to Risa is a score-4-shore. BUT the real question is: What terrifying image does Alex get from his sleep mask. I am guessing - Josh wearing a thong. Oh I am sorry I mean thongs. Rumor has it Josh's feet are scary
The numbers Geordi, what do they mean
Who hasn’t thought about shooting the chief?
Data: That is an order. 🧊
The truly amusing thing is Geordi was "trying to set a mood" just so he probably could *unzipppp*
Starfleet uniforms don't have zippers. He would have to beam away his pants.
🤐
Thank you.
Perhaps the best Geordi episode of TNG.
This episode gets a S just for the intrigue.
Rest in peace Tony Todd.
!!!!
I know it’s a nitpick, but I wish they would be consistent with the use of “decloaking” versus “uncloaking”. I think the latter is the actors not remembering the exact techno-jargon. Oh well…
It's never bothered me.
That’s Krios, not the Klingon homeworld. Krios is in the Klingon empire.
John Fleck is a great villain.
Based on THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962), which was referenced by at least a couple of us in the Patreon rating takes. TELEFON is another good example of this type of story plot-driver. Go watch Yesterday's Enterprise again to refresh some memories on that whole Klingon-Romulan-Star Fleet thing.
1:06:11 No, the drink spilling happened on the real Enterprise. The Romulans stated that they would subject La Forge to control tests after he returned to the Enterprise. That was one of them. Just to make sure they can make him do what they want, when they want.
Brent Spiner is the 🐐
Qapla translates as success. If memory serves me right, it's first heard in The Search For Spock. When Velkris says in klingon "Success my lord and my love". Then gets killed by her "love".
Hey! There is this dashing young man again° Where is Alex?
I change my appearance every few months. Josh has looked the same for 15 years
The actor (Lawrence Dobkin) portraying the Ambassador is no stranger to Star Trek, having directed the TOS episode "Charlie X,"
Oh wow! I had never put that together. Thank you!
I think the "brainwashing" thing is inaccurate because "washing" implies cleaning or erasing, whereas what we actually call brainwashing is a type of programing.
Sorry guys, should have clarified about O’Brien. His hologram getting shot builds this incredible anticipatory stress for the later scene when Geordie spills his drink. The looks on both your faces was so worth it, and carried through for most of the episode.
31:48 It's probably bloodwine.
18:25 That's a phaser-rifle.
yes, we first saw these in "The Cage" of TOS when they were trying to bring down the Talosians barrier. Pretty sure we;ve seen them again since, it's a heavy duty Federation weapon, more powerful then the hand phasers.
17:40 That is not the Klingon homeworld.
Alcohol gives you bad sleep patterns. I used to have the same thing with imagination when going to sleep.
If Geordi had walked up and killed the governor I’m sure the ambassador would’ve immediately called Picard a traitor and told the High Council that the Federation was guilty. Picard would not have had time to refute the claim before all hell broke loose.
4:00 The shuttle's shields did block transport, but the shields themselves were easily defeatable.
Romulans are the Triple H of star trek. Anything shady, you know who is responsible
Triple H?
Great episode, would be a great season finale in it's own right. Really seeing romulans as real players now, they're political machinations on another level.
**zip**
Gotta unzip first, mate
You guys would probably love the Cold War era film The Manchurian Candidate (starring Frank Sinatra) which this episode is definitely inspired by about US soldiers brainwashed to become Russian/Red Chinese assassins.
We thought they would have loved Hunt for Red October too
Interesting that they didn’t recognize the person in the shadow. I didn’t when I first watched it.
My friends and I saw these in their original run - we speculated (Can't recall if we got it right) - but back then the quality wasn't as good and obviously unless you were recording the episodes there was no quick way to go back over a scene. A first time viewer on stream could play that scene 2, 3 times and 100% for sure get it every time I think.
Trivia: this is the first time we see a Starfleet phaser rifle since Kirk went after Gary Mitchell with one in Where No Man Has Gone Before.
Thought I was watching "Roots" there for a moment in the beginning...
You know, Roots might be a good short series for them to react to if they haven't seen it. There are only 8 episodes of various lengths and I think LeVar was in at least the first two or three. I was in high school at the time and while it wasn't exactly required viewing it was encouraged. It was phenomenal. I believe there is some brief nudity in at least one episode and there is at least one other person from the Trek franchise in it. Fun fact, there was a sequel miniseries in 1979 called Roots: The Next Generations.
This episode is one I enjoyed watching over and over... which is my main requirement to be in my "S" tier. It's the difference between an A or S, for me.
The "villain" in the shadows..... You boys are in for one hell of a surprise come the season finale.......
I can’t wait to see Dr Stubbs revealed as a female Romulan agent!
Here I am laying in bed thinking I’ll sleep in. Well, now that this posted that’s not gonna happen!!
No zipping noises required