PATRON TIER LIST S5E8

It’s nice to have a Spock episode. Just wish the story was better.

I so loved this. It’s mostly for sentimental reasons. It would qualify as a B but…. It hit me in the heart. So “S”

OMG!!! Spock!! Nuff said.

I would love to see the producers of Star Trek create a Klingon soap opera that covers the time period between the beginning of Star Trek discovery, and the attack on Kittomer lots of dancing and singing detergents in Klingon uniforms

Melota! You know the story isn’t over until the fact Klingon sings

Yeah Part one was so good that almost anything would be a letdown, but if there's an archilles heel in TNG is that its Part 2's were never as good as the part one's and thats even true with BOBW's

Data and Spock. Picard and Spock. And it's great seeing more of the Klingon/Federation relationship being shaped. I don't care about silly plot holes and how easily the baddies gave up vital information to literally everyone that asked. Well, not too much, anyhow. "A."

One of the more interesting background characters was the four handed salt sucking pianist. I wonder if she shares an ancestry with the M113 character fom Man Trap.

The actor (Norman Large) who plays the Proconsul is bad. He’s terrible. He makes Dr Stubbs look like Anthony Hopkins. I have secondhand embarrassment for Nimoy having to share the scene with him.

Giving this one a B and that’s generous. Overall this episode feels like a big missed opportunity. All the elements are there: Picard and Data undercover, the return of Sela, the betrayal of Pardek, Worf singing Klingon opera, and of course the “great Spock”. Still the episode just tastes like flat root beer and it is a huge disservice to the Spock character. It’s very talky, pretty anticlimactic, and just plain dull. Ironically no “cowboy diplomacy”. Nothing screams boring like a kid asking Spock to tell them more stories about Vulcan, which is arguably the dullest planet in the Star Trek universe.

Of all possible meanings of the title “Unification”, the one that really hits my heart is that it is Captain Picard who ultimately bridges the relationship between Spock and Sarek, giving them both closure. Seeing Spock cry at the end…well, what can I say?? 🖖

A solid A, though I am rather disappointed that there was ZERO reaction from Data seeing Sela for the first time. I know he's an android, but not even a confused look? Come on! Though I guess someone told him off-screen "By the way, somehow, Tasha has a daughter who looks JUST LIKE HER." Good episode, could have been better. Wrapped up very quickly and a little too neatly.

While I love the Data and Spock conversations, and the emotional weight of Sarek, the end where Sela just stands around and lets the plan fail feels a bit undercooked, even if it is funny. Solid A.

Spock carries an incalculable burden. Years of losing battles with his unaccepting father. A life of never feeling like he quite belongs. Half human. Half Vulcan. Alone. On Romulus he finds a people who also feel alone. They exist in a world increasingly hostile to their very existence. And what they are struggling towards is to become like Spock: possessed of a Vulcan philosophy yet still governed by the best of their passions. Like so many elders of different oppressed groups in the real world, Spock realizes he is not alone. More than that, he is needed. I think Spock came to Romulus expecting to die. Instead he finds a reason to live: to lift up a people not so unlike him out of the darkness and into the light. Spock is not alone. And through his meld with Picard, he discovers that perhaps he never was.

When Crusher comes on the bridge, her mouth is saying her lines about the distress call, but I like to think her face is saying “Is this seriously my only scene?! And even I know you wouldn’t need me to tell you about the damned distress call.”

The conversation between Data and Spock is one of the best in TNG. I wish we could have had much longer scenes between the two. Also... MAYLOTA!!!!!

As with most part 2's, this one is a letdown from the set up in part 1. A-/B+ for me. Sela is not as well written here, and although I appreciate the Data Vulcan neck pinch and follow-up comment from Spock, it's a little too much fan-service and hokey for me. I do love the Spock-Picard mind-meld.

Spock actually drops a hint or two about what's to come in Star Trek 6

Anybody else catch the blooper of the reflection of someone (director?) chewing gum right after Data gives Sela the Vulcan neck pinch?

Cowboy diplomacy!?! A bit of a let down from part I, but still a solid A rating mostly for the Spock/Picard and Spock/Data scenes.

I’m with Data. Sela should consider changing jobs. She sucks at the current one.

Sela is the weak link here (mostly writers fault but not sure Crosby's heart is in this). Still I'm going S...

One of the coolest things about this, after it aired, was walking into B Dalton or Waldenbooks to find a brand new novelization of the two-parter on the shelves, written by Jeri Taylor. It was an unexpected treat & really fleshed out a lot of the scenes related to the investigation in the bar & junk yard - and some of the Romulan politics. 📖

Sela is back !!!!! Spock once again saves the day and ruins the Romulans plan, however will the Unification of Romulus and Vulcan happen?? who knows another S Tier for me but i think yall might find it an A tier

I can't believe so many people rank this episode highly. What a let-down. A frustratingly inept ending. First, Denise Crosby. Again, her character is never credible, as an actress, she is just not credible in this role. Her biggest flaws, barely papered over in Redemption II, are fully exposed here. Second, the character she plays here is REALLY stupid. She is just so very easily outmanuevered here in a pretty unsubtle plan. All of this for.. an invasion of Vulcan? This is the opposite of a Joker Gambit -- it relies on SO many uncontrollable factors to go right in order to have a modest amount of success. Leaving the universe's most brilliant vulcan and most badass android in a room with NO SECURITY and a holographic projector? No one thought this was a bad idea? Why is an idiot like Sela in charge again? When Romulans are THIS dumb, how can they be seen as a credible threat? When you stereotype an alien race as intelligent, sneaky tacticians, you'd better have the writing chops to write a good scheme. Otherwise, don't even try. The opening of this episode is quite nice! But the last half of this episode is just SO dumb that it's as big a letdown as you can get. Part 1 was fine. Part 2, what a disappointment.

I went to a Star Trek con after this Epidode aired. They talked about unification. They showed a picture of Leonard Nimoy and Malichae Throne as Spock and Pardeck. They then showed a picture of them as Spock and comadore Mendez fom Managery.. Almost everyone in the audience gasped. The two of them were almost posed the same way in both pictures. I guess a lot of people didn't know Throne played both characters.

Question: when Spock pointed out Pardek’s involvement in turning them in, was he telling the truth, or was he protecting the senator? We don’t see Pardek in the episode again, he’s not twirling his evil mustache…so it could be up in the air as to whether he actually turned Spock in or not. (I think there’s wiggle room and that Spock was actually saving him.)

Data and Spock. Picard and Spock. Those pairings alone elevate this to A. Not as strong as part 1, but very good indeed.

B for both parts. It’s good, but the escape at the end relies on the bad guys being stupid. Plus the Spock stuff never really sings, save for the Data convo.

B-tier for plot but elevated to A for me solely based on Spock and Data, and the final Picard mind meld scene where Spock realises how much Sarek actually loved him throughout his life, and fulfilling his final heartbreaking request from Part 1: "Tell him, Picard..."

This is an A for me, but entirely on Leonard Nimoys as Spock and his scenes with Picard and Data, the plot is otherwise kinda meh.

As TNG 2 parters go, Unification is somewhat dry and slow paced. But as a tie in event to promote STVI ahead of it's release, it worked well enough. Michael Piller considered the title to not just the unification of Vulcan and Romulus, but also of TOS and TNG. Stewart and Nimoy sharing so much screen time helped with that.

S tier. One of the rare TNG 2 parters that i like the 2nd part more

This episode had an interesting production error. After Data knocks Sela out with a well executed VNP. When they leave the camera pans across a green crystal. In it you can see the reflection of a production staff member chewing gum. Don't bother looking for it if you're watching the remastered version. They removed it.

Even though I consider this episode to be lesser than the first part, just the Data/Spock scenes alone would have made it an S! But I still gave it an A lol

Every time Leonard Nimoy is onscreen, and talking, and we're learning more about Spock, and his relationship with his Father, it's excellent. The rest is less excellent, but not bad.

Honestly, a 2-parter elevated by it having TOS characters in it, otherwise it's fairly routine all things considered. That first watch has a lot of novelty, but once that wears off it's only okay. Personally I found the investigation on the Ent-D more interesting. Sela was kinda wasted here and despite being ON Romulous, we don't learn much about the place or people.

I'm sure a big disappointment last episode for you guys was Sarek and Spock unresolved issues before Sarek's death. However, as Picard mind-melded with Sarek and shared all his thoughts and feelings, when Spock mind-melds with Picard, Spock gets to know his father's feelings and get closure. Finally he knows his father loved him. Ironically I'm typing this on what would have been my own father's 68th birthday.

Lots more Spock in this one. Sela again finds out it isn't smart to mess with Picard, but will the lesson stick? The last scene with Spock and Picard and the mind meld is really moving when Spock finally learns just how much Sarek really loved him. Yet another “Best of the Best” ranking from me.

Greatest cameo of all time but underwhelming episode. B for boring.

D, borderline E It just wastes so many setups for so little payoff: - Wastes Spock by giving him little to do that had to be Spock rather than any other Vulcan. - Wastes Sela by making her an unintimidating villain with an uninspired scooby-doo plot. - Wastes the looming specter of the Romulan Empire by reducing the scope of their veiled machinations to retaking a single planet by overt conquest. - Wastes Riker by giving him command but making his style completely uninteresting. If this episode was erased from cannon, not knowing what each of these elements was up to would sit better in my head.

It’s a TOS TNG cross over 2 parter, with Romulans. Minimum A!

Data using the Vulcan nerve pinch on Sela makes this an "S", otherwise a great "A"

Again it has some great moments - the stuff with Picard, Spock and Data all works very well. Nice return of Sela too, but the whole thing is a little underwhelming if you strip out the guest performances the plot of the episode is never quite as fleshed out as it could have been.

A completely run of the mil episode with a lot of bad writing that's saved because Spock and Denise Crosby are present. They dont do anything good, especially Denise Crosby, as Tasha's daughter is a complete blank space of a character that would be completely forgettable if not for her actress.

Spock's great by virtue of being Spock. But I've always that figured apart from that this episode is kind of meh.

It is really just an ad for Star Trek VI. When it was being hyped up prior to release I fell in to that hype. The small gap between ep8 and the movie felt like months.

This one is hard to grade because it's an emotional S tier episode but without Spock this is probably closer to a B episode, if not lower, so I split the difference and gave it an A-.

You would think a place like Romulus would have automated scanners looking for human and positronic life forms wandering around wearing awful wigs.

The only second half of a two parter episode off the top of my head that gets an S-tier. Granted, a lot of it is because of fan-service of the nerdtacular variety, but still. I don't anticipate you guys giving anything less than an S to a Spock-heavy episode of TNG like this one. And there are a lot of lines to enjoy.

S teir for me. Grate scens through out. Culminating with Spock crying when Picard shares Sarek's thoughts with him.

Another S. There's a line of dialogue that is an ominous reference to ST:VI The Undiscovered Country... which was released in theaters a couple of weeks after this episode aired. Brilliant franchise timing.

This two-parter is why I suggested to watch Star Trek VI before episode 7. Three reasons: Sarek mentions where Spock met Pardek, Sarek dying, and Spock referencing the events in the movie (which is the biggest reason).

Cowboy Diplomacy at its finest Ambassador Spock, you learned from some of the best

Spock Sarek Sela Triple S-tier! These episodes are a perfect celebration of everything Star Trek had become for the 25th anniversary, but it's also the closing of the chapter as Gene has died and the last TOS movie all happened within a few weeks.

You guys get to see more of Romulus in this episode and I like how the colour palette is green/grey distinguishing them from the Klingon reddish colour palette on qo’nos (Kronos) it all adds more to THE LORE!

Sarek, Spock, Sela these 3 S'es cry for a SSSuperb rating!. I love this 2 parter. It's highly rewatchable and the humor is great.

This episode has its good parts, but I have to say Sela’s plan to conquer Vulcan, let alone with only 2,000 troops, is pretty weak. She must REALLY think the rest of the galactic powers are idiots to fall for it.

The scene between Spock and Data on the Bird of Prey about each other's goals towards/away from their humanity is absolutely priceless. "I have no regrets." "No regrets, that is a human expression." "Yes... ... Fascinating."

Yes Sela!! She's a great villain. And once again, Data ruins her plans. That is great! Really love the scenes in the random bar. I was always curious how the day to day of life in the 24th century would be, and small scenes like the bar or even Risa back in Captain's Holiday show glimpses of what life would be like. Also the pyramid lamp on the proconsul's desk was so cool looking, I spent many years trying to find something similar for my own home decor.

Ending resolution ruins it for me. C tier. It could have been really good. Just didn't make sense how they could have magically done what they did. It just felt like a: "We know everyone is going to love this because of Spock so who cares how they get out of the situation" to me. To me part 1 is SO MUCH better that it makes the part 2 problems stand out more.

"When one is in the penalty box, tears are permitted" That expression on his face at the end, says so much. If your father is no longer alive and you missed your chance to bond, it hits so much harder.

A tier. Spock is great, character interactions, nostalgia, etc. The episode has a few major problems that bother me. - Sela is an idiot. Let's just leave possibly the two most intelligent beings in all of the Federation in a room with computer access. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? - The Romulan plan is incredibly stupid and makes zero sense in general. You're telling me they can take over an ENTIRE PLANET with only a few thousand troops? A planet full of highly intelligent beings with advanced technology no less.