PATRON TAKES - TNG S6E19

Other than the Trekkian problem of the characters seemingly meeting, falling in love, dating, and breaking up within what feels like a week this is one of the better "boring" episodes. I think we could all be so lucky to have a partner as supportive as cmdr. Daren

Picard is tragically self-inhibited. His entire sense of self is wrapped up in his identity as the captain with the stoic distance from everyone. The man cannot get out of his own way.

This is easily in my top 5 of all TNG episodes. More trauma for Picard! Only this time, it's trauma that involves no sci-fi, no torture, no alien probes or kidnapping - just mundane workplace conflict that prevents him from getting something he only recently discovered can fulfill him. This is probably the most relatable episode in the series and Picard and Daren have great chemistry. They also do an awesome job of building her as a complete and believable character.

I think you two will like this because of its callback to The Inner Light. Trek no longer forgets past episodes, but builds on them without being fully serialized.

I don’t remember seeing this one until streaming. So it took me by surprise how much I liked it. You don’t often get a small slowed down story like this on TNG. And it speaks to the confidence of the show in its 6th season. I think the ending is realistic. It takes time for people to change. And we fall into familiar patterns in tough moments.

I love this one. The musical flirtation is very sweet. I think it demonstrates well what all the potential problems of being in a relationship with a member of your crew are, and how isolating it can be as a captain.

Shit or get off the pot Bev

Proof you should never play deep fry the corn dog with a shipmate. It causes you to act emotionally and make bad decisions

Been a little while since Picard really let someone play with his, uh... flute. Good for her.

Is this another example where Star Trek technology was ahead of its time? Air date was April of 1993 and Lt Darren has a flexible rollup piano keyboard. According to AI: A US patent application was filed in 2002 describing a roll-up electronic piano.

Star Trek: The continuity continues! Love Geordi’s reaction to music coming from the Jefferies tubes

Nice callback to Inner Light. I think she was a good match for Picard…buuuuut he was her commanding officer.

I want stunt hands to play my flute!

When I was younger, I hated this one and thought it was boring. Now that I'm older, I hate it and think it's boring, just less.

I liked the call back to “Disaster” with “Frère Jacques”

One of the better romance episodes where nobody is actually a creep.

An episode that focuses on Picard having a romance, music AND he wore the jacket.

A common trope among all Star Trek is "single episode romances." Most of them don't go anywhere, except to draw out new angles on an established character, and even those don't always hit the mark. This is a very nice single-romance-episode, though. It's mature, thoughtful, and it takes into consideration some deep continuity on behalf of Picard. All around, a very nice episode.

One of the better Trek romances that had been done. I feel for Crusher when Darren is talking to her about the developing feelings she has for Picard. Funny too, how she also has red hair. Also feel for Riker being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yeah, Picard tells him to treat Darren the same as anyone else, but can Riker, even if it's subconsciously? Same with Picard. Also, whar kind of OS is the Enterprise running if the sensors can't handle more than one request at a time?

this is obviously an episode for the fans! This episode has to have been made for you, Kamin really had an impact on his life that is lasting.

Best "Crew Romance" episode of TNG (I have a spreadsheet). Even better than Work and K'ehlyer! Definitely an upgrade from Vash for Picard, and with the real possibility that the relationship could have continued past this episode. What do you guys think about the possibility of either TNG or DS9 portraying a long-term relationship between Starfleet characters (remembering that the O'Briens don't count since Keiko isn't in Starfleet)?

PIcard correctly explains to Vosh that starship Captains really can't just get involved, even with strangers for a fling, just because they want to, but then proceeds to try it anyway a few years later with one of his own crew.

I want a Jeffrey’s tube resonating chamber in my life.

Was Wendy Hughes accent convincing for you Americans

The Scene with Picard and Beverly is so genuine. Great acting from all parties. Finally a good match for Picard. Sad to see it end like this. such a tear jerker!

Inner Light Fundamentally changed Picard (how could living another life for decades not do so?) and here we get to see some of that. Lovely episode. It would've been a tragedy to not have explored this before series end.

I wish this relationship had lasted longer. They had good chemistry and shared interests together that we don't often see from Picard. Ah well a nice interlude anyway.

I love this episode. It's another awesome exploration of Picard, and an aspect of him I never really expected to see. He seems almost timid at times. The guest actress is great and the "inter office" issues seem real.

If I had to pick which of the 'guest star love interest' episodes I like most, I would choose this one. Realy good Picard Episode

Like others said, a good follow up to "The Inner Light". It's an important "lesson" for Picard or anyone to learn: there is a risk that comes with letting yourself fall in love, that your heart might get broken. IMO love is always worth that risk. Also, Lt. Daren had MUCH better chemistry with Picard than Vash lol

A good episode that illustrates that Patrick Stewart can play a charming romantic lead and that Captain Picard is never going to have a romantic relationship that is a success.

Great episode and follow-up to “Inner Light”. I’m a musician so I really connect with this episode. Nella was a huge improvement as a love interest for Picard over Vash. It’s a shame it didn’t last.

So, here's the question, will Josh and Alex buy into the chemistry between Picard & the passionate, confident Nella (Picard does like a strong woman)? I know I did, but then again, I bought into Vash and Picard, so who knows... I think the storyline overall is better paced than Captain's Holiday.

The whole will they/won't they between Picard and Crusher was getting rather tiresome at this point in the show, so when they paired Picard up with another red haired, blue eyed, 40 something woman in a blue uniform(does Picard have a type or what?). I was all for it. I thought they had great chemistry, and still the writers just couldn't let him have it.

If either of you were in the Enterprise Jefferies tube that had the best acoustics on the ship, what instruments would you and/or your significant other be playing? Personally I would be singing.

Wonder if you noticed the microphone dipping into the frame while Picard was listening to music in his quarters. (It may not have been visible back in the day due to the TV overscan.)

This is one of my favorites from S6. I love the call backs to "The Inner Light." I think they do a better job than most episodes at creating a believable scenario for them to fall in love over the course of the episode. My favorite part is when Geordi hears music... and then doesn't - a very nice reveal there.

As with most TV shows, unless a new character is being added, very rarely do romances work, due to you knowing they'll be temporary. This one does though, cause of what it lets us see of Picard's character, and how he has changed from earlier seasons, where family and connection were far less important to him than now, since the Inner Light, and him having had that.

And you thought "The Inner Light" would be forgotten. Trek has always been hit-or-miss with its "romances developed in a single episode" stories. IMO this is the best one out of all of them this era. And of course, Nella Darren has a resemblence to Dr. Crusher. I love the music and I love where this takes Picard and shows us why he usually keeps that distance from his crew. This was an unexpected gem on my first watch, and remains a lowkey favorite.

Much better connection on a deeper level for Picard then Vash. Relationships on a starship especially when you are the captain having to potentially order your partner into a dangerous situation while remaining objective I definitely couldn’t do it, COULD YOU? (Alex & Josh)

Picard sort of milling about in grief when he believes she has been killed is one of the most realistic portrayals of loss to me having reacted similarly in my own life. This episode totally hangs on a good guest performance and the actress being able to believably be someone Picard would fall for. Not an easy acting job and she nails it. Take a hike to DS9, Vaush.

Patrick Stewart was the guest speaker at our Juilliard Convocation in '99 (as you can imagine we were nerding out big time), and on the plaza afterwards I desperately wanted to use the ludicrous (to musicians) "During the 2nd arpeggio of the 1st movement, I noticed you played an F minor chord instead of a diminished D" line that made all us musicians roll our eyes back like I would imagine the physics students do with all the techno babble. But I simply did the Picard uniform straightening move and shook his hand. PS: Fold-out pianos now do exist--future tech rules!!!

The return of the flute, even the melody from The Inner Light. I feel like they were a great couple, their music sessions made me feel all warm and fuzzy ^-^. A shame it didn't work out, but tbf, it is hard to remain objective in a leadership role if your Love is involved, especially if you would have to put them at risk, as seen here.

Solid Picard episode. I always thought the Lt Cmdr Darren was Picard's "ideal woman." This episode also illustrates the need to avoid fraternization in military-style cultures.

In your discussion of Tapestry you commented on how that episode and Inner Light shared some connective tissue. I think Lessons shows us how profound an impact the events of Inner Light had on Picard. He is not the same man he was, he has been tempered by "age" by living an entire life with a wife, children and grandchildren. Lessons shows us how the arc of Picard continues to evolve as the show begins to delve deeper in to it's characters and their personalities.

When I saw this episode for the first time, I started pre-weeping for my boy Picard because I knew whether it be physical or mentally, he was gonna experience pain yet again.

I really like this episode, but do you think it would have been more poignant if the love interest had been Dr. Crusher instead? It feels like that has been a slow burn for so long now, and it would be nice to have some closure on it.

It is a very heart breaking story Nella Darin was the best romantic foil for Picard. I was sad to hear a while back, that Wendy Hughes had passed in March of 2014. She was only 61.

I love this episode, and even more I love this character as a love interest for Picard. Finally we have someone who matches his interests, intelligence, and integrity. The duet scene in the Jeffries Tube, where they play the folk tune from Kataan, is beautiful. As the camera pulls back you are seeing a whole different kind of magic here.

Why do you guys think Nella was able to connect with Picard so strongly? We've seen Picard with Vash, and watched him flirt with (or be flirted with) by Janice Manheim, Phillipa Louvois, and of course Beverly, but rarely is Picard's composure so visibly shaken. The real question is did Nella connected with Picard... or with Kamin?

It’s heartbreaking for Picard at the end!

Great episode and guest actress a