Plot Synopsis: After the crew’s memories are mysteriously erased, computer records indicate the Federation is at war with the Lysians and the Enterprise has been ordered to attack their command center.
Plot A and B Analysis: The relatively long teaser shows daily life on the Enterprise: Troi playing chess with Data, Dr. Crusher being a doctor, Riker and Ro arguing, etc, when they encounter an unknown starship. Next thing we know everyone’s memory is wiped and the ship computer crashed! Plot A is about the crew trying to put their identities back together and win the “war”, there is no plot B. After a few minutes Worf ends up taking command, but after Geordi gets the computer running the senior staff all learn who they are. Turns out the mission of the Enterprise is to destroy the Lysian’s central command station, an alien species determined to annihilate the Federation. The plot is somewhat uneven, with interesting twists and turns for the first half of the episode, but later scenes don’t really contribute much. It feels as if the writers didn’t have enough plot to fill the 44 minutes so they just inserted some to fill time. The crew has growing misgivings, summed up by a line from Picard: “I feel as though I’ve been handed a weapon, sent into a room, and told to shoot a stranger.” It’s a story that resolves itself in a reasonable but slightly underwhelming fashion.
Favorite Scenes: I’m not sure, this just isn’t a standout episode. I did enjoy the confusion for the first 20 minutes. I appreciated the moment of truth: central command will go down with one shot, should we take it? I also liked the very last scene where Troi and Ro have a little fun at Riker’s expense as he tries to explain himself:
Riker: When you have no memory of who you are or who anybody else is, you find yourself–
Ro: The counselor tells me that at times like that, we might do the things we’ve always wanted to do.
Riker *startled*: She said that?
Troi *smiling with mock sweetness*: It’s psychologically valid.
*Riker looks at Troi, trying to compute this comment*
Ro: Commander, don’t worry about it. As far as I’m concerned, you and I have shared something that we will treasure…forever.
Use of Cast/Characters: I found it really interesting that Worf takes command in the presence of total collective amnesia. It only lasts until the 19th minute but it’s enjoyable to watch Worf being in command and ordering people around, and Picard and Riker have most of the good ideas! Unfortunately–and frustratingly–Worf gets his butt kicked again at the end, this time in one blow. It could have played out in so many better ways! Picard makes the right decision at the end but doesn’t get much character development, though we do get to see him sitting at the Conn for a bit. Worf gets some development in trying out command, and Troi does also. I like that Troi is the first one who questions their orders and the “war” they’re engaged in, and there’s a dash of character development because she’s good at chess. Riker and Ro hooking up is just weird for me. It’s sort of funny that two people who hate each other get it on, but overall, it feels like the “women keep throwing themselves at Riker” trope does a disservice to Ro. Data is a good bartender and has some lines, Geordi gets put to use, Beverly does doctor things. Ro’s main job seems to be having sex with Riker. A shame, she could have had richer character dynamics. Erich Anderson plays Kieran MacDuff, and is ok but not terrifically convincing. When he gives Worf that speech about how “only we are warriors” I don’t buy it because he hasn’t come across that way the entire episode.
Blu Ray Version: Evidently they couldn’t find the footage of the Enterprise dropping from warp at the beginning of the teaser so they used a highly detailed CGI instead, which we also saw in Ensign Ro. They also digitally removed a bit of visible filming equipment in another scene, which I appreciate. They had to recreate the personnel files of Picard, MacDuff, Data, Crusher, Troi and Ro from scratch because they couldn’t find the originals. They screwed up Data’s activation date, making it 100 years earlier–oops. It’s worth pausing to read the personnel files in the episode.
Nitpicks: We’re supposed to believe Troi can defeat Data at chess? No. Still, I guess there’s a precedent: Kirk used to defeat Spock in TOS. In the third minute Geordi says the unknown starship is such an unfamiliar configuration that “nothing in our database comes close.” Really? Then why does it look identical to the Pakled ship from Samaritan Snare, the Acamarian ship from The Vengeance Factor, the Cardassian supply ship from The Wounded, and the Trill ship from The Host! They couldn’t have reused a less-seen ship? Check out this article for a detailed, side by side comparison.
When everyone gets their memory wiped in the teaser I just don’t think the acting is that good. I was expecting a bit more of a reaction than I got. In situations like that I tend to blame the director. I also wanted something different than a lame green wave to represent the weapon being used on the crew. In the 26th minute shouldn’t Picard ask for a tactical analysis from Worf, not Data?
Overall Impression: This is not an episode I look forward to watching, though I can’t say it’s terrible. Part of my problem with this episode is I just don’t buy the setup: a civilization so incredibly primitive compared to the Federation completely overwhelms and manipulates the ship’s technology (including Data!) and the brains of multiple species on the Enterprise, not to mention generating a completely flawless human disguise, all within 60 seconds of encountering them? If one can swallow that this is a decent episode, but not one that stands out. It just doesn’t deliver. I rate this episode 2 out of 5 stars.
Behind the Scenes/Trivia: In the 18th minute we learn some biographical info about several officers. Picard was born July 13th, 2305. Data was activated Feb 2, 2338 (forget the flub in the remastered episode), and includes Lal as his offspring. Even this is a snafu, as Wesley says Data is not much older than he is back in The Schizoid Man. Beverly Crusher was born Oct 13th 2324, on the moon! Deanna was born Mar 29th 2336, and her offspring is Ian (from The Child). Ro was born Jan 17th, 2340. The script from this episode was initially one of several “amnesia” themed episodes from season four but it was put on hold for a year. Too much amnesia in one season isn’t good I suppose.
For all the previous times we’ve seen a somehow unknown Satarran warship see my nitpicks above. The Lysian destroyer was previously the Talarian warship from Suddenly Human, flipped upside down. It was nice to see the horga’hn from Risa that Riker plays with in his quarters, it’s the one Picard gave him after Captain’s Holiday. This episode is the last (of only four episodes) where Picard’s ready room is seen from the outside. It’s too bad, I liked that shot. The Lysian Central Command is a re-use of the Edo god from way back in Justice, which I’ve always thought was cool-looking. The quick tune that Riker plays in his quarters on the trombone is the exact same song he played in 11001001, which I think is a nice touch. Finally, this episode won an Emmy for Special Visual Effects.
Missable/Unmissable? It’s not a terrible episode but it is definitely missable, that’s all there is to it. The next one isn’t.