Plot Synopsis: After escaping imprisonment on an alien world, Picard and Dr. Crusher find that their thoughts are connected by brain implants.
Plot A and B Analysis: Picard and Beverly are having breakfast together, talking about the world Kesprytt III applying for membership to the Federation. Only half the world is applying, the other half doesn’t want it. When the two transport down to the world we learn the beam was hijacked. Plot A is about Picard and Beverly’s time together, plot B revolves around Riker working to get Picard and Beverly back. Jean-Luc and the doc are prisoners of the Prytt, who are convinced the Kes are forming a military alliance with the Federation and have implanted them both with devices that will make their thoughts public. After being in jail for 5 minutes they are sprung by a Kes spy and escape. Riker works with the Kes to make some kind of contact with the annoying Prytt. P&C go through a lame fire spurt cave and start running through the countryside. While the Kes and the Prytt both become increasingly irritating as we realize their level of paranoia, P&C start to read each other’s thoughts. We learn they’re not only connected but tethered, they can’t get too far apart. They have a deep conversation about by a fire. Riker convinces the Kes and Prytt to cooperate enough to get his officers back, it’s clear the planet is not ready to join the Federation, and the episode comes to a rather unsatisfying end.
Favorite Scenes: In the 12th minute when Worf is escorting Mauric (the Kes leader) to his quarters, he won’t even enter until Worf goes in first. That’s the first hint we have that the Kes are just as bad as the Prytt in their own way, and I get a little chuckle out of it. The scene with Picard and Crusher around the campfire isn’t bad.
Use of Cast/Characters: LeVar Burton isn’t in this one, and is the only time a cast member has an episode off the entire season. There is some character development with Picard and Crusher in this episode. We learn Picard was in love with Beverly back when she and Jack were married, and his guilt over his feelings for her in the past was why he didn’t want her on the Enterprise way back in Encounter at Farpoint. Ah, Encounter at Farpoint… Anyway, we see how far Riker has developed as an officer, as he handles both the Kes and Prytt well. Worf, Data and Deanna don’t have much more than a few lines. The guest stars are competent, and Robin Gammell does a good job portraying Mauric.
Blu Ray Version: In the 13th minute the high definition works against this episode, as it’s easy to tell the “stone” door Picard opens is anything but. The orbital shot of the planet Kesprytt is more detailed and better than the original.
Nitpicks: This is a somewhat strange and ambiguous ending that ends up nowhere. It’s as if we are being told “Jean-Luc and Beverly learn more about each other, but they decide after thinking about it that nothing will change.” Then what was the point?
Overall Impression: At this point in the series it’s hard to make a terrible episode, there is too much competence and experience in front of and behind the camera–but this is not a good one. I admit that Picard’s quote “There is a way out of every box, a solution to every puzzle; it’s just a matter of finding it” has stuck with me, and I think it’s good advice in life. In the end plot B is slightly more interesting than plot A, which has very little tension at all. Something could actually have resulted from P&C’s time together, but disappointingly the producers wimped out. I rate this episode 2 out of 5 stars.
Behind the Scenes/Trivia: This episode was written by Nicholas Sagan, the sun of famous astronomer Carl Sagan. Take note of when Picard discards his captain’s jacket in the 13th minute, this is the last time you’ll ever see it. I’d grown to like it at this point, but it’s gone forever. This isn’t the first time we learn of Beverly’s fear of heights, which occurred in another cave in Chain of Command. I think this is the first time we learn that every planet that’s joined the Federation has been a unified world, which I think is a great standard.
Missable/Unmissable? Definitely missable. Unfortunately the next one is worse, if not infamous.