Star Trek: The Next Generation
"Attached"
Air date: 11/8/1993
Written by Nick Sagan
Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
The Enterprise arrives to open diplomatic relations with the bifurcated world of Kesprytt, which has petitioned for entry into the Federation. Correction: The Kes have applied for Federation membership; the isolated Prytt have not made any such request and, indeed, apparently do not even talk with the Kes government with which they share a planet. Picard and Crusher beam down to the planet to meet a Kes delegation but are intercepted by the Prytt and thrown into a holding cell and accused of being Kes spies. The Prytt install brain implants that are ostensibly used to obtain truthful information from the prisoners, but which have the side effect of telepathically linking Picard and Crusher so they can hear each other's thoughts.
From here emerges two story strands connecting the overall premise: Picard and Crusher escape their holding cell (with the help of some covert Kes operatives) and must deal with the consequences of being joined at the hip (the device doesn't allow them to move more than a few feet from each other) and privy to each other's thoughts, while Riker aboard the Enterprise attempts to open communications with the Prytt to negotiate their release. Riker does this with the help of Kes Ambassador Mauric (Robin Gammell), who offers such wonderfully useful insights as "We don't have any formal diplomatic relations with the Prytt."
Both of these stories work pretty well. What we have here is an effective and balanced episode of exploratory character work (Picard and Crusher), action-adventure (ditto), and a comedy of diplomatic frustration (Riker, Worf, and Mauric). While this is a story much more remembered (and rightly so) for its dialogue breaking down the previously unspoken history of Picard and Crusher, there's also plenty of entertainment to be found in the goings-on aboard the Enterprise, where Mauric reveals just how deeply the dysfunction runs on Kesprytt — and does so with a stunningly oblivious tone-deafness that borders on hilarious. For a world that wants Federation membership and should know to be on its best behavior, its utter failure via Mauric to put up a convincing front — even amid its deep divisions — speaks volumes.
This is played mostly for laughs of the situation's escalating frustration. Mauric is so paranoid of Kes spies that he insists on the highest of security for all discussions, and takes to combing through his quarters for listening devices. There's a running gag as his quarters fill up with big, flashy security scanners and gizmos that turn the room into what looks like a lab. The longer this goes on, the more and more absurdly paranoid Mauric becomes, until he's eventually accusing Riker of a labyrinthine scheme to join in an alliance with the Prytt.
Riker shows great restraint and professionalism in just continuing to even deal with the guy, but I got a good chuckle out of the scene where Mauric announces he's fed up and is leaving, and Riker says, good, and "Make sure you take all this junk with you." Even better is the scene where he lays out for Mauric and his Prytt counterpart exactly why he will be recommending Kesprytt be denied Federation membership. "Attached" may not be to Federation application scenarios as, say, "First Contact" was to first contact scenarios (which is to say definitive), but it does show one such scenario with a decent dose of entertainment value.
The emotional center of the episode is, of course, Picard and Crusher, and how the devices that have connected their thoughts now force them to say things that for many years have gone unsaid. While some of the early I-can-read-your-mind one-liners come across as obvious and hackneyed, the lengthy fireside discussion where Picard reveals that he was at one time, long ago, in love with Crusher (while she was still married to his best friend, no less), strikes the right notes of honest, revealing, and reluctantly confessional. Naturally, you can rarely go wrong with a Patrick Stewart soliloquy, but the dialogue manages to meet the assignment of offering new insights into the characters without running the risk of making grand changes to the status quo. (This is like the long-delayed episode for 'shippers that is written with the restraint and depth that makes it feel organic, rather than like fanfic.)
And there's the story's final scene that manages to (sort of) have its cake and eat it too. I suppose it would be too much to ask that these confessions and feelings open up a new chapter in the relationship between Picard and Crusher (and Picard even floats it as a possibility); the story here is non-committal in its ambiguity. It manages to be satisfying by acknowledging that these two are more than just friends (and the performances are very good), but still plays it safe by maintaining the status quo. For TNG, even in its final season, that feels like an appropriate choice.
Previous episode: Dark Page
Next episode: Force of Nature
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78 comments on this post
Sat, Oct 27, 2012, 8:54pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Oct 27, 2012, 11:11pm (UTC -6)
One little nitpick: "Mauric is so paranoid of Kes spies..." Shouldn't that be "Prytt spies"?
Sun, Oct 28, 2012, 5:06am (UTC -6)
Sun, Oct 28, 2012, 7:51pm (UTC -6)
Mon, Oct 29, 2012, 3:07pm (UTC -6)
Riker, obviously, has strong feelings about letting the captain serve on dangerous away missions. And even if this mission wasn't considered dangerous, it's odd that someone else wouldn't on the away team. It would have been better if someone else (Data? Geordi) had planned to go, but the Enterprise had been able to prevent all but Crusher and Picard from being whisked away by the Prytt.
Otherwise, it's a decent episode that explains some of the Picard/Crusher backstory. Of course, the implication from some early episodes -- that Wesley might actually be Picard's son -- is undone here. That's probably OK, though.
Last point. Why would the Federation even consider the Kes for admission? Considering how hard it was for the Bajorans, why the Kes have even gotten a look?
Sun, Nov 4, 2012, 12:30am (UTC -6)
Why do the stupid bajorans get a starfleet contingent, when you could easily argue these races (or ten others from various episodes) deserve them far more.
AHHHHHH I hate bajorans!!!! Sorry, had to get that out of my system. I just love everything about DS9 so much except the horrible bajorans.
Mon, Nov 5, 2012, 11:39am (UTC -6)
The Bajorans, by midway through DS9's run, appeared pretty stable. It made sense to approve them for membership in season 5 (they declined, but that's another story). Season 2? Not so much. But it still seemed that the Bajorans had a tougher time than the aliens here or others (like the goofy aliens in season 1).
Now, as far as stationing Sisko et. al at DS9, that was to get them ready for Federation membership because of the fallout from the Occupation. The Kesprytt probably didn't need that, so comparing Federation aid to Bajor with what the Federation didn't do here is apples and oranges.
BTW, I didn't dislike the Bajorans in total. Sure, they were annoying at times and a bit all over the place. They seemed both war weary and then generally OK with life at the same time. I never understood that.
I was fine when DS9 took the focus off Bajor in season 2. But it's too bad that they didn't ever get Bajor into the Federation. Even a throwaway line in the series finale (e.g. Nog tells Kira that they're planning on the Federation delegation to begin the acceptance proceedings) would have been nice.
Mon, Dec 31, 2012, 11:50pm (UTC -6)
I also liked the fact that Commander Riker faced down the uncooperative Prytt minister and told her that unless her forces returned Picard and Crusher to the safety of the Enterprise, there would be a whole slew of Federation ships visiting the Prytt world and beaming down their crews to ask uncomfortable questions about the missing duo. It certainly made the Prytt minister squirm--and decide to turn over the captured Picard over to the Enterprise as soon as possible. Crusher was alraedy safely in Kes territory by the end of the story.
Wed, Jan 9, 2013, 5:13am (UTC -6)
Wed, Mar 13, 2013, 9:48pm (UTC -6)
That's not the way I remember it. I think Picard and Crusher were in Pryttland, running for the border to cross into Kes World. They used some kind of tricorder wackiness to open a hole in the force field, and when Picard was looking the other way and Crusher saw the Bad Guys coming for them, she shoved Picard through the hole and then got nabbed. I believe when the Prytt minister was contacted by the Bad Guys, they told her, "We have the female. The male is in Kes territory."
Sat, Jun 1, 2013, 9:24pm (UTC -6)
I think this wording, while technically correct, is misleading, as it suggests that Picard explicitly revealed his feelings for Crusher. Actually, she found out by reading his thoughts, and he implicitly confirmed it.
Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:15am (UTC -6)
At least there were other elements in this episode to find entertaining but it was still another colossal waste of time to say the same thing you said before.
I mean how many times do we have to go through all this build up only to have the same outcome.
See what I did there?
Mon, Feb 3, 2014, 4:32pm (UTC -6)
But: why on earth did Beverly and Picard not end up together at the end of TNG?? They should have been the ones to get married, not Riker and Troi. I sense very little chemistry between Riker and Troi ;-)
SciFi writers and relationships. Sigh. One of Star Trek's common problems. That, and obviously studios messing things up (see, Antonia, Generations). Quite frustrating at times, when you know just how much better things could have been, as far as relationships go.
Sun, Feb 23, 2014, 9:42am (UTC -6)
The Picard/Crusher angle was just awful. So Picard and Crusher have feelings for each oher. Who cares? Trek is about science fiction and abstraction. Not a soap opera in space. The egos are boring and souless. They are only useful to the extent they paint bigger pictures. What was there beyond Crusher/Picard? Nothing. Boring, simple and slow paced.
This was part of a "wrapping up the threads" campaign by Piller and Jeri Taylor for season 7. These writers are "character" zealots and don't understand that characters don't drive good stories but are the byproduct of them. Contrast and metaphor tell good stories...not character conflict.
Thu, Mar 6, 2014, 8:35pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 6:13pm (UTC -6)
I don't see the tricorder as being contrived, but it was a huge stroke of good luck.
Sun, Aug 24, 2014, 3:51pm (UTC -6)
I don't think so. While the Kesprytt were fun to watch, their plot just kinda served to fill time until we could move back to our designated couple. And that's basically what it feels like. The show set Bev and Picard as having a past acquaintance, they were the older members of the crew, and they were brought together as friends throughout the series. So of course the fans are going to try to pair them up romantically. This episode just feels like the writers felt they had to acknowledge this possibility, and so put the whole episode together just to comment on it. And our 7 year payoff is simply to say that there was an attraction in the past, but not anymore. Well, that was worth the wait.
I'm not actually complaining about that being the final resolution. After all, they did work together for quite a while (ignoring season 2), and other than The Naked Now (ugh) and Allegiance (which wasn't the real Picard), there was no sense of a romantic relationship forming between them at all. While TNG tended to play up their relationship whenever Picard had another girl (QPid, Perfect Mate, Lessons), it wasn't really jealousy. Likewise, I don't remember jealousy from Picard in The Host. And given their close relationship, why wouldn't either of them try to start it up if they had any feelings?
I guess the more interesting question then becomes, as they said, what happens now? All Good Things suggests that the feelings aren't entirely dormant. But that's the only time it ever came up again. They certainly seem to suggest that the door is closed, but so be it.
Which means, well, why is there an entire episode about it? Couldn't it have come up in a more organic way? Did we really need magic technology just to get this little piece of revelation? It feels like a bit of a cheap way of doing things. Not
Two more random comments:
- More continuity! We got to see Crusher's fear of heights again! Given that that was the first thing I thought of when we saw that situation in the cave, I'm glad they remembered.
- While most of the Kesprytt storyline was fluff, it was fun to see Riker dressing them both down at the end. I've been harping on the fall of Riker's character for a while, but he is much better here. Maybe Frakes just needs to be directed by Frakes in order to succeed.
Mon, Dec 8, 2014, 12:04am (UTC -6)
Wed, Jan 28, 2015, 11:29pm (UTC -6)
Thu, May 21, 2015, 7:31pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Jul 3, 2015, 4:15pm (UTC -6)
There's a whole unexplored political element to this episode as well. It is hinted at in the first scene, when Picard posits that any non-unified planet should not be admitted to the Federation. I personally don't believe that a world government would be a good thing...Just too much chance of unrepresentative politicians and bureaucrats trampling over individual rights. We actually see that hinted at here, on a planet that is ALMOST unified in that they are down to only two governments. One of them is paranoid and obsessed with spying and the other is fine with kidnapping and false imprisonment without trial, not to mention that even their Prime Minister all but panics when he finds himself speaking with an outside party (the Enterprise) without prior clearance from the security folks. The whole planet seems like it's out of the Orwel's 1984. And then there's the forcefield border fence -- surely an orgasmic dream of every xenophobic nativist. I agree the episode's best moment comes when Riker reveals his opinion of Kesprytt.
Mon, Aug 3, 2015, 9:57am (UTC -6)
I also liked the telepathic link. Yes, the away time in contrived to get the skinny on this potential couple, but it is interesting. I also liked how the Dr. finds out Picard assumes a mantle of authority and confidence to be an effective captain. This is also well projected in Patrick Stewart's acting of Picard. I thought it was interesting that it was written by Carl Sagan's son Nick Sagan, I thought I heard some buzz about that, so I'm glad I noticed it in the credits.
Sat, Sep 19, 2015, 11:14am (UTC -6)
The notion that if aliens came to visit early in the first decade of the 21st century, that America's representative to them would have been Donald Rumsfeld is rather terrifying.
Wed, Oct 14, 2015, 7:44pm (UTC -6)
I've come to think of the portrayal of alien races as simply representing a single facet of the human psyche pushed to an extreme as the most egregious conceit of TNG.
Thu, Oct 15, 2015, 8:46am (UTC -6)
You know, I actually came to this episode for this re-watch with some found memories, mostly because I'm a Picard/Crusher shipper (yeah, I'll admit it :P) and I was happy that they finally spent some time on this relationship. But having watched it anew, it's nowhere as good as I remember. The ship-board plot with the Kes and Prytt is pretty atrocious and the Picard/Crusher story is rather underdeveloped.
First, the truly bad part - the Kes/Prytt story. Not only does it revolve around the problem of the Planet (or Nations in this case) of Hats, but it's one more example of TNG pushing the concept of world government. You know, I'm starting to think that TNG's writers must be dumbfounded that the real world operates the way it does. So, Kesprytt III has two rival nations on it instead of one, unified world government. And that, apparently, is all we need to know to show that these people have a highly dysfunctional society. Before we even introduced to the Kes ambassador and his paranoia or the Prytt minister and her xenophobia, we get the discussion between Picard and Crusher over breakfast detailing how this world simply isn't ready for entrance into the sterling, perfect Federation. They haven't put their differences aside so they're not ready to join the larger interstellar community? Well, just going to point this out, but the Federation hasn't been able to put aside its differences with several alien species, namely the Romulans and Cardassians. They aren't in full-scale political union so I guess they live in a state of total chaos with those races, right? Of course not. Let's use a few real-world examples.... As of right now (October 2015), the United States, alone, is one of 196 separate countries (I think) on Earth. The U.S. has absolutely no diplomatic relations (another example given of the dysfunction in Kesprytt socity) with four different nations (Iran, North Korea, Syria and Bhutan). There are four other countries the U.S. has troubled diplomatic relations with (Belarus, Libya, Sudan and Yemen). And there are a whopping 26 nations that have formal relations with the U.S. but who receive no U.S. Ambassador. And, yet, life somehow manages to go on. You don't need a world government to have a healthy and functioning society; and I'm really tired of TNG trying to shove that message down the audience's throats. It's so bad that they even say without that overarching world government you'll descend into either paranoia and/or xenophobia. Yeah, because definitely summarizes the relationship between the United States and Canada, or between Switzerland and the European Union, doesn't it?!
But that's not the only problem with this plot. There's also the fact that there are shades of Season One arrogance and smug douchebaggery on display from Riker and Worf. Thankfully it never descends to that level of annoyance, but there are definitely shades of it. It's exemplified in the scene when Riker declares "make sure you take all this junk with you." Unlike Jammer, I didn't find that scene endearing at all! It all starts out with the ambassador making what appears to be fairly reasonable security requests and yet Riker and Worf act almost offended by them all. Oh, the enemy has hacked into your communication gird and managed to redirect our transporter beam, thereby kidnapping our officers? Why would you ever want to set up a secure command base on the Enterprise?! That's absurd! Why the hell would you want to secure your quarters?! Stop being so asinine!! It's only after the paranoia literally comes to the forefront (with the quarters almost consumed by anti-eavesdropping equipment and accusations of extremely convoluted conspiracies) that that arrogance could even slightly be justified. But what is Riker's ultimate solution to the problem? To basically say "you're an ass so I'll be an ass to you; that will teach you not to be an ass!". Then he bullies and forces his way to a solution with the ambassador and minister. Groan, that's something Season One Riker would have done. I thought Season Seven Riker would have been a little more mature.
But let's get on to the "emotional core" of the episode - the Picard/Crusher storyline. SkepticalMI said it best - "this episode seemed like an awful lot of effort just for one minute of dialogue." Exactly. Everything in this plot was nothing but window dressing for the remarkably short scene around the campfire where "All is Revealed!" and the final scene in Picard's quarters. And, my oh my, do those two scenes go by awfully fast! Nothing in the campfire scene feels natural or organic in any way what-so-ever. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden's acting ability, but here it just felt like they were going through the motions and putting no heart into the material. It's like they were just quoting speeches at each other or (let's get a little meta here :P) like they were just reading per-prepared lines. This was the payoff to all the teasing we've had to the Picard/Crusher "romance" over the years? And let's not kid ourselves - this has been teased ever since "Encounter at Farpoint," from literally the first time Stewart and McFadden shared screen-time together. We've seen hints of it in numerous episodes ("The Naked Now," "We'll Always Have Paris," "QPid," "The Host" and "Lessons" to name just a few). And this is the payoff? One scene of unconvincing dialogue rattled off at warp speed? Were they kidding?! And, of course, there's the final scene in Picard's quarters, where they just had to slam down on the Reset Button with the force of ten thousand angry gods. So, both Picard and Crusher have those feeling for each other and they both know it, but they aren't going to pursue a relationship?! Good grief. But then, that would require the writers to actually write a romance that isn't just a "Romance of the Week." And apparently they couldn't have that, could they?! *facepalm* I can appreciate that their hearts were, somewhat, in the right place in giving us Picard/Crusher shippers something to chew on, but the execution of it is just so dreadful.
So, my rose-colored glasses have definitely fallen off for this episode.
Some minor nitpicks....
1.) Worf transports Picard and Crusher to the planet. First, why is Worf operating the transporter? And he just beams them down and decides to walk away without verifying that they arrived? You better stick to Tactical there, buddy!
2.) TROI: "Surely you must have some means of communication in case of a planetary emergency." Umm, why? Maybe they're perfectly content to manage their own affairs and let the Prytt do the same. Maybe neither side wants Big Daddy World Government managing their lives. Variety, people! It's the spice of life!
3.) Picard straight up lies to Crusher in the campfire scene, saying that he no longer has "those feelings." But the implants don't allow Crusher to realize that. That's convenient.
4.) Why do so many alien races in TNG refer to their planets with numbers? Kesprytt III? We don't say Sol III, we say Earth.
5.) Kesprytt III? Really? The name of the planet is just the names of the two remaining nations joined together? That's like Earth being called something like Amerorussia III. LOL!!
2/10
Mon, Nov 2, 2015, 7:38am (UTC -6)
It's a shame the rest of the episode also doesn't really hang together. The Kes/Prytt B-story is more frustrating than engaging - although Riker's head-banging resolution is fun. As noted above, it's a lot of episode to get through for 1 minute of excellence. 2 stars.
Tue, Mar 22, 2016, 7:14am (UTC -6)
Tue, Mar 22, 2016, 7:14am (UTC -6)
Sat, Apr 16, 2016, 5:07pm (UTC -6)
Therefore what I take from this episode is that, while Crusher and Picard were friends who occasionally engaged in physical intimacy, they had always kept their feelings of true love from each other, for all the reasons they stated by the camp fire. Interpreting the episode in this light, it remains consistent, and even better -- for at the end, these friends with benefits might end up one of three ways: there will be no mutual interest in pursuing a real romantic relationship from his side, or from her side, or it is mutual. I have experienced all three of these scenarios, and many of you may have also, and can relate to the ending, as I interpret it: Picard wants to move from friends with benefits to becoming a couple, and she's not ready. In fact, since he breeched that surface, it cannot be undone, and she doesn't want to deal with the complicated emotions that would follow. Hence her evasiveness in the last scene before he pops the question: "Jean-Luc, I don't know what you mean." Hey Johnny, that's girl-code for, "Dude, don't ruin what we've got here by getting mushy on me."
And hey, don't Starfleet officers learn in evasion school that it's dumb to light a fire in enemy territory?
To Kesprytt not being inducted, I say that it's nothing like Bajor. Bajor is like Lithuania, suddenly unoccupied by the Russians, and in a very important strategic location; their path into NATO was accelerated -- and the Bajorans themselves aren't all put together yet, but the Federation benefits greatly from their influence only 5 light years from Cardassia Prime. It's worth the trouble. Kesprytt is not.
Fri, Dec 2, 2016, 11:18pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Dec 18, 2016, 10:45pm (UTC -6)
Wed, Jan 4, 2017, 11:05am (UTC -6)
This episode further confirms for me that there's no way I would ever step on a transporter pad: apparently the technology exists (among a relatively primitive society, no less) to *redirect an in-flight transporter beam* !!?!!! So, you know, next time you get transported, just hope nobody who dislikes you is in the general vicinity, or you might end up encased in solid rock...
Thu, May 18, 2017, 11:16pm (UTC -6)
I felt bad for the Kes. They were doing their best to save Picard and Bev and Riker was completely ungrateful. Sure their planet may not be perfect but if the other side insists on no contact whatsoever what do you want them to do, force it anyway? I can't see that going too well.
Thu, Jun 22, 2017, 5:38pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 12:34pm (UTC -6)
And, Luke (October 2015): sheer-genius comment!!
Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 11:02pm (UTC -6)
2.5 stars
Everything but the Picard/Crusher sucked. The. kespritt were annoying. I’m not big on trek romances but the only ones I enjoyed were Sisko/Yates in the later years, Riker/Troi and Picard/Crusher. They had a genuine chemistry and I always rooted for them.
Tue, Feb 6, 2018, 8:27pm (UTC -6)
Tue, Feb 6, 2018, 8:36pm (UTC -6)
No, I'm with you. I wouldn't quite rate it that high but it's a consistently good episode to watch and never a skipper. One of the things I like best about it is that even when sharing each other's deepest thoughts TNG makes absolutely sure to keep the banter between these two professional. I'm not sure this is a series decision (not wanting anything to get too personal) or a character decision (each of them knows they simply cannot be together and serve on the same ship, and they want to see each other, so therefore it must be as friends until Picard finally accepts a promotion). That none of this is stated overtly could be seen by some as avoiding the issue, but to me it *is* the entire issue. They can't even talk about this too much without destabilizing what they've got already.
Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:35am (UTC -6)
Sat, May 26, 2018, 7:44pm (UTC -6)
Wed, Jul 11, 2018, 5:41pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 7, 2018, 12:16pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 11:17pm (UTC -6)
The situation with the Kes and Prytt having bad relations is standard TNG cliche -- they don't like each other so we just have to accept that. The Kes ambassador and his paranoia was annoying - not entertaining - as it had no intelligence to it. Same can be said for the xenophobic Prytt. Not much needs to be said about the B-plot although it was good when Riker got tough with them.
Plenty of time for Picard and Crusher to explore each other through telepathy -- so the episode is really a big contrivance to get at the relationship between these 2. I guess such an exposition has been in the background for some time. Interesting that Picard suggests exploring those feelings -- wouldn't that be unprofessional? Crusher is right to reject him - but she does it in a classy and amicable way to maintain the status quo. It's well acted by both.
2 stars for "Attached" -- basically Picard and Crusher get seriously honest with each other with some filler crap from 2 annoying alien races that we can't care about. It's a big contrivance with some adventure thrown in for Picard and Crusher to explore their thoughts for each other -- not very compelling stuff for me but not bad either given these are 2 important and well-developed characters.
Sat, Sep 22, 2018, 6:29pm (UTC -6)
In the final scene we get a continuity error, they hold hands, first Bev's left, then right.
Interesting comment above about friends with benefits, that would explain their breakfasts and kiss at the end (they've done that before).
Still Picard is warned off by Bev 'What do you mean?' But decides to risk it. Big gamble. However Bev looks regretful on leaving. (Can she walk anywhere without making it look like a dance?)
Mon, May 13, 2019, 9:21am (UTC -6)
(its funny that I don't remember this episode or the previous one. So many episodes I remember after 30 years even if its just a small element that causes a glimmer on the rest of the episode; although that empath glaring in the last episode was familiar, perhaps it was just to the previous pervy mind rapist)
Once again Riker reacts angrily and defensively with the Kes ambassador even though all he had to do would be to be assertive and explain why he wants to contact the Prytt. The ambassador was calm so why not Riker? Riker is such a joke of a non leader. I feel sorry for him though with his shit childhood. ...wait he's not a real person! ha ha.
Why is Picard prattling at full volume as they try and escape and are outdoors...?
Oh no Crusher has found out the secret of men: guess and pretend you know what you are doing. Picard I hereby kick you out of men's club for revealing our greatest secret!
It is good to see Crusher acknowledge her nitwit behaviour.
Its funny to see the Kes take control of the rescue and even on the ship they are in control. Riker leadership again. You would at least ask to have an operative join your reception team at the village. If you control the village. And why wouldn't you just give them the badges so they can beam up from the village? they don't need to go to the Kes land.
I actually cant believe Picard is in love with Crusher. He likes adventurous women like Vash. Crusher is intelligent but vapid in her own way.Is she interesting at all?
It was a touching scene by the fire though. And Stewart masterful as usual. I'm sorry though, I just don't like the two of them together. But love is fickle right?
6/10
Tue, Oct 29, 2019, 7:13pm (UTC -6)
As other people have noted, the entire episode is pretty contrived, not least when it comes to the one-dimensional presentation of the two nations. This was some thirty years after TOS and it's simplistic representations of alien species, and after so much work had been done to build out the Klingons and Romulans, it's a shame that the writers resorted to such basic characterizations.
Still, as with several other episodes in season 7, this episode is to be praised for not opting for a simple happy ending, but instead went for something far more ambiguous.
Sat, Dec 7, 2019, 5:23am (UTC -6)
If it takes Picard and Crusher a contrived mind link device to hold hands after twenty years they can't be that keen on each other.
Anyhoo, as someone above observes, who cares?
This is supposed to be science fiction a genre label that continues to be misapplied to kindergarten social drama like this forgettable episode to this day.
Sun, Apr 26, 2020, 3:24am (UTC -6)
Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 2:49am (UTC -6)
I feel like the nerfing of Worf continues. Now he's filling in for Chief O'Brien. It's hard to believe such a low position is possible! He's not very good at the job, either. You'd think it would be standard procedure to verify the transport but Worf figures, eh, it probably worked, and walks away in the middle.
I like how Picard just chucks his coat the moment it temporarily gets hot. Things like that are pretty handy in survivalist situations. Even if not for him, surely the skinny, middle-aged doctor might get cold at night.
So Picard and Crusher can suddenly communicate telepathically and Troi is nowhere to be found.
Every episode the music merges more with DS9's.
They turned Crusher into a real cocktease in this episode. There are the increasingly extravagant breakfast dates (that aren't really dates). She plays coy when Picard lays out his feelings (at her insistence!) and then admits, oh yeah, I guess I did notice you were pining over me for two decades. In the final scene she dresses sexy (by Trek standards) and eggs Picard on some more with the "Penny for your thoughts". Picard finally takes the bait after so much prodding and lays out a full confession. Then she rejects him and flees his quarters. LOL! I guess they wanted to keep the will-they-won't-they alive but to do it they turned Crusher into the kind of manipulative, soul-crushing woman that men are warned about.
Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 10:08am (UTC -6)
“ they turned Crusher into the kind of manipulative, soul-crushing woman that men are warned about.”
What?
Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 10:53am (UTC -6)
Ignore it. That guy obviously has issues. I read two or three of his posts. It is often profane and worse. After that I didn't bother anymore.
Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 8:45pm (UTC -6)
I actually do think you have a point about Crusher's behavior. My guess is maybe there was a conflict between production design and character consistency. In a "this is a TV show" kind of logic, I can see them thinking "yeah yeah let's give her some sex appeal here!" and then maybe a bit of "yeah and let's tease a romance!" From McFadden's perspective as a performer I can see the "finally I get to do some meaty acting, let's go to town!!" logic in play. Why would she downplay a potentially sexy scene when she finally gets her turn? Except for one thing: I do agree it harms her character, to be so coquettish (I'd have to watch it again to be sure) and just leave it at that. If the actress, just for instance, had asked "penny for your thoughts" after having NOT been dressed nicely, and after having really not wanting him to know her feelings, she could have played it as embarassed, feeling bad for him, trying to fix the damage done; any of those. Pushing the romance angle does make her suspect in the sense of her teasing a romance along with the show designers. She might have been taking her cues right from the director, I suppose, but her inkling might have come from any number of sources, and personally I would have appreciated some weight added on her part (assuming she could muster it) for what Picard must have been going through. And hey, it would be fine to learn she's going through something too, other than enjoying the tantalizing breakfasts.
Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 11:22pm (UTC -6)
I don't hold Gates McFadden responsible. Even if her input did affect the character it's up to the show runners to keep things on track. I have a feeling she just did what the script told her to, but I dunno. I don't know why they didn't do what they will do with Worf and Troi and just have Picard break out some of his brother's champagne and have Crusher not refuse the invitation.
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 2:35am (UTC -6)
"I actually do think you have a point about Crusher's behavior."
Maneuver says that in the final scene Crusher dresses sexy. Both wear casual clothing but even so do you think that women have a sexual obligation towards men if they dress appealing? She isn't even wearing a revealing V-neck or something. Should she have worn a hijab?
In the fireside scene before their final encounter she clearly states that she never knew that he actually loved her and he tells her that he isn't in love with her anymore. Considering that they can literally read each others minds it must have been true.
"turned Crusher into the kind of manipulative, soul-crushing woman that men are warned about."
You agree with this?
I rewatched it and she just asks him what he thinks to which he says that they could start exploring their feelings/rekindle them which she does not want. They share a friendly kiss and she leaves.
What was she supposed to do? Have pity sex?
Jesus Christ!
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 2:45am (UTC -6)
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 6:00am (UTC -6)
Interesting talk. I have to agree with Booming here, without the indignant tone and final exclamation.
Granted, Peter says that he would have to watch it again to be sure; and so would I. But I certainly don't remember this as 'coquettish' behaviour by Crusher, in the way I understand the term, anyway.
The way I remember it, Crusher has arrived at that stage in which one is flirting with the very tought of perhaps beginning to flirt with someone while entertaining the thought of building a lasting relationship with that someone. There is no 'teasing' whatsoever in entertaining such thoughts.
Furthermore, in this particular case that someone is a man she has known for decades and has the utmost respect for. There is no way Crusher would ever 'tease' Picard, in the way I understand the term anyway, period.
This reminds me of an online discussion I had years ago, one of the very best I have ever had, on the nature of Rick's and Ilsa's relationship in 'Casablanca' (1942). What really transpired between the two, that final last night in Casablanca? 'Against' me were some who believed the two had slept together. They failed to realise that this goes against everything that both characters stand for at that point in the film: they entertain the thought of it, yes, they greatly desire it, even; but the nobility in their sacrifice is refraining from doing what they both desire. Rick not only respects Ilsa, but importantly, he also respects Laszlo—and he is finally beginning to respect himself, also.
Respect is paramount when we are dealing with more than two strangers who barely know each other and some passing infatuation or mere physical attraction. Crusher has profound respect for Picard, whereas the notion of 'teasing' almost by definition presupposes a lack of respect by the teaser for the teased.
Flirting with the thought of perhaps letting an old friendship evolve to more than that is daunting. It may prove to be awkward, or otherwise difficult to carry out, and it is certainly dangerous, putting a friendship that may have existed for many years at risk. There is no shame in entertaining such thoughts and yet ultimately choose to back down. This may be considered timid, perhaps, but it can never be considered 'teasing'. As I remember it, that is the emotion that Gates McFadden quite convincingly portrays.
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 6:41am (UTC -6)
" without the indignant tone and final exclamation."
It evolved from insulting, to angry, to indignant.
There are a reasons why there are far less women here. One of them is this adolescent language. Would you come back if you read things like cocktease and that other stuff. Accusing a women because she isn't running around in a potato sack is pretty shitty. That's why I brought up Picard's clothing. But of course heterosexual men don't notice that Picard dresses like a total vaginatease.
"It may prove to be awkward, or otherwise difficult to carry out, and it is certainly dangerous, putting a friendship that may have existed for many years at risk."
That is one thing but there are actually far more consequences. Obviously one of the two had to leave the ship and Crusher knows that Picard always put his career first. Probably Crusher would lose the position as chief medical officer on the flagship of the Federation and would have to commit to a long distance relationship to a guy who during the run of the show is portrayed as being non committal when it comes to relations.
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 8:19am (UTC -6)
Thu, Apr 30, 2020, 9:35am (UTC -6)
"In the fireside scene before their final encounter she clearly states that she never knew that he actually loved her and he tells her that he isn't in love with her anymore. Considering that they can literally read each others minds it must have been true."
This scene pretty clearly is meant to be understood as him *obviously* still being in love with her, but for some reason he won't say it even though he knows she can read his mind. So there are his real feelings, but then his *decision* is to tell her no. Does that mean he loves her but doesn't want a relationship yet? Or ever? Or does he, but he's too much of a coward to say it out loud because then he'd have to do something about it? All of these are possible, but what is not really possible is that his statement is true. This, as with the following scenes, ride on tone and what we know about them. So I'll have to watch again before answering anything else.
Tue, May 5, 2020, 1:43pm (UTC -6)
And this brings us to Picard and Crusher, who likewise realize they're been attached for years and just didn't want to admit it. The issue here isn't so much 'will they get together', as that they already are even though they've kept up the pretense of distance. But each has 'spies' in the others' towns; they are always watching each other; and they know much more than they let on. I would even suggest that they may be suspicious of each other, like those on Kesprytt are, insofar as they worry about the other person's intentions, or receptivity, to their secret feelings. Picard at the fireside mentions that the feelings went away, and although there's no visual read given by the actors here, my impression is still that this is patently untrue. However the actors don't give us much here; Stewart delivers the line as a blank piece of dialogue, and Crusher offer no reaction as if to say she hears from his thoughts that this is true, or untrue, or not entirely true. She offers no point of view and so all we have is the line itself, which to me is poppycock. So there is something between them.
We also know from the episode that Crusher apparently always has an acerbic retort on the tip of her tongue, which she generally squashes. Later in the episode, after they're back on the Enterprise she mentions that phrase, that she's glad they're not attached at the hip any more. Now this phrase is really a modern reference to marriage, and it's no accident in the writing that she employs this double meaning; it almost sounds like she means they got a divorce. Is this perhaps another acerbic line to hide her real feelings? Because if neurological detachment is a divorce, that means that what they had was a marriage, as in, a union. Now in this episode it was technological, but the Kesprytt analogy tells us that they had had that connection all along. And why joke about a divorce unless you were in some manner of speaking, a couple? Which brings us to the scene of contention.
I do agree with Elliott that they are dressed for a date; this is not their normal attire. There's one detail in the scene which I think is visually confusing, and may have affect Picard Maneuver's interpretation, which is that Crusher is wearing 'come hither' makeup, while Picard sports an open shirt. I think they intended this to be roughly equal in intention, but the fact of the matter is that on a technical level the makeup is much more eye-catching because we're mostly watching their faces and she's really made up. It's an asymmetry in how male and female actors are prepared for scenes, I think, and it does sort of make it look like she's being more alluring. Actually this is probably a modern cultural thing, where the female is put in that position. Anyhow, Picard Maneuver took issue with "Penny for your thoughts", which doesn't come across to me at all as flirtatious in a teasing way. But what does is what comes after:
PICARD: I was just thinking that as distracting as it was, I was beginning to get used to hearing your thoughts and I find that I miss it.
CRUSHER: So do I. It was very intimate. You know, last night I couldn't sleep.
PICARD: Oh?
CRUSHER: I was awake for several hours. And thanks to the implants, I got to hear some very interesting dreams of yours.
PICARD: A man can't be held responsible for what his mind does while he's asleep.
CRUSHER: What about when he's awake?
So this settles the "did Picard mean it" issue discussed earlier. He did not. And the way Crusher says it here, it all but sounds like she's about to jump him. Then this happens:
PICARD: So now that we've had this unique experience, what do we do?
CRUSHER: What do you mean?
PICARD: You know exactly what I mean.
CRUSHER: No, I don't. The implant's been removed, remember?
PICARD: Now that we know how each of us feels, perhaps we should not be afraid to explore those feelings.
(she kisses his cheek)
CRUSHER: Or perhaps we should be afraid. I think I should be going now.
She seemed to sort of be the aggressor, and then Picard the Captain comes in with "so what's the plan", which is not only to the point, but sounds like it must involve a formal decision. This is almost vaguely Worf-like on his part, like "so do mean you mean we should be mates now?" I think this is meant to scare her off, because she realizes it can't be just a romance that develops of its own steam, but because of who she and Picard are, is going to either be a total commitment or else nothing at all. The script has her play coy and deny the obvious, but McFadden delivers the lines straight. I think this was supposed to be another acerbic moment, but the actress missed the cue. since only a dolt would actually not know what he meant. Then he proposes to just go for it, and her words say a lot: maybe they should be a afraid. This brings us back to the Kes and the Prytt. The fact of the matter is they've both been afraid to go there, because of what might happen (or not happen). Picard is also feeling guilty, and Crusher probably is also. Yet it seems that they are so serious about each other that they don't want to mess it up. When she says "afraid" I think that's supposed to be serious. But McFadden says it sort of blankly, maybe vaguely tongue in cheek or something. I don't know why she would do that, other than the director didn't bother to tell her otherwise.
Because of how she acted those lines, the scene is disjointed and it really does look like she was about to jump Picard, with come hither looks and an alluring invitation, and then when he says he wants to go for it she smiles, backs away, and leaves. It's not absurd to read that as her toying with him, but I think this was the actress messing up the scene, because the script seems to me to say that she really does want it but is still too afraid to go through with it. We should be feeling bad for both of them, but the way the show actually plays she walks out mysteriously and it feels more like the audience is being teases, more than Picard. So I think an acting error is what's leading to the confusion here. My conclusion is that Crusher is not meant to be portrayed as leading Picard on or teasing him, but the direction of the scene got muddled and didn't quite come off correctly. After all, the situation on Kesprytt is that they're still too scared to talk to each other, and because of this the planet is not ready for Federation membership (read: unity). They need to work through this fear first, and we're meant to understand the same about Picard and Crusher; except we don't due to lack of paying close enough attention to the script.
Tue, May 5, 2020, 5:26pm (UTC -6)
"It's not absurd to read that as her toying with him, but I think this was the actress messing up the scene, because the script seems to me to say that she really does want it but is still too afraid to go through with it."
Except, you know, she *told* him she didn't want to go through with it. Your theories as to why are perfectly sound, but at the end of the day, no matter how she was dressed or how flirtatious she may have seemed (and whether or not this stems from a miscommunication on the set), there is no justification for “they turned Crusher into the kind of manipulative, soul-crushing woman that men are warned about," which is where this thread started.
Tue, May 5, 2020, 11:20pm (UTC -6)
I don't think you'll get any argument from me that "soul-crushing" is a hyperbolic term, and I took it more as an indication of the feeling such a move can generate in the guy, more so than actually saying she's the epitome of evil. I think the strong language is meant to communicate the emotional impact of it, not that the woman is *that* bad. But I'm guessing a bit, maybe Picard Maneuver wants to specify more. However where I was originally agreeing (having not remembered it that well) and where I now sympathize at least, is on the grounds that Crusher seems to both offer and then take away the thing, only changing her mind when Picard takes her up on it. If what you're talking about is her right, then of course it's her right; but man that sucks for the guy if that's what's happening. That being said, I only thing it may perhaps appear that way here because I think McFadden somewhat misplayed it. I'm not actually taking this position, but it is entirely coherent to suggest that she was toying with him and then changed her mind; and the fact that she finally says no doesn't mean a viewer can't be upset about it. She has the right to choose, but not the right to control others' reaction to it.
Fri, Jun 19, 2020, 7:31pm (UTC -6)
I guess the rampant paranoia and subterfuge just validates Picard's concerns from the teaser. Being so divided and hostile, neither society is ready for admission to the Federation. Nevertheless, the questions that arise about a divided planet are ripe for exploration, which they don't bother with here.
Picard and crusher running through the caves with the fire bursts reminded me of the "chompers" scene in Galaxy Quest. Mark beat me to it, but we can't be the only ones to notice the similarities.
The brain implants are the sort of throwaway plot element (device?) that should be making significant waves in society after its discovery. Imagine the possibilities, yet it's never mentioned again. I guess it's super secret Prytt technology that can't be reverse engineered. Yeah let's go with that.
Wed, Jun 24, 2020, 11:55pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Jul 4, 2020, 1:53pm (UTC -6)
LORIN [on viewscreen]: Enterprise, I have warned you about these unauthorised communications.
RIKER: Yes, I know, but I think it's about time we all sat down together and tried to work this out. I have Ambassador Mauric here...
LORIN [on viewscreen]: That is your misfortune. We have nothing to say to either of you.
(transmission ends)
MAURIC: Commander, you're working with the Prytt. Putting on this little show for my benefit does neither of us any good.
RIKER: We'll see. Mister Worf.
(Worf works his panel)
RIKER: I believe there's someone waiting for us in the Observation Lounge.
Sat, Nov 21, 2020, 10:03am (UTC -6)
Really quite an effective portrait of a paranoid society, I thought. Obviously inspired by cold-war era Earth, although why the planet has to be named after its two opposing societies I don't know. Imagine if we lived in a world called AmericaSovietUnion, or EastWest.
Anyway .. there are some problems with this episode. Imagine two high-profile prisoners being kept under maximum security at some prison in the US, or China, or anywhere. All they have to do to escape completely is get the code, or the key to their cell door. I don't think so.
And the gas explosions in the tunnel - what a cheap bit of script fluff.
The telepathic implants are a nice idea. Will the federation exploit this technology for some useful purpose? Or is it just a throwaway plot device that will get forgotten about?
There's a bit of sonic screwdrivery when Beverley defeats a forcefield with a tricorder. I enjoyed the idea of the electronic map on the hand-held device. In the early '90s when this episode was shown that would have seemed as futuristic as phasers, now it's called Google Maps.
Why can't the Enterprise find Picard and Beverley on the planet's surface using sensors? Perhaps I missed something. Usually there'd be some ridiculous technobollocks excuse. And normally Riker would have sorted out an Away Team in about 3 minutes so I'm not sure why that wasn't considered.
I could have done without the sentimental cheese between Picard and Beverley at the end.
Didn't like it much. Didn't dislike it much.
Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 5:01pm (UTC -6)
And how did they light that fire ?
Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 8:53am (UTC -6)
Mon, May 3, 2021, 3:03pm (UTC -6)
Sun, Sep 12, 2021, 3:42am (UTC -6)
At the end, Crusher says the implant was still there during the previous night. What night was this? The campfire? Or was that after they got on the ship? If the latter, they would have slept in the same room less than 2 meters apart. In the fire scene, Crusher lays down first. But in the conversation after they're on the ship, she mentions she fell asleep last implying these were separate nights. We can't really be sure though.
So they got it removed during the day at some point before they're having a late night lunch. It's not clear if this is the same day they beamed back up or if it's the next day. I'm assuming it's the next day and they actually did sleep together. Otherwise Crusher's dialogue doesn't really make sense. Especially the line "what about when he's awake?" Earlier, we got the line "I'm glad we're not joined at the hip any longer." Double entendre? All the lines from the very start of the lunch could be interpreted as double entendres. When Picard asks about what to do after this "unique experience", maybe he's not talking about the implant. This is why Crusher is asking him to clarify. Otherwise, what's the confusion about?
Listen to the dialogue again but with the assumption they slept together. It makes more sense. And the man fell asleep first (TNG would have no problem injecting this into the show... and during the fire scene, it's implied Picard fell asleep last. He may have found out hidden feelings from Crusher). The show's producers likely wanted it to remain somewhat ambiguous (that something happened and when). Problem is the way the lines were delivered made it seem like Crusher was toying with Picard (if nothing happened). The other way around, she's just messing with Picard (teasing him) on how much he enjoyed himself. At the end though, she doesn't see how it would work and decides against a long term relationship. Maybe with the implant, the emotions and "intimacy" she described were overwhelming. But now that it's gone, she's reassessed the situation. Maybe Picard still has guilt about being with his best friend's wife and she doesn't believe Picard can move beyond that.
If nothing happened, Crusher's lines at the end are really bad.
Perhaps I'm wrong in all this, but I don't think the possibility should be dismissed so easily.
Also, never leave a lit fire unattended. That still bugs me. lol
Sun, Sep 12, 2021, 2:26pm (UTC -6)
Fri, Sep 17, 2021, 4:11pm (UTC -6)
Regarding "attached at the hip", this has more of a connotation to me of marriage than of sex. I've never heard the expression used to imply having sex, but it certainly means being together all the time and inseparable. And I think the implication of "we're not attached at the hip anymore", beyond being a reference to the plot, is maybe saying something like they've been on this ship for seven years for reasons never clear to either of them, and now that things are out in the open they may have to actively decide to remain even in their current relationship, to say nothing of advancing it somewhere. They certainly can't just stay side by side on the ship as they have been without some kind of understanding of where they are going (if anywhere).
Thu, Oct 28, 2021, 2:09pm (UTC -6)
Thu, Oct 28, 2021, 2:40pm (UTC -6)
Wed, Nov 17, 2021, 2:45am (UTC -6)
PRODUCER 2: Yes! Yes! I have an idea for a show…
…that’s absolutely ridiculous. The one good thing about it - the central theme - is Picard and Crusher being ‘linked together’, and that does make the episode memorable and worthwhile. The back story unfolding via telepathic communication is emotional and strong, and is the only thing I remember from seeing the episode once before, years ago.
Unfortunately, the rest of it is total garbage, summed up by the usual slight forehead ridges that are meant to indicate an alien race. (Yeah right. In a vast galaxy, we are meant to believe that human-like species evolve on planets many light years apart? Oh please. This is something Star Wars does so much better…) As for the squabbling paranoia exhibited by both races, one of which is supposed to be ready to join the Federation, I just sighed with frustration at how poor it all was. You could almost envisage the wet Wednesday afternoon with the writers sitting around a table unable to come up with anything halfway decent, and thrashing out a series of compromises that could be stitched together into a script.
3 stars for the Picard / Crusher story, 1 star for the rest. 2 stars overall.
Tue, Jun 28, 2022, 2:32pm (UTC -6)
The intrigue, action, and suspense were all engaging and I kept wondering if Picard and Crusher would make it.
The two nations' dynamic and intercourse were also interesting.
As for Picard and Crusher's mind-melds and other personal stuff, ordinarily I'd recoil from such content but I guess I either care enough about them or that subplot wasn't too obtrusive for me to have minded its inclusion in the overall arc.
Three stars is about right, maybe 3-1/2.
Wed, Mar 8, 2023, 9:46pm (UTC -6)
Sat, Oct 7, 2023, 10:04am (UTC -6)
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