Review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 2 (6 Disc Boxset)

Introduction

Season 2 of Star Trek The Next Generation comes to DVD following the format and precedent established by the first box set. This time, coming on six discs, encased lovingly by a digipack, placed securely in a robust plastic carry case, there are four episodes per disc, with disc 6 containing two episodes plus over an hour of extras. Mathematicians will already have realised that the total number of episodes adds up to a total of 22 episodes as opposed to 26. After a shaky first season, TNG was all ready to settle down and establish itself as a viable Trek franchise when a writers` strike severely affected production. So once again, scripts from the cancelled Phase II project were dusted off, most notably in the season opener and the length of the season was trimmed down by four episodes. Consequently, script quality varies throughout the season, from the ridiculous to the sublime. If you are wondering, no you don`t get an extra discount for the missing disc.

As always, the series evolves and changes as new ideas are developed and tried. For Season 2, Doctor Crusher has been given a new posting and has left her son on the Enterprise. To replace her, Doctor Katherine Pulaski arrives to provide more of a spark. As Gene Roddenberry stated, he wished for a more McCoy like personality aboard to give Picard some balance, and true to that, Pulaski is just like McCoy in her gruffness, her dislike of transporters and her general distrust of technology. This leads to some confrontations with Data who epitomises technology. Elsewhere, Geordi La Forge has been promoted from Lieutenant jg to Lieutenant Commander and has been made Chief Engineer, a post that was somewhat neglected in Season 1. There is a permanent transporter officer now in the shape of O`Brien (rank yet to be settled). Worf has been made permanent head of Security and has consequently had his uniform updated and his forehead changed. Commander Riker has been told to lighten up, mellow out and grow a beard. Most significant is the addition of a pub. Meant to show the crew in informal situations, the addition of an off duty bar at the front of the ship is an interesting development, but the casting of Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan, the bartender is inspired, and Ten Forward allows for some interesting story ideas and more importantly, character development. Naturally, the special effects are improved on Season one as well.

The Episodes

As stated, there are fewer episodes this time around, and again they are of varying quality, so once again, I`ll give each a mark out of 10.

1. The Child
The Season opener is adapted from a Phase II script that had Ilia (The Motion Picture) undergoing an immaculate conception that endangered the ship. Here it is Deanna who gets visited during the night by a glowing alien and soon thereafter gives birth to a son. This causes problems for the ship, which is carrying a cargo of dangerous plague samples. Meanwhile Wesley is wrestling with a decision and gets advice from the new bartender. The Child is a rather unsatisfying story, but Deanna finally gets a strong storyline, and Marina Sirtis relishes the chance to explore her character. Also the introduction of Guinan makes for an intriguing character and she has some nice moments with Wesley in Ten Forward, including the cool warp effect. 7/10

2. Where Silence Has Lease
The Enterprise investigates a mysterious `hole` in space when the crew suddenly finds themselves enveloped and trapped. A superior being, Nagilum is experimenting on the crew in a test to destruction. Another disappointing show, the Nagilum storyline is never adequately resolved, with little emotional resonance with the viewer. Also Wesley leaves the bridge just in time for a replacement red-shirt to kick the bucket. 6/10

3. Elementary, Dear Data
While awaiting a rendezvous, the Enterprise crew take the opportunity to relax. Data indulges a fantasy and goes to the holodeck to re-enact a Sherlock Holmes adventure. But as he has the stories all memorised, Geordi gets creative and programs an adversary that can defeat Data. The Enterprise is in mortal danger when Moriarty becomes self-aware and seeks to escape the confines of the holodeck. The holodeck, could have easily have been a dramatic cheat, a way of introducing genres not usually seen in Star Trek, but to their credit, the writers use the dramatic construct creatively to develop characters and storylines. Here the Holmes characters allow for a fun mystery and a chance to see new aspects of Data and Geordi, but Moriarty`s sentience poses the traditional sci-fi questions of existence. 9/10

4. The Outrageous Okona
The Enterprise encounters a damaged freighter piloted by the flamboyant rogue, Okona. While his ship is being repaired, Okona makes an impression on the crew. Then two vessels from opposing factions appear with differing demands on Okona to answer for his crimes. Han Solo comes to the Enterprise, at least that must have been the intention when the script was mooted. However William Campbell`s Okona lacks the panache and charisma to carry the character off, and the story suffers consequently. However the saving grace is an excellent subplot where Data tries to learn about humour. And yes, that is Teri Hatcher pushing the transporter buttons. 7/10

5. Loud As A Whisper
The Enterprise is called upon to ferry an acclaimed negotiator to resolve a desperate conflict. Riva is profoundly deaf and communicates through his chorus, with which he is telepathically bonded. When a terrorist attack robs him of his chorus, Riva is disoriented and unable to function. Deanna and Data help Riva cope with the loss and regain his confidence to rescue the negotiations. A well-written story and a strong guest character epitomise the best ideals of Star Trek. 7/10

6. The Schizoid Man
Ira Graves is one of the Federation`s foremost scientists, specialising in cybernetics. When a distress call diverts the Enterprise, an away team finds that Graves is in the final stage of a terminal disease. The away team beam back when Graves dies, but when Data starts acting peculiarly, it becomes apparent that Graves made a final breakthrough before he died. Ira Graves is an interesting character, but the story is mundane, reminiscent of the final Original series episode, Turnabout Intruder. 6/10

7. Unnatural Selection
On their way to visit a starbase, a distress call from the supply ship, USS Lantree, the last vessel to visit a science research laboratory, diverts the Enterprise. The crew are found dead of unnatural old age. Quarantining the ship, the Enterprise continues on to the science lab to investigate. They find an aging disease running rampant among the scientists. A genetic engineering project has gone wrong, and Doctor Pulaski must use all her abilities to affect a cure. The Star Trek universe has never looked kindly on genetic engineering. This tirade is no exception as humanity once again tampers with forces it cannot comprehend. Naturally it all goes wrong. What`s worse is that a transporter trick saves the day. A rather poor episode with terrible old age make up is used to establish Pulaski`s character. 5/10

8. A Matter of Honour
An exchange programme sees Riker assume the first officer position aboard the Klingon cruiser Pagh. At the same time a Benzite comes aboard the Enterprise. However Ensign Mendon`s lack of familiarity with protocol endangers both vessels. The Klingon Captain, assuming an attack by the Enterprise decides to retaliate. Riker must walk a fine line between his conflicting loyalties to resolve the situation without causing a diplomatic incident. This is an outstanding episode that brings the Klingons back with a bang. As well as an unprecedented look at the Klingon culture, this is an entertaining story with a thrilling climax. 9/10

9. The Measure of a Man
During a respite at a starbase, cyberneticist Bruce Maddox order Data to submit to experimentation with a view to creating more androids. When Data refuses to endanger his existence, Maddox obtains a ruling declaring Data the property of Starfleet. Picard must fight to establish Data`s right to freedom once and for all. This show is exemplary of the best that Star Trek has to offer. Exploring the fundamental questions of existence, this is an extremely well written episode. The backstory of the Stargazer court martial immediately engenders friction between Picard and the judge, Louvois. Riker`s role is subverted as he has to argue the case against his friend and in a poignant moment, Guinan cuts to the crux of the argument, which is a revelation to Picard. On a lighter note, the Next Gen tradition of the poker game is born. A truly classic episode that deserves 10/10

10. The Dauphin
Salia is the hereditary ruler of a divided world, destined to bring peace. She has spent her childhood sequestered on an isolated world being groomed for leadership. After sixteen years, the Enterprise is assigned to take her and her governess back home. When she beams aboard, Wesley Crusher is instantly infatuated. But when her governess objects to the budding relationship, a more dangerous side to the guests is revealed. Wesley`s first romance is a rather trite and poorly written affair, with little spark or excitement to it. The elasomorphs in their monster guise are laughable, but there is entertainment value in Wesley`s `education`. 5/10

11. Contagion
Captain Picard takes the Enterprise into the Romulan Neutral Zone to help his friend Donald Varley, Captain of the Yamato. Varley has discovered the ruined Iconian homeworld in the zone and fears the balance of power will shift to whoever learns the Iconians secrets. In a race to beat the Romulans there, the Yamato becomes afflicted by malfunctions. When the Yamato is subsequently destroyed, Picard decides to complete Varley`s mission himself. Playing hide and seek with the Romulans, the Enterprise also starts to malfunction. Another excellent episode, containing some good science fiction in a well-written story, the action and suspense keep the viewer glued from beginning to end. 9/10

12. The Royale
Investigating reports of spaceship debris, the Enterprise visits an inhospitable world where it finds the remains of a 300-year-old NASA vessel. On the planet, there is a habitable structure amidst the maelstrom. Beaming down, Riker, Data and Worf find the recreation of a 20th Century hotel, complete with inhabitants. Their problems only begin when they lose contact with the ship and soon they realise they are trapped. A hotel room created by superior aliens for the sake of a displaced Earth astronaut may seem familiar, but that`s as far as any resemblance to 2001 goes. This episode starts off by bugging the physicist in me, with Geordi announcing a surface temperature that is patently impossible. The episode is instantly dated by the reference to Fermat`s last theory. These are minor things in a far more flawed story though. No expense was spent on the special effects and the whole adventure seems pointless and unsatisfying. The characters are likeable though. 6/10

13. Time Squared
The Enterprise receives a distress signal from a Federation craft, in an area of space where there shouldn`t be one. They intercept a powerless shuttlecraft with one passenger, a duplicate Captain Picard. While the duplicate is insensate, the shuttle`s log indicates the Enterprise will be destroyed in the next few hours. The present and future Captains must prevent this from happening, though their methods do not agree. This episode is enjoyable enough, but the story contains two flaws. One, there is no reason given for the predicament the crew find themselves in and two, the eventual solution makes no logical sense. 6/10

14. The Icarus Factor
Will Riker has been offered his own command and while he is making up his mind, his father Kyle, a civilian advisor to Starfleet comes aboard to brief him. Unfortunately Kyle and Will don`t see eye to eye. Meanwhile, it`s the anniversary of Worf`s Rite of Ascension and he is feeling particularly masochistic, and there are no Klingons to play with. This episode is more akin to soap opera than sci-fi, what with personal problems and relationships. It is interesting to see the characters in an informal setting and the show is settled enough and relaxed enough to focus primarily on character development. 7/10

15. Pen Pals
In a distant sector, all the planetary systems are linked by unexplained geological instabilities. Wesley is assigned the task of putting together a team to investigate this. Meanwhile Data has begun corresponding with a child on one of these planets. When he learns that her world will soon be destroyed, he goes to Picard. Soon the ship is caught between a Rock and the Prime Directive. This episode is a little slow in getting started, with Wesley`s dilemma merely filler until the real quandary regarding the Prime Directive. The moral and ethical impasse is gripping until the appearance of Data`s friend, an orange pixie with a helium voice. 6/10

16. Q Who
Q returns to the Enterprise, with a plea to join the crew as a fellow explorer. Picard is extremely sceptical of Q`s intentions and refuses out of hand. In a fit of pique, Q hurls the ship 7000 light years away to a chilling encounter with the race that destroyed Guinan`s world and scattered her people. Soon a gargantuan cubic vessel fills the view screen. Yay! It`s the Borg, the baddest villains to ever grace a Trek episode. This is the episode that drew the line between old and new Star trek, where the Next Generation firmly established its own identity. Any episode with Q is bound to be good value, and this episode establishes a back story for Guinan and to top it off, the Borg themselves in their more mechanistic pre movie incarnation are just as chilling. Easily 10/10

17. Samaritan Snare
Wesley and Picard go to a starbase, Wesley to sit some exams and Picard for an operation while the Enterprise conducts a stellar survey. A distress call from the galaxy`s morons, the Pakleds take up the Enterprise`s time. The Pakled aren`t as dumb as they look though when they take Geordi hostage. While the ship is tied up, Captain Picard faces death on the surgeon`s table. An interesting episode, which delves into Picard`s past and explains the man`s discipline and drive. The Pakleds provide the comedy relief but the medical procedure carried out by Daniel Benzali is unintentionally hilarious. 8/10

18. Up The Long Ladder
Investigating an ancient distress call, the Enterprise discovers a lost human colony of simple nature loving folk, who need rescuing from a stellar flare up. They tell of another colony settled by the same ship, of technology minded scientists. The Enterprise finds a planet full of clones that are desperate for new genetic material to further their race, and they will go to any length. Oh Dear! Just when the series finds its feet, it deals up this travesty. Another cautionary tale of cloning and genetic engineering gone wrong is compounded with the worst stereotype of twee Irish society, just missing leprechauns and the Blarney stone, to grace a television screen. The simple "Oirish" charm and simple down-to-earth people of the land, where every other woman is heavily pregnant is borderline offensive. A dire episode 2/10

19. Manhunt
On a diplomatic mission, the Enterprise is once again graced by the redoubtable presence of Lwaxana Troi, Deanna`s mother. Lwaxana is entering the phase of her life where her sex-drive increases greatly, and this time the object of her affection is none other than Captain Picard. The Captain is faced with perhaps his most difficult mission, staying one step ahead of Lwaxana`s appetites. Star Trek`s most flamboyant character returns in a highly entertaining episode that definitely highlights the lighter side of the cast. This one is guaranteed to raise a smile. 8/10

20. The Emissary
A 75-year-old Klingon sleeper ship is about to revive its crew, a crew that is still at war with the Federation. The Enterprise picks up a special envoy to help welcome the Klingons to the 24th Century, before they go on a rampage. Worf is assigned to the emissary to assist in her mission, but their feelings are conflicted due to a previous acrimonious relationship. A strong character in K`Ehleyr lifts a fairly average story and this episode is the beginning of a strong story arc for Worf`s character that lasts all the way through the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine as well. 7/10

21. Peak Performance
To counter the Borg threat, Starfleet decides that war games are necessary to hone their officers` skills. To this end, the Enterprise crew is to be divided. Riker will take a crew of 40 to a decommissioned ship, the Hathaway and take her into combat against Picard and the Enterprise. It`s a race to make the Hathaway spaceworthy again before battle commences, but the Ferengi want to spoil the party. A brilliant episode that by all rights should have concluded Season 2 but alas, that isn`t the case. Nevertheless, an excellent tale sees the Enterprise crew having fun, matched against each other. You get to see the playful sides of the characters in the context of a fun and exciting story. Roy Brocksmith is a wonderfully annoying canker as the strategic adviser, Kolrami. 10/10

22. Shades of Gray
Riker gets jabbed by an alien thorn and falls into a coma. The Doctor treats him by inducing strong feelings and memories in his REM state. Deanna cries a lot. This is the worst Star Trek episode ever, even including the infamous "Spock`s Brain". A limp clip show makes for a sorry finale to the season. 45 minutes that will have you regretting your purchase. It`s also an unfortunate swansong for Dr Pulaski, who goes out on a bum note. The writers` strike is definitely biting here, but so is the budget. Worf and Wesley take an early bath, and only three sets are left standing. Sickbay, Transporter room and planet, there isn`t even a corridor. Poor, Deanna, who has made such great strides in developing her character during season 2 takes a step back to the whimpering empath of the first few episodes of the first year. 0/10

Video

The first shot of the first episode in Season 2 is a hint of things to come. You get an atmospheric shot of the two starships in rendezvous over a planet. The ships are atmospherically lit with sharp sunlight picking highlights off the leading edges and stark shadows contrasting the hulls. It is such a major improvement over Season 1 where everything was all bright and shiny, with primary colours dominating. The sets have improved; the bridge is sturdier with the helm chairs more upright rather than laid back. Ten Forward is an atmospherically lit set, where the crew can relax in more intimate moments. The effects have improved considerably, with a new warp effect shown off in the first episode. DVD is such a brilliant medium. In Peak Performance, there is one scene where the Enterprise fires torpedoes at the Hathaway, just as it goes into warp. Using frame advance, you can see the torpedoes fired and as they exit the Enterprise the glow from the missiles is reflected on the starship`s hull. Just as they are about to strike the Hathaway, you can see the nacelles brighten in a couple of frames as the warp drive powers up. Now the average viewer would miss most of this, but it shows the lengths and care that the makers have gone to. The effects crew set themselves a steep improvement curve between Seasons 1 and 2, but what is amazing is that this level of improvement has been maintained ever since with each Season boasting a similar improvement in effects quality. As for the DVD, my usual observations about US and UK television apply. Soft and grainy is the order of the day. A 4:3 ratio as you would expect. The picture quality, by and large is acceptable, but there is occasionally a variation, as if different film stock was transferred. Also some of the more darker, murkier scenes are prone to artefacts. This is especially apparent in Elementary, Dear Data, where the mists of London give the transfer some difficulty. These are rare instances and not representative of the DVD as a whole.

Audio

The same attention that was graced on Season 1 is lavished on Season 2. Each episode has been remastered for DD 5.1 quality, but there are mono tracks too in French, German, Italian and Spanish. The first season`s music was very anthemic, but lacking in individuality. Here the music is less in your face and is beginning to find it`s own identity. The surround is put to good use and you are immersed in the episodes as never before. With the speakers rumbling in sympathy all around you, you feel as if you are on the Enterprise.

Features

Last time around, I was less than impressed by the extras provided for Season 1. Most probably because there was nothing that a die-hard fan wouldn`t have known. Season 2 is an improvement in many ways. The extras aren`t used to introduce the whole series, but rather focus on the changes that have occurred over the hiatus and as such are more specific and informing. As well as the funky packaging and the booklet, there is a Mission Overview (15 min), which has a general look at Season 2 and focuses on the new Doctor as well as Guinan and Ten Forward. The Selected Crew Analysis (14 min) takes a look at how certain characters are developed for the new Season. The Production (18 min) looks behind the scenes of Season 2, from character development to costume design and so forth. Memorable Missions (17 min) has members of the production crew pick out their personal favourite episodes as well as some cast members. Finally Star Trek Archives takes a look at the props and models that have been meticulously stored and catalogued as a marvellous archive of Star Trek resources. All these extras have interviews from 1987 and 1988, as well as some more contemporary contributions. While all this is an improvement on the Season 1 extras in that they are more specific and likely to provide previously unknown information, I still feel let down by the nature of the extras. Star Trek has always guarded any bloopers rigorously, so it may be unlikely to expect those, but surely there must be some deleted scenes that could add to the episodes. That isn`t to mention episode commentaries. Q Who is an obvious choice for a commentary, introducing the Borg, but I would also have like to have heard some comments on Measure of A Man. The episodes and options are presented in menus similar to the LCARS system shown on the Enterprise consoles, with music and sound effects playing in the background, really quite nice.

Conclusion

Another month, another Star Trek box set. The crew are all back, to boldly go once again. Well most of them. Denise Crosby decided enough was enough and the only way that she`s appear on Star Trek again was through time travel. Gates McFadden is nowhere to be seen either, as Doctor Crusher has gone back to Earth, leaving her son to be raised on the ship. In her place, Diane Muldaur joins the cast as the cantankerous Dr Pulaski, but more of that later. While the quality of the scripts may have been as variable as the first season, Season 2 was an immense improvement over the first if only in terms of the characters. It`s amazing to see how much the cast had settled down and begun exploring their characters. Patrick Stewart is always the consummate professional, so Captain Picard didn`t evolve as much as the other characters. However some of the pomposity of the first season was dropped, and a more human side to the character was allowed to shine through. Riker changed the most, and not just the beard. Jonathon Frakes settled the character down, and Riker was more relaxed, convivial, and thankfully quieter and more thoughtful. LeVar Burton as Geordi found a niche in engineering. Here the character could develop and contribute more to the stories as oppose to just driving the ship. Michael Dorn as Worf fitted naturally into the security position. Some excellent stories regarding the Klingons allowed his role to shine and he started having some fun with the role. Marina Sirtis states in the extras how uncertain she was that she would even be in the second season, but Deanna really progressed, from a weepy empath, to a trusted advisor who made intelligent contributions to the crew. New additions include Colm Meaney. Although he popped up a few times in the first season, here he is a regular appearance in the transporter room as O`Brien. At the moment he`s a Lieutenant, but eventually, he`ll lose his commission and be Chief O`Brien. Give it a couple of years and he`ll even have a first name and be starring in a spin off. Talk about working your way up the ranks. Whoopi Goldberg is hired to run the bar. As Guinan, she is inspired casting, being a mysterious cipher that is an important catalyst in the crews off duty interactions. Whoopi underplays the role and as such is an important and necessary part of the cast rather than just a guest star. Then we come to Doctor Pulaski. It`s easy with twenty-twenty hindsight to be critical of certain decisions. The objective was to introduce a McCoy like character to provide an abrasive element in the crew. Unfortunately, they did their job too well, and Pulaski was pretty much a clone of McCoy. The problem with an abrasive character is that they do not fit in, and just as the cast was gelling, Pulaski was a random element who seems very out of place. It`s understandable then that the decision was reversed, and Gates McFadden was recalled as Dr Crusher for the 3rd Season. She would have to play catch up to develop her character. It`s important to note, that while the characters improved, it`s because of the interactions between them that this happened. The cast bonded as whole into an ensemble to a far greater degree than the original cast did, and that is apparent in any episode from Season 2 onwards. No matter how bad the story, how hackneyed the script, there is bound to be a character moment that rewards the regular viewer. Riker`s cooking, Data modelling a beard, Worf building model boats, Wesley looking for romantic advice, it`s moments like these that give most of the episodes higher marks for content this time round.

The stories are vast improvements on the first season on the whole. The producers have pretty much given up on the Ferengi as credible villains, and they make only one fleeting appearance this season, before they are reinvented as the greedy money grabbers we know and love. This time around, while the Romulans pay a visit, and we really begin to delve into Klingon culture, it`s the Borg that become the main nemesis. Their introduction is fleeting, but ominous, and it really lays the groundwork of what is yet to come. Meanwhile, another story arc is fleshed out, with the Klingons. In Season 2 we learn about Klingon heritage and culture, a move that will make Worf a central character in the Next Generation and DS9. Ironic really, when you consider that Michael Dorn was only supposed to be in a few episodes of Season 1. The writing improves and already we have a candidate for best Star Trek episode, in the Measure of A Man. Courtroom dramas are always compelling viewing, but a fundamental issue like slavery, coupled with Patrick Stewart`s classic oratory makes this an unparalleled episode. But for such a glowing episode, there has to be a stinker to balance out the Karma, and boy what a stinker! Shades of Gray should never have been made. It would have been perfectly acceptable for the season to last 21 episodes. In technical terms, this is where TNG jumped the shark. But in an unprecedented move, it jumped right back again into the even better Season 3.

So there it is, Season 2. And it`s another optimistic report for the lad. Improved over last year, better presentation, better communication skills, still has an occasional lapse into foolishness, but a definite improvement in all areas. Could do better though. On the technical side, a fair picture, impressive sound and the extras are better, but still disappointing. Dash it all, I want commentaries and deleted scenes.