N424

    A CLASSIC.

    This is one very suspenseful outing. It has several very tense scenes, most especially the climax. That climax ranks up there among the very best: Geordi is closing in for the kill as Data methodically puts the clues together.

    Best Actor: LeVar Burton.

    Best Scene: The Climax.

    The story is well put together. It makes for an excellent chapter in the ongoing Klingon/Romulan conflict episodes. Nice to see Sela in shadow.

    Two interesting points: Geordi is brainwashed by machine, and fixed again by Deanna's gentleness. Not, of course, that he is "fixed". The ending is very downbeat.

    Just like "Remember Me" this whole episode is a look at memory. Geordi's fake memories had given him great pleasure. So much so that Deanna noticed it.

    In this way, the effect of memory is highlighted. All that we are, really, - our attitude/mood/etc. - is derived from our memories.

    Which character comes over as the most heroic?

    Geordi doesn't. But it is a Geordi episode. Which makes it a bit of an oddity among Star Trek episodes, one where the central character is purely a victim. Overpowered and then "saved" by others.

    Even so, this episode is brilliant.

GRADE: A+

 Review by Michael Leddy

Comments are welcome: dec@iol.ie

This page hosted by where you can get your own Free Homepage.