I think the best part about trials and tribbleations is that they managed to slot in into the original series canon without it affecting anything at all
The best part about T & T is we finally see an explanation why tribbles continue to plop down on Kirk after he is buried in them from the storage locker. Because Sisko and Dax are still up there scanning and tossing them aside.
My only knock on it is the side-joke about the smooth Klingons. ENT ran this into the ground later because T&T gave it permission to. I would have preferred that they completely ignore it. I’ve fully jumped onto the “aesthetics are not canon” bandwagon at this point
"The Inner Light" was a great episode. Picard's experience was mentioned again in the sixth season episode "Lessons". The fact that the show's producers didn't do more with it isn't a fault of the episode itself, so it can't really be considered overrated on those grounds.
And I think that mention was more than they ever did with Picard's experience post-"Chain of Command". Shouldn't those episodes be on this list by the same logic?
Yup, pretty much this. Also, this was a very personal experience for Picard. It's not something he was wont to share. Few could relate to the experience.
I feel like he's being critical of, not the episode, but the highly episodic nature of TNG itself. There are a few episodes that, if this was a more series-story-arc-ish show like DS9, would see a long-term impact. It simply wasn't a thing that TNG did.
Inner Light and Trials and Tribbleations are fantastic stand alone stories that resonate for opposite reasons. Trials is lighthearted and fun while Inner Light exposes Picards vulnerable side and gives him a taste of the life he could have had if he did not chose Starfleet.
I believe that Inner Light is arguably the finest single story ever delivered by TNG. I am also grateful that it was left to stand alone rather than being riffed into insignificance with constant references and revisitations.
Perhaps I should wait until I watch this rant completely but to see Picard holding that flute knowing it is from an episode I remember SO fondly (the different life he could have had and perhaps a more satisfying one)outrages me. Perhaps this guy doing this rant is not the sentimental type. Otherwise, the episode couldn't have been better. You sir are in the minority.....for sure
Since streaming didn’t exist in the 80s and 90s, I used to record every episode on VHS. After I saw The Inner Light for the first time, I was so moved that I immediately rewound my tape and watched it over again. To this day, no matter how many times I’ve watched it, the moment Picard realizes what’s going on always brings tears to my eyes! I agree, the lack of follow-up was frustrating, but the episode itself? Perfection!
I remember, as a child, turning the episode off when Picard realizes he's not on the Enterprise. When I watched it again as a teenager, I had a greater appreciation.
The "Inner Light" Blows me away every time I see it. How Picard lived a whole life in only a few minutes!! Amazing! The end when he discovers what has happened, brings tears to my eyes!
The thought gets me too. Picard not only got to live a life as a family man, but became the bearer of memories of a now-extinct civilisation. I like to think that the Federation kept the probe, figured out how to use it and let volunteers experience the memories, so that a fragment of that civilisation lives on and is never forgotten entirely.
One could argue that because you wanted to see more follow-up with Inner Light, and didn't get it, it should go on the Underrated Episode List. But for me, Inner Light did have a follow-up. Getting to see Picard play the flute again in Lessons was fantastic. Not all character building events need to be re-visited.
It definitely occurred to me while watching this that the fact "Inner Light" wasn't exactly 'followed up' can't be considered a fault of the episode. A cynical person might say it's a strength. And yeah, did we forget about "Lessons"? That...that's not a good episode.
I think I made a mistake and didn't see what I have posted. No: I do not think it 'needed' a follow up. For me it was a very satisfying ending. Esp. seeing him at the end. I felt gratitude that I was able to experience this with him. I don't think it's underrated. Personally, it's among my top 25 of all Star Trek franchises .. most likely top ten.
Oh, i was agreeing with what I think you said, and that the fact that noone addressed it much later didn't detract one bit from the episode. Of course we literally can't forget about 'lessons" but I don't much count it as a followup personally as I think it's one of a line of not-very-good season 7 episodes.@@josepha.r5839
For me, Inner Light does NOT need a follow up. It would run counter to how Picard deals with life in general. The man is reserved to a fault. He is stoic and does not looking weak when he believes he needs to a a source of strength to lead his people. Just like when he used to be a Borg. That happened but he never brings it up unless its absolutely needed.
trials and tribbleations- For it's time was insane. Yeah, in an age where we worry about AI taking over the world of acting, it may not have aged the best, but this was a unique marriage at its time. I would not say it was overrrated.
The hilarious thing about "Dawn" is, sure...it's very similar to "Darmok", but it's also nearly a beat for beat re-creation of the 1985 movie "Enemy Mine" starring Dennis Quaid. Except they spend a night on the planet instead of several months. I wonder when Lower Decks is gonna reference that.
I was thinking the TNG season 3 episode "The Enemy." Geordi and a Romulan spy on the surface of a hostile planet and have to work together to get out before it kills them, while the Enterprise faces off against a belligerent Romulan ship. People focus too much on the communication barrier aspect, I think, to notice that even the "engineer has to play diplomat under stressful conditions" aspect is a retread.
100% wrong about Inner Light, we saw the effect it had on him several times. He warmed up to children, he played his flute, even fell in love and played music with someone else.
I'm so glad you included Daedalus... I actually just watched that for the first time, and when all the 'emotional' moments came in with the crying on the bridge and the funeral, I was just sitting there thinking that I couldn't remember her character's name prior to that episode nor a single personal conversation between her and anyone else. That the writers tried so hard to make it a tragic moment just underscored that they had done nothing in a season and a half to develop (or even properly introduce) this character until her death.
Trials and Tribble-Ations is, if anything, _underrated_ as a technical achievement. What they did would be admirable _today_ and they did it _twenty years ago._ How did they even get the TOS footage clean enough to seamlessly mesh with the DS9 footage?! I don't need the help of the Orb of Time to remember how many more years it'd be before we got a version of TOS which looked as good! And as far as stories go, it was clever and fun.
I would say exactly the opposite for Mirror, Mirror. The original Jerome Bixby episode is the only one that gets to the heart of what the mirror universe is all about: "You're a man of integrity in both universes, Mr. Spock." The point is that logic is a universal constant, and ultimately this is what Kirk relies on to save the Halkans. It was the later episodes that basically threw all that out the window-the failure of Spock's revolution renders the whole concept meaningless-and left us with "everyone good is evil here and vice versa." Inner Light is an amazing episode. Also, they *do* follow up on it in later episodes: in "Lessons" the flute plays a big role in his relationship with Lt. Commander Daren.
I honestly think Message In a Bottle is a great episode. It's an easy watch and makes me smile. I don't think its overrated at all. It's up there with Someone to Watch Over Me as a guilty pleasure watch of Voyager. Two episodes that don't really do anything but are a treat to re-watch.
Zimmerman repeatedly programming horrible doctors is narratively intentional; he strikes me as an Elizabeth-Holmes-type, who can’t see beyond his own technical accomplishment to see how occupationally ill-equipped his EMHs are in the humanities
While I do agree that Trials and Tribbleations doesn't add to the overall plot/story of DS9, to the point it can be skipped outright and not affect the overall plot, it doesn't have to for the merits of this episode to shine! It still stood out to me as rather impressive in a cinematography and film editing way, and frankly still holds up great today! How they were able to get the DS9 cast to look as if they're interacting with members of the TOS crew, that was brilliant in it's own right! It was also written fairly cleverly, the actors did a great job in their roles, and was overall a fun and silly episode that I still look back at fondly when I recollect about my favorite moments of the series.
The Voager “flashback” did call back several original & movie actors - yet the plot device is ultimately useless. The virus, passed on through others, viewed many times, does not really affect the mission of Sulu’s crew. Cameos, recreated sets, part of an excellent movie - Tuvok and Janeway are not there for the mission, but a virus. “Trials & Tribbles” intersects with the vintage cast, the DS9 Crew solve problems, they have fun, they balance the time reality, and are glad to have served with the crew of past,…and, Klingons?
Agreed but when you already had Tim Russ on set, your kind of got an arm tied behind your back for how to deal with the TOS anniversary episode. Their callback to the ferangi stranded from the TNG episode was a better tie in. But what they did miss was referencing tuvoks twin brother being beat up by Picard in a baryon sweep highjacking
One BTS note from the commentary: When they were coming up with the idea for this episode, Charlie Brill (The actor from the TOS episode just happened to walk in to get some pizza at the place where they were brainstorming the story. FATE AT WORK - lolololol
Yes. I think there is a flute in Picard, too. But this guy lived two entire lives, and that shows up so infrequently that we can count them on the fingers of one hand, without the thumb. So I Think Sean's point stands.
Yes, it should have been mentioned equally to Locutus. But it is in NO WAY overrated. Its spirit informed and re-lit the torch for the best of Star Trek. Writers had a new high-bar to reach, and an example of humane writing to turn to. Just because Sean wants future Easter eggs until the sehlats come home, I think this episode isn’t rated high enough. It’s a perfect science fiction story.
I mean by Piccard that type of experience was not unheard of. I believe every series at some point had an officer trapped in a false reality to go insane. I would say the fake memories of war crimes would be harder to shake off in the delta quadrant or that time Picard was trapped in a Macbeth play. Compared to the standard issue ptsd of the fed inner light was just a couple steps up from a weekend at Risa@@ronstewtsaw
0:20 - This Star Trek Voyager trait of relying on The Borg for stories is a bit like the rebooted Doctor Who, relying on The Daleks for big episodes. Seems when sci-fi creates a perfect villain they use them over and over again to the point where the become weaker and less effective on screen.
I'd say that was one of Voyager's few strengths, honestly. The borg became less of a boogeyman but they also because a bit more accessible. In TNG they were different each time they showed up, and a lot of their established traits didn't hold up against logic. In Voyager they became a force that needed to be dealt with, one way or the other. It also showcases one of the Federation's strengths: research, discovery, and scientific advancement. Everything they built was overengineered, overcomplicated, prone to fail at the drop of a plot-significant hat, and immensely functional when they weren't exploding. Voyager developing more and more ways to deal with borg was very appropriate to both cultures.
Your reasoning for putting Inner Light on here doesn't make sense. The point you make is very interesting, Sean and warrants discussion. But I just don't think that makes it overrated.
The Inner Light was incredible sci fi that I can’t see imagine being made these days. It sits outside normal stories - and the ship didn’t experience any of it. So how would they incorporate this change into a wider picture? BoBW wiped out the fleet - humanity almost came to an end. Of course it’s mentioned. The scene where Riker gives Picard the box with no words… elevates it above any episode by a long way. I’m sure you know that 😉
THE INNER LIGHT!? How dare you sir!!!!! Trials and...... (screaming). I can't, I just can't. How can you possibly include Mirror Mirror?? I agree with Skin of Evil. It stinks.
Inner light is one of the best Picard, Next Generation and Star Trek shows ever. To say it is overrated is wrong headed in the extreme. They refer back to the events of the episode in at least 2 other episodes. One could say it is the reason that Picard had started to realize he was growing old and never to have children (at the beginning of Generations) based on his experience in the episode. He shares his flute and the song with Nella Darren in a follow up episode in the 6th season.
I very much enjoyed the silliness of tribbles and EMH2. I think that's what makes SNW so good. It has balls to not take it self too seriously all the time.
The Inner Light is still one of the best despite what this video says. When one has a traumatic event, people deal with it differently. Some wallow in it. Some wear it as a badge of honor. Some bury it. With Picard being so reserved to begin with, it makes sense he doesn't bring it up, just like when he was turned into a Borg. It's something Picard does not want to known for. In fact whenever his history as being formerly Borg comes up, you can tell it really bothers Picard. The same can be said of his tie in the Inner light. Living through an entire life that is not your own and yet it is in many ways is a major blow to the system.
"Trials and Tribble-ations" was warmly received by critics with praise directed at the nostalgia and level of detail seen on screen. It was the most watched episode of the fifth season. "Trials and Tribble-ations" was nominated in three Primetime Emmy Award categories and for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation but did not win any awards.
The episode that is repeatedly singled out as "the best ever" episode of Star Trek TOS, "City of the Edge of Forever," is probably my least favorite. I found it to be another "Kirk falls in love on sight" episode (and really, if Kirk isn't falling in love with some random young beauty in most episodes, random young beauties are falling in love with him), and the rest of the plot quite boring and preachy. I've seen enough old films about the struggles of dingey, early 20th Century life. I don't need - or want - it in m sci-fi. Don't get me wrong - I've loved Star Trek since my dad and siblings and I crowded around the tv to watch it in the series original run in the 1960's. I just don't see in "City on the Edge of Forever" what everyone else seems to.
Instead of Inner light, which had at least some call-backs in later episodes, I would have put Chain of Command on this list: it had no consequences although Picard is severely tortured and as he himself admits almost broken Regarding the Inner Light, I am actually happy that they did not a full episode or more revisting this experience - it would probably damaged the Inner Light itself, like the episode of DS9 where it was revealed that what we have seen in Far beyond the stars was just a illusion created by the Pah Wraith
@@SSingh-nr8qzYup, the first time I watched that episode I was literally too young to understand it. I didn’t understand why the Cardassian was insisting there were five lights. I didn’t understand why they were hurting Picard. It didn’t make any sense to my child mind. Then I ended up watching it again years later with an adult mind and I understood. I’ve always wondered how the Cardassian would have reacted if Picard had reacted with a careless shrug and said. “Yeah, sure, five lights. Whatever you say.” Anyway I agree with the critique that after all that torture and being near broken it’s never referenced again. Never seemed to have affected Picard.
This is the first time I've heard of Message in a Bottle being so popular! It's one of my favorite Voyager episodes but no one I know loves it so much. I thought the Mark 2 was well done! They say later they're on the third or fourth EMH so it makes sense #2 wasn't liked very much. And I thought they portrayed that quite well. Also remember that Picardo when he was first activated was not all that likable, either.
Mirror Mirror is one of the greatest episodes. That can't be denied. It's story line was ruined by DS9 and it carried on through Enterprise and Discovery. Stop taking yourselves so seriously.
Gonna get piled on for this, but The Visitor from DS9 is my most over-rated episode. It's overly emotional, overacted, and doesn't advance any of the stories of DS9 given that we already know Jake and Ben have a deep relationship. And I think the final message is a weird one given that until he is about 40, Jake apparently has an excellent life as an author and husband when the return of Ben basically destroys that life, and sends Jake on to decades of pain, to create the reset in the end. The end is couched in the idea that Jake was a boy "who needed his father" but his life until the first reappearance of Ben would seem to suggest otherwise. I've never thought the story made much sense, and I've always viewed it as an odd theme, presented oddly, so it's hard for me to see why it's on so many top-ten episode lists ... for me, it 100% makes the top-ten over-rated episodes.
You cannot call The Inner Light overrated purely based on its lack of follow up. This and all episodes should be looked at on their own merit. I just think that’s silly.
I was about to lambast you for having "The Inner Light" in the thumbnail, but you put together a good argument why it's on this list. TNG's episodic format really did hurt developing significant character arcs, although in all fairness, the "Lessons" episode was a rare follow up to a past TNG episode.
Sean, thank you for a fun, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable episode of TrekCulture(tm). You have a wonderful way of presenting the whimsical and absurd. I really appreciate it. Oh, yes. You're fired. :D
I shall say it; Year of Hell. I remember reading reviews when that one first aired saying how amazing grim and gritty original and dramatic etc it was. But when I watched it: it was just another Time Travel story. It didn't make me feel the stakes or the the pain. And of course they hit the reset button, so it had no consequence. Most overrated Trek to me. There. I said it.
Year of Hell would've been phenomenal if they had the balls to make it a season-long arc without the time travel reset button at the end. Condensing it into a single two parter and forcing a return to the status quo really hampered the episode imo.
The complaint isn't that there was Too Much Borg. It's that the Borg were _ridiculously_ neutered. They went from a single cube nearly taking out the entire Federation at Wolf 359 (and then again in First Contact) to Voyager besting dozens of them at a time.
I agree with the Trials and Tribulations episode, but for a different reason: the Klingons. That throwaway line of "we don't discuss it with outsiders" set up the whole Klingons-who-look-like-humans arc in Enterprise. I really wish they had simply clad Michael Dorn in 60's era Klingon makeup - and *nobody notices the difference*. That would have made it an artifact of the medium it was recorded in, and not a 1:1 canon effect.
Let’s be honest, the best parts of Message in a Bottle are the like first 3 minutes and the last 2 minutes. And it doesn’t need to be anything more than that. I think Kate Mulgrew did some of her best acting at the end of this episode. Her NEED for contact with home, the hope she feels now that Starfleet knows Voyager isn’t lost is tangible. It was the first real contact Voyager had been able to make with Starfleet in the series. It was extraordinarily satisfying moment for anyone following from the beginning of the series. And the direct sequel episode is one of my favorite voyager episodes, Pathfinder. Not just because I love the character of Barclay. I think Pathfinder is probably one of the best “happy” emotional episodes of Star Trek in general. One of the rare times they let everything work out the way the characters intend them to, and then the unexpected added emotional punch of Tom Paris getting an important character progression moment right at the end. Taken in isolation I guess I can see how you can say Message in a Bottle is overrated. I think that watched as it was intended it hits exactly the way it was meant to. It’s part of the larger story of finding a way home. Taken out of context though pretty much any “good” episode of any show could be called overrated. But I’m a weirdo who actually liked most of Voyager and it seems like that makes me a bit of a rarity in the fandom. It’s not my #1 by any means, but I enjoyed it regardless of its many, many flaws.
Don’t worry, I enjoyed “Message in a Bottle” too. It actually got into my head so much that I had to write my own short story based on a character thrown in way over her head and having to manage. That aside, yeah I enjoyed Voyager too. Sure it had some slow episodes and a couple of real clunkers but overall I enjoyed it. And I long ago accepted that I was in the minority for enjoying Voyager and thinking that Janeway is a badass captain.
To throw my own episode into the mix; DS9's "The Visitor". Yes, it's sad, but it pisses me off that "Obsessive man sacrifices his life against his father's wishes" gets what he wants. At least have the confidence of your own convictions and kill off Jake (not that I have anything against Cirroc Lofton). Say what you like about "Skin of Evil", but Tasha really did die and stay dead in it ("Yesterday's Enterprise" notwithstanding).
I don't think Trials and Tribbelations is great plot-wise. It only has enough of a story to hang its "time-travel to a well-known TOS episode" hook on. But it pulled off that hook perfectly. It does exactly what it intends. It's a love letter to where Star Trek began. If you love the original, you'll probably love this episode.
I was about to rip you one for calling "the inner light" overrated, as as an episode it is still underrated however highly it is rated It brings me to tears every time I watch it But I see your point, it should have been included as an integral part of Picards journey but was greatly neglected
It may be considered overrated, but I quite liked The Inner Light, yes it falls down with the lack of followup later on (aside from Picard and Cmdr. Daren dueting in the jeffries tubes with his Ressican flute), but, to have Picard live an entire life in the space of 20 or so minutes, with adjusting from one to the other and then back again, only to find that the race had long since died out, it was quite a heartbreaking tale, and only he can seemingly keep their memory alive, despite having been gone for centuries...
The fact that Inner Light should have had more followup, but didn't get it means that the show was underrated, by the producers. It certainly wasn't overrated by the fans.
Since "Inner Light" has no follow up, it only happened in picards mind and didn't affect any other characters. It was well acted and an interesting story but in the end the probe failed, no one remembers their world since Picard never talks about it again. He never spread the word of their people.
@@strlslvr987 I doubt that. Picard is too private to openly linger on it, but the incident would have gotten a report that would have been carefully sanitized of all the emotional levels and sent to Star Fleet Command alongside the probe itself and a recommendation that a long-term research mission be sent at the next opportunity to examine the planet. Assuming it's intact; Data implies it is but novae don't tend to leave remains. In any case, it's hardly likely to be a topic of conversation aboard a ship that keeps exploring new things.
@@RyvakenI like to think that Starfleet took the probe and figured out how it worked. Then the Federation let volunteers expose themselves to the probe and experience that life or perhaps one of several that might’ve been stored in it. I think at least a few scientists or archaeologists would have done so to help preserve the memory of that civilisation. Or even ordinary people who felt moved enough to become the bearers of the last memories of an otherwise forgotten extinct people. Then perhaps in a later season Picard could meet someone else who took the memories. Maybe they would play their flutes together as a little tribute. Something like that. I don’t think the Federation would have let those people go forgotten.
Still love Message in a Bottle and Mirror, Mirror. How can Mirror, Mirror be overrated if it set the stage for years of alternate universe shenanigans?
Survival Instincts (VOY)- Yeah, I can see that. Inner Light (TNG)- My pitch fork is sharp Dawn (ENT)- Hey! First appearance of the Arkonian Destroyer/ Xindi Arborial/ Telerite Kehra (yes I'm using the STFC name, get over it) Trials and Tribble-ations (DS9)- Ques up "Rip and Tear" Extinction (ENT)- Yeeeeeeeah, the Xindi Saga just plain sucks all around. Completely unwatchable. Project Daedelus (DIS)- I .... still need to watch it. Mirror, Mirror (TOS)- Really? REALLY!?!?!? Et in Arcadia Ego part 2 (PIC)- Yeah, I can kind of see your point. Skin of Evil (TNG)- There must be justice for Tasha Yar!!!!! Message in a Bottle (VOY)- ... I enjoyed it. -.- In all seriousness, might I put "Court Martial" from the Original Series on the stand. It was a one off with no consequences and a lawyer who should have been disbarred so hard that he wouldn't have been able to walk into a cocktail bar. Refuse to cross examine witnesses only to move towards putting client on the stand? Stupid stupid stupid. Do not request discovery, you know, like the tapes from the Enterprise? Oh, and Kirk is a horn dog moron in that. Never, NEVER take the legal counsel recommendation of a prosecutor who is trying to cache you into a stockade. Also, wouldn't it have been prudent for Starfleet to check the Enterprise's computers for errors when the discrepancy is found? It was obviously glaring enough that playing chess on automatic easy mode was enough to unravel the entire thing. The only thing that could save this episode is if they pulled a Trials and Tribble-ation on it to have Shatner reprise his other great role of Denny Crane to replace the chicken lawyer from Futurama, I mean Samuel T. Cogley. Frankly though, if you want to see a better version of this episode, just watch "Measure of a Man" from season 2 of TNG.
You're confused, Sean. *The Inner Light* is UNDERrated. It's the best Picard episode ever (and that includes ST:Picard). It's definitely among the top 3 best NG episodes. Yet it's never mentioned nor considered. *That's not how being overrated works.*
The Inner Light is almost always at the top of any list of "Best TNG episodes", with plenty of fans saying it's the best episode of all of Star Trek, if not one of the best sci-fi episodes ever. It is *massively* overrated for what it actually is. You thinking it's good doesn't mean it can't possibly be overrated, it just means that *you* think it's properly rated. I, for one, would've put The Inner Light at the #1 most overrated episode if I were making the list.
I always felt "The Measure of A Man" and "Inner Light" were both overrated. Fans make soooo much of these episodes that I can't help but feel they're talked about too much. I'm just not that in love with them as so many are.
Dawn is too similar to the movie "Enemy Mine". I think "Inner Light" is a fine story and one of the better ones offered by TNG (especially for those of us who hung around after Season 1).
Number 1 most overrated episode in Trek history, hands down, For The Uniform. It's utter garbage. Problem 1. Starfleet officers are established to have an obligation by regulations to disobey an illegal order. Such an order was given by Sisko. 2. Sisko used a banned Biogenic weapon. Biogenic weapons are defined in Trek as weapons that only harm specific species and such weapons are stated to be banned by every nation in Trek, Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Gorn, Tholian, Cardassian, frikin everybody banned them. 3. There were no consequences, no court martial, no investigation, nothing.
I think you've described why I might not be a big fan of "The Inner Light" in a way much better than I ever could. It's not bad; I just don't get the hype.
Skin of Evil was one of the best episodes in TNG's first season not for any merit of its own, but because of Yar's lack of merit. Her death being pointless and adding nothing is a perfect eulogy to a character that detracted from nearly every scene she was in.
True! So often we see sudden deaths of background characters ( and passing TOS Red Shirts), to have a main character die so suddenly was shocking and new for a show, and without a prolong dying scene!
Oh Sean… Sean… Sean. You left out the most overrated of all - The Visitor. So many people say it guts them, they burst out crying, it’s the best episode ever, but I cannot stand the conceit of it. I mean from as soon as Jake starts recounting what happened, it’s OBVIOUS none of it actually happened, not on the prime timeline. Sisko didn’t die. Jake wasn’t traumatized (by that anyway). So all the flashbacks are meaningless! Meanwhile the set-up of the writer visiting is totally cliche. It’s treacly. Ugh. I allllways skip this during DS8 rewatches.
Thank you for including the Inner Light. I am not a fan of this episode. Beyond him taking up the flute we don't truly see how that experience affected or changed him.
To me the most overrrated episode is City on the Edge of Forever. Honestly, I found it boring, but on the whole I'm not a fan of time travel episodes in Star Trek. Honestly I rank it on par with those garbage "Benny" DS9 ones.
One thing I will say in favor of TRIALS AND TRIBBLATIONS is Terry Farrell. Watching Jadzia totally fangirling over Kirk and Spock, plus the total glee she had on full display in the 23rd century was just a total joy to watch. I will never forgive the producers for the way they did Terry dirty after season 6.
I would say that the one producer who told her that she would be working at a Kmart if it weren't for the show, did her dirty. If you go to the YT channel, D-Con Chamber, you will see that she had a long career before Trek. If everyone else got a raise going into S7, then I would fault them whole but since S7 is the last season I have doubts. Additionally, there were some seasoned male actors such as Rene who commented about her lack of experience and that may have colored the producers' perceptions. It's all relative of course. And she started in the modeling world where people are used to getting premiums based on looks and how that keeps customers coming back. So I can see how her negotiating expectations may have fallen short of where they were hoping to land. Since she was dating Dorn at the time she might have been benchmarking herself to him (with his TNG credentials). But really, they could have come to a compromise. It's that Kmart statement, well, how was she supposed to accept anything after that? Made it impossible to return.
I found some good LOL moments in this list. Nice insert of IMDB onto a display screen in Enterprise. That Emergency Exit sign when Tasha was flung out of the show was hilarious. And an old favourite, a Horgon right where it shouldn't be.
I was never keen on the voyager Episode "the void". I love John Del Arco, but I hated how tra la la everyone was with using music to speak and it was just so "super convenient".
I'm on the fence about "The Inner Light", but I think it's a darn good sci-fi story. Maybe we could have explored a few aspects of whether the life he experienced was that society's sanitized, ideal version of their culture made all shiny for their presentation, or we could have just let the audience think about it for themselves after. Sometimes the latter is just way more fun. Imagine having some "sequel" where they go back in time and meet the society, or something odd like that. Yeah no thanks. :) p.s. I love that the Picard show's theme music includes that flute.
7) it doesn't have to advance the plot. A fun episode can be fantastic too. Flashback on Voyager just wasn't as interesting, imo. As for 1), I think you're a little harsh on him and you admit in the segment why it wouldn't be Bashir. And as you also said, the point is to show the contrast between The Doctor and a fresh EMH. Because The Doctor was just as bad when he was first turned on (Picardo's delivery and sarcasm endeared him to us as we watched him grow)
Taken on its own, The Inner Light is still a great episode. But I agree that the lack of follow-up is frustrating. We got one TNG episode where it was referenced through his flute-playing, and then there was a slight reference with the flute in the Picard opening credits. Was there anything else? I don't remember anything else. Considering that Picard lived decades of a life that felt very real to him in this simulation of another world, it should have been referenced way more on TNG. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Riker should have taken command for a few episodes after The Inner Light while Picard sorted through everything with Counselor Troi. I agree that while Trials and Tribble-ations is a fun episode, it's pure fanservice. It's not one I think about often. It's certainly not up there with the likes of The Visitor or In the Pale Moonlight. Project Daedalus... What a disappointing episode. It was really insulting to Airiam's character that the writers pretended that she was an important part of the crew when we had seen no evidence of that previously. And then they killed her off. Awful. 3 out of 10 in my book. The season 1 finale of Picard had some genuinely heartbreaking stuff with Data near the end. That's pretty much it. It was mediocre at best otherwise. Contrary to this video, I actually think Skin of Evil is underrated. There's something to be said for a purely evil, irredeemable villain, and I think Armus was done really well. I liked the concept of what he was, and his actions (even killing Tasha Yar) made sense in that context. On top of that, Tasha's memorial service was very well done. I think this episode perhaps gets too much hate because Tasha Yar was killed off in it. Taken just on its own merits, I think it's a good episode.
Had Picard retreated from command for even one episode, it would have been a disservice. The man was intensely private. We saw him play his flute in private on a couple episodes in short scenes, and frankly that was enough. Picard showed a bit of personal growth peeking through the mantle of The Captain that he wore so fantastically well. To do anything else would have radically changed the dynamic of the show, and not for the better.
For me Inner Light didn't need a follow-up. It was just a stand-along and I fully was 'satisfied' with the ending. It was a very profound, important part of Picard's ongoing life.
I guess you could argue that The Inner Light is not a very good or impactful episode of Star Trek. There isn't really the typical Trek thing of a problem for the crew to work together to solve, for example. But as television, as art? As a story to be told? It's fantastic and in my mind one of the greatest hours of television to come out of that time period. And while yeah, you'd like to see the impact that had on Picard (and Picard season 1 was definitely the place for him to reflect on his life in exile compared to his life in The Inner Light), I think as viewers we can just enjoy compelling storytelling and marvel at the way Star Trek manages to surprise us even when we're ready for anything.
Soon as I saw Trials and Tribbleations on this list...that was when you lost me, Sean. I love ya, I do, but I'm going to have to temporarily take your Star Trek fan card for at least a day or so. C'mon, hand it over dramatically like you're Admiral Leyton on DS9 being arrested for treason. 😛
Okay, not thinking Trials is as great as people thought? Fine. But negatively comparing it to that Voyager episode whose title I've already forgotten? Comw on now...
I loved many things about Picard S3 especially Data’s and Worf’s arc however…they’re highly overrated. It was really cool to see the D but it became about showcasing the D when the most practical shit to steal was the Defiant-heavy shields more compact less of a target, heavy armament, cloak and easily handled by a small compliant That and they could’ve made the handler the female changeling or Dukat coming back from the Pah’Wraiths as their emissary for the Reckoning…where Jack could’ve fulfilled Jake’s role as the Pah Wraith puppet. This could’ve set up plenty of things but nope. We got the Borg. Again. 😖🤦♂️ and the changeling thing with the transporter was an afterthought fix that the writers forgot to pay off earlier
The Inner Light, Far Beyond the Stars, and The Visitor are all over rated episodes and just horrible. They are boring and far too self indulgent of the writers. Hate them and hate hearing them always being praised over.
I disagree entirely about Inner Light. Picard doesn't wail and cry over the loss of his family, but he doesn't cry over the borg incident, either. And we do see small changes. He takes up music, giving the character a much-needed hobby. He mellows towards children and family life in general. It leads up to Generations, where his personal paradise is a family of his own. For the entire run, Picard is an intensely private man. He has a few fairly bad holodeck episodes, but beyond that he doesn't fraternize with his officers. It reinforces him as a strong, forceful leader, a father-figure in many ways, but it means there aren't easy openings for him to mourn and grow in the ways Inner Light would require. Limiting it to small glimpses in his private moments, having it come bleeding out when the shell of Captain cracks in Lessons, makes it immeasurably more powerful than the cringefest of First Contact.
Agreed about "Dawn". It just feels like a redo of Enemy Mine to hme. There are three people hat I believe should never have been made: 1. Turnabout Intruder (TOS) - Terribly written and acted. 2. Night Terrors (TNG) : Were the show runners asleep when this one was greenlit? 3. Meridian (DS9) - Dax is NOT a giddy teenager. Terry Farrell should have walked away from this.
Your opinion is valid, even if others don't agree with it. Me and my college friends, who I saw the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Raiders films with, along with many others, rarely agreed, and often debated flims. But as much as we'd argue, and even mock threaten, we always appreciated a variety of observations. You be you Seán! (And you too Martin.) As always, to all, thank you so very much for the videos.
Here's my list that nobody asked for: The Inner Light Memento Mori Hegemony The Visitor The Last Generation A Night In Sickbay Nepenthe It's Only A Paper Moon The Sound Of Her Voice Endgame (the only bad episode on this list)
@@BuhurtUK Don't get me wrong, The Visitor is a good episode, great even. But there's at least half a dozen episodes that same season. Sounds like you and I had very similar interactions with Seán... I think it may be his favourite episode...
@@AndrewD8Red ohh yeah don't get wrong it's not bad, I don't skip it. I just don't understand the love it gets. It's not even Tony Todd at his best. It also doesn't progress the story much. I mean if Jake and Sisko weren't getting on then it might mean something, but they were on good terms anyway.
@@Francois424 Yeah I mean there were neat aspects of the zindi arc such as the interpersonal dynamic of having the MACOs - but I think I would have preferred more of the temporal cold war.
Anybody else think there may be some confusion about what overrated means? Skin of Evil is often seen as one of the worst episodes, and thus can't be overrated. Other episodes I barely remember. The Inner Light deserves all of its accolades. I think the only one that may even remotely belong here is Trials and Tribulations in that it's a fun romp, but ultimately has no impact to DS9.
I think the best part about trials and tribbleations is that they managed to slot in into the original series canon without it affecting anything at all
The best part about T & T is we finally see an explanation why tribbles continue to plop down on Kirk after he is buried in them from the storage locker. Because Sisko and Dax are still up there scanning and tossing them aside.
It’s fun. That’s enough. Let other episodes beat the story of Klingon ridges into the dust. This was pure joy.
The engineer that got chewed out didn’t, never faced Kirk, and his career went a different way. Butterfly.
Emphasis on this. The writing was sublime. Nothing changes in the timeline and it was shot flawlessly.
My only knock on it is the side-joke about the smooth Klingons. ENT ran this into the ground later because T&T gave it permission to. I would have preferred that they completely ignore it. I’ve fully jumped onto the “aesthetics are not canon” bandwagon at this point
"The Inner Light" was a great episode. Picard's experience was mentioned again in the sixth season episode "Lessons". The fact that the show's producers didn't do more with it isn't a fault of the episode itself, so it can't really be considered overrated on those grounds.
Thank you. I was just about to comment about "Lessons." And I agree with you.
And I think that mention was more than they ever did with Picard's experience post-"Chain of Command". Shouldn't those episodes be on this list by the same logic?
It is kind of like the DS9 episode where OBrian experienced a life in prison through an implant... and it kind of... had no long term effect
Yup, pretty much this. Also, this was a very personal experience for Picard. It's not something he was wont to share. Few could relate to the experience.
I feel like he's being critical of, not the episode, but the highly episodic nature of TNG itself. There are a few episodes that, if this was a more series-story-arc-ish show like DS9, would see a long-term impact. It simply wasn't a thing that TNG did.
Inner Light and Trials and Tribbleations are fantastic stand alone stories that resonate for opposite reasons. Trials is lighthearted and fun while Inner Light exposes Picards vulnerable side and gives him a taste of the life he could have had if he did not chose Starfleet.
I believe that Inner Light is arguably the finest single story ever delivered by TNG. I am also grateful that it was left to stand alone rather than being riffed into insignificance with constant references and revisitations.
Best TNG, I think. Not quite as good as "The Visitor" from DS9 in my opinion, but very, very good. I agree it doesn't belong in this list.
It was referenced though, the flute reappears constantly and the emotional aspect is revisited in Lessons in season 6.
I think it's an amazingly beautiful episode, and I can't get beyond the last scene without a tear.
Inner Light doesn't rank in my top fifty TNG episodes... it's good, but I just can't figure out why people rank it as one of the best TNG episodes.
Perhaps I should wait until I watch this rant completely but to see Picard holding that flute knowing it is from an episode I remember SO fondly (the different life he could have had and perhaps a more satisfying one)outrages me. Perhaps this guy doing this rant is not the sentimental type. Otherwise, the episode couldn't have been better. You sir are in the minority.....for sure
Since streaming didn’t exist in the 80s and 90s, I used to record every episode on VHS. After I saw The Inner Light for the first time, I was so moved that I immediately rewound my tape and watched it over again. To this day, no matter how many times I’ve watched it, the moment Picard realizes what’s going on always brings tears to my eyes! I agree, the lack of follow-up was frustrating, but the episode itself? Perfection!
I remember, as a child, turning the episode off when Picard realizes he's not on the Enterprise. When I watched it again as a teenager, I had a greater appreciation.
I recorded every episode too. I still have on VHS
Very strange that the basis for an episode being over-rated is that it isn't referenced again. Wouldn't that make the episode under-rated?
That was an emotional episode for me too. Loved it. One of the best for sure.
I recorded all on VHS as well... and Voyager too 😂
The "Inner Light" Blows me away every time I see it. How Picard lived a whole life in only a few minutes!! Amazing! The end when he discovers what has happened, brings tears to my eyes!
Same. No matter how many times I rewatch it, the reveal at the end of _The Inner Light_ gets me all choked up. 😢
The thought gets me too. Picard not only got to live a life as a family man, but became the bearer of memories of a now-extinct civilisation. I like to think that the Federation kept the probe, figured out how to use it and let volunteers experience the memories, so that a fragment of that civilisation lives on and is never forgotten entirely.
It's a credit to Patrick Stewart's decades long career in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and a testament to his commitment to good acting.
Don't worry everyone. This is actually Mirror Universe Seán and he's trying to get ours chased with pitchforks and flaming torches.
0:11 - can confirm, this episode was hosted by the bearded one.
Shine a light in his eyes, and see if he flinches
Very clever,growing out his goatee...
One could argue that because you wanted to see more follow-up with Inner Light, and didn't get it, it should go on the Underrated Episode List. But for me, Inner Light did have a follow-up. Getting to see Picard play the flute again in Lessons was fantastic. Not all character building events need to be re-visited.
" because you wanted to see more follow-up [ ... ] it should go on the Underrated Episode" Yes!
It definitely occurred to me while watching this that the fact "Inner Light" wasn't exactly 'followed up' can't be considered a fault of the episode. A cynical person might say it's a strength. And yeah, did we forget about "Lessons"? That...that's not a good episode.
I think I made a mistake and didn't see what I have posted. No: I do not think it 'needed' a follow up. For me it was a very satisfying ending. Esp. seeing him at the end. I felt gratitude that I was able to experience this with him. I don't think it's underrated. Personally, it's among my top 25 of all Star Trek franchises .. most likely top ten.
Oh, i was agreeing with what I think you said, and that the fact that noone addressed it much later didn't detract one bit from the episode. Of course we literally can't forget about 'lessons" but I don't much count it as a followup personally as I think it's one of a line of not-very-good season 7 episodes.@@josepha.r5839
For me, Inner Light does NOT need a follow up. It would run counter to how Picard deals with life in general. The man is reserved to a fault. He is stoic and does not looking weak when he believes he needs to a a source of strength to lead his people. Just like when he used to be a Borg. That happened but he never brings it up unless its absolutely needed.
trials and tribbleations- For it's time was insane. Yeah, in an age where we worry about AI taking over the world of acting, it may not have aged the best, but this was a unique marriage at its time. I would not say it was overrrated.
The hilarious thing about "Dawn" is, sure...it's very similar to "Darmok", but it's also nearly a beat for beat re-creation of the 1985 movie "Enemy Mine" starring Dennis Quaid. Except they spend a night on the planet instead of several months. I wonder when Lower Decks is gonna reference that.
@@scifidude7980 your Mickey Mouse is one big stupid dope!
I was thinking the TNG season 3 episode "The Enemy." Geordi and a Romulan spy on the surface of a hostile planet and have to work together to get out before it kills them, while the Enterprise faces off against a belligerent Romulan ship. People focus too much on the communication barrier aspect, I think, to notice that even the "engineer has to play diplomat under stressful conditions" aspect is a retread.
@@Ryvaken Actually, I liked it better than 'Dawn'.
100% wrong about Inner Light, we saw the effect it had on him several times. He warmed up to children, he played his flute, even fell in love and played music with someone else.
I'm so glad you included Daedalus... I actually just watched that for the first time, and when all the 'emotional' moments came in with the crying on the bridge and the funeral, I was just sitting there thinking that I couldn't remember her character's name prior to that episode nor a single personal conversation between her and anyone else. That the writers tried so hard to make it a tragic moment just underscored that they had done nothing in a season and a half to develop (or even properly introduce) this character until her death.
Trials and Tribble-Ations is, if anything, _underrated_ as a technical achievement. What they did would be admirable _today_ and they did it _twenty years ago._ How did they even get the TOS footage clean enough to seamlessly mesh with the DS9 footage?! I don't need the help of the Orb of Time to remember how many more years it'd be before we got a version of TOS which looked as good! And as far as stories go, it was clever and fun.
I would say exactly the opposite for Mirror, Mirror. The original Jerome Bixby episode is the only one that gets to the heart of what the mirror universe is all about: "You're a man of integrity in both universes, Mr. Spock." The point is that logic is a universal constant, and ultimately this is what Kirk relies on to save the Halkans. It was the later episodes that basically threw all that out the window-the failure of Spock's revolution renders the whole concept meaningless-and left us with "everyone good is evil here and vice versa."
Inner Light is an amazing episode. Also, they *do* follow up on it in later episodes: in "Lessons" the flute plays a big role in his relationship with Lt. Commander Daren.
“The Inner Light” and “Trials and Tribblelations” are episodes that do not belong on any “overrated episode” lists.
I honestly think Message In a Bottle is a great episode. It's an easy watch and makes me smile. I don't think its overrated at all. It's up there with Someone to Watch Over Me as a guilty pleasure watch of Voyager. Two episodes that don't really do anything but are a treat to re-watch.
Zimmerman repeatedly programming horrible doctors is narratively intentional; he strikes me as an Elizabeth-Holmes-type, who can’t see beyond his own technical accomplishment to see how occupationally ill-equipped his EMHs are in the humanities
While I do agree that Trials and Tribbleations doesn't add to the overall plot/story of DS9, to the point it can be skipped outright and not affect the overall plot, it doesn't have to for the merits of this episode to shine! It still stood out to me as rather impressive in a cinematography and film editing way, and frankly still holds up great today!
How they were able to get the DS9 cast to look as if they're interacting with members of the TOS crew, that was brilliant in it's own right! It was also written fairly cleverly, the actors did a great job in their roles, and was overall a fun and silly episode that I still look back at fondly when I recollect about my favorite moments of the series.
The Voager “flashback” did call back several original & movie actors - yet the plot device is ultimately useless. The virus, passed on through others, viewed many times, does not really affect the mission of Sulu’s crew. Cameos, recreated sets, part of an excellent movie - Tuvok and Janeway are not there for the mission, but a virus.
“Trials & Tribbles” intersects with the vintage cast, the DS9 Crew solve problems, they have fun, they balance the time reality, and are glad to have served with the crew of past,…and, Klingons?
Agreed but when you already had Tim Russ on set, your kind of got an arm tied behind your back for how to deal with the TOS anniversary episode. Their callback to the ferangi stranded from the TNG episode was a better tie in. But what they did miss was referencing tuvoks twin brother being beat up by Picard in a baryon sweep highjacking
...in *its* own right...
One BTS note from the commentary: When they were coming up with the idea for this episode, Charlie Brill (The actor from the TOS episode just happened to walk in to get some pizza at the place where they were brainstorming the story. FATE AT WORK - lolololol
lolololol@@davidabramyk2999
Picard's other life in The Inner Light is touched on again, when Picard dates the pianist.
Yes. I think there is a flute in Picard, too. But this guy lived two entire lives, and that shows up so infrequently that we can count them on the fingers of one hand, without the thumb. So I Think Sean's point stands.
Yes, it should have been mentioned equally to Locutus. But it is in NO WAY overrated. Its spirit informed and re-lit the torch for the best of Star Trek. Writers had a new high-bar to reach, and an example of humane writing to turn to. Just because Sean wants future Easter eggs until the sehlats come home, I think this episode isn’t rated high enough. It’s a perfect science fiction story.
I mean by Piccard that type of experience was not unheard of. I believe every series at some point had an officer trapped in a false reality to go insane. I would say the fake memories of war crimes would be harder to shake off in the delta quadrant or that time Picard was trapped in a Macbeth play. Compared to the standard issue ptsd of the fed inner light was just a couple steps up from a weekend at Risa@@ronstewtsaw
0:20 - This Star Trek Voyager trait of relying on The Borg for stories is a bit like the rebooted Doctor Who, relying on The Daleks for big episodes. Seems when sci-fi creates a perfect villain they use them over and over again to the point where the become weaker and less effective on screen.
You could also make that same comparison to "Star Trek:TOS" and their heavy usage of the Klingons
I'd say that was one of Voyager's few strengths, honestly. The borg became less of a boogeyman but they also because a bit more accessible. In TNG they were different each time they showed up, and a lot of their established traits didn't hold up against logic. In Voyager they became a force that needed to be dealt with, one way or the other. It also showcases one of the Federation's strengths: research, discovery, and scientific advancement. Everything they built was overengineered, overcomplicated, prone to fail at the drop of a plot-significant hat, and immensely functional when they weren't exploding. Voyager developing more and more ways to deal with borg was very appropriate to both cultures.
EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE Even Mr Bean liked them.
*Coughs
You owe us an 'underrated episodes' video after this, heheh!
Your reasoning for putting Inner Light on here doesn't make sense. The point you make is very interesting, Sean and warrants discussion. But I just don't think that makes it overrated.
Totally agree with you. His reasoning does not make it overrated. That was a very good episode.
The Inner Light was incredible sci fi that I can’t see imagine being made these days. It sits outside normal stories - and the ship didn’t experience any of it. So how would they incorporate this change into a wider picture? BoBW wiped out the fleet - humanity almost came to an end. Of course it’s mentioned. The scene where Riker gives Picard the box with no words… elevates it above any episode by a long way. I’m sure you know that 😉
Mannn, inner light is one of my favorite episodes ever! So touching.
THE INNER LIGHT!? How dare you sir!!!!! Trials and...... (screaming). I can't, I just can't. How can you possibly include Mirror Mirror?? I agree with Skin of Evil. It stinks.
Inner light is one of the best Picard, Next Generation and Star Trek shows ever. To say it is overrated is wrong headed in the extreme. They refer back to the events of the episode in at least 2 other episodes. One could say it is the reason that Picard had started to realize he was growing old and never to have children (at the beginning of Generations) based on his experience in the episode. He shares his flute and the song with Nella Darren in a follow up episode in the 6th season.
Well said.
Sorry, Sean. I can't agree with most of your conclusions here. The Inner Light and overrated do not belong in the same sentence.
I very much enjoyed the silliness of tribbles and EMH2. I think that's what makes SNW so good. It has balls to not take it self too seriously all the time.
The Inner Light is still one of the best despite what this video says. When one has a traumatic event, people deal with it differently. Some wallow in it. Some wear it as a badge of honor. Some bury it. With Picard being so reserved to begin with, it makes sense he doesn't bring it up, just like when he was turned into a Borg. It's something Picard does not want to known for. In fact whenever his history as being formerly Borg comes up, you can tell it really bothers Picard. The same can be said of his tie in the Inner light. Living through an entire life that is not your own and yet it is in many ways is a major blow to the system.
"Trials and Tribble-ations" was warmly received by critics with praise directed at the nostalgia and level of detail seen on screen. It was the most watched episode of the fifth season. "Trials and Tribble-ations" was nominated in three Primetime Emmy Award categories and for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation but did not win any awards.
You can't label The Inner Light as overrated based on the fact that there was no follow up in later episodes.
The episode that is repeatedly singled out as "the best ever" episode of Star Trek TOS, "City of the Edge of Forever," is probably my least favorite. I found it to be another "Kirk falls in love on sight" episode (and really, if Kirk isn't falling in love with some random young beauty in most episodes, random young beauties are falling in love with him), and the rest of the plot quite boring and preachy. I've seen enough old films about the struggles of dingey, early 20th Century life. I don't need - or want - it in m sci-fi. Don't get me wrong - I've loved Star Trek since my dad and siblings and I crowded around the tv to watch it in the series original run in the 1960's. I just don't see in "City on the Edge of Forever" what everyone else seems to.
Mirror, Mirror is a damn classic episode with easily some of the best Trek and characterisation ever in TOS. Not overrated at all.
Only a fool would put this on the list. And I usually love this channel.
Instead of Inner light, which had at least some call-backs in later episodes, I would have put Chain of Command on this list: it had no consequences although Picard is severely tortured and as he himself admits almost broken
Regarding the Inner Light, I am actually happy that they did not a full episode or more revisting this experience - it would probably damaged the Inner Light itself, like the episode of DS9 where it was revealed that what we have seen in Far beyond the stars was just a illusion created by the Pah Wraith
Is this the "There are 4 Lights!" episode?
@@SSingh-nr8qzYup, the first time I watched that episode I was literally too young to understand it. I didn’t understand why the Cardassian was insisting there were five lights. I didn’t understand why they were hurting Picard. It didn’t make any sense to my child mind.
Then I ended up watching it again years later with an adult mind and I understood. I’ve always wondered how the Cardassian would have reacted if Picard had reacted with a careless shrug and said. “Yeah, sure, five lights. Whatever you say.”
Anyway I agree with the critique that after all that torture and being near broken it’s never referenced again. Never seemed to have affected Picard.
This is the first time I've heard of Message in a Bottle being so popular! It's one of my favorite Voyager episodes but no one I know loves it so much. I thought the Mark 2 was well done! They say later they're on the third or fourth EMH so it makes sense #2 wasn't liked very much. And I thought they portrayed that quite well. Also remember that Picardo when he was first activated was not all that likable, either.
I loved The Inner Light. Probably my fave of TNG because Picard gets there what he never gets in real life.
The Inner Light is top 5 Star Trek episodes ever, across all shows. Can't believe its on this list. Re-watching it TODAY still gets me emotional.
Mirror Mirror is one of the greatest episodes. That can't be denied. It's story line was ruined by DS9 and it carried on through Enterprise and Discovery. Stop taking yourselves so seriously.
Gonna get piled on for this, but The Visitor from DS9 is my most over-rated episode. It's overly emotional, overacted, and doesn't advance any of the stories of DS9 given that we already know Jake and Ben have a deep relationship. And I think the final message is a weird one given that until he is about 40, Jake apparently has an excellent life as an author and husband when the return of Ben basically destroys that life, and sends Jake on to decades of pain, to create the reset in the end. The end is couched in the idea that Jake was a boy "who needed his father" but his life until the first reappearance of Ben would seem to suggest otherwise.
I've never thought the story made much sense, and I've always viewed it as an odd theme, presented oddly, so it's hard for me to see why it's on so many top-ten episode lists ... for me, it 100% makes the top-ten over-rated episodes.
You cannot call The Inner Light overrated purely based on its lack of follow up. This and all episodes should be looked at on their own merit. I just think that’s silly.
I was about to lambast you for having "The Inner Light" in the thumbnail, but you put together a good argument why it's on this list. TNG's episodic format really did hurt developing significant character arcs, although in all fairness, the "Lessons" episode was a rare follow up to a past TNG episode.
If “The Inner Light” needed a follow-up (it really didn’t), the fault lay with TNG’s episodic format, and certainly not with the show itself.
Sean, thank you for a fun, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable episode of TrekCulture(tm). You have a wonderful way of presenting the whimsical and absurd. I really appreciate it. Oh, yes. You're fired. :D
RIP Séan. Shame about that transporter malfunction.
To shreds... 😔
Nasty! (But funny.)
I shall say it; Year of Hell. I remember reading reviews when that one first aired saying how amazing grim and gritty original and dramatic etc it was. But when I watched it: it was just another Time Travel story. It didn't make me feel the stakes or the the pain. And of course they hit the reset button, so it had no consequence. Most overrated Trek to me. There. I said it.
Year of Hell would've been phenomenal if they had the balls to make it a season-long arc without the time travel reset button at the end. Condensing it into a single two parter and forcing a return to the status quo really hampered the episode imo.
How in heck was Voyager supposed to avoid Borg episodes while in the Delta Quadrant???🤔
Right ? If they went around borg space the complaint would be why weren’t there any Borg stories ?
You keep them away with Borg spray!
Equinox did
Scorpion was a reasonable episode. Kes pushed them away from borg space. No need to encounter the borg again.
The complaint isn't that there was Too Much Borg. It's that the Borg were _ridiculously_ neutered. They went from a single cube nearly taking out the entire Federation at Wolf 359 (and then again in First Contact) to Voyager besting dozens of them at a time.
Creative writing
Inner Light? This has to be some Mirror Universe plot, Sean’s goatee is enormous for a start!
I agree with the Trials and Tribulations episode, but for a different reason: the Klingons. That throwaway line of "we don't discuss it with outsiders" set up the whole Klingons-who-look-like-humans arc in Enterprise. I really wish they had simply clad Michael Dorn in 60's era Klingon makeup - and *nobody notices the difference*. That would have made it an artifact of the medium it was recorded in, and not a 1:1 canon effect.
Okay, why was mirror mirror bad now? Yer didn't even explain why it's on the list!
Let’s be honest, the best parts of Message in a Bottle are the like first 3 minutes and the last 2 minutes. And it doesn’t need to be anything more than that. I think Kate Mulgrew did some of her best acting at the end of this episode. Her NEED for contact with home, the hope she feels now that Starfleet knows Voyager isn’t lost is tangible. It was the first real contact Voyager had been able to make with Starfleet in the series. It was extraordinarily satisfying moment for anyone following from the beginning of the series.
And the direct sequel episode is one of my favorite voyager episodes, Pathfinder. Not just because I love the character of Barclay. I think Pathfinder is probably one of the best “happy” emotional episodes of Star Trek in general. One of the rare times they let everything work out the way the characters intend them to, and then the unexpected added emotional punch of Tom Paris getting an important character progression moment right at the end.
Taken in isolation I guess I can see how you can say Message in a Bottle is overrated. I think that watched as it was intended it hits exactly the way it was meant to. It’s part of the larger story of finding a way home. Taken out of context though pretty much any “good” episode of any show could be called overrated.
But I’m a weirdo who actually liked most of Voyager and it seems like that makes me a bit of a rarity in the fandom. It’s not my #1 by any means, but I enjoyed it regardless of its many, many flaws.
Don’t worry, I enjoyed “Message in a Bottle” too. It actually got into my head so much that I had to write my own short story based on a character thrown in way over her head and having to manage.
That aside, yeah I enjoyed Voyager too. Sure it had some slow episodes and a couple of real clunkers but overall I enjoyed it. And I long ago accepted that I was in the minority for enjoying Voyager and thinking that Janeway is a badass captain.
To throw my own episode into the mix; DS9's "The Visitor". Yes, it's sad, but it pisses me off that "Obsessive man sacrifices his life against his father's wishes" gets what he wants. At least have the confidence of your own convictions and kill off Jake (not that I have anything against Cirroc Lofton). Say what you like about "Skin of Evil", but Tasha really did die and stay dead in it ("Yesterday's Enterprise" notwithstanding).
Yeah, Inner Light doesn't belong on this list.
Other than the ST: Picard episode I disagree with most of the list 😬🤷
Hated Skin of Evil!!!! Even as an adult, gives me nightmares.
I don't think Trials and Tribbelations is great plot-wise. It only has enough of a story to hang its "time-travel to a well-known TOS episode" hook on. But it pulled off that hook perfectly. It does exactly what it intends. It's a love letter to where Star Trek began. If you love the original, you'll probably love this episode.
I was about to rip you one for calling "the inner light" overrated, as as an episode it is still underrated however highly it is rated
It brings me to tears every time I watch it
But I see your point, it should have been included as an integral part of Picards journey but was greatly neglected
It may be considered overrated, but I quite liked The Inner Light, yes it falls down with the lack of followup later on (aside from Picard and Cmdr. Daren dueting in the jeffries tubes with his Ressican flute), but, to have Picard live an entire life in the space of 20 or so minutes, with adjusting from one to the other and then back again, only to find that the race had long since died out, it was quite a heartbreaking tale, and only he can seemingly keep their memory alive, despite having been gone for centuries...
The fact that Inner Light should have had more followup, but didn't get it means that the show was underrated, by the producers. It certainly wasn't overrated by the fans.
Since "Inner Light" has no follow up, it only happened in picards mind and didn't affect any other characters. It was well acted and an interesting story but in the end the probe failed, no one remembers their world since Picard never talks about it again. He never spread the word of their people.
@@strlslvr987 I doubt that. Picard is too private to openly linger on it, but the incident would have gotten a report that would have been carefully sanitized of all the emotional levels and sent to Star Fleet Command alongside the probe itself and a recommendation that a long-term research mission be sent at the next opportunity to examine the planet. Assuming it's intact; Data implies it is but novae don't tend to leave remains.
In any case, it's hardly likely to be a topic of conversation aboard a ship that keeps exploring new things.
@@strlslvr987 😥
@@RyvakenI like to think that Starfleet took the probe and figured out how it worked. Then the Federation let volunteers expose themselves to the probe and experience that life or perhaps one of several that might’ve been stored in it. I think at least a few scientists or archaeologists would have done so to help preserve the memory of that civilisation.
Or even ordinary people who felt moved enough to become the bearers of the last memories of an otherwise forgotten extinct people. Then perhaps in a later season Picard could meet someone else who took the memories. Maybe they would play their flutes together as a little tribute. Something like that. I don’t think the Federation would have let those people go forgotten.
Still love Message in a Bottle and Mirror, Mirror. How can Mirror, Mirror be overrated if it set the stage for years of alternate universe shenanigans?
Survival Instincts (VOY)- Yeah, I can see that.
Inner Light (TNG)- My pitch fork is sharp
Dawn (ENT)- Hey! First appearance of the Arkonian Destroyer/ Xindi Arborial/ Telerite Kehra (yes I'm using the STFC name, get over it)
Trials and Tribble-ations (DS9)- Ques up "Rip and Tear"
Extinction (ENT)- Yeeeeeeeah, the Xindi Saga just plain sucks all around. Completely unwatchable.
Project Daedelus (DIS)- I .... still need to watch it.
Mirror, Mirror (TOS)- Really? REALLY!?!?!?
Et in Arcadia Ego part 2 (PIC)- Yeah, I can kind of see your point.
Skin of Evil (TNG)- There must be justice for Tasha Yar!!!!!
Message in a Bottle (VOY)- ... I enjoyed it. -.-
In all seriousness, might I put "Court Martial" from the Original Series on the stand. It was a one off with no consequences and a lawyer who should have been disbarred so hard that he wouldn't have been able to walk into a cocktail bar. Refuse to cross examine witnesses only to move towards putting client on the stand? Stupid stupid stupid. Do not request discovery, you know, like the tapes from the Enterprise? Oh, and Kirk is a horn dog moron in that. Never, NEVER take the legal counsel recommendation of a prosecutor who is trying to cache you into a stockade. Also, wouldn't it have been prudent for Starfleet to check the Enterprise's computers for errors when the discrepancy is found? It was obviously glaring enough that playing chess on automatic easy mode was enough to unravel the entire thing. The only thing that could save this episode is if they pulled a Trials and Tribble-ation on it to have Shatner reprise his other great role of Denny Crane to replace the chicken lawyer from Futurama, I mean Samuel T. Cogley. Frankly though, if you want to see a better version of this episode, just watch "Measure of a Man" from season 2 of TNG.
You're confused, Sean.
*The Inner Light* is UNDERrated.
It's the best Picard episode ever (and that includes ST:Picard).
It's definitely among the top 3 best NG episodes.
Yet it's never mentioned nor considered.
*That's not how being overrated works.*
The Inner Light is almost always at the top of any list of "Best TNG episodes", with plenty of fans saying it's the best episode of all of Star Trek, if not one of the best sci-fi episodes ever. It is *massively* overrated for what it actually is. You thinking it's good doesn't mean it can't possibly be overrated, it just means that *you* think it's properly rated. I, for one, would've put The Inner Light at the #1 most overrated episode if I were making the list.
I always felt "The Measure of A Man" and "Inner Light" were both overrated. Fans make soooo much of these episodes that I can't help but feel they're talked about too much. I'm just not that in love with them as so many are.
loving the numerous edits of Tasha's death cropping up in your videos - keep it up and there could be a full compilation😄💜🖖
Enterprise - Dawn - look up the 1985 movie Enemy Mine with Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr.
Really good episode and an excellent movie!
Dawn is too similar to the movie "Enemy Mine". I think "Inner Light" is a fine story and one of the better ones offered by TNG (especially for those of us who hung around after Season 1).
Number 1 most overrated episode in Trek history, hands down, For The Uniform. It's utter garbage.
Problem 1. Starfleet officers are established to have an obligation by regulations to disobey an illegal order. Such an order was given by Sisko.
2. Sisko used a banned Biogenic weapon. Biogenic weapons are defined in Trek as weapons that only harm specific species and such weapons are stated to be banned by every nation in Trek, Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Gorn, Tholian, Cardassian, frikin everybody banned them.
3. There were no consequences, no court martial, no investigation, nothing.
You do raise some good points in the video, and I see nothing wrong with it.
I disagree strongly with "Mirror Mirror" and "Trials And Tribulations" being on this list. T&T was brilliant.
I think you've described why I might not be a big fan of "The Inner Light" in a way much better than I ever could. It's not bad; I just don't get the hype.
Trials and Tribble-actions is a classic. Nuff said
It’s not a goatee that Terran Empire Spock is rocking … it’s a Van•Dyke
Skin of Evil was one of the best episodes in TNG's first season not for any merit of its own, but because of Yar's lack of merit. Her death being pointless and adding nothing is a perfect eulogy to a character that detracted from nearly every scene she was in.
True! So often we see sudden deaths of background characters ( and passing TOS Red Shirts), to have a main character die so suddenly was shocking and new for a show, and without a prolong dying scene!
I absolutely blame the script and the writers not having found their stride yet rather than Denise Crosby.
These days, I find Star Trek endlessly disappointing.
Most episode of discovery are over rated.
Agree re: The Inner Light. I find Tapestry as the superior “what if” Picard episode
Oh Sean… Sean… Sean. You left out the most overrated of all - The Visitor. So many people say it guts them, they burst out crying, it’s the best episode ever, but I cannot stand the conceit of it. I mean from as soon as Jake starts recounting what happened, it’s OBVIOUS none of it actually happened, not on the prime timeline. Sisko didn’t die. Jake wasn’t traumatized (by that anyway). So all the flashbacks are meaningless! Meanwhile the set-up of the writer visiting is totally cliche. It’s treacly. Ugh. I allllways skip this during DS8 rewatches.
Thank you for including the Inner Light. I am not a fan of this episode. Beyond him taking up the flute we don't truly see how that experience affected or changed him.
To me the most overrrated episode is City on the Edge of Forever. Honestly, I found it boring, but on the whole I'm not a fan of time travel episodes in Star Trek. Honestly I rank it on par with those garbage "Benny" DS9 ones.
Trials and Tribble-ations is one of my favorite DS9 episodes!
It's a little odd to call some of these episodes overrated when they weren't that well regarded in the first place.
One thing I will say in favor of TRIALS AND TRIBBLATIONS is Terry Farrell. Watching Jadzia totally fangirling over Kirk and Spock, plus the total glee she had on full display in the 23rd century was just a total joy to watch. I will never forgive the producers for the way they did Terry dirty after season 6.
I would say that the one producer who told her that she would be working at a Kmart if it weren't for the show, did her dirty. If you go to the YT channel, D-Con Chamber, you will see that she had a long career before Trek. If everyone else got a raise going into S7, then I would fault them whole but since S7 is the last season I have doubts. Additionally, there were some seasoned male actors such as Rene who commented about her lack of experience and that may have colored the producers' perceptions. It's all relative of course. And she started in the modeling world where people are used to getting premiums based on looks and how that keeps customers coming back. So I can see how her negotiating expectations may have fallen short of where they were hoping to land. Since she was dating Dorn at the time she might have been benchmarking herself to him (with his TNG credentials). But really, they could have come to a compromise. It's that Kmart statement, well, how was she supposed to accept anything after that? Made it impossible to return.
@@trekon2023 I know she was in, I think it was, HELLRAISER III either right before, or shortly after season 1 of DS9 started airing.
I found some good LOL moments in this list.
Nice insert of IMDB onto a display screen in Enterprise.
That Emergency Exit sign when Tasha was flung out of the show was hilarious.
And an old favourite, a Horgon right where it shouldn't be.
I was never keen on the voyager Episode "the void". I love John Del Arco, but I hated how tra la la everyone was with using music to speak and it was just so "super convenient".
I'm on the fence about "The Inner Light", but I think it's a darn good sci-fi story. Maybe we could have explored a few aspects of whether the life he experienced was that society's sanitized, ideal version of their culture made all shiny for their presentation, or we could have just let the audience think about it for themselves after. Sometimes the latter is just way more fun. Imagine having some "sequel" where they go back in time and meet the society, or something odd like that. Yeah no thanks. :) p.s. I love that the Picard show's theme music includes that flute.
7) it doesn't have to advance the plot. A fun episode can be fantastic too. Flashback on Voyager just wasn't as interesting, imo.
As for 1), I think you're a little harsh on him and you admit in the segment why it wouldn't be Bashir. And as you also said, the point is to show the contrast between The Doctor and a fresh EMH. Because The Doctor was just as bad when he was first turned on (Picardo's delivery and sarcasm endeared him to us as we watched him grow)
Fired no. But you should be put on extended administrative leave and very grudgingly rehired.
Taken on its own, The Inner Light is still a great episode. But I agree that the lack of follow-up is frustrating. We got one TNG episode where it was referenced through his flute-playing, and then there was a slight reference with the flute in the Picard opening credits. Was there anything else? I don't remember anything else. Considering that Picard lived decades of a life that felt very real to him in this simulation of another world, it should have been referenced way more on TNG. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Riker should have taken command for a few episodes after The Inner Light while Picard sorted through everything with Counselor Troi.
I agree that while Trials and Tribble-ations is a fun episode, it's pure fanservice. It's not one I think about often. It's certainly not up there with the likes of The Visitor or In the Pale Moonlight.
Project Daedalus... What a disappointing episode. It was really insulting to Airiam's character that the writers pretended that she was an important part of the crew when we had seen no evidence of that previously. And then they killed her off. Awful. 3 out of 10 in my book.
The season 1 finale of Picard had some genuinely heartbreaking stuff with Data near the end. That's pretty much it. It was mediocre at best otherwise.
Contrary to this video, I actually think Skin of Evil is underrated. There's something to be said for a purely evil, irredeemable villain, and I think Armus was done really well. I liked the concept of what he was, and his actions (even killing Tasha Yar) made sense in that context. On top of that, Tasha's memorial service was very well done. I think this episode perhaps gets too much hate because Tasha Yar was killed off in it. Taken just on its own merits, I think it's a good episode.
Had Picard retreated from command for even one episode, it would have been a disservice. The man was intensely private. We saw him play his flute in private on a couple episodes in short scenes, and frankly that was enough. Picard showed a bit of personal growth peeking through the mantle of The Captain that he wore so fantastically well. To do anything else would have radically changed the dynamic of the show, and not for the better.
For me Inner Light didn't need a follow-up. It was just a stand-along and I fully was 'satisfied' with the ending. It was a very profound, important part of Picard's ongoing life.
I guess you could argue that The Inner Light is not a very good or impactful episode of Star Trek. There isn't really the typical Trek thing of a problem for the crew to work together to solve, for example. But as television, as art? As a story to be told? It's fantastic and in my mind one of the greatest hours of television to come out of that time period. And while yeah, you'd like to see the impact that had on Picard (and Picard season 1 was definitely the place for him to reflect on his life in exile compared to his life in The Inner Light), I think as viewers we can just enjoy compelling storytelling and marvel at the way Star Trek manages to surprise us even when we're ready for anything.
Soon as I saw Trials and Tribbleations on this list...that was when you lost me, Sean. I love ya, I do, but I'm going to have to temporarily take your Star Trek fan card for at least a day or so. C'mon, hand it over dramatically like you're Admiral Leyton on DS9 being arrested for treason. 😛
Okay, not thinking Trials is as great as people thought? Fine. But negatively comparing it to that Voyager episode whose title I've already forgotten? Comw on now...
How is Et In Arcadia Ego overrated? I’ve not heard one person say one good thing about it.
I loved many things about Picard S3 especially Data’s and Worf’s arc however…they’re highly overrated. It was really cool to see the D but it became about showcasing the D when the most practical shit to steal was the Defiant-heavy shields more compact less of a target, heavy armament, cloak and easily handled by a small compliant
That and they could’ve made the handler the female changeling or Dukat coming back from the Pah’Wraiths as their emissary for the Reckoning…where Jack could’ve fulfilled Jake’s role as the Pah Wraith puppet. This could’ve set up plenty of things but nope. We got the Borg. Again. 😖🤦♂️ and the changeling thing with the transporter was an afterthought fix that the writers forgot to pay off earlier
To say the inner light was never revisited is just wrong, watch Lessons straight after it
The Inner Light, Far Beyond the Stars, and The Visitor are all over rated episodes and just horrible. They are boring and far too self indulgent of the writers. Hate them and hate hearing them always being praised over.
I disagree entirely about Inner Light. Picard doesn't wail and cry over the loss of his family, but he doesn't cry over the borg incident, either. And we do see small changes. He takes up music, giving the character a much-needed hobby. He mellows towards children and family life in general. It leads up to Generations, where his personal paradise is a family of his own.
For the entire run, Picard is an intensely private man. He has a few fairly bad holodeck episodes, but beyond that he doesn't fraternize with his officers. It reinforces him as a strong, forceful leader, a father-figure in many ways, but it means there aren't easy openings for him to mourn and grow in the ways Inner Light would require. Limiting it to small glimpses in his private moments, having it come bleeding out when the shell of Captain cracks in Lessons, makes it immeasurably more powerful than the cringefest of First Contact.
Agreed about "Dawn". It just feels like a redo of Enemy Mine to hme.
There are three people hat I believe should never have been made:
1. Turnabout Intruder (TOS) - Terribly written and acted.
2. Night Terrors (TNG) : Were the show runners asleep when this one was greenlit?
3. Meridian (DS9) - Dax is NOT a giddy teenager. Terry Farrell should have walked away from this.
Your opinion is valid, even if others don't agree with it. Me and my college friends, who I saw the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Raiders films with, along with many others, rarely agreed, and often debated flims. But as much as we'd argue, and even mock threaten, we always appreciated a variety of observations. You be you Seán! (And you too Martin.)
As always, to all, thank you so very much for the videos.
Inner light is suicidally boring.
Here's my list that nobody asked for:
The Inner Light
Memento Mori
Hegemony
The Visitor
The Last Generation
A Night In Sickbay
Nepenthe
It's Only A Paper Moon
The Sound Of Her Voice
Endgame (the only bad episode on this list)
I'm here for your list Andrew 👍
@@BuhurtUK
All my opinions on Trek are pretty awful, but I appreciate the support, friend!
@@AndrewD8Red well I'm with you on The Visitor, I even suggested it to Sean much to his dismay 😂 goes to show how we all have different views.
@@BuhurtUK
Don't get me wrong, The Visitor is a good episode, great even. But there's at least half a dozen episodes that same season.
Sounds like you and I had very similar interactions with Seán... I think it may be his favourite episode...
@@AndrewD8Red ohh yeah don't get wrong it's not bad, I don't skip it. I just don't understand the love it gets. It's not even Tony Todd at his best. It also doesn't progress the story much. I mean if Jake and Sisko weren't getting on then it might mean something, but they were on good terms anyway.
I guess I'm weird. I preferred pre-zindi arc Enterprise. I mean zindi wasn't *that* bad, but I found the normal exploration stuff more interesting.
Totally agreed. I was so glad when it was over and we got a proper 4th season again, and it was so good too.
@@Francois424 Yeah I mean there were neat aspects of the zindi arc such as the interpersonal dynamic of having the MACOs - but I think I would have preferred more of the temporal cold war.
Yeah, the Xindi arc gave the show an almost militaristic feel, it put me off a bit. I liked the crude tech and the first steps into the galaxy.
Anybody else think there may be some confusion about what overrated means? Skin of Evil is often seen as one of the worst episodes, and thus can't be overrated. Other episodes I barely remember. The Inner Light deserves all of its accolades. I think the only one that may even remotely belong here is Trials and Tribulations in that it's a fun romp, but ultimately has no impact to DS9.
Oh thank you for putting inner light on this list. I found the episode boring and so overrated.
What I think was definitely "over-rated" was Spock's Brain's reputation as "worst episode" of TOS.