Star Trek: TNG 5x13 Full Reaction!
Added 2026-01-24 18:00:13 +0000 UTC
Comments
“Dodgy”, that’s a good word for the Next Gen shoehorned relationship. And yeah, 2026 has been having a particularly rough start.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-24 22:23:53 +0000 UTCGlad you're feeling better now, Jess. I hope Rocco feels better soon too. It's been a pretty tough start to 2026 for just about everyone, I think. The Masterpiece Society isn't very high up on my TNG rewatch list, I'll say that much. Mid-season, bland filler episode with another dodgy TNG relationship shoehorned in.
Geordie Joe
2026-01-24 22:12:05 +0000 UTCThat is true about the greater breathing room from the last one. I have heard most everyone single this one out as terrible. Still nowhere near the level of Up the Long Ladder or The Neutral Zone, or at least it doesn’t match my dissatisfaction with those two episodes, so I suppose I’m kinder to this one for that reason. See you went with Vault-Tech, and I went with Finetime. See your point on the set up, and today’s cultural context would make it soar more than its reputation as is. We both anticipated Jess having her reaction to Martin talking shit about Geordi. Have heard the clarification about how this isn’t an anti-abortion message, which I can see how that assumption is made. That is one damn fine moment of Geordi figuring out that his visor is the key to saving the planet, leading to him having that perfect scene as he savors the VERY delicious irony. I say it still speaks to Ron Canada’s skill in that subpar material though he’s stuck with, the man still brings it. Not arguing about how all the available evidence paints this society as bad. Which is where it’s trickier when some of the people start to think, the fancy word for changing one’s mind, and wish to leave. I feel Picard’s musings aren’t as bad as the other sections of the franchise where this sort of thing gets as bad as it gets. Because it does speak to Picard’s character of adhering to the Prime Directive, and like he says, agree with the people’s views or not, they are protected by the Prime Directive. I get people still aren’t fond of this one, perfectly fine. I concede that the writing could have been better. I like the central dilemma itself, if perhaps not so much the presentation. And if nothing else, it’s behind us now. Onto the next two, and the rest of this season which includes the very close second favorite/borderline tie with Déjà Q for being my favorite overall, and not too long after that, the one that Jess has as her favorite Next Gen episode. (Or if it’s not already her favorite, it’s certainly going to be her favorite.)
Thomas Corp
2026-01-24 20:18:29 +0000 UTCNope, not even Lower Decks cared enough about this episode to do anything with it. And I can't blame them, since this is one that's so little remembered there aren't even any big jokes with the fans about how wrong the heroes were.
Ryan
2026-01-24 20:07:54 +0000 UTCSomehow I still haven't seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, though I'll be going through Best Actress soon enough so that'll be corrected. I'm timing the Actor watches to end precisely when the new ones get added so I'll be able to immediately add on anything I need there. I remember watching The West Wing and noticing Ron Canada was often in the guest credits, but I was never able to spot the recurring character and finally had to look it up just because he has such an unassuming way of coming in and doing his job.
Ryan
2026-01-24 19:58:52 +0000 UTCHonestly, I just figured you needed an extra long break after the last episode. And will this one give you the lighter experience so badly needed after that? Well, that depends, how well do you handle an episode that's just plain bad? While Michael Piller maintained a soft spot for it, just about everyone else involved with the show was very open that they shit the bed here, on a level not seen since the worst of the first two seasons. And that's a real shame, because putting the Enterprise crew up against Vault-Tec now sounds like it could be a real blast, but back then there just wasn't the cultural context to really make it work like it should. The episode lets you know what you're in for early, with one of Bud's buds snidely noting that Geordi wouldn't even have been born in their world. That's the one bit I was really looking forward to your reaction on. And the writers actually had to make clear this wasn't supposed to be an anti-abortion message due to how clumsily it's written. At least it leads to the one quality bit here, where he's allowed to be just as smug as he should be that the VISOR provides the key to saving everyone. Ron Canada's such a reliable character actor in so many shows, and it hurts seeing him stuck with this material. From there, it just falls prey to the same major issue as Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, insisting on portraying the situation as morally complicated with no good or bad side, despite everything we see of this place making clear how bad it is so it's impossible not to cheer at its destruction having inevitably started. And to top it off, Picard even says outright that just letting them be wiped out all at once wouldn't have been any worse, the kind of thing that Voyager and Enterprise would ride straight to Hell with their insistence on the Prime Directive saying sometimes total extinction is what should happen. The good news is, this is behind you now and as memory serves the rest of the season is all good to great.
Ryan
2026-01-24 19:38:02 +0000 UTCIt is a rather troubling trend, yes.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-24 19:26:24 +0000 UTCAh yes. This episode is part of the series where Troi gets pulled into some Nonsense.
Jenny Chalek
2026-01-24 19:22:48 +0000 UTCWe share being annoyed by the Deanna and Aaron romance. Aaron played by a returning John Snyder who previously Bochra played in the M*A*S*H meets The Defiant Ones episode. Where his character there also made some mention about how on his planet, Geordi would have tended the rabbits on account of his being blind. ...Very weirdly specific trend for this actor. The romance of the week bugged the piss out of me. I just started banging my head against a hard surface asking, “Why, WHY, after the last HORRIFIC plotline of the last episode does ANYONE want to see this be the immediate follow up!?” I feel all your reactions of calling Aaron out for how fast he fell in infatuation with Deanna, or at least the idea of her and how new she is to him. Do get a laugh over your comment about Riker with that. That’s good. You say that one area where the trope works some is there are questions of unknowns and unpredictability. That’s true. Still don’t love, same as you, that Deanna says what she said about a relationship, but yes, your point is a good one about the trope here. And I love how Deanna is a straight shooter with Picard about it. Picard’s a sweetheart, and sweet how he calls her by her first name to show his support for her situation. (And I cackled over your shade to Kirk.) Geordi, of course, saves the planet. Unsurprising. Love how you note Picard’s faith in Geordi. And yeah, he did save everyone’s fucking asses, so they would do well to show some goddamn appreciation. You clocked Hannah not being happy. Again, such a sharp eye you have, Jess. God was Geordi amazing clocking it too, and again, I live for your reactions to that. Leads to the dilemma of do they grant the people of the planet’s request to leave, and what damage could that do. Picard ultimately agrees that if people do wish to leave, then he will help. It does lead to pondering what sort of ripple effect it would have on the planet. There is also the problem that you pointed out of if they have spent all their lives in this dot and bubble, then adapting to new unknowns will be difficult. Like Ian Malcolm once said, “Change is like death. You don’t know what it looks like until you’re standing at the gates.” You had the response of they could figure shit out. Therein still lies the hypotheticals that perhaps they cannot. Hypotheticals that graduate into uncertainties. Uncertainties that graduate into questions. And the questions perhaps have answers of a perhaps disquieting nature. And these answers will likely remain unknown to our heroes. (Unless, of course, this had a follow up in Lower Decks?) There is forever that great Twelfth Doctor quote, and there is also the good Professor Xavier quote in X-Men 3 where he says, “I had a terrible choice to make. I chose the lesser of two evils.” Mind you, yes, as you observed, the planet is saved for these uncertainties to still exist, which is why some fans I’ve heard jump on Picard for being overdramatic. I do get that. You feel that with Picard here, maybe one doesn’t agree with Picard in this scenario, but he has always prioritized saving people, not interfering with established cultures and societies in accordance with the Prime Directive. You assess it as Picard and the crew did about the best that could be done under all available circumstances. I like that that’s your assessment. And just really everything you had to say about it all, again, I say, “I don’t think I can improve on that.” As to what you also talked about with scheduling. I sort of do the same thing of looking ahead with each new year of what is or is not coming out, when shit’s coming out. And as of this week, there have been some announcements really clogging up schedules and strategies. Makes me feel bad for you of such busy times and not giving you the best opportunity to take a break or two for a while. Not helping, again, what you said about Rocco. I can understand what you said about how you are kind of bracing for the long nights there and having to preemptively schedule around sleepless nights. It all sounds quite bad, and you and Rocco have my prayers and sympathy. That may not do much for both of you in the grander scheme of things, but it’s not nothing. I offer it all the same, and it does mean a lot to hear you say that our support and understanding is very greatly cherished and appreciated by you. Warms the heart to hear it. Thank you for the reaction, and good fortune to you, Jess. Supposing the good fortune ends up not doing much good, come what may, you have my support, and I’m sure the support of everyone here. You and Rocco take care.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-24 19:11:44 +0000 UTCNo apology necessary for the week’s delay, and you’re welcome for the understanding and patience, Jess. And I’ll have to plan the viewing of the next two episodes then. So, you said possibly Tuesday, and, I would imagine, the second one on Saturday as per usual? Sorry to hear that Rocco is not feeling wonderful. Heart goes out to both of you with the long and trying late nights. All the best to both of you. Shared feeling under the weather as though I don’t think I’ve got the flu or anything, I’m feeling off and stopped up some. Now to the episode. Didn’t think I’d need to split this one up, but given what you talked about, my loquacity is having a day it seems. Another occasion where we love the deep dive into the dilemmas that can occur with the Prime Directive. When and where can you interfere with societies, what would be damaging, and how do you define “damage” in certain situations. Inevitable that you would clock the weird vibes as quickly as you did as you are so very sharp, Jess. The whole thing has very uncomfortable parallels to human history. It is also very easy to read autism parallels in this and think about what they would likely do to those on the autism spectrum given the staunch focus on the eugenics. Hence it REALLY becomes difficult to like these people. Or at least those that don’t wish to change anything. Good question you had about what happens if anyone gets a blemish. Regardless, I live for you saying to these people, “You’re all flops. I am the Earth Mother, and you are all flops.” Horrifying how it’s highlighted that Geordi would have been killed before birth in this society. And yes, I do believe that I did know that this part of the episode would get you riled up. Great how Geordi gets in the pointed remarks yet otherwise just leaves the people, Martin, especially, to be victims of their own prejudice. Because as Guinan says, well, she’s not in this episode, but if she was, it is as she would say, “When you hate, the only person who suffers is you, because most of the people you hate don’t know it and the others don’t care.” Of course, seeing as Martin, played by the always great Ron Canada by the way, is the most overt with the anti-Geordi behavior, and thus, he violates your most paramount rule in your Sesskasays Star Trek playbook; it means that you’ll hate him all you want, and I won’t argue against that, not one bit. Rules struck quickly as evidenced by how fast you got pissed at Martin. Love the finger snap when Geordi had the one line. Hannah at least sounds somewhat sympathetic about it, implying that she doesn’t agree with such beliefs that others like Martin hold. Love you making it known that you and Picard are vibing in this episode; you were both on the same wavelength, like you said. I hear him in that this planet could very easily create a new Khan. Small sidenote: Gets a big smile over the rather adorable reaction you had to the cupware that Picard and Deanna had. Such a fantastic moment when Geordi realizes his visor is the key to the solution. LeVar has the perfect delivery of Geordi’s Ian McDiarmid “It’s ironic.” style response to the rather delicious irony of the solution. And now we have your delightfully PERFECT reaction to said moment, and that was more than well worth the wait, I loved that part of the reaction, Jess. I still get a laugh over how once you know how they proverbially and literally screwed Geordi’s visor onto LeVar’s head every day of filming, you cannot unsee the editing tricks employed whenever Geordi takes off or puts on the visor onscreen.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-24 19:11:40 +0000 UTC
