Star Trek: TNG 5x11 Full Reaction!
Added 2026-01-03 18:00:09 +0000 UTC
Comments
Troi being amazing and helping kids two episodes in a row. The actor playing Timothy reminds me of young Alan Parrish from the original Jumanji.
Geordie Joe
2026-01-03 23:11:04 +0000 UTCI have a good idea what the Troi episode is, and I keep associating it with how TV Tropes used to have a page for episodes focused on unpopular characters that were surprisingly good titled "Good Troi Episode" specifically after it (those being the days when the fans mostly just thought of her as stating the obvious all the time). I intended to use the line in the same place, but as the comment was panning out I couldn't figure out a place to put it in. I also thought about putting in Troi telling the others that of course the android thing isn't a viable long term solution, how could any race be so stupid? With When Harry Met Sally coming up again and you bringing up 1991 last time, I'll add in that my choice for original screenplay is the criminally underrated Dead Again. Scott Frank has just been toiling away for decades doing quality work without ever getting much name recognition, when he definitely should be on the reputation level of Paddy Chayefsky. And in that scene I also can't help expecting Picard to come in and say "You think with a financial statement like this, you can have the duck?"
Ryan
2026-01-03 19:38:37 +0000 UTCOh, shit, well, I’m sorry to hear about the ceiling. That happened in the one corner of the living room years ago. Come to think of it, kind of a similar thing of I was right under it and walked away just before it caved in, as a matter of fact. Remember another time coming home after Mom and I dropped my brother back off at college to come home seeing the water softener lost a cap or something. Fun times. So, yeah, that does resonate. Again, sorry to hear that’s what you come home to after the long Christmas weekend. Patrick did have the follow up in directing by having more Data exploration. He does have the better script in this one. Bigger challenge of he still has the sizeable role as Picard, so that was probably interesting for him to juggle with that. That long shot is fantastic. Still remember when the Dallas revival started soon to be fourteen years ago how they didn’t put the original show back on the air, but they did have some of the older episodes on demand. Should look into where, if at all, you can stream Dallas. Joshua does bring it this whole episode. Nice to hear he’s doing well with finding his niche. Again, my younger cousins haven’t latched onto being always eager to talk to me. They do get along very well with my brother and my sister in-law, which is nice. Both of them are much better in dealing with kids. Remember my one vacation, one of my cousins showed me some video, and I sounded like the Twelfth Doctor in my response to it. Certainly do feel that thing of having to put big work into coming up with something to say about a subject you don’t much care about. Like when football season is in full swing, you keep tabs on some of it, so you can contribute to meaningful conversation. Chef Julian would be all over Data discussing his analytical concept of taste, particularly as Data would know to clean the leeks. Hear you on that scene speaking to you. Yes, great that they acknowledge that Timothy has the long road ahead. We share the idea that he and Data continued to hang out or possibly kept correspondence. That would be one grand lore pull if there was more Prodigy, yes.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-03 19:38:16 +0000 UTCI have to start out by saying the shot of Data and Timothy transporting out right as a beam was going to hit them was way too close to home, since I just returned from a long Christmas weekend with my parents to discover my living room ceiling fell down on my usual couch spot, so odds are it would have been right on my head if it happened any other time. A very neat touch by director Patrick Stewart, in his second time on the show after In Theory last season. And I doubt it's a coincidence that he again did one about Data forming a new kind of human connection, where he fortunately has a much better script to work with this time. Which included a sizable acting role for himself unlike the way these usually go, which must have added its own challenges. I also have to single out the long shot of Timothy in the hallway after Data leaves, very unusual for the show and perfectly illustrating his emotional isolation. I wonder just how confident Hilary Bader and Joe Menosky were putting this story together that they'd be able to find a child actor who could pull off this very complicated central role. And they hit gold with Joshua Harris, who'd been a major cast member on Dallas for six years, and I was a bit curious if you'd recognize him from raising so much hell with Dick and Andy in their competition to be the dad of Lucy's baby, but the role was so small I can't be too surprised it didn't seem to register. He crushes it the whole way through, and it's kind of a shame he couldn't continue acting as an adult, though he's been pretty successful as a TV producer after a brief stint in baseball and probably could go back to it any time he wanted, which implies he doesn't, so I'm just happy he found this niche. This of course is another big favorite with autistic fans who see themselves in Data, and I identify especially with it since my cousin's son is always eager to talk to me whenever we're together and wants to know what I think about all kinds of things, some of which I have to put big work into coming up with something to say about a subject I don't really care that much about just because I can't bear the thought of letting him down. I also couldn't help thinking during the scene discussing his analytical concept of taste that Chef Slowik would be all over him, which probably isn't a good thing, and one of the places I sympathize with him most of all. I also really appreciate the acknowledgement that Timothy has a very long road ahead in his emotional recovery that's simply beyond the scope of an episodic show, and I've always liked to think he and Data continued to hang out between episodes, and maybe he ended up following in the footsteps of one of his parents. If there's ever another season of Prodigy he could be a killer lore pull as one of the kids' instructors.
Ryan
2026-01-03 19:20:39 +0000 UTCStarting off the new year with the last of the handful of episodes that duke it out for being my favorite Data episode. We had The Measure of a Man, The Most Toys, Brothers, Data’s Day, and now Hero Worship. Still can’t fully settle on my favorite Data episode. Data’s Day does have the tiniest edge, but there’s a case for the others. For instance, this one also serves as a great Deanna episode, (Not my favorite Deanna episode. That one’s one of my chapter-and-verse episodes that we won’t be getting to until next season.) so there is a strong case for this one, or like how Brothers is also a great Lore episode. Decisions, decisions. Knew this one would speak to you, as it does for me. This does have similarities to the last episode. I knew you’d express dismay over Geordi being in the mess at the beginning of the episode. Quite the mystery when the ship is destroyed leaving Timothy as the sole survivor. One thing’s sure: The crew of the Vico is dead. Possibly murdered. And SOMEBODY’S responsible. (Hey, you said that was one of the best lines you ever heard, Jess, I had to work that in somewhere at the earliest opportunity.) We again demonstrate that Deanna can do no wrong. She has never done anything wrong. In her life. Of course, we know this. And we love her for it. The Jedi Council sure as SHIT needed Deanna. Palpy may have actually lost if they did. I’m VERY here for going down that path, Jess, I’ll get the popcorn. Reminds me of the love of the Sidney episodes of M*A*S*H. You would ADORE those episodes too. Love Beverly not envying Deanna’s task this week. We share the heart breaking, and we get the not condemning Timothy for the suppression. The emotional devastations of life, one of which is felt again this upcoming week, yeah, there is the instinct to just not feel that, bury it way down into the pit of your stomach, until it burns your insides. We both have done that more than it’s healthy, Jess. Love the whole episode, Picard knows and trust his crew. When Timothy tries to emulate Data, he is surprised by it yet gives Deanna and Data permission to pursue the strategy to get him to open up. Gates gets you too when Beverly plays along in the one scene. Rather like how Timothy is never called out for using contractions, showcasing that he’s putting on the android persona. You know that it does not go unnoticed by Deanna. As someone who also has OCD, I too relate to Timothy needing to finish the model. We concur on that one. Strong autism parallels with this. Brent selling it how he sees Timothy trying to be just like him, and though he doesn’t always catch emotional complexities, that one he gets. I kind of feel Data’s observations of “Commit to the bit!” as you put it. I’d have the same thought. I’d lean into it by ordering food by saying, “All right, Timothy, you do it like this. “Waiter, I’ll begin with a house salad, but I don’t want the regular dressing. I’ll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side.” You see, son, “On the side” is a very big thing for us.” (It really is by the way.) In Data’s place, I would also get serious and say, “Kid, you don’t want what I got.” Not saying what I have is bad or terrible, mind you. Be very clear on that. Leads to that existential question of if you could change, would you do it. I’ve probably entertained the idea over the years. Yeah, I would be ok with that. But I don’t think I’d want to. You learn to appreciate the gifts that come with the curses that you live with every day. Be nice if the curses eased up on the pain from time to time, though. That part cuts a bit deep. Adore all your own reactions to those scenes. Great how you clocked Timothy blaming himself. It all comes out when it’s reveal that he fell and hit the panel roughly the same time that the ship was destroyed. We feel Timothy’s pain as we join Picard, Deanna, and Data saying to him, “It’s not your fault.” a few times. There is still the danger the ship is in. Love how enough pieces of the puzzle slides into place. The penny begins descending when Timothy recalls about the commands for more shields, and Data does the work. Leads to him giving Picard that look, knew you’d love that, and again, Picard knows his crew, and that part is everything. Love the last little scene of Data and Timothy. Alas, far as I know, we never see Timothy again. I would assume that the two remain pen pals. Sweet ending. Rather adorable little giggle you had at the final lines. And yes, the position of bestie is taken. You are not an asshole, Jess. I am, and you’re never at the meetings. The other big highlight of the reaction is Gerodi recounting the fire that he was trapped in. Your work in that scene exceeds all expectations. Just as your work in the reaction as a whole was terrific. A lovely, lovely Next Gen reaction to welcome in 2026, Jess, thank you so much.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-03 18:59:53 +0000 UTC
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