PATRON TIER LIST TNG S5E25
Added 2025-02-07 14:10:42 +0000 UTCWhat tier do you rate Star Trek TNG S5E25?
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This poll will remain open, so feel free to revisit this once you watch our UNCUT reaction, YouTube edited reaction, or at any point throughout the season before our recap!
Comments
This is an easy S-tier, one of the most memorable episodes in all of Star Trek!
Marius
2025-03-13 13:40:22 +0000 UTC@Marko I know... I was mostly just joking around, too.
Jovet
2025-03-01 17:05:18 +0000 UTCTo me, all the years of TNG have up and down episodes. Season 5 is not special.
Jovet
2025-03-01 16:52:05 +0000 UTCI'm waiting for one in season 7 TBH. But 6 has a lot of bangers too.
Sherpa Jones
2025-03-01 04:20:58 +0000 UTCThis episode and one in a later season bring the fountains every time. If they both don't cry to at least one of these two, I don't know what will crack them.
Sherpa Jones
2025-03-01 04:15:33 +0000 UTCI had a dream one night that I was in love with a woman and we were getting married the next day. I woke up and felt heartbroken for months after.
Sherpa Jones
2025-03-01 04:12:05 +0000 UTCI think the majority of their society wasn't ready to grasp the reality of their situation. Denial is strong when doom is inevitable.
Sherpa Jones
2025-03-01 04:11:19 +0000 UTCThis episode is top of S Tier for ALL Star Trek of ALL TIME. An alien race that doesn't survive long enough to become space faring because their star goes nova, and they send out probes in the hopes that they will be remembered. The voyager missions come to mind here. But it was more than just an archive of their society, it was a real, lived experience. My head cannon is that the probe was placed in a museum somewhere, and that Starfleet engineers were able to get it operational again so that people could experience that world just as Picard did.
Sherpa Jones
2025-03-01 04:08:11 +0000 UTCWhy is Season 5 so random? Some of the worst episodes outside of season 1, and then this one... My personal favorite... A real surprise, emotional and profound. I have thought about this episode often for more than 30 years now. S-tier
Eric Singer
2025-02-28 01:36:22 +0000 UTCThis time, it will likely be a tie.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-27 18:48:07 +0000 UTC@Jovet I know, apologies, that was my attempt to quote Picard when he responds to Riker's "20-25 minutes". I guess I didn't do it justice lol
Marko
2025-02-17 03:20:50 +0000 UTCWell why stop there? If they're all doomed anyway why bother doing anything anymore? They should all just take cyanide pills. A very pessimistic way to live, even if knowing one's time is limited. Plus, good luck forcing everyone to just not have kids. How does one enforce this?
HS
2025-02-15 02:42:54 +0000 UTCOne of the top five of the series for me...
Stevtrek
2025-02-12 04:25:00 +0000 UTCI have nothing more insightful to add that the other comments or the episode itself don’t present, but I just gotta comment for how emotionally captivating this episode is. I can confidently say this episode carries a good heft of the weight for explaining why Season 5 is so well regarded despite the middling episodes being aplenty. S tier, no question.
cricketlenny
2025-02-11 01:17:48 +0000 UTCOk thanks, i looked Google but was not sure. Someone tier this as D, 🤔😂
Dan Here
2025-02-10 21:04:21 +0000 UTCI mean…we’re still having children.
Matthew Jimenez
2025-02-10 17:54:04 +0000 UTC@Marko That's how long Riker told Picard he was out for.
Jovet
2025-02-10 17:07:37 +0000 UTCstake (2) noun 1. something that is wagered in a game, race, or contest. 2. a monetary or commercial interest, investment, share, or involvement in something, as in hope of gain. 3. a personal or emotional concern, interest, involvement, or share. <<< This is mostly a reference to another comment thread here that claims there are no stakes in this very emotional episode.
Jovet
2025-02-10 17:03:26 +0000 UTCExactly
Patrick Smith
2025-02-10 11:22:22 +0000 UTCThanks. Stakes? Sorry i'm not sure what it means 😕
Dan Here
2025-02-10 03:38:41 +0000 UTCI think it’s very much up their alley. They are all about the characters and want to feel something from what they watch. I think one reason they might not like it that much, is if they see the hook coming. And if they’ve seen this concept executed better in media that came after. It’s a slow build, so not sure how it’s going to hold their attention. But I think they will appreciate Stewart’s performance and the meaning this experience will have on Picard. I don’t see them giving this a below B grade.
Sainjl
2025-02-10 03:06:35 +0000 UTCNot my favorite arrangement.
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:18:13 +0000 UTC@Paul Sage That's one of the truly beautiful (and horrible) things about this episode. Life IS exactly that type of irony!
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:16:22 +0000 UTCWell stated. YOU get the stakes!
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:15:42 +0000 UTCYou never saw this one before now?
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:13:50 +0000 UTC“While there's life, there's hope.”
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:11:14 +0000 UTCCarpe biblia
Jovet
2025-02-09 23:10:36 +0000 UTCOh, certainly Mr Moxie. I'm not suggesting that I would be upset if they don't love this episode... just surprised and maybe a little disappointed because this episode is that good that pretty much everyone has the same reaction when watching it. When you have something that you love, you want others to love it for the same reasons. Doesn't mean I would be upset at them if they didn't. Just totally baffled. :)
L J
2025-02-09 22:40:01 +0000 UTCThis one gets me... Every. Time. S-Tier 💯 to the top. "Arrive without traveling, See all without looking, Do all without doing" -The Beatles
Billy T. Riker
2025-02-09 20:14:44 +0000 UTCThere’s an entire civilization at stake, a 30 year lifetime of family and community that he gradually realizes is heading towards extinction
Paul Hess
2025-02-09 19:17:22 +0000 UTCI would imagine it would be the same as someone finding out they have a terminal illness…they still keep living their life as they normally would. As Picard is often fond of saying, “The future hasn’t been written yet.” And as another beloved Trek character would say, “There are always possibilities.”
Raphael Gaytan
2025-02-09 18:52:38 +0000 UTCThe "Seize the time..." speech by Picard evokes the Biblical phrase "Seize the day,..." -- bringing an otherworldly dimension to the storyline. This episode's main theme, like the Bible passage, encourages us to make the most of the present moment, as it is once in a lifetime. It's quite a powerful Star Trek message. This episode hit hard enough to remind me to do this EVERY DAY. And yes, I still do, even after all the years since I first watched it. And I smile from within my mind and heart with that revelation - yet another reason that this is my favorite 'Trek episode of the entire franchise.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-09 18:00:43 +0000 UTCI know I've been away a long time, guys, but I had to step back in to comment on this one. It's a timeless classic, of course, but it has a major flaw that no one talks enough about: Why are the people of Kataan still having children when their planet is doomed? Isn't that both cruel and selfish? The scene where Kamin asks his grandson if he remembered to wear his sunscreen makes me feel sick. His grandson shouldn't have to remember to wear his sunscreen **because he shouldn't have been born in the first place.** Sorry to drop back in with such a bleak comment, but that's the way I feel.
Anthony Bernacchi
2025-02-09 17:36:17 +0000 UTCI mentioned above that a LOT of actors from ALL of the Star Trek shows consider this the best episode of the entire franchise or at least call it their favorite Star Trek story.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-09 17:12:23 +0000 UTCYes, there are some minor spoilers for shows they have yet to see. Minor, yet there is another video with the tune that has no spoilers and gives lyrics to the tune sung by Jillian Aversa. Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voeYM4ZGO9Q
Rhett Coates
2025-02-09 17:10:27 +0000 UTCI suppose that makes sense, if you're unable to connect or care about the characters, only the core plot matters. But, I'm surprised you don't care about the characters after spending hundreds of episodes with them? I think if you watched this episode as the first one ever of TNG, it wouldn't hit very hard then, agreed.
Paul
2025-02-09 16:32:22 +0000 UTCDamn it we've waited so long for them to get here and it's so close and I can't take it anymore, the last mile always feels like the longest...
Paul
2025-02-09 16:30:26 +0000 UTCI didn't last without a dry eye - and was SO happy it went that way. When I think of Star Trek, it's episodes like this one that remind me that things usually turn out all right when everyone does what they do out of love.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-09 16:25:43 +0000 UTCImagine having everything you never knew you needed. And then having it snatched away again in an instant.
Jovet
2025-02-09 15:41:30 +0000 UTCSometimes great things have to sneak up on people.
Jovet
2025-02-09 15:39:49 +0000 UTCI stopped reading this comment the moment I grasped that the stakes elude you.
Jovet
2025-02-09 15:38:45 +0000 UTCOne of the best of all of Star Trek !
Jovet
2025-02-09 15:37:09 +0000 UTCGreat - The tombstone is already in place. :-D
Adam from Germany
2025-02-09 10:46:24 +0000 UTCYou are correct Adam, the Voyager probes are going to orbit the centre of the milky way (each orbit will take 250 million years) and they will outlive both humanity and the sun... So whatever happens to us, we have left something behind... (source - "The Farthest - Voyagers Interstellar Journey", which is well worth a watch).
nigel valentine
2025-02-09 07:46:30 +0000 UTCBravo to Patrick Stewart! Let's see if Josh and Alex have dry eyes after this story tears through their hearts. Also, now Picard has a new talent of playing the flute.
T’Pynyn of Vulcan
2025-02-09 05:03:11 +0000 UTCAn episode full of characters we have never met and don’t care about would fall flat on its face without Patrick Stewarts powerhouse acting chops. We care deeply about Picard, therefore, we care about this planet and its people through him. Picard in his quarters cherishing his flute and remembering a life well lived, and a family well loved is powerful.
Wade MacKinnon
2025-02-09 04:32:26 +0000 UTCAnd after our generation listened to PIcard's speech about how to live a life, we spent all of our days in cubicles and working crap retail jobs instead.
Alan Thompson
2025-02-09 03:09:59 +0000 UTCAlright, NOW you're allowed to say you've passed the peak of TNG.
GreenCauldron08
2025-02-09 01:57:46 +0000 UTCSeveral moments of this episode brought a lump to my throat. "Put your shoes away" was jaw-dropping stunning in its emotional effect. Then, there's Picard in his other life stating he always thought he didn't need children but when his son is born, he states "Now I can't imagine life without them." The "Seize the time..." speech is one of Picard's most famous, and when I first heard it, my own parents' telling me that often when I was young brought it home with tremendous impact. That one is also Biblical in philosophy. Then, when the flute was played in the final scene, I was already opening weeping with great love for all these characters doing what they did out of love - and this ending made me feel completely OK with the tears that then came like a human Niagara Falls. - while realizing there was a massive GRIN on my face! At this point in the STAR TREK franchise, this tied as my favorite episode with "The City on the Edge of Forever."
Rhett Coates
2025-02-08 22:02:05 +0000 UTCI wouldn't even frame it that way though. I won't be upset if they don't like the episode, I will feel sad that they didn't have the same amazing experience me and so many other fans have. Their authentic experience is their experience, but I hope for their sakes they get to share in the powerful emotional gut punch this episode is for so many people. When it comes to the best episodes of trek, I don't want people to agree with me for the sake of agreement, but rather because I feel good knowing they got to share in the same magical experience I did when I first watched this episode.
Mr Moxie
2025-02-08 21:59:34 +0000 UTCEvery Star Trek series has its own "City of the Edge of Forever" kind of story which truly tugs one's emotions. This is TNG's. Many of the cast members of all the 'Trek series, including the new ones, cites THIS episode as their favorite in the franchise.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-08 21:55:38 +0000 UTCThe last scene hit my emotions hard, and when the Enterprise fly-by occurred with the flute still playing, I actually found myself weeping without stopping for several minutes after the episode ended.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-08 21:53:23 +0000 UTCWhen I, too, found out Stewart's real life son was his son in this episode, the impact of it hit home all the more.
Rhett Coates
2025-02-08 21:51:37 +0000 UTCTNG was long off the air when I started downloading episodes and watching them, I was a teenager hiding from my feelings when I first saw this episode, but I'll be damned Picard's somber nostalgia for a life he'll never touch again didn't have a profound emotional impact on me back then and to this day. Bargaining is a stage of grief, and a common bargain is "if I am to die, at least let me live on in the memories of others... if only for a little while". I think in Patrick Stewart's acting you can see not only the pain he feels over the life he lost, but also the tremendous sense of duty he feels to keep the memory of the Kataan people alive in his heart. S
Mr Moxie
2025-02-08 21:51:07 +0000 UTCA beautiful display of Patrick Stewart's acting abilities, this strange premise allows him to leave the Enterprise and live out an entire alternative life. Masterfully fitted into 45 minutes without feeling rushed. Ages better and better with rewatching. One of the very best of TNG.
Tom Sedge
2025-02-08 20:57:54 +0000 UTCI'm going to need a bit more than that, as I have no more emotional connection to Capt Picard than I do to Capt Roger Healy on "I Dream Of Jeannie". For me this show lives and dies on the story since I am indifferent to this crew. I need a hook, some adventure, real stakes.
Ken R
2025-02-08 20:15:12 +0000 UTCThis episode (and another in season 6) get better and better each watch through. As I get older, I make it a case to watch this episode. The power of this episode to cause me to look back on my own life shows the indelible power of the writing of this episode, the acting prowess of Patrick Stewart, and the power of memories. S-Tier all the way and it is reinforced every year.
Terrell Harkness
2025-02-08 18:10:21 +0000 UTCI know everyone adores this episode, but I always thought too slow. A from me, still very good.
JoeCensored
2025-02-08 15:42:17 +0000 UTCMaybe just somebody trying to start something and cause conversation.
Collin Freeman
2025-02-08 15:35:19 +0000 UTCI don't think they'll hate it, but I would not be surprised they do not give it an S.
Collin Freeman
2025-02-08 15:33:26 +0000 UTCEven if they gave this an E I wouldn't be upset. Extremely confused and shocked, yes, but upset because someone doesn't like what I like? That's ridiculous.
Paul
2025-02-08 14:58:45 +0000 UTCThe stakes are in how Picard will be affected by the ordeal.
Paul
2025-02-08 14:57:38 +0000 UTCI can’t believe how refreshing this sounds lol
Sixto
2025-02-08 13:54:02 +0000 UTCI am really curious where this falls for you guys. I love it a LOT and so apparently do most of the Patreons, so I wonder if it’ll fall short for y’all.
Sixto
2025-02-08 13:53:36 +0000 UTCI have to say that your definition of “stakes”, “drama”, and “story” are different than mine!
Paul Hess
2025-02-08 13:20:14 +0000 UTCSo many of us are afraid you’re going to hate this episode.
Turtleboy
2025-02-08 13:06:43 +0000 UTCI turned this off the moment I got the gist that it was going to be a fantasy life but with no stakes or drama. Maybe it was good, but I wasn't the least bit interested or curious to stick around and find out. Hookless, drama free, without stakes, just typical syrupy TNG "character" stuff, only its not happening within any sort of story--as usual--so I could not care less.
Ken R
2025-02-08 10:30:36 +0000 UTCI did not love Picard episodes when I was younger. I was generally disappointed when I realized an episode would be about him, mostly romance episodes. That being said, this is my favorite episode of the series. If you see the ending coming, it might bring it down, but it never fails to touch me on a rewatch. It’s even disorienting to see Picard back in red at end.
Sainjl
2025-02-08 10:30:31 +0000 UTCI fully understand that people have different opinions and people aren't all going to like the same things, but I honestly don't know if anyone can call themselves a true Star Trek fan if they give this episode anything less than an A. This is just one of those special episodes. It tells a truly brilliant story that captures the very essence of what makes Star Trek so masterful. If you thought people were upset when you bashed Darmok or The Wrath of Khan, that doesn't hold a candle to how they'll react if you even come close to bashing this one. Here's hoping we won't be seeing that.
L J
2025-02-08 07:27:42 +0000 UTC@Jovet Twenty five... MINUTES???
Marko
2025-02-08 05:55:58 +0000 UTCI believe he definitely did more than communicate in the years to come. Which is somewhat confirmed in one of the later Trek series.
Marko
2025-02-08 05:25:47 +0000 UTCIt is quite all right you do not connect to the story, we all have different points of view. But it is factually not true what you said about Picard not being Kaman and vice versa. He absolutely is that person, entire aspect of his being changes during the time he spent there. He comes back to being Picard, the captain of the Enterprise, but that is not the same Picard from the beginning of the episode. His life has been enriched by the experience and part of his personality developed that wasn't there before.
Marko
2025-02-08 05:21:06 +0000 UTCMan I really hope you both love this episode. I always laugh when someone gets upset about an episode you guys don’t like. But I have to admit I would be disappointed if you both didn’t. This is truely what science fiction is all about. Wonderful episode.
Glenn Zigli
2025-02-08 05:10:55 +0000 UTCI love space battles. With that said, this is the best episode of ST TNG , hands down. Total Recall, Star Trek style. A complete life in 30 minutes. You have Daniel Stewart, son of Patrick, play his son -- cool. I like this one better than, The best of both worlds (Locutus - of Borg). Just a little bit more. Top ST TNG
tux1313
2025-02-08 05:09:09 +0000 UTCI agree it is an extremely fascinating concept. And this is my favorite episode as well. But also just as how beautiful potential experiences could be to live entire other lives in implanted memories, there is a chilling aspect of the opposite. What a devastating existence someone would have if they were given a thousand years long nightmare, or a million years or isolation.
Marko
2025-02-08 05:06:23 +0000 UTC@Greg Quinn Damn, I am genuinely interested to know what spoilerish aspect you were referring to. I hope you remember mentioning it when that episode comes to pass. The only thing from this episode, that I could connect to something else, is an episode from another Trek show. But I also do not want to mention the episode, or what it connects to, as it would be a spoiler. But if it is that episode I don't see how it would drag this episode down. And I could also be completely wrong on my guess.
Marko
2025-02-08 04:54:10 +0000 UTCWell said. It’s not my all time favorite though I like it a lot. But I very much agree with your other comments.
Crankygrandma
2025-02-08 04:40:56 +0000 UTCI’m torn between an A or an S for this one. It’s a fascinating idea, and it drew me in, wondering what was going on. It’s very much a Picard character story, thus I think you will like it. That closing scene… I loved it.
Crankygrandma
2025-02-08 04:39:38 +0000 UTCI am going to make a wild prediction that y'all are not gonna vibe that much with this. This might be the most universally beloved Star Trek episode period. But something tells me this isn't up your alley. I'll be happy to be proven wrong though 😅 It's a solid S for me
Deep Red
2025-02-08 04:11:15 +0000 UTCEarly teen me who mostly wanted space battles didn't fully appreciate this episode. Adult me thinks this is a top 3 TNG episode.
NivekTheIncorrigible
2025-02-08 03:36:07 +0000 UTCThis is one of those episodes that young me thought was good, though not necessarily spectacular, but as an adult, I appreciate it much more. There is such pathos in living an entire life and then having to deal with the loss of that life. And I also appreciate the emphasis on story and memory. The Kataan could have sent out a probe with samples or records, but instead they immerse Picard in their way of life, so that he could tell their story, and their civilization would survive that way, and I find that to be quite moving.
Ryan Caulfield
2025-02-08 03:28:19 +0000 UTCI found it buzzing with Character moments. Yes, you will never see any of those people again, but the Katanians offer a unique piece of the puzzle to Kaman's life in the mystery we see. Even being spoiled to know the mystery I found the characters charming. It may be an ideological thing, if you don't care for the bonding and interaction Picard had while trying to accept this as his new life that gradually took over personality. Did you always hate Philosophy too growing up? Found it useless maybe? wow.
Patrick Smith
2025-02-08 03:28:04 +0000 UTCIt kind of parallels with TOS city on the edge of forever, Amazing Sci-fi, but did it even need to be star trek?
Patrick Smith
2025-02-08 03:17:53 +0000 UTCCould of happened like a dream though, wherein you feel like time is passing normally but its jumping forward in leaps. Maybe Picard just had a good nap! For the audience however, I agree that it is cathartic. I was crying.
Patrick Smith
2025-02-08 03:13:27 +0000 UTCThis is it. This is not only the best episode of TNG, but the best one of the entire Star Trek lore for me. There is only one other that I consider to be this high, and it is from DS9, but it would be 1B while this one is 1A. Picard has always been my favorite character of any show, and to see the growth this episode gives him is profound. He gets to experience a whole other life, the kind of life he never sought, or thought would ever get a chance to live. Picard's music, and that melody, reflects this new facet and depth formed in his personality. The emotional catharsis at the end, when he finally understands, oh it's me, is both painful and beautiful. And that's exactly how life is, somewhere between pain and joy.
Marko
2025-02-08 03:07:23 +0000 UTCEasily one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. As a kid, fhe hook at the end blew my mind. I figured it was a Romulan plot or something, and when it was an extinct race just trying to be remembered however they could, it really hit powerfully. Great acting, and it evolved Picard further as a Starfleet legend. S+
Boggle
2025-02-08 03:00:01 +0000 UTCThis episode is more A Tier than S for me. The civilization is a bit dull, and the guest characters don't feel like real fleshed out characters. "Remember us" is an all time banger line though.
Loot Narsbaar
2025-02-08 02:47:18 +0000 UTCAnd a beautiful way to give the man who never had time for children or a spouse, just that very thing. The time - and children and a spouse. The profound gift and responsibility.
Paul Sage
2025-02-08 02:45:35 +0000 UTCA personal favorite in all of Trek. Its not just good Sci-Fi, its just beautiful story telling. I loved it when it premiered, I love it now. All any of us are going to leave behind are the ripples on the surface of history that are the memories of those who remain after. This dying culture found a way to throw a final rock in that pond.
Paul Sage
2025-02-08 02:43:11 +0000 UTCHaving rematched most of Season 5 now, I think it’s glowing reputation may rest on this episode and some of the other bangers like “I, Borg” and “Darmok” Season 5 has a lot more stretches of mid level episodes than I remember. It’s not nearly as consistent as seasons 3 & 4 but when it’s good it’s spectacular.
Matthew McKinnon-Gray
2025-02-08 02:05:21 +0000 UTCThere are TNG episodes I've seen 20 times before, but this one not once. WOW. S for themes on existence, family, love, and how we should cherish History.
Patrick Smith
2025-02-08 02:01:38 +0000 UTCMaybe some voters are kind of young in age/wisdom? Wasn't I though, I voted S.
Patrick Smith
2025-02-08 01:58:06 +0000 UTCSo true. It's so beautiful! I hope Alex and Josh listen to it.
Chris Nunnally
2025-02-08 01:58:03 +0000 UTCFunny you should post this. Since posting my own comment on this thread today, I’ve already listened to that exact musical composition at least fifteen times at work! Jay Chattaway’s enduring masterpiece…and let’s be real…he knew it too.
Raphael Gaytan
2025-02-08 01:38:31 +0000 UTCWhenever I hear stories of people having a salvia trip where they claim they lived years as another being with a wife and family, just to wake up back on the couch where only 10 minutes passed, it makes me think of this episode. Picard's electronically-incuced salvia trip.
Chris Mickelson
2025-02-08 01:32:17 +0000 UTCTo the person who clicked E likely by accident (or as a joke)... Do you need medical assistance? To the persons who clicked B and C... I don't see how you can find the episode less than A (and by A I mean S+), but we value all opinions here, even wrong ones. To the person who clicked D and likely MEANT it... How dare you? You have stolen my dreams, and my childhood, with your empty [rating]. I have crossed my arms and spun around, never to think of you again.
Matt Newmark
2025-02-08 01:25:26 +0000 UTCOK I'm so intrigued by whoever gave it an E. Definitely not criticizing the preference seeing as how I will voluntarily rewatch The Loss.
Chris
2025-02-08 01:21:34 +0000 UTCI've been using the analogy that scifi(and fantasy) are a canvas for years. At the end of the day both let the writer tell stories that wouldn't be possible in a more restrictive/grounded genre. Great take.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-08 01:18:59 +0000 UTC"If they started with Picard on the planet in the cold open and we never showed or understood what is going on with the Enterprise crew until we awakens, I think it would work way better" At the cost of eliminating that utterly perfect ending to his other life? No, thank you.
Matt Newmark
2025-02-08 01:16:12 +0000 UTCTalking Heads is always serious
C
2025-02-08 00:58:12 +0000 UTCHere's a non-spoiler link to the same music: https://youtu.be/eujM5uoo-l0?si=oc0yNyaURe3olUq2
Chris Nunnally
2025-02-08 00:50:21 +0000 UTCThey would have to be somewhere, right? :-D
Adam from Germany
2025-02-07 23:53:46 +0000 UTCI still wasn't a "hardcore trekkie" by this point (I'd missed half of the previous 6 episodes on first airing) but I was definitely getting there with this epsode! I MAY be in the minority by not rating it S, but I'm going by my reaction from 30 years ago. Retroactive Recognition awards for the best friend Batai, and the council member.
Ee'char
2025-02-07 23:35:49 +0000 UTCThe reason I don't want rate it is a S is something I can't totally get into because it's slightly spoilerish. Stand alone I think it's an S. But in some other contexts it falls a bit short
Greg Quinn
2025-02-07 23:27:46 +0000 UTCGreat episode ....but this should be extremely extremely traumatic. Imagine you wake up and find out that the last 40 years of your life .. children you loved, a wife, a world you have come to see as your own as much as earth...is all ..either gone ..dead for a thousand years or they were computer simulations. Either way...that should be as traumatic as anything.
Greg Quinn
2025-02-07 23:25:04 +0000 UTCI think that given he lived this experience over a short time (in real time), the impact is reduced — certainly very disorientating, but not as permanently transforming as actually living a full, separate life. Only an imprint of it is left, with critical memories and experiences (and the flute), but still the same man. At least, that's how I reconcile that living a full, separate life would actually radically transform the character.
xadg
2025-02-07 23:18:27 +0000 UTCPerfect S This is what I love to see in Star Trek
harrypothead42024
2025-02-07 23:07:11 +0000 UTCThis experience of his sequestration as it took 5 years to finaly fully accept his situation as mentioned by wanting to build a nursery is what you call Stockholm syndrome wich is a well known disorder that can last years to heal. Picard would have serious identity crissis, his memory would be screwed like whats real, whats not. He could have forget so many things from his previous life from crew members to the Entreprise little secrets a captain should find obvious. Just the rythme of his life on the planet, like seeing a sun every day, no more earl grey tea etc. I don't know how his body could react versus his brain's new and long lasting life. Food, sleep cycle, hobbys, friends, everything he knew for the last 30 years would be gone. He just lost his wife, kids and grand kids wich he raised and loved for decades. He changed diapers, helped for homeworks, showed his kids all he knew about astronomy and all. It takes me weeks to recover from my cats when they die, i can't imagine loosing my beloved wife of 30 years, kids and grand kids, friends even his house, village etc... His command style would surely been affected, either by being more of a family man, wich he never knew before or just i don't give a fuck anymore. His relation with child, wich we all know his not his primary talent would be totaly different He would also be experiencing steady flashback of his previous life, seeing a kid would make him remember the family he build over a 30 years span. You don't erase 30 years of pure emotion like you close a book. Finaly, i beleive he would need to consult with Troi on a weekly basic, probably for years only to never fully recover. On a positive note, his learning of the flûte would see his relation to music completly changed, while still being a major cause of flashbacks. I would have love to see a follow up episode to see his recovering process, a little like Family folowed when he was assimilated by the Borg. They missed a really good oportunity to show Stewart's talent as an actor at his deepest emotions. At last, sorry for the long and surely full of grammatical errors comment, english not being my first language but just to show the impact this particular episode had on me.
Dan Here
2025-02-07 22:56:29 +0000 UTCJust like Picard, it took me 3 decades to fully understand how deep this episode was. I mean the post traumatic stress disorder Picard would be living would make his Borg assimilation feel like a seasonal flu. By far the biggest triple S++ of the whole franchise...
Dan Here
2025-02-07 22:55:11 +0000 UTCI love how, of all the people on the Enterprise to experience this, it was Picard—a man who was the consummate explorer and had such reverence for past civilizations. Who better to bear the responsibility of remembering them than him? As emotionally traumatic as it must have been, you know he would be honoured to be the one to carry their legacy.
Elizabeth N
2025-02-07 22:14:43 +0000 UTCThanks for that! I didn't even register that minor spoiler. Sorry, Alex and Josh! Listen, but don't watch.
Chris Nunnally
2025-02-07 22:13:00 +0000 UTCIt's fantastic. And there are some mild spoilers in the video, so Josh and Alex should just listen and not watch!
Jesse Manning
2025-02-07 22:04:40 +0000 UTCI hope after watching this episode, you will listen to this. It's beautiful! https://youtu.be/RyYhbC0MXlY?si=rTakNaYl6Ax6G7j0
Chris Nunnally
2025-02-07 21:45:13 +0000 UTCYet another example of the depth of Patrick Stewart's talent as an actor. This cast has so many good performers and performances from episode to episode, it's hard to say who's the best. Definite S.
Collin Freeman
2025-02-07 21:41:08 +0000 UTCI think this episode (first TNG to win a Hugo) is overrated. While excellent it features two things I don't really like. A tour-de-force Patrick Stewart performance while the rest of the main cast has nothing interesting to do and a story that would be just as compelling in a generic sci-fi setting with no real use of Star Trek specifically. Still a strong A but not top 5 of the season for me.
Cirk Bejnar
2025-02-07 21:23:50 +0000 UTCMemories of childhood.
Michael Metrick
2025-02-07 21:21:19 +0000 UTC🤣🤣🤣
Michael Metrick
2025-02-07 21:19:04 +0000 UTCIt's on most people's top 5, so...
Michael Metrick
2025-02-07 21:18:01 +0000 UTCIn my top 5 of all Star Trek episodes.
Connor Fallon
2025-02-07 21:10:09 +0000 UTCDamn right. There’s nothing to criticize. 😁
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 21:07:38 +0000 UTCI see what you did there...nice. lol
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 20:27:14 +0000 UTCI like this one but it isn't a personal favorite. To me it's an A tier. I feel like this episode has reached 2001 : A Space Odyssey territory where you aren't really allowed to say anything critical about it.
Spencer Loften
2025-02-07 20:21:54 +0000 UTCI find it odd among Trek fans that "remember us" is tear worthy but "what of Lazarus" is still an awful episode to be laughed at.
Alan Thompson
2025-02-07 20:20:00 +0000 UTCI don't cal lit a violation. I call it experiencing a holonovel or reading a really interactive and personal book.
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:15:54 +0000 UTC@The Ninth Doctor He has shed a tear or two. No outright bawling, though, as I recall.
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:14:48 +0000 UTCWhat did you expect them to do for 20 minutes?
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:12:05 +0000 UTCRare "S" for me, too.
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:11:45 +0000 UTCMy appreciation for Star Trek and its VSEs (Very Special Episode) do not require the approval or appreciation of others. A kinship of supreme appreciation would be nice, but their liking or hating an episode does not change what I think about it.
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:11:03 +0000 UTCWell, the prop doesn't produce any sound anyway. So that's all moot.
Jovet
2025-02-07 20:09:35 +0000 UTCThis is my favorite episode of TNG. I'm fascinated by the concept of being implanted with an experience. To be able to live an entire life in essence within minutes. Humans live such short lives, if we had this ability you could in a way have the experience of thousands of lifetimes you could experience so much and in a way live as long as you desired, in your mind anyways. Star Trek hits on this idea good and bad. For this time, they chose Picard to experience it and its so touching, Picard chose Starfleet over raising a family but you can tell that there is a part of him that also wanted that. This civilization gave him that experience while also passing along their memory. I just love it.
Sequiro
2025-02-07 19:51:35 +0000 UTCThese are my thoughts exactly. I changed the channel on this one every time it was on, until I started interacting with other Trekkies online and discovered that everyone loved it for some reason. I get what people are saying about Stewart's performance, but I'm just not at all interested in the story. The alien culture is uninteresting, the visual design is bland as hell, and how am I supposed to get invested in a story about a guy who isn't even really that guy? Knowing he's going to turn back into Captain Picard by the end? I just don't get it.
Steve Boshear
2025-02-07 19:42:08 +0000 UTCThis episode stayed with me for weeks after it aired. I made sure I was home to watch again in reruns. I remember the personal scenarios and possibilities playing out in my head were such fun. Years later it hit the same, but with a different perspective, watching the box set (in order) with my kids. The inner pain at losing his wife and children would be agonizing, real family or not.
Mushroom-Bagel-Bites
2025-02-07 18:55:25 +0000 UTCI want to like "The Inner Light" since it is so universally loved and praised, and we certainly see Patrick Stewart's acting chops on full display. But I just don't care for it at all. I feel like I'm missing something, since everyone drools over it, but there are far better episodes of Trek. Hell, there are even better Trek episodes that use the "living another life" concept. Jay Chattaway's Inner Light orchestral suite is phenomenal, though.
Jesse Manning
2025-02-07 18:42:54 +0000 UTCMoney is on Josh. Has Alex ever cried watching ST?
The Ninth Doctor
2025-02-07 18:33:03 +0000 UTC💯 agreed - great take, and SciFi as a vehicle not the point of the story.
The Ninth Doctor
2025-02-07 18:30:11 +0000 UTCThey're not his hands playing the flute at the end. It's a stage hand. You can never unsee it now 😉
The Ninth Doctor
2025-02-07 18:29:11 +0000 UTCAbsolutely!
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 18:28:41 +0000 UTC"Remember us" - two words to bring you to tears. I *really* hope they don't hate this one... 🤣 Seriously, it's a classic for all the reasons I hope you'll see. What other lifetime would you guys want to experience (in a 20 min trance), given the chance?
The Ninth Doctor
2025-02-07 18:28:27 +0000 UTCHere's a moral question for you: Did Picard, who has a deep interest and understanding in past civilizations and archeology, do the Catan people a horrible injustice by not devoting his life or at least his next several years to document, write about, and speak about this civilization? Did he just enjoy the experience and the flute and then go on his way? I guess we can retcon that he communicated it somewhat in the background but maybe his 30-40 years of lived experience warrants more than just an emotional impact.
Paul Hess
2025-02-07 18:13:56 +0000 UTCGBR!
HuskerChuck
2025-02-07 18:11:30 +0000 UTCI predict the Boys will give it a C just to troll us for a second, then reveal their S. I can't see them giving it less than A.
Chris Mickelson
2025-02-07 18:09:38 +0000 UTCAnother Traditional Aspect: Allegory to actual societal issues we are facing. It doesn't get more traditional star trek than that.
Paul Hess
2025-02-07 18:09:31 +0000 UTCOther sci-fi's have tried this "living an entire lifetime" trope since this episode, but Sir Patrick Stewart's performance (with surrounding cast cast and crew) makes those other attempts pale by comparison. One of the rare 'S's' I give to any Star Trek. I am a bit of a music lover, so the Recorder/Flute adds a whole other layer to this episode.
Nathan Walker
2025-02-07 18:09:18 +0000 UTCHaving lived a lifetime on Kataan, Picard is more or less a native of that planet. having lived there longer than any other place in his life. Unlike books or records he can now bear living witness to who they were, how they lived, loved and died. He's the last Kataanian (sp).
Mark Chrisco
2025-02-07 17:58:38 +0000 UTCMakes me wonder what might have happened if a passing Klingon, Romulan, or Ferengi ship encountered the probe.
tyranusfan
2025-02-07 17:46:25 +0000 UTCWell, one is going to come back, then ascend to another plane.
tyranusfan
2025-02-07 17:44:42 +0000 UTCWas your comforter wrapped tightly around you that night? It might have influenced the dream. :D
tyranusfan
2025-02-07 17:43:47 +0000 UTCGiven the amount of S-votes and glowing patron takes...I'm kinda looking forward to this one. TA might want to watch it from an underground bunker.
tyranusfan
2025-02-07 17:42:24 +0000 UTCJust. Be. Careful.
Sam Langanke
2025-02-07 17:33:20 +0000 UTCThis misses an S for me due to it not really involving the entire crew and ship.
Michael Nemo
2025-02-07 17:23:49 +0000 UTC114 comments and 83% S-tier at time of writing. All I'll say is heaven help you if guys end up meh on this as well. I just love what this episode gives Picard. He got to explore a life he never thought he'd have, explore a forgotten civilization in ways he'd always wondered about but never thought possible, and is given a solemn duty to carry their story forward, even in his grief. Not sure about the blu-rays, but the DVD menu replaces the background noise of the ship with the flute music.
Nolan
2025-02-07 17:21:17 +0000 UTCThanks! I surprised myself on this one. Not sure where it came from, but I'll own it :-)
Justin B
2025-02-07 17:10:41 +0000 UTCIt's sci-fi but not really. The way the plot begins and ends is technological, but the heart is all human.
Paul
2025-02-07 17:09:52 +0000 UTCIt was a violation, no way around that, however, an understandable one, as the last action of a dying race who desperately wanted to be remembered, as the only way to continue existing in some form.
Paul
2025-02-07 17:08:28 +0000 UTCUltra S+++ Giga God tier sort of does it justice, barely!
Paul
2025-02-07 17:07:01 +0000 UTC@Matthew Ganz I've mentioned several times about looking forward to seeing the guys crying/weeping. This was principally the episode I had in mind, but I hoped others would crack the ice. Such as Worf's apparent death, Lal's death, etc.
Jovet
2025-02-07 17:02:26 +0000 UTC@Thomas Cole Nothing obscure about the Irish Ressikan Flute! 😏😏😏
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:59:02 +0000 UTCThey won't be around in a few million years either.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:58:07 +0000 UTCIt also doesn't come off as camp fisticuffs or soap opera-like seduction or hammy romance. (Looking at you, "The Enterprise Incident"!)
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:56:48 +0000 UTCThe opening of "The Lion King" always makes me cry. I have no idea why.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:55:42 +0000 UTCTo me, this is TNG’s "City on the Edge of Forever." .... One of only 4 or 5 "S-Tier" episodes in all of TNG. I love the small detail at the end.... of Picard being able to play the flute... because it shows that his experience on Catan was more than just a dream; it was deeply immersive. I really wish they had spent an episode or two exploring how he reintegrates into his real life, after essentially acquiring the experience of 30 or 40 years in that other life. I know, I know.... it's episodic.
Tom Occhipinti
2025-02-07 16:55:30 +0000 UTCI won’t say I never like sentimentality. I didn’t like the way it came out in this episode.
Aramis Calcutt
2025-02-07 16:54:41 +0000 UTCI tend to underestimate the overestimation of their expectations.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 16:51:00 +0000 UTCI’m enjoying that your Wrath of Khan/Darmok/Undiscovered Country reviews have given everyone PTSD. We’re all like, “We love this one! Now to watch your reaction through our fingers, terrified, like it’s a midnight showing of Hereditary.”
John M.
2025-02-07 16:50:20 +0000 UTCAt long last we have arrived. Rating this episode a mere “S” just doesn’t do it justice! Unlike any of us, Picard has an opportunity here to live a second life…to experience marriage, fatherhood, aging and wisdom…and then have the chance to do it all again. This is the only work of media…other than “The Color Purple”…that has ever brought me to actual tears. I get emotional to this day when I hear Picard’s Ressikan flute hymn for his son. And like his performance in “Sarek”, Patrick Stewart shows us again why he is the greatest actor in the entire Star Trek franchise! THIS is excellence in television. For me, “The Inner Light” is my third favorite episode of TNG, only behind “The Best of Both Worlds” and “Yesterday’s Enterprise”! S+++++
Raphael Gaytan
2025-02-07 16:48:32 +0000 UTCIsn't sentimentality the point, to run the gamut of emotions that our characters can experience in these fantastical and unexpected science-fiction encounters?
Paul
2025-02-07 16:47:16 +0000 UTCIt's actually more of a Tin Whistle, but that would you knowing about slightly obscure Irish instruments.
Thomas Cole
2025-02-07 16:47:11 +0000 UTCYup, of any show, not just Star Trek.
Paul
2025-02-07 16:43:40 +0000 UTCThis isn't meant to be a mystery, of course if you approach an episode in a way it isn't written to me, you can view that as a flaw. But that's like ordering a steak and complaining it's not sushi.
Paul
2025-02-07 16:43:21 +0000 UTCThis is a great take
Phil Ken Sebben
2025-02-07 16:42:50 +0000 UTC“And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?” In all seriousness, this episode is Star Trek. All the traditional aspects of Star Trek are there. We have a Strange New World, we have a internal character dilemma, we have a mystery that is slowly unraveled as the episode goes. What is fundamentally different from Star Trek here is that this episode doesn't end with a joke or a quip on the bridge. It does not end with 2 officers talking about their experiences. It doesn't end with a captain's log. It ends in a quiet remembrance and mourning for a civilization that only Jean Luc Picard knows even existed. For a life he lived, family he had, that will never be again. This is the ultimate TNG tragedy. I have this ranked 3rd on my list of All Of Star Trek, the top 2 have not been seen by y'all yet, and the 4th is City on the Edge of Forever.
ijp8834
2025-02-07 16:42:40 +0000 UTCI disown you Sir.
Paul
2025-02-07 16:42:06 +0000 UTCI'm hoping and expecting tears from both of them. This episode always hits me in the feels.
Matthew Ganz
2025-02-07 16:42:00 +0000 UTC20–25 minutes.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:41:59 +0000 UTCThere's two out there that hit even harder, imo, but that said, this is a PHENOMENAL episode, God-tier.
Paul
2025-02-07 16:40:45 +0000 UTCDisagree on plotholes. We're just lucky the probe eventually found The Picard.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:40:25 +0000 UTCThis is tops.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:38:54 +0000 UTCYou may need a box of tissues for this episode. S-Tier all the way!
Anthony Goodwin
2025-02-07 16:38:22 +0000 UTC@startrekiborg Seconded.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:37:45 +0000 UTC@Column Meanie Different people have different types of families.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:36:01 +0000 UTCI'll bring the spikes (not nails)
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:34:44 +0000 UTCAs I've written in the past, each society is different. It's completely plausible that one society may be great at controlling the mind while another is great at making utterly destructive weapons. This society never conquered Warp Drive but they did make a relatively primitive probe with the ability to share their culture in a unique way. (Greetings fellow Husker?)
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:32:45 +0000 UTCWe still have the Voyager probes ;-)
Adam from Germany
2025-02-07 16:31:58 +0000 UTCOne of the best songs of one of my favorite musical bands is hard to listen to because it's about the tumult the band went through and his thoughts of suicide. It is overwhelmingly emotional. But it's still a masterpiece.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:31:27 +0000 UTCNot nearly as "violated" as Troi, O'Brien, and Data were.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:29:38 +0000 UTCWas making a joke about what the flute looks like more than naming it. All good
Lt Dan I scream
2025-02-07 16:28:50 +0000 UTCSeeing that they would be obliterated from history, I'll give them a pass. Their intentions were good, and their time was short. They did what they could.
Justin B
2025-02-07 16:28:26 +0000 UTCAlex
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:28:25 +0000 UTC*Ressikan flute Picard
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:27:15 +0000 UTCThis is sci-fi for human beings, not for tech-focused nitpickers. It exemplifies what sci-fi should be: learning about and developing characters through extraordinary circumstances, using sci-fi as the canvas, not the painting. Strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride. S tier all the way.
Justin B
2025-02-07 16:27:02 +0000 UTCIf all the people disappeared today, within a few million years, all trace of our existence on this Earth would be gone.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:26:38 +0000 UTCSimply the best episode of TNG ever conceived, written, or executed.
Jovet
2025-02-07 16:24:51 +0000 UTCThis episode is consistently one of the most highly regarded TNG episodes and of Star Trek in general. Patrick Stewart’s son, Daniel, plays Kamin’s son in this.
Ron Hubbard Jr
2025-02-07 16:24:15 +0000 UTCMore than once
Thicketdweller
2025-02-07 16:15:54 +0000 UTCI once had a dream I was a butterfly, When I woke. I wasn’t sure if I was a man dreaming I was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming I was a man
Thicketdweller
2025-02-07 16:14:15 +0000 UTCIf neither of you teared up for this one, are you sure you're not an android? ;) This is one of the best Picard episodes, and even after multiple re-watches it still makes me emotional. Universal stories about life and death tend to do that. Moving forward with the show, how do you think the writers could alter Picard's character, at least a little bit, to reflect the fact that he has gained these decades of extra life experience, and perhaps their culture rubbed off on him?
Forbidden Donut
2025-02-07 16:12:51 +0000 UTCYou’re right. I didn’t know that. It originally sold at auction in 2006 for $48,000 and in 2021 for $190,000. That’s a nice profit for the original buyer.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 16:10:42 +0000 UTCThis is the favorite episode of one of my best friends. I get it - the episode is worthy of being number 1. - The philosophical aspects keep you thinking about it for a very long time. - What will be left of us? What will be left of me but the clue - He was here and fought against death. - And aren't other civilizations just like us? - Are we not united in our efforts to survive, to preserve our culture and to give our children a future? I weep for this fictional species - on behalf of all species that could not survive on our or other worlds.
Adam from Germany
2025-02-07 16:07:30 +0000 UTCoh the feels and the Memes ... you dont know Picard until you know recorder flute Picard - side note how messed up would you be if you lived for years in the matrix only to wake up and a few hours had passed.. would you remember anything at all. Cool story though
Lt Dan I scream
2025-02-07 16:05:54 +0000 UTCTechnically, you’re correct. He was violated. But, it’s kinda like someone violating you by breaking into your house and leaving a million dollars in your underwear drawer. It’s a violation I could live with.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 16:05:49 +0000 UTCFantastic episode if you don't think it through. These aliens best plan to preserve some of their culture is to send a probe out to hopefully find one random guy to nonconsentually simulate a family with? And then burn out to never be used again? This is the sort of thing that should have effected Picard profoundly going forward, yet I'll let you guess how much it gets referenced in future stories. All that said, it really is an excellent experience while you're sitting on the couch and watching it. I say S-tier in spite of its faults, because it took me years to realize how silly it all was.
Alexander McKechnie
2025-02-07 15:58:10 +0000 UTCI think one of the great things about Star Trek is how everybody can take what they like from different stories and we all have our tastes. Some people don't like this episode as much for the plot holes with the technology and that's perfectly fine. Personally this story is so good, they could have told me that a fuckin' space wizard gave them the technology and I wouldn't care. The emotional impact is never lessened for me by the how's and the why's. I think if you've ever woken up from a dream that made you incredibly sad because it felt so real, and you multiply that feeling ten fold, it's hard not to appreciate what Picard went through in this one and will continue to live with. These people were real at one time and they were real to him in his experience. I've seen people mention in reviews that it was a cruel thing that this society did to Picard. But, in order to be remembered and have their story live on they had to make an impact and they did. I could go on about this one, but everyone has said it all already. In my opinion this is S-tier Star Trek, S-tier Television and S-Tier storytelling in general.
Adam Dearn
2025-02-07 15:55:20 +0000 UTCI don’t really take it as his life on the planet was taken away, other than it never really happened. But, take a quote from Harry Potter as a pick me up (paraphrased): Harry: Is this real, or is it all in my head? Dumbledore: Of course it’s in your head, Harry. But, why does that mean it isn’t real?
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:52:40 +0000 UTCI think saying you are half joking is giving them way too much credit.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:45:11 +0000 UTCWell said.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:44:17 +0000 UTCIt has went to auction multiple times, it originally sold at the Christie's auction for $48,000. I imagine the value will only increase over time.
Tristan Rose
2025-02-07 15:43:13 +0000 UTCI’ll bring the hammer. ;
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:39:52 +0000 UTCWho is going to cry first?
THE LORE!!!
2025-02-07 15:38:06 +0000 UTCMostly just commenting because I think this episode could possibly break the record for number of comments posted on a Patreon Takes lol, beyond that I'm sure everyone will tell you that this is widely considered by many to be the best episode of TNG and some go as far as the best of all Trek. I think its an S despite the planet technology issue that a few people have with it.
Tristan Rose
2025-02-07 15:37:17 +0000 UTCBLASPHEMY!!!!;
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:36:30 +0000 UTCAlmost true, except the only technology they would’ve lacked would’ve been warp drive and food replicators.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:35:58 +0000 UTCThis episode is one of the highlights of the whole shebang for me. It’s got a slow pace, and it leaves you in shreds emotionally. Just as his experience with the Borg has shaped the captain, so did the events of this episode. He’s not the same man he was at the end of Season 3. Rate this an S.
Paul Rymer
2025-02-07 15:33:43 +0000 UTCExcept when it’s not. Many people end their lives perfectly happy without having a family.
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 15:31:42 +0000 UTCSomeone brought up that Picard was kind of violated considering what the ptobe did to him. That being, said the whole thing is a great story, probably one of TNGs best. I really like that Patrik Stuart's real life son played young Bati. S their for me. By the way, that tune was an earworm for me for at least a month.
Keith S
2025-02-07 15:30:27 +0000 UTCThis is my favorite episode of the series (I won’t be alone). Sci-fi at its greatest. Beautifully acted by Patrick Stewart. You really feel the weight of loss when Picard plays his flute at the end, geniusly done with no other music. Hearing the flute and engine noise, as the show fades out, breaks me every time. Fun note: The Ressikan Flute (which doesn’t actually work) sold at auction for $190,000.
startrekiborg
2025-02-07 15:29:01 +0000 UTCS Tier all day! One of the greatest episodes of Star Trek ever.
General Trelane
2025-02-07 15:28:51 +0000 UTCWidely claimed to be among the best TNG episodes. It’s good, it’s sad, it’s well done, acting is top notch. But, for me at least, it’s hard to rewatch once you know the twist.
tyranusfan
2025-02-07 15:27:55 +0000 UTCIt’s an A not an S. If you think about it too much it all falls apart (they only have the tech to send up small missiles but they can also create such an advanced piece of technology?) Stunning performances but the plot doesn’t quite add up.
Jon1701
2025-02-07 15:24:25 +0000 UTCThe most overrated episode of the series. Which is a bold statement because it’s still an A tier. ☢️
Phil Ken Sebben
2025-02-07 15:18:45 +0000 UTCThis is my #1 episode of any version of Star Trek, despite the plot hole of a society at that level creating a probe that could do that.
HuskerChuck
2025-02-07 15:17:29 +0000 UTCS-plus-plus-plus. This is the best episode of all of Star Trek, ever. Even better than some of my favorite episodes in other shows. But it's another Science Fiction episode, like Tin Man and Darmok, which means you guys probably won't like it nearly as much. I'll try not to take it personally when you don't appreciate it for what it is, which is a masterpiece. But this is one where I think anything lower than an A is a travesty. Yes, it's my opinion, but this is an episode that really matters to me for a host of personal reasons I won't go into, beyond the fact that it was my late mother's favorite episode, and watching it with her is a very special memory.
John
2025-02-07 15:15:05 +0000 UTCOne of the best and most remembered episodes of TNG. If you could love a whole nother life in twenty something minutes, would you. AI may make that possible in the future.
Mike Rogers
2025-02-07 15:14:28 +0000 UTCAlong with "Half a Life," this one has grown on me more and more over the years. As a kid, I thought it was fine, a little corny maybe. But as I've gotten older, it hits much harder now.
KevinH
2025-02-07 15:10:40 +0000 UTCBrilliant episode. TNG at it's zenith. Made all the more special because first time director Peter Lauritson early on admitted to Patrick Stewart he was a bit over his head. A situation allowing Sir Patrick to essentially direct this award winning masterpiece himself.
Mark Chrisco
2025-02-07 15:10:20 +0000 UTCI’m not a huge fan of Wrath of Khan. The only movie I really like is Motion Picture.
Aramis Calcutt
2025-02-07 15:09:45 +0000 UTCWe need to lobby for a "break the glass" tier above S.
Paul Hess
2025-02-07 15:08:56 +0000 UTC“Oh! It’s me!” 😭
John M.
2025-02-07 15:08:32 +0000 UTCUgh, go watch Wrath of Khan.
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 15:00:51 +0000 UTCTbh it’s the most revered episode of the series because of its perfection and uniqueness, and I cringe at the thought of reactions to anything negative or even critical that J and A have to say. 👀
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 14:59:55 +0000 UTCI'm going to go ahead and nail myself to the cross on this one and call it a C tier. Yes, the silly flute is iconic. As a TNG episode, it never worked for me. There's no real mystery as to what's going on, I wasn't a big fan of any of the guest actors and the old age makeup is pretty unconvincing. If they started with Picard on the planet in the cold open and we never showed or understood what is going on with the Enterprise crew until we awakens, I think it would work way better. The crew scenes add nothing and would give more screen time to Picard to deepen his connection. If this was a short story or book, I could totally vibe with it because most of my issues would be more filled in with my imagination.
EnigmaticPenguin
2025-02-07 14:57:13 +0000 UTCStar Trek at its finest. An exceptional episode, and consistently voted among the Top 5 of the series. Anyone who says otherwise is off their rocker. If this one doesn’t drive you to tears, you don’t have a heart. Doesn’t end on the scene, but hearing Picard play the flute while watching the Enterprise fly through space hits even harder. S for “so fucking good”
Column Meanie
2025-02-07 14:56:09 +0000 UTCHey Picard, it’s about family…family means everything!!
Gregory
2025-02-07 14:55:20 +0000 UTCGod tier. One of the best TV episodes ever made. Period.
Darin Starr
2025-02-07 14:51:19 +0000 UTCI have a feeling you will be discussing the structure of the story, including the wisdom of letting the audience in on what's going on so early in the episode. However, I feel like the way it is constructed increases the emotional impact, because we are not distracted by wondering if he got transported somewhere... he's still there on the bridge. But he is going through this reality and by that point it's important that we continue his emotional journey without the distraction of a mystery. This is probably my favorite episode of the series, though not the one I would show immediately to a newbie.
David Wayne Fox
2025-02-07 14:50:09 +0000 UTCNow that's an S episode. Loved everything about it. It's ok if you don't agree...Everyone is wrong once in a while ;)
Jason Lallathin
2025-02-07 14:47:53 +0000 UTCThis episode stands damn close to City on the Edge of Forever with quality of idea and quality of execution. One of my personal favourites of the entire Trek saga, and I’m confident I’m not alone in that thinking. Freaking S++, boys.
Andrew F.
2025-02-07 14:47:34 +0000 UTCOne of the most moving final two minutes of any episode. I didn't get it when I was young, but now that I'm old, I really get it.
Jeff
2025-02-07 14:46:04 +0000 UTCStewart going from waking up confused, KNOWING he is not supposed to be on the planet, that it is not his life; to beginning to accept that it may be his life BUT still not sure; to accepting it "sort of" is his life but still he is Captain Picard and teaches his daughter those characteristics; to finally showing the pure surprise when it is revealed that it was all fake and his emotional reaction to now KNOWING again he is Picard. A thing of beauty in acting.
Prof Moff
2025-02-07 14:43:41 +0000 UTCThis is my favorite episode of TNG. The ending always makes me cry
Jeffrey
2025-02-07 14:43:02 +0000 UTCThis is probably in the top 3 episodes of TNG. It's all Picard front and center, with minimal play from everyone else. Not only is it a tour de force in acting, but it furthers Picard's arc. We have seen how great a leader he is, and how moral and righteous he is, but he has always had discomfort with family and children. Here we see Picard live a whole life in the span of 20 or 30 minutes, growing, marrying, raising children becoming literally the avatar of an entire species by the end of the episode. I can think of no greater honor for a man who as Tasha Yar opined in her farewell as "You who have the heart of an explorer and the soul of a poet". Truly an S+++ episode -- the flute at the end, and the stillness with just the music playing as the camera orbits around Picard his pained face shows just how much this experience impacts him. and we pull out to the music playing over the credits the haunting melody lingering just a touch -- truly amazing!
Matthew Ganz
2025-02-07 14:39:30 +0000 UTCOne of the most universally beloved hours of Star Trek ever made. So, naturally, I predict you will give it a B. (Only half joking here).
Steven Linden
2025-02-07 14:38:49 +0000 UTCJust thinking about how God-tier legendary this episode is, and yet there are more to come that are even better (debatable I suppose), but at least on the same tier? Imagine having the talent to write, direct and act in an episode as flawless as this. Deserves all the praise it gets and more.
Paul
2025-02-07 14:36:38 +0000 UTCTo me this is my favorite episode of TNG. I can remember exactly where I was the first time I saw it on TV back in the early 90's. And it is probably the only episode I can watch repeatedly and not tire of. Patrick Stewart at his acting best. If you guys don't rate this an S-Tier ranking I might have to rethink my place in the Universe. ;-)
Mark Moran
2025-02-07 14:36:29 +0000 UTCI think this is a really good science fiction story, but I’m not sure it’s a good TNG episode since there’s virtually none of the characters or the Enterprise. But aside from that, it’s a very good tale.
Joe Concepts
2025-02-07 14:35:40 +0000 UTCYou have no idea how long I've been waiting for you guys to reach this episode! I rank it in my Top 5 episodes of ALL of mankind's history. It fluctuates between #3 and #4 on that list, and yes, there are a few upcoming Star Trek episodes even better than this one is, somehow... Inner Light deserves to go down in history, it needs to be thought of, discussed and appreciated centuries from now. This is in my "historical perfection" tier.
Paul
2025-02-07 14:34:30 +0000 UTCI’d guesstimate 90% of all Trek episode rankings in entertainment publications have this and City on the Edge of Forever as Nos. 1 and 2, in one order or the other. “Make now always the most precious time” makes me cry every time. SSS++ (Leaving one plus off because there’s a Season 6 two-parter I like better.)
John M.
2025-02-07 14:34:21 +0000 UTCGenuinely made me weep. One of the highlights of the show. Picard has to adjust to having his life taken away, living a whole new life, only to have that taken away as well and going back to his first life. Going through that might change your entire perspective on your life. When he played the flute at the end, I died. S, for my Season favourite.
JHVJ
2025-02-07 14:33:36 +0000 UTCThis is the highest rated episode of the entire Star Trek franchise on iMDB for good reason.
Regan
2025-02-07 14:33:26 +0000 UTCI love this episode because it's a character piece full of drama and emotion, and the relevance to society and our times. Gotta ignore the plot holes like how backwards civilization could have made a probe that could do this to the Enterprise and Picard. But we had the same problems with Conundrum and Devil's Due so here it's more than justified by the awesome result. All 4 primary guest actors were great: his wife, daughter, son and friend Batai. The administrator's portrayal fell flat, maybe on purpose, but it was a weak spot by comparison.
Paul Hess
2025-02-07 14:31:50 +0000 UTCYup I can forgive Josh for not loving Darmok, it took me a few watches to really enjoy it and even then, it's not even in my Top 10 for the show. But Inner Light, holy God is this a special 45 minutes of TV.
Paul
2025-02-07 14:31:39 +0000 UTCAccording to Memory Alpha the title comes from the title of a lesser-known George Harrison written Beatles song, the B-side of Lady Madonna. You can find it here: https://youtu.be/sa3948JzWCc?si=q5xX-O9FNF-yAqOb if you like sitar music.
KatWithAttitude
2025-02-07 14:31:38 +0000 UTCSimilar with Darmok I didn’t quite get the hype when I was younger and watching this But reflecting back on it years later it’s been one I enjoy returning to, it has a story that has a bit of poignancy over time
Andrew Duffy
2025-02-07 14:31:21 +0000 UTCThe son was played by Daniel Stewart, Patrick Stewart's actual son.
Kevin B
2025-02-07 14:31:12 +0000 UTCFirst living with the guilt of Locutus and now living an entire lifetime as someone else... It's a wonder Picard doesn't spend his days crying in counselor Troi's office. This is an S+ episode... And it only gets more poignant as you get older.
Alan F
2025-02-07 14:31:00 +0000 UTCAnd finally, here it is, “The Inner Light”, my favorite TNG episode. I can't even get through reading a synopsis or watch another reaction to it without getting weepy. If either of you gives it less than an A, I will be very, very, very, very disappointed, even more than I was with the “Darmok” reaction. P-Stew's own son, Daniel, plays Kamin's son Batai as an adult. Easy to see the family resemblance. As of the time I'm typing this IMDb has this as the second ranked episode of the series, ranked only below “Best of Both Worlds Part I ". Most definitely THE “Best of the Best” episode for me.
KatWithAttitude
2025-02-07 14:30:49 +0000 UTCA-tier crowd pleaser the first time you watch it for sure, great guest spots (tons of IT'S THAT GUY moments) and story. But I just can't ever muster the will to watch it again because I know the beats and the twist; nothing really to hook you beyond those things for a rewatch. And you really have to ask yourself, will PIcard draw from this second life or even reference it again in passing? See if you notice a change in his demeanor from now on.
tkitez (take it easy)
2025-02-07 14:29:30 +0000 UTCA lifetime in less then 45 minutes, you’re either gonna love it or find it Jarring because of time skips etc, look forward to your take on it Alex and Josh, S tier for one of the most iconic episodes of Star Trek in the fandom
LonghillAndy
2025-02-07 14:28:59 +0000 UTCDid Alex write this comment?! Fully agreed though.
Ross Townsend
2025-02-07 14:25:25 +0000 UTCYou realize of course that if you don't love this episode, people are going to cut your nuggies off.
Paul Hess
2025-02-07 14:23:45 +0000 UTCOne of the all-time greats, not just for TNG but all of Star Trek. The mind-bending concept of living an entire lifetime in half an hour is solid on its own, but the writing, direction, and Stewart's masterful performance take this to another level. Incredible that they fit this into a 45 minute episode. Easy S-tier.
Alex Buell
2025-02-07 14:23:03 +0000 UTC“How can we make sure our culture is remembered after we die?” “I have an idea, it starts with T and rhymes with ‘trauma’.”
Evan Guthrie
2025-02-07 14:22:53 +0000 UTCBest episode of the series.
Joshua Langweil
2025-02-07 14:21:03 +0000 UTCThis is another fan favorite episode that I just don’t enjoy watching. I find the concept somewhat interesting, but I get bored with it very quickly and I don’t like the over-the-top sentimentality. It’s a skip for me. I dislike it even more than I dislike “Darmok.”
Aramis Calcutt
2025-02-07 14:20:18 +0000 UTCThis is an episode that people either really love, or don’t care for. I really liked it when it came out, but it has migrated to my skip list over the years. I’m still giving it an A though since a first watch is great.
John Pierce
2025-02-07 14:18:38 +0000 UTCI can't even imagine how I would deal with waking up one day and being told my entire life never happened, living with that reality and raising a family for decades, only to then wake up in a life I'd nearly forgotten and be told less than half an hour had passed. This episode undoubtedly represents a defining moment in Jean Luc Picard's life. I would also say this score is Jay Chattaway's best work in Trek.
Timothy Nikiforovs
2025-02-07 14:17:56 +0000 UTC
