Target Audience / PATRON TIER LIST TNG S5E6

Correction: the mistress and her hubby wrote the story for Ménage à Troi.

rear adm. crackbiscuit

2024-12-27 04:19:54 +0000 UTC

I regularly skip this one on rewatch.

Sherpa Jones

2024-12-26 21:37:03 +0000 UTC

Oh they definitely porked. The night before Wesley had to leave. I had forgotten about their lovey-dovey scenes together in the same cabin when Wesley needs to leave.

Jovet

2024-12-26 17:30:00 +0000 UTC

I basically think Season 5 is almost entirely S-tier Star Triek. It might not be S-Tier in you all's evaluation, but as a lifelong, hard-core Trekkie, it's the best. I actually believe the show peaked in 5, and it's not like I think it gets worse after but 5 just hits SO MANY HIGH POINTS. This is also Ashley Judd's second and (I believe) final appearance as Ensign Leffler (sp?) and it's brilliant. This also was I think the first full season i watched in 'real time' as in, not on a videotape I borrowed from my parents so I could catch up. Anyway, interesting as always to see your reaction. Wesley becomes a much more fully-fleshed character for this cameo and I love him in it.

Angelaina Marie

2024-12-13 18:34:56 +0000 UTC

Go away, Wesley.

Christopher Boutwell

2024-12-13 03:07:43 +0000 UTC

I actually agree with this entirely, outside of the fact that my kid nostalgia still has it as a low 'A' even though my adult self would definitely lower it a grade. It's a mess of a plot but I honestly don't care, haha. 8th grade me loved this episode to death.

Boggle

2024-12-13 00:00:18 +0000 UTC

I know this is an unpopular opinion among the ST fanbase, but I like Wesley after S1, and this is a real guilty pleasure episode for me. I loved it as a kid. And even as an adult it's still a lot of fun. There are heaps of flaws in the plot, I understand this. But 13yr old me refuses to give this anything less than an "A" even if adult me might argue that point a little bit.

Boggle

2024-12-12 23:49:25 +0000 UTC

It's not the best episode in the series, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine so it gets an "A." I don't know if it's the beautiful Ashley Judd or the climax of the entire crew out to get (and sucessfully subduing) Wesley Crusher , but whatever it is, it's a fun vacation from the recent serious tone.

Jeffrey P

2024-12-12 02:17:28 +0000 UTC

I really liked this episode the first time I watched it back in the day, and then it grew slightly less tolerable the more times I watched it. This time I was like "Eh? I liked this at one time?" Then I realized I liked it because of Ashley Judd's Robin Leffler, and even this time she didn't impress me that much. So...C for me.

wildhunt1973

2024-12-12 00:20:56 +0000 UTC

Welcome back, bonafide movie star Ashley Judd!! Although she was briefly in “Darmok”, this was the episode where her beauty and talent were on full display! As for the episode itself…it plays out in a very Twilight Zone-esque way…much like several of the episodes we loved from Season Four! Seeing our crew hunt Wesley as, for lack of a better analogy, ruthless drug addicts was terrifying. I always liked this one…A-Tier for me!

Raphael Gaytan

2024-12-11 19:13:47 +0000 UTC

Feels more like a season 2 episode. Easy skip.

Tim b

2024-12-11 18:53:14 +0000 UTC

Hahaha I just noticed - story by Susan Sackett and Fred Bronson of Captain’s Holiday infamy. Roddenberry’s personal assistant/mistress and her husband. This should be fun.

rear adm. crackbiscuit

2024-12-11 10:41:38 +0000 UTC

Weasel saves the day, cuz Weasel. Not horrible, and I don’t think I wished the tar monster would’ve gotten him this time, not even once. Absence makes the heart… slightly more tolerant.

rear adm. crackbiscuit

2024-12-11 03:18:30 +0000 UTC

Ah an episode where logic takes a back seat to the plot, the crew are all just made to look monumentally stupid at times. It’s watchable but I can’t see it’s my fave.

Darren Seal

2024-12-10 19:22:36 +0000 UTC

The episode itself is just fine, but I always raised my brow at the suggestion that Wesley has a reputation as Starfleet. He’s likely a talented student, sure, but what writers thought Wesley of all people would have girls gossiping about him? Low end of B.

cricketlenny

2024-12-10 14:53:14 +0000 UTC

she's got nothing on sonya gomez i say!

Narnman

2024-12-10 09:08:05 +0000 UTC

that ranking guy might give them a 'porking' score for it

Narnman

2024-12-10 09:00:56 +0000 UTC

I dont wanna see Riker's sex face again oh i hated all those made up laws she quotes to wesley. does anyone actually talk like that in real life

Narnman

2024-12-10 08:57:37 +0000 UTC

Rated B for Banger - pun intended! I was tempted to rate it an A for Ashley, but the plot isn't strong enough.

barry vanwieringen

2024-12-10 07:24:01 +0000 UTC

I think some episodes hit better when you are younger. For me this is one. Younger me liked Wesley more, was more creeped out about the "body snatcher" story and I so crushed on Judd, she was so pretty. Younger me would have A'd this, but middle aged me has be B- it. Its a fun episode but not Wesley's best episode.

Sequiro

2024-12-10 06:36:45 +0000 UTC

The episode is fine but I find the ending to be a bit lazy. Data just shows up and shines a flashlight in everyone's face to solve the problem. Even funnier is none of the characters make any attempt to stop him. Did they really not have any better ideas? The only part I like is how they don't flat out tell us that Wesley seemingly reactivated Data. This at least adds a bit more tension to the ending.

Spencer Loften

2024-12-10 05:26:23 +0000 UTC

It's a decent episode. Maybe next time Riker will be careful about hooking up with alien chicks with forehead butts (or is it butt foreheads?).

Greg Quinn

2024-12-10 04:44:14 +0000 UTC

Jesus dude....

Greg Quinn

2024-12-10 04:42:53 +0000 UTC

It’s not the worst episode ever, but it does feel more like an episode of the 1980s Buck Rogers than TNG

Matthew McKinnon-Gray

2024-12-10 04:36:37 +0000 UTC

I have heard this argument many times before. I roundly reject it. The object of the game is you put the thingy in the hole. And then you get a "reward". They might as well have said the it was programmed by Jack Mehoff.

Ally Roth

2024-12-10 03:19:03 +0000 UTC

I like the creepy parts in this. The photography on the Bridge when they finally force Wesley to play the game was magnificent. The way-too-happy look on Picard's face is burned into my mind!

Jovet

2024-12-10 02:59:12 +0000 UTC

No we haven't all

Jovet

2024-12-10 02:58:12 +0000 UTC

Shame he didn't have time to stop and pork her!!

Jovet

2024-12-10 02:57:02 +0000 UTC

I don't believe it's literal orgasms, but there are pleasures in life that remind one of those while not being those.

Jovet

2024-12-10 02:56:33 +0000 UTC

Not my favorite Wesley episode. But I do rather enjoy watching the kid run around trying to defeat the whole bridge crew. Helps that it's written in a way that allows him to succeed while still loosing.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

2024-12-10 02:16:05 +0000 UTC

I know everyone loves season 5 but that's really just a few episodes that makes you think that way. The rest of the season is just like this junk.

Alan Thompson

2024-12-10 01:36:07 +0000 UTC

Certainly! Can’t argue that.

Andrew F.

2024-12-10 00:23:07 +0000 UTC

A good message for the kiddos though

Evan Guthrie

2024-12-10 00:21:44 +0000 UTC

It's Orgasm: The Game and everyone wants Wesley to play! ... This stretching credulity for anyone else?

Ally Roth

2024-12-09 23:47:58 +0000 UTC

Picard could give him an off-screen spanking but Riker would probably like it.

KatWithAttitude

2024-12-09 23:43:56 +0000 UTC

Wesley's back and Ashley Judd's got him! Another kind of a silly one with Wesley once again saving the day, or at least buying enough time for Data to save the day, but I enjoy this one a lot. I have this one ranked as “Excellent”.

KatWithAttitude

2024-12-09 23:42:45 +0000 UTC

She's so cute! A

The Travelers Travels

2024-12-09 23:28:52 +0000 UTC

Wil Wheaton and Ashley Judd in bed together playing games? Yes. EDIT: No creepy old man here, she was 23 I was 18.

Matt Newmark

2024-12-09 23:28:28 +0000 UTC

Could be an interesting premise. But it just doesn't work.

Cirk Bejnar

2024-12-09 23:20:29 +0000 UTC

Bringing back Wesley for the drugs are bad, oh face, being horny will cause this and save you episode is annoying, but the music is great and Spiner, as always, saves it at the end ! Still kinda meh, except for the music !

Sixto

2024-12-09 23:12:00 +0000 UTC

This is definitely an entertaining episode in a "so bad it's good" kind of way for me, and I do think Wesley and Lefler are cute together, but I can't in good conscience rate this higher than a C. There is so much here that does not hang together for me, and it really shouldn't be that easy to take over an entire ship but for the efforts of one boy genius who just happened to be there. And Riker doesn't even get so much as a lecture from Picard at the end. Oof.

Ryan Caulfield

2024-12-09 23:10:05 +0000 UTC

This episode is amazingly prescient. We've all become zombies to our devices

Turtleboy

2024-12-09 22:59:28 +0000 UTC

I almost give this an E because we have to see everyone pulling a creepy face, but I do actually enjoy the episode. Bit of a daft premise, but it's a neat idea and a fun watch overall. So it can have an A.

Gruzz

2024-12-09 22:55:14 +0000 UTC

I always liked Wesley, so was happy to see him back for an episode. If Wesley had stayed on the show between Final Mission and The Game, do you think they would have been able to grow his character in a better way? In what way might his character have been made more relatable?

Stevtrek

2024-12-09 22:40:34 +0000 UTC

Part of it being a weak plot

Jeffrey

2024-12-09 22:29:04 +0000 UTC

Classic fun episode that I always enjoy, even thought its a watered down invasion of the body snatchers. Once again Riker's libido nearly brings down Starfleet.

Sean Richard

2024-12-09 22:07:29 +0000 UTC

You win the comments.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:48:14 +0000 UTC

But done much better, really.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:47:53 +0000 UTC

He is the Zeus of Star Trek. "We have a problem" "Sigh. Where did Riker put his dick this time?"

Thomas Cole

2024-12-09 21:46:58 +0000 UTC

It's not that "video games are bad" ... it's that this one was designed with the whole purpose of subduing the entire crew, and the entire Federation! And it almost succeeded.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:44:30 +0000 UTC

He is the Zeus of Star Trek. "We have a problem" "Sigh. Where did Riker put his dick this time?"

Thomas Cole

2024-12-09 21:43:56 +0000 UTC

#badrisa

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:43:07 +0000 UTC

I think it's Wesley's best episode. Such as it is.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:41:55 +0000 UTC

Data didn't have to say "That is an order" to Worf this time.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:39:49 +0000 UTC

Dammit Wesley... You had to come back and F*** up a good thing, didn't you? We had such a good season going.

Eric Singer

2024-12-09 21:38:19 +0000 UTC

If drugs were lights, sure.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:37:23 +0000 UTC

That's the only real entertaining part of this episode!

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:30:08 +0000 UTC

@Paul Verburg Yeah, drunk data was ridiculous!

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:28:33 +0000 UTC

Yeah she was hot.

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:27:13 +0000 UTC

Wesley's writing is still the best in this episode. Far cry from "Shut up, Wesley!"

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:26:41 +0000 UTC

What about the engineered super-easy takeover of the ship?

Jovet

2024-12-09 21:24:53 +0000 UTC

I voted, D tier. I don't fucking love this episode. It's a skipper.

harrypothead42024

2024-12-09 21:03:06 +0000 UTC

Yes, I too cannot wait until we get to the best episodes of the franchise in Discovery! (Don't worry bro, I'm covering for you. This is a little too close to a spoiler! SHHHHHH!!!)

Burrito Vampire

2024-12-09 20:40:53 +0000 UTC

C+ It's fine. I can't criticize the lame game being addicting in a world where TikTok exists and pushes some of the most random, stitched together, stolen videos and gets people addicted too. I always just thought the device itself was having an effect and rewiring their brain, not the game. Remember kids, Westley Crusher is too cool for drugs. That fact alone probably caused several crippling addictions in itself.

Burrito Vampire

2024-12-09 20:39:48 +0000 UTC

Can we talk about how Riker should get court-martialled for almost losing the ship because he can't keep it in his pants? D-Tier

Andreas Schmitt

2024-12-09 20:23:30 +0000 UTC

I would have hoped that some of us wouldn't be so one dimensional by judging the game's graphics by today's standards. I'm not a big fan of this episode but that's certainly not why.

Michael Metrick

2024-12-09 20:18:00 +0000 UTC

Take a look at what video game graphics looked like in the early 90s. This was beyond anything we'd seen at the time. Presentism defined.

Michael Metrick

2024-12-09 20:14:30 +0000 UTC

And speaking of how dumb that game looks, I could actually imagine phone games these days looking and acting the way it does...

Ian Westcott

2024-12-09 20:06:15 +0000 UTC

You know, it's okay. It's okay for a Wesley episode, not great. Wesley running through the ship getting chased must have been fun for Wheaton, and he and Ashley Judd actually have good chemistry. But The Game itself is stupid looking, I'm not buying the way it "brainwashes" like it does, and I am definitely not buying the Data ex Machina ending of flashing lights. How the heck did this work on LaForge, whose eyes can't even pass the optic signals that the game sent?? But overall, I still kindof like it.

Ian Westcott

2024-12-09 20:03:32 +0000 UTC

Come on, let's skip this one and get onto what we're really waiting to see...!

Joe Concepts

2024-12-09 19:30:30 +0000 UTC

While young Ashley Judd always gets my attention, this is not a great return for Wesley. Will we see him in another episode? I sure won't tell you.

Joe Concepts

2024-12-09 19:29:01 +0000 UTC

like watching them join social media like X

Dark Kronis

2024-12-09 19:28:40 +0000 UTC

I think the reason why is because while the premise is fun in a vacuum, it kind of gets lost in all of the other “stop [thing that’s sweeping through the ship and affecting everyone] before [disaster] happens” episodes.

Pokeysaurus

2024-12-09 19:23:31 +0000 UTC

What a hell of a way to bring Wesley back. I am making a prediction that this could very well be another "The Host" situation. This episode is so silly and such a product of its time, but damn if it isn't hilarious. Though it is actually pretty creepy slowly watching all of the people you look up and trust become mind controlled and then try to mind control you.

Deep Red

2024-12-09 19:19:59 +0000 UTC

Next time on Staaaaaar Trek: The Next Generation - Riker's dick nearly destroys the Federation

JGoss

2024-12-09 19:18:41 +0000 UTC

Brb changing my movie submission to Double Jeopardy, don’t care if they’re going to hate it.

Pokeysaurus

2024-12-09 19:17:34 +0000 UTC

B---------

Paul Hess

2024-12-09 18:34:06 +0000 UTC

Troi: "I want to show you something Will brought back from Risa." Crusher: "Oh dear, I'll make an appointment for you in sickbay." Troi: "No, no, no. Well, maybe, just in case." Honestly this episode's "videogames are bad" angle is a bit rich coming from a show that regularily visits the holodeck. Granted, it DID manage to luck it's way into predicting smartphone addiction. The ball and cone game isn't that far off from Candy Crush. And at least it's got Ashley Judd.

Nolan

2024-12-09 18:33:26 +0000 UTC

Like Wes I had a Crush(er) about Robin Lefler. To my excuse I was her age at the time.

Sam Langanke

2024-12-09 18:32:23 +0000 UTC

Mobile gaming makes a comeback in the 24th century and it's still a terrible idea. Good thing it wasn't a Ferengi plot, or it would have been loaded with microtransactions. Also cool seeing Wesley again. Looks like the Academy taught him some rizz. On a sadder note, Gene Roddenberry died 4 days before this episode aired.

Timothy Nikiforovs

2024-12-09 18:17:25 +0000 UTC

"What a great way to flip the script on video game addiction." When I realized where this story was going, I immediately thought back to "THE CAGE" when Vina describes, for Pike, how the Talosians found that mind-control development had become a trap, like a narcotic - because when dreams become more important than reality, you give up building, creating..." ---which was Gene Roddenberry's take on how the television "boob tube" of their day seemed to be taking on more importance than reality itself, which was and sometimes is, still, a danger.

Rhett Coates

2024-12-09 17:44:58 +0000 UTC

I read somewhere that when Naomi first watched "Darmok" she cried out loud when Ashley delivered her line in engineering. "My daughter's a star!" One line. Yeap, I get it. And it is completely deserved. Ashley did amazing work in this story! The chemistry between her and Wil Wheaton is absolutely believable and we were left wanting more for their story.

Rhett Coates

2024-12-09 17:39:25 +0000 UTC

Love the Riker Rizz opening. Nice to see Wesley again, but it's also a reminder as to why I don't really miss him that much. I'd much rather watch the Chief or Ensign Ro than watch another Wesley storyline. I basically just remember this as a Trek version of a horror short story. Fun, but kind of forgettable at the same time.

Forbidden Donut

2024-12-09 17:19:38 +0000 UTC

At least they didn’t make Data susceptible like they’ve usually done so far.

Paul Verburg

2024-12-09 17:07:39 +0000 UTC

Wesley’s “I’d like to know more about it before I try it” is a little on the [drug] nose. And I’m not sure I’m enhanced by getting a glimpse into everyone’s “s3x -face”, as it were lol But, Ashley Judd is delightful in her second appearance as Lefler.

Andrew F.

2024-12-09 17:03:51 +0000 UTC

Wesley returns to save the day! Of course he wouldn’t just check out a video game while all the adults do lol. But the episode was pretty well executed unlike many of Wesley’s earlier episodes of the series. B.

TalynStarburst

2024-12-09 17:02:10 +0000 UTC

True, Chief

Banes

2024-12-09 17:01:58 +0000 UTC

This kind of story has been done better by Black Mirror and even by Trek in other stories, it’s fun but B tier for me. Still, good to see Wesley back, he works well with Ensign Lefler played by Ashley Judd.

Paul Rymer

2024-12-09 16:42:03 +0000 UTC

One of my least liked episodes of season 5. This one has aged terribly.

Ron Hubbard Jr

2024-12-09 15:53:50 +0000 UTC

TNG turns into a 2024 fable about smartphones.

David Wayne Fox

2024-12-09 15:43:28 +0000 UTC

Only memorable for being Ashley Judd's second appearance as Lt. Lefler.

Darin Wagner

2024-12-09 15:42:27 +0000 UTC

I hate everything about this episode. Boring weak plot, below par acting (for this crew), and a waste of Wesley’s return

Jeffrey

2024-12-09 15:42:06 +0000 UTC

He left as Ensign Crusher, when he returns he's back to Wesley Boy Wonder, saviour of the Enterprise. Please sack the Writer/s responsible.

James Knight

2024-12-09 15:39:37 +0000 UTC

Right. Fixed. That'll teach me for not proof-reading.

John

2024-12-09 15:33:54 +0000 UTC

This episode sees the return of Ashley Judd as Ensign Robin Lefler, who first appeared in 5x02 Darmok. Ashley was the daughter of country singer Naomi Judd and half-sister to singer Winona Judd.

Matt Everkoul

2024-12-09 15:24:59 +0000 UTC

Riker gets brain washed by a one night stand. Deanna gets off on a bowl of chocolate ice cream. Wesly meets his soul mate with Robin Loeffler I loved their interaction. Plot hole with Geordi. You'd think that his visor would protect him from being brain washed. This time.

Keith S

2024-12-09 15:22:53 +0000 UTC

I just love that Riker put the whole ship in danger because of his indiscriminate sexual activities. Hilarious! Also some very subtle insights about who will succumb earliest—Riker with his sex addiction and Troi with her chocolate addiction.

Aramis Calcutt

2024-12-09 15:20:44 +0000 UTC

This is another good one. It's very much a body snatchers vibe. Game itself looks boring, but probably feels amazing (obviously). And our favorite cadet is back. Also, how would it be possible, i wonder, to reprogram a sound emitting device like the sonic shower to dispense chili?

Connor Fallon

2024-12-09 15:20:38 +0000 UTC

I’d be surprised if the guys know who she is. She hasn’t been relevant for decades.

Column Meanie

2024-12-09 15:14:45 +0000 UTC

Top. Comment. 👏 👏 👏 Space Quagmire strikes again...

The Ninth Doctor

2024-12-09 15:14:26 +0000 UTC

At least Wesley isn’t a complete nerd in this one. They managed to make him…almost cool? It’s a good job he was on the ship though or the whole federation would have been taken over. B+ with a special mention for the “Troi eats chocolate” scene

Jon1701

2024-12-09 15:13:29 +0000 UTC

D as in dumb-f ep. I do not buy any of this at all. I thought we left the Weasley is superboy, saves all, knows all, can do ALL!!! days in season 1 or 2. God I hate this ep. Ashley Judd is hot though so no E

Prof Moff

2024-12-09 15:11:23 +0000 UTC

Google Glasses take over the Enterprise..! And of course, it's all Horny Riker's fault. Saved by Wesley missing an open goal with Ashley Judd to play rabbit, and Data flashing on the bridge. Besides, who doesn't love a game of orgasm cones and discs these days...

The Ninth Doctor

2024-12-09 15:08:46 +0000 UTC

Pretty decent Wesley episode!

ByRikersBeard

2024-12-09 15:07:58 +0000 UTC

Again, rewatchability is what puts an A into the S tier, for me. I sometimes put this one on, just to watch a great episode. The ending has me on the edge of my seat. I can see the guys, right now, react to the moment just when all looks lost, and suddenly... they're going to do fist pumping, jumping out of their seats screaming. And before the episode ends, reach for the white boards to give it an S. I predict, they might both say it's their favorite episode of the TNG series.

THE Fans

2024-12-09 15:03:42 +0000 UTC

Strobe lights cure drug addiction.

bab

2024-12-09 15:00:43 +0000 UTC

We live in a society.

Evan Guthrie

2024-12-09 14:53:51 +0000 UTC

Replace the future headset with today's mobile phones and this becomes very relatable!

Alan F

2024-12-09 14:51:13 +0000 UTC

It's a fun episode. It's never going to make the top 10 episodes of Star Trek, probably not even the top 10 of this season, but it's entertaining, you get Wesley back and actually accomplishing something, rather than ruining something, and Ashley Judd is an excellent guest star, even if the relationship with Wesley is both sudden and extremely WASPish. (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, for those unfamiliar with the term.) I gave it an A, because I have fun with it, even if it's not the best-written episode of the Season. I still think it's easily the best of 4, 5, and 6.

John

2024-12-09 14:50:26 +0000 UTC

At this point in Trek I’d tired of (insert problem) sweeps through the whole crew and they act strange. I also admit to considering a Wesley appearance an instant strike against any episode. Grade:C

John M.

2024-12-09 14:50:13 +0000 UTC

An unknowing prediction of the effect of Candy Crush on the population.

tyranusfan

2024-12-09 14:49:56 +0000 UTC

Ashley Judd was a dazzling lady. I'm sure she still is. She became a pretty big movie star shortly after this, for a little while anyway.

Banes

2024-12-09 14:46:55 +0000 UTC

Wesley in this episode feels like the local boy coming back for college vacation with more confidence. That scene where Geordi, Riker and Beverly shut down Data-! Why does Next Gen do moments of horror and suspense so well? I guess it's such a comfortable, appealing world that when things get dangerous it really works for me. A neat episode.

Banes

2024-12-09 14:46:47 +0000 UTC

Wesley to the rescue! Bit of season 1 vibes 😂

LonghillAndy

2024-12-09 14:46:12 +0000 UTC

Man, Riker's reputation for being space-horny must be interstellar at this point; an alien race stakes the rollout of their entire plan based on the fact that Riker will bang anything that moves, including a woman with a butt for a forehead.

THE LORE!!!

2024-12-09 14:42:05 +0000 UTC

I like that Wesley immediately acknowledges that O'Brien has just become a dad in this episode...Continuity!

Dion James Pitman

2024-12-09 14:40:14 +0000 UTC

Surprised that not many like this one as much as I do, An interesting concept that is well executed. It should be illegal to be as beautiful as Ashley Judd is here. S < a hill I will die on

Phil Ken Sebben

2024-12-09 14:40:04 +0000 UTC

The Game is a great episode, although I must admit this would have been better as a 2-parter so we can learn more about the alien race trying to take over the Enterprise. They really don’t go into that at all, and I would have loved to see some scenes on her ship with a sense of their culture, and concocting their evil plan.

Chris S.

2024-12-09 14:39:04 +0000 UTC

I frickin’ love this episode! What a great way to flip the script on video game addiction. All the adults are hooked and the children have to run for their lives! Great seeing Wesley back and Wil Wheaton looks so much more comfortable in this outing. He and Ashley Judd make a great team. I can’t help but feel that if the writers had given Wesley more stuff like this to do, Wheaton never would have left.

Column Meanie

2024-12-09 14:33:13 +0000 UTC

PATRON TIER LIST TNG S5E6

Comments

Correction: the mistress and her hubby wrote the story for Ménage à Troi.

I regularly skip this one on rewatch.

Oh they definitely porked. The night before Wesley had to leave. I had forgotten about their lovey-dovey scenes together in the same cabin when Wesley needs to leave.

Go away, Wesley.

I actually agree with this entirely, outside of the fact that my kid nostalgia still has it as a low 'A' even though my adult self would definitely lower it a grade. It's a mess of a plot but I honestly don't care, haha. 8th grade me loved this episode to death.

It's not the best episode in the series, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine so it gets an "A." I don't know if it's the beautiful Ashley Judd or the climax of the entire crew out to get (and sucessfully subduing) Wesley Crusher , but whatever it is, it's a fun vacation from the recent serious tone.

Feels more like a season 2 episode. Easy skip.

Hahaha I just noticed - story by Susan Sackett and Fred Bronson of Captain’s Holiday infamy. Roddenberry’s personal assistant/mistress and her husband. This should be fun.

Weasel saves the day, cuz Weasel. Not horrible, and I don’t think I wished the tar monster would’ve gotten him this time, not even once. Absence makes the heart… slightly more tolerant.

Ah an episode where logic takes a back seat to the plot, the crew are all just made to look monumentally stupid at times. It’s watchable but I can’t see it’s my fave.

The episode itself is just fine, but I always raised my brow at the suggestion that Wesley has a reputation as Starfleet. He’s likely a talented student, sure, but what writers thought Wesley of all people would have girls gossiping about him? Low end of B.

she's got nothing on sonya gomez i say!

that ranking guy might give them a 'porking' score for it

I dont wanna see Riker's sex face again oh i hated all those made up laws she quotes to wesley. does anyone actually talk like that in real life

Rated B for Banger - pun intended! I was tempted to rate it an A for Ashley, but the plot isn't strong enough.

It's a decent episode. Maybe next time Riker will be careful about hooking up with alien chicks with forehead butts (or is it butt foreheads?).

Jesus dude....

It’s not the worst episode ever, but it does feel more like an episode of the 1980s Buck Rogers than TNG

I have heard this argument many times before. I roundly reject it. The object of the game is you put the thingy in the hole. And then you get a "reward". They might as well have said the it was programmed by Jack Mehoff.

I like the creepy parts in this. The photography on the Bridge when they finally force Wesley to play the game was magnificent. The way-too-happy look on Picard's face is burned into my mind!

No we haven't all

Shame he didn't have time to stop and pork her!!

I don't believe it's literal orgasms, but there are pleasures in life that remind one of those while not being those.

Not my favorite Wesley episode. But I do rather enjoy watching the kid run around trying to defeat the whole bridge crew. Helps that it's written in a way that allows him to succeed while still loosing.

I know everyone loves season 5 but that's really just a few episodes that makes you think that way. The rest of the season is just like this junk.

Certainly! Can’t argue that.

A good message for the kiddos though

It's Orgasm: The Game and everyone wants Wesley to play! ... This stretching credulity for anyone else?

Picard could give him an off-screen spanking but Riker would probably like it.

Wesley's back and Ashley Judd's got him! Another kind of a silly one with Wesley once again saving the day, or at least buying enough time for Data to save the day, but I enjoy this one a lot. I have this one ranked as “Excellent”.

She's so cute! A

Wil Wheaton and Ashley Judd in bed together playing games? Yes. EDIT: No creepy old man here, she was 23 I was 18.

Could be an interesting premise. But it just doesn't work.

Bringing back Wesley for the drugs are bad, oh face, being horny will cause this and save you episode is annoying, but the music is great and Spiner, as always, saves it at the end ! Still kinda meh, except for the music !

This episode is amazingly prescient. We've all become zombies to our devices

I almost give this an E because we have to see everyone pulling a creepy face, but I do actually enjoy the episode. Bit of a daft premise, but it's a neat idea and a fun watch overall. So it can have an A.

I always liked Wesley, so was happy to see him back for an episode. If Wesley had stayed on the show between Final Mission and The Game, do you think they would have been able to grow his character in a better way? In what way might his character have been made more relatable?

Part of it being a weak plot

Classic fun episode that I always enjoy, even thought its a watered down invasion of the body snatchers. Once again Riker's libido nearly brings down Starfleet.

You win the comments.

But done much better, really.

He is the Zeus of Star Trek. "We have a problem" "Sigh. Where did Riker put his dick this time?"

It's not that "video games are bad" ... it's that this one was designed with the whole purpose of subduing the entire crew, and the entire Federation! And it almost succeeded.

He is the Zeus of Star Trek. "We have a problem" "Sigh. Where did Riker put his dick this time?"

#badrisa

I think it's Wesley's best episode. Such as it is.

Data didn't have to say "That is an order" to Worf this time.

Dammit Wesley... You had to come back and F*** up a good thing, didn't you? We had such a good season going.

If drugs were lights, sure.

That's the only real entertaining part of this episode!

@Paul Verburg Yeah, drunk data was ridiculous!

Yeah she was hot.

Wesley's writing is still the best in this episode. Far cry from "Shut up, Wesley!"

What about the engineered super-easy takeover of the ship?

I voted, D tier. I don't fucking love this episode. It's a skipper.

Yes, I too cannot wait until we get to the best episodes of the franchise in Discovery! (Don't worry bro, I'm covering for you. This is a little too close to a spoiler! SHHHHHH!!!)

Can we talk about how Riker should get court-martialled for almost losing the ship because he can't keep it in his pants? D-Tier

I would have hoped that some of us wouldn't be so one dimensional by judging the game's graphics by today's standards. I'm not a big fan of this episode but that's certainly not why.

Take a look at what video game graphics looked like in the early 90s. This was beyond anything we'd seen at the time. Presentism defined.

And speaking of how dumb that game looks, I could actually imagine phone games these days looking and acting the way it does...

Come on, let's skip this one and get onto what we're really waiting to see...!

While young Ashley Judd always gets my attention, this is not a great return for Wesley. Will we see him in another episode? I sure won't tell you.

like watching them join social media like X

I think the reason why is because while the premise is fun in a vacuum, it kind of gets lost in all of the other “stop [thing that’s sweeping through the ship and affecting everyone] before [disaster] happens” episodes.

Next time on Staaaaaar Trek: The Next Generation - Riker's dick nearly destroys the Federation

Brb changing my movie submission to Double Jeopardy, don’t care if they’re going to hate it.

B---------

Like Wes I had a Crush(er) about Robin Lefler. To my excuse I was her age at the time.

At least they didn’t make Data susceptible like they’ve usually done so far.

Wesley’s “I’d like to know more about it before I try it” is a little on the [drug] nose. And I’m not sure I’m enhanced by getting a glimpse into everyone’s “s3x -face”, as it were lol But, Ashley Judd is delightful in her second appearance as Lefler.

Wesley returns to save the day! Of course he wouldn’t just check out a video game while all the adults do lol. But the episode was pretty well executed unlike many of Wesley’s earlier episodes of the series. B.

True, Chief

This kind of story has been done better by Black Mirror and even by Trek in other stories, it’s fun but B tier for me. Still, good to see Wesley back, he works well with Ensign Lefler played by Ashley Judd.

One of my least liked episodes of season 5. This one has aged terribly.

TNG turns into a 2024 fable about smartphones.

Only memorable for being Ashley Judd's second appearance as Lt. Lefler.

I hate everything about this episode. Boring weak plot, below par acting (for this crew), and a waste of Wesley’s return

He left as Ensign Crusher, when he returns he's back to Wesley Boy Wonder, saviour of the Enterprise. Please sack the Writer/s responsible.