PATRON TIER LIST TNG S5E4

This is an 'A' for me. It's not a perfect episode, but it uses and builds from old continuity, has scenes that highlight the strengths of most of the main cast, and several unexpected shocks, such as the lady and old man dying at the start, and the destruction of the entity at the end. Data torches the scientist lady as a finale, which I also liked. ETA: It's also a rare episode where the good guys straight up lose. And I feel the series needs them now and then.

Boggle

This is a lore episode about Lore. C I remember a weirdly clean away mission on a destroyed colony, cute early 90s CGI and a salty guest star bickering with Picard. It was my first TNG episode and even if it was written on autopilot, it is a good representation of the show and it's cosiness.

Syl

A "C" from me. It's not a bad episode, but there are so many better written episodes dealing with the themes of grief, distrust, and revenge that I'd rather watch one of them instead.

Jeffrey P

This is one of those rare instances in Next Gen where the opening act is cinematic as hell, but then the episode jarringly shifts to…well…an episode of television. Definitely a B-Tier for me.

Raphael Gaytan

The episode squanders the Crystalline Entity’s potential, reducing a fascinating cosmic enigma to a cheap morality tale. Dr. Marr’s use of my voice as her dead son is less poignant and more disturbing—an ethical grey area Starfleet seems oddly fine with. Her final act feels less like grief-driven vengeance and more like a shortsighted tantrum, destroying any chance for understanding or coexistence.

Data's Small Talk

Sure...that's an argument. But by that logic Picard and Riker definitely shouldn't have phaser blasted Alien infested Remick and blown his head up when all he said was "We mean you no harm. We seek peaceful coexistence" while having a extra bad case of gurd causing neck spasms.

Greg Quinn

Oh look! It's a giant casting of a fire ant nest in space!

Jason Lallathin

The opening is extremely well done, but I’ve never been a huge fan of this episode. Some good scenes with Data especially towards the end but yeah mid episode I think

Darren Seal

If not for the incredible scenes of Data connecting with Dr Marr, this episode would be pretty mid. Felt more like an excuse to wrap up a loose plot thread for the Crystaline Entity while giving Brent Spiner more examples of his talent. B that could have been an A with some polish.

cricketlenny

C—

Jovet

Nope. Two completely different universes!

Jovet

By destroying the CE, they become no better than it is.

Jovet

her interractions with Data puts it a B for me

Narnman

It's a good (not great) episode...I rated it a C for Crystalline Entity.

barry vanwieringen

Actually D for don’t care

Phil Ken Sebben

I love they brought Crystalline Entity back. I also liked her initial distrust in Data and the progression with that. But beyond that its a mostly meh episode. Its enough to pull it out of C into a B though. I like it though.

Sequiro

If I was making a list of the most boring TNG episodes then I would definitely give this one a mention. This episode just never clicked for me and I can never bring myself to care about anything that's happening.

Spencer Loften

This always feels like a season one or two episode...but not in a bad way. Speaking of season one, remember the disgust and rage as Picard blasted and exploded the head of the Remming parasite? I always think of that when Picard gets so self righteous about killing the Crystalline entity (who did conspire with Lore and seemed aware humans are intelligent). Still decent episode...solid. unlike the the now shattered crystalline entity.

Greg Quinn

It took over 4 seasons but they finally did something with that weird “Data has the dead colonists’ memories” concept from “Datalore”

Matthew McKinnon-Gray

It can still be sweet and bat**** crazy. :)

wildhunt1973

They weren't sweet, they were creepy. Her treating Data as if he's her son was batshit crazy!

Jovet

Because.... scientist! 😀

Jovet

Yeah, I feel bad that the guest actor doesn't really work for me. I think, despite how much I love Brent Spiner, she just has the wrong dance partner here. Her and Riker? That's fireworks.

Ally Roth

Great suggestion. Imagine if Picard ended up giving his sperm whale speech to Riker rather than the vestigial guest actor? And if Riker was allowed to push back.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

"We could get along, if only we could communicate" The Crystalline Entity is basically the Horta, only this episode's message is presented with a sad ending rather than a happy one. Which approach do you all think works better?

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

"Silicon Avatar" might be the most "it worked on paper" episode in TNG history. Great concept, sloppy execution. The thing that bums me out the most, though, is that there's an obvious way to connect Riker's fresh grief over Carmen's death with Dr. Marr's long term trauma over losing her son. We only really get the one scene where Riker agrees with her but that's it. I get that Data's got the colonist's memories, but this should've been a Riker episode.

Ally Roth

I gave it a B. It's fine and we learn more about Data. It borders on C though. Why did no one think about not bringing the woman along who lost her son to the Crystaline entity? That's a huge stretch even for a Trek idealized world view. Also, if the entity was intelligent then it certainly was a pretty ruthless killer of people. The wild beast needing to eat theory goes out the window once it strikes up some conversation. And it worked with Lor. The resume is looking pretty bleak.

Paul Sage

Reading it?

Jovet

Spoilers! Alex & Josh—Do not watch that! 🤦

Jovet

I gues we'll never know now! lol...

The Travelers Travels

It's not made of water.

Jovet

I actually really like the guest character, I think she is a compelling character with enough rational actions for her to be believable and also enough irrational actions to drive how broken she is as a person. I love the scenes where she tries to understand Data as if trying to comprehend an evil and it allows for a really nice insight into the character.

Fedora The Explorar

More lore (Ha!) from Data's past, and another guest character who goes off the deep end. It's easy to hate Dr. Marr, but also possible to sympathize with her (just a little bit) when she realizes just what she's done. I rank it as “Enjoyable”.

KatWithAttitude

Love the opening to this episode. Seeing everyone run for their lives really freaks me out a bit - especially that face Riker makes.

Kyle Stewart

Profoundly un memorable. One of very few episodes I just can't remember the plot, or the resolution, even after seeing a clip or reading a synopsis

Cirk Bejnar

A B for me. I thought it was Good but not more than that. Seemed a waste to bring back the Crystal Entity, barely show it, then get rid of it within a second of seeing it again. Also, for something that was supposed to be the ultimate form of destruction, it sure took it's sweet time before it started annihilating the planet, then it completely avoided the Enterprise crew while they were running RIGHT NEXT TO THE BEAM. The parts with the doctor and Data were sweet (once she got off her Pulaski kick), but the rest of the episode was just...good. Not great, just good.

wildhunt1973

It's a snowflake, just use a blowtorch...

The Travelers Travels

As much as I love the lore on Data and the crystal entity, and someone directly connected to Data’s past, to me, this actor is like what Dr. Stubbs is for Josh… so a C

Sixto

C for me. I don't think it's a bad episode, but it lacks something and fails to get me hooked. Perhaps more Entity and less interpersonal drama would improve it, but I can't be sure.

Gruzz

I have literally no memory of this episode. That must make it a D.

Aramis Calcutt

The needs of the many outweight the needs on the one.

Sean Richard

I actually quite like this episode, so is an A for me. I think it is a good look at the destructive nature of grief, as it is obvious the Doctor is still stuck on her sons death almost 25 years later. and a look at how we should view the sometime seemingly randomly violent world around us, with Riker. Do we hate the creature that is seemingly just doing what it does, which doesn't understand?

Thomas Cole

Keith S

I voted, B tier based on your scale. A fantastic data episode. Something is obviously wrong with Dr. Marr from the second she appears onscreen, but everyone seems to let it go. This is a really good episode; it is one I am always happy to catch on TV if I am scanning channels, but it is not one I go to the trouble of looking for a disc to watch on a whim.

harrypothead42024

My guess is that she was focused on reading the Crystalline Entity.

Darin Wagner

She just needs some Crystal Blue Persuasion.

Jovet

Ellen Geer as Dr. Marr did a fantastic job!

Jovet

Most anti-climatic explosion in Star Trek history.

Jovet

"needed to go" perhaps as a very last resort. That is not what happened, though.

Jovet

She might seem crazy because SHE IS crazy. She was not justified. Justice on a murder or rappist of your child is one thing. But 26 year old burdens like that are not healthy.

Jovet

Sums up my opinions on it. She was just too damn pscyho. Treating Data like her son all the time, where is Troi when you need her??

Jovet

Why didn't Troi sense "something is very wrong" with Dr. Marr far earlier?

Jovet

R.I.P. Renny. Your mom's a psychopath.

Jovet

I can't say I particularly care for this episode. I don't hate it. But Dr. Marr is not an enjoyable character. It's interesting to learn more about the crystalline entity, but her vendetta of revenge is sad and limited.

Jovet

Data's comment at the end is one of THE best Data scenes. Heartbreaking. A-Tier

Andreas Schmitt

Yes, this is one of the episodes of TNG. Hard C.

Burrito Vampire

Also, Riker totally wanted to blow up the entity because he was going to get laid. Lol.

Ian Westcott

What a wonderfully painful downer ending! I kindof admire it for that. I didn't used to think too much of this one, but it's grown on me over time such that I upgraded it from D to B. Maybe. Jeri Taylor really likes the whole "middle aged people unhinged by past trauma" trope. It's the third time she's pushed it in here, and it's already getting tiring. Poor acting from the two guest performers with absolutely zero subtlety. She just goes totally nuts, and it's not convincing.

Ian Westcott

They really gave their audience a lot of credit here. They barely gave us any reminder/exposition as to what the entity was or what it did. Wouldn't surprise me if some forgot, even if they had watched from the start.

Joe Concepts

I used to skip this one, but it has grown on me. Dr. Marr's self-destruction was a mature take on unchecked grief and regret.

JGoss

Yep, there was a lot to work with here, but the episode never became more than the sum of its parts. Give it a B for having a number of quality elements that never really felt like it lifted off the ground for me.

Pokeysaurus

I have to say I'm with Riker on this one, even if his judgement is influenced by the crystalline entity cockblocking him. Picard is naive and frankly annoying in his moralizing here. Whales don't wipe out entire ecosystems and leave once thriving planets as dead rocks. No single creature deserves to exist at the cost of so many others. That thing needed to go.

Timothy Nikiforovs

There's a lot in here about vengeance, blind hatred and morality, but the biggest lesson of the episode is that you do NOT want to get between Riker and his desert. He won't let it go.

Nolan

if they succeeded with communication with the Crystalline Entity they could have potentially negotiated a way to make sure no more worlds would be devastated by finding alternative food sources, and potentially peace with others of it kind if they exist, now there may be many future victims because of the wrath of one grieving mother

Dark Kronis

unless another of the species shows up, this was perhaps the once chance they got to communicate with Crystalline Entity and maybe there will be future victims that could have been prevented

Dark Kronis

That's amazing for that fan. Can you imagine?

Forbidden Donut

A common phrase in my family when playfully arguing for someone’s presence (usually on behalf of the family pet): “I would argue that [insert name here] has as much right to be here as we do”. - Picard Voice

Andrew F.

"Boy, that escalated quickly." I'm mostly thinking of the opening tease, but maybe also with Dr. Marr killing her career as quickly as she killed the entity. Cool to see a callback to Datalore with the Crystalline Entity returning, and I liked the moments between Marr and Data where he 'resurrects' her son with the colony logs.

Forbidden Donut

Dark ending, but at least they don’t have to worry about the Crystalline Entity destroying anymore lives now

TalynStarburst

I didn’t like this when I was a kid but I watched it twice recently and really appreciate what they did with Data and Dr. Marr. Trek has a lot of disasters on a planetary level and this showed us the personal impact of that both with Riker and the doctor.

Paul Rymer

Really interested to see if you guys pop for our returning crystal friend or not. I feel like there is an interesting dilemma here about destruction vs. communication but it's kind of buried by all the Data and Dr. Marr stuff, which doesn't really work for me. And Lore is brought up in the episode but no mention of how he communicated with the entity in some fashion is very odd. What did you guys think of Dr. Marr? Does that character work for you?

Ryan Caulfield

A definite meh 🫤 episode for me. The return of the crystalline entity, and more realistic appearing I might add, is cool but the antagonist is not.

Ron Hubbard Jr

My types of Star Trek episodes are either first contact ones where we know very little about a new species, or episodes that deal with a character's psychology. This one is both, along with Suddenly Human, so they are both episodes I rank much higher than most fans. Both are As for me. The only reason this one isn't an S for me is Dr Marr is so unlikeable. But I still like analyzing her psychology here. She represents many people with similar issues who can't overcome their own trauma.

BN13

This one has a chilling ending... like a blast of cold air. Marvelous performance.

Darin Wagner

The potential was there with the basis of the plot. But I thought the whole thing was meh. Nothing about the episode rose above just ‘okay’

Jeffrey

That lady don’t like Crystal’s

ByRikersBeard

Really blew me away when I saw the killer snowflake was back. Really shocked to see what it could actually do. Unfortunately the situation with Dr Marr and Data was a little bit too predictable to me.

Keith S

Marr might seem crazy from an outside perspective, but there are lots of parents who would do the same for their murdered child. Do you think she was justified in any way?

Evan Guthrie

A personal favorite. Great callback to one of season 1’s more interesting concepts. You can see the doctor’s descent into madness as the episode proceeds.

tyranusfan

Like the "bad" episodes of later seasons of Next Generation, it's a solid, but not remarkable episode. Data should really have the knowledge not to indulge the scientist with the voice of her dead son, and the scientist herself isn't an interesting character with motivations I found difficult to believe. Especially when it's clear that the creature has intelligence and can be reasoned with in some fashion. I give it a "C" because I'm too generous with higher ratings.

John

An aggressively average episode. Some good action early on and great to see the Crystalline Entity again, but the story falls a little flat in its execution. Marr killing the CE kills any opportunity for character growth, beyond having a new guest character realise her own prejudice too late.

The Ninth Doctor

The recurring guest star everyone’s been waiting for. Grade: B

John M.

Yeah Frakes does a couple of moves that are pretty silly, esp right after he hands the kid off to Data.

Column Meanie

Snoozer, Wish we had more time with Rikers latest squeeze. C

Phil Ken Sebben

To be honest I find the sequence where they're all running for their lives hilarious

Dion James Pitman

"'Kill her, Mommy...Kill her...'" I like that part. Wait...that might be a different episode.

Banes

A mixed bag for me. Rather enjoy seeing another throwback to Season 1 with the Crystalline Entity, and I love the stuff on the planet, but I feel as soon as the crew is rescued the episode grinds to a halt. Dr Marr is portrayed well by Ellen Greer, but there’s not much compelling about her character. The continuing threat of the CE doesn’t work because after the planet all other deaths and potential victims are off screen. Maybe if the CE was going after a ship or planet we had seen previously it would mean more. Episode has a special place in my heart because the writer was a fan from Portland who submitted the script. Still, the episode is a missed opportunity.

Column Meanie