PATRON TIER LIST - STAR TREK TNG S4E14

Why not add an F tier? (It might not get used much, but still)

GreenCauldron08

It’s episodes like this that make me wonder how the kids on board are handling things. I bet you they had all kinds of clues left behind because they didn’t understand or care that Picard wants to erase those memories. Maybe their parents are too low-ranked to be taken seriously. But the episode strains my ability to believe any of it. Still good fun with Picard vs Data. Always enjoy it despite the above. A?

mrxak

I love this style of episode, however none of them make S Tier for some reason. Unless you count the best ep of the show as this style, which I could understand

Steven Cressler

S = A+ E = F

Josh (Target Audience)

What, exactly, do "S" and "E" stand for? To me, "A" is the best.

Jay McGinnis

An enjoyable episode, but one that really only has the same impact on the first watch. Once you know the mystery it’s basically just exposition.

Glenn Johnson Barnes

Close between B and A, but I went with B. A banger.

Crankygrandma

This episode hits well on the aspect of “they don’t spell it out right away” like you guys dislike. Having it hinge on Data never lying being a premise but undermining it by having him promise to lie makes a great mystery.

cricketlenny

exactly… If you don’t have a relative time signature established so that you can account for the differences of those little changes in degrees as you’re flying at you know 1000 times the speed of light matter as all the other objects in the universe are moving relative to their own paths and you need to account for that motion you might fly through a star, and calculating Start dates based on where you’re at versus where the center of your time focuses, much like the old days and big Ben in London

Thicketdweller

The unique concept, the conflict between Data & Picard, and the Twilight Zoney / mystery nature push this close to S for me. But when I compare it to other S-tier episodes, it's just missing a little something.

Dan Halstead

Not S tier because of some Scenes that give you the exact same Infos... twice. (In the present AND in the recap) Otherwise it would have been S Tier for me.

Naglfarius

Suspension of disbelief challenged beyond operational parameters.

rear adm. crackbiscuit

Kind ot a "meh" episode.... for some odd reason? Cool Sci fi concept, competent execution - yet it never made it really work beyond the most basic level. I give it a C.

Owen Madden

This is a great mystery episode!

Ron Hubbard Jr

Blame Beverly's insistence.

Jovet

I forgot about the holodeck opening, pretty entertaining. Causes some continuity problems later, but entertaining.

Jovet

Now, I get how the Enterprise could account for its missing two days – after all they think they went through a wormhole so the missing days can be attributed to that. But there’s no explanation for the other clues. Basically, the ending boils down to “we’ll just cover everything up a bit better this time” and that’s that. I would have liked to know what they did about Beverly’s moss samples or Worf’s broken wrist lol. Other than that minor quibble, I do like this episode.

Dion James Pitman

Yes, it's very sad. She was one of their best background charscters.

Keith S

I'm curious what you'll think of this one since you really liked Remember Me. This is another interesting mystery episode with weird sci-fi stuff going on in it. TNG is really good at these type of episodes. Plus we get some Dixon Hill again, so I think you'll like it. But yeah, there is something special about Remember Me that I think this episode lacks. Still a solid A though.

BN13

This is a solid A for me. It's a great episode and very rewatchable even knowing the mystery. But the idea that a single "trial run" will resolve all of the clues the crew can find is rather far fetched, especially as now there are twice as many days to cover up. I think that's why it does not quite hit hard enough to rate an S.

Gruzz

This might not be higher than an A for most, but I think this episode is perfect Star Trek sci-fi! Data has growth, and the crew shows off why they belong on the flag ship the Enterprise ! Love it !

Sixto

This is among the top 5 episodes in my ranking, I love, love, love this one. I feel like it exemplifies this era of the show.

Angelaina Marie

I wonder if it's like calling the atomic clock in Boulder back in the day. "At the tone the time will be: startdate 44502.7"

Angelaina Marie

This one is an A or an S depending on how I am feeling. It is a really solid, focused episode

Strife

I love this episode even after you've seen it and you're familiar with what's going on it's something great to just have on

harrypothead42024

Clues is a fun one, but I think the impact lessons on rewatches. When I first saw it, it was definitely an S but overtime I think i have settled on A-/B+ Some great stuff here tho, Data is, like Brothers, quite sinister in this one and I love the random cold open of the crew relaxing. Unraveling a mystery really does fit Picards character too.

Darren Seal

I like the procedure where they realign the ships chronometer with the starfleet time beacon. This procedure seems like a crucial matter for Star dates and warp speed travel calculations and I like the establishment of some kind of time constant in the series

Thicketdweller

That's the last episode friend. This is for "Clues"

Nolan

Owen Madden

This one is kind of a fun watch for the first half. But the whole premise pisses me off. I don't think there is a chance in hell Picard would consent to some aliens erasing the memory of every person on the enterprise. I think he would of went down swinging before doing that. It came off as "Please dont hurt us, we will do whatever you want" Infuriating.

Hunter Sherwood

I like the mystery in this episode, but it wraps up pretty fast. The show does episodes kind of like this one later, and those are superior IMO, but this is still pretty good. I give it an A, because I like the setup a lot. I figure you guys will give it a B on average.

Paul O'Neal

This is one of those stories that couldn't be done unless it was Science Fiction (caps intentional). The piecing together of the mystery is well executed. True to the art form but it lacks sufficient wrap-up. Too clean. I give it a high B

Michael Metrick

A solid A-Tier episode for me! I really liked that tense moment at the end where Data wonders if Picard will accept his explanation. Damn, that Jean-Luc LOVES a mystery!!

Raphael Gaytan

Similar to Remember Me, this is the kind of self-contained, high-concept, sci-fi, mystery plot that TNG excels at. A-tier all the way.

kevin coleman

A- Great job with the engaging mystery of why Data is doing what he has to do. Love the exchange: "Will you escort Commander Data to engineering?" "...I know the way, sir." You'd almost swear Data's feelings are hurt in that moment. If he wasn't an emotionless android.

THE LORE!!!

C-tier The exposition dump at the end explaining everything ruins it for me. "5 minutes left, better wrap things up. Someone slam that reset button." It's just so half finished and lazy.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

It's sadly ironic that TA is just getting to her episodes right as the actress passed away.

tyranusfan

Yeah, she was definitely more Whoopi than Guinan there.

tyranusfan

Everything would be fine if Picard would mind his own damned business! I loved Guinan getting in on Dixon Hill.

tyranusfan

I predict that the hook for this episode will really piss off Alex after the lack of follow-through.

Nick Sauer

Goddammit Picard, will you just pick up on the giant freaking hint Data was dropping and move on.

Timothy Nikiforovs

Yeah the suspension of disbelief is pretty scarce on this one. The plot works as long as you don't think about it too deeply.

Jovet

This episode is an easy S-tier for me. I just fell in love with the bread crumbs and the mystery. One of my most re-watched episodes for sure.

valen

"Devil's Due" is one of my favorite episodes to watch, but I only gave it a B because that's where it fits in the grand scheme of things.

Jovet

It's like some sites breakdown a football game

Jovet

This one is excellent Star Trek, with a classic Star Trek feel. If you ever wanted to believe Data can't be scary....

Jovet

I'm interested to see what you made of Whoopi's holodeck acting... it seemed to go a bit 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' / Sister Act instead of Guinan.

Smear Campaign

This is one of my favorite go-to TNG episodes. It's got a cool, creepy vibe, and it's a brilliant stroke of storytelling to make Data the "villain" because we all love him, we WANT to trust him, but it plays into the prejudice the crew and even we still have about him -- can you entirely trust an android that runs on programming? I love that it's actually an investigation. What gets lost in the Techno Babble sometimes is that it's a pleasure to listen to smart characters deducing something rationally with each other in real time. They use evidence, they ask questions, they test things, they come up with answers. People brought it up a lot when the movie The Martian was such a huge hit, but a huge part of what made Star Trek so popular is that it's "competency porn." They're scientists and basically naval officers. They use science and technology to solve their problems, and this episode's a great example of seeing that in action, all under the guise of a really eerie mystery.

ScotchBeard78

This episode is also a fairly decent episode. The mystery of why Data was acting the way he was really had me going. Goving it an A just for the Guinan Dixon Hill bit. This is the second appearance of Alslyssa Ogowa. Kind of strange since her first appearance was in Futer Imperfect. As part of a simulated future that didn't actually happen.

Keith S

I feel this episode is the bar for A-tier. Very good all around episode that I will watch now and then, but just not quite among the god-tier perfect episodes.

Chris Mickelson

A great mystery with an interesting twist that doesn’t reveal the solution too soon, so I think you guys will like this one. Do you think Picard at the end still retains some of the memory of what happened, hence his odd look at Data?

Evan Guthrie

This is an A for me. Like Devil's Due, I think it's a fun episode to watch when I just want to relax and watch tng. Honesty episodes 13-16 of the 4th season are probably the episodes I've seen most because they are solid fun episodes to me that I'll just watch after I get home until I get ready for bed.

Ceruleo

Excellent episode. They do the mystery surprisingly well for once.

JoeCensored

This is an S-tier on first watch, A to B on rewatches. The Worf Effect is displayed in full. Even possessed would Deanna really be able to break Worf's wrist?

Nolan

Precredit scene is an A; 1st Act is a C; Acts 2 and 3 are A; Act 4 is B. Overall for me: B

Collin Freeman

This is an A for me. Great little mystery with Brent Spiner at the center. I can remember being on the edge of my seat at the very end. You'll know why.

Darin Wagner

This is the episode I think would make the perfect TOS episode! ! I can picture the entire story-Spock/Data etc...

Badger

I think it is a great episode. It just isn’t a personally favorite, so I am rating it A

Jeffrey

A solid mystery episode done well. Sneaks into S tier for me because we get to see Dr. Crusher as an intelligent and able scientist.

Cirk Bejnar

When group Tai chi forms and growing moss are your hobbies, you can see why Barcley thinks everyone else on this ship is a bit weird.

Alan Thompson

Really good episode to me. S tier.

Greg Quinn

It was Troi, on the bridge, with the wormhole. What? We’re not playing Clue?

Gregory

A-tier. Really fun episode where the audience isn’t ahead of the characters with the mystery. It misses the S to me for having my boy Worf get his ass handed to him by Troi and not being as interesting on rewatch once you know the answer to the mystery. I do think it’s strange that Guinan with her sixth sense either didn’t contribute to figuring it out or at least get a hand waive explanation about her being on vacation or something.

EnigmaticPenguin

A tier, close to S for me. Dr Beverly is great in this one, I wonder if she became such a good investigator by playing dress up in the Dixon Hill program off camera…

marty63026

My favorite mystery episode. Biggest thing I got outta this is that Data doesn't tell his friends the truth, even being threatened with court-martial. Frustrating for the crew because they want to solve it, but they can't fathom Data lying to them. But as Data said, he was ordered not to reveal the truth, keyword ordered.

Christopher Dorn

A, another banger. This is a good mystery led by Beverly’s inquisitive nature. The viewer is properly respected as it isn’t given away early

Phil Ken Sebben

Can you solve the mystery before they do? Once again Troi's empathic abilities make her the one most affected by an outside force. A fun episode that I rank as "Excellent".

KatWithAttitude

The biggest question left by this episode is just how they were able to sweep away all of the clues left behind, IMO. But still this a good enough episode and further shows the risk/reward factor of having Data aboard.

CM Waters

Love this one. They make you question Data through the entire episode and then you find out Picard was the reason he was acting weird. LOL. Good mystery episode, I never felt I was ahead of the characters, and overall it just worked. Not S-tier, but definitely A-tier.

wildhunt1973

Solid mystery story, wondering how soon it is into the episode that Alex and Josh figure it out. Really intriguing one, this.

The Ninth Doctor

A for me, really intriguing episode, with an interesting resolution

Paul Rymer

I love it.

Michael Figueroa

It does leaving wondering what is going on!

Troy Massey

A it's a really good episode!

Josef Nitervol