7.25&26 — “All Good Things…”

7.25&26 — “All Good Things…”

Plot: Picard becomes unstuck in time, flashing back and forth between the present, the past represented in the TNG premiere “Encounter at Farpoint,” and a future 25 years followng the end of Picard’s tour of command on the Enterprise. A common thread in these scenes is a temporal anomaly developing in the Devron system, inside the Neutral Zone.

Is Picard losing his mind? In the future he has developed a degenerative neurological disease, Irumodic Syndrome, and this could represent the onset of symptoms. Or is there another explanation… like the involvement of Q?

Thoughts: Ermagrd! Here we are, at the end of all things. Well, at least at the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and start of the TNG film series. IMDB reports that the cast got a 10-day break after filming “All Good Things…” before reporting for the start of principal photography on Generations.

I’ve been reading dribs and drabs about this finale for a long time in the various places where I follow Trek online. How does the experience of watching match up with the expectation? “All Good Things…” manages at once to be a) somewhat satisfying; b) beautifully produced; c) nostalgic; and d) a work that betrays the creative exhaustion of the writers, and confirms that this was the right time to leave the series.

Much feels like a retread here. I’m not referring to the elements lovingly recreated from “Encounter at Farpoint,” like the reprise of the first season costumes (Troi’s outfit only appeared in the pilot!), the guest appearances by O’Brien (Colm Meaney) and Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby), and more subtle elements, like the reprise of Data’s old habit of failing to comprehend the meaning of trite expressions that can be easily Googled today (but not in either 1987 or 2364).

I mean, there’s a strong sense we’ve seen this Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore-scripted episode before in TNG 7.11, “Parallels,” Braga’s other Seventh Season episode featuring abrupt, disorienting transitions between alternate timelines, which happens to be the other serious portrayal of Worf and Deanna as romantic partners, and to my eyes veiled rebellion against having to write any more stories involving these characters. And also in TNG 6.15, “Tapestry,” Moore’s other Sixth Season episode in which Q sends Picard back in time to learn lessons he can apply in the present.

What is new? Nothing connected to the gimmicky science fiction plot, and certainly not exploration of new worlds, lifeforms, or civilizations (TNG is so bored with new life and new civilizations). The surprises are revelations about the future (or possible future?) of the characters:

* LeVar Burton is offered the opportunity to perform without his VISOR, and in retrospect, forcing him to wear it for seven seasons was cruel and unnecessary. He’s married to “Leah,” which seems to contradict everything we know about his non-relationship with Leah Brahms (different Leah?).

* Data works in an office filled with cats. He may have gained emotions, but the subject isn’t explored (to leave the subject open for the film series?).

* Picard and Crusher were married and divorced. Picard in particular cuts a grim figure, alone and now doddering in self-imposed isolation. No teaching position or valedictory career as a Starfleet Admiral. In Crusher’s case, command of a medical vessel suits her much better than hanging around Sickbay waiting for the writers to throw her a short scene.

* Worf and Riker are estranged over the death of Deanna, which is left unexplained. The most generous explanation I can find for this is again to leave the subject open for the film series. Isn’t it typical of the producers of this series to kill the woman, and somehow make the story all about the men? Kind of like the episode where Deanna gets pregnant and the episode focuses on everyone but her. And most of the other episodes, too. This is one of Crusher’s best episodes, and it’s as if they cut Deanna in response to keep the balance from shifting too far away from the men.

Why are Gene Roddenberry’s perfect future inhabitants, who have solved all their problems, and particularly his hero Picard, such a collective mess? People can argue Kirk vs. Picard all day, but no one would trade Kirk’s future, depicted in the film series, for Picard’s.

The high point for me is watching Patrick Stewart act the different time periods, making a strong distinction between his character in each time. His portrait of a man losing control of his mind and temperament, while trying to convince others of something he perceives as important, is moving and sad. The loyalty shown by his former officers, even though they don’t believe him, is moving also (although somewhat less convincing).

This is cool, and seeing the future Enterprise and all the new ships and special effects are cool. The art department and production teams have been doing yeoman’s work all along, and step right up to this occasion. Bravo to them.

Tl;dr: I have mixed feelings, which reflect my mixed feelings for the series, which we will soon have a chance to fully appraise. Right now, I have a sense of accomplishment: 178 episodes blogged, and TNG is complete. The TNG film series, Voyager, Enterprise, the rest of Deep Space Nine, and Discovery all lie ahead.

4 out of 5 inverse tachyon pulses.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/All_Good_Things…_(episode)