{"id":6702,"date":"2017-06-12T05:33:27","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T05:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/722-Bloodlines"},"modified":"2017-06-12T05:33:27","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T05:33:27","slug":"722-bloodlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relivethemajesty.com\/index.php\/2017\/06\/12\/722-bloodlines\/","title":{"rendered":"7.22 — \u201cBloodlines\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

7.22 — \u201cBloodlines\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plot:<\/strong> The Enterprise<\/em> encounters a probe sent to intercept it by Picard\u2019s old enemy, DaiMon Bok. Remember Bok? The Ferengi from TNG 1.9, \u201cThe Battle?\u201d No? His son died in battle against Picard\u2019s old ship the Stargazer<\/em>, and now he plans to take revenge\u2026 Dah dum Dahhh! against a son that Picard never knew he had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thoughts:<\/strong> The part of DaiMon Bok was recast for this episode. “The Battle” was 165 episodes ago, however, so you probably didn\u2019t notice. “The Battle” is an odd episode to choose for creation of a sequel. None of the commentators in this community had it in our top 5 episodes for Season One! I didn’t have it in my honorable mentions, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This episode continues the trend in Season Seven where nearly every episode has to be about a relative of a main cast member:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7.1 \u201cDescent, Part II\u201d — Involves Data\u2019s brother, Lore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.3 \u201cInterface\u201d — Involves the attempted rescue of Geordi\u2019s mother (Silva), and an appearance by his father (Edward, played by Ben Vereen).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.7 \u201cDark Page\u201d — Involves Troi’s mother (Lwaxana) and father (Ian, first appearance), and reveals the existence of Deanna\u2019s long-lost sister (Kestra).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.10 \u201cInheritance\u201d — Involves Data meeting his mother (Juliana) and encountering his father (Dr. Soong).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.13 \u201cHomeword\u201d — Involves conflicts between Worf and his foster brother (Nikolai).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.14 \u201cSub Rosa\u201d — Involves Beverly\u2019s family’s ancestral ghost (Ronin) and the funeral of her grandmother (Felisa).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.20 \u201cJourney\u2019s End\u201d — Involves Beverly\u2019s son (Wesley);.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.21 \u201cFirstborn\u201d — Involves Worf\u2019s son (Alexander, at two different ages!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.22 \u201cBloodlines\u201d involves Picard\u2019s supposed long-lost son (Jason).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is 41% of all of the Season Seven episodes so far (9 of 22), and includes family plots involving every cast member except Will Riker, who neither experiences the return of his father, Kyle (TNG 2.14, \u201cThe Icarus Factor\u201d), nor that of his transporter clone, Thomas (TNG 6.24, \u201cSecond Chances\u201d) (too bad).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In “Bloodlines,” we have a story that is far-fetched and not especially compelling. By Season Seven standards, it’s of at least average quality. The idea that Bok could fool Picard about this is ludicrous. Bok finds a woman who Picard dated briefly over two decades ago, and somehow finds out they had sexual relations. What makes him think he can fool Picard? How does he know Picard has remained out of touch? When and how does he kidnap Jason in order to \u201cresequence his DNA?\u201d Why doesn\u2019t Jason remember this happening? I guess the sequence of your DNA is not a thing that has profound consequences (who knew). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Isn’t it lucky for Bok that Jason\u2019s mother never told him anything whatsoever about his true father, even after becoming an adult? Highly unusual. I doubt, unfortunately, that we are meant to ask these kinds of questions. The unstated subtext remains \u201cCut us some slack, please! Can\u2019t you see we\u2019re not really trying?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I wonder why they didn’t just allow Picard to have a long-lost son. It’s both the simplest answer to fit these facts, and the best dramatic answer for the characters. Is the “twist” where Picard outsmarts Bok worth it? It’s not. I feel like this is something that would have gotten fixed in editorial development, if anyone was invested in the editorial development process at this point in the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I do like the scene between Picard and Jason on top of the rock wall, when Jason says \u201cYou don’t understand. I’m not anybody you’d want for a son. Trust me, if you knew anything about me, you wouldn’t be trying so hard.\u201d One moment that rings true in a sea of BS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are only three episodes left in the series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2 of 5 under-appreciated archaeological artifacts.<\/p>\n\n\n

http:\/\/memory-alpha.wikia.com\/wiki\/Bloodlines<\/a>