Star Trek: The Next Generation 1.8 (The Battle)

Cast:
Doug Warhit(Kazago)
Robert Towers(Rata)
Frank Corsentino(DaiMon Bok)

Writers: Larry Forrester, Herbert Wright

Years ago, Picard destroyed an alien vessel, but his own ship, the USS Stargazer, was crippled in the battle.  The crew abandoned ship and were rescued, but the ship was never recovered.  The Ferengi have now found it, and present it back to Picard.  However, they are also controlling his mind and they manipulate Picard into thinking that he is back at that battle and that the Enterprise is his adversary.  Picard uses the same maneuver that he used to win the original battle (the Picard Maneuver, which involves a high warp jump that makes the ship appear to be in two places at once) but as the Enterprise knows it is coming they managed to capture the Stargazer in a tractor beam and prevent it from attacking.  They talk Picard into destroying the device the Ferengi Captain is using to plant suggestions in Picards mind and everything is okay.

This is actually a really nice idea for an episode, and it is pretty well delivered as well.  It is nice to see a more old fashioned bridge in the Stargazer (a redress of the Enterprise bridge sets from the first four movies) and the Ferengi are not half as irritating in this episode.  Wesley appears for the first time in his hideous Acting Ensign uniform – luckily, someone realises how horrible it is and it gets replaced next season.

The Ferengi are developed a little further – at the end the Ferengi Captain is arrested as his plan against Picard is deemed ”unprofitable” by his own people – it seems it was an act of revenge due to the death of Daimon Boks own son in the original battle.

The only bit that annoys me is the fact that the device that controls Picard is brought across with all of his other belongings from his quarters on the Stargazer.  By Worf, future head of security.  Didn’t someone think to check the stuff before they beamed it across?  Surely even Worf would have thought that there was something slightly suspicious about a big glowing orb.  Oh well!

Crew Deaths: 0
Total Crew Deaths So Far: 1
Score: 7/10