Family (TNG S4E2) | Star Trek Journey 183

[@targetaudience]

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[@TheElderBlotch]

"I tried...I tried so hard." The way Picard's voice breaks on this line gives me chills, top acting from Patrick Stewart, same for Jeremy Kemp as Robert. No peril, no action, all character based but Family is one of the finest episodes in the show.

[@bearacuda]

Yes ... I can relate to feeling that way. Pulling out all the stops, putting in 100 % mental, psychological, and physical effort, and still failing and left feeling I'm not good enough. That scene makes me tear up every time.

[@SwordmasterKane]

I feel ashamed to admit that, but as a kid this episode did nothing for me. But that was because I watched Star Trek for the spaceships, the action, the monsters, villains and challenges... This episode has none of that. I wasn't interested in the private lives of the crewmembers, and even today I find the idea of Worf being visited by his human parents... uncomfortable. I think you need to be a certain age to fully appreciate what the show is giving us, especially on the heels of the powerhouse that was the "Best Of Both Worlds" two-parter. In that regard, the episode was perfect.

[@fakecubed]

Picard didn't get the ribbon in Best of Both Worlds.

[@donovanbradford8231]

​@@SwordmasterKane This is an episode for adults because as kids and as teens, even as young adults we don't take the time for self reflection in stories or in life. I was the same way when I was younger but know I have the appreciation for this episode on all the levels it hits.

[@TopGunZero]

Robert doesn't like JLP but he does love him and despite thinking his brother is arrogant and needs to be brought down to earth, he's clearly devastated at what's been done to him. It was probably far too many pegs he was brought down, when he just wanted one or two.

[@penoyer79]

"so my brother is a human being after all" is such a layered line.

[@EmbassyNerdcore]

Robert is more sure of Picards humanity than Picard himself is. And Picard always felt pressure to be perfect, and then when assimilated he feels the Borg version of "perfection", and then because Picard IS only an imperfect human and not Professor X, he can't just use his powerful mind to break free. He fails, and "true perfection" is forced on him, and so he's dealing with his personal trauma attached to a mind-violation plus the guilt of remembering how he killed a bunch of people and wrecked Starfleet and almost destroyed Earth itself...

[@derekm79]

Josh said a long time ago he wished for an episode where nothing happened and we just spent time with the characters. Well here you go!!! And you were right, it’s amazing!

[@kereminde]

I was trying ("so hard") not to mention this was coming up. This episode was coming, and I wanted to watch them react to this so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it, this was an episode which was not like anything which came before. It's not your typical "Star Trek", and it was probably needed following something as game-changing as "the Borg reached Earth and slapped the Federation fleet around hard".

[@ididthisonpulpous6526]

Yeah knowing this was coming right after the Borg stuff I was pretty certain they were going to really enjoy this one. I distinctly remember watching this episode when it came out and was just blown away. In an era before continuity being an expected thing with television this kind of stuff was mind blowing.

[@clasicradiolover]

I told them that once. They said they didn't say that.

[@HCAgrippa100]

"I should have been able to stop them!" It's a damn crime that Patrick Stewart wasn't at least nominated for an Emmy for that scene.

[@maxshenkwrites]

Oh, I'm sure that they were nominated for "Best lighting" or "Best catering" or some other such dismissive bullshit "prize." I was actually going to type something like this: that an episode like this is why TREK should have won (or even been nominated for) 12 times more Emmys than it was.

[@fakecubed]

@@maxshenkwrites Hollywood hates nerds, so naturally they hate anything that appeals to nerds. Back in the day they'd at least still make stuff for nerds because nerds made them money, and they liked money more than they hated nerds, but they weren't going to treat it as anything worthwhile in the industry. Now, they still hate nerds, but they no longer care enough about money, so they just make stuff to destroy nerd IPs and tell us we're horrible when we don't give them our money.

[@TopGunZero]

criminal that he didnt

[@haukionkannel]

There is five lights!

[@giantclam1822]

Yes.....But he got the last laugh.

[@aaronwilson4267]

I never caught it until later, but when Robert says, "I have to cure this poor sick vine," he's talking about Jean Luc.

[@chrisfraser5088]

Absolutely incredible episode! “Family” is one of my favourite TNG episodes for sure. “I tried so hard” kills me every time! And getting to meet Worf’s parents…priceless! I even felt for Wesley…imagine that.

[@TimelyAbyss]

I’ve always considered this episode “Best of both worlds: Epilogue”.

[@AdmiralKnight]

Michael Dorn's acting in this is superb. Worf is always so stone-faced, but any time he's near his parents he's absolutely beaming. He has so much love for them and it can't help but shine through. This episode is also interesting because it shows how different life is when you can live to be 200 years old. Why not start a family at 60+?

[@m.e.3862]

I love worfs parents because they remind me of my own lol

[@wisconsinfirenerd]

One of the things that I love about this episode is that Troi is actually doing professional counseling- challenging others on their assumptions, talking them across the boundaries of their comfort zones, being there for critical moments of their lives. Writers in earlier seasons often had no idea how to use her, but in s3/s4 she really comes into her own.

[@glytchd]

@wisconsinfirenerd yah. Aye would have been nice if Berman had hired me advisors and reviewers.. like folks that ensure characters actually make sense.. you'd think they'd hire an Amaury psychologist to consult for example etc. And they site could have used a retiree for scientific stuff. Even a 14yo was crating better techno babble just from reading up on astrophysics and engineering lol

[@The-Secret-Door]

So glad Alex had so much to say about the hug between the Picard brothers. That's such an amazing scene and I've watched it so many times. The way Robert is emotional when nobody can see him and then shoves it all down when the hug ends. Beautiful moment.

[@koalabrownie]

He was a bit emotional before the hug. He may have hugged him in part because he knew he was about to break.

[@NessOnett8]

This is one of the rare instances where I feel like this episode retroactively makes the one before it so much better

[@TopGunZero]

For Jack Crusher's scene, he's not filming himself thinking, oh boy I'm going to die, this is my last message to my son. He's just filming a vlog for his kid in what he thinks is going to be a series of vlogs. Again, the actor nailed it. It was the first one he filmed. He's nervous and unsure of himself. He hasn't even really become a father yet. He has no experience with it.

[@TopGunZero]

We also continue to see how close the relationship is between Doctor Crusher and Troi. They hang out and have drinks together. We basically know who everyone's best friend is on the show and scenes like this really help establish that.

[@Markus117d]

Did they miss that fact, Dispite Dr Crusher explaining the intentions behind the message to Wesley? 🫣

[@TopGunZero]

@@Markus117d hard to tell when they miss things or just dismiss them outright

[@Markus117d]

​@TopGunZero Think was more a case of dismiss rather than missed, judging by the post episode discussion. They seem to be disappointed it was just a guy leaving an ordinary message for thier child, That it wasn't super dramatic and powerful. And as you pointed out to be fair the guy didn't know he was going to be dead a few weeks later And this would be his only chance to say the important stuff, So to me the actor was hitting the tone better than they give credit for..

[@arturocostantino623]

You're absolutely right

[@caseyanne967]

Robert knew exactly what buttons to push to help his brother. And one of his opening lines was very meaningful and I believe it related to Jean Luc, too. . "I must try and cure this poor, sick vine."

[@mxz1757]

Loving the new combined / longer format! Keep up the awesome work- and I know it is very much work at times. Thanks for all the great content and sharing the journey with us!

[@targetaudience]

You’re awesome, thank you!

[@mattparsons433]

I never cared for this episode as a kid (no action!), but watching this as an adult having suffered PTSD myself, it hits like a truck. Patrick Stewart knows about this subject all too well, and his ability to act it out is top tier.

[@Randall1001]

One of the best episodes of TNG from any season. One of the best episodes of the entire Star Trek franchise.

[@timothyserabian5103]

That breakdown Picard has in the vineyard really hammers home what the Borg did to him. Having your identity literally stolen from you and being used as a puppet to destroy the very organization and home you love is more than, “traumatic.” When I was a kid, I never really understood why this episode is so treasured. However, as an adult that has been in 5+ years of therapy, TOTALLY makes sense now.

[@EmbassyNerdcore]

@@jimj9729 Plus in Family they hammer home how much pressure Picard was under to be "perfect" all the time, winning awards, top of the class, success in every endeavor. Then to have the Borg force "true perfection" on him and confront him with the idea that there IS such a thing as "too perfect". Then to have his own mind fail him, he really expected he could just have a strong enough resolve to push the Borg out of his body and mind, and so he blames himself for all those deaths because he felt himself doing it as one mind with the Borg, like he was giving the orders and carrying them out, killing his comrades and wrecking Starfleet. To have his own brother resent him for his supposed perfection destroys Picards ego completely

[@kerry-j4m]

@@jimj9729 Well said,9729,that comment,it's okay to be human makes me LOVE the character of Picard even more,no way any one could go through something like that and not be affected. As an ex-combat soldier ( 4 tours to Iraq ) who still deals with ptsd,this episode made Picard wayyy more human and relatable to me. This episode is needed for the audience to decompress and see another side of our characters their relationships with their families.Which was well done.This episode reminds me when i was in the navy and when our carrier came back to port after a-LONG-cruise,there'd be other sailors families,wives,kids waiting and cheering for them at the pier.While us single sailors had no one pining for our return,I often wondered if the other single sailors felt the way I did: LONELY.

[@jeffcampbell3031]

I have been waiting for you guys to get to this episode. For me, this has always been the 3rd act in the Best of Both Worlds Trilogy. With the trauma of the previous two episodes there was a real maturity in the franchise (that not a lot of shows had prior to this) to take the time to acknowledge the shock and sorrow of what they have all just been through. It would have been insulting to just see the crew on the way to the next assignment. This was that generations Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Wolf 359 was not just another battle. The fall out will continue to be felt for literal decades and beyond. You are in it now boys. Strap in.

[@fakecubed]

Q _did_ try to warn them...

[@donovanbradford8231]

Love all the points here spot on

[@crownprincesebastianjohano7069]

Dude was setting the world ON FIRE.

[@adamburnett6415]

This is Part 3 of BOBW, which I think is why BOBW is considered one of the best Star Trek episodes ever. You really need this episode with the previous two parter.

[@michaelminch5490]

Absolutely. The three episodes are a self-contained "trilogy."

[@ViridisAmbrosia]

This episode gets me every time. As soon as Picard says "I tried, I tried so hard" I start crying. Going to his brother was perfect as I feel like his big brother might have been the only person who could get him to get these feelings out. I like how Robert confronts him with wanting to be the hero, because no one no matter how strong their will or conscience could win against the Borg assimilation. I feel like Robert helped Picard get to the beginning of understanding that this wasn't his fault and accepting that it's not because he wasn't good enough. Robert who criticizes Picard for everything doesn't criticize him for being taken over by the Borg and plants the idea that Picard is being too hard on himself (impossibly hard on himself as though he must be the perfect hero). He helps Picard see the path he's left with - a long arduous path of having to learn to live with what was done to him that isn't about if he was a good or strong enough person. He helps him clear out the nonsense. He's not surprised to hear Picard's confession - he has already imagined the horror, he's been provoking him the whole time to get him to this needed place of vulnerability. Although I think why this scene makes me cry is because of the feeling of being forced to hurt other people in which there is literally no choice. The feeling of trying so hard to stop it but just watching oneself being forced to do it - it's a pain that would tear a person apart inside. That Picard hasn't committed suicide after that really shows that he is a very strong person and has a strong conscience and sense of self.

[@griffinsummoner]

He still carries a lot of trauma forward, but he isn't paralyzed with doubt at every mention of the Borg in the future.

[@jch13213]

I'm 54. I hadn't watched this episode since it aired when I was 20. I remember thinking it was one of the weakest episodes to date. I now think it is among the top 10. I'd grown up on TOS and had enjoyed most of the first three seasons of TNG, but emotional drama wasn't something I could process at that age ( Not going to self diagnose but that's the best way to describe it. ) My reaction to any personal life scenes previously was basically " Oh.. I get it that's deepening their character or filling out their backstory " without it moving me emotionally in any way. So 20 year old me thought this was just a filler episode , kind of a dramatic decompression so we could get back to real Star Trek. 54 year old me is now wrecked with the emotional impact of it. I now want to do a complete rewatch of TNG so my slightly emotionally more connected brain can fully appreciate it.

[@MFSeaMen]

This is an episode that I don’t revisit often, but every time I end up watching it, I’m reminded of how great it actually is.

[@Real_LiamOBryan]

I like to think that Robert had the broad strokes of this whole thing planned out in order to help Jean-Luc.

[@targetaudience]

100% he knew what he was doing

[@michaelconnor1542]

I think Dorn did great. He just exudes discomfort with his parents being on board.

[@fakecubed]

He's a private guy. We know this, we've seen it repeatedly. Doesn't like his personal business spilling out in front of the rest of the crew. You can still see it on his face in every scene, he loves his parents, but he also wants to keep them to himself and not have them out and about embarrassing him by causing trouble for everyone else. It's a very Worf-like performance, and I don't understand how anyone could come out of this episode expecting anything else than what we got.

[@fakecubed]

He's a private guy. We know this, we've seen it repeatedly. Doesn't like his personal business spilling out in front of the rest of the crew. You can still see it on his face in every scene, he loves his parents, but he also wants to keep them to himself and not have them out and about embarrassing him by causing trouble for everyone else. It's a very Worf-like performance, and I don't understand how anyone could come out of this episode expecting anything else than what we got.

[@dirtyburd71]

​@fakecubed That's exactly what I thought. To expect more out of Worf would redefine the character. Worf IS Worf, and he holds a unique position as a crew member and as a person in general. It was a similar situation when Worf didn't give blood to the Romulan. His character stayed pure Worf.

[@WujekFu]

In final scene when Rene is sitting under a tree and watching the stars we can clearly see the constellation of Orion. It is visible in the northern hemisphere during Autumn and Winter which clearly suggest that the episode takes place in late 2366 or early 2367. It is also worth mentioning that one of the stars in Orion's belt is Mintaka known from the episode "Who watches the watchers".

[@a-world-view]

Except that ripe Grapes are about ready in September.

[@WujekFu]

@@a-world-view September is autumn month.

[@qam2024]

I'm hoping Betelgeuse goes Supernova in my lifetime and won't still be a Red Giant star visible in Orion in the 24th century.

[@Null_Experis]

@@qam2024 Betelgeuse is 700 light-years away. If the light of its super-nova would reach us now, it would have exploded 700 years ago.

[@HermanVonPetri]

@@Null_Experis Which brings up an interesting thing I'd never considered before. The Enterprise can go and visit black holes, supernovae and nebulae of exploded stars which are _still visible as normal stars_ on Earth because the light of that explosion hasn't got there yet.

[@kathyastrom1315]

Worf’s dad was played by the legendary stage actor Theodore Bikel, who was the original Captain Von Trapp in the Broadway production of The Sound of Music (when Rogers and Hammerstein found out he was a folk singer/guitarist, they wrote the song “Edelweiss” for him). I know him best for his role in the film My Fair Lady. He also co-founded the Newport Folk Festival, which is still going today after 65 years.

[@jamesalexander5623]

I loved him in "The Enemy Below" a WW II Sub Chase film .... Which became the TOS Episode "Balance of Terror"!

[@josephkrengel]

You can bet your ass that if Maurice Hurley was still running the show they wouldn't have cast two relatively-unknown borsht belt performers for important guest roles.

[@donovanbradford8231]

I also saw him pop up in a few Murder She Wrote episodes a very talented actor to say the least

[@kschneyer]

I saw him in a live concert in the late 70s. He was a spectacular singer.

[@cliftonwebb3295]

I liked him in a Columbo episode!

[@derekm79]

I believe this is the episode where it is established that O’Brien‘s first name is Miles.

[@helloweener2007]

"In this episode, Chief O'Brien gained a full name, Miles Edward O'Brien, as well as a more defined rank, chief"

[@platinumspider7859]

@@brucechmiel7964 Try with less go.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

Worf's adopted father is also Susan's uncle on Babylon 5, and she is Russian. So, in a way Worf and Susan are relatives.

[@miller-joel]

And Tasha's sister was Sheridan's wife.

[@Krasinet22]

He was just a close friend of Susan's father, Susan just called him "Uncle" as a child.

[@RetroRobotRadio]

​@@Krasinet22and Word isn't actually blood related to him either, so...

[@mjbull5156]

​@@miller-joelUntil we find out she came from a little house on the prairie.

[@miller-joel]

@@mjbull5156 Plot twist!

[@DamienDrake2940]

The story goes that part of the agreement they made to bring Patrick Stewart back was to come up with more stories like this to establish character history and tackle more personal emotional situations. And both the series and franchise were better for it. And going by your review comments I have no doubt that DS9 will be your favorite series now.

[@jamesalexander5623]

TNG is the Best .... But DS9 is my Favourite!

[@fakecubed]

@@jamesalexander5623 I'd actually put it the other way around. I think in terms of consistently high quality episodes, DS9 beats all the other series. But I still prefer my TNG family flying through space going on adventures together.

[@theodoremccarthy4438]

I found the discussion about how avoiding closure, by not watching someone’s final work, keeps someone alive for you. It gave an extra poignancy to Wesley’s “good bye” line, as that line conveys the closure Wesley finally has.

[@colinwells2812]

This hit me so hard when I first saw this on TV when it first aired. That Picard scene. WOW. Still one of my favourite episodes. S++. Josh don’t know what he’s talking about 😜

[@maxshenkwrites]

S and A+ average out to S-, js...

[@SWOLEX_1]

They are both right

[@miller-joel]

Now we know why Alex is leaving the channel.

[@patsk8872]

I think it's both S+ and A at the same time, they're both right lol

[@miller-joel]

@@patsk8872 Like Schrodinger's cat.

[@DKLond]

S+ for sure. As for "This is my family. My friends - here on the Enterprise!" - that wasn't talking down to the audience. Rewatch the scene and take note of who she was talking to and how oblivious to the needs of her daughter this character can be. Troi was simply spelling it out to make sure her mother might finally get her.

[@targetaudience]

Definitely disagree, but either way it’s one line in a mediocre episode so it’s not that serious.

[@DKLond]

@@targetaudience Not a big fan of Lwaxana episodes in general, so I agree with you there :) As for the writers really needing to spell things out to that degree? I guess there's no way to be sure - but it seems a little out of the norm and I never felt it was that dumbed down. TNG, while far from perfect, had reasonably smart writing for the most part, but to each his own. I can only say brace yourselves for new Trek if you ever get there!

[@targetaudience]

TNG’s writing is so consistently good that the rare below par dialogue throws me off lol but hey it’s TV

[@mattparsons433]

@@DKLond I really wanted to like new trek, but I just can’t… and I have a pretty low bar for entertainment

[@JayEey]

Thanks

[@GeraldWalls]

17:30 Check out the old-style uniform. I'm too lazy to look it up but I think it's the same one that the Enterprise C crew was wearing.

[@talynstarburst2l2l2l]

Great episode! I’m glad they did a follow up after the 2 parter showing us that Picard isn’t ok and back to normal right away.. he has a lot to deal with from what The Borg did to him.

[@Spock4771]

I always considered this as a part 3 to best of both worlds

[@makasete30]

This episode features the 2 of the most British Frenchman ever! Love it! I never appreciated this episode watching it as a kid. I wanted more Borg and sci fi battles. Watching it years later, a little wiser, it became one of my favorites.

[@lentrax2991]

You just didn't have all the specs and diagrams at home yet.

[@MaLoDe1975]

Jeremy Kemp was a great british actor. He and Stewart certainly new each other allready.

[@athos1974]

This episode is in my top twenty best episodes of Star Trek. So much emotion.

[@TheIronWaffle]

Today, Josh revealed underneath he’s green-blooded, heartless Vulcan. 🖖🏻

[@miller-joel]

Incorrect. Vulcans do have feelings, they just repress them.

[@roguejoe]

@@miller-joel Ah, he's an android then.

[@miller-joel]

@@roguejoe Lore had feelings. Data had an emotion chip.

[@julianozaur444]

​@@miller-joelhe is a starfleet dick himself

[@tyshekka]

I think of this episode as the conclusion to BOBW.

[@Silentnarcotic]

I am enjoying this adjustes format of your videos. This episode ages like a fine wine, gets better as time passes.

[@targetaudience]

Glad to hear it!

[@Bardic_Knowledge]

People so rarely talk about this episode, but there's so much here that makes for solid characterization and storytelling. I always remember the fight and breakdown between the Picard brothers. They don't come up often, but they do have an important role to play in future.

[@koalabrownie]

What's also not really mentioned is that Picard's brother is the antithesis of the Borg. He's anti-technology, and actively rails against it, while the Borg are when technology erases individuality.

[@greenbrown7776]

Great observation. I had never thought of that after repeated viewings.

[@w41duvernay]

As far as I"m concerned, this episode is really the 3rd "Best of Both Worlds". Great acting in this one. I still remember watching this in a Air Force tent city in Desert Storm. This pretty much moved everyone in the satellite. This is around the era TNG became hit it's stride as a show.

[@Dracounguis]

Since you guys are all about spending time with the crew this episode should be S Tier

[@beguile302]

If I remember correctly, this is the only TNG episode where we never see the bridge.

[@jamesalexander5623]

I learned this from Brent Spiner at a Convention .... And he said "No Me Either!".

[@floydlooney6837]

@@jamesalexander5623 He had the week off I guess

[@miguelvelez7221]

​@@floydlooney6837Data was enjoying some down time getting multiple lube jobs.

[@benspratling9041]

Brent was probably busy filming the next episode. ;-)

[@miller-joel]

​@@floydlooney6837On the contrary, Data was on the bridge, the only one doing his job!

[@TopGunZero]

Josh is definitely wrong about the guest actors. They all killed it. Not sure what he missed, but they played their characters perfectly and show how these family members contrast the characters we know. Also for Alex, the stuff with Worf's parents weren't shallow at all. Feel like you definitely missed the nuances and depth in what they brought to the episode because you were waiting for a scifi subplot. Worf's parents don't care about the Klingon Empire. They don't care about the discommondation, but Worf cares about it deeply and feels like he has brought shame to his adopted parents. They tell him they don't care and that they're with him. It was a huge moment for Worf who prioritizes honor over everything, but receives his parents love, which helps heal his pain from being excommunicated.

[@rhaedas9085]

It always helps to see these episodes later after the rest of the series and plots. I can see their point from their perspective, but it will change as they learn more and more. I don't think that's the fault of the episode either, as the entire story of Star Trek isn't written at this point, they're putting it together season by season with maple a rough guideline.

[@1PuffWonder]

Warp speed engage has no right going as hard as it does 🤘🏼

[@ennanhamill]

S+ for sure. This is essentially BoBW part III. I'm so glad they decided to follow up on all that rather than just warp off to the next adventure. It gives the events of BoBW the emotional weight it deserves and Patrick Stewarts performance is top tier. We didn't need the plot coming in with a villain or weird space anomaly, just a nice, grounded, emotionally significant piece of character exploration. A firm favourite episode for me.

[@kerry-j4m]

AGREED and well said,especially the part about a nice,grounded,emotionally significant piece of character exploration.That's what we ( the audience ) keeps returning to see further episodes of TNG : to see our favorite characters go through certain matters,whether good or bad. Live Long and Prosper

[@christopherlundgren1700]

I think it makes sense for the message from Jack Crusher to just be a single figure without any additional environment since it was recorded in the past. The Holodeck is treated as a technological innovation at the start of the series, so the holo recording is basically old media, like playing a PS1 game on a PlayStation 2.

[@VolrinSeth]

One of the best and most beautiful episodes of TNG, Star Trek and possibly television as a whole imo.

[@pauld6967]

@targetaudience Robert knew what was going on and what he would need to do from the very start. Our clue was his line about needing to heal an ailing vine. He knows his brother and how he'll need to push Jean Luc to honestly face the problem head on.

[@gbraadnl]

19:55 S+, he loves the emotional trips! Later you will have episodes that in that case will be off the charts for you!

[@brianbooker8724]

Interesting fact: this is the only TNG episode Data does not appear in.

[@ShamrockParticle]

He's on the bridge, hehe!

[@ryannelson1297]

His "family" plot wouldn't fit, so they went for a full episode instead XD. (Thankfully, the boys are past that point, so this isn't a spoiler for them)

[@marydodsonmt]

I was going to say, they made it up to him by giving him essentially the whole next episode!

[@suicunesolsan]

@@marydodsonmt No kidding... Brent did triple time in that episode.

[@scrapperlock9437]

Love the Jeopardy theme during the writing of the ratings. I knew you both would like this episode... most people do, and it has a lot of what you like, continuity, depth, etc.

[@ryangates3992]

You both are going to love DS9 so much, it has a lot of DNA from this episode in it.

[@SpectacleDifficulty]

S-Tier episode, no question. Josh will regret his rating for the rest of his life.

[@SpectacleDifficulty]

@@jimj9729 oh he'll definitely rewatch it, and he'll definitely upgrade it. But the regret will still last a lifetime.

[@dor14bur]

I always liked the fact that Robert initiated the hug at the end. I always thought they both were healed a little.

[@The-Secret-Door]

Loved it - this is one of my top episodes too. Been looking forward to this reaction so much! As far as Worf, I don't think he would EVER be that emotionally forthcoming, without changing his character a lot (maybe it happens down the road, but I wouldn't have wanted it now). When Worf looks at his parents saying "have Guinan contact me if you need anything", that was Worf's declaration. The way he looks at them is so full of love.

[@targetaudience]

Great visual acting from Michael Dorn as always. A small verbal acknowledgment similar to his line at the end of The Emissary would’ve been nice, but not a big deal.

[@fakecubed]

He was plenty emotional when they first beamed in. You could see it on his face, hear it in his voice. That was enough for me. The rest later was gravy.

[@shinyagumon7015]

To me this episode is basically the epilogue to "Best of Both Worlds". It really shows us how much Picard is struggling with what happened there, so much he almost quits Starfleet. The Worf stuff is a nice break for brevity and I think it's great how it ties into him being dishonoured in the last season.

[@CrimsonRevenant666]

This is honestly in the top 5 for character development out of all Star Trek episodes. Top 10 in ones that sledgehammer you in the feels.

[@mjbull5156]

The guys were unimpressed with Jeremy Kemp's performance. He was a rather well known character actor known for playing "heavies". One of the first places I remember seeing him was asca German general in a WWII era miniseries, "The Winds of War" if memory serves. He was one of "Hey, its that guy!" tropemakers in the 70s and 80s as he has a very memorable face. Frankly, I thought he did quite well as the traditional crotchedty older brother character type.

[@arturocostantino623]

Certainly one of the five best episodes of TNG

[@JAF729]

At this point TNG was a hit TV show which is why they could do episodes like this one. They knew people have been watching it and were familiar with the show and characters. In the earlier episodes, it was less popular and they were trying to get more people to tune in so it was more important that the stories stood on their own.

[@DerekSansone]

I really liked Worf's adopted father. Didn't quite get it when it aired (when he came off the transporter pad & engaged w/Chief O'Brien - as a fellow Chief Petty Officer). Also, in Engineering when Geordi called him Chief. Yrs later (as a Navy CPO), I see the writers (intentionally or not) really hit on something cool & niche. Go Navy!

[@georgeplimpton9429]

One thing to keep in mind about Jack Crusher. He didn't KNOW that was going to be his first, and one and only video. He was PLANNING on doing more. So it wasn't going to be a "I'll never talk to you again" speech.

[@hawkmaster381]

Going to a home from your childhood after enduring a terrible experience far from home is the absolute best thing you can do to heal. It's the best reset button in the world.

[@griffinsummoner]

The nephew didn't need a drawing at the end, he was looking up at the night sky, exactly what Picard said he used to do as a kid earlier in the episode.

[@iancrewe8230]

I'm glad this got an S+ from one of you. In my top 10 from the series for me. Was looking forward to this one.

[@gibraltar1859]

My favorite episode not only of TNG, but of the entire franchise.

[@mikeclemens795]

Arguably the most important episode of the entire series.

[@mellertid]

I agree, the small scene with Guinan is wonderful. The whole episode is well put together. Robert is almost a caricature, but they pull it off I think.

[@kereminde]

I think that last bit at the end, where once Jean-Luc couldn't see him... his emotions came out... that gave him just enough for me to believe he could be a person. (Then again, he reminds me of people I've known in reality.)

[@kyrridas1573]

probably my favorite episode of the whole series.

[@kojiattwood]

Same!

[@maxshenkwrites]

I don't feel that way, but I definitely rate it solid top ten all-TNG.

[@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh]

Your comments about how old Wesley looks makes sense now. There's a british youtuber I follow who frequently films with his son ( I assume that he shares custody with the mother) His son in the last 2 years - wow, face filled out, grew inches, voice deepened. I forgot how much a person can change in their teens.

[@headrockbeats]

I believe we saw Worf's quarters once before, in "Peak Performance", when he was trying to build a model ship when Riker walked in to recruit him.

[@pokes404]

I love the subtle foreshadowing at 2:15. The audience doesn’t know it at this point, but Picard turns and looks at his quarters because he knows he may never return to the Enterprise.

[@derekramsaroup3883]

An acting masterclass from The Brothers Picard ,Stewart and Kemp ...

[@theendistheend123]

I KNEW...I KNEW you guys would LOVE this episode. Got you guys down.

[@ihno45]

Great guest actors. All of them are so well chosen. Not too campy all in all, just right. The nephew's actor looks like a young Picard... Nothing beats the fake drama in the teaser though. 20:03 "Damn you!!!"

[@maxshenkwrites]

I am going to predict that this is an S tier for both of you. Having watched all of your TREK reactions, I just have a feeling that this episode embodies what you want from STAR TREK.

[@fakecubed]

Well you were half right.

[@ShamrockParticle]

It'd not my cup of tea either, though it was novel and appreciated that they explored Picard's aftermath. It does feel a bit soap opera at times, something we've not seen in a while. At least nobody was bickering like on "Haven" (s1)... well, almost but stronger. Then they all have a laugh. Then Picard breaks down because plot and Troi.

[@Serai3]

I don't know that one would have to have watched all of TNG to get this episode. After all, it deals with family, and that's universal. Everybody understands about sibling rivalry, and the way your parents can embarrass you. And even if you haven't lost a parent, you're going to, so Wesley's bit is easily understandable, too. There's enough exposition sprinkled in here and there to get a viewer through it. It's not necessary to know _exactly_ what Picard's problem was; you only need to know he'd been kidnapped and taken over, and the show tells you that. For my money, this is the best episode of TNG - the best written, the best acted, and the best resolved. It's an excellent example of really good television.

[@kevinslater4126]

One of the greatest episodes in Star Trek history.

[@ft4709]

One of my favorite episodes. I think this was the point for me where I started to actually care about Picard. BOBW is a great two-parter but I don’t think it would hit nearly as hard as it does without its inofficial part 3.

[@maxshenkwrites]

Absolutely. They constitute a trilogy.

[@richierich398]

One of my favorite lines in the episode is when Robert explains to Picard that whether he stays on earth with Louis or goes back to the enterprise, he’s still going to have to deal with his trauma. He can’t run away from it. Great lesson.

[@greenbrown7776]

"Family" is S Tier for me. Very bold and brilliant move on their part to pen and film an emotional fallout episode. There are other S Tier episodes I rank higher, though. But it still belongs in that rare club of "True Trek Classic." Picard breaking down in the vineyard is everything. And I liked the humor with Worf's father talking about the ship's specs and such. That was a very dad thing to do. I'm glad the episode wasn't an unrelenting exploration of trauma and grief. Part of me wished that Jean-Luc would have taken that Atlantis project job Louis offered to him just for one or two episodes. That would have been a cool concept to show onscreen. But alas that would have diluted the impact of the vineyard breakdown.

[@Michael-id9bw]

One of those episodes that for me might have hit even harder on my second watch.

[@MajorMagna]

I knew you'd love this episode, and I pretty much agree with most of your takes here. The isolation of Wesley and the recording of his father is fantastic, Picard's breakdown is often made fun of as being over the top, but I can't see that.

[@bradbarter8314]

This was the first time since Star Treks 1 & 2' that we see another Enterprise in Drydock. It was more modern with the way it clamped liked a claw from the top down was an interesting design. Incidentally DeForest Kelley did an onset interview and set tour of the TNG set for the evening show Primetime Live and he did a Stardate of 9009.27 which broken down was 1990 September 27th. He spoke about how the budgets between TOS and TNG had ballooned from $200k in the 60s to over $1 million per episode by the 90s. He also toured Sick Bay with Gates McFadden and although he didn't mention it but the Sick Bay set was the only one that had remnants of the TOS movie set in the outer shell and how what were the pads they stood on in the transporter room in TOS were now flipped as the lights in the ceiling of the TNG transporter room. If you have a chance towards the end of the season so there is no spoilers you should look it up as it is on KZbin.

[@ryannelson1297]

As far as I'm concerned, this episode is The Best of Both worlds part 3, or rather, an epilogue to that story. If I ever watch the two parter, this episode must follow.

[@hawkmaster381]

Worf's Dad, Theodore Bikel was a legend in the theater and in movies. He was in Fiddler on the Roof, a genius killer in Columbo, and starred as the Second Officer in "The Enemy Below" a World War II submarine movie which became the basis for the "Balance of Terror" episode in the original series.

[@johnpetrie1918]

As great as the previous 2-parter is, this episode for me is an essential follow-up. One of my favorite episodes in all of Star Trek.

[@kartikprasad4359]

The is an episode that I found boring as a teenager, but appreciate as an adult.

[@TahoeNevada]

Family is the epilogue to Best Of Both Worlds, kinda like the last 40 minutes of Return Of The King.

[@TopGunZero]

I think context really matters. By season 4 they had accumulated a steady following and could take more risks of focusing on continuity. They knew what they had. They didn't have that luxury in earlier seasons where they could have lost the audience because they weren't tuning in every week. So you have the studio backing you more. You also have Gene less and less invovled as the show goes on, allowing TNG to be its own thing rather than Gene's thing. Gene hated this episode for example, but it is in my top 5 probably, definitely my top 10. I'm glad you both liked the episode, my one nitpick (so far) is you getting distracted thinking Worf's dad was some sort of alien or something. He simply wanted to talk discretely about his son who he was extremely concerned about. I wouldn't say nothing came of it, you just missed the point there. This helps highlight how impacted Worf is my his discommondation. It was a massive look into Worf and his character. He accepted it for the good of the Klingon empire but he feels deeply ashamed by it and nothing matters more to Worf than his honor...

[@paulanerruhrpott6188]

I remember Picards brother from the movie The Blue Max where he played a WWI german fighter pilot next to Hanibal from the A Team.

[@paulanerruhrpott6188]

@@jimj9729 its funny how germans are very often played by british actors.

[@evilpenguinmas]

Personally, I always think of him in Top Secret.

[@ODSTGeneralYT]

I mentioned before when you guys watched The Offspring that was one of two episodes to choke me up. Family is the second, the combination of Wesley's father's final message and more so seeing the normally stoic Picard absolutely broken following the BoBW just hits really hard. For me this episode is easily an S tier. As for the coming episodes, really looking forward to your reactions. Expecting a good pop for the next episode!

[@lawrenceroberts3342]

Wolf 359 is the name of an actual star. It's the 5th closest to our solar system - "only" 7.9 light years away.

[@tkopp10976]

TNG shifted into the next gear. After a action and drama heavy cliffhanger, between seasons no less, we get this incredible piece of character development. It just keeps getting better and better. Having watched Picard being a badass in many episodes before, seeing him laying in the mud, crying "I wasn't strong enough! I wasn't good enough!" is just phenomenal writing, directing and acting.

[@greenbrown7776]

Agreed. "BOBW" Parts I and II and the epilogue episode of "Family" take us to a new level of Trek. It builds off "Coming of Age" / "Conspiracy" and "The Enemy / The Defector" in terms of longer-term storytelling sophistication. All this paves the way for DS9.