Star Trek Retro Review: "Chain of Command" | Steve's Favorite Episodes

[@KevynJacobs]

Jellico making Troi wear a uniform was the best thing that ever happened to her character.

[@jpotter2086]

The guy presented as a jerk was the only one to treat her .... even allow her to be a professional.

[@jayffemt]

Marina Sirtis even commented as much. “So I started to wear my spacesuit. I was thrilled to finally be in a spacesuit. First of all, my pips - cause I had a rank, you know,” Marina Sirtis said, “And then, it was very flattering actually, it looked really good. Suddenly, I was smart again. My cleavage had gone. My gray matter came flooding back. I was on away teams! I was the leader of one away team! I had a medical tricorder! And unlike Beverly, I seemed to know what was wrong with people.”

[@eyezonly8593]

She never looked so good.

[@lorcannagle]

@@toddfraser3353 It began with Sirtis asking if she could wear a regular uniform instead, Ron Moore agreed and championed the idea with the writers and producers and they decided to write it into this episode

[@valentijn9]

Face of the Enemy…..

[@AaronMcConnell-rv4qm]

My favorite is Darmok. The idea that communication with a new race is worth risking - and losing - your life for feels like one of the most Star Trek-y messages ever.

[@jackabug2475]

"Darmok" is my favorite, too! I commented about that elsewhere -- I'll grant Steve that "Chain of Command" is better-written in _generic_ terms, but "Darmok" necessitates a sci-fi setting. And, as you say, it has a sci-fi _moral._

[@Neil070]

I loved the whole concept of verbal communication, but within a totally alien culture. As a student of languages (French, German, Latin, smattering of Hebrew and Welsh) it's fascinating that word order, gender, case and tense seems to vary so much. Russian, for example, has no articles, no equivalent of 'a', 'the', imagine reading or speaking without them. "Cat sat on mat" sounds like the slightly racist depictions of Native Americans in old Lone Ranger movies, but to a Russian it is normal. German, on the other hand has three genders and equivalent articles "der, die, das", while English has one. We use so many references, historical, Biblical and cultural in everyday speech. "Shaka, when the walls fell" is equivalent of "like Hitler in his bunker" or "up the creek without a paddle". Utterly baffling without the cultural and historical contexts

[@davwad2]

Temba, his arms wide. Shaka, when the walls fell. Darmok is one of my favorites.

[@rmdodsonbills]

One of the TNG novels has our intrepid crew captured by some enemy and they use what they learned in Darmok to communicate with each other secretly despite the bad guys listening to everything they said. One of the interesting aspects of this linguistic strategy is that you don't *have* to use literary references; you can use events from any shared history, personal or otherwise, you have with the person you're communicating with. "First day of Basic" won't mean anything to my non-veteran siblings, but it'll evoke memories and feelings from anyone who enlisted, and it'll mean even more specific things to the guys in my platoon that day. It's a language made up of in-jokes. Any time you feel like you've had a communications breakdown with a Tamarian, you can always turn to your crewmates and say "I guess you had to be there."

[@allclevernamesgone]

It's also worth noting that Jellico didn't absolutely 'need' Riker for the piloting mission. Geordi said he could do it. Jellico went with Riker because he is 'the best' and that tells you what you need to know about Jellico's character.

[@meandmyEV]

Excellent observation! I am rewatching the episode now and the senior staff is borderline hostile toward Jellico from the start for no reason other than he wants to max out the ship's potential for battle. LaForge b!tches and moans about needing to have his staff work hard. It is like he doesn't realize that the lives of everyone on the ship is at stake. I personally prefer a manager like Jellico. You never have to worry that they aren't telling you exactly what they are expecting.

[@renatocorvaro6924]

Geordi could do it. Data is a better pilot than Riker basically by definition. Really, the writers just wanted to make Jellico look like a jerk that needed to be humbled rather than a Captain acting in his appropriate authority.

[@ChrisMWalker]

Also, like… Data? No way you can tell me he couldn’t do it.

[@renatocorvaro6924]

@@josephmanno4514 That's what every biological life form that doesn't want to be replaced by superior mechanical life says. Uh, fellow human.

[@Pehrcapita]

My favourite episode is the one where Dr Crusher is eventually alone on the Enterprise in a continuously shrinking universe. I think it's the most chilling piece of sci-fi they ever wrote. And more important, Chrusher is absolutely killing in her performance. She's a monster of an actor at times.

[@kaitiesaxe5753]

When I first saw this episode I got chills at the last line - "I believed that I could see five lights."

[@firefly4f4]

The best thing Jellico did for TNG was finally getting Troi out of that catsuit. I very honestly thought she looked better without it. For the record, I feel the same should have been done with 7 of 9.

[@kaitlyn__L]

The couple of times Seven got to wear a uniform!

[@rmdodsonbills]

I always thought Troi would look better without the catsuit too, but then I was a horny teenager at the time... ;)

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@rmdodsonbills I have to admit, while doing a binge rewatch of TNG not long ago, my BFF and I both admitted that Deanna Troi and her catsuits were part of how we both figured out we were gay! XD

[@antonnurwald5700]

I mean, these characters were deliberately put in there to look hot (much like T'Pol). I dislike this entire approach, it's disrespectful to the actresses and the characters. And it actually looks terrible. So I'm all for the uniform. For T'Pol it should have been an actual Vulcan uniform. Seven of Nine wouldn't have worn a Starfleet uniform though. They could have found something else.

[@fordcooke722]

The best of TNG for sure. It's too bad we never saw Gul Madred on DS9 as one of Garak's or Odo's contacts on Cardassia.

[@rog2224]

For the two handed parts between Stewart and Warner you have, arguably, two of the best British actors of their generation facing off, neither of whom were bringing a B game.

[@stonewolf1980]

The "4 lights" bit of torture is taken nearly whole cloth from 1984 by George Orwell.

[@lancegambit9851]

I think the most chilling thing about this episode is that it's over 30 years old! Man i feel old....

[@davwad2]

IKR!?! I remember watching it when it was broadcast!

[@RanninRavensight]

Nuh uh, 1992 was only 10 years ago! "Alexa, what year is it?.... Oh, yeah, nevermind"

[@cjc363636]

Ain't that the truth! (From, a...uh, 57 year YOUNG Trek fan!)

[@AndrewD8Red]

This is a belting episode. There are very few TNG episodes that succeed on all counts, but this is definitely one of them. Felt like an episode of DS9 got lost and ended up on the Enterprise D.

[@jackabug2475]

You are _so right_ about it having the feel of a DS9 episode! Right down to the unsettling conclusion.

[@hesthatguy]

I love pointing out that every single one of Jellico's changes were eventually implemented permanently. Even the four shifts.

[@mkang8782]

Excellent analysis of the episode; it wasn't until I had been promoted to Noncommisioned Officer (NCO) status, and experiencing the responsibilities of leadership did I come to appreciate what Capt Jellico did. As to a favorite "TNG" episode, that would be hard to say; one of my favorite scenes is Worf in the "Robin Hood" scenario proclaiming to Picard: "Captain, I must protest. I am *not* a merry man!"

[@andrewmorton7482]

I love that you single out Stewart and Warner's two-hander as pure drama. It could be Shakespeare or it could be Pinter. It is timeless

[@calebleland8390]

This episode is up there, but my favorite is still Home. That final fight between Jean-Luc and Rene culminating in Jean-Luc breaking down and crying, explaining how much his capture by the Borg affected him is so powerful. And Rene gives him what could have been a crippling jab at the time, saying that the great Jean-Luc Picard is human after all. But he doesn't take pleasure in saying it, nor does he gloat or keep jabbing. It's not a comment meant to insult, but rather to show his brother that he is allowed to be less than perfect. He shows him that vulnerability isn't a bad thing. These two men who have never seen eye to eye and were always at odds finally find a bond that was needed. I was so angry that the writers of Generations simply had them killed off screen, because I felt like there were more stories that could have been told. Jean-Luc's nephew could have gone on to the Academy and become a captain in his own right.

[@John73John]

I have to agree with you here, Steve. My favorite episode of TNG, and one of the best Patrick Stewart scenes of all time.

[@AndrewD8Red]

Steve's Jellico video (specifically the part referring to Riker and Jellico's conversation in Riker's quarters) added the phrase "shit-eating grin" to my regular vernacular. Anyone who hasn't seen Steve's Jellico video should really go do that.

[@AndrewD8Red]

My favourites of TNG are: Preemptive Strike, The Defector, Yesterday's Enterprise and Chain Of Command. Four damn near perfect episodes of Star Trek, for my money.

[@MrRjhyt]

I love his performance in Chain of Command. His advocacy for Amnesty International informed the role, allowing it to be delivered with a horrifying accuracy. David Warner, too, is incredible, as the torturer offering 'favours' to find out if he's broken Picard, even until his release. The fact that he had broken him, being kept as a secret to be revealed only to Troi after the fact.

[@awakeningcry]

I was a HUGE (UK) Trekkie in the 90s, but I hadn't noticed until watching TNG repeats (and even then, only 5 years ago), in the torture scenes of this episode, Picard starts singing "Sur la pont d'Avignion". SUCH a "Picard" way to survive.

[@meandmyEV]

I love this episode too. Riker comes off as a really ineffective first officer here and I see why Jellico had doubts about him. His first assignment was to reorganize the schedule into four shifts instead of three. Riker gets a little push back from the department heads and not only does he not follow through on the order, but he doesn't give Jellico a status update until Jellico brings it up that delta shift will be on duty. At a minimum, it would have made sense to order the departments to start the process. I am betting they have some sort of computer system on board that could generate options about moving personnel around to create another shift.

[@kaitlyn__L]

He also repeatedly doesn’t update Jellico on tasks until asked, which reflects how Picard was happy to be hands off and wait until the next day’s meeting to discuss issues. But Jellico wasn’t that kind of captain at all

[@Mallory-Malkovich]

When this two parter came out, some of my high school theatre friends were so impressed with it they rewrote the Picard/Madred scenes into a short play about a Nazi colonel and a British spy. The gravitas was somewhat diminished when performed by teenaged actors, but the greatness of the core theme still shone through. Also, I am forever and unashamedly on Team Jellico. Finest Captain in the fleet!

[@grumpyotter]

Please tell me you have a video of that. It sounds fantastic!

[@thescifiZipacna]

Thinking about favourite TNG episodes, there’s a few that stand out for me - Deja Q, The Offspring, The Most Toys, Tapestry, Disaster (the one where the ship’s disabled and we get various characters trapped together in different parts of the ship). I’m gonna go with “Cause and Effect” though. The way they introduce the situation in the cold open & then how they build from that. We see the characters as they start to feel something odd is happening - deja vu in the poker game, radio echoes of themselves- & try to devise a solution. And the resolution is clever in that Data’s suggestion turns out to be the wrong one, Riker’s solution being the one that saves the day. Thinking about it now, the episode is structurally similar to Poker Face (or Columbo). We know what is going to happen, we’ve seen the characters go through it all already, we keep watching to see them figure it out.

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

For me, the biggest issue was that I saw this episode first after also seeing Robocop and Total Recall (probably far too young, I was maybe 12 or something, but done is done), so when Ronny Cox appeared, he immediately occupied the 'bad guy' slot in my mind.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I think that’s deliberate, to telegraph the crew’s resistance to him

[@X2Magneto]

Loved this because it was just another chance to put over Cox. Seriously though, like The Drumhead, everything is almost entirely dependent on good acting. This cast really nailed it and their guest stars, among them the recently departed David Warner, give it all.

[@paulwalker3758]

All Good Things is my favourite TNG episode. A joyous send off to the cast & crew. A celebration of 7 years of ups and downs, and it finished on a truly positive beat.

[@patrickdodds7162]

My favorite episode of TNG is "Deja Q". TNG never did much in the way of comedy, but this episode comes closest. Q's reaction to his situation is comical, but layered. His surprised reaction at Data risking his life to save him is a brilliant pivot point for the character. When he was introduced in the pilot, he's little more than a mustache-twirler. Each subsequent episode ("Hide and Q" and "Q Who") reveal a bit more vulnerability. Here he's (at one point, literally) laid bare before the audience. He's soliloquy to Data before he parts to the shuttle bay is dynamite. As usual, John de Lancie brings the goods. The dialogue is scrumptious and the humor is witty without being too broad--including his final memorable sequence on the bridge. It's a brilliant and inspired episode that really explores the human condition in an unusual way for Trek--through a villainous supporting alien character. 30+ years later this episode still brings a smile to my face.

[@admanios]

"Red alert..." 😏

[@krazyglue60]

Geordi’s reaction to Q’s suggestion, “It’s easy, you just change the gravitational constant of the universe,” is priceless.

[@rmdodsonbills]

@@krazyglue60 That line is one of my favorites of the entire series :)

[@kevinbaird6705]

"Past Tense" on DS9 succeeds for very similar reasons. "Chain of Command" holds an odd place for me. My now-wife was watching it with me (and others) at our off-campus house my last year of college. A different friend challenged our Trek nerdery by asking what class starship the USS Cairo was, thinking it was a difficult question. My wife and I simultaneously responded "Excelsior!", palpably disgusted by the lowball question. Ah, true love.

[@Thegonagle]

That's not even a difficult question. They literally dusted off the Excelsior model from Star Trek III to use in this TNG episode (and many others). It's one of the more distinctive Federation ships in the Star Trek Universe.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@Thegonagle reused the footage from Encounter at Farpoint, so probably got pretty dusty again by season 5 ;)

[@cosmicphoto05]

I think the reason Jellico was so hated by fans is because with regard to the Enterprise crew, he was an outsider, he was not a part of the Enterprise family. This feeling of his disruptive presence overshadowed the fact that he was never wrong.

[@OhWellBananas]

"The Measure of a Man" remains my favorite episode of TNG, but Data has always been my favorite character, so an episode centered entirely around what makes Data who (or what) he is can't really go wrong for me. Sir Patrick's performance in that episode is what makes it, though. The very clear lightbulb that goes off in his head and the face he makes when he realizes during his talk with Guinan that she is talking about slavery; the following courtroom scene versus Maddox...all fantastic, and all fairly early on in the show, showing how powerful TNG could be (even if it wasn't always). And a bonus: I also frequently think of this episode when watching other pieces of sci-fi that involve androids/sentient machines of some kind. I thought of it when playing Fallout 4 and being faced with the question of whether or not that universe's synths were truly people, for example.

[@MarJay1980]

Tapestry is clearly the best, or maybe second best TNG episode after possibly the Inner light. I prefer Tapestry anyway. It's just so good. It adds to Picard's backstory in a surprising way and I love the idea that one defining but terrible moment in a persons life can actually be a motivation and an impetus for success and self improvement. The character as a lowly leutenant is perfection, as you know that's how 90% of officers careers progress in Star Fleet. Love it.

[@Drawkcabi]

"Yesterday's Enterprise" is my favorite TNG episode hands down. When I saw it for the first time back in 1989? 1990? when it was a new episode, it totally blew me away. Seeing the Enterprise - C with its drive section looking a lot like the Enterprise - A, and they were wearing the movie uniforms!!! (minus the turtlenecks) And Worf is gone and Tasha is back! And they handle it so well! When the time line changes and everything is different, Tasha is now at tactical but they don't zoom in and focus on her, they treat her like she belongs there, no zoom in on her with intense music...she's not the focal point of the scene at the moment...it's that _everything_ has changed but the crew arent aware of this, their dramatic moment is identifying the ship that just appeared as,the Enterprise - C. Love this episode! Love everything about it! BTW, My top 10 favorite TNG episodes: 1. "Yesterday's Enterprise" 2. "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I" 3. "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" 4. "Cause and Effect" 5. "The Measure of a Man" 6. "Paralells" 7. "Conundrum" 8. "All Good Things..." (Technically a 2 parter but really it's a movie length single episode for the series finale.) 9. "Tapestry" 10. "Relics" Still really love "Chain of Command" but it just doesn't make it into the top 10 for me, but would be in my top 20 along with "The Inner Light", and both parts of Unification". Best Regards!

[@patrickdodds7162]

"Chain of Command" really shows how far TNG changed (mainly for the better) in the course of its run. I challenge anyone here to watch season 1's "The Last Outpost" and then follow it up with "Chain of Command" and keep reminding yourself that these episodes belong to the same series.

[@hd_inmemoriam]

I could totally see a chamber drama stage adaptation of just Madred and Picard, and I would totally go see it in the theater.

[@markcoledrumteacher]

I love it when a beaten and broken Picard responds to the question about the number of lights by saying, "What lights?" I love what you could call the standard favorites, but my favorite and often overlooked episode is "Lower Decks."

[@larnewman3009]

Chain of Command was honestly great, but I have a real soft spot for The Pegasus. A good Riker story is hard to beat.

[@rmdodsonbills]

I like them both for similar reasons. Some of my favorite TNG episodes or moments spend time exploring what leadership is and how to do it effectively. In the Gambit, Data eventually becomes Acting Captain when both Picard and Riker are unavailable and has to discipline Worf. In Redemption II, Data again has to deal with borderline insubordination.

[@aaronTNGDS9]

Pegasus was indeed a very fine episode, as was Darmok as well.

[@Davidsworldtravels]

That was another one where I sided completely with the guest captain and the TNG crew seem petty and short sided. I watched it recently and Picard decloaking in front of Romulans is such a serious action that he’d be risking his entire career. Fight the case sure, but there was no risk to the Enterprise and it was a massive innovation. As is the way with these sci fi shows it seems they wasted universe altering technology over an argument.

[@davidkirby9234]

I've only seen this episode (episodes?) once, when it first aired, as is true of most of TNG. And I don't actually remember all that much about what happened on the Enterprise. But those scenes between Gul Madred and Picard? They're burned into my brain. I've always like "closed room" stories in film or on stage, and the Stewart/Warner scenes -- taken outside the context of this episode and the rest of the ST universe -- are certainly that. Add two British stage actors used to working in minimal settings (at least by U.S. TV standards), and you have terrific potential. They certainly lived up to it. Not my favorite TNG episode, but thanks for the reminder and the review.

[@vincentgood2234]

My favorite TNG episode has changed now than once over the years, but right now it's Conundrum. Great to see these personalities we've come to know through the series bouncing off each other unburdened by the shackles of identity, position, and rank, if only for a bit. It might be cheesy, but I find the villain masquerading as a crew member we've never seen before while the rest of the crew has amnesia to be marvelously effective as a threat.

[@kaitlyn__L]

“You forget… I am decorated as well” Love how Picard still had the better ideas though, while Worf was still combat focused

[@vincentgood2234]

@@kaitlyn__L Take his identity away and Jean-Luc Picard is still a polymath and diplomat extraordinaire, it seems, while Worf minus identity is still a combat-obsessed ball of neuroses. It also amuses the heck out of me that, stripped of rank and station, the artist formerly known as Will Riker is free to be all the himbo he can be...until it all comes flooding back and he has to face Deanna's hilariously snotty recriminations at the end of the episode.

[@MartianInAHumansBody]

"You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til you understand who's in ruttin' command here." - Jayne Cobb

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Shiny comment.

[@ShikiKiryu]

That 12 Days of Xmas gag was flippin gold, this 2-parter is amazing, Gul Madred is horrifying. And this episode is a great reference to 1984 by Orwell, although I think Best of Both Worlds does it for me as best TNG 2-parter...the tension is palpable, the fear, frustration, the relief...TNG is just amazing. Best episode of Trek though is Way of the Warrior in DS9, nothing beats the space station battle!

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@CSGraves that’s funny, I’d picked up on it right away. But then I’d read my school library’s copy of 1984 the year before I first saw this episode

[@melissamenchaca9121]

The Picard captivity scenes in part 2 are so engrossing I often forget there are any scenes on the Enterprise and think of it as a capsule episode, similar to Babylon 5’s Insurrections in Real Time

[@stevegeorge6880]

Ronny Cox is one cool Jellico cat. I'll show myself out.

[@albertmartinez2539]

He is certainly not a dog.

[@PhilDonaldson]

I beg to differ that Jellico is somewhat apologetic when requesting that Troi wear a standard uniform. To me, he seems more circumspect, like he doesn't want to say the wrong thing while getting his way. It's quite clear that he doesn't approve of her mode of dress. Riker sums it up when he lists his litany of gripes against Jellico - with "wanting to be in control of everything" being a standout. I'm not the biggest Riker fan, but I do love that moment when he tells Jellico to ask him to pilot the shuttle. It was a delicious leveling of the playing field. 🤣

[@hadorstapa]

This was a really influential episode. SG-1 brought in Ronny Cox to play the hard-ass Senator Kinsey (and continued to milk him into an actual bad guy) and Babylon 5 did a torture episode that very nearly was a two-character stage-play-like piece.

[@rsquared5156]

One of my favorite episodes. "Who watches the watchers". Season 3. A great first contact type of episode. It has some good inter-character action between Riker and Troi, as they infiltrate the local village looking for the lost outpost team member. As well as some absolutely fantastic Picard moments, with Stewart giving some of his most memorable "Picard" lines. Such as not being seen as a God by the inhabitants of this planet. The talk that Picard has with Nuria, explaining that, "My people....once lived in caves. And then.....lived in huts. And in time.....learned to build ships....like this one". This, is an out of the park episode in my opinion.

[@nicholasmaude6906]

There was a similar episode to this in the second half of series four of "Babylon 5" where captain Sheridan is being interrogated after being captured by EA alliance.

[@JohnMHammer]

"Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who's in ruttin' command." -Jane Cobb

[@CCJJ160Channels]

I originally hated Jellico until I saw your review of why he was pretty awesome. When I watched again I realized how on point your analysis of him was.

[@hank_says_things]

I half expected Madred to respond to "there are four lights" with "FINISH THE GAME" because I'm old enough to remember missing out on TRON in cinemas and waiting a year for the VHS release. Also, the scenes between Picard and Madred are similar in tone and quality of performance as those between Kira and Whatsisface in DS9's "Duet." Proper, good drama, beautifully performed.

[@rory_pond1701]

His name is Aamin Marritza and he is deserving of our respect.

[@hank_says_things]

@@rory_pond1701 *glares menacingly in Bajoran*

[@talon262]

It's funny, Steve's "How Captain Jellico Is Actually Awesome" is the first video of his I ever saw, all those years ago, and I was sucked in.

[@DoctorSinister1]

Hi Steve. There is a podcast out there somewhere where I was part of a small group interviewing David Warner - I sat next to him - and I simply had to point out that there were, yes actually, 4 lights in the room. He was a lovely man.

[@YUL695]

Woah. I had no idea when it originally aired because I saw it years later. It turns out that the air date of the first part was December 14, 1992 -- the same day there was a shooting at my college.

[@JonSonOfJoe]

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me *deadpan* four lights. Best joke I've heard in recent memory on the channel. I salute you sir

[@DanDennisDFW]

Great review! Such an incredible two-part episode! My favorite trivia point for it is that David Warner took the role with like, two days' notice and read a lot of lines off cue cards.

[@brucemorris3830]

If you’ve never been gaslighted, Chain Of Command is a great episode to illustrate what it’s like. I have figured out, over the last 20 years or so, that my own mother is a mentally ill freak who gaslights the people around her. (By the way, also see the actual movie “Gaslight” where the term comes from, it’s a powerful movie whether you see the original English version or the US remake of it.) It is not a term to be tossed around casually. Gaslighting people is about the most manipulative and calculated thing a human being can do to another, making them question the very underpinnings of their reality on false pretenses. It’s cruel and abusive on a level equal to or above the worst examples of what humanity could approach.

[@DavidMichaelKalman]

It seems to me that Jellico subtext was cut for time... Inserting a hell-bent and unpredictable captain (a popular trope) would have made more sense if Jellico was sent as a ploy to intimidate the Romulans and give the Federation plausible deniability for his potentially extreme actions. Otherwise, we have to believe Starfleet had trained and promoted a deeply flawed captain.

[@ManicTinCan]

Such a great, classic episode. Love these retro reviews!

[@schubertuk]

I love Chain of Command - and I give due credit to Steve Shives for turning around Ronny Cox's Captain Jellico - whom I formally hated and now actually regret we did not get more of! That is a great example of intelligent criticism being of value!

[@HP-mf4df]

I wish we could have seen Jellico in Deep Space Nine. I imagine he would thrive in war-time.

[@Thegonagle]

Jellico's underlying humanity is shown in subtle ways in this episode, such as in his interactions with Admiral Nechayev and Picard in part one, but his stern "all about business and no BS" style as commanding officer and negotiator, is designed to be the overlying takeaway for the audience. In that way, we the audience know that the Enterprise is actually in good hands as they prepare for the tense and possibly epic battle that's sure to come.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@Thegonagle plus his kid’s drawings filling the walls instead of historical relics

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@HP-mf4df I wondered if he joined or at least sympathised with the Maquis, given he has repeated comments about how they shouldn’t have settled so close to the Cardassian border in this episode

[@jan-rs6im]

excellent as always - thanks Steve for your great work - my favorite TNG - Lal - data's child - when data is explaining what parenthood is and means and picard looks a little confused is priceless - and beverly's reaction to data asking how to parent - delightful - i'm now 70 but was bullied in my childhood, and that memory sometimes is with me - when lal has trouble with the other kids at school and data is helping her deal with it - the best!!

[@Alixir_of_Life999]

I love a reversal. TNG is difficult to pick favourites but one of my fave episodes ends with the "shall we die together?" line. Ahh Tomalauk

[@augusth3532]

My personal favorite TNG episode is Lower Decks. It's just so impactful for a story using characters we'd never seen before (except for the one ensign who dies), and it highlights how sometimes the mission does fail and people die because of it.

[@jackabug2475]

It's funny -- just last night, my wife asked me a very interesting question: "What is the most quintessentially Star-Trek-y Star Trek, for you?" I answered in two and a half parts, as follows. 1) That, even though my favorite series is 1.5) DS9, my favorite _episode_ across all the series is TNG's "Darmok"... _...but,_ that if you want me to pick one morsel of Trek that most encapsulates and recapitulates the _essence_ of Star Trek? hands down, 2) _Star Trek: Beyond_ is the winner. I can absolutely understand why "Chain of Command" is your favorite TNG episode, Steve, and I will 100% grant you that it's almost certainly (I haven't rewatched TNG in its entirety in years) the _best-written_ episode, in terms of its _generic_ writing structure. "Darmok" by contrast was like a Le Guin short story among the pulp-novel-types of most TNG episodes. It hit me right in my sci-fi feels (and also right in my feels). Plus the many overt nods to _Enemy Mine_ (a woefully underappreciated film) are a plus in my opinion.

[@indetigersscifireview4360]

The Survivors hands down is my favorite episode of TNG. It is the most Trek like episode of TNG. By which I mean it fits the mold created by the original series most perfectly. The E.D. rocks up to a Federation colony that has been wiped off the face of the planet. An old married couple and their land inexplicably are found intact. They explain to Picard and company that the colony was destroyed by the Husnoq. Picard insists on protecting them. A bit of music gets stuck in Deana Troi's head. A series of encounters with the Husnoq occur with varying results. Picard begins to suspect things aren't quite as they seem. Meanwhile Troi's earworm is driving her to the breaking point. It is finally revealed that Kevin Uxbridge, the husband, is a Dowd, an alien species of enormous power and that he killed the Husnoq. When Picard fails to realize the extent of Kevin's act and in an emotional breakdown of his own Kevin reveals that he destroyed not 1 Husnoq or 100 Husnoq he destroyed them all. wherever they may be in his moment of grief at the loss of his wife. The powerful performance by guest star John Anderson is incredible and tragic since Anderson's real wife had passed away during the making of the episode.

[@DrLilo]

Banger episode. And timeline-wise it happens to be just before DS9's emissary, so I always like to do them back-to-back with this being a soft reboot of the Cardassians.

[@mattx449]

The Klingons read Shakespeare, the Cardassians read Orwell.

[@michaelhannell4083]

I am going to love the ensign log episode that crosses paths with this episode with Steve and Jason meeting jellico. Plus jellico was the captain we didn't want but the captain we needed to get that ship in order

[@TonyGingrich]

Agreed. This was possibly Stewart's best Picard. Another great one that doesn't get mentioned; often, if ever: Frame of Mind. My opinion, that was Frake's best Riker episode of the series.

[@joe-bowling]

Agree on Frame of Mind. I like it at least as much as any of the other episodes that are mentioned as the best.

[@sheilarough236]

I really enjoyed The Inner Light and Best of Both Worlds, both parts

[@admiralselene5565]

I admit, I didn't get these episodes when it first came out. It grew on me over time.

[@kennethfalconer2513]

Wonderful review of one of the best pieces of sci fi television ever made. As much as I loved TNG, I wish we had seen some of the post traumatic recovery Picard would undoubtedly have experienced. What impact would his torture go on to have on the decisions he made? Of course, this isn't the only horrific trauma Picard experienced... but save for a few notable exceptions, the episodic nature of the show would have us believe that it was all better by the morning. Troi was a damn fine counsellor...

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

Stewart and Warner were both members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. I think they worked together at least once during their time with the RSC, but even if they didn't, they'd worked within the same framework, with the same directors, using the same trainers. It means they could establish this relationship in just 2-ish weeks of work.

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

I'm a Darmok girl, personally.

[@TheWeatherbuff]

Thanks to the soulless KZbin algorithms, I stumbled across this video today. I really thought I was the only person who had some admiration for Capt. Jellico. And yes, in my opinion, Chain Of Command is in my top 5 faves for TNG. (New subscriber.)

[@FoldinBoxes]

Steve I hope you keep doing these Retro Reviews, they are my favorite videos on your channel!

[@FordLancer]

I admit my perception of jellico was blinded by his appearances as bad guys. When I first saw your video about him I realized I was wrong. So many years of holding a perspective of a character and finding out that I was wrong made me go back and truly watch the episode. Thank you.

[@jacobdrj101]

Always has been Chain of Command... always will be Chain of Command... The darkest TNG episode... The best TNG episode...

[@olivermaddox555]

Outstanding review of an outstanding episode! My favourite episode is The Inner Light, a beautifully-told and well-acted science fiction story through and through. The inner Light is also a beautiful Star Trek story, one of exploration, of learning about new life and civlisations, while also turning up again as important to the character of Picard in some small ways in the future. Chain of Command is definitely close behind though.

[@NovaPolitte]

Ronny Cox looks like he wears Old Spice unironically, and somehow makes it work.

[@AzaleaJane]

Favorite TNG episode! I don't think I can give them an absolute ranking, but perhaps my favorite not among those regularly cited as the best would be a tie between Disaster and Conundrum.

[@Carl_Aznable]

Looking forward to your take on "Why Captain Liam Shaw Is Pretty Awesome"

[@JohnTaylor_406]

Perfect timing as I rewatched your "Why Captain Jellicho is awesome" video yesterday. I love this episode!

[@s.k.6100]

I love that I found your channel from your Trek, Actually about Jelico and here we are with the episode

[@Frivolitility]

I'm a softie so my favorite is The Inner Light. Chain of Command is way up there though.

[@MattMcIrvin]

I don't know if it's my *favorite* episode but it's for damn sure a good one.

[@eldridgebrown3907]

Chain of Command is definitely in my top 5. I'm not saying it is not my #1. It is sometimes, but that changes based on my moods at times. But it is always incredibly powerful. Stewart, Ronnie Cox, and David Warner give masterful performances. It felt like all the Picard interrogation scenes were filmed on an actual stage. There were only 3 POV. It was very minimalist. I wonder if it might have been set up that way to let the two incredible stage actors work together from that even more familiar environment.

[@724Mouse]

I really love episodes like 'Schisms' and 'Clues'. They take off as great mysteries from the start and have great reveals, with almost no dead space in the scripts!

[@vernicesyers5021]

Thank you for this review. Everyone always compliments Sir Patrick, David Warner and Jonathan Frakes (and his twinkle), but Ronny Cox is excellent. He holds his own in this episode. I'm biased because Ronny Cox immerses himself (and you) in any role he is in.

[@davidlee4068]

Steve, many thanks for so many great episodes! I loved this one too, but at 5:15 you state that you think Jellico “means it” when, at the end of the episode, he told the bridge crew, “It’s been an honor serving with you.” I couldn’t disagree more. That line comes across as a formality, something he was expected to say or perhaps something he didn’t want to not say, but certainly not from the heart. He connected with nobody, not even Geordi who helped him the most.

[@DigiRangerScott]

“There are no lights. Your medium operator forgot to turn them on and you’ve been torturing me in complete darkness.” **Picard starts spitting at the Cardassian to finish every repetition**

[@erf3176]

Jellico is a terrible captain. He justified all his actions by pointing out that the ship was getting ready for war and that he didn't have time to get to know the crew or cater to anyone's feelings. But when he needed Riker to pilot the key mission, Jellico llollygagged all over the ship talking to every shuttle pilot just so they could all tell him what was already in their files. Jellico did not care about the feelings of the crew but his own desire to not feel awkward by asking Riker to fly the mission was worthwhile enough for Jellico to cut into the little time Riker was gonna have to prepare for the mission. If Jellico had applied his standards to himself, he would be a great captain. But he doesn't.

[@ATADSP]

If you count 2 parters as 1 episode this is my second favorite. Only because i have a special affinity for "All Good Things...". "All good things..." Is special to me because it was my very first episode of Star Trek. Specifically the second half which caused me so much confusion that i had to learn more and in the process found one of the great obsessions of my life.

[@wraith1701]

Great breakdown of an outstanding episode. Re. your question regarding our favorite TNG episode: The Inner Light.

[@AaronLitz]

Excellent analysis. I think my favorite episode might have to be _The Measure of a Man,_ especially the extended version.

[@donaldmacarthur]

I hated Jellicho in the past. But he's grown on me. Probably because I loved Cox in Robocop and I have greater appreciation for his portrayal of authoritative characters, like Jellicho

[@Shnonan]

Generally, I do not enjoy picking and ordering works of creative art into "top" or "best of" lists, and I freely admit that this preference of mine would give validation to any charge of indecisiveness on my part. In response to such a charge I would and have gone on to assert that I simply enjoy such works in a way that does not diminish other works for which I also enjoy and appreciate. With that being said, I have enough confidence to agree with you. This is also my favorite episode.

[@deborahm6036]

Truly excellent video. Thank you for sharing your profound insights.

[@sovietbear1917]

I rewatched Chain of Command a few days ago, and my wife said: "So you're telling me Starfleet's best option for shutting down that lab was getting the aging Captain and Doctor of the Enterprise to do it? Isn't there a Starfleet Seal Team Six with burly mission specialists they could send in to do the wetwork?" On a different note, I realize that I have so little pride that if Madred said "There are 5 lights!" I'd be like 'Sure thing, homie, there's 5'. Which is probably why I'd be a Reg Broccoli and not command material if i were on a ship.

[@joeg1915]

"Tapestry" is another contender for best TNG episode. Q's backhanded gifts are an under-appreciated recurring theme in the franchise.

[@leoismaking]

There is a very cool moment in the game "Star Trek Elite Force II" where you are sneaking past some Romulans (Tal Shiar, I think) who are guarding a captive you are supposed to rescue. They are discussing prisoners, torture, and who the worst prisoners are. One of them says "definitely Klingons". The other responds that no, it's Starfleet. He's even heard rumors of a human prisoner "breaking" a Cardassian interrogator, definitely in reference to this episode. Picard might have shared his chilling revelation about almost breaking at the end, but I find comfort in the fact that because he left when he did, Madred probably ended up having a serious crisis in confidence of his own.

[@miho76zehop13]

I agree with everything... Brilliant episode with solid writing and execution. BUT... my favourite episode will always be "The Inner Light" Gets to me every time I watch it and I watched it quite a number of times over the past 3 decades

[@RedTooth552]

Jellico isn't a bad captain because he is a dick, he is a bad captain because he gives bad orders. This is best highlighted when he tells Geordie and Data to overhaul the warp core, to which Geordie responds there just isn't time before the crisis will be here. Data answers, 'well acshually' if all of our engineers work without food and sleep nonstop for two days, we'll have two whole hours to spare. Jellico is like, 'awesome, let's do that'. Now, if that had been the end of it, okay, Starfleet are professionals and sometimes you have to work under tight schedules and harsh conditions sometimes, but it isn't. Later in the episode we find out after Data gave his 'If we literally have every engineer we have do nothing but work on the warp core we can barely finish, so sayeth my android math brain' verdict, we find out Captain Clueless then reassigned a full third of the engineers to play cops and robbers, meaning, even by Data's already exactingly tight estimates that left no margin for error, they no longer have even close to enough people to complete the overhaul. But hey, a few extra hours of phaser training more than makes up for fighting a Cardassian fleet with no warp core, right? The problem with Jellico is that his personality doesn't stop at being a dick, it is that he is so controlling,so unwilling to listen to expert recommendations, so incapable of doing things any way other than he has always done them, that he doesn't pay any attention to the collateral damage in terms of disruption, necessarily cut corners, crew fatigue, and dangerously rushed system overhauls that he causes the ship. He would rather risk blowing up the ship and screwing the mission than go three days without the crew rotation or system efficiency or what have you he was personally used to. All of his orders are like this, beginning to end of his reign. That is why he is a terrible captain.