Dark Strokes: Sins of the Father Collector's Edition

There some interesting ideas srnpikled throughout the three episodes from early in Season Three of Star Trek: The Next Generation included on this videotape, but none of them result in a truly first-rate episode. Volume 3.3 also finds each episode focusing on a particular member of the Enterprise crew, so that Geordi, Counselor Troi, and Commander Riker each get to be in the center of the action. The third season ends with the arrival of the Borg and the greatest Star Trek cliffhanger of all-time, but things are still progressing rather slowly to that high point at this stage:Episode 55, The Enemy (Written by David Kemper and Michael Piller, First aired November 6, 1989). The Enterprise-D responds to an unknown distress call from Galorndon Core, an uninhabited planet wracked by constant storms. Riker, Worf and La Forge beam down and discover a Romulan craft that has crashed. Searching for survivors, Riker and Worf find a wounded Romulan and are forced to beam back before they can find La Forge. While the Enterprise figures out a way to locate their Chief Engineer, La Forge is attacked by another Romulan. Because of the struggle and the violent storms of the planet, La Forge loses his vision and the Romulan can no longer walk. Meanwhile, a Romulan ship has arrived upon the scene ready and willing to fight.One of the standard war stories has a pair of enemy soldiers having to work with together in order to survive. The most notable example of this would be the 1968 film Hell in the Pacific with Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune marooned together on an island. Of course the story does not have to take place in a war, as Tony Curtis and Sidney Portier proved in The Defiant Ones. In this case the Federation is not a war with the Romulan Empire, but there is certainly a level of mutual distrust. Consequently, this is a rather standard version of the tale, quite predictable. The idea that the Romulans show up at a crash site and immediately start threatening to start a war is a bit over the top and loses the episode a star. After all, the planet is causing enough problems without falling back on the Romulan Evil Empire stereotype. Besides, the story is predictable enough that neither LaVar Burton or anybody else has any really worthwhile dramatic moments. All things considered, this episode is certainly a missed opportunity (Warp 3).Episode 56, The Price (Written by Hannah Louise Shearer, First aired November 13, 1989). What I like most about this episode is that both Picard and the audience are one step behind for almost the entire story. Things are not always crystal clear in the Star Trek universe. The Enterprise is holding the negotiations for a wormhole near Barzan Two. Apparently, both ends of the worm hole are fixed (as we find with the Bajoran worm hole in Deep Space Nine ) and since the Barzan do not have the technological expertise to take advantage of their natural wonder, they are taking bids for managing their lucrative galatic shortcut. The main competition is between the Federation, the wily Ferengi and the Chrysallians, represented by Devinoni Ral. A devious negotiator who is also part-Betazed, Ral explores a mutual attraction with Counselor Troi when he is not busy figuring out how to dupe both Picard and the Ferengi. Of course, Deanna is not all that thrilled with Ral's ethics, giving the episode's title a double-meaning. Meanwhile, Data and La Forge are checking out the wormhole in a shuttlecraft. The joy of this episode is Matt McCoy as Ral, a charming rogue in a Star Trek universe usually made up of particularly uncharming villains, which makes it much more than the Next Generation version of Journey to Babel. Besides, it is always nice to see Troi getting over that Imzadi thing with Riker (Warp 4).Episode 57, The Vengeance Factor (Written by Sam Rolfe, First aired November 20, 1989). Picard determines that a Federation research center was raided by the nomadic Gatherers. A century before the Gatherers had left Acamar Three during the height of the clan blood feuds that killed thousands. Marouk, the ruler of Acamar Three wants to have peace talks with the Gatherers and comes aboard the Enterprise with a small group which includes her cook, Yuta, who catches Riker's eye. During the negotiations at one of the Gatherer's camps, Yuta is talking with one of the old men. When she finds out he is a member of the Lornack clan, she touches him and he dies. While Picard tries to keep the negotiations going, Dr. Crusher works on determining how the old man died, and Riker keeps on being Riker. Star Trek has always been against the Old Testament version of vengeance that demands an eye for an eye until everyone is blind (or worse). In that regard The Vengeance Factor is another variation on a standard theme, but the story of how Yuta became a living weapon deadly only to the enemy clan that all but obliterated her own, is rather fascinating. You always have to appreciate it when the writers are really able to pull off something reasonably futuristic. Of course, when it comes to Riker, if it wasn't for bad love (Warp 4).