Star Trek: TNG 2.13 - Time Squared

Review 123 - Episode 119 (Apr 3rd 1989)

The One with two Picards

A case of great special effects saving a gobbledygook story that barely makes sense.

It starts with a lovely teaser. A shuttle found drifting in space contains a future Picard who is the only survivor of the Enterprise. How did this happen, why is here and how do they stop it?

Well, it turns out to be a large energy vortex that appears out of nowhere (as they do) and sucks the Ship in. The effects are very impressive, much better than I remember. They really do make you feel there is a giant vortex in space, however implausible.

There's fun in seeing the two Picards interacting and our Picards reaction to his future doppelganger. But none of it stands up to scrutiny. The Vortex may be alive and scans Picard who trys to distract it from the ship by leaving on a shuttle. He's getting ready to do it again when Picard stuns or kills him and orders the Enterprise into the vortex. Why? Who knows. this does the trick and everything is back to normal somehow!

I suspect the writers had a brilliant 1st act and had no way of solving the mystery so just put some techno babble time travel nonsense in and hoped for the best.

Looks pretty, but don't think about it too much.

3/5
Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 357/620

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