STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ Sell-Through - To Buy Or Not To Buy? ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ by John Kitts ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ By the start of March 1993, CIC Video will have released all of Seasons 1 - 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation on 63 video cassettes, selling at roughly eleven pounds each. Whilst it would be nice to have every episode, not everyone can afford the ฃ693 these would cost! (With even more coming.) So you need to be a bit choosy about which you purchase. For example, "Brothers" and "Sins Of The Father" are both excellent episodes, but if you want them, you're also going to have to get "Suddenly Human" and "Allegiance" (oh dear!) that they are paired with. So, if you want to buy some sell-through but haven't got money to burn, you want to buy tapes with the best combinations on them. Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have seen every episode, so if you're concerned about getting stuck with a turkey, here are 10 tapes I would recommend to help you choose... (without giving too much of the plot away!). * * * * * "CONSPIRACY" / "THE NEUTRAL ZONE" (Cassette 13 - Season 1) ---------------------------------------------------------- "Conspiracy" is the best of Season 1 (which might not sound like much!) with the Federation being taken over from within, where Jean-Luc Picard can trust nobody to be who they seem. This will keep you engrossed to the eerie ending complete with exploding head (the BBC hacked this to bits when they screened it, yet it's still only a PG). A sequel has been rumoured for a long time, possibly to come in late Season 6. "The Neutral Zone" is nothing special, notable only for re-introducing the Romulans to Trek (nice uniforms lads, can I have the quilt back for my bed now?) and a sort of prelude to the coming of the Borg (only just). Still, best tape of season 1. * * * * * "PEN PALS" / "Q WHO?" (Cassette 21 - Season 2) ---------------------------------------------- "Pen Pals" is a very `nice' episode. The best moments being the debates on the Prime Directive. A nice, innofensive episode, then followed by the outstanding "Q Who?". Unlike his previous two outings, Q can really be taken seriously. Here he is a much darker character and in a fit of temper with Picard, transports the Enterprise 7,000 light years to show the Federation its greatest challenge to date - the Borg. The ending is superb, but don't expect it to be happy - unusual in itself for Star Trek. * * * * * "YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE" / "THE OFFSPRING" (Cassette 32 - Season 3) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Probably still one of the best tapes to-date, "Yesterday's Enterprise" has the NCC 1701-C travel from the past causing the present to be changed to a nightmare, with the Federation on the brink of losing a 20 year war with the Klingons. Great story, great effects, hell, even Denise Crosby returning as Tasha Yar is good. "The Offspring" is similar to Season 2's "Measure Of A Man", but a bit better. Data builds himself a daughter, but is dismayed when Starfleet wants to take her from him. No great surprises really, but touching and well acted make this a great episode and tape. Highly recommended. * * * * * "HOLLOW PURSUITS" / "THE MOST TOYS" (Cassette 35 - Season 3) ------------------------------------------------------------ "Hollow Pursuit" is the stand out episode here - those of you familiar with `Howlin' Mad Murdock' in "The A-Team" will get a real kick from seeing how much scope Dwight Schultz has as an actor. This is one of the episodes that has some hilarious comic moments mixed well with a serious, thought-provoking story. It's all nicely wrapped up with a suitable Enterprise-in-danger subplot to make a great episode. Scultz's character (Diagnostic Engineer Lt. Reginald Barclay) proved so popular he returned in Season 4 and 6, with hopefully more to come. "The Most Toys" is a good episode with Data kidnapped to become an exhibit in a collection, and the Enterprise duped into believing him dead. It would only have been an average episode but for some excellent scripting for Data, particularly where he learns it is sometimes necessary to kill and the end scenes. * * * * * "TRANSFIGURATIONS" / "THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS" (Cassette 37 - Season 3) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Transfigurations" is another `nice' episode, with good character moments for Worf, Geordi and Beverly Crusher. An alien is brought on board with no memory, but starts to show unusual powers... sounds familiar, doesn't it? But it's done well enough to be worth watching. The cliff-hanger ending to Season 3 and one of Star Trek's finest is the return of the Borg (one of my favourite things to come from The Next Generation) in "The Best Of Both Worlds". You haven't seen this yet? Where have you been?? * * * * * "THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - PART 2" / "FAMILY" (Cassette 38 - Season 4) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- After the re-cap on Part 1, the Borg continue on their rampage towards sector 001 and Earth. If you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil it, but a major character is in enemy hands, much of the Starfleet is destroyed -- can anything stop the mighty Borg? "Family" could be "The Best Of Both Worlds - Part 3". Following the destruction of the Borg ship, Picard goes home to France after 20 years and Worf's parents pay him an unexpected visit. This seems to be something of an under-rated episode, but is in fact very good. Guest stars Jeremy Kemp (Picard's older brother) and Thedore Bikel and Georgia Brown (Worf's adopted human parents) are particularly good. * * * * * "REUNION" / "FUTURE IMPERFECT" (Cassette 41 - Season 4) ------------------------------------------------------- Opening with "Reunion", which is a great Klingon episode and a biggie for Worf, seeing the return of K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) complete with a son Worf knew nothing of. K'Mpec, leader of the Klingon High Council has been poisoned and Picard is unwillingly given the task of choosing a new leader for the Klingons. A great episode, especially if you like Klingons. It is also the prelude for the civil war in "Redemption". "Future Imperfect" is a great idea - whilst on an Away Team, Riker falls unconscious and awakes 16 years later as Captain of the Enterprise, about to sign a peace treaty with the Romulans. Its great fun to watch (look out for the Ferengi Ensign at the conn station). Jonathan Frakes does well and there are a couple of good plot twists, but the ultimate pay-off is a bit weak and makes it good instead of excellent. * * * * * "THE NTH DEGREE" / "QPID" (Cassette 47 - Season 4) -------------------------------------------------- Dwight Schultz returns as Barclay from Season 3's "Hollow Pursuits" in a slightly run-of-the-mill story, which still has its moments, largely due to Schultz again. The second story on the tape, and the fifth outing for Q, is an outrageous bit of fooling around which works wonderfully. Picard and the bridge crew become Robin Hood and his Merry Men (not so merry in Worf's case). Jennifer Hetrick (Vash from Season 3's "Captain's Holiday") is thrown in for good measure as Maid Marion - and because it embarrasses Picard as Q sees with evil glee. Pure sillyness, but wonderfully done! * * * * * "DISASTER" / "THE GAME" (Cassette 53 - Season 5) ------------------------------------------------ "Disaster" is a story of sub-plots that work rather well together, when the ship is completely disabled and (horrors!) Troi is in charge of the bridge. Most notable for Data losing his head (when all around him keep theirs!) and Worf having to deliver Keiko O'Brien's baby. Anyone that's seen "Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers" will recognise the inspiration for "The Game". Wesley returns and is actually good (hard to believe, isn't it?). I won't give too much away, but it's enjoyable to see the regulars out of character and hunting Wesley down. If you like "Body Snatchers", you'll love this. * * * * * "I, BORG" / "THE NEXT PHASE" (Cassette 62 - Season 5 - Out in March '93) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A triumph in giving the in-human, cybernetic Borg a human face, although whether giving the Borg a softer side is such a good idea or not is another matter! Nearly two years after the Borg devestated the Starfleet and with their return a real threat, the Enterprise finds a lone young Borg and is given the chance to commit genocide on the whole race and eliminate the threat forever. What would you do? Different to "The Best Of Both Worlds", but still a great Borg episode. Excellent scenes for Picard, Guinan and LaForge, with their moral problems about killing a whole race. "The Next Phase" is another Romulan story, but is actually very good, with some neat effects and scenes for the under-used Ro and LaForge. Nothing surprising really, but fun to watch and an excellent tape. * * * * * So, to re-cap, I'd recommend: "CONSPIRACY" / "THE NEUTRAL ZONE" ....................... (Cassette 13) "PEN PALS" / "Q WHO?" ................................... (Cassette 21) "YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE" / "THE OFFSPRING" .............. (Cassette 32) "HOLLOW PURSUITS" / "THE MOST TOYS" ..................... (Cassette 35) "TRANSFIGURATIONS" / "THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS" .......... (Cassette 37) "THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - PART 2" / "FAMILY" ........... (Cassette 38) "REUNION" / "FUTURE IMPERFECT" .......................... (Cassette 41) "THE NTH DEGREE" / "QPID" ............................... (Cassette 47) "DISASTER" / "THE GAME" ................................. (Cassette 53) "I, BORG" / "THE NEXT PHASE" ............................ (Cassette 62) Of course, they're just my choices! Whatever you go for, I hope you enjoy them.