Also, from a purely fanboy point of view, seeing a perfectly-rendered set of the classic Enterprise ('no bloody A, B, C or D') bridge is a delight.

You've a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker!' 'Relics' is an unsubtle yet poignant look at aging and a man trying to reassess his place in society, in a show that rarely touches upon interpersonal conflict. When Geordi is asked how long a piece of analysis will take, he responds the only way he knows how: honestly. There's a marvelous exchange between strait-laced Geordi La Forge and the twinkle-eyed highlander, one that elegantly sums up their differing personalities. Despite being rescued, he's just as lost as before. Until a situation arises that requires his brand of expertise, Scotty increasingly finds himself superfluous to the Enterprise's mission. And the fact that such an episode centers around the normally brash Lwaxana? Nothing short of miraculous.ĭespite his heritage, Scotty's preservation is due to wizardry with a transporter buffer rather than the application of single malt whisky. 'Half a Life' takes a controversial subject - in this case, euthanasia and how a society treats the elderly - and deals with it with respect, care, and thoughtfulness. Both series enjoyed the freedom to shake up mood and theme light-hearted one week, a thought-provoking episode the next, and the best of the 'issue' episodes never felt contrived or preachy. Like 'Quantum Leap,' 'The Next Generation' was at its best when it ignored the sci-fi trappings to concentrate on being a storytelling platform.

As is the custom of his society, this reaching this age involves a ritual act of voluntary euthanasia. His experiments fail, Timicin is devastated, and Lwaxana finds out it is more than the fate of his people that troubles him. The story concerns Timicin, a brilliant scientist (played by David Ogden Stiers, best known as Major Winchester in M*A*S*H) attempting to save his threatened planet from a collapsing sun. 'Half a Life' (Season 4, episode 22) is the exception that proves the rule: a Lwaxana episode approaching brilliance.

Star trek the first federation