Product Details

• Actors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden
• Directors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Language: English, French
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: June 2, 1998
• Run Time: 46 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304925093
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #414,053 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Part 2 of "Chain of Command" contains some of the darkest material Star Trek: The Next Generation had ever attempted. Federation information that the Cardassians are developing metagenic weapons turns out to have been a ruse to capture Captain Picard specifically. Picard is interrogated and tortured by the sadistic Gul Madred (David Warner), who has surgically implanted a pain-inducing device in the captain's chest. On the Enterprise, the Cardassian negotiator tells the new captain, Jellico, that they are holding Picard hostage. The friction between Riker and Jellico blows up over Riker's insistence that they try to rescue Picard, and Riker is relieved of duty. The intensity of this episode owes largely to the two guest performances, David Warner as the cruel tormentor Gul Madred, and Ronny Cox as the austere Captain Jellico. You may come away from the show thinking that Jellico's approach, opposite in style to Picard's humanitarian one, is perhaps more effective in an emergency, and therefore no less valid. The rationale behind the capture of Picard is thinly supported by the story, but once he's there the head games between Picard and Madred are mesmerizing and harrowing to watch. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basically a Two-Man Tour de Force, June 24, 2000

By 

Reginald D. Garrard "the G-man" (Camilla, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 137: Chain of Command, Part II [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Patrick Stewart and David Warner are superb in this cat-and-mouse expose of the horrors of breaking a prisoner. Stewart in his role of Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise, is put to a most intense interrogation by Warner's Cardassian Gul. Both actors stretch their acting mettle in performances worthy of awards.

After being rescued by his crew, Picard's final revelation is stunning.

Comparable in scope and execution to Deep Space Nine's "Duet," which was also basically a two-person story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Emmy-caliber performance by Patrick Stewart, July 22, 1999

By 

Robert Tompkins (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 137: Chain of Command, Part II [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Most Star Trek TNG fans, when asked for their favorite episodes, don't usually think about this one. No Borg or Q or guest stars from the original series. But if you think Jean Luc is the man, this video has to be in your library. Patrick Stewart's performance in the torture scenes was Emmy-caliber and probably the best TV acting I've ever seen. Don't wait for the rerun.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great performance from Picard, June 2, 2000

By 

Alaria (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 137: Chain of Command, Part II [VHS] (VHS Tape)

In this episode, the second part of 'Chain of Command', Picard has been captured by Cardassians, and is being tortured by a suitably unpleasant Gul, while the Enterprise is under the command of Captain Edward Jellico. I think the first episode was better, only because it was more dramatic and exciting as Picard, Worf, and Dr Crusher undertook a secret mission to Cardassia. This is still pretty good and continues what is a nice insight into life on Cardassia, especially when the Gul is talking to Picard about the hardships of a childhood on the streets, and we get a bit of Cardassian history thrown in as well. The torture scenes were very well portrayed and not too over dramatic, with great performances from the characters involved.

This episode is a must have for all Picard fans. It's one of his best performances of the season, if not of the whole of Next Gen. Riker also has a pretty good part, as he and his new captain don't exactly see eye to eye. The actor who played Jellico did so very well and I really didn't like the character, especially after the way he treated those poor fish.

If you already have part 1, you gotta get this. If not, it's probably best to get that first; the story'll make far more sense :)