Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 126: Time's Arrow, Part I [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The episode Times Arrow was a very interesting story. It is yet another of those Star Trek time paradoxes. The story is quite interesting and somewhat believable, however Commander Data does not seem to take any of the Star Fleet precautions to prevent polluting of the time line. Whoopi Goldberg has an interesting role as an intellectual woman of stature in 19th century Earth.

I was disappointed that this episode was a two parter and it was not indicated on the jacket or in the description. You will need episode 127 which is the second part to complete the story.

This episode was excellent as are so many Next Generation episodes. The only problem with it is that there is no indication on the cover that this is a 2 part episode. I ordered it, watched it and was dismayed to realize I have to go back and order 127 now.

I loved seeing Guinan as she was 500 years before. Jerry Hardin did an excellent job as Mark Twain. I can't wait to see the rest of it!

The Enterprise is called back to Earth and Picard and Data are summoned to the planet's surface in San Francisco. During an archeological dig, 24th century scientists uncover some interesting artifacts - eye glasses, a spyglass (old telescope), a gold pocket watch with the initials S.L.C. enscribed and most sensational of all, Data's head. You read right - a 500-year-old head - Data's head is there. At some point in the future, Data will be sent back to the past where he will be killed and his head will slowly decay, awaiting discovery for 500 years. Data determines that it is indeed his own head, not the head of his brother, Lore, due to the type-L phase discriminator. (A birthmark for androids?)

Before the dig, scientists were trying to scan the old mining shaft, only to have their readings bounce back due to triolic energy - a type of energy source used by few species due to it's deleterious effects on organic matter (you'll melt your eye out, kid) over long exposure. This indicates that there was an alien presence on earth in the 19th Century. But who? And why?

Geordi finds something odd in his scans of the cave - a microscopic fossil that probably hitched a ride on the aliens just like dust or dandruff. The fossil is only known to exist on one planet, Davidia II. Why on earth so many planets have numeric designations in Star Trek land is beyond me. Davidia was so cool of a planet name, they had to have 2 or more. Geesh!

Anyway, they go to Davidia II and with a phase compensator they are able to phase into the alien's domain and lo and behold, Data ends up going back to the 19th Century. This cliffhanger in this 2-part episode is awesome and Part 2 does not disappoint. This is right on up there with my favorite episodes. Highly recommended.

Life for our heroes suddenly gets really stressful when Data's head is discovered in a cavern and is dated 500 years old. Of course, everyone begins to get depressed about Data's soon-to-come death, except Data of course (being, by his nature, stoical). But, anyway, the Enterprise crew immediately heads off to Devidia II (thanks to a clue they found on earth) to try and figure out what's going on. Well, Data ends up going back into time with some aliens and finds himself in the late 1800's on Earth. The humor is quite good, with Data beating some poker players easily, him lifting and anvil and then pretending that he strained himself, etc. Of course, everyone is basically on the panic back on the Enterprise with Data disappearing (they didn't know what happened to him since he was out of phase when it happened), so they decide to follow him. The scene ends with everyone (except Worf, who's back on the Enterprise, which is a good thing since it would be hard to explain to a 19th century person about Klingons) walking through a time portal. Overall, a pretty good episode.