Product Details

• Actors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden
• Directors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English, French
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 23, 1996
• Run Time: 46 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304075278
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,859 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  Video > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Television > Star Trek: The Next Generation

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Love blossoms on board the Enterprise when Counselor Troi's mother, Lwaxana (Majel Barrett), romances a visiting scientist, Dr. Timicin (David Ogden Stiers), who is struggling to save his home planet.

Hoping to revitalize his planet's dying sun, Timicin takes the Enterprise to a remote region to test his helium ignition theories on a giant star. But when the experiment fails, he must return home for his Resolution-the suicide ritual required at age 60 under Kaelon law.

At Lwaxana's urging, Timicin becomes convinced he can still save Kaelon from destruction-all he needs is more time. Defying his leaders, he requests asylum on board the Enterprise. When Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) agrees, the Kaelon government protests and threatens to go to war!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great, September 11, 1999

By A Customer

This is a particularly good episode in that it deals with the question of aging and usefulness--and for the series. Previously, Troi's mother was seen as flighty and a little on the ditzy side at times. Now, we get to see the serious side of her.

2.0 out of 5 stars Enterprise helps try and save a planet...that demands ritual suicide?, September 7, 2006

By	Critical Thinker - See all my reviews

Plot: The Enterprise is helping Dr. Timicin by letting him make modified photon torpedoes to launch into a dying star and try to revitalize it. He's doing this because his own star is dying and will totally perk out in a few more generations. Unfortunately, the experminet fails horribly on the test star and Dr. Timicin is brought back to his home planet. Lwaxana Troi (our dear Couselor's mother) is infatuated by the doctor, who also is in love with her. But, he sends a shock by telling her that he must go back and complete his "Resolution", which is the official title of big-goodbye-to-friends-and-family-before-I-commit-suicide-because-of-my-planet's-customs. Well, the doctor doesn't relish the thought of doing this because he's convinced that he still can help solve the problem with his planet's dying sun. Lwaxana Troi urges him to go against tradition and try and still help out. Unfortunately, the moment Dr. Timicin declares asylum, the planet's government goes berserk. After talking with his daughter, (who's played by Michelle Forbes, although I think she's better as Ro Laren), Dr. Timicin begins to think things over...

Frankly, this episode bothers me for several reasons: One is that it seems that Dr. Timicin's government is more willing to follow tradition (and force the doctor to commit suicide) than think more practically (save their homeworld which may cease to exist in a matter of generations). But, this is a strong episode in the acting and is especially interesting that the plot revolves around guest characters instead of the main cast.

Overall, I give it 2, primarily for the acting and some elements of the plot, but not necessarily the end results (otherwise, a 1). It also has some serious questions that need to be asked at the end of the episode. And it leaves the presumption that government-mandated suicide is okay.