TNG – Time’s Arrow

Plot – It’s one of those stories that starts at the end – the discovery of Data’s head – and then goes to great lengths to show us how it got there.

Character – Because all of his friends have developed feelings for Data it is hard for them to understand how he can so dispassionately examine his own corpse (or part of it) to find the method of his demise. They have literally forgotten that he is an android that does experience fear of mortality but a machine that works with pure facts. How everybody walks around him on eggshells and looks at him longingly because of their feelings for Data is understandable but also kind of amusing. It would be like me discovering that my Alexa would be discovered far in the past one day, battered and charred, and sitting down to breakfast each day and asking her for the news of the day and bursting into tears. It was perhaps cruel of Dr Soong to create a machine in the shape of a man, not only because of Data’s desire to become human but because those around him can so easily perceive him to be human and transmit their own values and feelings onto it. The best scene that springs from Data’s discovery of his death is his reveal that he is happy to know that like all other humanoids he will now live a finite life. I am mortal, he states touchingly.

Back in the 1900s you have a number of reasonably colourful characters for Data to interact with. Jack London is a sweetheart and actually displays more charm than many of the regular TNG crowd. I also enjoy the grisly old 49er and his words of wisdom to Data for fleecing people of money in exchange for feeling good about themselves. It’s nice to see Marc Alaimo out of make up but I’m used to seeing him play a much more nuanced character than this. Jerry Hardin throws himself into the role of Samuel Clements with some gusto and I could imagine this character turning up on stage at some point. This is pure theatre; he’s practically winking out at the audience. The scenes between him and Guinan are basically the writers jettisoning the series as we recognise it and going all out for a historical movie featuring Whoopi Goldberg. It’s watchable stuff, but it doesn’t carry any weight whatsoever.

Performance – This is a lovely ensemble piece and the best moments come from the well-oiled cast all acting their socks off together as they come terms with the idea of Data’s death. A scene in the turbolift between Riker, Data and Troi sees the personal relationships between the cast spilling onto the screen for all to see.

Production – Another innovation of the Paramount backlot. It’s not the most imaginative use of the facility and despite some nice historical trappings it does feel exactly what it is, a modern day set dressed up to look like the past.

Best moment – The most impressive moment comes in the pre-titles sequence when Data’s head is revealed at the excavation site of the 19th century mine. It opens a huge can of worms about what he was doing there, his method of death (which can be ascertained now) and his participation in historical events.

Whoopi Goldberg is always good value and her scene with Picard is vague, mysterious and very well written and played.

Worst moment – The 49er is killed by the blandest set of aliens in the blandest way imaginable. It’s as if the director knew this and decided to shoot it in the mildest possible method. It hardly gets the anticipation going like the re-introduction of the Borg at the end of season three.

The cliff-hanger is even more disappointing because it features plenty of weird stuff going on as the crew are surrounded by spirits in an electric blue continuum and they find themselves drawn into a light that invades the scene. Yeah, that’s it. There’s no danger, no real understanding of what is going on, no tension and no suspense. It’s essentially our heroes stepping through (a particularly dramatic) door. Big wows. Even the aliens sit around looking a bit bored after they have gone and the credits roll.

I wish they hadn’t done that – It might have been tastier had the pre-titles sequence occurred at the beginning of the season and the reason for them finding it took place at the end. That would create some sense of mystique and suspense around the idea that Data is going to die. To have the mystery brought up, have it stated that at some point in the future he will be transported back in time, only for that moment to come literally hours later is an incredible co-incidence.

A reason to watch this episode again – Time’s Arrow strikes me as typical season five TNG; serviceable, well-acted, well intentioned and slightly bland. It has all the hallmarks of a mid-season filler episode, which is unfortunate because it is the season finale and coming on the heels of The Best of Both Worlds and Redemption. From the mighty Borg two parter the finales get consecutively weaker and this has none of the drama and drive of Redemption but it certainly isn’t as camp or meek as Descent. There is a sense of mystery but a complete lack of momentum to the episode so it feels like it has stalled in its opening stages. The aliens that are responsible for all of this are nondescript, the scenes in the past are cute but nowhere near as atmospheric as other examples of this kind of thing and the cliff-hanger lacks any punch. You shouldn’t end a season shrugging your shoulders and asking yourself if you want to keep going. It’s very nicely acted and some character scenes hit home but you would expect that of any episode of TNG at this point, and not to be the highlights of the season finale. In context this is the same point in DS9 and VOY’s run as Call to Arms and Equinox. Enough said. City on the Edge of Forever this aint.

*** out of *****