In its almost 60-year historical past, Star Trek has delivered some extremely sensible and highly effective episodes of tv, and this Star Trek: The Next Generation episode encapsulates every part Trek stands for in the easiest way. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG ushered in a golden period for the Star Trek franchise.
Combining humor and coronary heart with intelligent social commentary, TNG superbly explored what it means to be human and launched a few of Star Trek’s most beloved characters. Captain Picard and his crew grew to become simply as beloved as Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew had been, and characters like Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) joined the likes of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) among the many Star Trek greats. Nonetheless, TNG season 2’s “The Measure of a Man” reached one other stage of storytelling high quality.
Why Star Trek: The Subsequent Era’s “The Measure Of A Man” Is So Good
The Episode Has Moments Of Humor, Coronary heart, Wit, & Compassion
“The Measure of a Man” revolves across the android Information and whether or not he has the correct to make his personal decisions. When cyberneticist Dr. Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy) comes aboard the Enterprise, he instantly declares his intentions to dismantle Information for additional examine. Maddox doesn’t see Information as a person however moderately as a machine who belongs to Starfleet. Information, in fact, objects to being dismantled, and Captain Picard shortly involves the android’s protection. This results in a riveting trial, the results of which can reverberate all through the Federation and the Star Trek franchise.
Associated
25 Best Star Trek: TNG Episodes Of All Time
Star Trek: The Subsequent Era produced a number of the finest and most beloved science fiction tv of all time. Right here is TNG’s better of the most effective.
Though Information is on the coronary heart of “The Measure of a Man,” the episode additionally boasts unimaginable performances from Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard and Jonathan Frakes as Commander Will Riker. Compelled to defend Maddox’s place, Riker delivers a devastating argument that rattles even Picard. After an enlightening dialog with Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), nonetheless, Picard delivers some of the highly effective speeches in Star Trek historical past. Actually, every part concerning the episode works, from the stellar performances to the sharp dialogue to the ethical philosophizing.
“The Measure Of A Man” Is A Nice Illustration Of What Star Trek Ought to Be
There’s Nothing Extra Star Trek Information’s Battle In This Episode
Information grew to become my favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation character earlier than the tip of the present’s first season, so I could also be a bit biased in that regard. However, “The Measure of a Man” represents every part I really like about Star Trek. The episode delivers a stable story in its personal proper whereas additionally managing to have a strong message and real coronary heart. It is intelligent and profound, however none of it might work if it wasn’t constructed round such nice characters.
“The Measure of a Man” was the tv debut for writer Melinda M. Snodgrass, who had beforehand been an lawyer. Snodgrass went on to put in writing 4 extra episodes of TNG.
Up till this level, TNG and Brent Spiner have performed such a terrific job of constructing the android likable that it hurts somewhat each time Maddox refers to Information as an “it.” The identical holds true for Picard, and it is onerous to not be affected watching the Enterprise captain wrestle with the likelihood that he could not have the ability to save his buddy. In his dialog with Guinan, she factors out that establishing Information as property may result in the creation of a slave race. This brilliant scene in Ten Forward places issues into perspective for Picard.
Information deserves “the liberty to discover” life’s greatest questions.
In most of its finest episodes, Star Trek explores the query of what it means to be human, usually by the lens of its non-human characters like Spock and Information. Maybe no episode explores this query higher than “The Measure of Man,” which additionally underscores the significance of each life, regardless of how completely different they might be from our personal. In the long run, Captain Phillipa Louvois (Amanda McBroom) guidelines that Information deserves “the liberty to discover” life’s greatest questions (like whether or not he has a soul) for himself.
“The Measure Of A Man” Nonetheless Holds Up When Rewatching It At this time
The Arguments In The Episode Really feel Equally Related At this time
Whereas some early episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation have grow to be dated (principally in season 1), the outing works simply as nicely at the moment because it did in 1989. Those that have watched each earlier episode of TNG could get a bit extra out of it, however “The Measure of a Man” stands by itself as a superb piece of tv outdoors of Star Trek. It is a terrific illustration of every part that Star Trek will be at its finest, and its message feels simply as related at the moment as ever.
Associated
14 Episode Details You Missed In Star Trek: TNG’s “The Measure Of A Man”
“The Measure of Man” was among the finest episodes of Star Trek: The Subsequent Era. Listed below are 14 particulars you missed.
There could also be extra thrilling episodes of Star Trek, with intense drama and epic area battles, however solely a handful of scenes are as highly effective as Information’s trial. There’s one thing so quintessentially Star Trek concerning the episode even because it touches on subjects far greater than the beloved science fiction franchise. Many Star Trek offerinhs have withstood the take a look at of time, however when you solely watch one, it ought to be Star Trek: The Subsequent Era’s “The Measure of a Man.”
