Time's Arrow

I take GREAT Offense to those who pan this episode and particularly when they pan the great job Jerry Hardin ("Deep Throat" from The X-Files) did with Mark Twain. I've heard recordings of Mark Twain impersonators who knew him in his lifetime, and I've seen the rare footage Edison did of him, this marries the two. So we can literally SEE Mark Twain speak and walk and it is just done SO well, even compared to Hal Holbrook's great work.

In fact, I believe this episode happened. These two episode are so well written, and the concept is so odd, that I have to ask, which alternate universe did it come from? It's not the usual Time Travel gimmickry. As usual my formula for great Time episodes are when it's accidental, and I would say Data stumbling from Dividia II in the 24th Century to Market Street in 1893 San Fransisco is one great bumble.

And he does not lose a beat, he immediately picks up a newspaper and starts getting his bearings - AND a Poker Game with Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) and Mr Mott in human form, who says "Go to Blazes" to Joe Fallinghawk, the other card shark.

But what is of great importance here is Guinan's role in this, we finally get some great background of the character, and to see her with Mark Twain and Data just tickles me.

These Dividia II Aliens were so strange, so bizarre, and what they were doing so Insidious that my skin crawled. And that "Ophidian"... Shudder.

Data has to inspect his own 500-year old head, which is another creepy thing. "It has happened, it Will happen" - Only Data sees this logically without any fear.

But Mark Twain gets more than he bargains for when he eavesdrops on Guinan and Data. And why is that kid "Jack" at the Hotel so familiar? When I say I believe this story happened, well, "it has happened, it will happen..."

After the silly, dull "The Inner Light", TNG returns to form with this excellent, important two-parter.

When Data's head is found in a long-abandoned mine or Earth, the crew investigates, which leads to Data being transported to the 19th century.

It's interesting that even though Data has no grasp of contractions, he's able to speak French, which has mandatory contractions.

It's also nice that Guinan is finally given something to do. This episode starts to elaborate on the close relationship between her and Picard, but there are still many unanswered questions.

Having recently watched each of the 26* episodes of Season Five again, I decided to rate them in order of MY personal preference.

The points awarded to each episode are only used in comparison with other episodes of this season. Those Top 6 shows as listed below are the ones I would choose to put forward from season five and add to my list of Top TNG shows of the entire series.

*In the case of the first episode of Season Five being the conclusion to a two-part episode which began as the Season Four finale, I decided to rate both episodes as a part of Season Five. Therefore 'Redemption, I & II' has been rated in this list and not as part of Season Four.

**The Season Five finale: Time Arrows, Pt I & II will feature in my Season Six reviews.

Each of these S05 'Top 6' shows will be reviewed again once I have completed watching the entire series as part of my REVIEW 2022.

The Inner Light (10/10) I Borg (10/10) Unification I & II (10/10) The First Duty (10/10) Ensign Ro (10/10) Redemption, Pt I &II (10/10)

Several other episodes could have been included in this list, but overall missed the cut simply because I didn't feel they were quite as strong as these six.

Cause and Effect (10/10) Darmok (10/10)

Bottom Four Shows Of Season Five The Masterpiece Society (06/10) A Matter Of Time (06/10) The Perfect Mate (06/10) Ethics (05/10)

Enterprise is visits Earth following a surprise archeological discovery.

This is an enjoyable episode that has a lot going on but contains some interesting character moments.

The plot has a brilliant hook with the artefact shown in the introductory scene, however it meanders in a number of directions and extended scenes of philosophical dialogue that kills a lot of the momentum, but is nonetheless entertaining.

All the scenes involving Guinan, Data, and interaction with characters from the past are all good exchanges. Caryn Johnson, Brent Spiner, and Jerry Hardin make all these scenes work well. The prospect of Data at a nineteenth century San Francisco poker table is highly amusing.

Where it falters for a layperson like me is the volume of technobabble. Usually Star Trek characters explain it in a fairly understandable way, but this script just hits you with it without any real clarity.

I enjoyed the cinematography, set design, costumes, and general art design. Plus the special effects are very good, particularly the severed head.

Captain Picard gets an interesting call to return to earth, there's been an archaeological find of great importance near San Francisco. Now Patrick Stewart's hobby is archaeology, but there are competent archaeologists on earth.

But they wouldn't know what to make of what they found. It's the detached head of Commander Data and it's been there since roughly around the turn of the 20th century.

As Brent Spiner is an android his observations are detached and clinical. His fellow crewmen on the Enterprise aren't sure how to treat him either.

There is alien activity and Spiner goes back to the late 19th century in San Francisco and meets up with Mark Twain played by Jerry Hardin and a young bell boy Jack London played by Michael Aron. And there's Guinan too whom we know measures her life in millenia. Spiner's meeting with Whoopi Goldberg is most interesting.

All this setting the stage for the succeeding episode. I know my appetite was whetted.