The Inner Light

It's been almost twenty years now since I first saw "The Inner Light," and I still think it's the best episode of any Star Trek series. The writing, acting and direction are nothing short of brilliant. I was sitting there on 8 Sep 1966 for the premiere of what we now call Trek Classic, and I have never seen them do better than "The Inner Light." Hence, it gets a perfect 10 from me. Whoever called it TNG's "City on the Edge of Forever" was not mistaken, although I think the edge for "best ever episode" goes to "The Inner Light."

It seems odd, really, that the best episodes of Classic and TNG are more or less Star Trek in name only. The Trekkish trappings are all there at the top and bottom of both episodes, but in the middle we get a wonderful story about these characters, who in each case are far removed from their normal time, place and circumstance.

What an achievement this episode was. Writing about this has made me miss the series all over again.

Can't believe it took twenty years to watch this. I'm always leary when people state things like "One of television's finest hours" (which was stated in a review for Deep Space Nine's the Vistor). I thought that episode was good, not great etc. Also a movie like the Godfather tends to have people state that it's one of the best movies ever. Which I thought it was just good also. I had my guard up before this episode. This episode was simply amazing and could be worthy of the "One of television finest hours" mantra. The music at the end stays with you. And you can feel Picard's difficulty of having to adjust to his former life. You know it's good when it inspired me to write my first review.

"The single best hour of television" someone said. This is the only episode where one truly feels what Jean-Luc feels, especially as he returns to the Enterprise.

I have heard many comments, all true I might add, about how great the cast in this one was.

However,I think the wife really sold it and the entire show makes it because she plays it so well. In a few of the scenes she is simply radiant.

I think this wonderful actress may have surpassed her own abilities with this script. I think most actors that are fortunate to find work find that one role where it all just comes together.

This episode should have cleaned up at any awards show. Too bad no one was looking. How is it possible that anyone watched this and didn't think it worthy of an award?

Someday maybe Hollywood will get it. While the technical stuff is all fine and good, only a good story can be made into a great movie or episode. And this story was really good.

I will admit that I am not a die-hard Star Trek fan. I am more of casual fan who watches the show occasionally and nabs the occasional DVD. In fact before watching this on the recently released "Alternate Realities" DVD box set, I really don't think I had seen this episode before. I say that with regret because out of the many episodes of The Next Generation I have seen, I would have no issue with calling this one of the best i have seen if not the best.

For one thing there's the performance of Patrick Stewart. Stewart gets to step out of his role of Jean-Luc Picard to play Kamin, a simple man living in simple world. Stewart portrays first Picard then to Kamin and the truth is that if it wasn't for the occasional scenes on the Enterprise the transition would be complete because even though Stewart plays both roles they are completely different people. It's a fantastic performance to say the least and a true shame that Stewart wasn't even nominated for an Emmy for this performance.

Around Stewart is a terrific supporting cast. There the villagers made up of Richard Riehle and Scott Jaeck in speaking roles who both do well. Then there's Kammin's family including Jennifer Nash as his daughter Meribor and Patrick Stewart's own son Daniel Stewart as Batai. The true standout though of the supporting cast is Margot Rose as Kamin's wife Eline. Like Stewart, it is a shame that Rose wasn't even nominated for an Emmy Award because she gives an excellent performance.

Yet behind all the excellent performances there lies the script. Writers Morgan Gendel and Peter Allan Fields created a story that while set on another planet is more of a human drama then it is a science fiction story. True it has science fiction elements all in it (it wouldn't be Star Trek without them) but these two writers in this script reveal a basic truth about science fiction: a science fiction story is only as compelling as the human story within it. The Inner Light be lack space battles but it has more then enough heart to make up for it and is all the better for it.

From the performance of Patrick Stewart to the supporting cast and the script, The Inner Light is a first rate episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. That is because, that while it may be lacking in the seemingly prerequisite space battles and aliens, it has a fascinating human drama playing out not beneath it all but at the forefront of it all. In fact, The Inner Light is all the better for it. If you want to see what makes a great science fiction story see this episode.