A Matter of Time

The Enterprise is dealing with a planet undergoing global cooling--a popular theory that was popularized by many of the folks who later popularized global warming. The ship is trying to figure out a way to reverse the cooling--when out of nowhere, a weirdo researcher who identifies himself as coming from the future arrives on the ship. He butters up the crew and tells them that he's here to see THE Enterprise --the one that is such importance to the history of the Federation. The Captain seems to accept this very readily and allows the guy to stay aboard and observe this mission. He also allows the guy to administer questionnaires to the crew and ask them questions. Unfortunately, changing the planet's climate is not easy--and the Captain is worried he'll destroy it in the process. And, unfortunately, this researcher is NOT exactly who he claims to be.

Matt Frewer was a good choice to play the time traveler, as he has had a long history of playing goofy characters---and this one is rather goofy. All in all, the show is inconsequential but also enjoyable-- with a nice ending.

'A Matter of Time' is a time-travel story, but with one caveat: it's really more about the consequences of knowing the future instead of actually moving through the fourth dimension. Cue the ample deliberation around a conference table scenes, a hallmark of this show.

But there's a key element that really breathes life into this: Matt Frewer, playing a historian from another time. The man relishes his role and adds a charming sense of guile to his scenes. We know deep down we can't trust him, but the guy sure is likable.

All of this is happening while the Enterprise is trying to save a planetside colony from its own geologic imbalance (which lends its own tension) but for me, this all rides on the historian character.

Lesser casting might've crippled this episode.

7/10

Reaching Penthara IV after an asteroid wreaks havoc of catastrophic proportions, the Enterprise crew deals with trying to save the planet. It's the dust cloud left by the asteroid that is the real concern. Could a temporal distortion have anything to do with what's going on?

This episode first aired on November 16, 1991. At the time of writing, that was almost 31 years ago. Of those of us old enough to remember that time, watching this episode now is comparable to something we might have watched in 1991 that was first aired in 1960. The Andy Griffith Show, or My Three Sons, or Route 66. Many shows in 1960 were Westerns and it was usually the case that they also had an influence on other shows of that period.

Similarly, in 1991 we get science fiction shows that tend to follow the format more closely linked to the soap-opera's that were very much in vogue at that time. So we shouldn't be surprised when watching some of these shows now, they tend to focus too much on the crew-related behaviour to certain issues, rather than having anything to do with science fiction. Unfortunately, I tended to phase in and out of this episode at different times, as the show seemed a little unsure of what aspect of the story it wanted to focus on... even saving the planet took only a moment, before we were back with trying to figure out who the historian was, and what he wanted. I didn't really care.

This Episodes Clue: Mayor Jason Hobart.

A time traveller. Never mind from the 26th or 23rd century. Picard should ask the mystery man whether he would like Deanna Troi sacrificed, or the entire ship steered into that exploding sun. Because, if you can travel through time, that can only mean you are God. Q, in other episodes, could have faked his omnipotence using holo simulations. In this episode, the TNG meets the actual Almighty. Jokes aside, as a TNG writer, you absolutely can't allow individuals to master time travel. It destroys all logic. That also means no 'Section 31' Star Trek spin-off. No organisation can supervise unauthorized time travel. From then on, Star Trek would become a nonsensical DC universe. That's not where this problem ends. When I'm done with this critique, you'll want this episode erased from Star Trek canon. Because it is this kind of stupidity that gets people - killed. Rasmussen, the time traveller, just explained to everyone that he travels through - time! From here on, everyone has to assume that he controls - everything - and - everyone! "Oh gosh, I'm on my own! Because he is not paying me! Everyone else could only possibly be on his side! Without telling me! Why would they tell me ? I'm on my own!" Young people need to spot the modern-day equivalent: not time travellers but money bags. Rich people. Rich people can sort you out at any point, off guard, unchallenged, and you won't be able to challenge them. If someone just prove to you that they own a million dollars, then run! Else, you'll get shot and people will laugh at your grave. It's dangerous to depict a time traveller who is evidently opposed - but "might be a good person underneath it all." --- Search "Trek Greenspace" on Google Play Books and join my Star Trek Fan Project!

This episode has the Enterprise on a mission to save a planet from the consequences of an asteroid crashing into an uninhabited section of the planet. The dust clouds raised threaten a nuclear winter type phenomenon.

Geordi on the ground with their leading scientist Stefan Gierasch work on one solution and when that compounds the problem work toward another solution hat will need pin point timing and accuracy.

While all this is going on a man with a futuristic ship beams on the Enterprise bridge Matt Frewer a quirky sort claims to be a historian from the 26th century here to see events. Picard and others suspect there's more to him, maybe less depending on your point of view.

Frewer's quirky character and the race to save the planet make this a good entry.