Birthright, Part I

Worf receives some potentially disturbing news about his family, whilst Data experiences a series of visions.

This is an interesting episode with two good character stories.

The Data story for me is the better of the two and involves a number of dreamy cinematic moments that Data attempts to interpret. Bizarrely though it comes to an abrupt conclusion, whilst Worf's adventure continues throughout the next episode.

As story arcs they are very different, whilst thematically quite similar with a lot of emphasis on the history and influence of their fathers. Both generate a lot of intrigue and build up intrigue for part two.

The crossover with Deep Space Nine is not necessary for the story and for me feels like a bit of a gimmick. On the other hand Alexander Siddig is good in his scenes with Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton and they make a likeable trio of nerds. I think Michael Dorn and James Cromwell are also good.

There is a moment when Data and Worf cross paths in the story with an exchange of dialogue that is probably the best scene in the episode.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.

"Birthright: Part 1" is an episode meant to connect "Star Trek: The Next Generation" with its new spin-off series "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" which debuted around the same time as this episode. Oddly, however, the only real tie-in is seeing the station as well as Dr. Bashir and NONE of the other station regulars. This is quite odd-- like a half-hearted tie-in show.

When the show begins, Dr. Bashir and Data are talking a lot about stuff. Then, unexpectedly, their little experiment in engineering runs amok and zaps Data with a bazillion volts. He's inoperable for about 30 seconds and during that time he has what seems like a near- death experience with his creator, Dr. Soong. During the rest of the show, Data tries to come to terms with this.

The other plot involves Worf. Some alien approaches him and says that Worf's father did NOT die years ago during a Romulan attack but is STILL being held prisoner. He then gets this mercenary guy to take him to this planet to investigate.

Overall, we have two plots that are just okay...nothing more. The show is odd for a two-parter because not a lot of consequence occurs.

Of course, Part One is there to lay the foundation for Part Two. In this episode we have two coinciding story lines. The first involves Worf meeting an alien in a bar who, for a price, will give him information on the location of his father. Worf is intrigued because he has assumed his father is dead and his existence on a Romulan controlled planet would bring disgrace to generations of his family, including his son, Alexander. He and the alien embark on a trip to the planet. Meanwhile, Data has begun having strange, surreal dreams. He wanders hallways, seeing the same images of his "father"/creator. He tries to analyze these things, using the science of dream interpretation and Jungian symbolism. Since as an android, he shouldn't be dreaming, where is this coming from? Both plots are interesting but I have to admit, I wasn't totally grabbed at this point.

This jungle is very dangerous and you need weapons and to be wary but hey let's put a naked clingon female baithing by herself in the middle of it.. So stupid.

This happened at DS9!

When I first saw Picard and Crusher walk into the Promenade, I was expecting more interaction with the DS9 cast.

It didn't happen.

Oh, we did get Alexander Siddig El Fadil onto the Enterprise, but there would have been:

Picard arguing with "The Sisko" about Aqueducts

Worf and Odo catching Quark in some crooked "enterprise"

Riker getting Fleeced by Quark and Rom the first time he ever plays Dabo...

And Howlin Mad Broccoli screwing up the Holosuites, he gets trapped in one with Geordi.

That's what could have happened.

I really don't know why there were not more Crossover eps like this, of course the first DS9 ep was a crossover, involving Picard, O'Brien, and The Sisko.

But there was a real opportunity here, to totally merge the casts of both shows. I have always wondered why it never happened. It could have even happened in the TNG Movies, while DS9 was still on the air.

But all we got was this meager episode.

As an episode, important things happen for Data and Worf and Data did get to spend time with Bashir. Even though Bashir forgot to put his shoes back on for his last walk down the Corridor.

Within the parallel Data/Worf stories there is an internal continuity. The Data story is rather interesting, but the Worf story, that's another missed opportunity.

And of course this is one of James Cromwell's 3 TNG Appearances, this time, well, see if you can guess who he is? It took me a few viewings for me to figure out who he was in this.

Look also for Tom Paris' "father" Richard Herd. And Harry Kim's fiance from "Non Sequitur".

It's not that this pair of episodes were not good, But a huge missed opportunity: TNG and DS9 were the most watched shows from this time period, they could have done so much with this.