Coming of Age

It took 18 episodes but finally TNG *works*. Wunderkind Wesley at long last becomes a real boy. Picard really shines as both as a leader and a substitute father. And while the whole "mysterious threat" thing has been overplayed and makes you roll your eyes nowadays (see: JJ Abrams mystery box), here it is a detail, not the entire focus. Plus there's an actual payoff which isn't awful. Those were the days...

In this TNG story the Enterprise is hosting a few visitors. Admiral Ward Costello and his aide Robert Schenkkman are on board, but the Admiral won't tell Patrick Stewart the reason for the visit. In the meantime Schenkkman who is an officious little twit goes around the ship poking his nose into a lot of places that don't concern him. That has the crew really annoyed and Jonathan Frakes duly reports said annoyance to the captain.

I think the subplot is stronger however. Commander Robert Ito and a few candidates for StarFleet Academy are also on board and the Enterprise is used as a training exercise field. That offers no advantage to Wil Wheaton who is one of those candidates. Some really interesting tests are given the candidates, especially the last one for Wesley Crusher who is reminded of the great family tragedy in his life.

Nicely done with both Costello and Schenkkman returning in the future in the same characters.

Until I started re watching this series, I didn't realize what a dominant presence Wesley was early on. He has already done two or three things that have saved the bacon of the crew. In this one he is about go to a place where he and three other candidates will vie for a single entry into Star Fleet Academy. Of course, the things they do are beyond our understanding (as well as the script writers). It's hard to imagine him having so much punch on board, but that's entertainment. The other, more serious, plot involves an investigation on board the Enterprise the object of which is completely hidden from us. An over-zealous investigator with no sense of humor and no tact begins to grill the crew. Everything seems to center around Picard's competence. The mysterious nature of this will apparently be explained at a later date, as my fellow reviewers have indicated. The Academy test is interesting with four candidates, one a Vulcan and the other a guy who apparently needs a tray under his chin to breath in some vapors. There is also the other earthling, a very attractive young woman who Wesley has a Crusher on (bad joke). Anyway, the final test, while interesting, has been done to death in other settings on other shows. Pretty easy to see it coming.

"Coming of Age," from Season 1 of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," brings a refreshing focus on character development amidst its narrative of tests and trials. This episode cleverly intertwines two main plots: Wesley Crusher's attempt to join Starfleet Academy and Captain Picard's unexpected evaluation by Starfleet officials.

The episode shines in its portrayal of Wesley, providing him a chance to shine with his peers, adding depth to his character beyond the wunderkind stereotype. The interactions, especially with the alien Mordock, played by John Putch, are delightful, showcasing some of the best makeup work of the series to date (it even got an Emmy nomination!). Putch's performance under all that latex is commendable, bringing humanity to his character without overplaying.

On the other side, the subplot involving Captain Picard and the mysterious visit from Admiral Quinn and his aide, Remick, adds tension and intrigue. The crew's loyalty to Picard is tested, offering viewers a glimpse into the dynamics and trust within the ship. However, the conspiracy element feels somewhat underdeveloped, leaving one wanting more follow-through on this plot thread.

The episode does stumble in its pacing, taking a while to engage fully. Once it does, though, it delivers some memorable moments, particularly the scenes between Picard and the young Jake, and Wesley's interactions with the seasoned crew like Worf, giving us pivotal character moments that are both educational and heartfelt.

While the idea of only one slot available at Starfleet Academy seems a bit odd, it serves the story's purpose, emphasizing the competitive nature of the test and Wesley's eventual growth through failure. The episode's conclusion, with its lessons on resilience and the value of teamwork, gives it a feel-good quality that's quintessentially "Star Trek."

"Coming of Age" is a strong episode for its character focus and some standout performances. It might not push the boundaries of the "Star Trek" universe, but it solidifies the series' commitment to exploring personal growth and loyalty, making it a worthy watch for fans of the franchise.

Writing in 2021, it is great to see that I am not the only person taking a retrospective look at Star Trek, the Next Generation. When this series was first released in 1987, a little less than twenty years after the end of the Original Series, many people thought that, without Captain Kirk and his crew, it couldn't really be Star Trek. However, original creator Gene Roddenberry, was fully invested in the casting, writing and overall look of the new series, so let's see how it shaped up:

Coming of Age: a classic interweaving of two stories, neither of which were thought capable of standing up on their own. I'm not so sure.

The hostile inspection by a slightly creepy Star Fleet representative was clearly meant as a forerunner to Conspiracy, aired later in the season. By jettisoning the B story and having the new Captain and crew admit to the occasional mistake or lack of confidence, this episode could have been made to feel much more ominous.

On the other hand: Wesley's competitors were an interesting bunch and the tests they were put through properly challenging. Certainly, this too could have made an interesting stand alone episode. We know now that young Mr Crusher went on to fail to get into Star Fleet on multiple occasions, then got involved in an ugly conspiracy that cost the life of one of his classmates, quit Star Fleet in a huff towards the end of the series and then, mysteriously, fetched up back in uniform in the film Nemesis. I hope the other recruits did better.

(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)