Conundrum

The Enterprise comes across an alien vessel which sends a probe into it for a few seconds. When it's done no one on the crew even the Android Data has any memory of who they are. But accessing personal files they discover who's who and does what on the ship.

They've also added a new member of the bridge team. Erich Anderson is now number the executive officer with Jonathan Frakes moved down a notch. He seems to blend right in, but we know he's there for a sinister purpose.

A most sinister purpose. This was an intriguing idea for an episode, but I can't quite overcome the feeling that an alien enemy who could do this could do quite a bit more to the TNG crew if it had to.

Let's say that the better instincts of Jean-Luc Picard are not overcome in this situation.

Why didn't they use that beam on the Lysians?

I have a feeling this episode was just to create a love triangle between Will, Ro Laren, and Deanna.

"Conundrum" is a really cool episode--with a very interesting and very devious plot. The Enterprise comes upon a strange ship. The ship begins scanning the Enterprise and suddenly EVERYONE (including Data) has their memory wiped. The ship is now filled with crew who have no idea who they are and who is in charge. It's interesting how some of the crew change personalities or assume things--such as Ro suddenly NOT being an angry and disagreeable lady and Worf automatically assuming HE is the Captain! But it gets VERY devious when you realize that there is a NEW second in command--a Commander McDuff. And, even more devious is that the computer system has been altered to tell them that they've been at war with the Lysians for years and are to proceed to Lysian space to destroy them!! So, the evil aliens at the beginning of the show are using the Enterprise and its crew to destroy their enemies! Nice folks, huh? So will the Enterprise figure out what's happening before it's too late?

This is a terrific episode with one huge problem--why didn't the aliens just make McDuff the Captain?! Then, their evil plan would have gone without a hitch. Still, despite this, the show is a really novel idea and impressed me because of this. Plus, I LIKE devious!!

When one accepts a willing suspension of disbelief, he can go from there. I decided not to worry about how the loss of memory was accomplished and go from there. It was interesting how the pecking order began to be established. While Macbeth never appeared on Star Trek, MacDuff showed up here. We close viewers of Star Trek notice quickly that this guy shouldn't be here. What the heck is he up to? We find out quickly that he is a war monger. The neat thing is that while the crew didn't know who they were, they maintained their areas of expertise. Worf assumes authority which would be a natural leap, considering self-survival is the first thing they must establish. A things play out, they believe they are at war and have been for a long time. This helps to fuse them into soldiers, although Picard begins to have some doubts. MacDuff eggs people on, trying to convince them they must kill or be killed. Clues slowly surface and once they know their positions on the ship, it helps to define them. Unfortunately, it concludes so abruptly, we don't get to see the pieces fall into place. Still, lots of fun.

'Conundrum' is an episode I hadn't seen before and it's greatness is due to its premise; an inventive way to shake things up on a long- running show. The crew suffer amnesia and find themselves at war with an unknown race, at the same time left to guess what positions they hold on the ship. this is how you get Word in the center chair, Picard at the helm, and data tending bar. It also (temporarily) rewrites the book on relationships; Riker shacks up with Ro while his history with Troi is nebulous. The payoff is in the final scene when both women are wise and Riker's in the doghouse.

But the episode's an inherent riddle. Why is there no intel on the ship and who's this new guy MacDuff as first officer? Why are they at war with the Lysians, and why does this feel like a dream? It's that morality Picard's struggling with that makes this entertaining.

8/10