Rascals

'Rascals' is the first TNG episode in a long time to . . . eh, it just doesn't do anything for me. It's clear that they were going for something light-hearted with a title like that, but it's the execution that's a problem. The science involved is flimsy (it's just there to explain the problem away) and even though the child actors are able, the absence of Patrick Stewart just saps this of any dramatic wright.

And then the Ferengi walk in, and things were already silly enough.

5/10

The Enterprise continues it's long standing reputation as having terribly lax security, and Worf his personal reputation for being the worst security chief ever. Once again he gets beaten to the punch (or phaser in this case), misses his shot and allows two puny Ferengi to take over the Bridge. Then a token crew of SIX Ferengi take over the entire Enteriprise ship of OVER A THOUSAND people.

Assuming that ridiculous premise, the rest of the episode is a fun romp of Picard, Ro and Guinan in kid bodies duping the Ferengi and getting the ship back. The kid actors do a great job of acting like their adult counterparts.

Funny, interesting, unique, and a good story to boot. Everything one looks for in a good episode, but I wish it was an hour longer! Easily my favorite.

The plot for "Rascals" is kind of dumb, I'll admit. But it is an enjoyable episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation". It's the sort of thing that you can easily enjoy, though you really need to avoid thinking--lest the silliness of the plot will give you a headache!

Through a transport malfunction, the Captain, Ro and Guinan are all transported back to the ship...as children! Why this happened is important but how to get them back as they were--that's a serious problem. But, the problem turns out to be a blessing when the ship it taken by rogue Ferengi. How? See the show.

Apparently the person who wrote the show also thought this was a dumb idea for a show. But, he did manage to make the most of it and the show has some cute moments. Well worth seeing but immensely silly and inconsequential.

Premise: Four Next Generation characters are reverted to Children, but keep their adult memories.

Everyone who watches this episode says "I Wish". Most of us would want to stay that way, I know I would.

But there is always one person who will be a Party-Pooper: Here, it is Ro Laren. In Sharp Contrast to Guinan who is having the time of her 500- year plus life. But Ro has a point. Most of us when remembering Childhood don't have fond memories of it, because we were short, awkward, and bumbled around until we were 17 or so. Ro can't be blamed much, because her Childhood included starvation, torture, terrorism, and finally escape from an internment camp much like Velos II. But as far as Guinan is concerned, she knows how to make any situation into a party, which she does here and drags Ro right along with her.

David Birkin makes another appearance on Trek, originally he was Picard's nephew Rene in the 4th Season 2nd episode "Family". This is ideal, as there would be a family resemblance- This gives the episode a lot of clout, especially when dealing with Picard.

As far as Keiko, Ro and Guinan, Caroline Junko King from "3 Ninjas Kick Back" looks a lot like a younger Rosalind Chao (Despite really being Japanese). Megan Parlen from "Hang Time" does a very convincing Mini-Ro, but the prize goes to Isis Jones as Young Guinan- and in fact the only other film or Television credit she has is for playing a younger version of Whoopi Goldberg in "Sister Act 2".

It wasn't enough just to find kids that looked like Picard, Keiko, Ro and Guinan - The physical attributes were not enough to make us believe that these were all younger versions of our principles victims of the week's conundrum - It was the way these kids actually became our four "Conundrumites" down to the last earring of Ro's and Facepalm of Picard's.

Megan and Isis when having their little arguments are a lot like Whoopi and Michelle when they first met in Ten Forward. Isis is intrusive and gets right into Ro's business- Just like Guinan did to Ro in her debut episode.

Caroline and Colm are still "Mr and Mrs O'Brien" and Caroline's every movement is what Keiko would do, down to the pulling of Colm's ear.

And David Birkin's Picard is nothing else but perfect, especially in talking to his Number One "Dad" Riker.

It was all just so much fun- if anything, Trek is supposed to be fun as well as whatever else it is- and here, it is.

The award for this ep goes to Alexander's toy whatever it is... that thing looked very familiar, like I had seen one of those before. There is a YouTube video made by the person who acquired the prop where they show the thing in close-up. I remember when I was a teenager, I had some kind of solar powered toy that had a dome on the top and I thought this toy might have been one of those. But it might have been some other toy, and the prop makers for trek acquired it and made it work for them. As it was, the prop makers inserted a radio controlled car to the underside of the prop and that is what made it move around. But I have been trying to find out the origins of Alexander's toy ever since I saw this episode... I know I have seen one of those things before.

As far as the other aspect of this episode goes: The Enterprise D could easily vaporize two old Klingon Jalopies. And of course, the D was taken by surprise. We can suspend disbelief by just assuming these Ferengi were Lucky Shots. Ultimately, they were merely Ferengi and outsmarted themselves. Mike Gomez is Daimon Lurin, who is "In Business for Himself" and not part of the Ferengi Alliance. I never thought actual members of the Ferengi Alliance would be as stupid as he was, even though they had been "Foolish" a number of times. But here they are bumbling, inept fools. Tracey Walter re-appears again as a Ferengi, this time "Berik", and one other, "Morta" played by Michael Snyder.

This episode is a clear revelation of what happens when The Three Stooges try to take over a Galaxy Class Starship - They get their asses handed to them on platters by Kids. But that is par for the course, Ferengi always kick themselves in whatever glands they use when they start thinking of Females...

And Profit.

Edit: this is in reference to somebody's review who made a comment that "their uniforms shrunk"- well, their uniforms did not shrink, when the "children" are first beamed onto the transporter pad, you can see that their clothing is several times too large. In fact there was a scene in Picard's quarters where he is fitting himself into a newly tailored jacket, made for a smaller version of himself. Their clothing did not magically shrink when they got caught in the energy field, they were issued new uniforms. Also: Ensign Ro talks about being back at her station in her "own uniform", indicating that she is wearing a new uniform.