Sarek

Amazing performance by Stewart that grabs you by the throat a forces you to look into a tortured soul. Do not miss this one.

Enterprise hosts a peace conference where Ambassador Sarek is to mediate.

This is a strong character episode that should please fans and has great performances from Patrick Stewart and Mark Lenard.

The plot is fairly good with a great theme relating to the ageing process. Anyone who has witnessed the failing health of an elderly person should be able to relate to what happens, particularly how it's handled by close family or friends who like to protect an individual from having to acknowledge or reveal a condition such as Alzheimer's disease.

Sarek and Perrin have a number of great moments, particularly Sarek who lives up to the aura that exists around him. His interactions with the Enterprise crew are compelling, particularly Captain Picard.

Picard has one of his most memorable episodes where he takes on a number of very difficult responsibilities and one for which he has to suffer greatly.

It is entertaining to watch the remainder of the crew with the aggressive symptoms as they fight and behave in a confrontational way toward each other. The only issue I have with this aspect of the plot is that it reduces the impact of some of Sarek's outbursts because we have been presented with so much anger already. Personally I think the plot would have been strong enough without the sci-fi aspect of Sarek's condition affecting other crew members.

Mark Lenard gives another excellent performance, showing good range as this plot calls for much emotion.

All the regular cast are great as a lot of them play against type with their angry outbursts.

Patrick Stewart treats us to some of the finest acting of the series during one epically tense scene near the end.

Spock's ailing father and legendary Federation ambassador Sarek boards the Enterprise on his way to conclude long-running peace talks with the Legarans. However, Sarek's ill-health puts the mission in jeopardy and forces Picard into an unenviable position.

A powerful episode that brings together the original series and TNG in fine fashion. The story may be a thinly disguised look at the ravages of dementia but thanks to Lenard's presence and an astonishing performance from Stewart (reminding us again how great an actor he really is), this sensitive episode is well worth watching and handles its subject matter and characters with dignity and grace.

Vulcan alzheimers is nothing to gloss over, and the show does an excellent job with the disease, the fallout, and an excellent (if temporary) treatment. If only more episodes dealt with flaws in such manner, rather than abandon all logic in order to put forth a shallow, lazy short story. The arguments and fights shown were all excellent as well, with some refreshing violence to break up the monotony inherent in the mythos.

I think it's impressive enough that a respected character was borough onto TNG as a bridge to the Original Series, but the execution thereof just raises it to a whole different level. Sarek is losing control of his emotions on the eve of his crowning diplomatic achievement - which is shattering to a Vulcan and an interesting way to see the effects of dementia. Picard says it best: "It's ironic, isn't it? All this magnificent technology, and we still find ourselves susceptible to the ravages of old age" But it's also Picard who ends up coming through in the end, and the scenes with Stewart and Lenard are both powerful and heartbreaking.

Honestly, before watching this, I'd just expected to see Sarek show up as little more than a nod, like DeForest Kelley in 'Encounter at Farpoint'.

But this was a surprisingly considerate story.

9/10