Evolution

Enterprise plays host to an important scientific experiment in a binary star system.

I found this to be a fairly mediocre start to the third series with an unoriginal story and arguably quite flat character moments.

The plot involves Wesley working on a project that causes big problems for the Enterprise and it's current mission, but the way it unfolds is a retread of the first series episode 'Home Soil'. Similar to this episode it has decent sci-fi, but I found it's resolution to be equally as naff.

What makes 'Evolution' less enjoyable is the character of Dr Stubbs, who I found pretty whiny and irritating in virtually every scene aside from his interaction with Wesley. That being said his juxtaposition with Wesley works fairly well as a warning that this is how the boy may end up in the future if he focuses all his time and energy into work. For me though you need to actually care about this concept to enjoy the character arc.

Dr Beverly Crusher is back aboard the Enterprise which means there is no Dr Pulaski. I have to admit that based on the first two series I preferred Pulaski's character who is the more entertaining of the doctors, albeit slightly too much like Leonard McCoy than necessary.

On a more positive note I think the visuals are mostly great, particularly the images of the Enterprise reflecting the colours of the binary stars. It feels like the production values have strengthened during the third series.

All the regular cast give good performances but I mostly struggled with Ken Jenkins as Dr Stubbs who succeeds in annoying me but little else.

For me it's a 5.5/10, but I round upwards.

In this episode, the first show of season three, Wesley class project goes wrong when he accidentally releases some small nanos (bug like) items throughout the Enterprise. What is happening is that the nanos are eating the ships computer and making the Enterprise perform in an awkward manner. Getting rid of the nanos is very simple but Picard believes that this may be a new life form and will not harm the nanos until more is learned. But communicating with the nanos will take some very odd turn when Data is used as a voice for the small bug-like items.

There is also another situation on board when the Federation sends Dr. Paul Stubbs on a mission to a star that is set to explode. Mr Stubbs lifetime work has been on this subject and now the nanos may make his life's work for naught. Stubbs is against protecting the nanos as it will halt something he will never again experience in his lifetime.

Ken Jenkins plays the stiff Doctor Stubbs but it seems that the writers made the character quite irritating. Why in the world Captain Picard let him in all the commander's meeting is beyond comprehension. The character was snobby, bitter and uninteresting. The character sucked most of the entertainment value out of the story making the episode less interesting. Due to its complicated conception this was not the best episode to start the season. Not one of the better episodes.

A brilliant researcher's life work all rests on the next few days on the Enterprise. Dr. Stubbs' viability of his theories about the lives of suns will be put to the test when a binary star explodes. However, the ship soon begins to experience all sorts of random problems and it's as if the ship has gremlins. But, it turns out everything is Wesley's fault (THANKS, WES!!), as his school project on nano-bots is the reason for the problems. It seems that he accidentally let two loose and they are replicating like crazy and eating up the circuitry of the ship! Can the Enterprise purge itself of these micro-menaces? And, will poor Dr. Stubbs' life work be in vain?

The problem with this episode (like many of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" shows) is completely stuck on the ship and is very static. Without a trip to a planet or any action, the program comes off as very dull. Not a terrible episode but clearly a sub-par one.

The Enterprise has escorted the arrogant, single-minded scientist Paul Stubbs to a binary star system, to conduct an experiment on a massive solar explosion not due again for over a century. However, a number of unexplained technical glitches on the Enterprise threatens the viability of the experiment - much to Stubb's annoyance.

Season three begins with a fairly average episode but one that clearly has enjoyed the benefits of an increased budget. Visual and special effects are much improved over the first two seasons and we finally have the typical TNG crew with the welcome (and understated) return of Dr Crusher. Jenkins is perfectly cast as the grumpy scientist, even if he feels like a prototype Dr Kelso from 'Scrubs'. But the story is a bit of a let down and once again, has too much emphasis on Wesley.

Nano-technology is an interesting subject for great speculation. It's interesting to me that several reviewers were so annoyed with Stubbs' character flaws that they said he ruined the episode. The guy has devoted his entire life to this one event and may be cheated out of it because Wesley Crusher has lost control of another of his science experiments. Granted, he takes matters into his own hands after Picard has put the kebosh on doing in the little buggers. But there seems to be little animus over Mr. Crusher's outrageous experimentation that could take the lives of the entire crew and destroy the ship. For me, this would be the end of any immediate roadway to the Starfleet Academy. He may just be a kid, but he has intellectual powers that are handled in a slipshod, careless way. Whether these microscopic things are a life form is open to discussion. If your car parts act in concert with each other and your modern flywheel arrangement is able to adapt to changes in need, is your car now a lifeform. I'm with Stubbs on this one. Besides, many geniuses are eccentric and he is sanctioned by the powers that be. If he forced Picard's hand (as well as Momma Crusher's annoying concerns) then it may be he that saved the ship.