The Neutral Zone

Enterprise is ordered to the neutral zone and picks up three cryogenically frozen passengers on route.

This is an amusing episode but a fairly low key effort to finish series one, aside from the re-introduction of some big name franchise villains.

The story is tangled between two plots reminiscent of classic original series episodes. We have the Khan-like situation of the three guest characters and the 'Balance Of Terror' throwback of the Romulan encounter. Generally, the writers put most of the effort into the former and pay minimal lip-service to the latter so you will tune in next season.

The guest characters are moderately entertaining but mostly annoy the Enterprise crew and probably many viewers. I enjoyed some of their interactions with crew members. Clemmons is pretty funny and although Offenhaus is annoying, he does allow Picard to expand on the state of society in the twenty-forth century. Gracie is less interesting but does look at the the situation from the perspective of losing family members.

As for the Romulans, for their brief time they are enjoyable, but there is no actual plot other than them announcing their presence.

The Romulan ship design and visual is very good, whilst the scenes on board the space capsule at the beginning are very well done.

Most performances are solid, but there is nobody particularly outstanding other than Leon Rippy who is fun as Clemmons.

So this is what happens when you glue two scripts you found together.

Three people are woken up 370 years after they died. I don't think any of them acts like a normal human would. "Aliens are real?! We're in space?! That machine can make anything i want?!" Nope, none of that. Instead, one guy just wants his money, another wants booze and the lady is just weeping constantly.

The Romulans are extremely goofy looking with their monk-hair, but their ship looks amazing and they're at least more interesting than Klingons. The big mystery ends up not getting resolved, which is probably the main problem with this episode. It's somewhat entertaining but ultimately falls flat.

Data does not know the meaning of "homemaker" when I am sure he has access to the largest computerized dictionary in the universe? Maybe it is time for an upgrade! :-) There were other episodes that I question things happening that do not make sense. I am sure I enjoy the series nonetheless.

Fun episode, BUT... I just don't like the rich businessman Offenhouse.

I was never a fan of this actor in many of the things I have seen him in, he is just too much of a jerk.