The Neutral Zone

I agree that this is low octane episode. Three people are beamed back to the Enterprise after being "frozen" based on the premise that if a cure is found, they can be revived. Over three hundred years later they are. The people are a young homemaker, a cutthroat businessman (according to one reviewer a leftist who makes capitalists look bad), and a good natured ne'er do well guitar-playing drunk who enjoys the heck out of his new digs. These people become real nuisances, getting in the way, and not understanding the gravity of things. Meanwhile, a serious confrontation with the Romulans is about to take place. This is serious, but certainly isn't shown that way. The confrontation and the three passenger theme are underdeveloped, but it certainly isn't worth a one rating. Quit letting your prejudices speak for you. These are reviews.

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

I wouldn't consider this a spoiler: funniest, most incisive, best sci-fi futuristic line I've ever heard in the entire series or most others, for that matter. These three characters from the 20th century who have been cryogenically frozen for 400 years are thawed out and there is one exchange that is priceless:

L.Q. 'Sonny' Clemmons (pointing toward computer screen on wall): Let's see if the Braves are on. How do you turn on this TV?

Riker: TV?

L.Q. 'Sonny' Clemmons: Yeah, the boob tube. I'd like to see how the Braves are doing after all this time. Still prob'ly findin' ways to lose.

Data: I believe he means television, Sir.That particular form of entertainment did not last much beyond the year 2040.

And yet, tonight when I watched this on BBC-America, whatever imbecile edited it for time chose to remove this, the best line I ever heard, by Data!

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.

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.