-Written by Kyle Bain.
When suddenly Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is replaced by the commanding Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox)–the Enterprise team finds themselves treading water. Faced by Cardassian Gul Madred (David Warner), Picard seems to face his biggest challenge to date. The rest of the crew must race to rescue their fearless former leader before it’s too late and the world as they know it comes crashing down around them.
For all intents and purposes, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II are a film within the Star Trek canon. While they are two separate episodes that exists within a greater arch for characters like Picard and Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the fluidity of the two episodes, as they come together to create one, cohesive story presents itself to viewers in a way impressively similar to that of the other “Next Generation” films. So many people played a role in helping to develop each of these films, and the success of their collaborations does not go unnoticed, as each and every piece of this two-part episode (or film as I’ll refer to it going forward) blends into one brilliant piece of art.
The most important aspect of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II is the character development, as the four leads develop at an extraordinary rate, completing entire character arcs in just under an hour and a half. The four characters in question are Picard, Riker, Jellico, and Gul Madred, and while each of them is wildly different from the rest–they work together to create something of a whole that makes the story present in Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II possible. A roller coaster ride of sorts, particularly in regard to Jellico, each of these characters experience a series of incredibly human scenarios, relationships, and emotions that span the entirety of the film. The ebbs and flows that exist within each of the character arcs create a naturally occurring narrative that develops in the most effective way. I was pulled into each of these characters’ stories, made to feel something for each of them, and during even the most evil moments of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II, their character resonated with me.
The sophistication present in the dialogue is representative of what Star Trek is as a whole, and possibly the best example of what the franchise has to offer. There’s often something Shakespearean about the dialogue where the conversations present themselves as far more than that, with incredible depth present in nearly every word spoken. There’s a conversation that takes place between Jellico, Riker, and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) in which Jellico’s true character is revealed, and, again, reminds me of something you might see in a work of Shakespeare. There’s gravity present in nearly every word spoken, and the intensity that is developed through words alone is a testament to the script and the acting of everyone involved.
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II relies heavily on hair and makeup in order to create something believable in which viewers can connect. My experience with the Cardassians being limited–only having briefly seen Garak (Andrew Robinson) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine–characters such as Gul Madred and Gul Lemec (John Durbin) was something of a shock to me. In order to develop a devastatingly harrowing race of characters, the hair and makeup needs to be effectively flawless, and Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II ultimately achieves this. Never once did I question the validity of these characters, never once did I think they came across as silly or off putting–and they serve their purpose within Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II and the grand scheme of the Star Trek: The Next Generation narrative.
I have nothing but good things to say about Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II, with it potentially being the best Star Trek property that I’ve seen to date. I often felt a genuine connection to the characters and this narrative as a whole, stemming from the hair and makeup, the acting, and the brilliant dialogue. Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command, Parts I & II is inspirational, powerful, expertly crafted, and a story that I feel even those that don’t watch Star Trek should watch at some point in their lives. The humanity present in each of these characters is impressive, with nearly every bit of them resonating with me in one way or another.
Directed by Robert Sheerer & Les Landau.
Written by Gene Roddenberry, Ronald D. Moore, Frank Abatemarco, Brannon Braga, René Echevarria, & Naren Shankar.
Starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Ronny Cox, John Durbin, David Warner, etc.
9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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