‘CONUNDRUM’ (TNG)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
‘Conundrum’ is a pretty tense, intriguing and exciting ‘Star Trek: TNG’ episode to watch. I wondered what was going on in this TV story, especially when the Enterprise crewmembers lose their memories.
The episode begins with our Enterprise heroes involved in various activities. Data and Deanna Troi are in Ten Forward playing chess. Deanna wins the game and Data makes this special type of drink for her.
Beverly is treating to a woman in a bathing suit in sick bay whilst Riker and Ensign Ro are arguing in the turbo-lift on the way to the bridge. The Enterprise then comes across an unknown alien spaceship.
The Enterprise gets scanned by the alien spaceship and the crew soon have their memories partially erased. The ship’s computers also have their memories and records partially erased too. Very gripping!
Though the Enterprise crew partially lose their memories, they somehow retrain their practical knowledge and skills. No-one knows who they are and why they’re out in space on board this starship.
That includes everyone in the ‘TNG’ cast – Picard, Riker, MacDuff, Data, Geordi, Worf, Beverly, Deanna…wait a minute! Who’s MacDuff?! He wasn’t there on the Enterprise before the scan occurred.
Erich Anderson guest stars as Kieran MacDuff, the Enterprise’s first officer. Wait a minute! Riker’s the first officer, isn’t he? No! When the ship’s computer got back online, he seems to be the second officer.
I like how the episode presents MacDuff as if he’s been a member of the Enterprise crew all this time. The regular ‘TNG’ cast don’t know that he isn’t, but we as the audience know that he’s not meant to be there.
The Enterprise crew try to get their act together and regain control of the situation. Worf, wearing his Klingon baldric, assumes that he is the captain of the ship. I found it funny as Worf assumes command.
Picard often finds himself at a science station and at the helm controls instead of the captain’s chair which has now been taken by Worf. Picard doesn’t even object that Worf is sitting the captain’s chair.
There is a bit of tension when Picard challenges Worf’s assumed authority. Thankfully when the computer records reveal Picard is the captain and Worf is the security chief, this gets resolved happily.
Worf apologises to Picard for making the assumption he was in command of the Enterprise. Picard forgives Worf for the misunderstanding. It’d be funny though if Picard said, “But don’t do it again.” 😀
Michelle Forbes returns as Ensign Ro Laren in the episode. Both she and Riker explore the Enterprise’s crew quarters to check everyone is alright. They eventually go to Ten Forward where most people are.
It was funny when Data loses his memories, he assumes he’s the bartender in Ten Forward. Where was Guinan in all this? Deanna Troi also seems aware that she can sense people’s feelings around her.
She also seems to recognise Commander Riker for some reason. Gradually Deanna realises that it’s on an emotional level she recognises him. I like how this gets developed and underplayed in this episode.
After the ship’s computer memory is partially restored, the crew discover what the Enterprise’s mission is. Apparently, the Enterprise is part of a fleet of ships fighting a very long war with the Lysians.
The Enterprise has to destroy the Lysian central command headquarters and have to maintain communications silence. Many of the crew, including Deanna, are unsure about the mission’s nature.
During the episode, Riker and Ro seem to have a romantic connection with each other. This is pretty ironic considering that these two didn’t get on well with each other before they had the memory loss.
Dr. Crusher attempts to restore the memories of the crew without the medical records on hand. MacDuff volunteers for the experiment, but of course, as intended, he reacts poorly to the treatment.
Fortunately, when the Enterprise crew debate about destroying the Lysian central command, MacDuff reveals his true colours and attempts to take control. Fortunately the Enterprise heroes stop MacDuff.
It turns out that MacDuff was in fact an alien and he turns out to be a Satarran. The Satarrans seem to be at war with the Lysians. MacDuff attempted to hijack the Enterprise to tilt the war in their favour.
‘Conundrum’ is definitely a solid good episode from ‘TNG’. I enjoyed the mystery and intrigue over what was going on with the Enterprise crew losing their memories and how Mr. MacDuff manipulated them.
‘Conundrum’ (TNG) rating – 9/10
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