Star Trek TNG Family

And then there's the follow up episode.  It's been called the unofficial third part of The Best of Both Worlds, but I'd call it an early foray into episode arcing. 

They were taking kind of a chance doing an episode like this so soon after the high octane season finale/opener.  It's entirely devoted to character development with no sci-fi subplot whatsoever.  Even in The Icarus Factor, the first primarily character development episode, there was a small subplot involving Geordi trying to take care of some minor read-out anomalies in engineering. But this episode is a home run and helps the audience to become as invested in the characters as they are in the science fiction.  But there's a flavor of science fiction in it with the creation of the space age French landscape. Just enough to remind you that this isn't a 20th century family drama show. There are three plotlines in this episode, the main one being Picard's vacation. It's inferred that he'd being getting counseling since the Borg experience and also that some time has passed since his nightmares have now stopped. He's willing to take time off in this episode and plans to go home since they're docked at Earth. Troi teases him for his choices because she knows he still has some healing to do, but I never really liked that scene for some reason. 

The secondary plot is the visit of Worf's parents.  This was a pretty brilliant move.  So far we've had just the facts.  Worf was adopted by humans and Worf is all-in for his Klingon heritage. This leads to a natural awkwardness as it's obvious that Worf honors his parents, loves and respects them but at the same time he's 100% Klingon and that culture is completely different from this sweet, doting, old Russian couple, Sergey and Helena Rozhenka. They're more outgoing than Worf and the fact that they love to talk a lot, mostly about their son as proud parents do, is a source of discomfort for Worf who is established now as a very private person. O'Brien also receives his full name in this episode, Miles Edward O'Brien which, although it's only a small development, adds layers to the crew of the Enterprise.

Picard is greeted by his nephew Robert (pronounced Roh-BEAR)and even though he's not famous for getting along with children, he quickly develops a natural rapport with Robert.  His sister-in-law is happy to see him as well but his brother René is not there to greet him and then we get the first hint of Picard's own awkward family conflict confirmed when he goes out looking for René in the vineyards only to meet a very cold reception.

The third plotline in this episode is of Beverly having a suitcase delivered to her from Earth containing some of Jack Crusher's belongings and a holographic message for Wesley that he'd recorded when he was born. So she briefly debates with Troi on whether or not it would be good for Wesley to see this message, the idea being that he's only just gotten over his father's death so it may hurt him again.  But not much had been said about Jack's death except in the episode The Bonding and at that point Wesley seemed to being doing just fine. It's more weak writing for Wesley, but it's such a small sub plot in this episode that it is actually okay and it's realistic - people often record messages for their children when they're born and even though they weren't using Wesley to his full potential as a character, this was a necessary development to focus on. The rest of the episode for the secondary plot is simple, but heart-felt.  Sergey and Helena are worried about Worf since his discommendation but are hesitant to talk to him directly since he seems so embarrassed by their presence. So they talk to others for advice on how to help him. The most memorable moment being their talk with Guinan when she tells them that Worf likes prune juice and that their influence on him is more appreciated than they know. 

The story of Jean Luc and René Picard is delightfully more complex though.  At first René seems like a bully who is ashamed of the captain for leaving the family business of wine making.  He is constantly pushing at him with what seems like jealousy on his part because Jean Luc has become such a great success in Starfleet and would appear to be completely unwilling to entertain the notion of his own son, Robert choosing that path as well.  When a man from the city comes to visit and offers Jean Luc a position as head of a research station, René brow beats him for wanting attention and accolades after his the Enterprise's recent victory. It's obvious to everyone that he wants no such thing, however he is tempted by the offer while shutting down René's attempts to draw out of him the details of his experience with the Borg. And why would he want to confide in someone who's treating him like that anyway?  It's a good, detailed episode examining the psychological journey of Captain Picard's recovery that's better to watch than to read about in a review like this.

Wesley finally gets to see the message from his father and Worf and his parents finally have a long talk about his discommendation and we first learn of how Worf expects to bear this dishonor alone as is the Klingon tradition.  But, of course, his parents love him anyway, and won't desert him to this kind of self inflicted banishment from the family.  Both moments are tender and touching.

On Earth though, tough love is what is needed to help the captain come to terms with his situation.  René eventually provokes a fist fight in the mud which ends in Jean Luc finally opening up about how the Borg violated him. It's genuinely heartbreaking to watch the confession of a man who is always in control of his circumstances lose control while remembering how his self control was stolen from him by the Borg.  And it's appropriate for him to lose control around a close family member. You get the idea he probably wasn't this open with Troi. It's excellent writing that makes sense.  You then see that René doesn't hate his brother after all. On the contrary, he knows his brother all too well in fact. He could tell when Jean Luc returned that he was weakened and in danger of succumbing to living out his life in a lackluster manner on Earth that wasn't befitting of him and all of his accomplishments to date. In truth he's very proud of his brother and knew that he had to snap him out of his mental malaise and potential stagnation. It soon becomes a tender and touching moment although it's more manly and not as warm and fuzzy as the other plots. Very satisfying.

 The episode has a peaceful and feel-good ending on all fronts, complete with little Robert dreaming of the stars which would indicate that René may not be entirely closed to the option of his son joining Starfleet one day.  As an aside, the actor that played Robert would later, by chance, play a younger version of Picard in the episode Rascals, so it kind of comes full circle for Robert without even trying.  A complete 180 degree turn after the fast paced, action packed beginning to the season, but it works on a lot of levels. It was much more meaningful and full of depth than The Icarus Factor, which was a decent try, but a touch on the shallow side.  I see no reason not to award this five stars.