I think this is my favorite two part episode after Best Of Both Worlds. It still boggles my mind that it was in the placed in the middle of a season instead of at the end because it would've been even better as a season finale/opener. But DS9 was getting ready to air and this episode was made to set up the Cardassians as the primary antagonists. What a fabulous job it does too. Drawing on things it had written for the episodes Ensign Ro and The Wounded, a lot of effort was put into making DS9 its own show and the main writer of this script would go on to become a senior writer on DS9.
They waste no time and begin with Admiral Nechayev, who would become an oft recurring admiral, coming aboard to relieve Picard of his command of the Enterprise. Later as she's meeting with some of the senior staff, she explains that they're having trouble with the Cardassians over some disputed systems near the boarder. They've just withdrawn most of their forces from Bajor and they've been extra chatty on subspace. She thinks they may want to take one of these systems, trusting that the Federation won't go to war over such small fish. The likelihood as to whether the Federation would or not is up in the air, but Nechayev is bringing in Captain Edward Jellico to command the Enterprise. Riker is ruffled at this, but the admiral tells him that Jellico is preferred to him because he'd had a part in the peace negotiations with the Cardassians and has a lot of experience dealing with them whereas Riker has not. They ask where Picard is, but all she can tell them is that he, Dr.Crusher, and Lt. Worf have all been reassigned. This was originally supposed to be a regular episode in which Picard is rescued at the end, but it was extended and it's so good that it was. They got to take some time to explore this fast and rough transition. Riker meets Jellico when he comes aboard. He's not happy about it anyway, and is more aggravated when Jellico starts issuing orders to have the watch schedule revised and to have departmental updates handed in as soon as possible. He's a confident, hands on leader who is comfortable finding his own way around the ship and even asks Riker how he prefers to be addressed. I liked him from the word go. Meanwhile we see Picard, Crusher, and Worf in the holodeck training for the mission they've been assigned to. Another excellent use of the holodeck and it comes as a surprise since you think they're already off the ship and crawling through caves until they have to freeze the program when a Cardassian gets the drop on them. Picard hasn't even briefed the other two as to where they're going and why and although they don't understand, they keep plugging away. We even get to see the ceremony in which command of the Enterprise is formally transferred to Captain Jellico. All of these things give the air of excitement to come and already the chill of a cliffhanger... the finality of the transfer of command codes from Picard to Jellico; LaForge commenting that they don't usually go through the whole ceremony if the change is a temporary one. Jellico will even go on to record a captain's log as captain of the ship. You get to see it all as the big deal that it is. Yes, it was very wise to extend this into two parts. It wouldn't have had the same impact otherwise.
The "trouble" soon starts. I put it in parenthesis because I saw no trouble in what was going on. I think they wanted the audience to think of Jellico as an asshole, but all I saw was a competent, battle hardened commander whose experiences lay more in military affairs than exploration. He even has the sense to offer Picard updated information via a probe as they approach the border since the information Picard has is two years old. He expects that Riker has already handled the shift rotations as he'd specified and is annoyed that he hasn't, ordering it to be done by the time they are to meet with the Cardassians. I guess we're all supposed to feel uncomfortable because he did this in front of Picard, but he didn't say anything inappropriate or harsh and anyway. I never understood Riker's reluctance either since he evidently capable of making the change anyway only later than sooner. Jellico then wants the tactical systems reset on the bridge and the warp coil efficiency brought up by a substantial percentage. He gives his reasons - if the negotiations fail, they'll be caught in a full out war zone. The fact that Data is commenting on how it is all possible to do within the time frame he wants it done would only seem to back up Jellico's position, at least for me. But Riker acts like a seven hour overhaul of tactical is an unreasonable inconvenience and Geordi mentions that engineering would have to work in shifts for two days straight with the same sort of sulkiness. Seriously? How many times have they all gone out of their way to jerry-rig the ship for causes that weren't as dangerous because Picard wished it? No, I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for the rest of the crew. Including Troi. She goes to Jellico to try and explain that everyone is a little shaken up. No-nonsense Jellico admits that he sees her point and he's completely in earnest. He also has to admit that he doesn't have time for a "honeymoon" with the crew. It's a great line. Maybe if they'd have picked a different actor than Ronny Cox to play Jellico, he would've come off as more of a jerk, but he played it as a real type of person that one would have a natural respect for. And I didn't see a problem with asking Troi to start wearing a uniform to work either. She looks as if her feelings were a little hurt by that too. I just don't get it.
So, they're all upset that the ship is being reorganized for battle conditions and that they all have to work twice as hard. I can sympathize to a certain point. I've worked under bosses that overload crews with no compassion at all, but in Star Trek the characters are usually always outcome centered - the greater good and all of that. They know this is a dangerous mission and they should be thankful that someone is in charge that knows how to prime them for it. Riker considers going to Picard to ask him to intervene with Jellico on his behalf and Geordi and all other department heads, but he sees that he's exhausted from his training and decides to drop the matter. They try one more time to make Jellico a hated character when Picard leaves the next day. Picard didn't need Riker to ask him to smooth things over for him because he wanted to himself seeing that they got off to a bad start after the transfer ceremony. Jellico points out that there's too much at stake to give Riker the loose reign he's used to and then points out that Picard may not return from his mission and that the ship is his now. It's hard but it's the truth, and what makes it bearable is that Picard takes it like an adult. He doesn't sour, sulk, or give a pouting face. That validates Jellico's words in the same way Data's confirmations of his orders do. So the attempt to make Jellico hated fails again from my point of view. In the shuttle Picard finally briefs the other two on the mission. They are to search a Cardassian planet for a laboratory that makes powerful biological weapons. Picard was chosen because he studied the theta band waves that are side effects of these weapons on the Stargazer. Worf was chosen for muscle and the doctor is there to find and eliminate any biotoxins they find. For discreet transportation to Celtris III, they have to deal with a sleezy Ferengi in a bar. Crusher butters him up with oo-max and they're on their way. This Ferengi was originally supposed to be Quark in a crossover, but they decided against that since the timeframe for airing DS9 didn't sync up right with the airing of this episode. The caves they have to navigate through are more complex than on the holodeck and it starts out as a little lighthearted adventure as Beverly and Worf tease each other about being afraid of heights and bats. On the Enterprise it's starts out as fun and games too as Jellico brings the Cardassain Gul on board and leaves him to wait for an hour. Naturally Riker and Troi are uncomfortable at this negotiating tactic. When he finally meets with Gul Lemec he brings Riker and Troi along (which was not part of the arrangement,) then proceeds to gaslight the Cardassian making it seem like Lemec's the one in the wrong for being upset at the treatment he's been given, and finally leaving the conference room in a high temper only moments later. It's definitely not the diplomatic technique we're used to from Picard and I thought it was funny as hell. But, of course, Riker and Troi don't understand and Jellico happily explains the negotiation technique - acting as if he was a loose cannon in order to force Lemec to be more reasonable out of fear. Riker notes his confidence and Troi gets in a line about how he isn't really confident, you know, since she can sense him. But Cox's performance keeps me from believing that Troi sensed any kind of insecurity at all from him. It was just more of the writing to try and convince the audience to hate Jellico.
When they go back into the meeting, Lemec has aides as well and Jellico continues to be accusatory and hot headed while Troi takes up the role she's meant to play in "calming him down." Riker dutifully informs Lemec that the worlds that are in question here are still under negotiation while Jellico continues to insinuate that the Cardassians are planning to take these worlds by force. The scenario may have worked as intended until Lemec lays down a card of his own - knowledge that a small Federation task force has infiltrated a Cardassian planet which makes the Federation the instigators of any ensuing conflict. All are shocked because they know that it's Picards's team he's referring to, but they all keep very cool poker faces. (As well they should after all these seasons of poker playing.) Lemec asks where Captain Picard is as though he already knows. Jellico simply states that he's been reassigned. On the planet they discover a door with theta band waves behind it. They have to fiddle with a phaser to cut away the rock that is hiding the door but they get through only to discover that it's a machine that produces theta waves and that there is no laboratory. It's a trap and combat ensues. Worf is shot and they're separated from Picard who is captured by four Cardassians. With no other options, Crusher and Worf have to leave Picard behind. Jellico gets a hold of the admiral to ask about Picard in an offhand way. She says the theta band waves have stopped so they have to assume that they were successful. But they haven't been heard from. There's a dark pause. I suppose if the writers were successful, you are supposed to think he's angry that Picard has messed up his brilliant negotiating techniques. But I only saw that Jellico was genuinely disheartened at Picard's loss and mentally preparing for the worst case scenario. How can you hate that?
As it ends we see Picard led into a large room with an unknown Cardassian who is excited to have him there. He tells Picard that he's an interesting challenge. He can quote most of Picard's history to him including his birthplace, parents' names, and his theta wave work on the Stargazer which was what they used to lure the captain of the Federation Flagship to him. Picard realizes that they weren't really making a weapon but just wanted him and wants to know why, but the man in charge lets Picard know that he's not allowed to ask the questions while he's there. To be continued.
This is one of the best first parts of a two-parter. They cram a lot into the build up to the cliffhanger without overloading the script. I've been harping on the writing in regards to how they tried to portray Jellico, but since I also see it as a failure of what they were going for, I have zero complaints. It's brilliant. The story is brilliant. The acting is brilliant. The whining from the crew about Jellico is annoying, but it's entirely believable under the circumstances and with the background of all the characters. With the second part, it becomes one of the most complex stories ever presented on TNG. It's one of my all time favorites. Five stars.
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