Retro TV Review: Star Trek TNG SSN 2 Episode Thirteen: Time Squared

Yeah, the past few episodes have been rough, I’ll admit it.   It’s been pretty hard writing about them as well and so far, it hasn’t looked like it is getting any better.   I mean, I know that it will, Season 3 is where the series really takes off but we still have another 10 episodes to go, so please, bare with me.  This one isn’t as bad as the last two….I think.

So here is Time Squared, originally airing on April 3, 1989.

The Episode:

Stardate 42679.2 Time Squared

The Enterprise encounters a duplicate shuttle from their own ship but it also contains a duplicate and unconscious Picard. The mystery only gets deeper when it appears that they are both from six hours in the future.

The Breakdown:

The mystery in this episode is just where did the duplicate shuttle craft come from and who the heck is this duplicate Picard.   Pulaski, Picard and Troi investigate the replica Picard, who appears to be badly injured and unresponsive.   Even after attempting to wake him, they can not revive this duplicate.

Geordi and Data are working on the duplicate El-Baz shuttle when they discover that  both are from 6 hours in the future, which tells them that something happens to them all in only a short time.

Geordi and Data find ships logs that depict an anomaly that eventually engulfs and destroys the Enterprise, leaving picard and the shuttle stranded outside of time. Running out of time, they realize that if they don’t figure out how to prevent this tragedy, they will be facing it in just a few short hours.

The closer they get to Zero Hour the more Picard begins to doubt himself and his actions.  At the same time Picard2 begins to awaken.    The Enterprise soon comes across the anomaly and for some reason a strange alien presence starts to focus it’s attack on Picard.  Knowing that he is the target, he chooses to leave the ship as it appears that the entity wants Picard, and so if he leaves, he may save the ship.

The Picards leave for the shuttle bay and, after determining that there is no escape, One of the Picards kills the other and returns to the bridge.   Picard chooses to run through the vortex regardless of the consequence without leaving the ship first.   The being apparently scans the ship and, once through, Picard2 and the shuttle vanish from the shuttle bay.

Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:

It’s good sci fi.  It doesn’t really do anything for character development but it is good scifi.  Certainly a better episode than the last two.  That’s a nice step in the right direction at least.

Gleanings and Cool Bits:

This is the first time we see Riker as a chef.  Apparently he makes some of the best Omelettes around but, sadly, the eggs used in this case were not fit for human consumption.  Worf, however, loves them.

We never find out what the anomaly was and we never hear about it again.

There are are references to various kinds of time travel including the slingshot effect used in The Voyage Home film.

 

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Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review,  I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!  Next Review: The Icarus Factor

If you would like to read more reviews I have a weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Wednesday and also a complete review of Star Trek Discovery.

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Late To The Game 3/28/2018

Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available.  Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.

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