Yesterday's Enterprise
I loved this episode, great plot perfectly executed. Emotionally charged and kept me engaged all the way, the stakes felt real even though I knew the story would end with the episode's end.
Not only that; but also the screen play, the dialogue was just on another level, felt like something of current TV standards, not early 90's.
The exposition eased me perfectly -and quickly- into understanding what has happened, I never felt like they were
explaining the plot to me, which is the case with a lot of previous TNG episodes with any somewhat-complex concept.
Superb acting from everybody involved, including the guest stars.
I've liked her character since she showed up but this is the first time I actually care enough to learn her name, Guinan. I didn't know she wasn't human, I've totally missed it if they had mentioned that before this episode.
LAFORGE: How could Guinan know that history has been altered if she's been altered along with the rest of us?
DATA: Perhaps her species has a perception that goes beyond linear time.
PICARD: There are many things about her species we can't easily explain.
Pretty odd that any non-divine being would have awareness of timeline alterations, I would have called major B.S. if it wasn't for the exchange above. Somehow it was satisfactory to me, the very fact that they respected me enough to address it at all.
The war is going very badly for the Federation, far worse than is generally known. Starfleet Command believes defeat is inevitable. Within six months we may have no choice but to surrender. - Picard
I've posted here before about how I'd love to see an arc where the federations gets into and loses a major war, so ironically the alternate timeline in this episode had my wishful Star Trek story-arc. And no Deanna is a huge plus heh
OH AND:
GUINAN: Families. There should be children on this ship.
PICARD: What? Children on the Enterprise? Guinan, we're at war.
Hate to say it but I prefer that timeline
Attention all hands. As you know, we could outrun the Klingon vessels, but we must protect the Enterprise-C until she enters the temporal rift. And we must succeed. Let's make sure history never forgets the name Enterprise. Picard out.
The feels man,
the feels!.
Another one is the final battle, Riker gets killed and..
KLINGON SHIP [Over Comm.]: Federation ship Enterprise. Surrender and prepare to be boarded.
PICARD: That will be the day.
Then he jumps to take over operating Riker's station
The title of the episode initially fooled me into thinking we'll somehow have a run with TOS Enterprise and since I know neither Shatner nor Nimoy would have guest starred in their 1991 shape, I was prepared to see them re-casted but luckily that wasn't the case.
About Tasha, what a great way to re-visit the character! I don't know where to start, so this in this timeline the Enterprise isn't -or no longer is- an exploration ship, they're war ship. And based on that they never went to the planet with the lonely tar monster that killed Tasha, but they don't address that directly and just trust that you'll put it together, which is soooo unlike TNG so far.
TASHA: But there's something more when you look at me, isn't there? I can see it in your eyes, Guinan. We've known each other too long.
GUINAN: We weren't meant to know each other at all. At least, that's what I sense when I look at you. Tasha, you're not supposed to be here.
TASHA: Where am I supposed to be?
GUINAN: Dead.
TASHA: Do you know how?
GUINAN: No. But I do know it was an empty death. A death without purpose.
So good, the way this scene was written.
Also.. Guinan is a coooooold mofo, too blunt there heh
Some other praises and remarks I've got about this episode but I gotta go.