YOUTUBE - The Inner Light | Star Trek TNG Reaction & Review
Added 2025-03-24 02:49:36 +0000 UTC
Comments
jandrewedits once posted a fantastic TNG edit of that scene from Sarek where the vulcan sheds a tear during a classical recital, but in the video, he's moved to tears by Data's and O'Brien's stirring remixing of that eternal classic, the Theme from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Ian Westcott
2025-03-27 16:43:29 +0000 UTCThis episode has grown in me over the years but stilldoesnt get past a B in my mind. No one does anything this episode but Picard. The story isn't really all that gripping. The pace is slow and Stewart has almost no chemistry with anyone but the actress that plays his daughter. We'll, maybe the Office Space guy too. But too see Picard go through the second of his three experiences that that would absolutely psychologically wreck an human but still not real.... Well, I'll stop there to make sure there are no spoilers.
Jason Nichols
2025-03-26 02:29:06 +0000 UTCTrek doesn't use works from the 20th century onward because of public domain laws. Shakespeare and Mozart are cheap. They caught a little crap from the Doyle Estate for their first Sherlock Holmes episode. That was (mostly) from the 19th century!
Jason Nichols
2025-03-26 02:21:40 +0000 UTCHey, I just saw a really excellent analysis of The Inner Light on The Art of Storytelling channel on YouTube from a couple of weeks ago. He points out how the realities of broadcast television in the '90s influenced the structure of the episode and how the writers took advantage of it. I think this effect is somewhat lost today when you can watch it straight through without commercial interruptions like a movie. Anyway, you should really check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZpZfJC21lM
Mark Simonson
2025-03-26 00:03:20 +0000 UTCBatai jr being played by Patrick Stewart son is such a sweet bit of trivia
Heespharm
2025-03-25 20:50:58 +0000 UTCAlways assumed that the probe basically created a simulation in his head, much like a holodeck. Was there an original Kamen that Picard’s life was based on? Were the people he saw based on people that existed? Not sure, nor does it matter. The idea was for the makers of the probe to have an alien experience what their world was like, and what it was like to be a member of the community of Ressick on the planet Kataan. No need to get into the weeds of the “how”.
Column Meanie
2025-03-25 17:52:50 +0000 UTCme too
Josef Nitervol
2025-03-25 13:49:14 +0000 UTCI get it, Alex and Josh. I felt the same way when I saw it as a young guy. But this episode may hit you differently when you are in your late 30s, 40s, 50s+. It can hit deeper as your life slips by. But I think that's the point.
Andrew G
2025-03-25 13:41:56 +0000 UTCMaybe it's because I've never had a dream like that... 🤷. Just not my cup of earl grey is all.
Dru Blood
2025-03-25 10:15:33 +0000 UTCyeah it's so rewatchable and gets me teary every time now
Todd Pritchett
2025-03-25 05:49:13 +0000 UTCWhy is that hard to wrap your head around? We often have dreams that seem like they are hours long when in reality they are seconds.
Column Meanie
2025-03-25 05:07:07 +0000 UTCTBF there are plenty of episodes where Kirk either genuinely falls for a woman or uses sexual attraction to manipulate a woman for an edge. Chalk it up to tv shows needing to have sex appeal. As far as "Shoot first..." I'm not sure how that's a major part of Riker's character. In Darmok he spends most of the episode trying to find alternatives to fighting and only decides to disable the Tamarians when it's clear that Picard's life is in danger. Yes, he gives the order to fire in Both Worlds, but only because if they don't the Borg will repair themselves and there was no guarantee they would be able to stop them again.
Andrew Buel
2025-03-25 02:08:53 +0000 UTC54:00 Do people not just watch the whole reaction? Who's skipping around? It's weird.
Jason the Dave
2025-03-25 01:52:32 +0000 UTCI’m seriously starting to think that the fans who caricature Kirk as a captain who’ll “shoot first and ask questions never,” or “boink anything that moves,” are simply projecting Riker’s personality onto Kirk.
James H
2025-03-25 01:07:48 +0000 UTCSaw this episode a few days before High school graduation. First time I was ever brought to tears by TV... turned around and saw my father with tears for the first time in my life. This one only gets better as you age.
Jake Romain
2025-03-24 23:03:02 +0000 UTCAlex,...about that,...hmm,...never mind, spoilers. All will unfold as it is meant to.
Paul D
2025-03-24 22:48:21 +0000 UTCI'm glad you reconsidered and gave this the S rating it deserved in the tier list. This is my favorite episode of TNG, which makes it one of my favorite Star Trek episodes of all time. (Though my favorite all time is a DS9 episode which we won't see for several years, but I plan to be here. My yearly subscription to this channel renewed today.) It was also my late Mother's favorite episode, and one of the first Star Trek episodes I ever saw, since it was one of her favorites. I didn't appreciate it the first time I saw it, because I was young and foolish, but since then, it's really grown on me. Just 'cause it's my favorite that doesn't mean that what follows isn't good. There's some episodes to really like in Season 6 and Season 7, though I think the show's best years are behind it after Season 5, and I consider Season 5's finale to be the weakest finale since Season 2. (Not that Season 1's finale was anything to write home about either.)
John
2025-03-24 22:21:13 +0000 UTCI agree with your grades. This was an excellent episode. I remember watching it for the first time and what a great ending. It’s a really good story. But it didn’t impact me personally at the level “I, Borg” and a few others did. That doesn’t mean it’s not excellent. “S” rating is personal while “A” is objective
Crankygrandma
2025-03-24 20:30:31 +0000 UTCYou know if Geordi had the bridge (let's say the remainder of the senior staff was recovering from an ordeal of being shot at by fishy looking drones) this plot never would have worked because he would have built a damn warp drive. (...Or because the dead planet was 100% white).
Loot Narsbaar
2025-03-24 17:11:50 +0000 UTCThat's where I'm coming from too. By virtue of having to be captain because Picard is somehow unavailable, Riker is stepping into situations where there is no clear 'good decision'. Both Worlds: Use the weapon and risk killing Picard, or do nothing and give the Borg time to regroup. Darmok: Try to disable the Tamarians and risk a war, or leave Picard on the planet to get killed. Inner Light: Try to free Picard from the probe and hope Crusher can stabilize him, or let the probe keep scrambling his brain. If Picard is an S Tier captain, then I'd put Riker at B. He's a good guy, protective of his crew, and he isn't a believer in doing nothing when his crew/friends are in clear danger. That attitude may make him a good captain, but I admit he would need more patience and be slightly more objective to be a great one.
Andrew Buel
2025-03-24 16:22:30 +0000 UTCI also think that this is where the episodic approach does a disservice to the characters. Because I don’t think the writers were trying to paint Riker as someone that didn’t make good decisions, they just needed him to be a certain way (usually aggressive) for the plot. And this is why it’s interesting revisiting the series years later, especially with people seeing it for the first time. We forgave a lot and accepted inconsistencies because that’s what TV was like back then.
Sainjl
2025-03-24 15:42:11 +0000 UTCDamn, I love watching you guys watch Trek. I don't understand your viewers who get upset when your opinion doesn't sync with theirs. That's what a reaction show is all about. That's why we're aboard her.
Frank Pauze
2025-03-24 15:34:10 +0000 UTCNot the Flute 🙁
empirejeff
2025-03-24 15:32:47 +0000 UTCAnd here it is: https://youtu.be/sa3948JzWCc?si=m4enjegYRdxO-1JU
KatWithAttitude
2025-03-24 15:25:06 +0000 UTCThis episode does it to me EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! Even an edited reaction makes me weepy.
KatWithAttitude
2025-03-24 15:24:10 +0000 UTCi knew when i saw this episode 30 years ago it was special. i still cry 30 years later watching it
David Marcoot
2025-03-24 15:14:15 +0000 UTCSo given that this is an intentional fabricated glimpse of this culture, in reality it's highly unlikely to be properly representing these people in full, rather than a tailored vision of how they want to be remembered. Its likely they looked completely different and only looked human so Picard could integrate easier to start with. Maybe they actually caused their sun to go nova! I like to imagine a retired Picard leading an archeological expedition and finding out many of the inaccuracies
Julie Carter
2025-03-24 14:31:09 +0000 UTCI can’t imagine having to go back to work after being away for 30 years. I take a week off and then can’t remember my network password.
Kurt Linke
2025-03-24 13:21:37 +0000 UTCUnpopular opinion but not a favorite. Don't get me wrong, it's a good episode. The acting is great, but the premise just doesn't do it for me. And I could never wrap my mind around the fact that the good Captain lived a lifetime in 20 minutes. I still will give a B but a low one...
Dru Blood
2025-03-24 13:04:39 +0000 UTCI think I enjoyed the cheesy bit at the end the most
Patrick Smith
2025-03-24 12:15:59 +0000 UTCSomeone has probably mentioned this already, but this episode ties in very well with the lyric of the Beatles song with which it shares its name. “Arrive without travelling, see all without looking, do all without doing.”
James H
2025-03-24 11:06:33 +0000 UTCThis is one of my top 5 for TNG, however over 30 years have past since it came out and seeing you two put the pieces together way sooner than I did as a kid perhaps brings it down that 1/2 notch. Nothing wrong with it, but just one of those episodes that kind of hit you later on if you get a chance to think about it later in life.
David Lewis
2025-03-24 07:35:47 +0000 UTCI think as a character he’s fine, but doesn’t seem to be a great captain. Which is fine, not everyone is a great captain, except he is number 1 so.. he ends up in the chair a lot. In order to change that perspective I’d need to see him in these scenarios where he actually makes good choices as captain.
Josh (Target Audience)
2025-03-24 06:23:36 +0000 UTCFirst off, keep the grades. Even when I don't agree with a take or the final grade, I still know it's coming from two guys who love Star Trek. The people who are saying you don't clearly haven't seen your tier lists (S5 you had over half the episodes at B or higher). Keep being honest with your takes/grades while giving the Patrons a chance to voice their opinions too. Better to have a debate where some opinions get challenged than just rubber stamping everything as perfect. Second, I'm curious what you think could be done to rehab Riker in your eyes. I get he's not Picard and he lets his concern for the crew push him to what he thinks is the best move to keep them safe, but I was surprised to see how you guys seemed to have soured on him since "Both Worlds". I'm sorry if I'm reading into it wrong, but what would you do to make him a better character/captain? All that being said, thank you for the content, congrats on getting through TNG Season 5, and on to Season 6 and the start of DS9! Engage!
Andrew Buel
2025-03-24 05:54:47 +0000 UTCI like the grades. If the viewers need the hosts agree with them in order to enjoy the videos that's their problem. The differing points of view is what makes this rewatch interesting. If the hosts agreed with the consensus in everything there'd be no discussion, no differing points of view, and we wouldn't open our minds to new ways of viewing the material.
Loot Narsbaar
2025-03-24 05:29:48 +0000 UTCOn one of the Voyager spacecraft that is so far away now, has recorded sounds of Earth, diagrams of human anatomy, and directions to where the spacecraft came from. In effect, it's the same type of idea as this episode. If any other sentiment species ever finds Voyager, at least there will be evidence of our civilization that was.
Athos Count de la Fère
2025-03-24 04:47:04 +0000 UTCWhy is this town so beige? So they can build a space probe that can last a thousand years til it finds the right person to lock on to, but they can not find a way to leave the planet. These people are too dumb to live. Also Picard did not consent to this.
empirejeff
2025-03-24 04:11:28 +0000 UTC
