UNCUT - Time's Arrow Part II (TNG S6E1) | Star Trek Journey 235

Both parts were so much worse than I remembered. BRUTAL MARK TWAIN AGONY.

GeorgeReevesSupermanFan

If you hate modernism then I am not sure why you would be watching Star Trek or commenting on this -- it is fundamentally modernist. There's plenty of more conservative media you could consume.

Matt F

Everyone when this came out knew it Mark Twain. It was such a bad caricature that it was so obvious. Is Mark Twain so gone as a simple historical reference in pop culture that some do not recognize him?!! Really ?? They focus so much on how having real life people does not make it good seems to be over done. It is like they are upset or embarrassed they did not know it was Mark Twain and did not know the other literary references. I was making a joke in my mind that they did not know it was Twain before they said it. It made me laugh once they did say it

Carl Peterson

I do hate Mark Twain in this. He is annoying. And maybe even worse is the Star Trek love of modernism. It is such bull and disproved by the two World Wars in the first half of the 20th century. Not a fan of Whoopi either. Oh Picard and company meets her centuries earlier but cannot talk about it until after the resolution in their time. Ughh . I have just never liked Whoopi and Guinan much.

Carl Peterson

I did know who there were just to point out

Darren Seal

I didn’t really know part 1 was supposed to be about Mark Twain at the time I first saw this way back in 1993 nor did I got the Jack London reference I just remember finding it fun - faults and all

Darren Seal

As a kid in the 80s...everyone at that time knew exactly who he was. It was really really common knowledge back then. Like shows referenced him a LOT more than they do today.

Eric Wilson

That was kinda the point. If you have to explain it, it ruins the joke.

startrekiborg

@Timothy Nikiforovs It's the first episode of S6, so it is the best one no matter how good or bad it is objectively. har har

Jovet

@Mr Moxie Yeah, you get it.

Jovet

It depends on how you define paradox. What happens with Data's head could be considered a "bootstrap paradox". However, I do think this is a little misleading because it doesn't create a contradiction, just a scenario that brought upon itself. To me a *real* paradox is a scenario that causes a contradiction, which this IMO does not do. Is it strange for a scenario to bring about itself? Yes, but IMO this does not represent a contradiction.

Mr Moxie

I'm gonna +1 that I think Mark Twain's old-fashioned curmugeonliness (not a word) is fairly charming. I always kindof liked him. Then again, as a Californian who grew up in areas very familiar with both Mark Twain and Jack London (the local city still has a Jack London Square, and Jack London State Park is nearby), I was predisposed to like these literary figures. Though Jack London was the writer I appreciated more, I read Call of the Wild when I was young, and it was extremely haunting and affecting.

Ian Westcott

Even if you two don't give the episodes a specific grade, I think it would be a significant loss if we aren't going to get *some* kind of ratings from the patrons so that we can get a sense of how the community feels about each episode. I think that this has always been a valuable part of each episode.

Shane Coombs

I'm genuinely by the amount of hate for Mark Twain in the comments here. This is definitely very mid as a cliffhanger season finale and is probably not to high as a Star Trek episode in general, but I have always found Twain to be easily the best part of the episode and probably the best one-off guest portrayal of the series (there are much better guest *characters*, but I'm talking about the portrayal).

Shane Coombs

Why didn't Data just pay Mrs. Carmichael? He had cash!

Vagon Khan

The worst reaction you guys have done. Both talked through much of the dialogue. Just like with Darmok and ST VI, it seems like you guys pre-decided you weren't going to like this.

Brian Gentry

In Disaster, Data seems to function quite well without his body. His head didn’t need reattaching to his body to work. Why didn’t Geordi and or Data get the head working in Part 1? Always bugged me.

Jon1701

I like old-timey Guinan but that's about it from this 2-parter. Skip! And I liked the kid episodes so you know I'm pretty easy to please.

Kristina Weber

This one is terrible but it is one of my guilty pleasure episodes. I enjoy it because it is so campy.

Strife

Derek, I don't feel I can answer this question without risking spoilers in one way or another

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

what other examples of this are there for star trek of this era ?

Derek Orr

100% agree about Mark Twain - I always skip these two on rewatch because of how grating and annoying his voice is. I did suffer through it with TA but that'll hold me for another 20 years, lol.

Mushroom-Bagel-Bites

Yes there is. Its called the Bootstrap Paradox and it is absolutely a time travel paradox. It's a closed temporal causality loop. You can look it up.

River Acheron

I love reading but Jack London did NOT age well at all. We are basically in a cyberpunk future and his stuff just....isn't relevant anymore. For nature, I would much rather read Walden. Its more philosophical and thoughtful and weirdly relevant today if one ponders where we are now and where we are headed. Esp the transcendental aspects of non-conformity etc.

River Acheron

Tons of Stephen King's works features a struggling writer (a few times, even a struggling horror writer. In Dark Tower, Stephen King wrote about Stephen King himself! Not only that but he wrote about two versions of himself...70s Stephen King and current-day Stephen King lol) But for some reason it doesn't bother me when he does it. So maybe it depends?

River Acheron

I can testify that 40 years ago it was nearly impossible to graduate high school without having read something by Jack London.

James H

HoalHolbrook is a famous actor who did a famous one-man show on Broadway called Mark Twain tonight this portrayal by Jerry Hardin is pretty much in sync with how Hal Holbrook portrayed him. If you look on YouTube you can see clips of it as well as film versions that he did as well portraying Mark Twain. It's basically the way Mark Twain is believed to have talked at least in his older years.

Rory O'Toole

Also, he's one of a number of actors from "Roots" who comes back to Star Trek. I liked him in his tiny role in Big Trouble in Little China too.

Ian Westcott

The actor who played Samuel Clemens is the same actor who plays deep throat in the first season of X-Files, Jerry Hardin.

Rory O'Toole

The Presido (under which is where they found Data's headi) in San Francisco has been the home of Lucasfilm and their subsidiaries (ILM, Sky walker Sound and Lucas Arts among others) since 2005. If you've ever seen the outdoor Yoda statue that's where that is. Of course Jack London wrote Call of the Wild, White Fang and more. It was well known that he had traveled to Alaska and was inspired from his travels to write several books In 1906 there was a huge devastating earthquake in San Francisco. This episode takes place in 1893, 13 years earlier. Although I understand Picard's intentions with the lights isn't that sort of changing history if it saves even one person's life. The same with Dr Crusher trying to help some people medically isn't that effectively changing history as well. I guess after all they're human so it's hard to not want to help when you know there's something bad happening.

Rory O'Toole

Lol they didn't know jack london, we love our non reading bros

Fishing Trip

Best season of TNG for me! So many great episodes

General Trelane

I just want you both to know, I agree with whatever Alex said. Please read my take now.

Deep Red

TNG The sex scoreboard Dr Beverly in a nurse outfit! Riker dressed as a cop! Geordi clearly as a PIMP!!! and let's not forget, Guinan, who is turned on by bald men, meets for the first time the Bald God that is Pickered. This could have turned into a massive orgy. but no. no scores so we start season 6 with the following board. Riker 14 Troi 4 Dr. Bev 3 Picard 3 Data 2 Ro 1 Worf 1 Geordi 1 Broccoli 2 i Chief/Keiko 1

Prof Moff

This season to me is a roller coaster/whiplash kind of season. Some episodes are my favorites, some I always skip. There are definitely some "let's try something new" episodes that happen with a long running show. And as always, sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Joe Concepts

Anticipating this reaction, I gotta admit I just jumped to the post-episode stuff. And then kind of skipped through those parts. I always found this episode "just okay" and didn't mind Clemens too much. But it's sure not the kind of episode I need to hear the argument for or against. It's very understandable someone may not like this one. One problem it kind of comes down to is, "too cute." Goofy characters, period costume jokes and stuff, which may not be terrible on their own, but they don't make for a good whole episode. One positive I could find is, it's not boring to watch, as some bland episodes can be.

Joe Concepts

Nobody cares. How tired. Alex and Josh are. Dance monkeys!

Eric Singer

What’s funny about this is that it’s clear the writers didn’t have a clue how to resolve Part 1 and decided to just write whatever they wanted. Some good stuff here but a lot of that is down to costuming. It all gets wrapped up very quickly. It’s a guilty pleasure for me but it’s the weakest season opener since s2.

Darren Seal

Love those edits

Worf and Riker Ride Again

Thank god STO is not canon. In one of the opening missions you murder a bunch of Remans for 'stealing' relief supplies because they need it to treat a plague on their world .... instead of organizing a relief effort to help them as well. STO wears Trek like a skin suit and relies on "I REMEMBER THAT" to trick you into suspending disbelief as they pass generic hack schlock off as rebranded Roddenberry idealism. Bootleggers serving wood alcohol that'll make you go blind, but the label on it reminds you of pre-prohibition whiskey.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

I get that it saves you from the furrowed brows of certain patrons, but think of what is lost from posterity without the iconic 'end of episode tier grade' continuity.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

(o.o )' '( o.o)

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

I just wish that change was earned. Clemens begins with the premise that the soul of man is rotten, but nothing ever challenges that foundational premise. Only that society gets nicer. So instead of Twain heading home with the perspective that the men of his age have the same noble souls of those in the future (only struggling with too much that weighs them down and holds them back), he can only return with the believe that these horrible jerks die off and their great great great great grandchildren figure shit out, somehow, I guess.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

You and I share head canon

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

Well we can all agree it's the most 'Season 6' of all the Season 6 episodes so far. Practically sets the whole tone for Season 6 up to this point.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

So you're telling me that if they never found Data's head in the past, Data's head would get dislodged in the past? How? The only reason to seek out the alien species was because of Data's head. The alien impact on Earth's past was a success, having gone completely unnoticed and would have stayed unnoticed except that Data's head turned up in a cave.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

I think most agree that Season 6 is by far the most Season 6 of all the Seasons. It is filled with episodes that just scream, "Yup, that's season 6 all right"

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

I'm with the TA though, this 'payoff' does not meet the the expectations of the setup. Wasted potential.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

Knew it before I clicked it

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

The Trek writing staff of this era is a little too in love with their profession and I do not appreciate the self-insertions of themselves and their heroes. It's like when an anime features a struggling manga writer as a protagonist. "Write about what you know", does NOT mean write about writers.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

Your arc: Twain: "The soul of man is rotten" Troi: "Nu-uh" Twain: "explain" Troi: "I said so, also look around" That's awful, wasted potential, and terrible writing. This doesn't examine the human condition, it hand waves it away. Twain doesn't return to earth with the notion that the humans of his age are the same noble creature as those in the future, only pitted against struggles that hold them down. No, he goes back simply with the comfort that it all works out eventually somehow. Awful, wasted, potential. Shit arc.

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

As we all love Mark Twain boy have i got the highlights vid from this episode for you. very amusing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uIxSwvmWVM

Narnman

I've been going back and watching their reactions to TOS, and they seem really positive about a lot of stuff I find so incredibly cheesy that I just can't get into it. I admit, I'm not a huge TOS fan, as it was long before my time. I think its a case of relative tolerance of, or preference for, 60's cheese as opposed to 90's cheese. Seasons 1&2 definitely had that 90's cheese happening, and later seasons firmed up. Mostly. But these guys might actually find the cheesier stuff endearing. As long as no Ferengi are involved...and I heartily agree on that one.

Aaron Wells

Guys, for what must be the fifth time: Nobody is claiming historical parallels make an episode good. That has never, not once, been the point.

Aaron Wells

Yeah. I don't follow her except when the algorithm brings her up. I was actually watching her TWOK reaction when I saw she had just uploaded those episodes.

Nolan

There is a good continuity moment here between Guinan and Picard, a call back to season 3 episode 6, Booby Trap. Guinan told Geordie that a bald man was once kind to her and took care of her when she was hurting. And in terms of Mark Twain, I also always found him annoying here. But I do like the moment in which he, as an old cynic, realized the future was bright.

Marko

lol yes it is funny how clear the quality difference is. I will still defend that Season 2 has more good than bad though, and some excellent stuff.

Josh (Target Audience)

I find it somewhat amusing to hear you guys comment that episodes you dislike, such as this one, were disappointing and reminiscent of episodes from season 1 or season 2. As I recall, you were actually very positive about both season 1 and season 2 and seemed perplexed that longtime fans of Star Trek were so negative about those first two seasons. And now here you are, talking down about those seasons, just like the established fanbase. And so the cycle of Star Trek fandom continues...! I just wonder if you realize the shift in your perception of Trek.

L J

It occurred to me when you pointed out that the title no longer has the trails. I'd never really understood why they didn't keep it...but maybe that was just for the 25th Anniversary/Season 5. A little celebratory nod.

tyranusfan

Court Reacts?

tyranusfan

Can't wait for Lower Decks... ;)

Greg Latta

This episode won two Emmy Awards. Only four other episodes of Star Trek have won this many. It won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Series (Robert Blackman) and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series. It was also nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Series.

Badger

That actor is generally considered a good actor and his Twain impression had enough of a falling that he did a one man show of Twain. 🤷‍♂️

Greg Quinn

I was a little bit scared that this was going to turn into a depressing hate watch, but shame on me for doubting how awesome you guys are. I had fun, and I've found this Two Parter more enjoyable all around than I remember it. But it's still a pretty "meh" B on the Trek scale. I'm not bothered much by Twain, but objectively speaking it's odd that he was the writers' choice of being the legit "VILLAIN" of the episode, if you think about it. I loved what you guys snarked about concerning Riker and Worf. Both got pigeon-holed into being meatheaded idiots at this point in the show, and both of them running a starship together would be hilariously calamitous. Y'all talked about pacing and how something like this could have been a single-parter. I want you to imagine taking something like Time's Arrow, condensing it into 45 minutes of manic dialogue and special effects, and deleting almost all suspenseful exposition and cathartic resolution whatsoever. If that sounds like a brainrotting (yet admittedly entertaining) time... that happens nearly two dozen times a SEASON... then... stay tuned. You just might like a future installment of the Trek franchise~

Shortskirtsandexplosions

So, another reactor watched part 1 of BoBW today and I realized, Guinan that whole time knew Picard was gonna be okay, cause he hadn't gone back to meet her yet.

Nolan

OK, after seeing Alex’s picture snoozing at the beginning of the review and the comments from others how much you liked the episode, I think I’ll skip watching this review with you guys and just start with episode 2. 🙂

Steve777

Makes part 1 look good. I like Twain as a character, but he is played like a caricature.

Philbot

It's like in "The Matrix" when The Oracle asks Neo: "What’s really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it [the vase] if I hadn’t said anything." The answer is YES he still would have. That's why she mentioned it. It's not really a paradox because he was going to break it anyways. It's just an illusion that her mentioning it beforehand *caused* it. Data's head isn't a problematic paradox because the temporal event leading to it being found in that cavern 500 years later still happened. If they had found his head and he never ended up going back in time, or went back in time and prevented himself in the future (his personal past) from getting brought back in time, then THAT would be a paradox. The difference is instead of thinking of it like a loop, think of it like a ribbon. Events cause the ribbon to stitch (fold) back over itself, but the events themselves caused the stitch. It's an illusion that the stitch existed indefinitely in the past or future—that would also be a paradox.

Jovet

I like to think that this two-parter is an in-universe way to explain that Brent Spiner ages normally. His Data make-up from season 1 looks different enough from how he looks in season 6 & you can now chalk it up to 500 years of wear, tear, & grime.

Matt Everkoul

An interesting note: the actor playing the reporter following Mark Twain is the son of producer Jeri Taylor. Don't begrudge Twain too much. He had a very subtle story arc. At the start he bemoaned the nature of humanity, but after his visit to the future, literally said with happiness, mankind turned out well. A real Star Trek moment.

Mark Chrisco

Jack London - The Call of the Wild?! You uncultured swine!

Sequiro

Haha, I would agree. It's also the worst "so far".

startrekiborg

We haven’t. High chance of watching it on the channel at some point

Josh (Target Audience)

Oh well. I'm still very excited about watching Season 6 with you guys. Lots of TNG all-star moments and episodes, and when they whiff, I kind of think they whiff in fun ways.

ScotchBeard78

If I had only casually watched this episode, and someone had told me it was a holodeck episode, I would have believed them without question. The characters are that unrealistic to me.

Sherpa Jones

those boys just can't keep out of trouble

Timothy Nikiforovs

Are you kidding? It's obviously the absolutely worst of S6 so far

Timothy Nikiforovs

Have you guys seen The X-Files? Jerry Hardin (Clemens) is great as a recurring character. X-Files is very much like Trek. There's a lot of it and about 50% of it is good.

Mike Friedman

With some exceptions among the fanbase, in regards to Mark Twain, I can safely say that to know him was to hate him. And to hate him was to know him. Those who knew him, hated him, while those who did not know him, hated him, from afar. Real talk though, for me this is very mid, but I've never been bothered by it. I get why a lot of people don't like Twain, but his eccentricities kind of just roll off me. Time's Arrow is like a definitive C tier 2 parter IMHO. There's some fun stuff, and I like the time loop stuff and the idea of "history fulfilling itself". Finally addressing the Guinan/Picard backstory was cool. But yeah, it's not TNG's best work by any means.

Timothy Nikiforovs

I've never jived with this two parter. It doesn't help that my older brother recorded both parts on VHS and played them over and over. There are good ideas and I love a good bootsrap paradox, but it doesn't come together. And every time I try to care, Twain shows up, outstays his welcome, and I have to disassociate to get through it. A shame cause that actor was great in X Files.

THE LORE!!!

You got through imaginary friend but not times arrow?

Paul

a future event (finding Data’s head and traveling to the past) causes a past event (Data’s head being left in the past) that, in turn, becomes the cause of the future event, creating a self-sustaining loop in time.

Josh (Target Audience)

Very few truly awful episodes, many many pretty good episodes, and a couple God tier episodes. Much less of a rollercoaster than S5 imo.

Paul

That could be one type, sure.

Josh (Target Audience)

It's a bootstrap paradox

THE LORE!!!

@Steven Linden But it obviously is. I agree with @captveg, it's pretty weak. But it's not as bad as "warming up the photons" or other plot armor curious delays we've never seen before. As contrived as some elements of the plot are here, I still really enjoy these two.

Jovet

So what is the paradox?

Jovet

Were you? 😏 hahaha

Jovet

I think it comes down to how you feel about the Samuel Clemens character. He doesn't bother me, but I can get how that kind of acting could be grating.

Steven Linden

Yeah, that’s why we are clearly joking about it

Josh (Target Audience)

1:06:48 If it was so easy to "just write a good story" then most every episode of every show would be amazeballs.

Jovet

The Guinan payoff is pretty weak. It could be better, it could be worse.

Jovet

Season 6 TNG…several of the best TNG episodes, and a couple of the absolute WORST (imho).

Glenn Johnson Barnes

Nah. The next is far worse.

Jovet

I really can't understand not liking these two. I can understand it being people's least-favorite 2-parter, but bad? Nah.

Jovet

Worst two parter so far? Easily. I always have fun with it tho! A low-key fav, even. Technically kind of a stinker, but it doesn’t take itself seriously. Not very starfleet to just blow away the aliens without communication attempts! Now spoiler-free: an 88 second youtube cut-up - search for “shame on you mr clemens”

rear adm. crackbiscuit

I agree, I really like this two-parter, too. It isn't the most sophisticated plot for time travel, but it IS consistent and has many entertaining and shock moments. I also really love the portrayal of Samuel Clemens. Hardin did a great job!

Jovet

@Target Audience That is not what a time loop paradox is. A paradox is where something in the past makes something in the future that affects travel to the past impossible. There is no paradox here.

Jovet

That's a shame.

Jovet

It is.

Josh (Target Audience)

40:16 It is NOT a "time loop paradox."

Jovet

I hate this episode so much. I hated it more having to watch along with you. I should have skipped the episode today

Jeffrey

I personally think this is the best episode of season six, so far.

startrekiborg

See, I never thought this was what Guinan was referring to when she told Ro that Picard once helped her when she was in serious trouble.

Steven Linden

I do think the biggest failure of these two episodes is that it doesn't really deliver too well on Picard saving Guinan as she previously implied. The Twain stuff is simply a relic of early basic cable era TV - these type of dramas of TV characters meeting historical figures were seen in a more forgiving playful light when your average person had to use libraries to really get to "know" such figures. The internet really lowered the effect of such simple narrative devices on a TV show like TNG.

captveg

For me what ruins the episode is the actor's portrayal of Clemens. I find myself wondering if I would have liked it better had Clemens been portrayed by a different actor, someone really magnetic and interesting (or just more HUMAN, as Alex says), with no change in the writing. What do you guys think?

David Wayne Fox

2:16 That's all just fine, Alex, as long as you can admit it. 😆

Jovet

The sad irony is Mark Twain did indeed become more disillusioned with society and life in general as he got older. The death of his daughter had a big part in it. Unfortunately in real life he didn't have the chance to get reinvigorated with trip on the Enterprise.

Greg Quinn

When making these series, the most important direction for the actors was "DLP" Dead Letter Perfect." The actors don't get to improv lines, and if there is a flub made that is liked, it's a huge number pf phone calls to see if it's okay to change and it rarely was. This may sound OTT and restrictive, but it did keep the scripts timeless in a way by preventing potentially dated and awkward current day slang from slipping into these future set stories. Obviously people in the 90s didn't talk exactly the way the TNG crew did. That wasn't a sign of what then modern audiences were like. It was what THIS world of TNG was like. That's good wprld building. Even if it means the actor has to do 15 takes to get it right.

Nolan

Both Mark Twain and Jack London wrote time travel books, even though that isn't the first thing people think about for either write. Jack London's The Star Rover is far less famous than Call of the Wild or White Fang but many people consider it his best work. I read it some years back...it's extremely "trippy". Gets into reincarnation and dreaming about the past where you're actually seeing the past and all kinds of weird things.

Greg Quinn

MST3 again.

Robin Rice

Ive watched every episode on this journey and this was the first one where 20 mins in I stopped giving a fuck and turned it off. The episode just aged so poorly (not that it was good 30 years go) but now its just awful

Michael Bradley

If these episodes were a movie, the eye-catch quoted review blurb would probably describe it as "a romp."

Nolan

Musta been before the earthquake that rumbled up the landscape. 🙃 (For serious though, that never occured to me, even though I know enpugh about SF to know it's hilly)

Nolan

Meanwhile, I thought Dune 2, while still good, was a step down from Dune 1. Isn't art fun?

Nolan

Upon rewatch....this episode fucking blows, haha

Darin Starr

Never thought about it before but, he's not wrong.

Paul

Infected by Clemens, that's a line lol. Honestly, I get it. I don't mind his portrayal, but I think if he was cut completely, or mostly from the two-parter and we got more scenes building up these mysterious aliens sucking out our lifeforce, that'd have bumped it up a grade or two. Ultimately, I can filter out a sour performance, it doesn't drag down an episode for me as much as it does for you guys. Which is fine though, I get why it would do that if you can't tune him out.

Paul

That's exactly what it is for me too. Pure fun. I can tune out the Clemens character, but if you can't, it makes sense that you wouldn't enjoy it much if half the time it's like nails on a chalkboard for you.

Paul

Josh, i'm glad you clarified at the end that you dislike Twain even more than Stubbs, because I actually did wonder about that.

jon bolton

Ugh. It's like the writers' room was brainstorming one day and someone said, "I got it! The crew goes back in time and meets Mark Twain and Jack London! Hilarity will ensue! And let's make it a season-ending cliffhanger!" Well, no. Putting aside the historical inaccuracy of Twain and London being in San Francisco at the same time (they probably never met), the real personality of each man was probably very different than what is portrayed here. I'm a fan of Mark Twain's writing, and while he was a sardonic figure, he was more of a cynical observer of human nature, rather than the annoying busybody shown here. And Jack London wasn't a wide-eyed innocent at 17; in 1893 (when this takes place), he was a sailor on a seal-hunting ship heading for Japan. So both of these characters really could have been just two random guys. We also don't know what Mark Twain's voice sounded like, so I don't understand why the actor would choose to sound so grating and annoying. As you guys said, this could have easily been an entertaining single episode about time travel if they just would have cut out the "celebrity cameos." While I don't usually enjoy watching episodes I don't like, you both made me laugh so much during this reaction that it was totally worth it. Going forward, my opinion of season 6 is pretty low; I think I liked only about six or seven episodes. But I hope you get more out of it than I did, and I'm really looking forward to the pilot episode of "Deep Space 9."

Jeff

That’s what a time loop paradox is

Josh (Target Audience)

Did you know that old guy was Mark Twain? :)

Kimmo Siniluoto

Yeah... I usually skip this one.

mistabaka

So it's basically Schroedinger's cat. The head wasn't there until it was found because it needed to be found in order for it to be there. Got it.

Nerd's Gold

He only went back in time because they found his head from the 19th century, but the head wouldn’t be there if he never went back.

Josh (Target Audience)

Denny. Crane.

Aaron Wells

There's a Disney production of White fang from the early '90s starring Ethan Hawke that was actually pretty good. At least third grade me thought it was pretty good at the time 😂

Aaron Wells

Alex literally made me spit my beer out laughing at his remark that Riker and Worf in that situation was a bad combination.

jon bolton

I understand this two-parter is not the greatest, but I still like it and enjoy watching it. Just a fun time travel adventure. However, I feel like now that I am older I relate more to Clemons in that turbolift scene, disillusioned with certain aspects of society and wanting someone from the future like Troi to tell me things will eventually get better. Sure, Mark Twain can be kind of annoying, but his excitement when thanking Data for "helping a bitter old man open his eyes" was a nice moment.

Ryan Caulfield

There is no paradox in this episode. Every object has a straight path. Data's head and body were created in the 24th century. He went back in time. His body came back and his head stayed in the past. 500 years later, the head was recovered and re-attached to the body. Clemens' watch is the same. He left his watch in the cave and re-acquired it in the 24th century. Same watch. The one he got in the 24th century wasn't the one he left. The 500 year old head wasn't the one left in the past.

Nerd's Gold

These TNG 2 part episodes are the test flight ramp for TNG movies.

Patrick Smith

I can think of worse. Oh, what the future brings.

Column Meanie

Not my favorite episodes, and I agree they lack much substance, but I still find them both quite fun. These eps are right in that C+/B- range for me.

Lovok

I went into Dune 2 deciding I wouldn’t like it, came out loving it. ✨Execution✨ -Alex

Josh (Target Audience)

Are you suggesting that it's... OK for people to have different opinions!? Crazy!

Steven Linden

Remembering the Star Trek 6 incident still makes me sizzle. I can't help it man.

Evan Guthrie

I have a movie selection for you, Call Of The Wild there are many versions of it. They are adaptations of a novel by Jack London.

Keith S

You shouldn’t care about our opinion for any episode

Josh (Target Audience)

This is one that I do not mind you guys tearing into during your reaction. It's a fun episode to me but really couldn't care less about your opinion of it.

Evan Guthrie

The reporter that Clemens talks to was played by Alexander Enberg. He is Jeri Taylor’s son.

Ron Hubbard Jr

We are still doing the same thing it’s just not limited to a letter.

Josh (Target Audience)

Sad times... I always loved the episode reaction letter grades

The Ninth Doctor

Your avatar picture is awesome! Glory to you …………… and your house!

Just another Red Shirt

You’re allowed to think that. 😁

Column Meanie

Meh, I mean I like this two-parter a lot too, but I think it's nonsense to suggest that disdain for these episodes is due to lack of familiarity with 19th century authors.

Steven Linden

Well guys you are here, Season 6. Be ready for some intense and stressful times ahead. Considering your tier ranking of the part 1 i can't imagine you will like this one much more, but i give it A just as i did Part 1.

jon bolton

You’re right, it was a mid reaction.

Josh (Target Audience)

I think this is fair. It suffers from “we’ve already decided we don’t like it”.

Column Meanie

I don’t care what anyone says, this two parter is a favorite of mine. It’s no Best of Both Worlds or Redemption, but it’s still fun. I’ve always found Jerry Hardin’s portrayal charming and the character didn’t bother me in the slightest. I feel like much of the disdain for these episodes comes from the lack of familiarity with 19th century authors. The O’Brien line was intentional: they NEVER allowed changing words in the script. They had to perform “letter perfect”. Not every episode needs to be perfectly executed to be fun. Sorry you boys hated it, but I’ll always enjoy it. 😁

Column Meanie

"We can only go up from here." Famous last words.

Ally Roth

Oh snap!

Steven Linden

James Baloun

We will still tier list at the end of the season

Josh (Target Audience)

This and season 7 and then finally Generations.

Lyric

I didn’t think u guys would start season 6 this quickly

Lyric

Like I said before, this is my least favorite 2-parter and at best I give it a C-. Even the sets are bad - San Francisco is not that flat. And I agree with Alex's comment from Worf: belongs better in season 1 or 2.

Collin Freeman

I wasn't keeping up on the comments, but I was wondering how long it would take before you realize Samuel Clemens is Mark Twain. And then I'll guess I'll start to wonder if you know who Mark Twain is. Lol Update: Well, I guess you did.

startrekiborg

It'll be a shame if you guys ditch the letter grades

Jonathon Tsagris

In Star Trek Online (Not Canon) we fight the aliens in the 25th century and travel to the TOS era to defeat them.

Christopher Dorn

There are some episodes I like where I can't really understand when someone doesn't like them. But this is not one of those. This is an episode that I like a lot, but I can totally understand someone disliking it.

Steven Linden

i agree

Collin Freeman

I like to ignore this episode when I rewatch earlier Guinan scenes with Picard.

Sainjl

For me Times arrow is the worst season finale/opener. At least season 2 had zero budget and a writer strike as an excuse.

Just another Red Shirt

Since you disliked Clemons so much in these episodes, I thought it would be fun to point out that William Shatner plays Mark Twain in an episode of a Canadian series called MURDOCH MYSTERIES (in the U.S. I think the show is called THE ARTFUL DETECTIVE or something). Episode title is “Marked Twain.” You should look it up. It’ll blow your mind.

Jonathan Llyr

It's always sad when the production values are all great, but the story is basically forgettable and the only worthwhile takeaway is Guinan meeting Picard.

James Knight

Yeah the Guinan payoff in this episode was terrible. Much later when you can watch some of Red Letter Media discussing their favorite episodes, or watch the TNG How It Should Have Ended, this episode gets cracked on pretty hard. "Shame on you Mr. Clemens, SHAME!"

BN13

Couldn’t agree with you guys more :) Such a lame two parter 🙄

Benjamin Azure

The final stretch to DS9 begins!

Cory Paton

Oh Snap!

Anthony MacEwan