From: wombat@eng.umd.edu (Jose Gonzalez)
Subject: *** Spoiler *** Comments on "Chain of Commmand Part I"
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 18:18:40 GMT
Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park
Originator: wombat@coke.eng.umd.edu

Note: I sent this review out a few days ago, but my server has been been
having all kinds of trouble, so I'm sending it again to be sure.  Sorry if
you see this twice.


*** Spoilers ***



I'm speechless.  I am without speech.  This was by *far* the best episode
since "The Inner Light," and Part II looks *better*.



I don't what to start with.  *Everything* worked in the episode, *brilliantly*,
right down to "Oh, and get that fish out of the ready room."  

Some Random Comments:

- I'll guess I'll start with Ronny Cox as Captain Jelico.  When I first heard
he would be playing a captain back in October, and that he wouldn't be such
a nice guy, I couldn't think of a better choice.  Cox has played some great
villians in his time, witness Robocop and Total Recall.  He did *not* 
dissapoint.  What I did not expect, however was the ambiguity of his
character.  He's really tough to get a grip on.  My first reaction is to
say, "What a bastard," but if you think about it, he's not doing anything
that is *too* over the top.  Jelico *is* magnetic, no doubt.  I had some
friends who loved him and everything he did.  Guess you either love him or
hate him.  I'm in the middle, myself, I don't know what to think. 

- That had to be one of the shortest teasers in TNG history, but it ranks
right up with "Cause and Effect's" in terms of effectiveness.  Quite a way
to start an episode.

- Anyone think that Captain Jelico epitemizes half of the r.a.s. crowd?  They
just should have called him Captain Raser and be done with it.  Witness:

   - R.a.s.'ers are *constantly* complaining about Riker and how he's unfit for
     command.  Jelico makes several comments to that effect.

   - R.a.s.'ers complain about lack of conflict.  Here we have conflict walking
     around in a captain's uniform.

   - R.a.s'ers want more fighting, less diplomacy.  Jelico, anyone?

Need I go on?  It's like the writers sat down and decided to sastify all
the whiners (-: with a couple episodes that go agaisnt the grain of most TNG
episodes.  And it worked, I must say.

- Now, the complaint that will no doubt crop up (already has): Why are they
sending such a "noted officer" as Picard on such an important mission?  About
a third of the way through, I had a theory:  The Cardassians want to get 
back at Picard for the defeats he's brought them.  Jelico wants the Enterprise.
They, along with the admiral, get together and devise a plan to deliver Picard
to the Cardassians.  As the episode wore on, it looked like I was right.  I
was congratulating myself.  Jelico goes to talk to the admiral on a secured
channel.  Now, I'm sure I'm right, and *then*:  "I hope we will see our
*friends* again."  AAAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!  Get the picture?
Leaving whether Jelico and the admiral are involved (or just one of them) in
the plot totally up in the air was a brilliant idea.  Now, I'm not so sure.
It's seems like they're setting us up for one direction, but they could
go the other way.  I'll guess we'll find out next week.  

- I really don't know how it's going to end.  How is Picard going to be
rescued?  Will Jelico do it, will Riker (pun intended) commandeer the ship
and go after him, will he be given up in negotiations?  Will the Federation
go to war?  This has the potential to be the first two-parter that is 
outstanding throughout the entire thing, with no dropoff in quality.  I hope
so.

- The adventure aspect of the episode was excellent, and very exciting.  The
only part I really didn't enjoy about it (and the whole episode) was the
seduction of the Ferengi by Beverly.  We've seen it before and it's not
that funny, and it degrades the women who do it.   

- "Fire in short, controlled bursts."  Somebody seen "Aliens" too many times.
(That would be me. (-:)

-  As good as this episode was, I have a feeling it's going to pale in  
comparison to part two.  Michael Piller has said that Patrick Stewart gives the 
performance of his Star Trek career.  The promo for next week, along with
the clips shown on Entertainment Tonight, only support that.  If you have
any children, you may want to screen this one first.  *I'm* almost afraid
to watch it, because I know just how damn good Stewart is, and how real
he can make all this "playacting," as he calls it, seem.  (Not to mention
David Warner.  Great choice, or a horrible one, depending on how you look
at it.)  This looks like it could be the most intense thing TNG's ever done.
Warner's line, "In this room, you do not ask questions.  *I* ask them.  You
answer.  If I am not sastified with your answers, you will die," sent chills 
down my spine. This would have worked marvelously as a season-ending  
cliffhanger.  Thank goodness for us it isn't. (-:
 
  This is as good as Star Trek gets, in my opinion.  The mixing of important
issues, the very-relevant, as Stewart points out on ET, issue of how people's
human rights are taken away when they are tortured, along with a gripping
story.  It doesn't get any better than this folks.

Grade: 10

Next Week:


Watch at your own risk, this one's gonna be scary.  We'll see...... 


-- 
Jose Gonzalez