Synopsis:  We are Lore.  Resistance is futile.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Didn’t quite affect my emotion chip

Review:  The second Borg cliffhanger doesn’t compare to the first one, but it’s solid in many ways.  It’s the last time we see both the Borg and Lore on TNG, and it does not feel contrived at all.

I’m annoyed when Data misremembers something, like the emotion of laughter Q gave him during season one, but eh.  I’m not annoyed when Picard gets annoyed at the false alarms sent out by outposts.  He’s great at being indignant.

“Doesn’t it seem strange that the Enterprise was the closest ship during each Borg attack?”  No, no it doesn’t.  The Enterprise is always closest.  Haven’t you learned anything in seven years?

I love scenes where Data impersonates other voices.  I wish he had done it more often.

The cadeon pulse that the captured officers think of to reboot Data’s system is a bit too deus ex machina for me.

Picard’s interactions with Hugh, especially building up Hugh’s self-confidence after getting his self-confidence beat down by Admiral Nechayev, are great.

Synopsis:  Troi is to be bonded in holy matrimony to a doctor who’s been dreaming of a blonde chick.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Any dream will do.

Review:  As if we didn’t have enough already the preaching is in full force in this episode.  Yeah, Roddenberry, we get it.  We simpletons in 1987 are unenlightened.  Otherwise, this is a pretty solid episode.  Somehow, the Betazeds have advanced greatly despite holding on to ridiculous marriage rituals, but I think Sirtis plays it fairly realistically; however, I am guessing if doctor guy was an Andorian she would have refused to go through with it.

I don’t hate Lwaxana Troi as much as most people do.  Perhaps that’s because it’s Majel Barrett.  Perhaps it’s because Picard plays off her so well.   Either way, there’s not much to say, other than this is the best episode with her in it.  It also contains two fantastic quotes.

Data: Can you please continue the petty bickering?  I find it quite intriguing.

It is hard not to fall for Data at this point.  Spiner is really beginning to feel his character. Also:

Homn: Thank you for the drinks.

Synopsis:  Geordi is caught with his porn and the Enterprise becomes a mother.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Is that a breach?

Review:  One of the few episodes where there are two distinct stories going on and both work well.  The confidence Geordi showed with women in “Transfigurations” isn’t quite here as he acts like the ultimate creep with Leah.  As such, the transformation at the end where she suddenly likes him (but is married…darn) is a little off.  Still, the scene where she watches Geordi’s holodeck program is priceless.  And Guinan once again gives cutting advice to a crew member that Troi probably wouldn’t.

Otherwise, the space mammal plot is solid, very Trekky.  Worf gets a delightfully awkward line:  “Captain, the creatures are accelerating their approach. They are changing color!“

Synopsis: An arrogant engineer does some tests on the warp engines and seemingly sends the Enterprise hurtling across galaxies.  As it turns out, The Traveler does so after falling in love with Wesley.

Memory Alpha Summary:  No word on whether the Traveler fought with Ashley Judd

Review:  The erotic tension between our two stars in this episode is creepy.  Also, this episode plants the seed for everyone to hate Wesley, as The Traveler tells Picard he’s the most special, intelligent, wonderful boy in all the universes.  And Riker is a royal dick to him, thus requiring him later to validate Wesley’s awesomeness.

But there’s some wonderful imagery when they reach the end of the universe, and the visual hallucinations are effectively eerie.  Also, Stanley Kamel is pretty excellent as the engineer, actually showing signs of growth throughout the episode, unlike many mad scientists to come during the run of the series.

Synopsis:  Geordi and Ro learn that invisibility turns out not to be such a great trait to have.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Erased…from existence!

Review:  If you turn your brain off, Geordi and Ro’s predicament is quite fun.  After all, the whole “Are we dead?” thing Ro ponders is kind of lame.  Are they hungry?  Are their bladders full?  Also, why can they walk through walls, desks, and people, but their feet stay grounded to floors?  It makes very little sense, but the special effects are awesome.  The funeral preparations are funny.  The action between Ro and the Romulan is good television.

Synopsis: Data loses his head, but it’s all in the past.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Anybody hating on this review will be shot.

Review: I like almost any story about time travel, including ones with a causality loop.  The Terminator series relies on this as does this episode.  And it’s a fine story, with Data’s severed head making for a good teaser and Samuel Clemens making for an entertaining period character.  We finally learn the origins of Guinan and Picard’s relationship.

But for an end of the season cliffhanger, it’s a bit underwhelming.  Chain of Command would have worked perfectly here.  But Time’s Arrow did not have a very tense climax at the end of part one.  Other than wondering what will happen with Data’s severed head, it’s not much of a cliffhanger at all.

A few notes:

–Season five was a very heavy season for poker, and at least for its final appearance, there were actual real stakes involved.
–I loved the discussion at the beginning about Data’s friendships being likened to sensory input patterns.
–At the end, Worf tells Riker that it will take him one minute to power up the photon torpedoes.  Since when does it take Worf an entire minute?  The best answer is when the plot requires it to save Picard’s life.

At least we get a laugh when Clemens sees Worf and yells, “Werewolf!”  No word on whether or not Mark Twain is a villager.

Synopsis:  Geordi gets brainwashed, and nearly gets to unleash all of his pent up hormonal angst on his crew mates.

Memory Alpha Summary:  He must have had a lot of sand in his shoes.

Review:  A vehicle for Geordi while also acting as a bridge to the season finale, this episode works on multiple levels.  We learn that Geordi likes playing trivia games with the computer and chess tournaments on vacation.  The brainwashing he undergoes is fun, especially when he’s asked to kill Chief O’Brien.  I have two squabbles about the episode, though.  As usual, the bad guy is revealed to the audience long before we should know.  It’s unnecessary here and insulting to the audience.  Second, Geordi and Crusher have this intensely stupid conversation about his insomnia.  Crusher asks him if he has something on his mind, and he says, “No, I don’t think so.”  Well guys, how about that impending fall of the Klingon-Federation alliance and the Federation being sitting ducks for the Romulans?  Nah, that can’t be it.  Geordi’s probably just tossing and turning over Leah Brahms again.

I do like the final scene with Geordi in counseling with Troi.  It’s purposeful, poignant, and it shows a vulnerable side of Geordi that doesn’t involve attractive women.

The countdown will be taking a week off as I take off for Vegas.  May the force be with you…or something.

Synopsis:  An entire planet is destroyed, except for one house, which must mean I was playing SimCity again.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Get the bulldozer ready!

Review:  Another solid episode that showed that TNG was coming into its own.  The plot is unique, unpredictable, and quite touching at the end with Kevin Uxbridge’s (played wonderfully by John Anderson) stark admission of sin.  My only quibble is that two species make an appearance—both of extraordinary power—that have never been heard of and will never be heard from again.

Synopsis:  Worf shows his racism while Geordi can’t lie with sand in his shoes.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Seriously, Geordi gets almost perturbed

Review:  I’m baffled that in Roddenberry’s vision of the future, Worf (who was raised by humans) would want every Romulan to die just because one of them killed his parents.  It’s the same attitude (as we later find out) O’Brien holds for the Cardassians.  I do believe it’s realistic (in other words, I’m glad it played out this way in this episode), as I believe humans may only come together as one when we have aliens to fight against.  However, I doubt it will mean our hatred and fears will diminish much.

Back on the planet, I love the interactions between Geordi and Bochra.  Mr. La Forge shows that he can deftly negotiate with humanoids as well as hot holodeck babes.  It’s too bad that good deeds don’t seem to impress the Romulan government, but at least Geordi impressed Bochra.

Synopsis:  Picard runs into his future self and rips him a new one even though he’s catatonic and defenseless.  Oh, and Enterprise esplodes.

Memory Alpha Summary:  You built a time machine…out of a funnel cloud?

Review:  This is our first time loop entry in the series, and it’s a solid start, if a little plodding, what with the middle mostly consisting of endless talking.  Stewart really does a fantastic job at realistically portraying the emotions that would likely show themselves if someone bumped into their future self.  Also, the fatalistic nature of the time loop is foreboding and watching the crew gradually feel helpless is a nice touch.  The conclusion seems of a bit of a cop out, and never really explained, which hurts this episode a bit.