This episode introduces the substance "Trilithium" - Originally as a Waste Product from the Warp Engines, this was changed to a Nuclear Inhibitor for the film "Star Trek: Generations" that for some reason, only the Romulans had access too. In This Ep which follows the Plot of "Die Hard" for some reason, the substance was being drained from a tap on the Warp Core, rather than from a secret Romulan Base.
The Enterprise is to be cleared of all personnel for a "Baryon Sweep" - Which will kill any living matter in it's path. Picard beams back up to the Enterprise with Minutes to spare before the Sweep, to get his English Saddle. Down Below, the Enterprise Bridge Crew is expected to attend a reception given by "Commander Hutchenson"/"Hutch" - Which Picard was deviously trying to find a way to excuse himself from - After Denying Geordi the same thing! So, we have a ship full of Nobody, and the rest of the Bridge Crew attending a small "party" on the planet below. Recipe for Mischief, if you ask me.
Of Course, Picard discovers "Engineers" aboard the Enterprise, who ought not be there - And so allows himself to be trapped on the Enterprise, in the path of a Sweep of Baryon Particles (Composite Particles of the Hadron family, along with Mesons) which will surely kill him if allowed to pass over his body.
This is the scenario that has been set up by the Writer of this Ep, Morgan Gendel who wrote the Hugo-Award Winning story for 3rd Season 25th Ep, "The Inner Light".
From this point on, this episode closely follows the film "Die Hard" - Starfleet personnel are held Hostage below, while Picard takes out the Enemies Above, One by One. According to the Trivia Section, there is even dialogue which follows Die Hard. And, as both Bruce Willis and Patrick Stewart both go "Bald" in a lot of their roles, this Ep is a very good Homage to the Action Films of Bruce Willis, and Picard holds his own very well- Since he does have superior knowledge of the Enterprise - These Trilithium Bandits have absolutely NO chance of succeeding.
This Ep has both Patricia Tallman (Kiros) and Marie Marshall (Kelsey) who both had Memorable Roles on Babylon 5. We also have a non-starfleet appearance of Tim Russ as Devor, and Ironically, Picard takes him out with a "Vulcan Nerve Pinch" - Since this Ep follows the two-part "Unification" Episode where he meets Spock and had also shared Sarek's Mind in the 3rd Season Ep "Sarek" we must assume that Picard picked up that Knowledge of how to do a Nerve Pinch from Sarek. This also could be a reference to the Character Tuvok which Tim Russ would play in Voyager - Which Series began about 2 years after this ep.
Glenn Morshower makes an appearance, not as Ensign Burke, but as the Alien "Orton" who Data initially bores with Small Talk. And finally, Data meets his Match in "Hutch" - Commander Hutchinson (David Spielberg), who is as good at talking about inane Trivia as Data is, they get along superbly- And this is Ironic.
This is a fine Episode with the Next Generation tradition of telling two simultaneous stories at once, an aspect of this series which other series began following. The Last Two Lines of this episode, refer directly to the Theme Song from the show "Mister Ed" - Of Course!
The Enterprise is to be cleared of all personnel for a "Baryon Sweep" - Which will kill any living matter in it's path. Picard beams back up to the Enterprise with Minutes to spare before the Sweep, to get his English Saddle. Down Below, the Enterprise Bridge Crew is expected to attend a reception given by "Commander Hutchenson"/"Hutch" - Which Picard was deviously trying to find a way to excuse himself from - After Denying Geordi the same thing! So, we have a ship full of Nobody, and the rest of the Bridge Crew attending a small "party" on the planet below. Recipe for Mischief, if you ask me.
Of Course, Picard discovers "Engineers" aboard the Enterprise, who ought not be there - And so allows himself to be trapped on the Enterprise, in the path of a Sweep of Baryon Particles (Composite Particles of the Hadron family, along with Mesons) which will surely kill him if allowed to pass over his body.
This is the scenario that has been set up by the Writer of this Ep, Morgan Gendel who wrote the Hugo-Award Winning story for 3rd Season 25th Ep, "The Inner Light".
From this point on, this episode closely follows the film "Die Hard" - Starfleet personnel are held Hostage below, while Picard takes out the Enemies Above, One by One. According to the Trivia Section, there is even dialogue which follows Die Hard. And, as both Bruce Willis and Patrick Stewart both go "Bald" in a lot of their roles, this Ep is a very good Homage to the Action Films of Bruce Willis, and Picard holds his own very well- Since he does have superior knowledge of the Enterprise - These Trilithium Bandits have absolutely NO chance of succeeding.
This Ep has both Patricia Tallman (Kiros) and Marie Marshall (Kelsey) who both had Memorable Roles on Babylon 5. We also have a non-starfleet appearance of Tim Russ as Devor, and Ironically, Picard takes him out with a "Vulcan Nerve Pinch" - Since this Ep follows the two-part "Unification" Episode where he meets Spock and had also shared Sarek's Mind in the 3rd Season Ep "Sarek" we must assume that Picard picked up that Knowledge of how to do a Nerve Pinch from Sarek. This also could be a reference to the Character Tuvok which Tim Russ would play in Voyager - Which Series began about 2 years after this ep.
Glenn Morshower makes an appearance, not as Ensign Burke, but as the Alien "Orton" who Data initially bores with Small Talk. And finally, Data meets his Match in "Hutch" - Commander Hutchinson (David Spielberg), who is as good at talking about inane Trivia as Data is, they get along superbly- And this is Ironic.
This is a fine Episode with the Next Generation tradition of telling two simultaneous stories at once, an aspect of this series which other series began following. The Last Two Lines of this episode, refer directly to the Theme Song from the show "Mister Ed" - Of Course!