Descent, Part II

Enterprise ground crew searches for Captain Picard, Geordie and Counsellor Troi.

This episode is not as bad as it's made out, but it is an underwhelming finish to the first episode set up.

The show runners admit it didn't turn out as they wanted due to the multitude of themes they included. None of the scenes are particularly bad for me, there just isn't anything particularly interesting happening.

It flits between three plot threads and gives the most promising aspects of the story little screen time. Hugh appears and they do very little with the character.

The scenes with Data are not very inspired. It is a technobabble concept with a technobabble solution and the logic of how he turns evil and back to normal is dubious. However, it ends well with the strong exchanges he has with both Lore and Geordie. I like the idea the writers had relating to cults, leadership and the exploitation of the emotionally vulnerable, but I'm not sure the concept of Lore controlling Data's network lends itself to those themes.

The scenes with Dr Crusher are contrived but well done nonetheless. Gates McFadden acts the part of a temporary commander well.

Brent Spiner makes the best of the material he has, likewise Patrick Stewart and the others.