In the fifth episode of the fourth season of The Next Generation, I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS EPISODE. EVERYTHING. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
I’m just so happy with this episode. I’m thrilled that we got such a spectacular Dr. Crusher-centric episode, one that builds her character and gives her a hell of a story and wades into NIGHTMARE FUEL all at the same time. All of this happened, and all of this was beautiful.
I suspect that many of you knew I would adore this episode, and you hopefully will not be disappointed by my reaction to it. But it’s not just the fact that Dr. Crusher runs the show; this is a thrilling exploration of a trope that is one of my favorite things in the world, but executed here SO BRILLIANTLY. Why is that?
Escalation.
For me, suspense works when the pacing of reveals and stakes and risks is done in a manner that not only keeps me interested, but challenges me as a viewer. I had a conversation with one of my best friends the other day about why I love good horror flicks or thrillers so much, and it’s the way they go about ratcheting up tension that makes me such a fan of them.
BUCKLE IN, WE’RE TALKING SUSPENSE HERE.
I’ll start with a few examples to give you an idea how suspense works for me so you have a sense for my taste here. While I could give some advice for aspiring writers, I have to admit that a lot of my criticism and analysis does boil down to personal taste. Many people I know simply cannot deal with tension or horror because of anxiety issues or mental illness, and I would never presume to say that there’s an objective way to make something that everyone would enjoy. I became interested in horror at a young age, and I blame most of that on The X-Files and The Twilight Zone, which I followed up with an obsession over the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series. I know it may be strange for me to invoke the horror genre here, but hear me out. “Remember Me” works as a psychological horror story because it exploits our fear of death and abandonment.
And really, good suspense is an exploitation, isn’t it? It exploits our sense of safety, and it toys with our understanding of narrative devices and plot twists. Again, that relates back to escalation. How soon does the story hook us? How does it do this? How does it keep our interest? How does it then destroy our sense of calm? A good suspense has to make us question the outcome or else it doesn’t work. If we read a story or watch an episode of a show, and we’re certain we know what the ending is, the suspense won’t work. We’ll wait for the inevitable ending we expect, and it draws the energy out of story.
So, some examples, and I’ll do my best not to spoil much of anything about the plot, but just in case, each of the following paragraphs will be in rot13 to protect the innocent. I highly recommend these films if you’re looking for a good suspense/thriller/horror film, and they work best if you know nothing at all about them. The names of these movies are The Wages of Fear, 13 Tzameti, and No Country For Old Men.
Bar bs zl nofbyhgr snibevgr svyzf vf Gur Jntrf bs Srne, n Serapu rkvfgragvnyvfg fngver gung vf nf oehgny nf vg vf greevslvat. Guvf zbgureshpxre jnf eryrnfrq va 1955 naq fgvyy erznvaf bar bs gur orfg rknzcyrf bs ubj gb rkcybvg lbhe nhqvrapr naq gurve srnef va beqre gb pensg n terng guevyyre. Gur pbaprcg vgfrys whfg ortf sbe raqyrff fprarf bs anvy-ovgvat greebe, naq gur zbivr vgfrys fbzrubj tbrf JNL orlbaq jung lbh rkcrpg. Yvxr “Erzrzore Zr,” gur cerzvfr nhgbzngvpnyyl vapyhqrf na ryrzrag bs cnffvat gvzr gung znxrf gur sevtug jbefr. Va gur svyz, vg’f gur hfr bs avgebtylpreva nf gur inevnoyr. Va guvf rcvfbqr? Vg’f gur pbyyncfvat havirefr. Obgu bs gurz frg n gvzr yvzvg naq perngr na vafgnag frafr bs qernq va gur ivrjre.
V nyfb fhttrfg gung vs gur sbyybjvat zbivr fbhaqf vagrerfgvat, lbh nibvq ernqvat n fvatyr tbqqnza flabcfvf be qrfpevcgvba bs vg, naq whfg tb trg vg. Ohg V bsgra erpbzzraq 13 Gmnzrgv gb crbcyr ybbx sbe n zbivr gung vf chevfg va angher. Gurer’f n zvavznyvfg srry gb gur svyz gung V pna frr va “Erzrzore Zr,” fvapr vg’f gur xvaq bs rcvfbqr gung vf ulcre-sbphfrq ba bar crefba rkcrevrapvat na nofheq fvghngvba. 13 Gmnzrgv vf orggre ng guvf, gubhtu, orpnhfr gur oynpx-naq-juvgr svyz bssref yvggyr rkcynangvba sbe gur evtbebhf naq greevslvat avtugzner gung gur znva punenpgre rkcrevrapr. Ur vf svthengviryl qebccrq vagb fbzrguvat gung’f uneq gb haqrefgnaq, naq cneg bs gur fhfcrafr pbzrf sebz bhe ynpx bs xabjyrqtr. Gung’f bar bs gur ernfbaf “Erzrzore Zr” vf fb cbjreshy, gbb. Jr unir ab vqrn jung pnhfrq gur qvfnccrnenapr bs rirelbar ba gur Ragrecevfr, naq gur chmmyr rngf njnl ng hf.
Gung fnzr frafr bs rkvfgragvny qernq (n pbzzba gurzr va zl rirelguvat) pna or sbhaq va Ab Pbhagel Sbe Byq Zra, n zbivr gung pbagvahrf gb znxr zl fbhy jvfu vg pbhyq rincbengr bhg bs zl obql orpnhfr bs Wnivre Oneqrz. (Uvf ornhgl naq uvf cresbeznapr va guvf svyz, V fubhyq fnl.) “Erzrzore Zr” vf vaureragyl rkvfgragvny orpnhfr Qe. Pehfure dhrfgvbaf ure checbfr. Guvf rcvfbqr vf qrfvtarq gung jnl orpnhfr fur pbafgnagyl unf gb npprcg gung fur vf gur bayl crefba ng gur pragre bs guvf curabzraba. Jul ure? Jul vf fur frrzvatyl gur bayl orvat jub zhfg rkcrevrapr guvf avtugzner? V’q nethr gung Wbfu Oebyva’f punenpgre bsgra tbrf guebhtu gur fnzr guvat, cnegvphyneyl bapr ur gevrf gb ernfba jvgu… jryy, Wnivre Oneqrz. Naq punbf. Naq gurer’f gung bar punfr frdhrapr va gur ubgry gung fcvyyf bhg vagb gur fgerrg naq… bxnl. V’ir fnvq gb zhpu.
I don’t often use other works of fiction to talk about the things I watch for this site, but I wanted to do something different to explain my deep love for “Remember Me.” As scary as the degradation of one’s perception was, this was also a beautifully emotional journey, too, one where Dr. Crusher’s refusal to forget the people she loved helped her to get back home. I think the inclusion of the Traveler and Wesley’s totally unexplained new power is the only weak point, but it’s not nearly enough to affect an otherwise powerful story. This is a new bar set by the writing staff, and I, for one, would love to see them beat it.
The video for “Remember Me” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
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