In the tenth episode of the sixth season of The Next Generation, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Well, that was electrifying. And of course, the odds were that I’d end up being cliffhanger’d in my own writing by this episode. THIS IS SO DEEPLY UNFAIR, I NEED MORE. I’m blown away by this episode! It is deeply unsettling, the writers know it, and THEY DON’T FUCKING CARE ABOUT ANY OF OUR FEELINGS. Holy shit, LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS.
Captain Jellico
I figure the easiest way to address this episode is to analyze the two main plots that unfold within it. I appreciated that both stories here were given enough time to develop, to seem meaningful, and to entertain me. I wouldn’t want to do away with either of them. I say that right before I state that I REALLY DON’T LIKE CAPTAIN JELLICO. I’m not supposed to, of course, and that’s why this situation exists. Picard’s dismissal and replacement as captain as Enterprise comes out of nowhere, and the crew are asked to adjust to this massive shift in a matter of hours.
Jellico does not make this easy for anyone. In one sense, I think the script for “Chain of Command” shows us why he needs to do this. He’s got very little time to set up the Enterprise to be prepared for war if the negotiations with the Cardassians go poorly. I get that. I get that he has no time to waste, and I understand that this is a desperate predicament. At the same time, Jellico is a bewildering character. Obviously, it’s very easy for everyone – including the audience – to compare him to Picard and to write him off as inferior. He’s extremely rude. He’s dismissive. He cares not for the work he asks of other people while he spends time in his ready room not doing much work himself. He repeatedly makes demands of other people with no consideration to their own… well, humanity! People are not machines. They get tired, they get sloppy, and they can’t work for 48 hours straight. But Jellico asks for these things as if they’re sensible and reasonable, and it’s irritating to watch him do it.
And then he gets in a room with the Cardassian diplomats, and IT IS A FUCKING DISASTER. Like, there’s a part of me that might understand Jellico’s technique. If he was working within the Cardassian cultural traditions and behaviorisms, then I think it was fair of him to act so erratically. He was trying to establish his dominance, and this behavior would probably seem reckless to Deanna and Riker. But his refusal to keep them all on the same page was arrogant at best. Half the time, Riker and Deanna are doe-eyed because they can’t believe what Jellico is saying. If anything, it seemed like Jellico was purposely exacerbating the Cardassians because he hated them so much!
He might have some other plan hidden up his sleeve, but I don’t really trust him. At all.
The Secret Mission
It’s really unsettling to watch this story unfold because it feels so unlike the bulk of The Next Generation. The show isn’t about spies or infiltration or massively secret missions. The three characters sent on the mission to destroy a possible biological weapon of destruction aren’t allowed to talk about what might be the last thing they ever do for Starfleet. They can’t say anything, despite knowing that they’re risking their lives.
Plus, it’s such a physical performance for Michael Dorn, Patrick Stewart, and Gates McFadden. From the holodeck training sequences to the rappel down that cliff face, “Chain of Command” felt like we were watching another genre’s take on The Next Generation. That was exciting, I admit, and it was a treat to see those three actors get the chance to do something so different from what we normally see on this show.
And on a base level, those scenes on Seltris III were just CREEPY. They’re expertly filmed, and I was on the edge of my seat. But I should have noticed that not once did the group face a single Cardassian obstacle, despite expecting them. That should have been a clue. THE WHOLE THING WAS FAKE, AND THE INTELLIGENCE WAS FAKE, AND THE DAMN THING WAS DESIGNED TO LURE CAPTAIN PICARD TO THE PLANET AND NOW HE’S CAPTURED AND I DON’T LIKE IT. Shit, that means that Jellico and Admiral Nechayev both think that Picard and his group are on a genuine mission. THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
THIS CLIFFHANGER IS DEEPLY UNFAIR.
The video for “Chain of Command, Part I” 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.
– IÂ will be at Borderlands Books, Book Riot Live, and Windycon this fall! Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be Kings, season 1 of Sense8, season 1 of Agent Carter, seasons 1 & 2 of The 100, Death Note, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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