The Next Generation 6x11 "Chain of Command, Part 2"

rating: ****

the story: Picard is tortured for information by a sadistic Cardassian.

similar to: "Balance of Terror" (original series), "The Die is Cast" (Deep Space Nine), "Kir'Shara" (Enterprise)

my thoughts: Well, ask any fan, and they'll tell you all about how this episode is a classic.  David Warner, a repeated guest presence in the franchise, is in his finest role as the Cardassian torturer Gul Madred, who matches wits with Picard in a way no other character could.  In its own way, "Chain of Command, Part 2" is Next Generation's version of the Kirk/Khan showdown from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

I'll put it another way: "There are four lights!"  Those are Picard's defiant final words to Madred, uttered in a hoarse voice, which he later retracts, actually, in a humbling conversation with Troi, admitting he was on the verge of breaking.  Like Data shooting at Kivas Fajo in "The Most Toys," it's the moment fans have to keep in mind when they struggle to reconcile the Picard of Star Trek: First Contact with the more composed Picard to be found virtually in every other adventure.  This is a man of deep passion and conviction, who under ordinary circumstances ("Sarek" is another example) is in scrupulous control of himself.  That's what this episode is all about, seeing how far that really goes.  It's the ultimate test of the character.  At times he's recklessly defiant (goading Madred about allowing his daughter to see him at work), and at others, almost mocking (jabbing Madred about the helpless little boy the Cardassian once was), but make no mistake, this is Picard stretched to capacity.  It's absolutely riveting, of course. 

The whole thing is a game of chess, including Captain Jellico's second go in command of the Enterprise, as Next Generation produces its ultimate Cardassian episode, paving the way for the brilliant Deep Space Nine material that would follow.  In a way, it's the "Balance of Terror" of the series, in the way the Romulans proved to be nuanced adversaries in the original series, Madred's torture inadvertently giving Picard, and the audience, a glimpse into Cardassian culture, which turns out to be more rich than we'd seen from any other Star Trek alien species.

It'd be wrong to assume this experience couldn't be duplicated, in some ways just as brilliantly, because Garak torturing Odo ("The Die is Cast," Deep Space Nine) and Shran torturing Soval ("Kir'Shara," Enterprise) are equally impactful moments in franchise lore, if less well-known.  It's just, when you give Patrick Stewart a chance to shine, it's hard to be as memorable.  Everyone expects Stewart to be brilliant, but he has so few moments where he really has material he can sink his teeth into.  If nothing else, "Chain of Command, Part 2" is one such moment.

I think that's easy to agree with.

criteria analysis: franchise - series - character - essential (all criteria met)

notable guest-stars:
Ronny Cox (Jellico)
David Warner (Gul Madred)

The Next Generation 6x10 "Chain of Command, Part 1"

rating: ****

the story: Tensions rise between the Federation and the Cardassian Empire, leading to a covert assignment for Picard and a new captain for the Enterprise.

similar to: "The Search" (Deep Space Nine)

my thoughts: Talk about ending the first half of the season with a bang...It's almost as if the sixth season didn't really matter to the producers until "Chain of Command," which features the kind of slam-bang impactful storytelling that typified the series at its very best, the Cardassian version of the grand Klingon saga that shaped so many of the best moments from Next Generation. 

This first half is best known for the introduction of Captain Jellico, whereas the second half, which I will discuss separately, for the torture of Captain Picard.  These are equally significant developments in the story, and for the series.

Adjusting to a different style of command is as difficult for Riker as was the presence of Shelby in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1."  Jellico makes the early, stiff Picard seem like a wimp.  He immediately sets about one of the most-needed revisions of the series: putting Troi in a regulation Starfleet uniform.  Fans tend to overlook, when criticizing the form-fitting outfits of Seven and T'Pol in Voyager and Enterprise, respectively, that Troi's cleavage was easily the most provocative element of the franchise (outside of all the skimpy clothes guest characters tended to wear on alien worlds).  It also didn't serve much of a narrative purpose except to single her out as a different kind of officer.  yet she was, first and foremost, a Starfleet officer, like anyone else, so it was high time she looked the part, too.  It was all part of the maturing of Troi's presence in the series, which seemed like a project for the whole season (see also: "Face of the Enemy").

Jellico sticks out more than Shelby because he rankles not just Riker, but the whole crew.  He proves how warm a presence Picard has become over the years, and what a difference it makes when someone else is in charge.  It's also the old Star Trek trick of finding interpersonal conflict when, technically, this is the bright happy future where we all get along, which dates back to the original series.  Besides Jellico, there's also the debut of the quintessential "bad admiral" Nechayev, who would make a few more appearances in the franchise.

So "Chain of Command, Part 1" is a status marker for the whole series, right when the franchise was about to expand to include another (Deep Space Nine).  And a darn good one.

criteria analysis: franchise - series - character - essential (all criteria met)

notable guest-stars:
David Warner (Gul Madred)
Natalia Nogulich (Admiral Nechayev)
Ronny Cox (Jellico)