star trek a matter of honour

A Matter Of Honor (episode)

View history
1.2 Act One
1.3 Act Two
1.4 Act Three
1.5 Act Four
1.6 Act Five
1.7 Log entries
2 Memorable quotes
3.1 Production history
3.2 Story and production
3.3 Cast and characters
3.4 Sets, props, and costumes
3.5 Continuity
3.6 Reception
3.8 Video and DVD releases
4.1 Starring
4.2 Also starring
4.3 Special appearance by
4.4 Guest stars
4.5 Co-stars
4.6 Uncredited co-stars
4.7 Stunt doubles
4.8 Stand-ins
4.9.1 Other references
4.10 External links

Summary [ ]

Target practice

The USS Enterprise -D is passing Starbase 179 , where some replacement crew are due to come aboard. Riker and Wesley go down to the transporter room to meet the new arrivals. Among them is a Benzite who is participating in an Officer Exchange Program . At first Wes thinks it is his friend Mordock that he met last year on Relva VII , but he calls himself Mendon , telling Wes that they would look the same as they come from the same geostructure . Wesley asks how his species can tell themselves apart. Mendon simply says they just do. He then tells Riker that he requested the assignment and that he feels he will be a great help to the Enterprise .

Riker goes to the phaser range , where he and Captain Picard get in some phaser practice. Picard comments that Starfleet thinks it would be a good idea for someone from the Enterprise to participate in the exchange program. He also notes that there is a Klingon vessel, the IKS Pagh , in the area. Riker gets the idea, and volunteers to be the one to participate in the exchange because "nobody's done it before".

Act One [ ]

Riker talks to Worf about the assignment, asking him while they walk down a corridor if it is true that one of the duties of the first officer is to assassinate his captain when he becomes weak or unfit. Worf confirms this, saying the system has worked successfully for the Klingons for centuries. Riker finds it very different from what he is used to and Worf responds that many things will be different.

On the bridge , Mendon walks around commenting on what the crew are doing and suggesting he has a more efficient way in a pompous manner. He mentions to Wesley that he intends to relay these observations to the captain. Later, Mendon notices something in a scan of the Pagh 's hull. From the initial scan, it appears to be some form of subatomic life unknown to the computer . He decides to continue his analysis without informing Picard or Worf.

" I envy you, Mr. Riker. "

In Ten Forward , Riker is testing out Klingon food such as pipius claw , heart of targ and gagh , watched by Katherine Pulaski . Picard arrives to wish him well, but isn't tempted by the Klingon food. Riker seems to enjoy it and the reactions of his crewmembers.

The time has come to leave. On his way to the transporter room, Worf gives Riker an emergency transponder , just in case he gets into trouble. The Pagh arrives, commanded by Captain Kargan . As Riker prepares to beam over, Miles O'Brien wishes him good luck and that he would not be interested in going.

Act Two [ ]

" Observe your station, Ensign Mendon! "

The Pagh leaves and Picard heads for the observation lounge . Mendon catches him and tries to tell him about his ideas and suggestions on procedural changes, but Picard brushes him off, telling him that on the Enterprise , the crew follows the chain of command . Thus, he should report this to Worf.

Meanwhile, Riker is brought to meet Kargan on the bridge of the Pagh . He asks Riker if he can trust him in the same way he trusts the rest of his crew. Riker replies that he will serve the ship and obey his orders. Klag , the second officer says that he doesn't believe Riker and that he challenges his authority. Riker beats up Klag in a fight, after which he accepts Riker's position.

On the Enterprise , Worf reports an unknown substance on the hull . It is a subatomic bacteria that doubles in size every fifteen minutes and feeds on the materials in the skin. Mendon interjects, saying he noted it before on the Pagh , and Picard admonishes him that he should have immediately reported it. Mendon is surprised, saying Benzite regulations would have him wait until he has a full analysis. Picard tells him he should have followed Starfleet protocol instead and to continue with the analysis.

Act Three [ ]

On the Pagh , Riker is in the mess hall, eating the very Klingon delicacies he studied for the assignment. One of the female Klingons, Vekma , eyes him up, while he eats bregit lung and rokeg blood pie . Klag offers him some gagh , which is still alive. Riker didn't expect that, and Klag teases him, saying that perhaps he would prefer to be breast-fed. They joke for a while, before Riker says that the Klingons were not as he expected, having a sense of humor, for example. The Klingons say the same thing about him.

Starting a more serious conversation, one of them says they are alike – he also has a father and mother. His mother is still alive, but his father was killed gloriously in battle at Tranome Sar . Riker asks about Klag's parents, and he tells him ashamedly that his father was captured by the Romulans and not allowed to die with honor. However he escaped and will die an old man on Qo'noS , weakened, useless and without honor . He tells Riker he doesn't talk to him anymore, but Riker urges him to try.

On the Enterprise , Data says that the organisms feed on the compounds in the hull, and that the Pagh is more susceptible than they are. Picard orders an intercept course with the Pagh . Meanwhile, Kargan calls Riker to the Pagh 's bridge, showing him a hole in the hull. He tells him it's due to a space organism. They have no way to repair it, and in eight hours too much of the hull will have been lost for the ship and its crew to survive. He questions Riker why the Enterprise conducted an intensive scan of the area for two minutes, but Riker doesn't know why. Kargan orders the ship cloaked and an intercept course set to destroy the Enterprise .

Act Four [ ]

" I thought you could use a friend. "

Wesley gets up from the helm and goes to talk to Mendon, who feels he made an error and failed in his task. Wes cheers him up, saying that he discovered the organism and that it wasn't his fault, he just made an error in protocol. He reminds Mendon his main goal is to take what he has learned about the Enterprise to his own government. Mendon goes back and eventually isolates the organisms, concluding they can be removed using a tunneling neutrino beam . Picard orders this information be added to the hail being broadcast. The Enterprise still has not found the Pagh , and Data concludes that it is either cloaked or destroyed.

The hole in the Pagh has become bigger and Kargan sends Riker to engineering to check on the situation. Klag tells him he thinks that Riker does not know anything about a plot. He may be a spy, but he's no coward. When Riker returns, the tactical officer reports that the Enterprise is on an intercept course. This convinces Kargan that it is hostile, and he orders a full battle alert and the photon torpedoes armed. Riker tries to convince Kargan that the Enterprise is trying to help them. He won't listen, and tells Riker that since he gave his word he should tell him the best way to attack. Riker refuses point blank, saying he has also sworn an oath to Starfleet , which he won't break. Kargan pressures him, and Riker says he will obey his orders, but won't break the oath. Kargan then admits that if he had told him the Enterprise 's secrets he would have killed him where he stood.

When the Pagh notes the new message about the organisms, Kargan still doesn't believe the Enterprise and orders weapons ready.

Act Five [ ]

" Riker has no honor! "

Due to the lack of debris, Data says the Klingon ship must be cloaked, so Picard raises the shields . Kargan orders the torpedoes readied, and Riker tells him to wait until the distance to the Enterprise is forty thousand kilometers . Klag comments that Riker is honoring his promise. Riker says he still questions Kargan's judgment. Then he takes out the emergency transponder concealed in his boot and switches it on. He gives it to Kargan when he demands to see it.

" He is only dazed, sir. "

Worf detects the signal, and Picard orders O'Brien to lock on to the signal and beam Riker out as soon as possible. He decides to wait until they are within 40,000 kilometers. Kargan is beamed off before the order to fire can be given. He materializes on the bridge, and pulls out his disruptor , and immediately Worf stuns him with his phaser and Data disarms him. On the Pagh , Riker tells a bemused Klag that he has relieved Kargan of his command. Now he is the captain. He orders the ship to be decloaked, and hails the Enterprise .

A familiar face

He demands that Picard surrender, and Picard agrees with a smile. Picard orders that O'Brien beam a very angry Kargan back to the Pagh , and repairs get started on its hull. When Kargan returns, he tells Riker he is back in command. He tells Riker to return to his station, but Riker gives him a low growl, standing with his chin out. Kargan sends him flying with a punch, regaining some of his dignity in the process. He tells Klag to get him off his ship. As Klag helps him up, he concedes that Riker may know more about Klingons than he thought.

As the Enterprise finishes repairing the hole in the Pagh with the neutrino beam, Riker returns. Picard congratulates him, and tells him to go to sickbay . As Worf escorts him there, Riker tells him that he comes from a very brave and unique people. Worf welcomes Riker home.

Log entries [ ]

Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365
First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

Memorable quotes [ ]

" He is not very attractive, but I will have him. "

" Ensign Mendon… you may impress …ME. "

" Good luck, Commander. " " Thanks, O'Brien. " " You're not afraid, are you? " " No, I'm not. " " I would be. "

" If Klingon food is too strong for you, perhaps we can get one of the females to breast-feed you. "

" Uhhh… it's still moving . " "Gagh is always best when served live. "

" They are inquisitive. They wonder how you would endure. " " Endure what? " " Them. " . . . " One, or both? "

"Enterprise, this is Captain William Riker of the Klingon vessel Pagh . I order you to lower your shields and surrender. " " Lower shields. Surrender as ordered. "

" Actually, I learned quite a bit. " " Apparently, not when to duck. " " When not to duck would be more accurate. "

" I may be back for you. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

Final draft script: 28 November 1988
Second revised final draft script: 2 December 1988 [1]
Premiere airdate: 6 February 1989
First UK airdate: 22 May 1991

Story and production [ ]

Director Rob Bowman and stunt coordinator Dennis Madalone on set

Maurice Hurley recalled, " 'A Matter Of Honor' was just a good idea. It dealt with a social problem. One of the things that the old Star Trek did which the new Star Trek can't do as well, was make comments on issues… You take a show like 'A Matter Of Honor' and say, 'We're going to do a little culture swapping,' so we explore what it must be like to be the only black face in a room of forty white people. That must be kind of tough. That's what Worf , in a sense, is doing. He's the only Klingon on a basically Human ship. So we said, 'Let's spin it. Let's put somebody on an all Klingon vessel and see how that works.' What's it like to be a fish out of water? What is it like to be the only white face in a meeting in Harlem? That's got to be a little funny, a little different, a little tense. That's how that show started, it was a way to look at a contemporary social problem and give it a spin. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 176)
For Hurley, a key scene was where Riker sits down to a meal aboard the Pagh . " The Klingon says he's surprised at Riker because he has a sense of humor. Riker looks at him and says, 'Son of a gun, I was thinking the same thing.' If Riker had said, I'm surprised you guys have a sense of humor,' it wouldn't have meant anything. But spin it, and all of a sudden it became the point of the whole show. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 176)
Director Rob Bowman remarked, " Jonathan Frakes and I really got into that episode. That was a fun one to do. I think Jonathan was waiting to do something that was rough and had action, and it also had the bonding between he and Klag . Every day was Jonathan and I doing high-fives and trying to put forth on film all the energy and spirit and adventure that was in that script. It was great to do. I guess there's a spirit inherent in the Klingons that seems to push it forth in a certain direction with the characters and with the camera. I was going through my divorce at that time, and was escaping into the world of space for some happiness. Probably helped me to concentrate a little better. I know I was very aggressive at that point, so we put that on screen. When we did the fight on the bridge, I wanted to be as rough as I could possibly make it. We even had to pare it down a bit, because what we had in mind was too much. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 176)
A scene filmed but cut for time showed the engineering room of the Pagh . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 75)) A maquette of the engine room was already completed, photographs of which have been published in The 24th Century Technical Manual .

Cast and characters [ ]

LeVar Burton ( Geordi La Forge ) and Marina Sirtis ( Deanna Troi ) do not appear in this episode. This is the first episode of the series in which Burton does not appear.
John Putch had played the identical Mordock in " Coming of Age ". On being cast for this episode, Putch recalled, " I was all very impressed by that. I thought, 'Ah, they love me, they love me.' What they really loved was that it was me, because they'd spent all that money on making that blue head and it was form fitted to me…I don't fault them for that. I would have done the same thing, but it's funny how you are naive about these things when you're just an actor. " [2]
Brian Thompson would later play another Klingon on another Bird-of-Prey in Star Trek Generations . While conflict with the Enterprise is averted in this episode, in that film the Bird-of-Prey is destroyed in battle with the Enterprise , which is under the command of Riker.

Sets, props, and costumes [ ]

According to prop master Alan Sims , the gagh was actually long brown noodles, while the rokeg blood pie was turnips in pumpkin pies, dyed red. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 75)) He used chicken feet as pipius claw , animal organs as heart of targ , and other things such as fish, eyes, squid, and octopus. Most of the things Sims bought at the Asian market. ( TNG Season 2 DVD special feature "Departmental Briefing Year Two: Production – Props" )`

Continuity [ ]

Dirty Pair in-joke (lower right corner)

A momentary reference to the Japanese series Dirty Pair is made on a Bridge Science Station monitor when Mendon first observes the sub-atomic bacteria on the Pagh , after being chastised by Worf . The reference takes the form of "OP KEI" and "OP YURI", and is located beneath "QUARK POPU(LATION)" in the lower right hand corner of the screen.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 75) incorrectly states that this episode is the first to establish Miles O'Brien 's last name. The name had already been previously spoken in " Unnatural Selection ".
" The Icarus Factor " later established that Riker had not seen his own father in fifteen years, making his criticism of Klag notable.
Klingon bloodwine makes its first appearance.
Commander Kurn would later serve in the Officer Exchange Program aboard the USS Enterprise -D as first officer , and as way of observing and meeting his elder brother Worf in the third season episode " Sins of The Father ".
A Klingon Officer, J'Dan , used the program to serve aboard the Enterprise -D and attempted to gather its information to hand over to the Romulans in " The Drumhead ".
The Pagh is said to be armed with phasers . Typically Klingons have been shown to employ disruptor weapons.
Despite O'Brien stating that he would be afraid to serve on a Klingon ship, he would volunteer to serve onboard the IKS Rotarran ten years later in DS9 : " Shadows and Symbols ".

Reception [ ]

"A Matter of Honor" was given a 12.2 rating on the Nielsen Television Index, the highest rating to that point on TNG, making it one of the most watched episodes of the series at that time. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 75))
This was the last of five Star Trek projects to be adapted into View-Master reels.
A mission report for this episode by Patrick Daniel O'Neill was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine issue 7 , pp. 44-50.
This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for a Series.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 17 , catalog number VHR 2470, 1 July 1991
In the UK video collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition , under the "Riker" section, 29 September 1997
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 2.3, catalog number VHR 4739, 3 May 1999
As part of the TNG Season 2 DVD collection
As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Klingon collection
As part of the TNG Season 2 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Special appearance by [ ]

Diana Muldaur as Doctor Pulaski

Guest stars [ ]

John Putch as Mendon
Christopher Collins as Kargan
Brian Thompson as Klag

Co-stars [ ]

Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
Peter Parros as Tactics Officer
Laura Drake as Vekma

Stunt doubles [ ]

Steve Boyum as stunt double for Brian Thompson
Matt McColm as stunt double for Jonathan Frakes

Stand-ins [ ]

James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Diana Muldaur
Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton

References [ ]

ability ; aft ; aggression ; ally ; analysis ; area ; armament ; assassination ; assignment ; attack ; authority ; battle ; battle alert ; bearing ; belief ; Benzar ; Benzite ; Benzite ship ; breast ; breast feeding ; bregit lung ; briefing ; category ; centimeter ; century ; chain of command ; choice ; cloaking device ( cloaking shields ); chain of command ; cleaning ; cloaking device ; cloaking shield ; collision ; confrontation ; contact ; corrosion ; course ; coward ; crew quarters ; cruiser ; damage ; danger ; death ; debris ; deck ; defensive shields ; delicacy ; destruction ; distance ; dorsal ; dozen ; eating ; efficiency ; emergency call ; emergency signal ; emergency transponder ( command transponder ); engineering section ; error ; estimate ; etiquette ; evidence ; family ; feast ; Federation ; feeling ; first officer ; food ; fool ; friend ; gagh ( serpent worm ); geostructure ; " good luck "; hailing frequency ; hailing message ; heritage ; home ; hour ; hull ; humor ; hunger ; idea ; impulse speed ; indoctrination session ; information ; " in honor of "; intelligent ; intention ; intercept course ; judgment ; kilometer ; Klag's father ; Klingon ; Klingon Bird-of-Prey ; Klingon cruiser ; Klingon father ; Klingon food ; Klingon mother ; Klingonese ; language ; laughing ; Lewis ; lieutenant ; lifeform ; location ; log ; loyalty ; luck ; magnification ; maneuver ; meteor ; minute ; mission ; mistake ; mister ; Mordock ; nuclear bond ; number one ; oath ; observation ; officer ; Officer Exchange Program ; omnidirectional signal ; opinion ; opportunity ; order ; organism ; Pagh , IKS ; person ; phaser ; phaser range ; Pheben system ; photon torpedo ; pipius claw ; plating ; plot ; practical exercise ; practice ; pressure ; prisoner ; problem ; projection ; promise ; proper language ; Qo'noS ; question ; rank ; rate of reproduction ; readout ; reason ; record ; red alert ; regulation ; rendezvous ; repairs ; research ; resource ; response time ; retirement ; rokeg blood pie ; Romulans ; sacrifice ; scanning beam ; search ; second officer ; section ; secret ; sentiment ; shell ; shield ; size ; skin ; staff ; sense of humor ; space organism ; spy ; Starbase 179 ; Starbase 179 planet ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Command ; starvation ; station ; status ; subatomic bacteria ; sub-micron form ; substance ; surrender ; sweep ; tactics officer ; targ ; targ , heart of ; thing ; thinking ; thought ; tour ; trait ; traitor ; Tranome Sar ; transponder signal ; transporter ; transporter chief ; transporter range ; transporter room ; tritanium ; toy ; tunneling neutrino beam ; understanding ; viewscreen ; visible light ; volunteer ; warrior ; weapon ; word ; work

Other references [ ]

Graphics: bacterial colony ; growth projection analysis ; growth rate projection ; image ; life form analysis ; microbiotic colony ; neutrino masking interferometry ; quantum interaction tomography ; quantum state resonance test ; quark ; subatomic particle analysis ; substance analysis

External links [ ]

"A Matter of Honor" at StarTrek.com
" A Matter of Honor " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
" A Matter of Honor " at Wikipedia
" A Matter of Honor " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – A Matter of Honour (Review)

This January and February, we’ll be finishing up our look at the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation and moving on to the third year of the show, both recently and lovingly remastered for high definition. Check back daily for the latest review.

The second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation might be a bit rough around the edges (among other places), but there’s still a sense that the show is trying to improve itself, struggling to find its own voice. Most of the first season seemed content to offer a pale imitation of the classic Star Trek show, ignoring the fact that a lot had changed in the two decades since Kirk and Spock took to the air.

A Matter of Honour is an example of The Next Generation engaging the late eighties instead of trying to evoke the lost spirit of the sixties. Taking the “Klingons as Communists” metaphor as far as it could logically go, and serving as a companion piece to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , A Matter of Honour is a tale of deep space détente.

Guess who’s going to dinner where?

Star Trek is a show about exploration, but not necessarily about the exploration of deep space. Sometimes it’s about exploring culture, and – quite often – about delving into ourselves as well. The Next Generation seems to be grasping this, with Picard drawing attention to the fact that Riker’s trip to a Klingon ship is really the perfect expression of the Enterprise’s mission statement: exploration. “We know so little about them. There really is so much to learn. This is a great opportunity. I envy you, Mister Riker.”

The moral at the heart of A Matter of Honour is rather basic. People are really alike all over; those monsters you spent years hating and cowering from? They are just people too. In the episode’s most on-the-nose moment, a Klingon officer assures Riker, “Like you, I have a mother and a father. They look like me, I look like them.” It’s a story about encountering the enemy and discovering that they really aren’t all that different.

Prey tell, what’s afoot?

Riker transfers over to a Klingon ship as part of a cultural exchange, and gets to witness life among the Klingons first-hand. “Look around you,” Klag advises Riker. “There are no old warriors.” Riker replies, “No, sir, I’m sure they all died with honour.” Klag seems almost impressed. “Exactly. You may live long enough to learn about us.” Like Heart of Glory , there’s a conscious sense that Star Trek is trying to move away from the rather alarmist (and possibly even racist) portrayal of Klingons on the classic show.

The educational experience works both ways. As much as Riker learns that Klingons are not monsters, Klag has a similar revelation about human beings. At the episode’s climax, Klag’s new-found understanding of human values allows him to plead Riker’s case to Captain Kargan. “Captain, I’m not convinced Riker knew of any plot against us,” Klag argues. “If he did, why would he have come on board?” Kargan replies, “It’s the expectation of any officer to be ordered to die at any time.” Klag responds, “For a Klingon perhaps, but Riker’s people do not volunteer for death so easily.”

Chewing it over…

That said, the show’s next Riker episode, The Icarus Factor , does make Riker out to be a bit of a hypocrite in his advice to Klag. When Klag recounts the gulf that has grown between the officer and his father, Riker urges Klag to reconcile with his flesh-and-blood. “He’s your father,” Riker insists. Klag merely offers, “Klingons do not express feeling the way you do.” Unable to muster the sort of cultural relativism you might expect, Riker is quick to champion human values. “Perhaps you should.”

It’s an interesting sequence in light of The Icarus Factor , and I’m not sure whether it was intended as foreshadowing when A Matter of Honour was written. Burton Armus wrote A Matter of Honour and is credited on the teleplay (but not the final episode) of The Icarus Factor , so it’s possible that Armus had the idea in mind when he wrote the scene, suggesting that Riker is quick to offer Klag advice that he’d never take himself.

A quick shooter…

Either way, it’s not a bad character beat for Riker, who is fairly consistently characterised as being a just a bit of a jerk. Advising Klag to reconcile with his father while being unable to forgive his own is a far cry from the idealised humans that Roddenberry wanted to staff the Enterprise, but it does add a bit of depth and nuance to the character. It makes Riker seem a bit more nuanced and conflicted than he might otherwise, and that reading of this small scene might be the best thing to come out of The Icarus Factor .

A Matter of Honour is a show that couldn’t have been done on the original Star Trek . Kirk’s Enterprise might have been a ship of science, but it seemed to exist constantly on the brink of interstellar war; carving out a niche in galactic politics. This very much reflected America’s self-image in the sixties, in the wake of the Second World War, as the nation tried to find its place as the leading global super-power, but always wary of conflict.

An ideal to dine for…

Kirk might encounter alien cultures and ferry their diplomats, but he’d never make a serious attempt to integrate fully. He’d never venture to a Klingon ship for the sake of a mutual exchange of ideas with the Klingons. Tellingly, the only time Kirk boards a Romulan ship is to steal a cloaking device in The Enterprise Incident . Kirk hijacks a Klingon ship in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

A Matter of Honour is a story that plays off the changes that have taken place since the original Star Trek went off the air. The Cold War is winding down. It looks like America might be the last super-power standing, with an established function in global politics. In The Next Generation , the Federation seems more firmly established and more influential than it was in the classic Star Trek , and A Matter of Honour relies on that shifting status quo to tell its story.

Not phased in the slightest…

The second season of The Next Generation is on a learning curve. It’s a pretty steep learning curve from the troubled first season. Indeed, while there’s a fairly clear leap in quality between Unnatural Selection and A Matter of Honour (and between A Matter of Honour and The Measure of a Man ), the second season struggles in places and almost loses its footing several times. The production team are struggling – but that’s a good thing. Ideally, this growth and experimentation should take place during the show’s first year, but it’s never too late.

( Star Trek: Enterprise is perhaps the poster child of this philosophy. The show struggled through two bland seasons before making a conscious effort to experiment and evolve during its third and fourth seasons. While the results were not uniformly triumphant, they were strides in the right direction, betraying a lot more ambition than Star Trek: Voyager ever seemed to have.)

Bridging two very different cultures…

In this second season, there’s a conscious effort to figure out how to tell stories for this show, rather than trying to capture the voice of a piece of pop culture history. There are little touches here and there, scattered across the season. The second season seems more interested in character than the first season ever did, although we’re still quite a distance from Michael Piller’s shrewd decision that every story on The Next Generation should be a character story in some shape or form.

Still, we get scenes of the crew relaxing together, enjoying one another’s company. In Where Silence Has Lease , we see Worf and Riker relaxing in the holodeck together. In The Measure of a Man , we’ll see the first poker game on the show – something that became so much a part of The Next Generation that the series’ closing scene was dedicated to that recurring activity. Here, we open with Picard and Riker enjoying a trip to the ship’s phaser range.

Hard to beat…

Riker is an interesting character, if only because he’s a member of the crew who seems to coast through most of the series. Jonathan Frakes has a roguish charisma that lends the character a bit of an edge, but many of the show’s stronger Riker episodes treat him as something of an “every man” – you just drop him into a crazy situation and watch the results. (For example, Schisms or Frame of Mind or even A Matter of Perspective .)

Even in his strongest character-driven episode, Pegasus , the surprise reveals of Riker’s shady dealings and his past compromises aren’t shocking because we always thought Riker was a boy scout. They catch us by surprise because – in the show’s final season – Riker seemed the cast member least likely to have a skeleton hiding in his closet. Riker just sort of is , serving as a constant on the bridge of the Enterprise.

The great Bird of Prey of the Galaxy…

This is part of the reason why A Matter of Honour works so much better than the other Riker-centric episode this season. The Icarus Factor tries to make Riker more interesting by heaping daddy issues on to the character. Ignoring the fact that “male lead character has difficulties with male paternal figure” is one of the laziest characterisation tropes in popular culture, it doesn’t work because we’ve never really believed that Riker was in any way maladjusted or troubled.

Of course, it’s worth conceding that Riker does have a character beyond “the bland one.” In fact, Riker has a very clear character arc over the first three years of The Next Generation , it’s just filled with painful exposition and conveniently wrapped up before the show reaches its half-way point. We seem to spend an inordinate amount of time being told that Riker is an ambitious go-getter without seeing any evidence for it.

A shot in the dark…

Later this season, The Icarus Factor and Peak Performance are built around the idea that Riker really wants to be a captain, even though the show has never offered any evidence supporting this beyond having characters tell us that it’s what Riker always wanted. Michael Piller builds a significant portion of The Best of Both Worlds around dismissing this idea as nonsense, and effectively tying up that loose character thread once and for all.

Still, A Matter of Honour plays well to that side of Riker’s character, perhaps serving as the only episode where we really get a sense of Riker’s ambition as something fundamental to his character, rather than something that others conveniently project unto him. It’s the only episode where we really get a sense of Riker as a character who wants to be a bit more than just the first officer of the Federation flagship. Which, it should be noted, is still a hell of an accomplishment.

Pressed on the issue…

Again, there’s a bit of a conflict here between the type of character that we’d expect Riker to be, and the type of character that Gene Roddenberry was willing to allow on his show. The dynamic between Picard and Kirk was clearly written to invert the classic Kirk and Spock relationship from the classic series. Frakes himself has argued that Roddenberry saw Riker as the “Kirk” character on the show :

And Roddenberry… I think… related to Riker. I think he saw some of himself in Riker. I think what he did was he saw a little Kirk in Riker. And I think that he had created a character in his own image. And, he had an awareness of who he wanted Riker to be, and what the twenty fourth century would be like.

However, there are limits to what a “Kirk-like” character can do on a show where he is second-in-command and the writers have been very heavily warned to avoid any hint of conflict. Riker was never going to challenge Picard openly, let alone defy his superior’s wishes. This does a lot to take the edge off what the show clearly wanted Riker’s personality to be.

At least Riker knows that a rescue will come at Worf speed if he needs it…

In the first season, as much as Riker is presented as quick-thinking and ambitious and confident, his most significant shared attribute with Kirk is the extent to which the character is driven by his libido. In Justice , Riker’s interest in the fairer sex almost gets Wesley killed; in 11001001 , it helps get the ship hijacked; in Angel One , it deescalates a planetary conflict.

There’s still the occasional hint of jerkishness and arrogance to Riker’s persona, which Frakes seem to enjoy playing up whenever he gets the opportunity. In 11001001 , he rather jerkishly jokes about “a blind man teaching an android to paint.” In Chain of Command , Riker proves that that he doesn’t play well with others. In Lower Decks , we get a sense that Riker can be downright unpleasant if you don’t know him.

This is what happens when you don’t rust proof your space ship…

Still, it remains an aspect of Riker’s character that – while consistently hinted at throughout the show’s run – is hardly his defining characteristic. While we’re repeatedly told by characters about Riker’s ambition and desire for the big chair, we never get any sense of that from Riker himself. If anything, it seems like Troi and his father (and, apparently most of Starfleet) have misread him. This is pretty much at the core of Riker’s character arc for the run of The Next Generation , and Michael Piller succinctly deals with it in The Best of Both Worlds . Actually, it suggests, Riker can be awesome without wanting the big chair.

Still, there’s just a hint of that Riker swagger, ambition and arrogance here. He’s introduced competing with Picard in a recreational activity. Continuing along those lines, The Measure of a Man will put him in more direct conflict with higher stakes. When Picard wonders why Riker might want to sign up for the exchange with the Klingon ship, Riker doesn’t offer any pleasant-sounding philosophical sentiments about expanding knowledge or preserving peace.

Riker really floored his commanding officer…

When Picard questions his motivations for volunteering, Riker replies, “Because nobody’s ever done it before.” Indeed, sending Riker to the Klingon ship actually provides a nice opportunity for the writers to play up the character’s “alpha male” tendencies. These tendencies would normally be quite incompatible with Roddenberry’s ban on conflict between main characters.

On a Klingon ship, surrounded by loud and boisterous Klingons, Riker can assert himself in ways he’d never dream of on the Enterprise. When two separate Klingon women consider taking him to bed, Klag asks whether he could “endure” it. “One?” Riker asks. “Or both?” The episode allows us to see an ambitious and risk-taking version of Riker, free from the burden of his unquestioning loyalty to Picard, or responsibilities to the officers beneath him.

Hijacking a Klingon ship. Like a boss.

Riker takes a trip to an alien ship and promptly winds up deposing the captain and claiming the ship for his own. Hailing the Enterprise and demanding Picard’s surrender from the command chair of a Bird of Prey might Riker’s best moment on The Next Generation . In fact, it seems like the only time that we really believe that Riker would dream of replacing Picard one day.

A Matter of Honour actually has a pretty firm grip on character, and that’s part of the reason that it works so well. Even supporting characters are used well. For example, it builds of Heart of Glory ‘s characterisation of Worf to suggest that Worf’s engagement with his own culture is purely theoretical. “I have studied and know everything about my heritage,” he boasts, underscoring the idea that Worf has little experience with his own people outside of books.

Winging it…

He’s nervous about sending Riker to a Klingon ship, perhaps aware that – despite the depth of his knowledge on his people – he is unfamiliar with the practical realities of working on a Klingon ship. He seems more anxious about Riker’s trip than Picard is. In a way, this sets a clear direction for Worf’s character arc over the next couple of years. Worf is a character who knows a lot about the ideals and values of Klingon culture, but with little understanding of how it works in practice.

A Matter of Honour even finds room for a nice Wesley subplot. Wesley is a character that the show never really figures out; he’s been the focus of some of the weaker episodes of the show to date and he’ll be the focus of some of the weaker episodes to come. However, here we actually get a Wesley-heavy subplot that works reasonably well, giving Wesley a fairly simple plot function (help an outsider fit in) and devoting no more time than necessary to it.

Standing up to the Captain…

Although it’s far from the focus of the episode, the subplot humanises Wesley a bit by allowing him to interact with somebody just as awkward as he is, and it doesn’t hinge on the character appearing to be a miracle worker or a genius. Wesley doesn’t save the ship here, he just helps out a person who needs some assistance fitting in. In short, it’s a pretty efficient story beat to give your teenage cast member, and it’s not too different from the types of plots that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would do with Jake and Nog that worked better than “remember that time Wesley saved the Enterprise?”

Even O’Brien, a supporting character who only got a name in the last episode, is given a bit of personality. He’s afforded a small personal exchange with Riker before beaming him over to the Klingon ship. “I wouldn’t want to go,” he concedes. “You’re not afraid, are you?” Riker replies, “No, I’m not.” O’Brien deadpans, “I would be.” It’s a nice character moment for Riker, but also for O’Brien, and it demonstrates what this second season is learning. Again, this notion of character would be at the heart of Michael Piller’s reinvention of the show during its third season, but you can really see the seeds at work here.

The fall guy…

It’s worth noting just how much Rob Bowman’s direction enhances A Matter of Honour . In particular, the scenes shot on board the Klingon Bird of Prey have a wonderfully oppressive atmosphere, with Bowman shooting the sets so that they look particularly alien – the rust and the dim lighting in stark contrast to the more sterile surroundings of the Enterprise.

Bowman was one of the strongest directors to work on The Next Generation , and it’s telling that two of the show’s strongest episodes to this point are credited to him. Bowman would go on to become one of the guiding directors on The X-Files in the mid-nineties. Bowman became such a significant part of The X-Files that he even directed the feature film. It’s a shame that he didn’t work longer on The Next Generation , particularly given the quality of his output.

Command decisions…

Still, A Matter of Honour is one of the better episodes of the show so far, and a clear indicator that The Next Generation is in the process of improving, and of figuring out what it wants to be. It’s not quite there yet, but it’s closer than ever before. As the next episode indicates.

Read our reviews of the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation :

Where Silence Has Lease
Elementary, Dear Data
The Outrageous Okona
Loud as a Whisper
The Schizoid Man
Supplemental: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Marvel Comics) #3-4 – The Cancer Within
A Matter of Honour
Supplemental: Star Trek: Myriad Universes – Echoes and Refractions: Brave New World by Chris Roberson

7 Responses

LOVE this ep. Great breakdown! I may watch it this weekend. Thanks!

Thanks Victor. It is well worth a look, and a wonderful pleasure when trekking (hehe) through the troubled second season.

Are the new star trek films any good? I heard they are

They aren’t as deep or profound as the television show. They lack the depth of The Voyage Home or The Undiscovered Country. But in terms of technical craftsmanship, they are superb and great fun.

I wish I’d found these reviews earlier, you might see a few comments from me popping up.

I actually find Riker to have a bit of a sad arc about promising, fiery officer settling into mediocrity.

From what we know, Riker started out unquestioning of authority, but after the Pegasus incident he went the other way, challenging authority which is what led to Picard choosing him. He was making enough noise to get noticed for the flagship, and being that outspoken it’s possible he did want command then, and was working his way up.

The mentions of this being heavier early on suggest that over the first couple of seasons, while that was in the back of his head, he settled into a crew, into a routine. Now he didn’t want any ship, he wanted this ship, even then only with Picard’s blessing.

By the end of the show, he’s a lot less fiery, content to lord a middle management position over people who aren’t his friends.

No worries at all. I can generally see the comments as they come in, so I can hopefully reply to comments on older reviews as well as more recent ones.

That’s an interesting read on Riker, suggesting that his dickishness in later episodes results from his sense of stalled dreams. Personally, I think there are suggestions of that “edge” early on, certainly in Frakes’ performance. Of course, everybody on those first two seasons was a bit of dick, so Riker’s dickishness stands out a bit less than it does in the seasons that follow.

Oh totally, it’s just the edge changes from a young arrogant man who knows he’s the rising star to the guy who never lived up to his potential.

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E8AMatterOfHonor

Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E8 "A Matter of Honor"

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Original air date: February 6, 1989

The Enterprise -D visits Starbase 179 and takes on some replacement crew as part of an Officer Exchange Program. Picard notes that Starfleet thinks it would be a good idea for someone from the Enterprise to participate as well—and mentions that there is a Klingon vessel, the Pagh, in the area that would agree to take on an exchange officer. Inspired, Riker volunteers to participate because "nobody's ever done it before." He has a slightly rocky start, but manages to develop a camaraderie with most of the crew of the Pagh . The overly paranoid Captain Kargan, however, is a different story.

Meanwhile, the exchange officers on the Enterprise are adjusting. The overly-eager Ensign Mendon, a Benzite, irritates Worf with his constant suggestions for improvement and apparent arrogance, and when he discovers a potentially dangerous bacteria on both the hull of the Enterprise and the Pagh , he waits overly long to inform Picard of the discovery. When questioned, he states that it is a Benzite regulation to wait until they have a full analysis and resolution before reporting the problem. Picard informs him that if there is a potential for danger to the ship, he should inform the bridge immediately and continue his analysis. Upon discovering that the bacteria is chewing a hole in the hull, and that the Pagh is even more susceptible, the Enterprise changes course to intercept the Klingon ship to warn them of the potential danger.

Unfortunately, Kargan has already discovered the damage to his ship and is convinced that the Enterprise deliberately caused it. He orders his crew to prepare to attack the Enterprise . Riker continues to uphold his oath of loyalty to the Pagh, but before the order to fire can be given, he tricks Kargan into taking an emergency transponder that Worf gave him—and Kargan is promptly beamed onto the Enterprise. Worf stuns Kargan before he can attack the bridge crew. Riker takes command of the Pagh and orders a bemused Captain Picard to surrender and repair the Klingon ship. Both ships are repaired, and Riker returns command to Kargan, growling at him and allowing Kargan to punch him to retain his dignity. As Lieutenant Klag ( Brian Thompson ) helps Riker up, he muses that Riker has handled himself well. Klag: You understand the Klingons better than I thought, Commander. Riker: Thank you, my friend.

This episode provides examples of:

Abhorrent Admirer : Riker is less than enthusiastic about the interest he receives from two Klingon women, though he plays along to keep face.
Artistic License – Biology : Yes, you heard correctly. Data did say "subatomic bacteria." Also counts as Artistic License – Physics .
Batman Gambit : Riker lets Kargan see the Tracking Device he's carrying, knowing Kargan will be suspicious and confiscate it so he'll be the one who gets beamed over to the Enterprise .
Call-Back : Wesley mistakes Mendon for his friend from the Starfleet Entrance Exam, Mordock, in " Coming of Age ." Interestingly, Mordock was said to be the first of his species to enter Star Fleet, and Wesley notes that he could not have graduated yet, so Mendon has jumped ahead of Mordock through the exchange program to become the first of his species to serve on a Federation starship.
Chekhov's Gun : The emergency transponder that Worf gives Riker before he leaves for the Pagh. It isn't shown or mentioned again until the climax, when Riker uses it to trick Kargan into beaming off the Pagh.
Conflicting Loyalty : Kargan accuses Riker of this. Kargan: I am still Captain of this vessel and you are still crew and sworn to obey me. You gave me your oath. Riker: Yes, sir, I did. Kargan: Then fulfill that oath and serve this ship as you swore to. Tell me of the surest method of attack against the Enterprise . Riker: I won't. Kargan: You must. It is a matter of honor and loyalty to your oath. Riker: I will not surrender the secrets of the Enterprise to you. Kargan: If your word is no good, then how can we ever trust Starfleet? Riker: I will not break any vow I have taken in the past. I have also taken an oath a loyalty to your ship. I will not break that. Kargan: They are in conflict! Riker: No, sir, they are not! I will obey your orders. I will serve this ship as First Officer, and in an attack against the Enterprise I will die along with this crew. But I will not break my oath of loyalty to Starfleet. Kargan: If you had told those secrets about the Enterprise , I would have labeled you a traitor and killed you where you stood . But instead you will die with us. You'll die like a Klingon.
Culture Clash : A major point with Mendon. In his culture, seeking approval from your betters is paramount, but Mendon's enthusiastic talk about proving his worth by improving the Enterprise 's systems comes across as smug. After speaking with Mendon in his first scene, Riker gives O'Brien a look that says, "Can you believe that asshole?" Later, Mendon is dressed down by Picard for not reporting a potential problem immediately. Mendon explains that in his culture, providing incomplete information would have been the error.
Defeat Equals Friendship : Riker is tested right away when his Second Officer, Klag, calls him a liar to his face. Riker doesn't have to be told what to do next to maintain his authority. Klag treats him with respect after this, rather than hold a grudge.
Early-Installment Weirdness : Although this episode establishes many of the standard concepts for the TNG Klingons, there is one odd moment when Klag tells Riker that, to a Klingon, his career is everything and family is less important. This is very much in contrast to concepts of Klingon family-based honour that would soon be introduced. Also, in the same conversation Riker castigates Klag for refusing to contact his dishonored father, angrily reminding him that "he is your father "... But later on, in "The Icarus Factor" we find out that Riker himself is estranged from his own father, and hasn't seen him in 15 years.
Extreme Omnivore : Before his transfer, Riker indulges in Klingon cuisine, which includes serpent worms called gagh . He seems to actually enjoy it, though Pulaski and Picard both gag at the stuff. Oddly, he's the only one to mispronounce gagh to rhyme with "bog" rather than "Bach." Later on, in the Klingon mess hall, he discovers that Klingons actually eat their gagh while it's still alive. Despite initial hesitation, he eventually takes the plunge.
Fish out of Water : Riker as the only human on a ship full of Klingons, and to a lesser extent, Mendon trying to adjust to Starfleet protocol.
Heroic BSoD : Mendon goes into one after screwing up in matters of protocol. Wesley helps him snap out of it in time to solve the bacteria problem.

Idiot Ball : Kargan is convinced that the bacteria is a deliberate attack by the Enterprise . Even when his own crew points out the holes in his logic, he insists that the Enterprise gave them the bacteria simply by scanning them.
I Gave My Word : Implied when the Klingon captain wants Riker to take an oath on what he just said, and Riker replies: "I just did."
Klingon Promotion : Discussed early on by Worf and Riker—it's expected that if a Klingon captain is too weak or unfit for command, his First Officer will assist in his "retirement." Note that contrary to the usual interpretation of the trope, this discussion does not imply that personal ambition is sufficient justification for trying to kill a superior officer. Being unfit for duty is the sole criterion given. During the climax, Riker uses a Downplayed variant—he doesn't kill Kargan, but tricks him into getting beamed off the Pagh for a while, leaving Riker as the ranking officer.
Meat Moss : Both ships are infested with a fuzzy, rust-colored bacterial colony that doubles in size every quarter-hour and feeds on the metal of their hulls. Getting rid of it serves as the B-plot of the episode.
Mistakes Are Not the End of the World : Mendon messes up by not immediately reporting the bacterial colony that is growing on the Enterprise hull because on a Benzite ship, one would never report such a thing until they had completed their full analysis and come up with a proposed solution. He feels that he failed and can never recover, but Wesley tells him that he just made an error, and that "Captain Picard may not like them, but he knows they turn up from time to time."
My Fist Forgives You : Invoked Trope by Riker. When Captain Kargan returns to his ship, he sulkily orders Riker to go to his station on the bridge. Riker refuses to move, so Kargan backhands him across the bridge and has him thrown off the ship, enabling Kargan to salvage some respect out of the situation.
Put Your Gun Down And Step Away : Riker defuses the situation by hailing the Enterprise as captain of the Pagh and demanding their surrender. Picard instantly deduces his intention and complies.
Kargan tries to get Riker to betray Starfleet; when Riker refuses, Kargan tells him that if he had, Kargan would have executed him as a traitor on the spot.
More humorously, Kargan is testing Riker's ability to handle Klingon customs throughout the episode. For example, he has a couple of Klingon women come on to him to see how he reacts. (He passes the test.)
According to Picard and Riker, Benzites are eager to please. Also, if Mendon is any indication, they don't take failure very well.
Averted when Riker is surprised to find that Klingons have a sense of humor , given that The Comically Serious Worf is the only Klingon he knows.
Stock Footage : Most of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey shots are taken from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .
Talk to the Fist : Riker's response to Klag's challenge. The ensuing Curb-Stomp Battle helps him earn the crew's respect.
That's an Order! : Riker uses his temporary authority to order the Klingon vessel's shields to drop.
A Threesome Is Hot : When two Klingon women seem to show interest in Riker, and one of the men suggests that they want to see how well Riker can endure them, he responds, "One or both?" This show of bravado endears him to the Klingons, including the women.
We Will Not Have Pockets in the Future : Riker has to place the transponder in his boot because he doesn't have any pockets.
Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E7 "Unnatural Selection"
Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E9 "The Measure of a Man"

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

“A Matter of Honor”

Air date: 2/6/1989 Teleplay by Burton Armus Story by Wanda M. Haight & Gregory Amos and Burton Armus Directed by Robert Bowman

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

Review Text

Commander Riker is selected to participate in an officer exchange program that allows him to be the first Starfleet officer to serve aboard a Klingon vessel. Logically, you would think this would mean a Klingon officer would serve aboard the Enterprise , but since we already have Worf I guess that would be a redundancy. Instead, we get Ensign Mendon (John Putch), a Benzite who is very anxious to please. Mendon's arrogant-seeming personality is initially an annoyance before the story demonstrates that it truly understands him and allows us to sympathize with his different way of looking at things.

"A Matter of Honor" is TNG at its pro-diversity best. It's a perfect vehicle for Riker, providing an opportunity for him to exhibit both cerebral and testosterone-driven attributes. Consider the scene in Ten-Forward where he samples what seems like the entire Klingon menu: Here's a guy with a strong stomach and a completely genuine desire to learn about and immerse himself in an alien culture. Riker does his homework.

The scenes aboard the Klingon ship give us the first of the series' first-person perspectives into the workings and mindset of the TNG -era Klingons (which is to say the Klingons as allies rather than enemies). The story makes no mistake about the fact that the Klingons are a very different culture with very different values, as in the scene where Riker and first officer Klag (Brian Thompson) discuss Klag's father, whom Klag has essentially disowned because the father was unable to die in battle during his prime. The beauty of "A Matter of Honor" is its ability to find common ground between these divergent characters through universal qualities like food, humor, and self-integrity.

The plot throws a complication into this theme when the Klingon crew finds a substance eating away at the ship's hull and believes the Enterprise is to blame (for reasons that the plot is able to almost make plausible). The only thing holding this episode back somewhat is the stubborn, unlikely obstinacy of Captain Kargan (Christopher Collins), who seems way too determined to attack the Enterprise in retaliation rather than waiting to examine all the facts. But I enjoyed Riker's clever response to Kargan's unwillingness to listen, and his ability to play by the Klingons' rules in staging his power play. Riker's demand for Picard's surrender is classic.

Previous episode: Unnatural Selection Next episode: The Measure of a Man

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70 comments on this post.

"A Matter Of Honor" is the begining of a long string of very good or (in some cases) great episodes. "Elementary, Dear Data" is another great one. The ones between "Elementary, Dear Data" and "A Matter Of Honor" are adequate or perhps slightly more then adequate, but certainly nothing special. In any case, the very good episodes this season are better then any episode of the original series (which has several good or even great episodes, but its quality is held far back from what it could have reached by the fact that each character's personality has only one aspect, in contrast to the multi-faceted and thus vastly more interesting Next Generation characters) and SO much better then the average episode of this show's first season (where the vast majority of episods are bland and each character has almost no personality).

The scene with Riker in the Klingon mess hall is some of the best five to 10 minutes of Trek of any movie or series.

Klag to Riker in the mess hall: "If Klingon food is too strong for you, perhaps we could get one of the females to breast-feed you". xD rofl Loved the scenes between Mendon and Worf. Also, the scene in Ten-Forward with all these Klingon "delicacies", Riker looked like having such a great time there. Doctor Pulaski's and Picard's faces were absolutely priceless. And of course, the demand for surrender was pure epic! An amazing episode, easily one of the best Star Trek episodes.

@ Adam: Yep, I agree that there's a quality bump that starts off with "A Matter of Honor" and we can enjoy some of the best episodes of early TNG. If the whole series was like a long movie, I was half-asleep at this point, and "A Matter of Honor" and particularly "The Measure of a Man" were the first signs that this film was something worth watching. @ William and Xaaos: The mess hall and the "Surrender" scenes are just great! This was the antithesis of "Code of Honor". Where the latter was a racist, stereotypical and boring ep, this was smart, fun and promoted the best values of TNG. When Riker demands the Enterprise to "surrender" he is using Klingon's laws, instead of the Federation's, we haven't seen that very often until that point in the series. And the solution ends up well for both parties, even when he received a punch for being a very clever smartass. Really great stuff. @ Jammer: I can't stress this enough, your writing style is fantastic. This single line, for example: "The beauty of "A Matter of Honor" is its ability to find common ground between these divergent characters through universal qualities like food, humor, and self-integrity."...is a piece of review art. Simple, beautiful and to the point. I wish I could write my own reviews like that =D

Yeah, I think this episode is just shy of being a classic for the reason you mention -- Captain Kargan is too obstinate to be convincing, and too trusting of Riker given his obstinacy otherwise. I don't tend to think of Riker as one of the show's very best characters, but look at some of the episodes in which Riker is the lead or at least co-lead: 11001001, A Matter of Honour, The Best of Both Worlds 1 & 2, First Contact, Frame of Mind, Second Chances, The Pegasus. (The Best of Both Worlds is a Riker show as much or more as it is anyone else's, especially part 2.) That's a pretty fine set of episodes, and I'm not sure if any character on this show besides Picard can boast eight episodes of that high quality in which they are the lead, even Data (though I think Data is better written and performed overall).

@William B: Here's my theory on what happened to Riker: Early in the series, Riker is much more important. There are few big meetings that Picard has without Riker and Riker is often the guy who takes charge in a crisis ("The Naked Now") or has some brilliant engineering idea. Riker is sort of the hero and Picard is often the somewhat stuffy commanding officer. But as TNG became less like TOS, Riker worked less with the plots. There were fewer away missions and when there were ("The Chase", for instance) Picard leads them. Late in the series, Riker becomes more like Scotty on TOS -- i.e. the dude left to run the ship while Kirk (Picard) and Spock (Data) go have all the fun. Ultimately, I think the creators realized that Riker was at his best as a character in shows that didn't involve Picard, and that the series generally got better as Picard really became the star. Let's face it, Patrick Stewart is 10 times the actor Jonathan Frakes is and the show got better when the Picard/Riker ratio tilted more toward Picard (except for season 7, which was just bad for other reasons). The really strong episodes with Riker usually involved him being nowhere near Picard (BOBW, Matter of Honor, First Contact, Frame of Mind) or where there's a third character as a foil (11001001, Pegasus). And the episodes that were really Riker/Picard heavy -- the Gambit two-parter -- just didn't work. This isn't a universal thing (Measure of a Man was probably the best use of Picard and Riker together in the series). But it's clear that at some point, the creators figured Picard was the key to good TNG and that Picard/Riker together wasn't a winning pairing.

William B: "I'm not sure if any character on this show besides Picard can boast eight episodes of that high quality in which they are the lead, even Data..." Let's see, using Patrick's rundown of Jammer's 4-star episodes from "All Good Things..." 1. 11001001 -- Riker mostly 2. The Measure of a Man -- Data, Picard, some Riker 3. Q Who -- ? 4. The Survivors -- Picard, I guess 5. The Defector -- ditto 6. Yesterday's Enterprise -- Yar, Guinan, then Picard 7. The Best of Both Worlds -- Riker & Picard 8. The Best of Both Worlds, part II 9. First Contact -- Riker & Picard 10. The Nth Degree -- Barclay! 11. Cause and Effect -- Crusher's POV 12. The First Duty -- Wesley & Picard 13. I, Borg -- LaForge & Picard 14. The Inner Light -- Picard 15. Chain of Command, part II -- Picard, and I guess Riker had a subplot 16. Frame of Mind -- Riker 17. The Pegasus -- Riker 18. Lower Decks -- Sito? 19. All Good Things… -- Picard For all the episodes carried by Worf and LaForge, many of them good, they couldn't quite crack Jammer's top slot. And for all the fine Data-heavy shows, he was only spotlighted in one classic. Even Picard, the de facto leading man, only clearly carried two by himself; in ensemble shows, Picard got more face time just by calling the shots, and the rest of the time he shared top billing, usually with Riker. Riker puts in a surprisingly strong showing, especially considering that his two solo shows were toward the end of the series. By that point, as Paul points out, Picard had absorbed the leading man function that had originally been intended for Riker, the ersatz Will Decker (himself a component of the first officer/smart guy/psychic triumvirate meant to replace Spock in the aborted Phase II series).

@Paul, very good point, and in general the shift from TOS-style "let's explore the galaxy" to the late-TNG era peacemaking/diplomatic made the Away Team hurt Riker's role in the show, too. It is interesting that you say Picard/Riker isn't a winning pairing for the show -- I don't disagree overall! -- but two of the highlights of s1, 11001001 and Conspiracy, both play up the Picard/Riker team in a way that the rest of s1 doesn't. It's definitely true that the series moves away from this format and that the Picard/Riker team doesn't really work in action settings, though I think there are a large number of nice dialogue scenes between the two. I think they work best when in opposition to each other, though -- "The Measure of a Man," "The Best of Both Worlds." @Grumpy, thanks for the breakdown. If I had to pick a few episodes of the show to bump up to 4 stars from Jammer's ratings, they would probably be Darmok and Tapestry; and Family is a highly-regarded episode (though I think I agree it's not at the 4 star level). So there are a few big Picard vehicles that are often ranked among the series' top 10 or top 20 perhaps worth keeping in mind. This gives Picard a big edge over Riker. Of the shows I listed, only A Matter of Honour and Second Chances are not listed already (and they are both unambiguously Riker shows); I think both are great, but wouldn't bump either up to 4 stars, though A Matter of Honour is in contention. I think there are some Worf shows like Sins of the Father and Reunion that would be on my mind for bumping up to 4, too. (Keep in mind I am just rewatching s2 now after about a decade -- so I might change my mind on all of these.)

SkepticalMI

Never really thought too much about Riker being a key to the best episodes. He doesn't really seem to have too many episodes devoted to him, but they do tend to be quite good. Frame of Mind and Pegasus are the two I immediately think of. Honestly though, I think it's better when it's him and Picard. BoBW comes to mind pretty quickly. As for the episode itself, I noticed something really odd. At least three times there was a quick scene on the bridge that ended with Picard leaving and telling Data he has the bridge. Sounds like poor editing to me. But can't complain too much, as this was a very good episode. I was pretty impressed with the Mendon sub-plot, something I wasn't expecting. He had a pretty interesting personality, and the episode succeeded in making him likable despite his arrogance and condescension. The fact that he still is willing to learn (and was so hard on himself when chastised) kept us from hating him. But even his likability didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying Worf intimaditing him. Great fun =) As were the scenes on the Pagh. Yeah the Captain was gratuitously stupid, but I can't argue about it too much. Someone had to move the plot along. Frakes' acting during the dinner scene was great. Riker looked convincingly out of his element, doing his best to enjoy himself while still wondering in the back of his mind how much further things would go. His look when he saw the gagh as well as when asking if the lady Klingons were serious in their offers (and found out it was affirmative).

"A Klingon is his work, not his family" Boy, would they ever go on to undo that...

Somewhere along the line... perhaps this very episode... the Klingons went from a code of honour type race to a barbaric war mongering race. There is no way a race that behaved in this manner would be able to create a star ship, let alone operate it. It's like the writers had no idea how to portray honour and strength, and thought it was all muscle and insults. Ridiculous. Also, that Bensite(?)... No space faring race would come to the conclusion that waiting until a solution has been found was beneficial to safety. Too many stupid illogical things like this in Trek. As ever, though, it's entertaining.

The role of "honor" was not part of the original conception of Klingons, and received uneven treatment after it was introduced, but they were always "barbaric" and war-mongering. HOWEVER, as I've pointed out elsewhere, per Trek canon, they are not all warriors. Think of all the militaristic cultures in human history. A society of knights wouldn't have been able to build castles and ships, or feed themselves, either.

I think everyone who loves Trek has episodes that fall a little short of the classics -- "City on the Edge," "Best of Both Worlds," etc. -- but just really speak to them. "A Matter of Honor" does that for me. I just never tire of the episode or the performances or its message. Plus, it was the single best episode of the series up to this time. It truly showed us what this new Trek could be.

This one is solid early TNG for me. I may not like it as much as some other posters here, but I think it *is* a notable highlight of the series so far. The only episodes up to this point that I'd rank above it are "10011001", "Elementary, Dear Data", and MAYBE "Where Silence Has Lease". Like Jammer, I think the Klingon captain is a bit too hard-headed and that it slightly drags the hour down. I did really like the third officer, though, and the Benzite subplot. This one is an easy 3 stars for me and a very nice example of the show finding its bearings.

FINALLY!!! I was losing hope after 4 mediocre to bad episodes in a row, then along comes this gem. A great concept, well written and acted, and it was fun to watch. A great character development episode for Riker, and we get to see the inner workings of a Klingon ship... Agree with Jammer, nice to see an episode where the story is trying to bridge the gap between two very different cultures. I could have done without the Benzite b-story, but I get why it was there.

Definitely a good episode, although I agree with the nitpicks. The Klingon captain acts too stupidly, and the same can probably be said about the Benzite (even though we know it was the writers' attempt to show the challenge in changing/adapting to "alien" thinking compared to ours, or vice versa). Of course the behavior of the two characters ends up linked, so that it's hard not to see it as a plot contrivance. Regardless, there's lots of entertaining stuff here. I love how Worf glides in each time the Benzite trips on himself and delivers some perfectly low-key threats. I almost imagined some imminent off-screen hazing sessions, lol.

Diamond Dave

Good episode, this. The fish out of water element plays into a number of fun scenes as Riker integrates with the Klingon crew - my personal favourite being the "one... or both?" line. But it also makes some more serious points about cultural assimilation, as the new Benzite crew member struggles to adjust to a different working culture. Yes, the Klingon captain's desire to attack the Enterprise is contrived and overblown, but we get to see brawny Riker (shoving his 2nd officer's head through a viewscreen) and brainy Riker (tricking the captain to gain command of the ship) and have a lot of fun on the way. 3 stars.

One of my pet peeves from season 1 is the cumbersome exchange: Lieutenant, open hailing frequencies. Having frequencies open, sir. I cringed every time I heard it. It's incredibly refreshing to see Worf respond with a simple "Open" when given the order.

grumpy_otter

@Paul "Let's face it, Patrick Stewart is 10 times the actor Jonathan Frakes is" I think if you compared Stewart's and Frakes' entire bodies of work, this would be true. I can't recall seeing Frakes in anything except Star Trek, and I have seen Stewart in many things. But, on TNG, I think Frakes holds his own against Stewart very well, and in some cases even betters him; but that's more a function of how the characters were written, not the acting skill. But as far as acting goes, think of Frakes once he takes on the Odon parasite in "The Host." I could tell he was a completely different person in there! (Like Cage and Travolta in Face/Off!) And his performance in "Frame of Mind," or "First Contact," or "Gambit" -- I just think he is amazingly talented as Will Riker. And as Thomas Riker, too! Oh, and the episode with Minuet! lol at myself--I didn't realize how much I liked him! I think he is very good at letting one small expression say a lot. Back to this episode, I really liked Klag and wish the friendship he began with Riker could have been revisited. Oh well. I loved poor little Mendon. I am a college teacher, and I have known so many students like him. Their enthusiasm and passion can be annoying, but it comes from a good impulse in them. A good teacher has to try and channel that enthusiasm in a productive way. I remember being a little harsh with one to get him to focus on what needed to be done, and his sad little face was burned into my memory--it was just like Mendon's face when Picard rather rudely corrects him about the chain of command. Overall, this is a great episode and one of the best up to this point in the series. I also just really like how ships shimmer and sway when they decloak.

Latex Zebra

Whoah! What? I've never commented on this episode. Love it, so many great scenes and moments, Ten Forward, the Klingon Mess Hall, Riker on the bridge of the Klingon vessel. Great stuff. Have to agree that the hard headness of the Klingon Captain seemed a bit off and just to force the conflict. The the actor was a better Pakled than he was Klingon. Great episode and whilst not quite a 4 this is a revisit-able classics that stands the test of time well.

Wow, isn't 3.5 stars a little high for this episode? For me, one hasn't aged well at all. To be fair, my memory of seeing it for the first time as a kid is that it was awesome, with the scene of Riker eating strange food in that great mess hall scene on the Klingon ship burned into my brain. But that's really about the only highlight: The rest of this story spends too much time with the Benzoid exchange officer on Enterprise whose cultural quirks come across more annoying (not to mention dangerously negligent, considering his unreported scan of the Bird of Prey's damage) than sympathetic, Wesley cozying up to him while Worf glares vaguely, and all kinds of other filler that isn't very interesting. But one thing above all really undoes the whole thing and makes this a 2.5 star episode for me: The Klingon captain is so profoundly stupid, poorly characterized, unmotivated in his climactic actions, and cartoonish in his gestures that he really destroys the respectability of this episode. The whole honor/diversity theme of this story can only work if the leading representatives of the alien culture are respectable people, but this captain comes across as a blithering idiot even by Klingon standards, clearly losing the sympathies of his crew to Riker in a key misstep by the writers. Here we see early signs of the sad tendency of TNG to make Klingons into "noble savages" who feel more like one-dimensional cartoon characters -- much like American Indians on old Westerns -- than the clever warriors of TOS. Yes, the contrivance that puts Riker at odds with his Klingon captain leads to the fun moment where he takes command, but it never feels like anything other than a frustratingly inexplicable plot twist. This episode makes you wonder how the Klingons can even fly their ships without assassinating each other.

FlyingSquirrel

I wonder if the writers hadn't fully thought through how they wanted to portray the Klingon Empire and its political and military structures at this point. Even if you accept that the Klingon captain isn't the brightest bulb in the fleet and prone to overreaction, I have to think that all Klingon officers would understand that you don't just go attacking a Federation vessel based on suspicion of a single incident without even contacting their High Command or considering alternative explanations first.

The River Temarc

"Also, that Bensite(?)... No space faring race would come to the conclusion that waiting until a solution has been found was beneficial to safety." You know, I had always thought of that bit as being implausible. And yet: consider the fact that Korean Air Lines CRASHED a 747 because the first officer, who realized the plane was about to do controlled flight into terrain, said nothing, because that would involve contradicting a superior. And much the same thing happened aobut 15 years later, when Asiana crashed that 777 at SFO and again the first officer was hesitant at contradicting his captain. In commercial aviation, these incidents led to a lot of discussion about the role of Asian culture in cockpit management. Malcolm Gladwell famously discussed this issue in OUTLIERS, although he was not the first to raise it. If this theory is to be believed, I don't see the portrayal of the Benzites as so far-fetched. To be sure, I wouldn't want to get on a Benzite starship, and my hope is that the Starfleet way ended up changing procedures on Benzite ships, rather like KAL cockpit culture changed after the airline brough in foreigeners for a thorough safety culture overhaul.

A fun episode, almost ruined by a plot contrivance Like lots of tv and movies, the whole plot hinges on the hero's ability to outfight the villain/ challenger. Sometimes that's believable but in this case it isn't. Haven't we already established that Klingons are generally much stronger than humans? I am thinking especially of the recent Holodeck teaser with Worf fighting huge opponents as "calisthenics" and Riker watching in amazement and Picard worrying Riker would get hurt. Riker was right to fight the 2nd Officer who insulted him - that was the only action that had a chance of winning respect. But, shouldn't the realistic outcome have been: Riker gets beaten to a pulp and is left to crawl off with a concussion and a couple fractures, while the Klingons laugh and mock and demote him to janitor for the rest of his term?

Tara: Two words... Trek Fu. It is long established that puny humans can knock the shit out of just about anyone by clenching two hands together and cracking someone on the back of the head. Karate chops are also devastatingly effective against everything from a Borg to a Breen! So yes, whilst other other species are stronger. They have not been trained by Ross Geller in the arts of "Unagi!"

Lol, LZ! Sushi always wins! Yes I know - it's a plot device. But, but, but, it's so device-y and unbelievable that it ruins things. I'd have preferred to see a fight in which Riker gets creamed and is bloodied and on the floor, but outsmarts his opponent at the last moment in a no-holds-barred way that only Klingons would accept - manages to throw live gakh in the guy's face and then rams his hand into an electrical socket and beats him unconscious while he's being electrocuted.

lol - Yeah, I'd pay to see that.

I think this is the best Riker-centric episode. He's a knowing, calculating, quick-thinking bad-ass here. Yes, the scene in the Klingon mess hall is entertaining, but for my money the best single moment is at the end, when Riker shrewdly situates himself perfectly to allow Kargan to backhand him across the bridge. In doing so, Riker diffuses the situation and allows his Klingon Captain to regain his dignity in the eyes of his crew. And I like that the Klingon crewman who whispers to Riker while helping him up realizes exactly what Riker was up to.

You know, I had always thought of that bit as being implausible. And yet: consider the fact that Korean Air Lines CRASHED a 747 because the first officer, who realized the plane was about to do controlled flight into terrain, said nothing, because that would involve contradicting a superior. --------- Yes, and you seem to have missed the point. This is a rare occurrence and is taught to pilots as an example of what not to do. And that's the case even though it's 2017. Trek is our future by hundreds of years. Any space faring race would have learned these lessons a thousand times over. The original poster is correct. No space faring race would conclude that waiting was beneficial to safety... because it isn't. This isn't a lone pilot making a mistake - it's an entire planet's philosophy on a serious protocol. Your comparison is utterly bogus. It's a fun episode overall, but there are some serious issues, like the aforementioned. The biggest of all is how stupid they made the Klingons in Trek. Couldn't we have had a prideful, warrior race that was at least believable? The writers were out of their depth. Take martial arts - There is a discipline, especially at the highest levels. It's an art form. The Klingon captain in this episode is the worst of all. He's psychotic.

It is curious that only with respect to Vulcans was the notion of one species having greater strength than humans taken seriously (well that and maybe the Gorn). In no Trek that I can recall would a human stand a chance against a Vulcan in a fist fight. Yet humans can fight Romulans, Klingons, and even genetically engineered races like the Jem Hadar, toe to toe. Having said that, even the idea of a woman beating a man in a fist fight is kind of silly - yet it's a pretty well worn Hollywood and TV trope for the 130 lbs woman to punch out some 200 lbs man. So Trek is hardly alone in fudging things to prevent its protagonists from being pasted in situations where it makes little sense for them to prevail. I think it would have been pretty cool if Trek had tried to play this straight rather than cheating. I liked TOS battles most when Kirk was being creative (gunpowder against the Gorn, a crowbar against Khan). And seriously, it's not like hand to hand combat should be any kind of serious issue in the 24th century!!

Rhonda Rousey is a135 pounds and I would TOTALLY bet on her vs you in a fist fight. That said I feel like if I punched Worf in the face I'd break my hand.

Lol Robert. You got me - I would lose in a fight to a female mixed martial arts champion. But the real question is: how would she fare against an elderly obese Klingon suffering a hangover?

Much better than Heart of Glory we finally get started with the sequence of stories that bring out the the best of the Cosmic Vikings. There are plenty of comic book punch outs, a wonderful scene in the Klingon mess hall and I actually liked Wesley's role in this one -trying to assist the over enthusiastic Benzite. I would not eat Heart of Karg,though.

Surprised a few people don't seem to rate Frakes as an actor, I've never seen him in anything else to be fair but in TNG he is a very good performer, can emote very well, and is pretty charismatic IMO

Very good episode - one of the best of TNG up to this point. Plenty of great scenes as others have mentioned and, overall, a great idea for an episode. The B-Plot of the Benzite on board the Enterprise also worked for me - thought it might be a bit annoying at first with the arrogant, eager-to-please newbie, but you do feel some sympathy for him toward the end. What hurts the episode is the Klingon captain acting like an idiot and eager to get into battle with a Federation ally. It's a bit overdone - the whole Klingon warrior/honor thing in his case. Also, how did that alien biological thing get on both ships - did it come from the Benzite's scan early in the episode? No answer was given to this - it's just a plot-device that doesn't get resolved. I also agreed with @JohnC's comment - there is a subtlety about Riker getting nailed by the Klingon captain at the end that is important. I'd rate it 3/4 stars - one worth watching again for sure. The musical score is also good.

"One or both?" is one of the best lines of the season.

The Dreamer

Collins who portrayed Kargon also played on of the Pakleds in Samaritan Snare and was the voice in the 80s cartoons GI JOE (Cobra Commander) and Transformers (Starscream)

The Klingon captain was unreasonably and unnecessarily quick to react and prepare for attack to be sure. But there are so many great scenes in this one, in my mind it is a classic. 4 stars

I always thought Klingons were just big and beefy rather than inherently stronger than humans. So a big chap like Riker should be able to handle one in a scrap. Whereas Jack Reacher would beat them all up.

Sarjenka's Little Brother

Love this episode. Does so many things well: -- One of Riker's best episodes and elevates the character. Perfect one for the exchange. -- The Klingon mess hall scene is some of the best Trek of any show or movie. -- This was an important episode in fleshing out the Klingons more. -- Excellent blending of two story threads both in terms of plot and thematically (the Benzite on the Enterprise; Riker on the Klingon ship). While not in my top 5, I consider this essential "Next Gen" viewing.

Peter Swinkels

A review I completely agree with. :-)

A few commenters here seem to feel that Mendon the Benzite? was arrogant and condescending. While I will not argue against that notion keep in mind that Mendon’s (Benzite?) culture apparently was quite different from the Enterprise/Federation/human culture in key areas. This could cause him to be misperceived as such. Probably happens a lot more irl. than we would care to admit.

Random observation: the Klingon ship looked vague reptiloid. What does that tell us about Klingon design?

Having not read any of the reviews yet, I'm sure some of the perfectionists have found some minor flaw in this episode. For me, this is top tier Star Trek. Excellent sci fi! Excellent story telling ! 5 stars

Ona note of interest, isn't it ironic that people who critique other people's work and offer suggestions to improve on it, find a Benzite arrogant and annoying? Methinks the writers are having a good laugh. lol

I'm sure some of the perfectionists have found some minor flaw in this episode ------ Nah - some ordinary people with logical brains found some glaring flaws.

Jeffrey Jakucyk

So Ensign Mendon is not actually Starfleet. He doesn't know the first thing about proper procedures, as he's an officer in the Benzite fleet and is only here because of the exchange program. Also, as mentioned in "Coming of Age," Mordock is the first Benzite in Starfleet, and he only enrolled a year ago. That's all fine, but then why is Mendon wearing a Starfleet uniform, and why did Riker not change into a Klingon uniform? I guess it's a production budget thing, not having to make an expensive Klingon uniform for Riker (apparently Brian Thompson who plays Lieutenant Klag almost didn't get the part because he wouldn't fit in Christopher Lloyd's costume from Star Trek III), and there's lots of Starfleet uniforms for extras and other background characters, but it's kind of confusing. It makes Mendon seem like a clueless new graduate rather than an exchange officer from a different culture. It even tripped up Wesley, after all. I do love Riker's feast in Ten Forward, and the follow-up meal in the Pagh's mess hall.

I just love how clever the transporter is - it can dematerialize people sitting in a chair, then rematerialize them standing up, perfectly balanced! Come to think of it, why is there even need for a 'Transporter Room', since it seems that objects can be transported from anywhere to anywhere at will?

This one had good suspense. I want to like Riker's clever solution to the problem. However, I am not sure I can believe the other Klingons wouldn't have attacked him after the Klingon captain was beamed over. Was it supposed to show their strict respect for the chain of command? But they do like to challenge and fight others so why wouldn't they just have attacked Riker? I always find the Klingon stories to be half baked, No word for Peace? spare me. Or the idea that the second officer would fight the first officer if they didn't like their performance. That would leave the officers looking over the shoulders. Shouldn't the captain judge the first officer before they are deposed? How would a successful warrior society have to behave? It has to be cohesive after all. The ensign on exchange was a light subplot which neither added nor detracted. overall 7 just for the suspense.

I'm not usually a fan of Rikercentric eps, but I'll make an exception for this one. Loved it and all the little touches that brought both the Benzite and the Klingons to life. More talk about life and death, but we seem to be taking a turn, in the last few eps, toward focusing more on individual identity - what makes you not just alive, individual. WESLEY: How do you tell each other apart? MENDON: We just do. And lots of associated talk about vulnerabilities - what breaks through our outer shells like bacteria on a starship. Anyhow - a good one!! Well done in all aspects. Interesting, great sets, well acted, great dialogue - the whole package.

I’m with DLPB. After a rewatch last night, the Klingons are a supposed “Master Race” yet what we witness is really a crude regurgitation of Might Is Right philosophy. Their code of honor is a patchwork of contradictions and failed ideologies centered around individualism, sexism, racism, and xenophobia yet it requires allegiance/obedience to a hierarchy. Their scientists would stab and kill each other designing the console layout on the bridge. Their doctors would kill each other trying to decide symptoms of cold vs flu. Family honor killings for 10 generations would ensue over naming rights for whether it was Kor Beer or Korath Beer. I could do this all day. The single tone writing of TNG Klingons is pure crapulence on display. I actually prefer TOS Klingons. There’s a clear indication that Pakled genealogy at some point intermingled with the Klingon genome. Im guessing about 20 generations prior, some massive extinction level event took place and Pakleds saved the last few remaining Klingons, forever adding their stupidity to Klingon evolution.

SouthofNorth

Summary: Okay episode undone by plot contrivance 2/4 This is an example of the TNG writer not respecting the fan's intelligence. In order to believe the action of this story you have to believe that the Klingon commander is an unhinged idiot anxious to go to battle with an ally. That's sloppy writing, catering to the idea that the ONLY way the fans are going to be interested in the story is if --- ooohhh - the Enterprise is about to be DESTROYED. But we all know the Enterprise isn't going to be destroyed and so there's really no dramatic tension and we spent a good part of the episode wondering why the Klingon Commander is such a moron and how he ever got his job in the first place. The interaction between Riker and the Klingon crew ARE great and comprise the really charm and interest in the story. However it would have been much better if the ending had gone something like this: (Klingon commander is beamed abroad the Enterprise) Picard: Commander Kargan? Kargan: Oh hi Picard. A little trick of your first officer. Seemed to think I was losing my grip on my command. Picard: How is your ship? Kargan: Fine. Fine. I smeared the bacteria over our waste collection section. Got rid of a lot of mess that add collected after our deep space mission. Planting that bacteria was a good test of our officers Picard. Picard: Indeed. (Looks over at Mendon.) Kargan: But one that Riker failed. He should have tried to kill me for my actions. It'll be a long time before he's a ready to be a Klingon officer, Picard. Worf: The Pagh is hailing us. Picard: On screen Riker: This is command Riker of the Klingon ship, The Pagh. You have 1 hour to clean up the mess you left on our ship or else I'm going to blow you out of the sky!!! Picard: We'll get right on commander. Mr. Mendon, beam over to The Pagh and show the Klingons how to remove the bacteria. Mendon: (gulps) Uh .. yes sir. Kargan: Hmmm maybe it won't take as long as I thought ...

I've been watching Trek since around TNG's S2, off & on. Caught a bunch of episodes out of order & knew that I liked it but graduated HS & got a "real job" (joined the Army) the same year DS9 premiered. Hence I never got to watch that or VOY as "current" episodes, with the sole exceptions being "Trials And Tribble-Ations" and "Scorpion Pt 1" (caught those solely due to the commercials promoting those eps). Since then I've watched DS9, VOY and ENT in order & am now cherrypicking TOS & TNG eps I haven't seen using this website as a guide. That being said, since this IS so late in the game & SO much has been said about all these eps by SO many people, I've debated making any comments. But after discussing this ep and all its charm in Star Trek Online just now, I was compelled to watch it again for nostalgia. Then I realized I hadn't read the review/comments for this, so I checked everything out & decided now's as good a time as any to contribute to the comments for the first time. So here is my debut commentary. I really like this episode and WANT to give it 4 stars, but I can't. I feel 3.5 is apropos. Pretty much for all the things that have been mentioned before but also for some stuff that nobody else has brought up. For instance, like everyone else, I am SO enamored with Riker's willingness to fully immerse himself in Klingon culture, starting with their food. That's good. However, the conversation that immediately follows the amorous advances of the Klingon females screws it all up. Once Klag mentioned his indifference to his father's fate, it was appropriate for Riker to pipe up "but he's your father". After Klag responds to that, Riker should have let it go. But he doesn't; he repeats "but he's your father!" like as if Klag didn't hear him the first time, or hearing it a second time will give Klag pause. "Oh, he is? Really? Maybe I ought to rethink my position." No. Riker gave his take on the situation based on how HIS culture would handle it, and that's all he's obligated to do. Anything more comes off as arrogant and condescending. This is Klag talking about the dishonor his father suffered, and Klag's resultant feelings. All Klingon. There is no room whatsoever for Riker's commentary, and continuing to offer it is insensitive and, like I said, arrogant. Riker was wrong and I really wish he'd not said it a second time. As a CDR, he should have known better, and considering all the preparation he did for this assignment, he has no excuse. As a veteran, I inherently understand thoroughly the concept of "chain of command", and anytime in Trek the military structure is represented, it's almost always done properly, but when it's performed well, it gives me a warm feeling inside. Like "the writers actually GET it!". Such as it was with Mendon jumping the chain and Worf's responses. I've been in both Mendon's and Worf's shoes in situations like that, and every single one of those scenes was pretty much exactly like how it would happen IRL. So, kudos for that. @The Dreamer "Collins who portrayed Kargon also played on of the Pakleds in Samaritan Snare and was the voice in the 80s cartoons GI JOE (Cobra Commander) and Transformers (Starscream)" Yup, nice to see I wasn't the only one to pick up on that. I preferred this performance to the one he gave as a Pakled for the simple fact that he had more lines & screentime here. Also, to clarify any confusion, Christopher Collins was his billing name when he did live acting, but for voiceovers, he went by Chris Latta. RIP, big guy. @Jeffrey Jakucyk "Also, as mentioned in "Coming of Age," Mordock is the first Benzite in Starfleet, and he only enrolled a year ago. That's all fine, but then why is Mendon wearing a Starfleet uniform, and why did Riker not change into a Klingon uniform?" This aspect of Mendon bothered me too. It wasn't clarified if he was on another Federation vessel or was a Benzite officer. And I hadn't considered Riker wearing Klingon gear. But I can tell you from experience having worked with/around exchange officers from other countries, they do NOT wear the uniforms of their host countries. So Riker wearing Starfleet gear on the Pagh was 100% correct. But it still doesn't explain Mendon. @The River Temarc "In commercial aviation, these incidents led to a lot of discussion about the role of Asian culture in cockpit management." I remember reading about those incidents and that's an excellent comparison. Thank you for the food for thought. @Tara "But, shouldn't the realistic outcome have been: Riker gets beaten to a pulp and is left to crawl off with a concussion and a couple fractures, while the Klingons laugh and mock and demote him to janitor for the rest of his term?" @meister "I am not sure I can believe the other Klingons wouldn't have attacked him after the Klingon captain was beamed over. Was it supposed to show their strict respect for the chain of command? But they do like to challenge and fight others so why wouldn't they just have attacked Riker?" Not necessarily. Everyone else on the Klingon ship clearly agrees with Riker but, because of their rank, it's not their place to challenge Kargan; that responsibility lies with Riker, and they know he will do so. However, as evidenced by the ending with Riker "not ducking" Kargan's backhand, they have to go through the song & dance of asserting themselves for protocol's sake yet underneath it all everyone knows the real score. That's precisely why Klag is sympathetic & friendly to Riker at the end, but notice that when they get up, Klag is forceful & assertive when they walk away. Gotta keep up appearances and all... Lastly, did anyone else notice that the name of the Klingon vessel (IKS Pagh) is the same exact word that was used in DS9 for the Bajoran concept of one's "lifeforce"? *quotes Kai Opaka* "Your pagh is strong" WTH? Sorry for the novel, but you guys have great comments & I didn't want to miss anything. Hope anyone who reads this gets a fraction out of it what I got out of the comments above me.

RandomThoughts

@Weasel Nice comments and welcome to the party. :) Regards... RT

MidshipmanNorris

I gotta say, while the Riker Transfers To A Klingon Ship plot is solid (with the noted-in-Jammer's-review overall weakness of the character Capt. Kargon), the B-plot with Ensign Mendon is some of the most maudlin, insipid, ham-handed feely-feels tripe that I've ever watched. How did this guy get through the entirety of his orientation (called "indoctrination" here...someone needed a dictionary) without someone asking him "do you understand how Starfleet Vessels handle the chain of command?" and getting a satisfactory answer beyond "yes sir," before allowing him to man a Bridge Science Station?? The fact that the plot then focuses on how Mendon feels would be ok, except for 2 things; 1. This guy, while yes layered under some of the weirdest prosthetics I've ever seen, probably couldn't act his way out of a shower without it on. He's terrible. Wil Wheaton, even at this early juncture in his career, was a much better actor. 2. The dialogue written for these scenes is ridiculously stupid. I don't even have the patience to go into it all, but every single line uttered just makes me want to punch myself for watching it. I would cut 1/2 of a star off this score, simply because of how insufferable and whiny Ens. Mendon comes off. They really gotta vet these guys better before assigning bridge duty.

I have never been fond of Klingo-centric episodes. (Perhaps they're more a 'guy thing'? All that posturing and aggression!) However, there is a lot to like in this: mainly Riker's performance: learning to eat that DISGUSTING diet, behaving in a Klingon-approved fashion, but ultimately being extremely clever by pledging his loyalty to the Klingons while refusing to betray their shared allegiance to the Federation. There were so many negatives though: the stupidity of the Klingon captain, the poor acting of the Benzite (not to mention the words almost put into Wesley's mouth: "Well, you all look the same to me"), and the completely unexplained metal 'infection' (sub-atomic bacteria - uh?). If I liked Klingon episodes I'd say minimum 3 stars but I'd have to award a subjective 2.5. But Riker put in a 4-star performance, definitely.

I also really enjoyed the minor scenes in this episode: e.g., Chief O’Brien’s humorous expressions around the Benzite arrival, and his interchange with Riker before transporting him to the Pagh (“I would be scared...”). Wesley’s exchanges with His Benzite counterpart on the bridge. And Dr. Pulaski’s expressions while watching Riker sample Klingon food. Great episode. 4 stars.

Forgot to mention: Did anyone else notice the inconsistency when Riker argues strongly that his Klingon crew mate about his not having talked to his father for over 2 years (“But he’s your FATHER!), when just a few episodes later Riker is shown to be totally estranged from his own father in The Icarus Factor?

This Captain is the same actor that played a Pakled captain a little later, and his voice is too similar in each for me to not think Pakled in this episode too.

> > Did anyone else notice the inconsistency when Riker argues strongly that his Klingon crew mate about his not having talked to his father for over 2 years (“But he’s your FATHER!), when just a few episodes later Riker is shown to be totally estranged from his own father in The Icarus Factor?< < Probably not intentional, but in real life this would be known as "projection" - ie. Riker is projecting his daddy issues onto the Klingon.

Riker might also Ree the rift with his own father as being entirely his father being disappointed in him, and so find the Klingon ostracizing his father due to dishonor hard to understand, since he would deep down like a better relationship with dad if it were in his control. Maybe. (Again, not intentional.)

This is obviously one of the five best episodes of TNG. I'm not a huge fan of Riker, however, he's a real human unlike Chakotay. Chakotay was miscated. I love the entire cast of Voyager, but TNG had better writing aside aside from Year of Hell and Future's End. Riker can hang with Klingons. He has guts. He's too much of a pussy hound for my tastes, though. He's a great actor that does what he's told. Frakes is a fantastic actor and director.

Miscasted. I was a bit drunk, haha. My apologies.

TNG isn't perfect. It makes every other new movie stupid, I always desire the intellect it provides. Code of Honor is better than any TOS. The TOS movies are gold, aside from Shatner being a a moronic POS. I'm so bored watching TOS. Kelley was a genius. So was Nemoy. The alternative movies are pure shit. TOS movies were excellent, Shatner is Republican. 5 sucks. First Contract is the best film. Take out the Borq Queen and Data and it barely beats Khan aka 2. Data's human tendencies became amnoying. It's perfect other than that. Brent Spiner has massive range. The writing there was trash.

I meant the writing of Code of Honor was horrific.I

@Justin why do you think Chakotay was miscast? And what's wrong with being a pushy hound?

Great episode! This expanded the world of the Klingons more than ever before to that point. It has great comedic relief on both the Klingon ship and the Enterprise, although Worf wasn't too amused with the Benzite intern. I agree that the one thing holding this back is the wooden Klingon captain. He's a total doofus and does not exemplify the power and respect that one would expect from a Klingon captain. @Tara Klingons are much stronger than humans but Riker used deception and skill to beat up the Klingon. He got him with a quick cheap shot and then went from there. Usually our Trek heroes look silly going up against the "alien of the week" but this was a good moment for Riker.

As a first-time watcher of S1 and S2, I can say without question that this is the first really involving episode of TNG I've encountered. Of course there have been good shows before this one -- the Bynars one, the Moriarity one, etc. -- but this episode really felt like classic Trek. 34th try, apparently, was the charm. :)

"one or both?" - Commander Riker

"I am your captain now." -- I hadn't realized that Captain Phillips all but quotes this episode.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2, Episode 8

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A Matter of Honor

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A Matter of Honor

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"A Matter of Honor" was the 34th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the 8th episode of the show's second season , first aired during the week of 6 February 1989 . The episode was written by Wanda M. Haight MA , Gregory Amos MA and Burton Armus MA and directed by Rob Bowman MA .

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That hope is you, part 2, the sound of thunder.

A Matter of Honor

Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise embarks on a routine mission that changes his life and that of his ship’s crew forever.

The crew of the Enterprise is sent to the Klingon Empire to take part in an officer exchange program. This exchange program allows a Starfleet officer to serve aboard a Klingon ship for a period of time to foster understanding and cooperation between the two species. Commander Riker is chosen to be the first Starfleet officer to participate in the exchange.

Upon arriving in the Klingon Empire, Picard and his crew find themselves in for a surprise. It turns out that the Klingon ship they are to rendezvous with is actually a heavily armed Bird of Prey. Commander Riker is immediately offered the position of executive officer and is ordered to take part in a combat mission.

Picard is uneasy about the situation, but the Klingons insist that this is a matter of honor and that Riker will be safe as long as the mission is successful. Riker reluctantly agrees and is soon on his way.

Back at the Enterprise, tensions run high as Picard and his crew struggle to figure out what the Klingons have planned and what the consequences of Riker’s mission may be.

Meanwhile, on the Klingon ship, Riker quickly finds himself in a difficult situation. He discovers that his mission is to destroy a crippled freighter that was abandoned by its crew and is now carrying illegal weapons.

Riker is appalled by the mission and begins to plot his escape. He attempts to send a message to Picard letting him know the situation, but his efforts are thwarted by the Klingons who have been monitoring the transmissions.

Back aboard the Enterprise, Picard and his crew are in a race against time as they try to figure out a way to save Riker and prevent the Klingon ship from carrying out its mission.

Time is running out and Picard must make a difficult decision. He decides to follow the Klingon ship and confront it. He orders the Enterprise to battle ready and prepares for an all out assault.

In a thrilling battle, Picards and his crew battle against the Klingons and eventually succeed in disabling the Bird of Prey. Riker is rescued and the illegal weapons are confiscated. Picard and his crew return victorious to the Federation while the Klingons have been made to face the consequences of their actions.

In the aftermath, the crew reflects on their experiences and comes to understand that, while honor is an important virtue, it must sometimes be balanced with other considerations in order to achieve the greater good.

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A Matter of Honour Stardate: 42506.5 Original Airdate: 6 Feb, 1989

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Star Trek: The Next Generation : "Unnatural Selection"/"Matter Of Honor"/"The Measure Of A Man"

"Unnatural Selection"

How do you solve a problem like Pulaski? Let's overlook the character flaws, the miscasting, the way she doesn't quite fit, and just deal with generalities. As mediocre as the first season of TNG was, the new crew of the Enterprise was a solid unit by the end. Some of them had been developed better than others, but with the death of Tasha Yar, we finally settled into something approaching a groove. People had roles, and they fulfilled them, and even more importantly, those roles all meshed with each other reasonably well. Yes, Troi was a bit on the useless side ("I sense understatement, Captain,"), but this is less about individual importance and more how we, as the audience, became attached to a certain concept of the show's cast. You watch something long enough, you develop a bond with the people you're watching. Upset that bond, and the show risks ruining one of the few undeniable advantages it has.

Enter Pulaski, then. It's the second season, so it's not automatically the end of the world to do some cast change-up. Beverly Crusher, while pleasant enough, hadn't had a huge amount of character development (dead husband, nerdy son, had the hots for Picard), so her absence doesn't ruin any delicate structures. The trick, then, is trying to make her as important to the audience as the rest of the crew, in a much shorter span of time. The downside is, before Pulaski is sufficiently developed, her sudden appearance can throw off the cast chemistry, her scenes becoming dead spots in each episode. Fortunately, though, since the rest of the character know their responsibilities, it's easier to contrast their personalities against this new person's, and use that contrast to flesh her out.

Well, that's a theory, anyway, and "Unnatural Selection" is an attempt to do something with that theory, by giving Pulaski her first real main storyline. Not only is she the person driving the action for much of the episode, characters spend an awful lot of time discussing her in her absence. By the end, we have a much clearer picture of the character—or at least, we have a clearer picture of what the writers really want her character to be. Unfortunately, like I mentioned at the start of the season, those intentions fail to live up to the final result, and what we have is a classic example of a strong actor unable to find a necessary sympathy with the role she's performing.

The Enterprise gets a distress signal from the Lantree, but by the time they arrive the entire crew is dead of old age. (Pulaski does a scan, brings out the old chestnut they always deliver in premature seniority story-lines: "They all died of natural causes." Why is this supposed to be more shocking than the evident fact of their advanced aging?) We get a neat scene where Picard takes remote control of the Lantree via computer codes, just like Kirk took control of Khan's ship way back in Wrath Of Khan , and then a quick scan of the records determines that the ship's last stopping point was at the Darwin Station. They do genetic research there. Wonder if that's relevant?

The crux of the episode is Pulaski's supposed humanism. As a McCoy analog, she is supposed to be passionate, willful, and intent on putting her patients' needs above all other concerns. In practice, this means becoming immediately and deeply obsessed with protecting the results of the research done on Darwin: supposedly genetically perfect humanoids who are unaffected by whatever's causing the aging sickness. The Darwin scientists themselves are all suffering, including their spokeswoman, Dr. Kingsley, who blames contact with the Lantree for the problem. She demands that the Enterprise beam the children aboard, since they won't be able to fend for themselves with the adults dead. Pulaski agrees with Kingsley's assessment, despite never having seen these children, and despite the fact that contact with them would put the Enterprise 's crew—people it's her job to protect—in potential danger, regardless of Kingsley's repeated assurances otherwise.

Pulaski's commitment to a foolhardy idea doesn't do her any favors. Over and over throughout the episode we're informed of her devotion, her stubbornness, her intellect, and while all three traits are technically apparent, in practice, they don't serve to make her more endearing. Her arguments with Picard don't work, because it's impossible to understand what point she's trying to make. Intellectually, yes, a case could be made for the importance of protecting the kids, given the amount of time and research put into them, and simply for their rights as living, sentient beings. In order to make that case work, though, a person would have to be so convinced of the rightness of their cause that their passion for it would overwhelm all other responsibilities. It would need to be a situation in which the children will die without immediate intervention.

This sort of conflict happened all the time in TOS . Kirk was often faced with situations in which he'd need to sacrifice the few for the needs of the many, and part of McCoy's job on the show was to make sure the voice of those few was always heard. The trouble is, TNG doesn't really deal in the same levels of danger. There have been (and will be) times when the crew is in incredible peril, but rarely are we faced with the kind of moral dilemma that the original show did so well. If TOS was about translating fables into science fiction, TNG is about using science to exhaust all options. There's no sense of necessity in Pulaski's demands. She comes off as short-sighted and immature, and given that her entire performance is so restrained and detached, there's no way to empathize with her.

Really, Diana Muldaur isn't right for this part. Her sudden intense desire to protect the kids comes across less as a defining characteristic than as a weird kind of nervous breakdown. We learn over the course of the episode that Pulaski is frustrated with Picard's "by-the-book" methods, which is a conflict I had to keep reminding myself had been established before (she objected to the security team being present while Troi gave birth in "The Child"), and then later we discover she specifically requested a transfer to the Enterprise because of her deep respect for the man. Neither the conflict nor the respect rings true. Pulaski seems to equally dislike everyone on the ship, and if she's so in awe of Picard—a man who's methods she's studied, a man who she herself has accused of being obsessed with regulation—why the hell would her first act upon transferring aboard his ship be to ignore him and directly contradict established procedure?

Pulaski gets her way, and deals with one of the kids, putting herself and Data at risk in order to prove what anyone with a brain knew ages ago: the kids are responsible for the aging sickness. Super genius Kingsley keeps bragging about the children's perfect immune systems, and it turns out those immune systems are so amazing that they produce airborne antibodies at even the slightest hint of disease. (Hence the mention of Thelusian Flu earlier.) Once the antibodies are activated, they decide that "regular" humans are essentially viral, and must be destroyed. There is potentially a tragic arc to science creating lethal beauty, but Kingsley is tedious and one-note, and the children themselves are vaguely beatific blank slates. As episodes go, this had a clever enough conclusion—using the transporter to restore the afflicted was satisfying, and it's always fun to see Picard save the day. The problem is, "Selection" depends on Pulaski for emotional depth, and that gets old, fast.

"Matter Of Honor"

Oh thank god yes.

So far I haven't had a whole lot of surprises doing these recaps. I knew the first season was largely terrible, I knew I didn't much care for Tasha Yar or Dr. Pulaski, I knew Patrick Stewart kicked ass, and all of these beliefs have been confirmed. There are little surprises, though, and the best of them is that I really dig William T. Riker. Jonathan Frakes has always struck me as a nice enough guy, but I don't remember having an opinion on him when I first watched the series. Data and Picard took up most of my attention. As I got older, somewhere I got the idea that Riker wasn't all that highly respected among Trek fans. I decided he was smarmy, and dumb, and, at best, a place-filler for the real leads to bounce lines off.

Screw that. Riker is really, really fun. He is a bit smarmy, but the guy is so clearly having fun with his job that it's infectious. He's the Han Solo of the group, and while Frakes doesn't quite have Harrison Ford's charisma (Frakes is too familiar to be really rakish; he's like an uncle who occasionally sells you pot), he does well as a guy who loves his work, loves his friends, and every once in a while likes to screw around with both. For fun, check out the way he stands. It's easy to mimic, easy to mock, but it's also bad-ass, because he knows he's a little ridiculous and he doesn't care. Kind of makes me think of Timothy Olyphant's strut, although that is a deliberate, "I'm walking this way to keep myself from murdering someone each time I put my foot down," whereas with Riker, it's like he just wants to make sure you know he's screwing with you. He takes his duties seriously, but he also finds a lot of things pretty hilarious at the same time, and I dig that.

Another surprise is how much I like Worf. He hasn't gotten as much to do yet, but the show is getting better at giving him lines, and letting him be funny. (The eye-roll he does when Pulaski demands the children be saved in "Selection" is great.) Worf and Riker's relationship is probably the closest the show gets to really capturing that TOS tone: the two are friends, but there's an edgy playfulness to that friendship that you don't really see in, say, Data and Geordi's interactions. Worf doesn't do a lot in "Matter of Honor," but what he does get is choice, and he's basically an entry-point to Klingon culture as a whole. We've seen how Worf deals with others of his race in the context of the Enterprise , but what happens when a mere human is set adrift in Klingon culture, without the recourse of the Federation to aid them?

"Honor" has Riker signing on for a temporary re-assignment to the Klingon ship Pagh . It's part of an officer exchange program, but no one from Starfleet has ever attempt to serve with Klingons. The impression we get here is that it's a potentially dangerous mission, but not an inherently suicidal one. Picard first introduces Riker to the idea while the two of them are playing some sort of target practice with lasers game, and the captain clearly wants Riker to volunteer. Picard is not one to risk his crew lightly. (Which we'll have even better proof of next episode.) He does, though, take the Enterprise 's mission of exploration and discovery very seriously, and what's really cool here is that Picard is encouraging Riker to take the assignment for philosophical reasons. It's a plot motivated by one character's eagerness to learn something knew.

Plus, Riker clearly gets a kick out of doing his job well. He takes to this new assignment with what can only be deemed as "gusto," sampling ugly Klingon delicacies, and questioning Worf as to the subtleties of Klingon high command. (Turns out it's the job of the first officer to assassinate his captain the moment the captain proves unworthy to lead. Any bets on how a battle royale between Riker and Picard would turn out?) One of the impressive things about "Honor" is how it manages to set up its premise, and deliver sufficiently on that premise, in the space of a single episode. It's easy to imagine this playing out over multiple hours, and if it happened in a modern genre show, that's probably how it would go—Riker taking some courses, then slowly working his way into Klingon society, developing relationships, questioning his own identity as he starts to relate more and more to their warlike ways, until finally he's forced to make some kind of dramatic choice, betraying a part of himself in the name of survival.

That could've been compelling, but I doubt TNG could pull it off as the show currently is, and there's also a great deal to be said for brevity. As a single unit, "Honor" is forced to refine its major conflicts down to their most basic elements. So we get a scene with Riker eating Klingon food, to set us up for a later scene on the Pagh where he has to prove himself to his shipmates by munching on some live worms. We get a danger, with the biological organism that threatens the integrity of the Pagh 's hull, putting the ship at risk and giving the already suspicious Captain Kargan ample reason to mistrust Riker and the Enterprise . There's an arc here, and while I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say Riker goes through significant change, there's a sense of him coming into his own. Riker stands equal (or better) with the Klingons, and it works because the Klingons aren't softened or diminished in order to make them "safer." TNG is still painting with broad strokes, but its respect for the alien culture here makes for some of the best dramatic moments I've seen on the show. Riker taking over the Pagh by tricking Kargan is a cheer-worthy twist, and it wouldn't have worked if it didn't feel earned.

There are some minor quibbles. I don't mind the sub-plot with Mendon learning valuable lessons in the art of communication, but combined with Riker's domination on the Pagh , it skews a little too close to the "humanity is the greatest!" tone the series leans on. Some of Kargan's behavior is on the inexplicable side, especially considering his paranoia. He can't possibly believe that Riker would willingly help destroy the Enterprise , and while I can see him trying to test the first officer by drawing out his loyalties, Riker probably should've been thrown in the brig once Kargan decided that Starfleet wanted the Pagh destroyed. Also, why the hell are the lights so dim on the Pagh , anyway? Are Klingons just that into the color red? Maybe it's a genetic thing, in which case Worf should spend most of his time on the Enterprise bridge squinting.

This was really excellent, though, and between it and "Measure of a Man," I finally feel like TNG is starting to pay off on investments. Much of what Riker does here follows the familiar genre pattern of an outsider making a place for himself in a new society, but instead of making the story overly-predictable, that familiarity resonates. It's deeply satisfying, which is not a feeling I often get watching this series. I hope it lasts.

"The Measure Of A Man" It must be a rule every starship captain's adventures must at some point put him in contact with old flames. How else can you explain the presence in "Measure of a Man" of Phillipa Louvois, former lover and adversary to Jean-Luc Picard, and current JAG Captain at Starbase 173? Much like the "Court Martial" episode of TOS , "Measure" tries to mine some emotion out of a years buried relationship, and while watching the two characters spar is amusing, it's not really necessary. (It also doesn't help that Amanda McBroom isn't anywhere near the same acting league as Stewart.) Picard and Phillipa are not the heart of this story. Data is. And for once, we finally get an episode that lives up to his character's potential.

As viewers, there are certain things we tend to accept without asking when we watch sci-fi and fantasy. Those elements change from show to show, but the basic principle stays the same: we accept what is presented as truth in the universe we're watching. We don't have warp travel, we don't have spaceships like the Enterprise , we don't have instant teleportation or replicators or holodecks, but all of these are presented as given on TNG , and so we don't question there presence. Sure, we can wonder as to the plausibility of certain elements, but unless a show starts breaking its internal rules, we're willing to take quite a lot at face value. Just the name alone, "science fiction," has our expectations prepared. We don't need to see the physics explained in detail as to how Picard and his crew sail the stars. Just to know there's a ship is enough.

For a while now, Data has been one of those accepted truths. Anyone who's spent much time at the movies has seen robots before, so he's not really an anomaly to us. There's Geordi's visor, and Worf, so we already know that this new universe is not solely populated by understandable technology or recognizable humanoids. Yet all along, there have been these certain threads of disquiet as to just what his position in Starfleet, and among his fellow crewmembers, really is. There's a reason that "fully functional" line is so creepy, after all. It's bad writing, but it's also a reminder of Data's uniqueness, his distinction and separation from basic humanity interaction. It's not like anybody had sex with the toaster, but at the same time, just how much of Data is programmed response? How much is choice?

Actually, I doubt that's a question that has plagued me much, since there's never really been any doubt that Data has a soul, that he's a fully conscious, self-realized entity. So maybe the real question, then, is how the other characters view him. Even if we as audience members are conditioned to accept certain central tenets, Picard an the others are not. They accept the holodeck because it's been there for ages, same with warp speed, but Data is a new idea, and even if we have no trouble believing in his basic reality and rights within the series' context, there's no rule that says the characters that live in that context have to agree with us. Imagine if cars started demanding equal pay, or if refrigerators would only be willing to hold certain kinds of food.

On the one hand, it makes sense that a scientist would want to take Data apart to see how he works. It's a bad idea to us, and to the people on the Enterprise , because we "know" Data, and his presence on the show (and on the ship) is as valuable as anyone else's. (In some cases, quite a bit more.) To Starfleet, though, Data is simply another computational tool. So now we get to spend some time trying to find out how our acceptance of the idea of Data, and Picard and the others' belief in him, can be expressed in concrete enough terms to defend Data's rights.

It's surprising that Pulaski isn't more present in "Man," considering her general feelings towards the android. I'm not sure if this was a conscious choice, or simply a matter of time; she appears at Data's farewell party, and doesn't have any snide comments to make, so that's all right. She doesn't even rise to some very obvious bait in the poker game at the start of the episode. (Ahhh, TNG poker. This, I remember.) Picard does most of the heavy lifting here, as Data's ability to come to his own defense is one of the questions that needs to be answered. Riker gets a few meaty scenes, and Geordi has a semi-tearful goodbye to Data, but mostly, this one is all the captain. He's the one trading barbs with Phillipa, he's the one who demands a hearing be called to defend Data's rights, and it's his efforts that ultimately save Data from dismantling. Spiner and Stewart work well together, as Data's trusting nature and straight-forwardness meshes nicely with Picard's clear contempt for the complexities of social convention. It's great to see Picard stepping in to protect his crew, and his clear emotional investment in the issue (an issue he himself may have had some questions on before) makes his final arguments in the hearing powerful and moving.

As for the episode's flaws, well, having Guinan basically spell out "THIS IS LIKE SLAVERY" was unnecessary. While I appreciated the overall discussion, I sometimes wondered if the arguments made against Data's autonomy were a little soft. (As when Maddox, the scientist determined the see what makes Data tick, says that no one would allow a ship's computer to refuse a refit. I think if the computer was actually capable of making the refusal, the situation would change. Isn't Data's desire for survival here proof enough of consciousness?) I really, really didn't like shoehorning Riker into leading the prosecution's case, because it's a very obvious attempt to create fake drama. Still, he does well with the role. There's a great scene which shows Riker studying Data's specs; he finds information that can help him "win," grins, and then realizes that in winning, he'd be dooming a friend.

Overall, this was as good as "Matter of Honor," albeit in a different way. "Honor" was an adventure story; "Measure" is the sort of profound philosophizing that Trek has always made its bread and butter. Soft arguments or no, "Measure" does well to not play anyone as the bad guy. Even Maddox, a definite irritant, is proven to be more blinded by his passion for his work (and a fear of his own inadequacies) than a villain. Hearing him call Data "he" instead of "it" at the end was nice. (Less nice: Phillipa immediately pointing out the change. Apparently, we can be trusted to follow high-minded debate, but as an audience we suffer from serious pronoun trouble.) TNG hasn't lost its flaws, but it's finally, definitively shown that it can be great. The next time I find myself wishing I could fast-forward to the good parts, I'll just remember Picard's big speech here, or Riker taking down the Pagh 's second-in-command. I don't mind waiting for more of that.

Stray Observations:

Hey, Brian Thompson! Between this and X-Files , I can't seem to shake him lately.
Is "Unnatural Selection" the first episode to give Chief O'Brien a name? It's good to see him popping up on the show more regularly and getting lines. They even included him in the poker game.
I mentioned "Naked Now" earlier; "Measure" references Tasha and Data's physical intimacy, and does so to far great emotional and dramatic impact than the actual original scene did. And Picard's time on the Stargazer is also mentioned, which means that two of my least favorite episodes now have some small reason to exist.
Next week, it's "The Dauphin," "Contagion," and "The Royale."

Den of Geek

Discovery Season 5 Easter Eggs Bring Back Tons of Classic ’90s Star Trek Lore

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and more are front and center in the first episodes of Discovery season 5.

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Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham in Star Trek Discovery

This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

Since 2017, Star Trek: Discovery has been the flagship of the reborn Trek franchise on TV. Call it “NuTrek,” call it the continuing mission, call it “Star Trek Phase 3.” It doesn’t really matter. The fact is, Disco has been the focal point of new Trek canon since it hit nearly seven years ago. Now, with season 5, Discovery will be ending its journey, leaving Strange New Worlds and the forthcoming Starfleet Academy as the two live-action Trek shows for the foreseeable future.

But about that canon. As executive producer Alex Kurtzman recently said in an interview with Den of Geek magazine , any new Trek film created outside of the streaming TV shows will have to “have to honor all the canon we’ve created since Discovery .” To be clear, this doesn’t just mean outright new events and characters, but all the ways that Disco has interacted with preexisting Trek canon. From the Klingon war in 2017, to Spock and Pike in 2019, to the far-future events that began with season 3, Discovery touches all corners of the Trek canon. (And yes that even includes the Kelvin movies, since season 3 included the first overt reference to that timeline in a Trek TV series!)

Now, with the two-episode debut of season 5 , Discovery is even bringing in lore from a The Next Generation storyline, as a treasure hunt for an ancient Progenitor artifact begins. Here are the very best easter eggs and canon connections…

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The Founding of the Federation

Near the start of the episode, the crew is celebrating a “millennium celebration” for the Federation. A waiter brings Tilly, Burnham , Adira, Culber, and Stamets a round of cocktails which represent the flag of the Federation. Tilly mentions that this marks “the founding of the Federation, it’s been a thousand years…” Season 4 ended in roughly the year 3190, and it seems season 5 is in 3191.

So, how is this 1,000 years since 2161? Shouldn’t it be 1,030 years? Well, the waiter explains simply: “Give or take a few decades. Hard to celebrate during the Burn.” This references season 3, in which we learned that the galaxy was fragmented for over a century after a catastrophe essentially dissolved the the Federation. The era of Federation’s isolation ended in roughly 3189, partially thanks to the help of the Discovery crew. But, in 3161, at the exact millennium celebration, the Federation was still living in the post-Burn era.

Canonically, the year of “Federation Day” was established in The Next Generation episode “The Outcast” when Troi mentioned the year during a game of poker. The Enterprise finale “These Are the Voyages…” is thought to depict the signing of the Federation charter in 2161, though it’s not made entirely clear in that episode.

To be clear, this is not the same as “Frontier Day” from Picard season 3. Taking place in 2401, that holiday was supposed to commemorate 250 years since the first, most important mission of Starfleet, not the Federation. The first mission of Starfleet (pre-Federation) also occurred in the series Enterprise ; in the debut episode “Broken Bow.”

Tholian Republic and the Breen Imperium

In conversation with Saru, President T’Rina mentions concerns about the Tholian Republic and the Breen Imperium. The Tholians are the crystalline aliens first glimpsed in “The Tholian Web” in The Original Series . The Breen are aggressive enemies of the Federation, first mentioned in the TNG episode “The Loss,” but they didn’t appear until the Deep Space Nine episode “Indiscretion.”

Interestingly, because we don’t know what the Breen look like under their humanoid-ish suits, it’s possible they aren’t actually humanoids. The Tholians are also possibly not humanoids at all, either. These references seem particularly pointed since the entire story of Discovery season 5 involves species created by the humanoid Progenitors. Although this is just a theory, it’s very possible (likely?) that the Breen and Tholians are among many species not created by the Progenitors. After T’Rina mentions the Breen in the first episode, Rayner brings them up again in the second episode, saying, “The Breen are in-fighting over a new leader.” Will we see the Breen again in this season of Discovery ? It’s possible? That’s certainly a lot of Breen chatter!

Romulan science vessel from 800 years ago

The Romulan science ship that Kovich sends the crew to investigate is from “800 years ago.” This means it’s from the late 2300s, sometime between 2380 and 2390. In other words, it’s from the TNG/DS9/Voyager era. And as we see in “Red Directive,” the design of this small, green Romulan ship is nearly identical to a TNG era Romulan scout ship. This style of ship first appeared in the episode “The Defector.”

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Fred, the android

Played by J. Adam Brown, the antique dealer is revealed to be a Soong-type android, who, very specifically, is reminiscent of Data. We later learn that this “Synth” was built based on the designs of Altan Soong, Data’s human brother first introduced in Picard season 1.

Fred mentions he hasn’t seen a specific puzzle box like the one containing the Romulan journal for “622.27 years.” This would mean that Fred has been around since at least 2569. Still Culber calls him a “surprisingly old model…dozens of generations before the kind of tech used for Gray’s body.” So, this means that Fred could be from the generation of androids that Altan Soong created before Soji and Dahj. Perhaps he was even a contemporary of Sutra, which would make it possible that he was present on the planet Coppelius in the Picard season 1 finale, “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2.”

Then again, Stamets implies that perhaps Fred was built by someone else, who merely “honored” the designs of Altan Soong. This is, of course, a little weird, since Altan Soong was using designs created by his father, Noonian Soong. So, was Fred created in the late 24th century before Picard season 1? In the 25th century? Or the 26th? We’ll likely never know, but, as Fred says — in a perfect Data imitation — the questions around Fred’s creator are “intriguing.”

Self-sealing stem bolts

Among other “vintage tech,” Moll and L’ak are also trying to sell some “self-sealing stem bolts.” These thingamabobs date back to Deep Space Nine , where their exact purpose was shrouded in vagary. In reality, the self-sealing stem bolt is one of Trek ’s oldest inside jokes. In the episode “Progress,” Chief O’Brien admitted he didn’t even know what they did.

Rayner, the Kellerun

Captain Rayner — played by Battlestar Galactica veteran Callum Keith Rennie — has some pretty specific alien ears. But he’s not a Romulan or a Vulcan. Instead, Rayner is a Kellerun. This is a super obscure Star Trek species, who, until now, only appeared in the DS9 episode “Armageddon Game.” This episode followed O’Brien and Bashir as they dealt with unwieldy bio weapons, and was written by Trek legend Morgan Gendel, perhaps most famous for his TNG script, “The Inner Light.”

The Progenitors

The big revelation at the end of “Red Directive” is that the secret mission is all connected to a 24th century scientist named Dr. Velleck. As Kovich tells Burnham, this guy was in the background when Picard and Crusher discovered a hidden message from ancient humanoids called “The Progenitors.” As Kovich puts it, “We’ve been calling them the Progenitors. They created life as we know it. You. Me. Saru. Every humanoid species in the galaxy.”

This revelation originally comes from The Next Generation episode “The Chase,” though, in some ways, it retconned elements of The Original Series episode “The Paradise Syndrome,” in which Spock and Bones discussed the possibility that “the Preservers” were responsible for several humanoid races throughout the galaxy. Either way, Discovery season 5 is taking this TNG canon and running with it.

Next stop, somewhere on Trill

The clue to the Progenitor tech will lead the crew to Trill in the near future. This will be the second time Discovery has gone to the Trill homeworld. The first visit happened in season 3, but of course, the Trill date back to TNG ’s “The Host.” Meanwhile, the planet Trill itself was first seen in the DS9 episode “Equilibrium.” Interestingly, with a return to Trill this season, Discovery will have more actual visits to this planet than any previous Trek series.

A second chance

When Burnham asks Rayner to become her first officer, following the inquiry that gets him removed from his own command, she says, “I got a second chance once, this is yours.” This echoes Burnham’s journey from season 1 of Discovery , during which time she went from being a prisoner, to becoming a science specialist, and eventually, first officer, and then, Captain. The concept of second chances is integral to all of Discovery , so, it’s fitting that as the final season begins, another Starfleet character is getting the same kind of opportunity that shaped Burnham, and the entire crew, seven years (and several centuries!) ago.

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

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It seems like Paramount has no desire to greenlight Star Trek: Legacy

S tar Trek is in a weird place right now. The shows are being canceled left and right, with Star Trek's Picard, Discovery, and Strange New Worlds all getting canceled due to Paramount's desire to turn things around financially. Films are the new order of the day, and we've seen that become the focus going forward. Section 31 was turned from a series into a film to reduce costs and likely to honor contracts they already had in place.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is still said to be happening but we now know that an announcement doesn't mean anything int he mouth of Paramount. After all, we'd already have Star Trek 4 trailers by now, if not the whole movie if we were to believe everything said by studio execs.

We don't know what's happening next, no matter what insider or even showrunner wants to claim. So when we hear Alex Kurtzman say to Den of Geek that he has no power to get Star Trek: Legacy going, we should probably see that for what it is, a sign that the show is dead.

“If I had a magic button, a magic ‘greenlight button,’ for Star Trek: Legacy, and it was all on me, I’d push that button today. Right now, it’s beyond my paygrade.”

This feels like some serious buck-passing by the figurehead of Star Trek onto the studio. Paramount has already canceled a number of projects due to outlandish spending by the likes of Kurtzman, and for him to say what he did about Legacy really seems to hammer home the point that the show isn't happening.

After all, if it was going to happen, in some form or facet, you'd think it would happen now. Instead, Kurtzman passes the buck to Paramount executives, the same executives that canceled Prodigy mid-way through production. If that's who you're hoping for to greenlight the show, it's likely to never happen, so maybe it's time to just move on.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as It seems like Paramount has no desire to greenlight Star Trek: Legacy .

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Emmys: Lead Actor (Drama) – Donald Glover’s Mission to Win More Gold With ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys , Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

OSCARS | EMMYS | GRAMMYS | TONYS

2024 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Commentary : Will Donald Glover, as John Smith in Amazon Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” secure Emmy recognition ?

Glover, a versatile talent in acting, writing, producing, and music, has left a significant mark on television, notably with his acclaimed series “Atlanta.” There, he bagged two Emmys in 2017 for lead comedy actor and directing. An 11-time Emmy nominee, his latest nom was for writing the limited series “Swarm” with Janine Nabers. With Amazon’s robust campaign and the current state of the drama field, Glover might land his first drama series nomination.

The competition, though not crowded with frontrunners, includes notable contenders.

Other actors from freshman series entering the race alongside Glover include Nathan Fielder from Showtime’s black dramedy “The Curse,” Colin Farrell headlining Apple’s genre-bending “Sugar” and possibly Walton Goggins from the Amazon’s video game adaptation “Fallout,” contingent on category choice.

Veteran actors from longstanding shows are also vying for recognition. Dominic West, portraying Charles, the Prince of Wales in “The Crown’s” final season, aims for his first Emmy nod, despite acclaimed roles in “The Wire” and “The Affair.” With “The Crown” concluding in December 2023, this year represents the TV Academy’s last chance to nominate him.

Gary Oldman, star of Apple’s “Slow Horses,” is in a strong position to earn his inaugural Emmy nod for his role as Jackson Lamb. Although Oldman won an Oscar for “Darkest Hour,” his Emmy nominations are sparse, with just one for a guest role in “Friends.”

Others hoping for Emmy acknowledgment include Morgan Spector from “The Gilded Age,” having a successful second season, and Tom Hiddleston from “Loki,” who stands as the Marvel actor with the highest Emmy prospects this season. Variety will present Hiddleston with the Variety Virtuoso Award at the Miami Film Festival on Tuesday, April 9 for his career achievements across film, theater and television.

The dynamic nature of the awards season means that new developments can emerge, influencing the race for noms (and wins).

Read : All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category on Variety’s Awards Circuit .

And the Predicted Nominees Are

Next in Line

One Piece. Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy in season 1 of One Piece. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

Also In Contention

Eligible performances (drama series).

WILL TRENT - ÒMe Llamo Will TrentÓ - A car bomb ignites a thrilling investigation for Will and bomb expert Cricket, revealing more than meets the eye. As intrigue unfolds, Angie battles to return to work, OrmewoodÕs home life complicates, and Faith develops her relationship with Luke. TUESDAY, FEB. 20 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (Disney/Wilford Harewood) RAMîN RODRIGUEZ

**The list below is not complete and have been confirmed as officially submitted. All information is subject to change. Grouped by network that airs each series.

Peter Krause — “9-1-1” (ABC)
Freddie Highmore — “ The Good Doctor ” (ABC)
Ramón Rodríguez — “Will Trent” (ABC)
Jacob Anderson — “ Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire ” (AMC)
Zahn McClarnon — “Dark Winds” (AMC)
Giancarlo Esposito — “Parish” (AMC)
Norman Reedus — “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” (AMC)
Andrew Lincoln — “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” (AMC)
Lakeith Stanfield — “The Changeling” (Apple TV+)
Joel Edgerton — “Dark Matter” (Apple TV+)
Jared Harris — “Foundation” (Apple TV+)
Idris Elba — “Hijack” (Apple TV+)
Ben Mendelsohn — “The New Look” (Apple TV+)
Kurt Russell — “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” (Apple TV+)
Gary Oldman — “ Slow Horses ” (Apple TV+)
Colin Farrell — “Sugar” (Apple TV+)
Ncuty Gatwa — “Doctor Who” (BBC One)
Tom Selleck — “ Blue Bloods ” (CBS)
Justin Hartley — “Tracker” (CBS)
Jared Padalecki — “Walker” (The CW)
Tom Hiddleston — “Loki” (Disney+)
Timothy Olyphant — “Justified: City Primeval” (FX)
J. D. Pardo — “Mayans M.C.” (FX)
Damson Idris — “ Snowfall ” (FX)
Titus Welliver — “Bosch: Legacy” (Freevee)
Morgan Spector — “The Gilded Age” (Max)
Jamie Dornan — “The Tourist” (Max)
Ansel Elgort — “Tokyo Vice” (Max)
Andrew Koji — “Warrior” (Max)
Quincy Isaiah — “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (Max)
John C. Reilly — “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (Max)
Forest Whitaker — “ Godfather of Harlem ” (MGM+)
Iain De Caestecker — “The Winter King” (MGM+)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar — “Found” (NBC)
Jesse L. Martin — “The Irrational” (NBC)
Ryan Eggold — “ New Amsterdam ” (NBC)
Raymond Lee — “Quantum Leap” (NBC)
Gordon Cormier — “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (Netflix)
Dominic West — “ The Crown ” (Netflix)
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo — “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix)
Omar Sy — “Lupin” (Netflix)
Iñaki Godoy — “One Piece” (Netflix)
Henry Cavill — “The Witcher” (Netflix)
John Leguizamo — “The Green Veil” (The Network)
Pablo Schreiber — “Halo” (Paramount+)
Anson Mount — “ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ” (Paramount+)
Édgar Ramírez — “Dr. Death” (Peacock)
Walton Goggins — “Fallout” (Prime Video)
Donald Glover — “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (Prime Video)
Josh Brolin — “Outer Range” (Prime Video)
Alan Ritchson — “Reacher” (Prime Video)
John Krasinski — “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Prime Video)
Paul Giamatti — “Billions” Showtime)
Nathan Felder — “The Curse” (Showtime)
Daryl McCormack — “The Woman in the Wall” (Showtime)
Sam Heughan — “Outlander” (Starz)
Joseph Sikora — “Power Book IV: Force” (Starz)
Zackary Arthur — “ Chucky ” (Syfy)
Brad Dourif — “ Chucky ” (Syfy)

More Information

Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector in the Season 2 finale of "The Gilded Age" on HBO.

2023 category winner : Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy — “Succession” (HBO) — Season 4

2024 Emmy Awards Calendar and Timeline (all dates are subject to change)

Eligibility period: June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024
Feb. 29: Submissions open
May 9: Deadline for programs that identify as Primetime programming to upload all entry materials.
June 13: Nominations-round voting begins
June 24: Nominations-round voting ends at 10:00 p.m. PT
June 28 – July 8: Voting for peer group-specific top ten rounds panels (if applicable)
July 17: Primetime Emmy nominations are announced.
July 24: Deadline for errors and omissions to the nominations.
August 5: Find-round videos available for viewing.
August 15: Final-round voting begins.
August 26: Final-round voting ends at 10:00 p.m. PST.
Sept. 7-8: Creative Arts Emmy Awards and Governors Gala
Sunday, Sept. 15: 76th Primetime Emmy Awards to air on ABC.

Emmy Awards Predictions

Other awards predictions, about the primetime emmy awards.

The Primetime Emmy Awards, commonly known as the Emmys, are awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Established in 1949, these celebrate outstanding achievements in American primetime television. The Emmys are categorized into three divisions: the Primetime Emmy Awards for performance and production excellence, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards recognizing achievements in artistry and craftsmanship, and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards, which honor significant engineering and technological advancements. The eligibility period typically extends from June 1 to May 31 each year. The Television Academy, which hosts the Emmys, consists of over 20,000 members across 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans and executives.

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IMAGES

A Matter Of Honor (episode)
"A Matter Of Honor" (S2:E8) Star Trek: The Next Generation Screencaps
"A Matter Of Honor" (S2:E8) Star Trek: The Next Generation Screencaps
"A Matter Of Honor" (S2:E8) Star Trek: The Next Generation Screencaps
"A Matter Of Honor" (S2:E8) Star Trek: The Next Generation Screencaps
"A Matter Of Honor" (S2:E8) Star Trek: The Next Generation Screencaps

VIDEO

Medal of Honor Soundtrack
Mrs. Apgar
Star Trek Next Generation
Star Trek Of Love and Honour
Let's Play Star Trek Online
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"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Honor (TV Episode 1989)
A Matter of Honor: Directed by Rob Bowman. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn. Under an Officers Exchange Program, Riker serves aboard a Klingon ship, whose aging captain seeks an unwarranted bloody retaliation for suspected Enterprise treachery.
A Matter of Honor
A Matter of Honor. " A Matter of Honor " is the eighth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 34th episode overall, first broadcast on February 6, 1989.
A Matter Of Honor (episode)
"A Matter of Honor" was given a 12.2 rating on the Nielsen Television Index, the highest rating to that point on TNG, making it one of the most watched episodes of the series at that time. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 75)) This was the last of five Star Trek projects to be adapted into View-Master reels.
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Honor (TV Episode 1989
Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification. Patrick Stewart. ... Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Jonathan Frakes. ... Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker. LeVar Burton.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Matter of Honour is an example of The Next Generation engaging the late eighties instead of trying to evoke the lost spirit of the sixties. Taking the "Klingons as Communists" metaphor as far as it could logically go, and serving as a companion piece to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, A Matter of Honour is a tale of deep space ...
Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E8 "A Matter of Honor"
This show of bravado endears him to the Klingons, including the women. We Will Not Have Pockets in the Future: Riker has to place the transponder in his boot because he doesn't have any pockets. A page for describing Recap: Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E8 "A Matter of Honor". Original air date: February 6, 1989 The Enterprise-D visits ...
"A Matter of Honor"
Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 12:30pm (UTC -5) "A Matter Of Honor" is the begining of a long string of very good or (in some cases) great episodes. "Elementary, Dear Data" is another great one. The ones between "Elementary, Dear Data" and "A Matter Of Honor" are adequate or perhps slightly more then adequate, but certainly nothing special.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Matter of Honor Aired Feb 6, 1989 Sci-Fi Fantasy Adventure Drama. Reviews An exchange program makes Riker an officer on a Klingon ship, ... Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: ...
A Matter of Honor
Riker's loyalties are put to the test when he is assigned to a Klingon vessel which plans to attack the Enterprise.
A Look at A Matter of Honor (TNG)
Opinionated Next Gen Episode Guide watches Riker deal with Klingons, a buffet, and the need to mutiny, and that's not the order of difficulty.See more videos...
Episode Preview: A Matter of Honor
© 2023 CBS Studios Inc., Paramount Pictures Corporation, and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.
A Matter of Honor
"A Matter of Honor" was the 34th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 8th episode of the show's second season, first aired during the week of 6 February 1989. The episode was written by , and and directed by . Captain's log, stardate 42506.5 We have departed from Starbase 179 and are headed for a rendezvous with the Klingon vessel . I have informed the staff of Commander Riker's ...
Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 8: A Matter Of
Riker's loyalties are put to the test when he is assigned to a Klingon vessel which plans to attack the Enterprise.
A Matter of Honor
A Matter of Honor Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise embarks on a routine mission that changes his life and that of his ship's crew forever. The crew
Matter of Honour
A Matter of Hono (u)r or Matters of Hono (u)r may refer to any of the following: "A Matter of Honor" (1989), an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. "A Matter of Honor" (1976), an episode of Columbo. A Matter of Honour (1986), a novel by Jeffrey Archer. "Matters of Honor" ( Babylon 5) (1995), an episode of Babylon 5. Matters of Honor ...
Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Matter of Honor
Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation (full episodes) by streaming online with Philo. This series is set in the 24th century, featuring a bigger USS Enterprise. ... A Matter of Honor. An exchange program makes Riker an officer on a Klingon ship, which later threatens the Enterprise. Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton ...
The Next Generation Transcripts
The Next Generation Transcripts - A Matter of Honour. [Bridge] DATA: We are approaching Starbase one seven nine. RIKER: Half impulse, Mister Crusher. WESLEY: Going to half impulse. RIKER: Captain, this is the Bridge. We have arrived at Starbase one seven nine. PICARD [OC]: Acknowledged, Number One.
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Honor (TV Episode 1989
ST:TNG:34 - "A Matter Of Honor" (Stardate: 42506.5) - this is the 8th episode to air of the 2nd season. This is a historic first in Star Trek - Riker takes part in an officer exchange program where he will be the first Starfleet Officer to serve on a Klingon starship - and to prepare, he dines on a Klingon dinner on the Ten Forward!
TNG: A Matter Of Honor. : r/startrek
They really set up a canonical error, though. In this episode one of the Klingons told Riker that a Klingon is his work, not his family. That family doesn't matter, and feelings for fathers are a waste. It completely flies in the face of everything they set up later about Klingons being all about family honor, and houses, etc etc.
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Honor (TV Episode 1989
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Honor (TV Episode 1989) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. Movies. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight.
A Matter of Honor
A Matter of Honor 1 was published in 1992 and has 160 pages. Front cover is by Adrian Morgan and back cover is by Marty Siegrist.. Summary from Bill Hupe's catalog: "A young Beverly Crusher dreams of her future; a full-length action adventure novel by Roberta Rogow: Picard must undertake a dangerous mission into Romulan territory; can Riker make Jean-Luc fully Human again after his encounter ...
Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Unnatural Selection"/"Matter Of Honor
Overall, this was as good as "Matter of Honor," albeit in a different way. "Honor" was an adventure story; "Measure" is the sort of profound philosophizing that Trek has always made its bread and ...
A Complete History of Star Trek's Klingons in The Original Series Era
Star Trek has six decades of history behind the scenes, but the aliens and characters in the narrative go back millennia. Despite being created on a whim for Star Trek: The Original Series, the ...
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UA's Sonequa Martin-Green leads finale of 'Star Trek: Discovery'
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Coming Soon
© 2023 CBS Studios Inc., Paramount Pictures Corporation, and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.
It seems like Paramount has no desire to greenlight Star Trek: Legacy
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2024 Emmys lead actor drama predictions include Colin Farrell, Dominic West, Tom Hiddleston, Ben Mendelsohn, Morgan Spector and Gary Oldman.

A Matter Of Honor (episode)

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