Birthright, Part I

DVD, TNG S6 (Birthright, Part I)

Another two-parter that didn't need to telegraph that it was going to end on a cliffhanger as it would have been a good surprise. It's not shy with the good surprises elsewhere: if this was tuned into from the beginning some people may have thought they'd got the wrong series as it opens with a lovely shot of Deep Space Nine and an iteration of the main part of the station's theme, until an upper pylon is swept past to reveal the Enterprise docked at the station. I'm so glad they had a crossover while both series' were going, but as ever it's never enough! The big surprise is that the crossover happened in 'DS9's first season, and though 'TNG' may not have known for sure it was going to get a seventh season it must have been likely so you'd think they'd have waited until the new show became established. Then again, this was probably a ploy to help it do just that - if viewers were reluctant to tune in to a rusty old Cardassian station they were forced to do so here!

It's great to see Beverly and Picard walking down the Promenade, though the differences can be seen in the set as compared with later seasons. I'd have loved Avery Brooks to make a cameo to welcome the Captain aboard, but seeing as the previous reception Picard received was rather frosty they might just have kept out of each other's way. Perhaps there was more discomfort in Picard than the dullness of Bajoran aqueducts? I'd forgotten Dr. Crusher goes aboard because it's such a brief scene, but we also get Geordi and Worf eating at the Replimat, years before the Klingon moved to the station permanently. I don't think they referenced that he'd been on the station before when he joined 'DS9,' but it's all a satisfying link-up.

Bashir's the fortunate one to be seen aboard the Enterprise, and again, it would have been even better for O'Brien to be there to show him round the place, but he soon hits it off with Data in a charming sequence, constantly fascinated by the synthetic lifeform. It's quite fun to go back and see the more energetic, uninhibited version of Julian from Season 1, but the biggest kick is of course his interaction with those two 'TNG' castmembers. Quark would be another one to make the crossover, though much briefer, the following season (and not counting his excised scene from 'Star Trek: Insurrection' - he made up for it by also being in the 'Voyager' pilot), but Bashir has the ability to fit right in with his excitable curiosity. We can only wish that it had been Dr. Crusher who found him meddling in her sickbay…

The thing about this two-parter is that the second part is almost a self-contained story, Worf's adventure in the secret Klingon camp the focus, whereas here the main story is Data's newfound ability to dream thanks to some Gamma Quadrant tech. These sequences are among the best of the episode with Brannon Braga's palm print all over the ethereal dream sequences in which Data meets his creator, and for the first time we see that he looked just like his creation. Seeing Dr. Soong at all was a brilliant idea, but having him as his younger self topped it all off nicely. The most fantastic scene is Data's ability to soar like a bird at his Father's instruction, sweeping through the corridors and out into open space in a charming evocation of liberation. This late in the series they could still come up with ways to stretch Data's character.

The cast are like a shopping list of Trek actors: we have James Cromwell in his second 'TNG' role, as the Yridian (with no thumbs, so how does that species hold anything?), as the shady and worryingly tall, yet mouse-like faced Jaglom Shrek - unfortunate his name has come to mean something much different and a whole lot greener since then. There's Siddig El Fadil before his Season 4 name change to Alexander Siddig. Then there's Jennifer Gatti, probably better known for wearing less makeup (but about the same amount of clothing) in 'Voyager' as Harry Kim's girlfriend Libby. Finally we have Richard Herd, William Shatner's boss on 'TJ Hooker' and later Admiral Paris on 'Voyager.' Oh, and don't forget the lumbering Morn, who's being fawned over by a Bolian woman on the Promenade.

How many glass tables got smashed in the entirety of 'Star Trek'? I'm not sure, but Worf adds another one to the total when he angrily does his martial arts moves in the tightly contained space of his quarters. The relaxed station life must have been getting to him as he just goes off duty without asking permission from anyone. It may be that the rules are relaxed, officers encouraged to get a bit of shore leave if they want it when docked at the station, but that doesn't excuse his gruff anger at Riker, on the verge of insubordination. His scenes creeping through the jungle make me think of 'Change of Heart' - the greenery is pretty good, the set's obviously had a lot of work, though I never like it when people hide behind a plant with a bright light shining on them and yet aren't seen. The cliffhanger ending would, as I said at the top of this review, have been more effective had it been unexpected, but Data's discovery of dreams and interaction with Bashir make up for that. Data's inspired art is something special too, and I bet those pictures fetch a lot of money now, almost as much as if they were done by a famous artist.

There's some nice symmetry between the two storylines in the most vaguest sense: the distant sound of an anvil clanging is otherworldly and mysterious, drawing Data in, as is the Klingon singing as Worf comes closer to the truth of the place he's found. There's no real connection except for the moment Data touchingly goes to Worf for advice on his 'vision' experience leading Worf to come to a decision about his own quest. On the whole the two stories could have been separate episodes in themselves, but at least Worf gets to wear his black ops gear again, even if he was about as successful as the last time he donned such getup. Whatever holes can be picked it is undeniably compelling to see two series' interact, even if more characters would have been better. These things are rare enough that you have to enjoy every minute.

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