Hostage situation. Cardassians kidnap the Captain of Starflleet's flagship. For ransom (really). Starfleets needs to respond, and drive a harder bargain on that hostage price. The Enterprise's new captain is ruthless. Replacement Captain Jellico, a borderline-scumbag, repeatedly cancels negotiations with the Cardassian kidnappers. To the dismay of the rest of the crew, Picard's incumbent faction. First Officer Riker even quits his job. --- very cool how the episode takes this hostage situation seriously. Effectively, we get a new crew in this instalment, given the command of the flagship swaps hands. Captain Jelico takes over, along with a new first officer. Note that the Borg two-parter 'Best of both worlds' two seasons earlier refused to go there: We didn't get a new tailor-made battle crew that replaced the usual explorers. Conversely in this episode, we see a new Captain that even alienates his crew just to reduce the price of that hostage, the previous captain. Superb. Note that Jellico can only loose, here. If his bargain is too hard, Picard dies, and his crew will hate him forever. If Picard lives, Jelico will leave, and be forgotten as quick as possible. The only thing that this episode probably lacks is diversity and dynamic. You would expect a lot of previously-junior staff to follow the new captain. It is very honorable by Riker to display his disapproval of the new captain, by stepping down. However, realistically, those boots would be filled quickly with backbenchers. Those backbenchers have every reason to follow Jellico, because Riker just proved that the old networks don't count any longer. Jellico does have credibility even among the incumbent senior staff. He orders Counselor Troi to wear standard uniform. She complies and follows the order for the rest of the whole series. As a result of Jellico's underrated standing, you would see more changes among the crew, than the episode allows. --- the episode's theme is highly practical, not just for hostage situations. Many investment funds have 'investment committees.' Once you negotiated an investment with a fund's management, they pass you on to that committee. A new 'captain.' That committee will outline to you how your ideas are actually not that great. They'll pay less. Absolute negotiation text book.
Review of Chain of Command, Part I
