Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) Frame of Mind (1993) User Reviews

Riker in the Snake Pit!

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 1 October 2014]

This Matrix-like plot with numerous twists and turns is really quite engaging. It involves Will Riker, who is rehearsing for a play. He is really quite good and the performance with Beverly Crusher at the helm (directing) is going to be performed soon. Suddenly, he finds himself in a facility for the insane. He is told he has killed someone and because of his insanity, he may be free from prosecution. Something has happened to his mind and he is trying to cope, but he slowly becomes institutionalized. There are layers upon layers of reality. We don't know if we are seeing his mind's eye or there is a true reality. He slowly begins to accept where he is. He even meets what appear to be Picard, Worf, and Troi, but even they turn out to be illusions. This is really a quirky episode with Jonathan Frakes putting in a very exciting performance.

"Star Trek meets The Twilight Zone"....

[karacter · 9/10 · 8 April 2009]

A truly unusual and unsettling episode that, although I've never seen it show up in viewer polls, surely ranks as one of the series' best in terms of writing, directing, and acting. The disturbing and surreal atmosphere that haunts every minute of "Frame of Mind" is eerie and effective- so much so that the viewer half expects to see Rod Serling step into the picture at any moment.

Jonathan Frakes steals the show with his best and most intense performance of the entire series. Guest star David Selburg (Dr. Syrus) must also be commended for a first-rate turn as a calmly rational and calculating alien psychiatrist.

The acting and storyline are so much fun to watch that the viewer can easily overlook the two major plot holes inherent in this episode- and they are big ones. First, why is Riker, of all people, sent on this dangerous mission in the first place? He's the First Officer on the Federation flagship, a man with enormous responsibilities for the critical day-to-day operations of a ship with more than 1000 people on board- is it really logical to risk such a highly experienced & hard to replace starship officer on a mission to rescue some Starfleet researchers who have no particular importance? (At least no particular importance was mentioned).

The Enterprise has over 1000 people on board- is there really no other crew member trained to do this? And doesn't Starfleet Security have special, better trained people for this type of hostage recovery work? ("Star Trek: Enterprise", for example, which was set two hundred years before this series, featured special "Marines" on-board the Enterprise NX-01 that were specially trained & armed for exactly this type of mission).

Second, in TOS episode "Patterns of Force", Dr. McCoy implanted small tracking devices into Kirk & Spock so that Scotty could keep a transporter lock on them & beam them out in case any trouble happened on their dangerous away mission. He did this relatively quickly & easily with a small device about the size of a hypo-spray. What happened to this technology? Was it abandoned by Starfleet? (Or maybe forgotten by the show writers?) Seemed like a pretty good idea.

In any event, towards the end of "Frame of Mind" we see Riker's communicator lying right next to him in the alien interrogation room. Can't a communicator serve as a homing beacon for the ship's computer? True, Riker wasn't wearing it, but he happened to be in the same room with it- why not lock on to that communicator signal & beam a security team down to its location have a look around/stage a rescue? Or, at the very least, beam a probe/camera down to the communicator's location and have a look around.

Big plot holes, indeed, but it certainly doesn't diminish the power and entertainment value of this episode.

Well worth your time- I give it a 9 out of 10.

Star Trek The Next Generation--Frame of Mind

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 13 April 2013]

I really love it when Star Trek—The Next Generation approaches telling a story outside the conventional box, like in the case of "Frame of Mind". What if what you consider reality is but a dream and actually you are a nutcase who killed someone savagely with a knife and are currently confined to an asylum on a world alien to your own? The Enterprise feels like it is but fictitious imagery disrupting what is real, popping up as Riker is on a planet called Telonius, in a cell for the mentally insane. He's told by his doctor and staff that he was responsible for a bloody murder. He's told by the doc that the Enterprise isn't real, just possible manifestations that are holding him back. Riker goes back and forth from the cell (and cafeteria and "playroom") and the Enterprise, becoming increasingly disoriented and losing control until he starts to consider what the Telonius tell him as true. This episode does a swell job of producing absolute confusion, doing so by setting it from the maddening perspective of Riker, and through this what is real/unreal is skewed. There's a play Beverly Crusher once again burdens a crew member pal of hers with called Frame of Mind about an asylum inmate under interrogation by a psychiatrist (Riker, the inmate; Data, the interrogator) that morphs from stage into the real thing for Riker during performances, with a particular Teloniun "Administrator" (played by cult star Andrew Prine) who turns up on the Enterprise as an officer while at the asylum he's a member of the staff. So Riker must break down the illusion so he can stop those responsible for his cerebral fiction, but it will not be easy. This is a plum episode for the Riker character and an acting powerhouse for Jonathan Frakes. It is quite an unpleasant road traveled for Riker, though. There's one point where he does consider the Enterprise members figments of his imagination, even during an instance where Data and Worf seem to be trying to help him escape with him helping the staff stop them from doing so. Again, though, while such a scene offers the possibility that Riker's on the verge of rescue, it all is determined to be false manifestations; again, it illustrates the whole point of throwing us for a loop. I love how the conclusion has Riker tearing down the real stage play set as to cleanse himself from the whole experience. There's also a nifty point of emphasis on a cut on the head of Riker that seems to constantly re-appear; it plays a heavy part in Riker's taking control of his psyche and ruins the whole process of requiring deeply latent strategic plans wanted by those who kidnapped him. To conclude, this episode puts Riker through the ringer, and I imagine it was quite the grueling experience for Frakes to remain in such a dark period for his character. Superb episode in a series that continued to remain amazing all the way to the end.

Excellent episode.

[russem31 · 30 April 2006]

ST:TNG:147 - "Frame Of Mind" (Stardate: 46778.1) - this is the 21st episode of the 6th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Continuing the grand tradition of superior writing during the 6th season, this episode concerns what reality is, what makes a person insane. While Riker is rehearsing the part of a mental patient trapped in a asylum for another of Dr. Crusher's play "Frame Of Mind", he starts experiencing paranoid sensations when he runs into a crew member that seems oddly familiar (a mysterious Lt. Suna). When he tells Troi about this, she brushes off his concerns as a side effect of getting into his mentally-charged role.

However, during his first performance, his set disappears and he finds himself imprisoned in a Tilonus mental ward, accused of murder! But what is real? Is he really insane? Find out in this highly-charged episode.

Note: GREAT use of visual effects, music, and cinematography in this episode.

Trivia: this episode stars Susanna Thompson as Inmate Jaya (she will later have a claim to fame as one of the Borg Queens in Star Trek: Voyager).

A phenomenal episode

[morusd · 10/10 · 11 July 2006]

This is an episode that keeps you guessing. The other reviewer gets it right - except does not mention that it is completely unclear by the end of this what actually happened. Was Riker really kidnapped? Or was this play more complex than that? We see this from Riker's perspective - but it is unclear whether it was Riker the actor of the play, or Riker the victim of the madness that is this episode. The scene in which the audience is applauding while Riker seemingly has a panic attack underscores this - is it an illusion cast by the aliens, or is this merely a part of the play? This is one that makes you think, and you'll definitely go "huh?!" throughout it. But it is nonetheless well written and very well acted. One of Jonathen Frakes' best performances in the series.

Riker in the spotlight

[lathamv · 10/10 · 3 August 2018]

TNG has a few eps where Riker is the lead character but in this one, he carries the show AND he does a good job. When I saw this episode this first time, I was confused and completely wrapped up in his insanity... in a good way. I believed he was going insane.

Riker has a solo mission to be disguised and dropped into an alien society in order to locate and rescue a federation group that has been caught up in the societies civil unrest. what we dont know until the end, is where the mind control begins and reality ends for Riker. Hes been the main character in a play prior to taking this mission and at first he thinks he knows the difference but every time he thinks hes acting, the stage and the characters become real. Has his life on the Enterprise been all in his mind? Are his close friends just different aspects of his personality? Did he really kill another man in an alley? Was it on purpose or self defense?

This episode does a good job of blurring these lines and keeps the viewer on their toes. Even when hes being told the truth and we think his real friends are trying to help him, that "reality" is shown to be imagined also. Once Riker starts to take control, everything unravels. Its reminiscent of the original Twilight Zone story lines. Fans of TZ and TNG will love this episode.

This was such a trippy episode

[ktm-98292 · 10/10 · 12 October 2021]

I've never seen such an accurate media depiction of gaslighting. Riker's actor knocked this out of the park. The meta commentary wasn't too heavy handed, overall amazing episode.

Riker's had better days....

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 30 November 2014]

This is a very trippy episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and is the sort of thing that kind of makes your head hurt...which I like.

It all begins with Riker performing a play aboard the Enterprise. The play is about a man in a mental institution who insists he is not insane...and then instead of the play ending, Riker finds himself in an alien mental institution. The 'doctor' insists that the Enterprise and its crew are Riker's delusions and he's never been in Starfleet! What's happening?!

This episode is like a dream within a dream within a dream--and it's seriously weird. Some folks obviously don't like the show (based on one incredibly scathing review) but I did and it does have an extremely high overall score. Worth seeing and enjoyably paranoid.

Mind bender.

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 30 April 2021]

I have a bit of different take on this episode than most. My mom developed late onset schizophrenia and this episode provides me with insight to what a horror show it must be dealing with a mental disorder that blurs your sense of reality.

The episode itself is unsettling and extremely well paced with an eerie score. The episode is also making a statement on how society treats (or has treated) people with mental disorders ----- throw them in a dark cell and medicate them.

What makes star trek the best franchise is the versatility of storytelling. You have the entire galaxy and complexity of human existence to explore and this episode hits hard with a expertly crafted mind bender of an episode.

Riker loses mind, finds hidden talent

[snarky-trek-reviews · 8/10 · 1 August 2017]

It's a shame Johnathin Frakes is forever known as commander Riker, the guy can act. The journey through Riker's unconscious mind is quite engaging as he struggles to ascertain what's real and what's not. Frakes portrayal of confusion, frustration, disorientation, anger, and eventual realization are quite convincing and reason enough to enjoy this episode. The ending is a hand wave as Riker realizes he's dreaming, wakes up and beams away. A line of dialogue from Troi explains how he managed and the episode is over. Still, Frake's performance is so good that little is lost.

Very watchable.

Riker is held captive in "Ward 47".

The Manchurian Riker

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 8 May 2020]

This TNG story belongs to Jonathan Frakes

Will Riker is kidnapped and held by one of the factions ona planet that is having civil war. He's held in an asylum where the captors are trying to extract intelligence from Star Fleet.

Frakes is really giving a dynamite performance as the man who doesn't know who to believe. Shades of the Manchurian Candidate.

for Jonathan Frakes faqns a must.

Inception before it's time.

[nicholashartmann · 10/10 · 3 June 2020]

This episode (Season 6, Episode 21: Frame of Mind) was absolutely amazing. I have never before written a review of a single episode before. But after watching this one I simply needed some time to get my brain funktioning again after what I saw. This was similar to my reaction after seeing Inception for the first time. Just completely mind effed.

I am not going to spoil anything for anyone. So please just watch it on your own. Truly amazing.

Too Predictable

[dafoat · 5/10 · 25 July 2019]

Is Riker really insane? Well, of course not. It's a weekly series. You know that no matter what twists and turns the plot takes, at the end he's going to be fine. You just have to endure 40 minutes of Riker yelling and pawing at his hair to get there.

Is Riker going insane?

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 20 August 2015]

This episode opens with Riker, apparently in a psychiatric institution proclaiming that he is innocent of a murder while his interrogator calmly assures him otherwise; it turns out this is just a play he is rehearsing and the interrogator is Data. Afterwards he starts to feels somewhat paranoid and bumps into an alien crewmember as he returns to his room. Later as he prepares for an away mission Worf accidentally cuts him with a dagger and he goes to sickbay for treatment; after it is treated he still feels pain. Later that night he and Data perform the play to much applause… apart from the unknown alien officer who just stares at him. As he takes a bow the audience vanishes and he finds himself being questioned by an alien doctor; he is in fact in an alien asylum and his captors tell him that the idea that he is a commander on the Enterprise is part of a psychotic delusion. He refuses to believe them and several times he finds himself back aboard the Enterprise only for that reality to shatter leaving him in the asylum… ultimately he can't believe anything he sees or experiences; even a rescue attempt proves to be a delusion. Will he ever find reality again and will he recognise it if he does?

This is one of the darkest episodes of the entire series; both in terms of its tone and literally thanks to the darkened interrogation room. Most of the time the viewer is as much in the dark as Riker as to what is real and what is a drug induced delusion. We don't know why he is being accused of murder or whether or not he has actually killed anybody; we can assume it is linking to his away mission but that is only speculation as it is first referred to during one of his delusional episodes. The whole cast does a fine job but it is Jonathan Frakes who carries the episode with a brilliant performance; he convinces us that Riker is slowly losing his mind thanks to what his happening; he perfectly captures Riker's frustration, confusion and despair. Overall I must say this was a brilliant episode; fans of films like 'Perfect Blue' and 'Inception' that feature delusions within delusions and we rarely know what is real should love this… I did!

Beyond the lighted stage

[Mr-Fusion · 8/10 · 3 August 2017]

This reminds of of a piece of trivia for the movie "Manhunter". That William Petersen had to shave his head after production wrapped just to shed and completely distance himself from his character; life imitating art, given that Will Graham had to do pretty much the same in the film.

Will Riker's put in a similar position, tasked with the lead role in Beverly's play, but finding his character bleeding into reality. And Frakes bears it well, ably wearing the exhaustion and panic of a man who can't tell which way is up. It's a highly effective episode, full of turns, skilled misdirection and an actor who's up to the task.

8/10

REVIEW 2022

[iamirwar · 9/10 · 29 September 2022]

This one has a similar feel about it to the TNG Season Four episode: First Contact, which in turn had a Rod Serling feel about it.

Poor old Will Riker is having a tantrum. Fortunately for us, it's all part of his act. So, we have an actor playing the part of a character who is playing the part of an actor playing the part of a character. That is bound to confuse anyone. Fortunately, Will being the consummate professional continues his rehearsals in the corridor.

Tilonus IV is in a state of total anarchy. Their Prime Minister has been assassinated and a Federation research team is lost somewhere on the planet.

Dark and disturbing, just the way we like them. Is Will dreaming that he's in an asylum or is he delusional and believing he's on the Enterprise. Shades of DS9, Season Six episode: Far Beyond The Stars.

An interesting idea and one of the better Riker stories, although the resolution was a little weak, and did they ever rescue the rest of the research team?

This Episodes Clue: Legate Turrel

(Answer's to all episode clues will appear in the reviews of season seven, episode 25: All Good Things, Part One.)

psychotic tale of alien abduction

[nebmac · 9/10 · 23 June 2016]

This one makes me squirm every time, especially because all the twists make it hard to remember what will happen when. The music, particularly the slightly distorted piano, really sets the mood. I'm not much of a Jay Chattaway fan, but he rises to the occasion here.

Now, about the ending...the "it was all just a dream" reveal doesn't ruin anything because it's obvious that Riker was suffering from delusions of some kind. However, after the shock of seeing Riker's surroundings shatter like glass, I expected his escape from the real captors to be more dramatic than a brief scuffle followed by "beam me up Scotty...I mean, no-name transporter chief du jour."

For maximum effect, watch this episode by yourself in a dark room, preferably late at night.

Some parts can drive an actor literally insane

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 15 December 2021]

Riker experiences a number of delusions and appears to be a patient in a mental health facility.

This is a good Riker episode with an intriguing plot and a solid central performance from Jonathan Frakes.

There is little I can say about the plot without spoiling other than it is a nicely written mystery-thriller. However, we know Riker is going to be back to normal by the end of it so there is no real suspense.

Visually it works very well, using cinematography, lighting, editing and set design that adds to the character's disoriented state.

Frakes is on top form. He is pushed to the limit of his acting range and he is 90% perfect. There are some moments where he expresses emotion and it feels like it's slightly forced out. Personally I think the part called for someone with the ability of Patrick Stewart to make it a truly great episode, as he is the only member the main cast who could have made it feel 100% real.

Riker needed a good story at this point in the show and this one served that purpose.

Frakes' Tour de Force

[Samuel-Shovel · 8/10 · 10 August 2020]

In "Frame of Mind" Riker must identify what truly is reality when he is constantly thrown different lives: one where he's acting in a play aboard the Enterprise and one where he's in an alien insane asylum. Is he actually a Star Fleet Commander or is this all part of some insane fantasy?

Really fun Twilight Zone-esque episode here. I've seen this sort of "what is reality" sci-fi high concept idea many times before but it's fun to see it with TNG characters we know and love. Frakes is really solid for the majority but f the episode. It rides on his shoulders and he delivers.

Not super original and the effects can be a bit silly at times (like the shattered glass transition) but STL a highlight of Season 6.

A Masterpiece. Must-Watch for Every Trekkie.

[HiFive789 · 10/10 · 14 May 2022]

I loved it since i first watched it back in 2020. Its a mind-bending Psychological-, emotional, convincing, thriller roller coaster ride and i love it. Definetly my absolute favorite episode of all trek. Best of both worlds is a joke against this masterpiece.

This episode was just stupid

[dcobbimdb · 1/10 · 24 March 2012]

I love the Star Trek universe and TNG quite a lot and while I like Riker's character for the most part this episode just seemed pointless and idiotic. He's seemingly abducted by some race, and manipulated on X amount of levels for seemingly some amount of information though we never really see what that is. the whole premise of this episode seems to be mystery without any resolve and for that I give no kudos.

Hell anyone can build a mystery from anything, but in this world to do it with some incidental race for some unknowable reason and to leave you hanging with really no resolution or no real conclusion whatsoever is just an utter let down.

What were they thinking... No points here

Great Kafka-esque Fare

[M_Exchange · 9/10 · 9 August 2018]

I've often mocked Jonathan Frakes's acting, especially when I'm discussing the first few seasons of this show-- he seemed to have difficulty with grasping the essence of his character. Well, I maintain that he is a much better director than actor, but he is probably at his all-time best in Next Gen history in this episode. He did a good (not great, but good) job of delivering a convincing performance in a dark setting and dark story.

Also, I applaud the writers for steering the season away from season five and early season six's childish banalities and into more grounded adult terrain. It's difficult to believe that this season began with the transmutation of four crew members into their twelve-year-old selves, right?

"Don't let them tell you you're crazy."

[classicsoncall · 9/10 · 30 March 2024]

Ah yes, this was a wonderfully crafted mind bender with Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) at the center of a kidnapping conspiracy on Tilonius IV, but you don't really know that for certain until the story's resolution. Up till then, you have Riker alternating between a dramatic play aboard the Enterprise, a mental hospital on the planet, and nightmares of his experience as he tries to sort out whether he's going insane or not. In one of his more coherent moments, Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) suggests he have fun with his darker side, but in moments when he doesn't even remember who he is, the tension of the episode ratchets up to the point where the viewer doesn't know what's real and what to expect next. For sci-fi movie fans, this episode was an excellent precursor to films like 2000's "Memento", with its perpetual rewind of events in that story, or better yet, "Inception" from 2010 with its dream within a dream construct. You could throw a little "Groundhog Day" in the mix as well, though this was a far from humorous experience for Number One. Still, this story had a specific conclusion and answer to Commander Riker's dilemma, whereas the first two movies cited leave much more open to individual interpretation.

A Senior Trekker writes.......................

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 2 March 2022]

The Golden Age of Star Trek: we had the 6th Season of The Next Generation and the 1st Season of Deep Space Nice on our televisions, Generations on view in our cinemas and First Contact due out soon. This season of TNG contains some excellent stand-alone episodes and several spectacular two-parters, with only the occasional make-weight. Despite the length of time it had already been on the air, it still represents some of the highest standard of television Science Fiction ever broadcast.

This one is pretty "out there" for a Star Trek episode and shows how many risks the producers were willing to take by this stage of the series. And it is excellent. It's the best Will Riker episode, the best thriller and the best psychological piece. You don't really know what was going on? Join the queue.

Just enjoy the tension and the sense of menace, the sheer creativity and excitement of something that falls outside of all previous expectations; and it looks from all the positive reviews as if most people were willing to do just that. It seldom pays to underestimate the intelligence of the Star Trek audience and this episode proves how much we are up for a challenge.

It is interesting to note that in the intervening years the big screen has offered us such nested realities as: The Matrix, Memento, Inception, Shutter Island and any number of other films with Bruce Willis in them. They cost a small fortune to make and I don't think I made it to the end of any of them (despite the advice of various film-buffs in the family).

Frame of Mind IS better, Jonathan Frakes IS fantastic in it and everyone concerned deserves our thanks for taking a chance on the viewers' attention span.

Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5.