Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) Parallels (1993) User Reviews

Enjoyable use of the multiverse concept

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 3 February 2022]

Worf returns from a bat'leth tournament and notices random changes to people and events.

This is one of those sci-fi mystery episodes where the status quo is changed in an entertaining way and we see it from the disoriented perspective of one of the main characters.

I like the idea of the multiverse that Star Trek has been using to great effect since the sixties and this is a strong example. The solution is rather technobabble heavy, but it is explained as simply as possible for the layperson.

There are some memorable moments for Worf, Counsellor Troi and Riker.

Michael Dorn leads the episode well and has great support from Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner.

Infinite worfs = infinite situational humor.

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 16 May 2021]

I enjoyed the journey of this episode and the idea that Worf's experiences in the other universes have a direct impact upon his decisions in his (correct?) current universe. It is endless fascinating to think over the ramifications of getting a glimpse at how your life could have turned out

My negatives pertaining to this episodes are of a 'what if' variety. I would have enjoyed further development between Worf/Deanna in the other universe that firmly established this love between the two.

Solid episode.

One Grand Ending

[joesoundman · 10/10 · 31 January 2019]

While there is no need to add anything to the reviews already here concerning this episode, I just wanted to focus on the last 2 minutes or so of the show. From the point when Picard asks Worf how the tournament went to the final seconds of the beginning of Worf's and Deanna's nascent romance, replete with some of the most beautiful and haunting 15 seconds of music in the entire series, it is just a crowning jewel on this beloved episode. Amusing, touching, and perfect.

Great episode.

[russem31 · 3 May 2006]

ST:TNG:163 - "Parallels" (Stardate: 47391.2) - this is the 11th episode of the 7th and last season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

After winning a batleth competition (where several contestants were maimed), Worf returns to the Enterprise via shuttlecraft to find out he received a concussion during the tournament (but has no memory of it). Soon, he discovers that instead of winning the tournament, he came in ninth. His memory lapses then get even worse and reality appears to change around him though no one else notices.

What is happening to Worf? Find out in another exciting episode in the true spirit of Star Trek (with great use of visual effects).

Trivia note: the Argus Array was last seen in "The Nth Degree". Wil Wheaton also plays Wesley Crusher again, and Patti Yasutake is DR. Ogawa! And, we see Worf celebrate his birthday, much to his disdain!

Worf again mentions to Troi how she has been like a mother to Alexander like she was in "Ethics" - the Worf-Troi romance later in the season again starts taking root here.

A Desperate Enterprise among others

[taylankazak-44788 · 9/10 · 19 October 2019]

I know this is just a movie, but I can't shake the stun I got, seeing the Enterprise from a victorious Borg universe. An undermanned bridge with only their Worf trying to keep up with all stations. A Cpt. Riker who apparently didn't shave or sleep for months, looks distressed, lost logical reasoning for the greater good.

The Federation is vast and strong. Even they could be undone by a series of wrong decisions by multiple parties. Episode 6.24 Second Chances tackled this idea with Thomas Riker, on a micro scale. Yet, destruction of humanity and possibly other dominant species on the quadrant is just appalling. It makes even a Romulan incursion look alright. To me, their destruction and desperation shows that everyone is a candidate for being homeless, killer, thief, rogue, anything. If we're not careful with our choices, that is.

9,5/10

What is happening to Worf?

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 11 September 2015]

After winning a batleth competition Worf returns to the Enterprise… and a dreaded surprise birthday party. Shortly after cutting the cake something strange happens; he has a dizzy spell then is handed a slice of sponge cake, this is strange because he had just cut a chocolate cake. He shrugs it off but starts having more dizzy spells and each time something different changes. At first it is small things; the picture Data gave him, the fact that he came ninth rather than won the competition, then he couldn't compete at all. Later still things get radically different; Riker is commander of the Enterprise and Worf finds himself married to Troi! Investigations eventually show that his shuttle passed through a spatial anomaly and the after effects have left him bouncing between various realities; returning to the anomaly leads to the realities meeting and numerous alternate versions of the Enterprise appearing. If things are to be set right they will have to identify which of the thousands of ships Worf came from so he can take its shuttle back into the anomaly.

I really enjoyed this episode for the very reason I suspect others will dislike it; as things changed for Worf I liked the confusion as things kept changing in ways that only Worf, and the viewer, notice. As well as the obvious changes there are enjoyably subtle changes such as the way the com badges change in later realities. For most of the episode there is also the question as to whether what we are seeing is really happening or if it is something being done to Worf for unknown reasons. Michael Dorn does a fine job as Worf; nicely portraying his confusion and frustration as reality changes around him. This story hints at a possible future romance between Worf and Troi as he comes to see her as potentially more than a friend… it will be interesting to see how that develops. Overall an enjoyable episode that keeps one wondering what is really happening.

REVIEW 2022

[iamirwar · 10/10 · 10 October 2022]

This is my idea of what Star Trek should be: Worf is aboard shuttlecraft Curie returning from a Bat'leth competition on Forcas III. He admits that conditions were difficult and that several contestants were maimed, but he himself was triumphant as 'Champion Standing'. He doesn't say whether he maimed anyone. The trophy itself could be used as a deadly weapon. Worf doesn't like surprises. Happy Birthday Worf.

Among the jollity there are quite a few surprises. Things are happening that shouldn't be happening, or cannot be explained. Worf's feeling dizzy. It could be concussion he sustained in the recent contest on Forcas III.

Imagine you're in a situation where everything you remember is being remembered differently by everyone else. Imagine Geordi being dead.

It's about time season seven threw up a good story and this one is excellent and well thought out. Lots of strange things going on and Worf cannot explain any of it. Troi who looks divine has now been married to Worf for three years. It seems that he has overlooked their anniversary yet again, although he has no memory of ever being married to her. Interestingly, this episode resolves an outstanding situation from an earlier Season Five episode: New Ground, where it looked like Worf and Deanna might be forming a relationship. A situation that apparently neither actor wanted for their character. There is also a good mix of humour and mystery with this story. Great science fiction.

The good news is that Data is useful in every universe.

Wouldn't it have been funny and a great idea for this episode if the end credits rolled right after the pre-title teaser?

This Episodes Clue: Marie Salomea Sklodowska

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

The FRINGE Episode of ST:TNG

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 14 November 2011]

Or, "There is more than one of the road not taken"

This episode of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION follows a plot device used in the series FRINGE. Mainly, the possibility of Alternate Universes and the ability to traverse them.

In this Ep, as in FRINGE, the traversal of alternate realities is at first not intentional. In fact, Worf has no idea this is what is happening, until several iterations later, an alternate DATA figures it out. As possibly, so did the Data from "Our" (Or rather, Worf's Reality).

This ep follows a theory of Quantum Flux, partially that "all matter in a universe resonates on a quantum level with a unique signature" - And Worf is not exhibiting the correct Quantum Signature for the Universe he is in. This also happens in the 2nd season of Fringe when Peter Bishop is perceived by Olivia Dunham to be resonating with the signature of matter from the "Alternate Universe/Other Side". What is causing Worf to "Flip through Universes"? This episode is very disarming and disturbing.

In Fringe, this is explored within the realm of two, possibly Three Quantums/Alternate Realities, in this episode, we are dealing with hundreds of Alternate Trek universes, possibly an unlimited amount. We are shown Trek universes where Picard was killed by the Borg, and Riker is the Captain of the Enterprise, with Trombone and all in the Waiting Room. And Worf personally experiences finding out that he is married to Deanna Troi - And has Children in one universe with her, and never fathered Alexander! And there are Cardassian Ensigns rather than Bajorans serving on the Enterprise (A male Cardassian Ensign is seen Piloting the Enterprise, instead of Bajoran Ensign Ro Laren).

Mostly this Episode is based on the phrase: "Everything that Could happen, DOES happen". - This episode reveals, the existence of a Quantum Fissure, a fixed point in space and time that intersects all Quantum Realities - And Worf's Shuttlecraft has flown right through this point, causing him to be susceptible for transference from one Quantum to the next. At first the universes are very similar to "our" Trek 'Verse, later in the episode, the differences become apparent, sometimes drastic. As the Data from Worf's last Quantum Shift states: "For Any Event, there is an Infinite Number of Possible Outcomes - Our choices determine which outcomes will follow. But there is a theory in Quantum Physics, that all possibilities that can happen, DO happen, in alternate Quantum Realities".

This episode is an excellent exploration of that Theory, a graphic illustration of this- As Worf traverses the realities and is exposed to different choices made not only by him, but the other Enterprise Crew.

This is precisely the kind of writing that is used in the Fox series FRINGE, and is a major part of the story in seasons 2 through 4 of that series. But in 1994, we had this Trek episode, a surprisingly well written episode by trek writer Brannon Braga who was always kept on hand to come up with ideas- He had hit his stride in Next Generation, some of his scripts and stories were not well written or received (Braga was the one who "Destroyed the Enterprise D" in Star Trek: Generations) but this one episode stands out as being very clever writing and a good fulfilling story. Braga would have fared well for Fringe with ideas like these.

Some Trek fans surmise, that Trek was running on pure "Brownian Motion" all through it's 7th Season, but this episode plainly proves that there was still some innovation in Trek writing in S7. And we also must give Michael Dorn some credit for his acting in this ep.

not a Klingon song

[nebmac · 8/10 · 12 June 2016]

It starts innocently enough. Worf is having dizzy spells and his memory seems to be playing tricks on him. Dr. Crusher thinks he took one too many bat'leths to the head. Then things get weird, and Worf finds himself in a predicament that can't be solved with honor, courage, or punching someone.

The plot takes ideas from previous episodes ("Frame of Mind," "Future Imperfect," etc.) and combines them in a way that avoids feeling like a rehash. The scenes with Worf and Troi work surprisingly well, thanks in no small part to Michael Dorn's facial expressions.

Speaking of faces, Wesley Crusher makes an appearance, looking like he's aged about a decade more than the rest of the crew. Must be a tough gig being the 20-year-old Chief of Goldshirts aboard the most prestigious ship in the fleet.

Crisis on Infinite Enterprises

[hellraiser7 · 10/10 · 5 May 2016]

Warning do not read unless seen episode.

This is my sixth favorite episode of the show, it no doubt predated the TV shows "Fringe", "Sliders" as well as the graphic comic series "Black Science"; this episode was really unique for it's time as it deals with the concept of alternate realities.

I really like the way it all plays out, it's pretty much a mystery and a cool one as we are both confused but intrigued at the same time. But also what makes this episode unique is that it's focused on Worf. This is really something different for the character as we see him actually play the detective role, which I thought was interesting and a change of pace from his usual role of being a combatant.

Worf is really sympathetic as we are in the same boat as him asking all of the same questions like "What the hell is going on?" and "How does he get off this ride?" Each of these different enterprises Worf inaventantly travels to each one, where we see their different from the smallest details from simple decision, what occurred and what didn't.

Down to even the biggest details like seeing Comander Riker commanding the enterprise which is sort of prolific as he does get to command a ship of his own the U.S.S. Titan in the expanded universe books. But also seeing Denna Troy and Worf as a couple which I'll admit I never thought would ever happen but they way it's handled it really felt plausible, I really liked seeing the chemistry between both of them how Denna interacted toward him I actually bought it. Of course this was also prolific as latter in the season both become a couple for a while at least.

In any reality, anything to everything is possible.

Rating: 4 stars

That's Worf All Over!

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 12 October 2014]

This is a highly entertaining episode. It accomplishes two things. First of all, there is the matter of time distortion and parallel universes. Secondly, there is the human (Klingon) development on board the ship. Worf has many lives, set in motion by random acts. He even has a marriage and children with Deanna Troi. Objects and events scatter about and he is the epicenter and the control in everything. Because of the open mindedness of the crew, he is able to at least get, what would seem a ludicrous theory, listened to. He has returned from a Klingon martial arts tournament, victorious, but in one scene, his trophy for first place morphs into one for ninth place. What I found most entertaining is that I hadn't seen this condition before and the conclusion is quite acceptable. Michael Dorn as Worf does a nice job as the focus of this episode.

Brilliant

[makiefer · 10/10 · 21 August 2023]

My favourite STTNG eposode, only second to 'Yesterday's Enterprise.' I loved that it was the tiny oddities that distinguish the parallel universes. Such as Data's alternate blue android eyes. The variations in the different universes increase, and culminate in a Captain Riker who beg-forces the other parallel Enterprises to rescue their crew. Brilliant. The torn-down alternate Riker comes as such a shock because he really never does anything in the standard universe. He spots a Captain Picard imposter in another episode (I recall) and quits when Picard gets replaced by Jellico. That's it. Riker is a little useless which is why this episode shines.

Moody Klingons abound

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 28 November 2017]

Another day, another time crisis episode. While I've heard complaints over the years about the abundance of these sorts of stories on Star Trek, I've ever had that problem with them, at least as far as TNG is concerned. They usually go together pretty well.

Turns out it's a good hook for a Worf episode, primarily because it's the ship's resident tough-guy who's slipping between different realities. It's actually kinda scary when a Klingon battle cruiser shows up and your tactical officer is drawing a blank. The camera tricks and editing keep you on your toes, and the story keeps shifting. Even the cast flickers in and out, with Wesley showing up on the bridge at one point. Overall, it's an entertaining one.

7/10

Not a fissure in the space-time continuum!!

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 2 December 2014]

Worf has just arrived back to the Enterprise from a shuttlecraft trip to a Klingon manliness tournament. He's then surprised by a birthday party and all is well--especially since he won the tournament. However, soon things start changing on the ship. First, his birthday cake changes flavors and then his trophy for winning now is for 9th place! Later, after many more changes, the evidence is that he never even attended the tournament. But it gets more extreme and one of the changes finds Worf married to Counselor Troi! Oddly, Worf is the only one who is aware of these changes.

On IMDb, this is a very highly rated episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I assume this is because you get to see all sorts of alternatives for the characters--such as Worf getting married and many other changes. However, I really hated the show because it was so reliant on so much stuff that just sounded like a lot of mumbo-jumbo--with talk about fissures in the space-time continuum, lots of quantum realities and an inverse warp field. It reminds me of the Voltaire song about this aspect of the show called the "USS Make S*** Up"--about how lots of silly solutions for each escape are just pulled out of thin air.

Star Trek TNG: A Christmas Carol?

[midnijr · 10/10 · 25 December 2019]

This is works in the spirit of the story. The only other episode that feels close is the last episode: All Good Things.

Liked the Episode story, but lot of plot inconsistencies

[FanOfMoviesForTheIntellect · 6/10 · 15 April 2022]

I generally like Sci Fi stories that have time and space themes. I have watched this episode several times. The first time I found it interesting for the theme and the story twists. As I watched it again and again I found so may inconsistencies that they started becoming more glaring: such as, Worf in the alternate realities share the same memory as the actual one but not the memory of each reality? What happens to the real Worf in each of the alternate realities? Deanna seems to say that he would miss the real Worf in one of the scenes, but is there not a Worf in that reality? When Worf finally takes the shuttle to close the anomaly where is the Worf in that reality? One would think that it would have been possible and not too difficult to plug these inconsistencies.

Temporal misfire

[eonbluekarma · 5/10 · 19 January 2009]

I have never rated any episode with Worf as the main character this low until now. With any Trek series there comes the temporal episode. These types of episodes are hit or miss; some being great, like "timescape" and some not so great like "Parallels". "Parallels" comes off as insincere and flat. Troi's performance is decent, but the Worf, Troi romance never made since like the Worf, Dax relationship in DS9.

I did like the idea of the bat'leth tournament. Too bad no one ever wrote an episode about that. In the future Star Trek should focus on aspects of the unique cultures it has created. Sometimes the elaborate time warp episodes are too much, and "Parallels" is an example of this.

"I am detecting a quantum flux in your cellular RNA."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 16 April 2024]

An exploration of multiple realities really gets a workout in this episode. Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn) is the central character, but all the other officers are seen in different aspects throughout the story as well. Worf and Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) being married with a child didn't work for me, especially given that Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) had given his okay on the matter in one of the alternate scenarios. If anything, the story has you consider the virtually infinite number of outcomes that could potentially result from making a different decision in one's life, and this one really took it to an extreme when the divergent realities appeared to exist at the same time with dozens of Enterprises visible in space awaiting their fate. A somewhat surprise appearance by Wil Wheaton as Lieutenant Wesley Crusher was quite unexpected. If you looked real quick, he had a fascinating likeness to a young Elvis Presley; go back and check it out. Fortunately, and you all know how this works, a technobabble account of quantum incursions and shifting realities finally get sorted out so that everything is back to normal again with Worf enjoying his champion status in the bath'let competition on Forcas III. Sure beats dropping to ninth place.

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

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 9 March 2022]

The final season of Star Trek, the Next Generation gave us some splendid episodes and also a fair share of stinkers. Everyone knew by this stage that they would not be renewed and attempts were made to wrap up various story lines before they said their final goodbyes. There is still a great deal to be enjoyed.

Parallels has the character of Worf skipping backwards and forwards between alternative realities after a blow on the head. We get a lot of "road not travelled" stuff such as did he/didn't he win the Batleth tournament, what is his relationship to Counsellor Troi, what colour uniform should he be wearing and why is Wesley Crusher back on the Bridge?

Plenty of people seem to have liked it (although not those writing their reviews here) and Michael Dorn certainly gave a very good performance as a person constantly having to come to terms with a shifting reality but........another quantum temporal rift? Really! If the viewer is reduced to checking out the background actors to find interesting "alternative universe" details such as the only time a Cardassian appears in a Starfleet uniform, then whatever is going on centre-screen has pretty much lost the plot.

The Worf/Troi romance was unpopular with long-time viewers too and, by the end of the season, the writers would have to admit their mistake. In the meantime, Marina Sirtis gave her best effort to bring this new-found relationship to life. I was a bit offended on her behalf that she only got to wear a couple of her oldest and most worn-out costumes for their domestic/romantic scenes. She's a lovely woman an she deserved better from the creative team - especially for the champagne scene.

Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5.

It's Deja Vu All Over Again and Tiresome, Too.

[toldyousew · 5/10 · 25 August 2017]

This episode felt as if they were using themes from at least a few episodes and rehashing them again as far as a "temporal rift" goes. There was so much "tech speak/jargon, that I was getting lost, and I

started not caring after a while. Their solution to helping Worf just sounded contrived and quick to help finish up the episode. The lack of originality was off-putting.

Infinite possibilities

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 30 May 2020]

This TNG story concerns Michael Dorn returning from a Batleth tournament when he travels through a locus point where many universes cnnverge. Things are not asd Lt.Worf remembers them.

When the crack really widens we see a few hundred Enterprises out there each with a different story to tell. Quite a sight even on the small screen.

Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis are a married couple in one of those realities. Patrick Steart was killed by the Borg in another.

Michael Dorn is one confused Klingon, but it all; works out

Absolute tosh

[zenmateisshite · 2/10 · 22 January 2020]

I love Star Trek, especially Next Gen but this episode is the epitome of horrible pseudoscience.

I know enough about physics to absolutely confirm that the idea of parallel universes is the stupidest ever. I can understand why some laypeople like this concept: its a nice fantasy to think that every choice that you make that could happen, has happened in a different universe. You never lost your childhood pet dog, you asked that handsome man for a date and never shied away, you followed your dream and became a dentist - of course that all happened somewhere - face palm!

But what I don't understand is how can so-called scientists believe this crap and try to publicize it. If you know a little bit about physics you will know that there is no where is quantum mechanics that tells us that every "choice" we make can actually happens and leads to parallel universe. What happened before humans made choices? are there parallel universes for cats, and spiders when they make choises? and the biggest problem is; DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ENERGY IS NEEDED TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW UNIVERSE WHEN YOU MAKE A CHOICE?!!!

Totally absurd. Scientists, stop this madness, now.

The 2 stars is just because I love Data, in any universe.

Not Great

[zombiemockingbird · 5/10 · 18 April 2023]

Worf is one of my favorites, and I usually really enjoy stories where he is the main character. This one, however, was just too disjointed to be enjoyable. I've seen shows with parallel universes before, but not where they kept changing every 10 seconds. What they were doing and saying didn't make sense to me at all, even in a Sci-Fi world. I guess my poor little brain just couldn't handle the complexities. One version of the Enterprise is talking to a hundred different Enterprises, all in different universes? Again, just too convoluted for me. Wesley was back, which is always a bummer, Geordi and Picard are dead, and the Worf/Troi romance? Ugh. That was totally unbelievable and cringy. Overall, not a very good episode.