Dr. Beverly Crusher enters an alternate reality thanks to her son's experiment gone awry. This theme was explored several times by Rod Serling on The Twilight Zone. Space travel was a common theme on TZ and this episode could have easily been one of TZ episodes.
24 Reviews
Crusher to the limit...
robert_s0131 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
...a really strong plot in the beginning, sadly this episode finally turns in one of the famous deus ex machina solutions so often used in Star Trek. Dealing with an interesting scenario around questioning one's own mental health (in this case Dr. Crusher's) this one has its strong point. How is it possible to distinguish if it is you that's mad or all the people around you? Beverly has to face a situation difficult (and nearly impossible) to cope with. She's feeling totally sane but her behavior creates serious doubt in all the crew-mates around her... what makes her think they are crazy... in the end it turns out that not the inner but the outer space has been altered by a warp drive experiment carried out by Wesley. So she is completely sane as are the others but it is not her reality but some kind of alternate universe constantly shrinking as Wesley's "Warp Bubble" collapses...
Gates McFadden's acting abilities are definitely put to the limit by this one and she isn't always able to deliver the necessary credibility of a woman close to breaking down and even on the edge of losing faith to herself due to changes in her outside reality. Although she's trying hard... and maybe that's the point. One can feel her trying and that's a step behind what would have been needed here... But except these (little) flaws in McFadden's performance and the return of the traveler whose potential is wasted once more this is a highly recommendable episode with a psychological edge to it... Even Wesley is likable...
Gates McFadden's acting abilities are definitely put to the limit by this one and she isn't always able to deliver the necessary credibility of a woman close to breaking down and even on the edge of losing faith to herself due to changes in her outside reality. Although she's trying hard... and maybe that's the point. One can feel her trying and that's a step behind what would have been needed here... But except these (little) flaws in McFadden's performance and the return of the traveler whose potential is wasted once more this is a highly recommendable episode with a psychological edge to it... Even Wesley is likable...
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Remember Me
Scarecrow-8828 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I totally understand the general conceit that "Remember Me" is deeply flawed with a rather confusing reasoning behind why Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden, given a showcase episode) is trapped on an alternate Enterprise where officers she knows are vanishing with the remaining crew not remembering them.
There's the script invention of a warp bubble caused by Wesley (Wil Wheaton) during an experiment in Engineering, which annoyed Geordi (LeVar Burton) to no end. How does Crusher get to Engineering and find herself trapped in that bubble? Well, she greets an old mentor named Dr. Dalen Quaice (Bill Erwin), and the two have a conversation about his losing his wife and friends to old age, "unloading his emotional baggage" to a friendly ear willing to listen. Losing your friends resonates to the point that Beverly goes to visit her son who is tinkering with a warp experiment, creating a bubble that conveniently "nabs her" and her alone. So at the moment she is nabbed, her thoughts create the alternate Enterprise and the emotional state whips up the gradual loss of all the officers and crew, particularly those she works alongside and loves.
The sci-fi story cooked up for Dr. Crusher--all of that "Bunny Lake is Missing" / "The Lady Vanishes" madness where you know that person or people exist while others tell you they don't, along with the warp bubble device to set up the action for the central character -- is an excuse for McFadden to get her own episode with almost all the focus on her. When I first watched "Remember Me", it was a hit with me. Unlike some other Next Gen Trekkies, I love the Dr. Crusher character. Of course, I liked Pulaski, as well, so there you go. Still, McFadden's upset reactions to what is happening, all that frustration and bewilderment as Picard tells her he doesn't know Riker or Data and that only two people have ever been needed to operate the Enterprise (!), it is palpable with me. Easily the best moment, to me, is when Beverly urges Wesley to follow her to Picard to talk about the warp "malfunction", and when they get around a corner he's gone. I found that eerie. I also thought the emptied Enterprise with Beverly on her own was also quite effective. Picard arising on the Bridge with no one else on board, and then as she is about to admit her feelings for him (I always wished the writers would eventually capitalize on the potential for romance), just turning her face away momentarily, looking up to see that he's no longer there that sinking feeling is sold by McFadden, with the feeling conveyed saying, "What do I do now?"
I thoroughly enjoyed her "talking it out" on the Bridge, the battles with the computer (her confusing the computer with the "gotcha" question it couldn't answer was fantastic), reaching the inevitable answer as to why the "vortex" kept emerging in parts of the ship she encountered, and the "aha" moment where Engineering is realized as the area of the ship she needed to be. This episode was an example of the Next Gen giving to the secondary cast members a show, particularly a great one as this was, had the longevity that afforded the opportunity for every cast member to get some episodes centered around them. The plot could be picked apart so easily and scrutinized to the hilt, for which I would agree that "Remember Me" will always be welcomed by some (mainly those that love McFadden and the Crusher character) and not by others (those who just don't like neither).
Major failure: the inclusion of The Traveler (Eric Menyuk) with little to work with, seemingly part of the story to further emphasize Wesley's "specialness" and come to the rescue, but deserved of something far more substantial. The Traveler is the kind of character meant for a grandiose story, not showing up to get Wesley to summon the ability to bring together time and space to save his mom in the waning minutes of an episode which doesn't even explain where he goes after its over.
There's the script invention of a warp bubble caused by Wesley (Wil Wheaton) during an experiment in Engineering, which annoyed Geordi (LeVar Burton) to no end. How does Crusher get to Engineering and find herself trapped in that bubble? Well, she greets an old mentor named Dr. Dalen Quaice (Bill Erwin), and the two have a conversation about his losing his wife and friends to old age, "unloading his emotional baggage" to a friendly ear willing to listen. Losing your friends resonates to the point that Beverly goes to visit her son who is tinkering with a warp experiment, creating a bubble that conveniently "nabs her" and her alone. So at the moment she is nabbed, her thoughts create the alternate Enterprise and the emotional state whips up the gradual loss of all the officers and crew, particularly those she works alongside and loves.
The sci-fi story cooked up for Dr. Crusher--all of that "Bunny Lake is Missing" / "The Lady Vanishes" madness where you know that person or people exist while others tell you they don't, along with the warp bubble device to set up the action for the central character -- is an excuse for McFadden to get her own episode with almost all the focus on her. When I first watched "Remember Me", it was a hit with me. Unlike some other Next Gen Trekkies, I love the Dr. Crusher character. Of course, I liked Pulaski, as well, so there you go. Still, McFadden's upset reactions to what is happening, all that frustration and bewilderment as Picard tells her he doesn't know Riker or Data and that only two people have ever been needed to operate the Enterprise (!), it is palpable with me. Easily the best moment, to me, is when Beverly urges Wesley to follow her to Picard to talk about the warp "malfunction", and when they get around a corner he's gone. I found that eerie. I also thought the emptied Enterprise with Beverly on her own was also quite effective. Picard arising on the Bridge with no one else on board, and then as she is about to admit her feelings for him (I always wished the writers would eventually capitalize on the potential for romance), just turning her face away momentarily, looking up to see that he's no longer there that sinking feeling is sold by McFadden, with the feeling conveyed saying, "What do I do now?"
I thoroughly enjoyed her "talking it out" on the Bridge, the battles with the computer (her confusing the computer with the "gotcha" question it couldn't answer was fantastic), reaching the inevitable answer as to why the "vortex" kept emerging in parts of the ship she encountered, and the "aha" moment where Engineering is realized as the area of the ship she needed to be. This episode was an example of the Next Gen giving to the secondary cast members a show, particularly a great one as this was, had the longevity that afforded the opportunity for every cast member to get some episodes centered around them. The plot could be picked apart so easily and scrutinized to the hilt, for which I would agree that "Remember Me" will always be welcomed by some (mainly those that love McFadden and the Crusher character) and not by others (those who just don't like neither).
Major failure: the inclusion of The Traveler (Eric Menyuk) with little to work with, seemingly part of the story to further emphasize Wesley's "specialness" and come to the rescue, but deserved of something far more substantial. The Traveler is the kind of character meant for a grandiose story, not showing up to get Wesley to summon the ability to bring together time and space to save his mom in the waning minutes of an episode which doesn't even explain where he goes after its over.
Excellent mystery when seen fresh
skiop7 February 2016
Shortly after welcoming her mentor on board, Dr. Crusher notices that he's disappeared and no one else remembers him being on the ship. Soon, Dr. Crusher witnesses more people disappearing and no one can remember them, and a strange vortex is trying to suck her to who-knows-where, possibly to where all the other forgotten people have gone.
The first time I saw this, I was enthralled the whole time. Fortunately, that was before individual episodes were listed on IMDb and before I got a Netflix subscription. In both instances, the mystery of the first two-thirds of the episode is ruined by the description. Though, for those of us who got to see it without knowing what's actually happening, it has a very special place.
The first time I saw this, I was enthralled the whole time. Fortunately, that was before individual episodes were listed on IMDb and before I got a Netflix subscription. In both instances, the mystery of the first two-thirds of the episode is ruined by the description. Though, for those of us who got to see it without knowing what's actually happening, it has a very special place.
Beverly's Best
dellamorte-4486915 September 2018
REVIEW 2022
iamirwar3 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Wow, How big must Starbase 133 be when the Enterprise-D can glide so easily inside it? This is a Doctor Beverly Crusher episode and I admit to always having something of a crush on Doctor Beverly... anyway.
An old friend of the Doctors boards the ship whilst at the Starbase... and then he disappears???
Not only does Beverly's old friend not register as being stationed on the Starbase, but on further investigation, Data states that there is no record at all of a Doctor Dalen Quaice. Only problem is, Dr Crusher interned with him on Delos IV and has known him for 15 years. This story is reminiscent of 'The Lady Vanishes.' This is a brilliant episode. It is what Star Trek TNG does best.
REVIEWS: Understand that I do remember many of these episodes from the first time they were originally broadcast and from subsequent repeat viewings. However, for the purposes of this REVIEW I have watched each episode again, but from a more subjective stand-point, rating the episodes on the strength of their stories, the interaction between characters, and whether the story kept my attention throughout. It should also be noted that stories with strange paradoxical happenings, vortex bubbles or stories with bad-aliens and nose-to-nose battle sequences will always elicit an extra couple of points in their favour.
An old friend of the Doctors boards the ship whilst at the Starbase... and then he disappears???
Not only does Beverly's old friend not register as being stationed on the Starbase, but on further investigation, Data states that there is no record at all of a Doctor Dalen Quaice. Only problem is, Dr Crusher interned with him on Delos IV and has known him for 15 years. This story is reminiscent of 'The Lady Vanishes.' This is a brilliant episode. It is what Star Trek TNG does best.
REVIEWS: Understand that I do remember many of these episodes from the first time they were originally broadcast and from subsequent repeat viewings. However, for the purposes of this REVIEW I have watched each episode again, but from a more subjective stand-point, rating the episodes on the strength of their stories, the interaction between characters, and whether the story kept my attention throughout. It should also be noted that stories with strange paradoxical happenings, vortex bubbles or stories with bad-aliens and nose-to-nose battle sequences will always elicit an extra couple of points in their favour.
Enjoyable Dr Crusher and Wesley episode
snoozejonc7 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Dr Crusher experiences an alternate perception of reality.
This is a compelling episode that does not end particularly satisfactorily, but is a relatively fun journey with some good themes explored.
I think the story has a good main idea and although it has a predictable twist, it entertains showing Beverly going through the drama of what happens to her character. The notion of everyone you know and love being gone is not something you think about at a young age but it becomes a reality with old age. The sci-fi concept of 'Remember Me' applies this fear quite well and creates an effective sense of dread.
The resolution works well for the development of Wesley Crusher's 'chosen one' character arc, but I think the 'Close your eyes and see past the numbers' resolution was a little bit weak. I do like the switching of perspectives, but if all they show is Wesley closing his eyes, pressing a few buttons and in some unexplainable way using his thoughts to manipulate space, time and reality, I'd rather have stuck with Beverly until the end before changing perspective.
The visuals are all good, especially the vortex and disappearance sequences.
All performances are pretty good with Gates McFadden carrying it well with solid support from the others.
For me it is a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.
This is a compelling episode that does not end particularly satisfactorily, but is a relatively fun journey with some good themes explored.
I think the story has a good main idea and although it has a predictable twist, it entertains showing Beverly going through the drama of what happens to her character. The notion of everyone you know and love being gone is not something you think about at a young age but it becomes a reality with old age. The sci-fi concept of 'Remember Me' applies this fear quite well and creates an effective sense of dread.
The resolution works well for the development of Wesley Crusher's 'chosen one' character arc, but I think the 'Close your eyes and see past the numbers' resolution was a little bit weak. I do like the switching of perspectives, but if all they show is Wesley closing his eyes, pressing a few buttons and in some unexplainable way using his thoughts to manipulate space, time and reality, I'd rather have stuck with Beverly until the end before changing perspective.
The visuals are all good, especially the vortex and disappearance sequences.
All performances are pretty good with Gates McFadden carrying it well with solid support from the others.
For me it is a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.
Great Beverly vehicle
bgaiv20 November 2021
It's one of those Twilight Zoney type episodes that is best first viewing, but I think it holds up well in multiple viewings.
McFadden does a great job. I think a few bits of the script were excessive, particularly Beverly's outburst to Picard on the bridge, but she played it very well.
Also, excellent callback to the first season episode.
McFadden does a great job. I think a few bits of the script were excessive, particularly Beverly's outburst to Picard on the bridge, but she played it very well.
Also, excellent callback to the first season episode.
Probably the Best Crusher Episode
Samuel-Shovel3 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
In "Remember Me" Dr. Crusher realizes that members of the crew keep disappearing and only she remembers them. She tries to figure out how to get them back as the Enterprise becomes more and more vacant.
I think this is a really solid script and could have been a classic episode if Gates McFadden were a better actor. She's having to do all the legwork here and she can't quite pull it off. That being said, the story and direction of this episode are able to shoulder some of the load for her and still make for a compelling hour of TV.
I think this is a really solid script and could have been a classic episode if Gates McFadden were a better actor. She's having to do all the legwork here and she can't quite pull it off. That being said, the story and direction of this episode are able to shoulder some of the load for her and still make for a compelling hour of TV.
Explain the Science
Hitchcoc22 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Though I was pulling for Beverly Crusher to solve her problem, I never quite figured out what led to the problem. Another one of Wesley's experiments as gone awry, and, as his mother stands aside in engineering, she is swept into some kind of space bubble. That bubble keeps getting smaller. She sees the same people on board the Enterprise as when she left, but as time passes, they begin to disappear. This would be disconcerting enough, but those who remain have no memory of the disappeared. Beverly, of course, is seen as a nut case, but the respect they have for her allows her to get her way and have them run some tests. While she tours Wonderland, Geordi and Wesley work to try to figure out what happened. They know Beverly has disappeared and something weird happened. They must use everything within their power to give her a pathway back into her own time outside the bubble. All this is fine, but I don't have a clue what actually happened to her, what the experiment was, and what they did to make escape available to her. Somehow, they must all be on the same page of a book that is in two different dimensions. Still, it's a good story.
The crew vanishes
bkoganbing29 May 2020
For a bit I thought we were going to see a TNGversion of The Lady Vanishes/ But
this story involving one of Wesley Crusher's experiments is a good deal more complex than that.
Gates McFadden greets an old friend and medical Bill IIrwin. The next day he plain vanishes and then others vanish until there's only Dr. Crusher left.
Not saying what s happening but an old friend of Wil Wheaton has to klend a helping hand to get the Enterprise to ts proper reality.
Gates McFadden owns his episode.
Gates McFadden greets an old friend and medical Bill IIrwin. The next day he plain vanishes and then others vanish until there's only Dr. Crusher left.
Not saying what s happening but an old friend of Wil Wheaton has to klend a helping hand to get the Enterprise to ts proper reality.
Gates McFadden owns his episode.
Wesley is, once again, a bit of a jerk in this one...
planktonrules18 November 2014
Ensign Crusher was a character you either loved or you hated--and pretty much everyone I know hated him. "Remember Me" and "Evolution" are two great examples WHY some disliked him so much. In both, Wesley was carrying out experiments apart from his usual duties and in both he nearly killed folks! In "Evolution", his escaped nano-bots nearly took out the entire ship and destroyed the life's work of a scientist. Here in "Remember Me", he nearly kills his mother. Gosh...what a little jerk!
The episode begins with Dr. Crusher meeting with an old colleague who just beamed aboard the ship. However, oddly, he soon vanishes and the ship's computer says he is NOT on the ship! Of course she tells the Captain and no one can identify that he was ever there in the first place...and folks start questioning the Doctor's sanity. Soon, however, large number of the ship's crew vanish--going from a thousand to only a few hundred to only a handful and so on...yet, inexplicably, only Dr. Crusher notices. Otherwise, those left act as if this is the normal ship's compliment. What's happening? And, how is Wesley behind it?!
This is a SUPER-cerebral sort of episode. They never leave the ship, there are no cool aliens and the story itself is confusing and not particularly enjoyable. Not bad---just not very good, either.
The episode begins with Dr. Crusher meeting with an old colleague who just beamed aboard the ship. However, oddly, he soon vanishes and the ship's computer says he is NOT on the ship! Of course she tells the Captain and no one can identify that he was ever there in the first place...and folks start questioning the Doctor's sanity. Soon, however, large number of the ship's crew vanish--going from a thousand to only a few hundred to only a handful and so on...yet, inexplicably, only Dr. Crusher notices. Otherwise, those left act as if this is the normal ship's compliment. What's happening? And, how is Wesley behind it?!
This is a SUPER-cerebral sort of episode. They never leave the ship, there are no cool aliens and the story itself is confusing and not particularly enjoyable. Not bad---just not very good, either.
An equal among the Original Series.
russem3121 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
ST:TNG:79 - "Remember Me" (Stardate: 44161.2) - this is the 5th episode (to air) of the 4th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 79th episode to air overall. It is a historic episode since it ties with the Original Series in terms of number of episodes (their 3 year run was 79 episodes).
It concerns crewmates disappearing all around Dr. Beverly Crusher, once she welcomes onboard her friend and mentor of 15 years before, Dr. Dalen Quaice, who just lost his wife and is afraid of losing those he loves. Soon, it's not only people that are disappearing around Dr. Crusher but the Enterprise itself! This episode also marks the return of Eric Menyuk as The Traveler (we last saw him 3 years ago in the first season episode "Where No One Has Gone Before") and the mention again of Dr. Selar.
Trivia note: the Enterprise has 1014 people onboard including Dr. Quaice. Tau Alpha C where the Traveler is from is 123 days away at Warp 9.5. And there's mention of Wesley talking about his problem with Kosinski from "Where No One Has Gone Before". And, it is noted that Dr. Crusher came onboard the Enterprise on stardate 41154.
It concerns crewmates disappearing all around Dr. Beverly Crusher, once she welcomes onboard her friend and mentor of 15 years before, Dr. Dalen Quaice, who just lost his wife and is afraid of losing those he loves. Soon, it's not only people that are disappearing around Dr. Crusher but the Enterprise itself! This episode also marks the return of Eric Menyuk as The Traveler (we last saw him 3 years ago in the first season episode "Where No One Has Gone Before") and the mention again of Dr. Selar.
Trivia note: the Enterprise has 1014 people onboard including Dr. Quaice. Tau Alpha C where the Traveler is from is 123 days away at Warp 9.5. And there's mention of Wesley talking about his problem with Kosinski from "Where No One Has Gone Before". And, it is noted that Dr. Crusher came onboard the Enterprise on stardate 41154.
An interesting story that loss appeal in production.
kfo94944 July 2015
This episode was actually a nice story but lost some interest in finally production. One of the crew, just so happen to be Doctor Crusher, thinks that she is losing her mind when people that she knows keeps vanishing from the ship. The rub is that Doctor Crusher is the only one that notices anything is wrong. The rest of the crew acts normally and believes that the Doctor is delirious. The situation with Doctor Crusher gets so bad that near the end, the entire Enterprise consist of the good doctor and Captain Picard. It seems to be that an experiment that Wesley was working-on could be behind the missing crew members.
With an intelligent story line, this episode should have been an exciting trip though a confused mind but the script left us even more baffled than Doctor Crusher. When reviewing what made the show less interesting, it seems to fall right in the lap of Gates McFadden. For a person that is experiencing the disappearance of everything she knows, she put little emotion into her problem other than talking to herself. And it was strange when Doctor Crusher goes the entire episode and figures out the solution to her problem all by herself while the rest of the cast needs someone called a 'Traveler'.
This was not a poor episode but such a nice story it should have been better. With a little more imagination in the script and a different ending, this could have been one of the better episodes in the collection. Alas, we are left with a show that makes for an average watch.
With an intelligent story line, this episode should have been an exciting trip though a confused mind but the script left us even more baffled than Doctor Crusher. When reviewing what made the show less interesting, it seems to fall right in the lap of Gates McFadden. For a person that is experiencing the disappearance of everything she knows, she put little emotion into her problem other than talking to herself. And it was strange when Doctor Crusher goes the entire episode and figures out the solution to her problem all by herself while the rest of the cast needs someone called a 'Traveler'.
This was not a poor episode but such a nice story it should have been better. With a little more imagination in the script and a different ending, this could have been one of the better episodes in the collection. Alas, we are left with a show that makes for an average watch.
Could have been much better
rcyoung-0242610 April 2023
I liked this episode quite a bit. Gates McFadden gives a tour de force, as Crusher gets sucked into a warp bubble, and creates a new reality based on her own thoughts.
Watch Dr. Crusher descend into madness, as her world narrows, and gets weirder and weirder. McFadden truly does a great job with the material that she is given, and shows she's capable of leading an episode on her own.
However, the episode was way too forced for my comfort. We later find the real culprit of this new reality, but to be honest, the payoff was very disappointing in my opinion. Still, this is a very decent episode. My only wish was that the stakes were much higher,
Watch Dr. Crusher descend into madness, as her world narrows, and gets weirder and weirder. McFadden truly does a great job with the material that she is given, and shows she's capable of leading an episode on her own.
However, the episode was way too forced for my comfort. We later find the real culprit of this new reality, but to be honest, the payoff was very disappointing in my opinion. Still, this is a very decent episode. My only wish was that the stakes were much higher,
If you remember it's not as good as the first time.
thevacinstaller22 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A good mystery episode.
The downside is that this episode loses it's impact power if you know the ending going in.
I am a big fan of Beverly Crusher and her beautiful mane of hair. She's a solid actress when given good material.
This episode just doesn't hold a grip me on my 3-5th watch through of it.
We do re-establish that Wesley Crusher is the evolved form of human in this episode. I like him better as just a regular guy who is really smart via hard work.
The idea of Beverly Crusher creating her own reality is a fascinating concept though..... You could do a lot with this idea..... Maybe have Jack Crusher come back ---- Beverly is faced with a conundrum of living life in this reality or going back? Or perhaps the decision is removed from her via a noble sacrifice from Jack? Maybe in this new reality she has hooked up with Picard? Maybe Worf? There's a lot of crazy conflicting storylines you could write with this premise.
The downside is that this episode loses it's impact power if you know the ending going in.
I am a big fan of Beverly Crusher and her beautiful mane of hair. She's a solid actress when given good material.
This episode just doesn't hold a grip me on my 3-5th watch through of it.
We do re-establish that Wesley Crusher is the evolved form of human in this episode. I like him better as just a regular guy who is really smart via hard work.
The idea of Beverly Crusher creating her own reality is a fascinating concept though..... You could do a lot with this idea..... Maybe have Jack Crusher come back ---- Beverly is faced with a conundrum of living life in this reality or going back? Or perhaps the decision is removed from her via a noble sacrifice from Jack? Maybe in this new reality she has hooked up with Picard? Maybe Worf? There's a lot of crazy conflicting storylines you could write with this premise.
A Senior Trekker writes.................
celineduchain22 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Season 4 contains the 80th episode of The Next Generation, at which point it surpassed the output of the Original Series. A number of extended themes played out during this season delving into both the political backdrop and the personal lives of the crew. These continuing storylines proved extremely popular, however they did not detract from the use of Science Fiction to tell interesting stories. Senior Trekker continues to score every episode with a 5.
This episode was written in order to showcase the stylish, grey and beige carpeted interior vistas of the Enterprise and give Dr Crusher something interesting to do. The Shrinking Universe plot is actually quite suspenseful and contains some genuinely disturbing moments as Beverley begins to doubt the evidence of her own eyes. Her fond moments with an old colleague are also well realised. The much loved actor Bill Erwin who played Dr Dalen Quaice carried on working into his nineties and will be sadly missed. The conclusion, as she has to reason herself out of the conundrum, is also pretty satisfying.
Where it all comes unravelled, though, is the sheer stupidity of having to find out that the whole anomalous, spacial doughnut thingy that trapped the doctor was caused by her son's failed physics experiment. It was so fortunate he could call upon a weird interdimensional space being to turn up and say things like:
"the equations are only the first step, we will be going beyond mathematics"
"you must open yourself to time and space and the intricate threads that bind them"
to the errant teenager, thereby effecting a last minute rescue and reset. Hasn't the teenaged genius character Wesley screwed up like this before? No wonder Will Wheaton tired so hard to put this part of his career behind him before (fortunately) finding his way back to friendships with the rest of the cast in later life.
This episode was written in order to showcase the stylish, grey and beige carpeted interior vistas of the Enterprise and give Dr Crusher something interesting to do. The Shrinking Universe plot is actually quite suspenseful and contains some genuinely disturbing moments as Beverley begins to doubt the evidence of her own eyes. Her fond moments with an old colleague are also well realised. The much loved actor Bill Erwin who played Dr Dalen Quaice carried on working into his nineties and will be sadly missed. The conclusion, as she has to reason herself out of the conundrum, is also pretty satisfying.
Where it all comes unravelled, though, is the sheer stupidity of having to find out that the whole anomalous, spacial doughnut thingy that trapped the doctor was caused by her son's failed physics experiment. It was so fortunate he could call upon a weird interdimensional space being to turn up and say things like:
"the equations are only the first step, we will be going beyond mathematics"
"you must open yourself to time and space and the intricate threads that bind them"
to the errant teenager, thereby effecting a last minute rescue and reset. Hasn't the teenaged genius character Wesley screwed up like this before? No wonder Will Wheaton tired so hard to put this part of his career behind him before (fortunately) finding his way back to friendships with the rest of the cast in later life.
Use the Force Wesley!
ShatPack27 January 2021
"As long as she thinks she's alive, she is alive."
classicsoncall16 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The scientific explanations for what occurred in this episode were more esoteric than most Next Generation stories, and I kind of gave up trying to follow it. Very basically, Ensign Wesley Crusher's (Wil Wheaton) experiment aboard the Enterprise created some sort of vortex, sending his mom, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) into an alternate reality. What's mind boggling is that her perception of being aboard the Enterprise coincides with a mass disappearance of the usually unseen inhabitants of the vessel, eventually leading to that of the crew members themselves. Then, all of a sudden, things are set right again aboard the 'real' Enterprise, and there's a scramble to rescue Dr. Crusher from whatever oblivion she's trapped in. For Wesley's part, he theorizes that 'The Traveler', a character from the first season's 'Where No One Has Gone Before', might be able to bring Dr. Crusher back via his ability to manipulate thought, energy and time. A good thing too, because in Dr. Crusher's reality, there was no Traveler and no planet Tau Alpha C. Only a diminishing spheroid that was closing in on her to the point of doom. You have to wonder why, after the events of the episode 'Evolution' and this one, why Ensign Crusher didn't receive a severe beat down by the Captain, as both stories wouldn't have occurred without his meddling in some experiment of his own design.
Flushing Dr. Crusher
Bolesroor26 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A lot of people ask- to this day- why the character of Beverly Crusher was written off Star Trek TNG in Season 2 and replaced by the character of Dr. Pulaski. I'll give you the simple answer.
Gates McFadden is a terrible actress. She was fired from the show. Gates McFadden was fired from Star Trek: The Next Generation because she's a terrible actress. She is talent-free. She is an embarrassment. Her inability to act and perform was so pronounced that producers fired her from the show. Gates McFadden was fired because she was terrible.
Is that clear enough or do you need to re-read the above paragraph a few dozen times? The first and best example of Gates' staggering lack of passion and ability is this episode, a cherry-picked custom-made contraption designed to give the world's worst performer a chance to look good.
Gates falls on her face.
Blank, vacant, repressed, hollow, invisible, forgettable, stiff, awkward, frigid, numb, traumatized... pick an adjective, there's plenty to go around. You can argue with me or call me names but first I insist you sit through this 45-minute bowel sandwich called "Remember Me."
I'll be here. I'll be here waiting.
Gates McFadden is a terrible actress. She was fired from the show. Gates McFadden was fired from Star Trek: The Next Generation because she's a terrible actress. She is talent-free. She is an embarrassment. Her inability to act and perform was so pronounced that producers fired her from the show. Gates McFadden was fired because she was terrible.
Is that clear enough or do you need to re-read the above paragraph a few dozen times? The first and best example of Gates' staggering lack of passion and ability is this episode, a cherry-picked custom-made contraption designed to give the world's worst performer a chance to look good.
Gates falls on her face.
Blank, vacant, repressed, hollow, invisible, forgettable, stiff, awkward, frigid, numb, traumatized... pick an adjective, there's plenty to go around. You can argue with me or call me names but first I insist you sit through this 45-minute bowel sandwich called "Remember Me."
I'll be here. I'll be here waiting.
Apparently Wesley Crusher is a demigod now.. - Weeping for Mary Sue
shape01211 October 2020
He is not a mere wunderkind anymore, no. He is, in fact, the next step of human evolution.
In the mean time, Star Trek is slowly turning into an experiment of how little effort from one single character can ruin an entire franchise. And with every bit of this obnoxious nonsense they are getting closer and closer to their goal.
Was there no one around to slap Roddenberry in the face!? With the truth, of course...
In the mean time, Star Trek is slowly turning into an experiment of how little effort from one single character can ruin an entire franchise. And with every bit of this obnoxious nonsense they are getting closer and closer to their goal.
Was there no one around to slap Roddenberry in the face!? With the truth, of course...
It was all a dream, don't bother
Lohoris6 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's so easy to conceive super weird mysteries, if there's no explanation in the end.
This is the scourge of story writing in general, and I believe it should be everyone's duty to warn other people of this extremely poor device.
This is even more surprising in this case since it's not even the only episode on this series featuring this horrible kind of plot, the other one being Eyes of the Beholder.
What specific excuse is used to justify the "dream" isn't relevant, sure here at least they tried, but it doesn't matter: the core of the problem is that they added random mysteries that had no real explanation.
This is the scourge of story writing in general, and I believe it should be everyone's duty to warn other people of this extremely poor device.
This is even more surprising in this case since it's not even the only episode on this series featuring this horrible kind of plot, the other one being Eyes of the Beholder.
What specific excuse is used to justify the "dream" isn't relevant, sure here at least they tried, but it doesn't matter: the core of the problem is that they added random mysteries that had no real explanation.
One of the better episodes.
Blueghost18 May 2023
One of the extremely few good episodes I saw from this show. Very plot driven interweaving character story with a plot worthy of old school classic Star Trek.
The episode starts off with a mystery vibe. A missing person that has simply vanished with no trace of them whatsoever. The story escalates from there as it evolves into something more than just a missing person's report.
The only unfortunate aspect is that the series here uses the phenomena to give the ship's doctor a kind of alleged mental disorder. That is the episode appears to examine what's happening with someone whose experiences are different from everyone else's. So, even though there's a very strong plot here the episode falls into the character-examination trope.
The action is again kept to a minimum, but the story energy is very high, and it kept this old school fan riveted to the screen.
As Siskel and Ebert might say; two thumbs up.
The episode starts off with a mystery vibe. A missing person that has simply vanished with no trace of them whatsoever. The story escalates from there as it evolves into something more than just a missing person's report.
The only unfortunate aspect is that the series here uses the phenomena to give the ship's doctor a kind of alleged mental disorder. That is the episode appears to examine what's happening with someone whose experiences are different from everyone else's. So, even though there's a very strong plot here the episode falls into the character-examination trope.
The action is again kept to a minimum, but the story energy is very high, and it kept this old school fan riveted to the screen.
As Siskel and Ebert might say; two thumbs up.
An allegory for modern times
hippiefreak1 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is an allegory for contemporary feminism. In this tale, the very independent Dr. Beverly Crusher worries herself into an alternate universe where she concludes, fantastically, that she is sane and it's the whole universe that is crazy. As her private world (in the story line, it's an actual bubble!) is unsupported by facts, it crashes around her, while the patriarchy (Geordi La Forge, Wesley, and finally The Traveler, making a rare intervention) works hard to rescue her from herself. For all of their hard work and risk, once she is brought back to reality she seems only appreciative that she is no longer alone.
Interestingly, once Beverly is brought back to reality, her son Wesley lies physically depleted on the console unable to move from the exhaustive effort he expended on her behalf, but Beverly, in a subtle nod to hypergamy, moves first to the arms of the commanding Picard, leaving her depleted son to recover himself and walk himself over to her.
It's a remarkable and prescient episode from the 1990s.
Interestingly, once Beverly is brought back to reality, her son Wesley lies physically depleted on the console unable to move from the exhaustive effort he expended on her behalf, but Beverly, in a subtle nod to hypergamy, moves first to the arms of the commanding Picard, leaving her depleted son to recover himself and walk himself over to her.
It's a remarkable and prescient episode from the 1990s.
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