I enjoy a good ‘nothing is as it seems episode’. Although it is a well you need to be careful not to use too frequently, lest the audience get burnt out on it. And I think that the show has been skirting very close to that burn out.
But not today. The secret of a great episode like this is a few layers of messing around, and this one delivers that well. It’s also really fun to see the future of the Enterprise, even if its just the future in Riker’s mind.
I have to admit, I was disappointed that it wasn’t the Romulans. That would have been a lot better for the ongoing mythos of the show, even if the final resolution is better for the individual story. And nice to have a flashback to one of the better episodes of Season One.
189 down, 548 to go.