Another trip to the time travel well, fortunately with something new to offer.
This episode is very reminiscent of *Cause and Effect*, but given that was one of the best episodes ever that’s not the worst base to build off. There’s a new direction taken here, and the episode ends up standing well on its own. Perhaps there’s a bit too much plot, and not quite enough character, but it’s still an entertaining hour of television.
This episode is an example of ‘good’ technobabble. Any science fiction show is going to have its share of incomprehensible technologies. When it’s good, it’s used to create interesting situations with clear rules that allow the audience to follow what’s being done. The bad sort is when it’s used to justify a quick fix at the end of the episode, acting as a deus ex machina to get the writer out of the hole they’ve dug. Too often Star Trek does the latter, so it’s important to remember that the other sort of technobabble isn’t a problem per se.
278 down, 459 to go.