The Second Season of Star Trek the Next Generation has often been downplayed due to multiple production and writing staff problems, and several major cast changes. Although of mixed quality, it does contain some outstanding and brilliant episodes, and Senior Trekker is extremely grateful to all those people who worked so hard under difficult circumstances to keep it on our screens.
This episode was pretty weak and would have been very unlikely to have attracted many new viewers with its wordy script and total lack of atmosphere. In fact, I think I read somewhere that the catlike Nagilum creature was created by projecting an upside down face onto green-painted glass. Sounds like they were as short of cash as they were of ideas.
Diana Muldaur replaced Gates McFadden as the Doctor in this series but her role was posted as Special Guest Star throughout the season, suggesting that no one was quite sure whether she would stay. This fine actress had worked with Gene Roddenberry several times before and held him in great regard but it would not be an exaggeration to say that her time on TNG was a very unhappy one.
Primarily a theatrical actor, her style did not fit in so well with the rest of the cast who were still smarting from the involuntary and precipitous removal of the "Dancing Doctor". We will never know what went on behind the scenes before Dr Crusher returned for the 3rd season but it is most unfortunate that it left Dr Pulaski with so much hostility towards the series that she would never return in any further guest roles.
After twice appearing in the original series, this was the THIRD Doctor she had portrayed for Star Trek and she did make a very convincing medic.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)
This episode was pretty weak and would have been very unlikely to have attracted many new viewers with its wordy script and total lack of atmosphere. In fact, I think I read somewhere that the catlike Nagilum creature was created by projecting an upside down face onto green-painted glass. Sounds like they were as short of cash as they were of ideas.
Diana Muldaur replaced Gates McFadden as the Doctor in this series but her role was posted as Special Guest Star throughout the season, suggesting that no one was quite sure whether she would stay. This fine actress had worked with Gene Roddenberry several times before and held him in great regard but it would not be an exaggeration to say that her time on TNG was a very unhappy one.
Primarily a theatrical actor, her style did not fit in so well with the rest of the cast who were still smarting from the involuntary and precipitous removal of the "Dancing Doctor". We will never know what went on behind the scenes before Dr Crusher returned for the 3rd season but it is most unfortunate that it left Dr Pulaski with so much hostility towards the series that she would never return in any further guest roles.
After twice appearing in the original series, this was the THIRD Doctor she had portrayed for Star Trek and she did make a very convincing medic.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)