The Fifth Season of TNG contains some remarkably strong episodes while continuing to push the boundaries of what could be achieved within an episodic television format. It is notable for the tragic loss of its creator, Gene Roddenberry, who died on 24th October 1991 at the age of 70. His influence upon the positive depiction of humanity and diversity in Science Fiction endures to this day. Senior Trekker continues to score all episodes with a 5.
A lot of strong elements went into the episode Power Play, with a hostile, storm-wracked landing site, vicious aliens inhabiting some of the cast, some tense hostage scenes and ghostly threads running through the storyline. But not everyone felt that it worked out and fitted together into a seamless whole, hence the episode's mixed reception.
My own particular beef is the unnecessary confusion when the "possession by a long-dead Starfleet crew" was changed to "possession by the inhabitants of an alien penal colony": either would have made for a good story, trying to get my head around both was just plain irksome.
Most people enjoyed the out-of-character possession scenes as Troi, Data and O'Brien turned into Slash, Buzz and Slugger - their on-set nicknames. Colm Meany injected a deadly chill into his scenes with Chief O'Brien family and Marina Sirtis apparently broke her coccyx by doing one of her own stunts. Everyone involved was definitely still trying their hardest by this stage in the series but, after more than a hundred episodes, some of the fatigue was starting to show.
A lot of strong elements went into the episode Power Play, with a hostile, storm-wracked landing site, vicious aliens inhabiting some of the cast, some tense hostage scenes and ghostly threads running through the storyline. But not everyone felt that it worked out and fitted together into a seamless whole, hence the episode's mixed reception.
My own particular beef is the unnecessary confusion when the "possession by a long-dead Starfleet crew" was changed to "possession by the inhabitants of an alien penal colony": either would have made for a good story, trying to get my head around both was just plain irksome.
Most people enjoyed the out-of-character possession scenes as Troi, Data and O'Brien turned into Slash, Buzz and Slugger - their on-set nicknames. Colm Meany injected a deadly chill into his scenes with Chief O'Brien family and Marina Sirtis apparently broke her coccyx by doing one of her own stunts. Everyone involved was definitely still trying their hardest by this stage in the series but, after more than a hundred episodes, some of the fatigue was starting to show.