April 3rd, 1993, "Lessons"
I have a big problem with the entire premise of this episode. Picard should know better. Furthermore, this isn't like Troi and Riker, you can't dangle the Picard/Crusher carrot for this long and still act like they can date other people. Vash was an unusual situation, Jenice Manheim was an unusual situation.
"But, Nate!" I hear you cry. "They still had to work out their guilt and discomfort from Jack's death!" Sorry, no dice. It was made perfectly clear that all of the guilt was on Picard's side. Even at Farpoint Crusher considered him a friend. Had they not bee in the same chain of command she probably would've accepted a date offer five years ago!
DATA: I'm sorry, sir, but Stellar Cartography has requested a communications blackout while they run an experiment.
This needed to be explained better. All that we needed was a sentence about how why this is necessary, perhaps they're pushing the sensor range and want as little interference as possible.
PICARD: Computer, display the latest excavation schematics on Landris Two.
COMPUTER: Library computer is temporarily offline.
PICARD: Explain.
COMPUTER: Library systems have been allocated to Stellar Cartography.
What? There are THREE computer cores for a reason! If you're telling me that pushing the long-range sensors requires all three cores I'm going to laugh you out of the room!
And frankly, the bridge should have a dedicated mini-core for the exclusive use of the senior staff.
PICARD: Tea, Earl Grey. Hot.
COMPUTER: Replicator systems are offline at the request of
PICARD + COMPUTER: Stellar Cartography.
Now this is just being mean. The processor power occupied by the replicators is a drop in the bucket. Furthermore, turning of the Captain's replicator without the Captain's permission sounds like a court-martial offense to me!
NELLA: In or out, just close that door. And don't move. It'll take a second for our eyes to re-adjust.
You do know that aren't any actual optical telescopes on the Enterprise, right? You're turning off the lights for no reason!
NELLA: Forget it. Lights. Whoever you are, you just ruined four hours of work.
PICARD: You might have taken the simple precaution of locking the door.
NELLA: It's three o'clock in the morning. Captain Picard.
And? The Romulans aren't going to wait for "daytime" on the Enterprise to attack! People will be walking back and forth 24/7.
For that matter, how did Picard ruin four hours of work? Don't even think of telling me that they're using camera film that's easy to overexpose!
NELLA: Earl Grey? No wonder you can't sleep. Computer, bring replicators back online and give me a cup of Daren herbal tea blend number three, hot. You shouldn't be drinking a stimulant at this time of night. I think you'll like this.
I'm really getting annoyed by the implication that you have to specify hot tea. Only blends of tea that can plausibly be served hot or cold should need the clarification.
(Picard tries it and pulls a face, but anyone who can drink hot Bergamot shouldn't criticise other blends)
This is no time for editorializing, Chakoteya!
NELLA: I'm sorry if the system blackouts we requested inconvenienced you. We're taking very precise gravimetric readings. It wouldn't have taken much to throw them off.
Yeah, I don't buy it. The whole point of gravity is that it's not thrown off so easily.
(Picard is listening to the 3rd Brandenburg with an unfamiliar instrument in it, when the doorbell chimes)
Written by Bach, the
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 sounds rather middle-of-the-road in terms of classical music. I hesitate to say "boring", but certainly "unadventurous."
NELLA: What kind of flute is that?
PICARD: It's Ressikan.
NELLA: I've never saw one before.
PICARD: They're not made anymore.
Oh come on, there have to be Ferengi knockoffs by now. Incidentally, considering that this thing is one of a kind, shouldn't it be in a museum by now?
PICARD: There isn't a piano.
NELLA: Ah, but there is.
(she unrolls a keyboard on the coffee table)
You shouldn't be surprised to learn that the "rolled" version of the piano is a different prop from the "flat" version. I don't doubt that such an instrument would be useful aboard ship. Would anyone really pay to ship a full-sized grand piano to their quarters?
(she plays Frere Jacque and they do the roundel)
A roundel is a poem that cycles.
NELLA: Tell me, have you known him long?
CRUSHER: Yes, a very long time.
She's known Picard since at least 2348 when she married Jack. I'd say that twenty years counts as "a very long time".
NELLA: He seems somewhat isolated.
CRUSHER: I'd say he's a very private person, but not isolated.
Just because he's isolated from the Enterprise crew doesn't mean that he doesn't have friends. We've seen that he knows most of the archeologists in the Federation and has any number of exgirlfriends running around out there.
NELLA: Do you know where we are?
PICARD: Yes, this is the fourth intersect in Jefferies tube twenty five.
Please tell me he snuck a glance at a panel to say this. If you're going to tell me that people in the future can memorize every Jefferies Tube junction on the ship I'm going to call you crazy.
NELLA: No, this is the most acoustically perfect spot on the ship.
(she starts up the Moonlight Sonata on her keyboard)
The Moonlight Sonata was written by Beethoven in 1801.
(he plays what seems like a variation of the Skye Boat song)
I've covered the similarities between the
Skye Boat song and "The Inner Light" before, but it seems odd that Chakoteya wouldn't just say "The Inner Light." Aside from one stanza the two songs aren't really that similar anyway.
(Geordi can hear the music, and goes into the main Jefferies tube access to investigate)
DATA: Is there a problem, Geordi?
LAFORGE: I hear music.
DATA: Music? I do not hear anything.
LAFORGE: Are you sure? I know I heard something. Oh, it's stopped.
(because the musicians are kissing)
Why can't Data hear the music?
NELLA: I'd heard about Kerelian tenors all my life, but nothing could've prepared me for this man's voice.
Only mention of Kerelians. Insert another request for a TOS reference. This time I would expect the Platonians or similar.
PICARD: Sit down, Counsellor. I want to talk to you about a matter of protocol. I know there are no Starfleet regulations about a Captain becoming involved with a fellow officer, but--
There isn't? That's another screed that could be written!
TROI: That's true. But cutting yourself off from your feelings can carry consequences that are just as serious.
PICARD: You seem I've always believed that becoming involved with someone under my command would compromise my objectivity. And yet...
And yet...what? The tradition exists for a reason and you're going to prove why! That's one place where this episode falls short, it doesn't really do a good job showing all sides of an issue.
TROI: Captain, are you asking my permission?
PICARD: If I were, would you give it?
TROI: Yes.
If anything I would want Beverly's permission! This is one place where the "ship's counselor as member of senior staff" thing falls apart. Kirk asked Spock and McCoy for advice as friends, and it really seems like Picard isn't doing the same thing with Troi here.
RIKER: It's about Lieutenant Commander Daren. As a department head, she comes to me for systems allocation, personnel transfers, things like that. I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable with her requests.
PICARD: Because of her relationship with me?
RIKER: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Are her requests unusual?
RIKER: No.
PICARD: Would you say that she's just trying to do her job?
RIKER: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Then let her do it, and feel free to do yours.
Like SF Debris said, Riker is acting wimpy here. If Nella HAD made an unreasonable request (i.e. playing the Picard card), that would be one thing. But here Riker is acting quite wimpy, totally unlike the guy who stared down a Borg cube and saved the Alpha Quadrant.
NELLA: What about that special dessert you promised me?
PICARD: Right. Now this is something that I first tasted on Thelka Four--
Yet another solo reference. I'm a little shocked that one of the novels hasn't covered Picard's visit to Thelka IV.
(a different one, with Guy Vardeman at the transporter controls)
Guy Vardaman was a bit player in TNG, often as a shooting double for Spiner. After TNG ended he worked on startrek.com for a few years and also a Trek magazine. I wonder if Chakoteya is a fan.
Memory Alpha
* The prop guys messed up the key layout for the portable piano, the expert they brought in almost had a fit about it.
Nitpicker's Guide
* Where did Daren get the phasers that she used on the storm? She wasn't carrying one when she beamed down.
* Why couldn't Nella be a civilian scientist like Keiko?