Star Trek: The Next Generation - Episode 78 (Family)

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.

I tend to like continuity in a TV series.  I like that I can watch something that builds on previous episodes.  Star Trek: The Next Generation was good at that.  The episode Family was the perfect example.  All three stories draw on previous stories.  One story has Captain Picard visiting his brother and sister-in law in France.  On board, Worf’s adoptive parents visit him.  A third story, which is kind of minor, has Doctor Crusher debating whether or not to show her son a recording that his late father made for him when he was young.

The production number, as you can tell, was number 78, but aired right after episode 75, Best of Both Worlds II.  (If you’re watching the series, you may want to watch it in order they aired.  If you’re watching through Netflix, you don’t have to worry.)  In Best of Both Worlds, Captain Picard is assimilated by a race called the Borg and forced to help them attack the Federation.  He comes back and basically gets in a fight with his brother, who was always a little jealous of him.  Picard has to decide if he wants to leave Starfleet and return to Earth.

Worf is worried that his parents won’t understand a recent discommendation from the Klingon Empire, which happened in last season’s Sins of the Father.  Worf feels that no human could understand this aspect of Klingon heritage, but they’re his parents, even if they’re his adoptive parents.  This does lead to some humorous moments, though, since Worf’s father was a chief petty officer on the Intrepid.  (He has all the specs for the Galaxy-Class starships at home.)

Wesley gets to see his father.  It’s not a well-developed aspect of the episode, but it does draw on a lot of others.  Wesley’s father died when he was young.  He’s had to come to terms with this, which is not easy for anyone.  Now, Doctor Crusher has one of what was supposed to be many recordings for Wesley.  Does she show it to him knowing the effect it may have on him?  She comes to realize that he’s old enough.

As you might imagine, you’ll probably be a little lost if you haven’t seen the series.  You could probably follow it and would get most of it, but if you started with this episode, then went back and watched the previous episodes, you’d look at this one differently.

One thing that I’ve always found odd was that the show never deals with aftermath.  The Enterprise often leaves a planet and we have to imagine what might happen.  Here, we get to see the effects of several decisions.  We get to see Picard as being more human rather than this distant captain, mostly because of his assimilation.  Worf wants to deal with the aftermath of his discommendation alone, but realizes that he doesn’t have to.

I do find it odd that TV series will often have theme episodes like this, where all three stories have the same theme.  It works here because if you’re visiting Earth and the ship is being repaired, you’d think that people would want to visit family.  The only one that seemed maybe a little forced was Wesley’s story.  The recording was among items that Dr. Crusher had in storage.  Having the items sent up reminded her that she had the recording.

It’s episodes like this that make watching a series worth it.  I do remember much of the episode and I do recall thinking of it fondly.  It’s something that helped the show (and the characters) progress.  I know it seems that there are a few Trek episodes I didn’t like, especially with Voyager, but the shows did have their moments. 

IMDb page

Top Secret! (1984)

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.


I had seen Top Secret! many years ago. It was one of those movies that I’d catch halfway through five minutes before I had to go somewhere. Before I had to leave, I’d always get a few laughs. It’s one of those movies that, like Airplane! and the Naked Gun movies, tend to rely on visual gags and puns. For instance, one character builds an escape tunnel, equipped with a paved road, tiled ceiling and an exit sign that says, “New Jersey, 1 mile.” That’s why I finally decided to get the movie from Netflix and watch it all the way through.

The plot is really secondary and is used to tie the jokes together and give them context. Val Kilmer plays Nick Rivers, a rock musician known for songs such as “Skeet Shootin’.” He’s invited to East Germany for a ‘cultural fair’, which is really a cover so he can gather intel on this new super weapon that they're building. The person developing the weapon is an imprisoned scientist. Rivers gets involved when he meets the daughter, who’s working with an underground organization. The daughter doesn’t know where her father is being held. Fortunately, Rivers was arrested and imprisoned at the same prison that the scientist was being held at. He’s able to lead them back and free him.

There are all sorts of gags and jokes throughout the movie. Rivers is listening to a tape to learn German, but when an East German officer boards the train, Rivers is able to speak fluent German. After the officer leaves, Rivers goes back to listening to the tape. In another scene Rivers and some of the other ‘cultural fair’ attendees are presented with medals by one of the East German female Olympic teams. (The team members are all men in drag.) Also, despite it being East Germany, the East German officers seem to prefer speaking in English for the benefit of the audience. They even write notes in English. Then again, with a comedy, you can get away with more.

One of my favorite scenes is the backwards bookstore scene. This was done very well and was one of the few scenes to use subtitles. (Actually, I think it was the only scene to use subtitles.) In the scene, Rivers and the daughter enter a bookstore. (They appear to be speaking some foreign language, but that’s only because the scene is filmed backwards.) They speak to the owner, who is putting away some books. Rivers helps by ‘throwing’ some books to the upper shelves. The bookstore owner offers them a room, which they can get to by sliding up a fire pole.

The film quality isn’t that good, but I don’t think it takes too much away from the movie. The main benefit of getting the DVD is not having to watch coming attractions. You get the theatrical trailer to the movie, some deleted scenes and storyboards for some of the scenes in the movie. I’ve noticed that older movies don’t seem to be too big on commentary. Sometimes, as with Goonies, there are cast reunions, but movies made before the era of the DVD player weren’t made with DVDs in mind. I’m actually surprised that anyone thought to save the trailer and deleted scenes.

Rent this movie if you’re into comedies like Naked Gun and UHF. You’ll find much of the movie to be funny. I don’t know that everyone will like this movie. There are a few scenes that are meant for adult audiences, which I won’t even hint at here. (There’s no nudity, but I think a few parents will be covering their children’s eyes.)

If you’re in the mood for a movie you don’t have to think too much about, this is the one you want to rent. I’d even recommend it to a friend.

IMDb page