This is one of those “what’s real??” Stories, which I don’t generally care about, because it’s sort of an A or B type scenario – not a huge mystery. Either its real or it isn’t. And of course since it’s an episode of TNG, we know Riker isn’t crazy, so there’s even less suspense. If the episode had *anything* going on beyond that “is Riker crazy” question, it might’ve been okay, but there isn’t anything. The reasons for why he is being manipulated aren’t interesting or addressed in anything other than a cursory way. Riker doesn’t really have to fight his way out, or learn anything. He just sort of runs down the clock yelling a lot, and then is rescued.
The tease before the opening credits is that a pretzel man looks at Riker. Are you INTRIGUED?Beverly has convinced Riker to do a play, and they joke about Riker trying to get out of it, and that she’ll come after Picard and make him do it if he drops out. Beverly is basically my worst nightmare for a friendship.The play is about a character who has lost his mind, and then Riker kind of loses his mind, and then I am kind of losing my mind watching it.Riker jumps between being on Enterprise and an alien mental facility, which doesn’t seem that bad because it looks like they have cool activities to do.He finds someone from the Yorkshire, and she’s built a communicator to reach them for help.But Yorksire doesn’t respond. Typical Yorkshire!A tube scans Riker, allowing him to face his illusions.A different member of the crew represents a different mental aspect. Troi is Heart, Worf is Strength, Picard is the Fear of hair loss, together they are Captain Planet.They blew the budget on this cool shattering mirror effect.Eventually he wakes up from being crazy.And for fun he tears apart the set of Beverly’s dumb play, which she pretends to not take personally.
