Seventeen Seconds feels like a bit of an improvement over the previous episode, if only because it’s more focused on the showdown between the Titan and the bad guy ship I can’t remember the name of right now. Worf’s presence also improves Raffi’s B-plot, and a favorite group of aliens are introduced as antagonists. On the downside, most of the character dynamics erode further, without very convincing emotional foundation.
In a flashback, Riker tells us about a time when his son’s life was in jeopardy and he rode a turbolift for 17 seconds. His son’s whole future flashed before his eyes, but also he was counting to 17.Sidney La Forge gets a scene. She mostly says that her dad would like Seven. Seven is like “who”The new doctor doesn’t have time to explain all the new medical stuff to Beverly. I wonder if there will be a scene where her old-timey knowledge is more useful than the new technology.Beverly explains why she didn’t tell Picard about their son. It’s not a good look for Beverly, and its also tragic the way Picard talks about what could have been for his life. Cool!Shaw gets injured and angry and gives command to Riker.This is Picard’s face when he’s made a jokeWorf’s position on whether Raffi should be involved or not involved is, we’ll say, ‘fluid,’ but at least he seems to be a good influence on her. The Worf scenes are a little clunky but I like the overall take on a wiser old man Worf.It’s explicitly stated that Picard’s strange conviction about facing the bad guys head on (even though they would lose) is because he is amped up now that he knows he has a son onboard. And that Riker doesn’t want to fight them because he knows how precious father-son time is after his own son based experiences. I’m not necessarily against all this interpersonal conflict (even if I don’t think it’s the best direction to go with a TNG reunion) but if yer gonna do it, ya gotta actually do it. The attempt to link a difference in strategy to the personal issues of the characters is so tenuous it’s incoherent.But then Jack sees blood on the floorHe races to tell Seven about how he saw the blood on the floorThe bad guys have a portal gun!Raffi walks right through a group of people who were talking when she could have easily gone around them. Very rudeA security guy goes a little wobbly During an interrogation, Worf starts talking about how he is wiser now, and about how there is no good or evil, everyone is the same, and anger is the enemy. I’m sure this guy finds this all really interesting, WorfThen Picard rides in a turbolift for 17 secondsThis guy turned out to be a changeling! That probably could have been useful while he was running away, or to get out of handcuffs, or pretty much at any point in these scenes. Maybe he’s an amateur changelingPicard’s plan doesn’t work out greatRiker and Picard are not friends anymore!!!
