"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Sarek (1990)

Director:

Les Landau

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Peter S. Beagle (television story)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

12 May 1990 (Season 3, Episode 23)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Legendary Federation ambassador Sarek visits the Enterprise to conclude peace talks with a race called the Legarans. His arrival is accompanied with a rash of unusual emotional outbursts among the crew.

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title | Captain | Ferengi | Andorian | Space

Cast

Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher
Mark Lenard	...	Sarek
Joanna Miles	...	Perrin
William Denis	...	Ki Aloysius Mendrossen
Rocco Sisto	...	Sakkath
Colm Meaney	...	Chief Miles O'Brien
John H. Francis	...	Science Crewman

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Per the title, Sarek is a legendary Federation ambassador, scientist and father of the half-human Star Fleet officer and science officer of the NCC-1701 USS Enterprise Spock who served under the equally legendary Captain James Tiberius Kirk.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Picard tells Sarek that a mind meld is the only logical choice, but that is only half true. A mind meld with another Vulcan would be far more logical, such as Sarek's Vulcan aide, or Dr. Crusher's aide, Dr. Selar, last seen in The Schizoid Man (2.06).

Quotes:

Ambassador Sarek: My mind to your mind... your thoughts to my thoughts.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek: Journey to Babel (#2.10)" (1967)

A bridge to the Original Series - not yet forgotten.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

ST:TNG:71 - "Sarek" (Stardate: 43917.4) - this is the 23rd episode of the 3rd season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

As this episode's title suggests, we again see Mark Lenard as Ambassador Sarek (Spock's father) in his first TNG appearance. This time, he has a new wife named Perrin (since Amanda who was Spock's mother, has already died long ago). When Sarek boards the Enterprise, the famed Vulcan ambassador begins to emit emotions, being moved to tears by a performance in which Data is a participant on the violin. As the episode progresses, we see that Sarek's mind isn't what it used to be as violence and emotional outbursts escalate by various crew on the Enterprise (including an Original Series inspired Ten Forward barfight).

Special note: GREAT and TOUCHING performance by Patrick Stewart as Picard.

Trivia note: Data played on the violin in an earlier 3rd season episode "The Ensigns of Command". We also see the planet Vulcan in this episode. And, Picard met Sarek years ago at his son's wedding (we assume he meant Spock).