Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) Sarek (1990) User Reviews

Even Vulcans get the blues

[Mr-Fusion · 9/10 · 11 November 2016]

I think it's impressive enough that a respected character was borough onto TNG as a bridge to the Original Series, but the execution thereof just raises it to a whole different level. Sarek is losing control of his emotions on the eve of his crowning diplomatic achievement - which is shattering to a Vulcan and an interesting way to see the effects of dementia. Picard says it best: "It's ironic, isn't it? All this magnificent technology, and we still find ourselves susceptible to the ravages of old age" But it's also Picard who ends up coming through in the end, and the scenes with Stewart and Lenard are both powerful and heartbreaking.

Honestly, before watching this, I'd just expected to see Sarek show up as little more than a nod, like DeForest Kelley in 'Encounter at Farpoint'.

But this was a surprisingly considerate story.

9/10

Sarek...the emotional menace!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 17 November 2014]

"Sarek" marks the second to last appearance by Mark Lenard as this Vulcan character. A year later he'd reprise the role in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" and Lenard would die a few years later. Interestingly, later the character would reappear--with Ben Cross playing him in the reboot of the series, "Star Trek" (2009).

When the ancient ambassador arrives on the Enterprise for some important negotiations, the Captain is surprised at Sarek's handlers. Despite his looking amazingly good for a being over 200, his wife and assistant treat him as if he's very frail and are protecting him from others. Why? At the same time, strange things begin happening on the ship. Crew members start acting VERY emotional towards each other-- with angry outbursts, near fights and worse. Could it be that Sarek is somehow responsible for this? And, if so, how?! And, how can they hold an important conference is Sarek makes those around him enraged?!

All in all, a very sad episode of the series, as you see a beloved character succumbing to the sad effects of aging. Now I am NOT complaining about this--it is good to talk about dementias and other types of geriatric illnesses. But it is still quite sad. Well worth seeing.

By the way, Picard makes a brief comment that made me take notice. He indicated that he'd briefly met Sarek before...at his (Sarek's) son's wedding! Did this mean that Spock marries or that he has a sibling who married? I am sure the real die-hard Trekkies could answer this one.

Vulcan reserve comes down

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 7 September 2017]

Showing continuity with the original Star Trek series, this TNG episode has Mark Lenard returning as Sarek the great Vulcan ambassador and negotiator of countless treaties that made the United Federation Of Planets the force that it is. Of course he's also the father of Spock from the original series.

Because Vulcans have a few centuries of lifetime it is highly logical that Sarek return to this new Enterprise and its crew. Mark Lenard is about to cap off the final triumph of his career, a treaty with a race that's been most reluctant to participate in the universe within the Federation.

Unfortunately because of a Vulcan malady he is losing the great emotional reserve that Vulcans prize as the key to their way of living. The strain on him and his aides in keeping his emotions in check is being passed on to the crew. Can you believe Wesley Crusher and Geordi LaForge in a brawl?

It's up to Patrick Stewart to work out a solution for Sarek and get that treaty signed. The solution chosen is as much a strain on Captain Picard as on Sarek.

Scenes with Stewart and Lenard are some of the best in the TNG series. And the scenes with his new wife Joanna Miles are also wonderful to see.

*Spoilers* Patrick Stewart steals the show

[bxhanx · 10/10 · 30 August 2016]

One of the wonderful qualities of Patrick Stewart is that he can either steal the show or step back and allow another actor to take the focus and shine. It is by far one of his greatest strengths.

In this episode, when Patrick Stewart has Sarek's emotions, his acting is top notch. The emotions he transitions between move along seamlessly. You feel a great deal of empathy for him and, moreover, for Sarek, even though Sarek isn't in that scene. Picard is actually acting two roles at the same time and he's phenomenal. I am blown away every time I watch this episode. The depth of acting talent and a lifetime of work go into this one scene. This episode easily stands as one of the top 10 TNG episodes.

A bridge to the Original Series - not yet forgotten.

[russem31 · 20 April 2006]

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).

Sarek

[Scarecrow-88 · 10/10 · 2 June 2012]

"Peace and long life."

"Live Long and Prosper."

"It's ironic, isn't it? All this magnificent technology, we still find ourselves susceptible to the ravages of old age. Loss of dignity. The slow betrayal of our bodies by forces we cannot master."

While I think the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation have some terrific episodes, the third season, in my opinion, shows the series hitting its stride. I'm a sentimentalist when it comes to Trek because of my overwhelming fondness for the Classic Star Trek show, so when a member of that series is on the The Next Generation, I find myself giddy and extra emotionally involved. Those who are moved by Picard's big emotional scene where he has mind-melded with Sarek, in turn taking upon himself all of the repressed emotions and effects of the Bendii Syndrome effecting the 200 year old Vulcan, I think a lot of this comes from the affinity for the 60s Star Trek show. We know that Vulcans have mastered the ability to repress emotion, logic the means behind their salvation from extinction, but when Picard communicates the assault of buried emotions regarding his love for Spock and wife Perrin, it has profoundness to it. We have seen the meetings between father and son, what they conceal from each other due to their way of life, yet ultimately both do know how they truly feel…it is repressed but there, just so deeply held in place and shielded. Truly, I think this exemplary episode functions as a sympathetic look at mental deterioration (Althzheimer's perhaps the greatest inspiration drawn from) and how such old age breakdown can affect those around him/her. Sarek, in this case, causes officers on board the Enterprise to angrily accuse, even violently respond, to each other in hostile ways due to Vulcan telepathy. A Vulcan aide has been able somewhat to keep Sarek's condition under control, but the strain of the process of beginning negotiations with an alien race known as Legarians (that has taken decades to prepare for) has made this increasingly difficult. Picard notices this and wants to help Sarek…it will take a mind-meld in order to do so. Hours of intense, agonizing emotional pain is what Picard must endure while he gives Sarek the calm, assured part needed for the delicate negotiating process. "My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to my thoughts." I'm sure Trek die-hards will find much to enjoy with this episode and seeing Mark Leonard return in the role of Sarek was most welcome.

An acting masterclass and my first 10/10 for TNG

[thevacinstaller · 10/10 · 20 March 2021]

What a beauty of an episode.

The performances of Stewart and Leonard are just amazing in this episode. Other's have praised Stewart (richly deserved) but Leonard's portrayal of a Vulcan losing his gripe on logic is masterfully done and you can see the feel the torment of the man in all his scenes.

This episode has additional impact for me because I have had personal experience with relatives who have lost their minds as they age. It's not something you forget or would wish upon anyone except Les Moonves.

The scene of Picard in his quarters unleashing a tidal wave of emotion has to be on the short list for greatest trek scenes of all time and the scene of Picard breaking down Sarek's inability to control his emotions was stellar as well.

I had the hair on my arms stand up during the dialogue scenes and i'm nearly Vulcan in my ability to master my emotions. I was moved by this episode.

I'm making this my first 10/10 TNG episode for the writers skillfully bringing back Sarek and writing a compelling story about the inevitability of infirmity elevated by Leonard and Stewart just crushing the dialogue with performances dripping with conflict.

Not for the emotionally unstable

[vikezupa · 8/10 · 6 May 2019]

Amazing performance by Stewart that grabs you by the throat a forces you to look into a tortured soul. Do not miss this one.

Superb performances

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 28 June 2021]

Enterprise hosts a peace conference where Ambassador Sarek is to mediate.

This is a strong character episode that should please fans and has great performances from Patrick Stewart and Mark Lenard.

The plot is fairly good with a great theme relating to the ageing process. Anyone who has witnessed the failing health of an elderly person should be able to relate to what happens, particularly how it's handled by close family or friends who like to protect an individual from having to acknowledge or reveal a condition such as Alzheimer's disease.

Sarek and Perrin have a number of great moments, particularly Sarek who lives up to the aura that exists around him. His interactions with the Enterprise crew are compelling, particularly Captain Picard.

Picard has one of his most memorable episodes where he takes on a number of very difficult responsibilities and one for which he has to suffer greatly.

It is entertaining to watch the remainder of the crew with the aggressive symptoms as they fight and behave in a confrontational way toward each other. The only issue I have with this aspect of the plot is that it reduces the impact of some of Sarek's outbursts because we have been presented with so much anger already. Personally I think the plot would have been strong enough without the sci-fi aspect of Sarek's condition affecting other crew members.

Mark Lenard gives another excellent performance, showing good range as this plot calls for much emotion.

All the regular cast are great as a lot of them play against type with their angry outbursts.

Patrick Stewart treats us to some of the finest acting of the series during one epically tense scene near the end.

Even Vulcans Get Old

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 18 August 2014]

A major treaty is about to be forged and it will be the crowning achievement of Sarek, the father of Spock. When he arrives on the Enterprise, it is obvious that his entourage is being incredibly protective of him. His second wife, once again an Earth woman, is privy to a situation that is changing the great man for the worse. He has a condition that often comes to Vulcan men when they reach their 200th birthday and beyond. He has begun to lose some of his basic faculties and she is aware of this. He is determined to put this negotiating feather in his cap, however. Unfortunately, because he has powers of telepathy, the disease is causing disarray on the Enterprise. Crew members get into fights. They are edgy and angry. There's even near fisticuffs with Geordi and Wesley, pushing and shoving until Riker breaks it up. It's obvious that Sarek is in no condition to carry on with this effort because he, himself, is also showing a violent streak. What will they do? This is a very good episode during a really impressive season.

The Bridging of Old & New

[Samuel-Shovel · 6/10 · 4 November 2019]

In "Sarek" the Enterprise welcomes aboard the famous Vulcan diplomat Sarek for quite possibly his final mission: first diplomatic contact between the Federation and a new race known as the Legarans. But all is not right with the bureaucrat or the ship. Tension is palpable in the air as arguments occur all over the ship over minor disagreements.

The crew soon realizes something is wrong and theorizes that Sarek is no longer in control of his emotions and is telepathically projecting this onto the rest of the crew. Picard wants to call off the summit but Sarek's wife convinces the two men to mindmeld long enough for Sarek to use Picard's mind as a stabilizer during the meeting. It goes off without a hitch but now Sarek must return home and deal with this incurable disease of heightened emotion he has as an old Vulcan.

This episode is highly lauded for the return of a TOS character. And while I enjoy the inclusion of Sarek, I found the plot a bit dull. While this episode has its highlights (the bar fight scene, Picard and Sarek two-handers, etc.) there's also a lot of scenes that just sort of plod along.

I also don't really understand how Vulcans work as much as I thought I did going into this episode. So Vulcans can project emotions onto you and I? I thought you needed physical contact via a mindmeld to accomplish this? Otherwise wouldn't the sect of Vulcans considered V'tosh ka'tur who have left their planet always be projecting their emotions everywhere? Other beings would find it impossible to be around them.

I may have missed something but it feels like the writers of this episode didn't think through introducing this into the canon. Still... I can't hate this episode too much. I will always welcome the inclusion of Mark Lenard into any episode and the scene with him and Patrick Stewart are very strong.

REVIEW 2022

[iamirwar · 8/10 · 29 August 2022]

I remember watching this one when it was originally shown and it was one of my favourites. I even put on my ceremonial costume before I watched it again in preparation for the arrival that is the Vulcan legend, Sarek. There is a subtle undercurrent to the story that raises as many questions as it solves and it was always nice to see the return of old faces from the original series.

Mind-melds, legarians, peace treaties. Angry crew members fighting in a manner we haven't seen since the days of Scotty. We have it all here. I even found myself wondering during the Mozart Concert whether the crew members have access to television as opposed to concertos. Imagine the number of shows you could find on your inter-galactic television.

Tonight we learn about Bendii Syndrome which appears to be the Vulcan equivalent of dementia. The 200 year old Sarek has an important delegation to attend with the Legarians, only problem is, the onset of his illness is making him irrational and likely to burst into loud indignation at the merest excuse.

The real question here is:- how do you tell a legend of almost biblical proportions that his mind isn't really up to the job any more? Of course, the Vulcan's have the mind-meld technique which Sarek eventually uses with the help of Captain Jean-Luc. As a result, Sarek successfully completes his mission whilst our captain suffers the indignity of being exposed to his deepest feelings and all whilst Dr Crusher looks on.

The very fine acting from Mark Lenard and Patrick Stewart should especially be noted in this episode.

Long live and prosper... No, that's not right, is it?

Footnote. We never actually see Wesley out on his date, did he make it up? Geordi seems to think so???

Vulcanic tempers

[tsode · 6/10 · 6 October 2020]

Mildly interesting at first, but ultimately one for serious fans only.

Does watching Picard meld minds with an emotionally fragile, elderly Vulcan, and feel his pain... seem like fun to you? It's all very significant for the characters. But ultimately a tad miserable for the viewer to observe.

Serious and thoughtful, but flat compared to the series finest episodes. 6/10.

A Senior Trekker writes...................

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 16 January 2022]

New uniforms, new credit sequence and Doctor Crusher returned to us but was Season 3 of The Next Generation really as good as we remember? Some of that enthusiasm may have have been generated by relief that the series had not been cancelled but the 1990's also heralded an era of considerably more stability behind the scenes. Senior Trekker will continue to score every episode with a 5.

So now we know that Sarek had three wives: Sibok's mother, Spock's mother, Amanda, and now the latest, Perrin, sympathetically and expertly performed by Joanna Miles. The return of Star Trek alumnus Mark Lenard made this episode a gift for fans although the original story concept had made use of a completely different character. It seems strange to look back on now but at this time The Next Generation was still attempting to stand up to the reputation of the original Star Trek and cross-over references were frowned upon. However popular they proved in later seasons.

Lenard may have been a classically trained actor with a measured, Shakespearian delivery but he became a lifelong friend to the cast and crew of Star Trek and appeared in the Animated Series, four Star Trek films and a further episode of TNG. He was genuinely loved and much missed upon his death in 1996.

As well as the strong theme of mental decline surrounding Sarek's illness, this episode gave the cast some delicious opportunities to play argumentative scenes as the disturbed telepathic influence took hold. "Didn't your mother teach you manners?" "At least I don't have to find my women on the holodeck": conflict between crew members was rare enough on Enterprise and the writers obviously enjoyed the opportunity to let rip.

Finally, a good episode.

[zac-warsteiner · 10/10 · 20 August 2020]

Vulcan alzheimers is nothing to gloss over, and the show does an excellent job with the disease, the fallout, and an excellent (if temporary) treatment. If only more episodes dealt with flaws in such manner, rather than abandon all logic in order to put forth a shallow, lazy short story. The arguments and fights shown were all excellent as well, with some refreshing violence to break up the monotony inherent in the mythos.

The turning of the tide.

[amusinghandle · 10/10 · 7 February 2024]

It's one of those episodes where the climax scene just sticks in your mind.

For Patrick Stewart, I think that his star trek role as a stern professional Captain must have felt limiting and he's going for the Emmy with the scene of unleashing Sarek's emotions. It's pretty amazing ---- I had a Sarek teadrop forming just from the force of that performance.

It's one thing to lose your mind ---- It's another thing entirely to be conscious of it and fighting a losing battle against yourself. This suffering comes through in Lenard's performance throughout the episode.

Fan service has become a hot issue within the star trek community with some disliking it (me) and others embracing it. This episode is a textbook example of how you bring a character back but you do it in a logical and engaging manner.

It's also a sad episode --- and boy, do I love sad episodes. Sarek is near death and will not be getting better --- there is no magical mind meld cure to return him to his commanding self. The writing is grounded in reality and that heightens the impact for me.

Superb.

"Tell your Captain the mission is in jeopardy."

[classicsoncall · 9/10 · 9 January 2024]

Patrick Stewart probably put in his finest emotional performance as Captain Picard in this episode, and he wasn't even himself! As a result of a Vulcan mind meld, the Captain's persona was integrated with that of Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, with Sarek's aging malady causing his emotions to emerge in a way not typical for a Vulcan. This was due to the effects of Bendii Syndrome which tended to afflict Vulcans past the age of two hundred. I have to say, I really enjoyed this episode because it rekindled memories from the original Star Trek series and specifically with two episodes. The Vulcan mind meld was introduced in the first season story of that series titled 'Dagger of the Mind', one in which the procedure wasn't even named yet! Then, in the second season, 'Journey to Babel' introduced Spock's father Sarek (Mark Lenard), who quite coincidentally was involved with diplomatic negotiations among ambassadors on board the Enterprise headed toward the planet Babel. That episode featured some of the series' finest scripting and dialog, and is not one to be missed by Star Trek fans.

Anyway, back to the story at hand. The first thing that marked this as an unusual one was when Commander LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) almost came to blows in an argument over women of all things! Things really went haywire when a full-scale brawl broke out in Ten Forward over a disagreement over seating arrangements! With her usual good medical insight, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) theorized that the atypical behavior might somehow be related to the appearance of the Sarek entourage aboard the Enterprise. More precisely, it turned out to be the telepathic vibes given off by the two-hundred-year-old plus ambassador. Though members of his party, including second wife Perrin (Joanna Miles), were aware of Bendii Syndrome gradually impacting Sarek, they did their best to deny it in order for the negotiations with the Legaran delegation to be completed successfully. A reasonable request, but one which was put in jeopardy because of the way the crew was reacting so violently. Even Captain Picard and Commander Riker got aggressive with each other before calm was restored between them.

The solution to this madness was Picard's suggestion of a Vulcan mind meld, reasoning that his rational mind would hold sway long enough for Sarek to do the job he came aboard the Enterprise for. The only thing I wondered about was why the mind meld would not have been done with Sarek's assistant Sakkarth (Rocco Sisto) who had been mentally keeping aspects of Sarek's disease under control so that he could function without emotion. This idea was not explored in the story, which I thought was an oversight. In any event, the ensuing scene of Captain Picard dramatically struggling with the Vulcan aversion to showing emotion brought out some of his finest acting in the series. It's a performance that should not be missed, while making this one of the most heartfelt and riveting stories of Next Generation's third season.