Chain of Command: Part I 

Picard is replaced as captain of the Enterprise so he, Lt. Worf and Dr. Crusher go on a top-secret mission into Cardassian space. Meanwhile, his replacement, Captain Jellico, meets his new command with some resistance from the crew.

Director:

Robert Scheerer

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Ronald D. Moore (teleplay by)

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Patrick Stewart	...	Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Cmdr. William Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Dr. Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Ronny Cox	...	Captain Edward Jellico
Natalija Nogulich	...	Vice-admiral Alynna Nechayev
John Durbin	...	Gul Lemec
Lou Wagner	...	DaiMon Solok
David Warner	...	Gul Madred
Majel Barrett	...	Enterprise Computer (voice)

Storyline

Because of a feared imminent Cardassian invasion, Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev comes to the Enterprise on the USS Cairo, to replace Picard as its captain by Cairo's captain, Edward Jellico, who immediately makes his mark on crew and ship, tells Troi there's no time for a 'honeymoon' with either for he expects the negotiations with the Cardassians he's charged with to fail and hastily deploys big plans to prepare the flagship for battle. Meanwhile, Picard, Worf and Dr. Crusher have a top-secret mission, to find and sabotage the presumed biological superweapon which can wipe out all life on a whole system prior to invasion. After their training, the trio bribes a Ferengi smuggler ship to reach the suspected Cardassian planet, but by the time they have intruded the subterranean installation...

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Plot Keywords:

u.s.s. enterprise ncc 1701 d | starship captain | edward jellico character | cardassian | taken prisoner | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1992 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two "Christmas Carol" veterans encounter in this two-part adventure: Patrick Stewart has played Ebenezer Scrooge, David Warner has played Bob Cratchitt. However, neither of them are in the same production.

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Goofs

Vice-admiral Alynna Nechayev is not wearing a comm-badge during the briefing.

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Quotes

Gul Lemec: [Gul Lemec is sitting in the Enterprise's Observation Lounge, not a happy Cardassian when Jellico suddenly walks in, followed by Riker and Troi and he gets to his feet] What is going on? I've been waiting here for over an hour...!
Captain Edward Jellico: [talking over Lemec] I'm Captain Jellico. I believe you know Commander Riker and this is Lt Commander Troi. Let's get to it, shall we?
Gul Lemec: [with great disdain] This treatment is a deliberate insult to the Cardassian Union! I have been kept waiting here for over an hour!
Captain Edward Jellico: [...]

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Connections

Referenced in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Attached (1993)

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Soundtracks

Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User Reviews

Exemplary guest stars

Picard, Dr. Crusher and Worf as a strike team? Even though the mission is eventually justified, I've always thought these were unlikely candidates for a stealth job. What it really does is sideline the captain of the Enterprise for an abrasive replacement (Ronny Cox), someone who runs counter to everything that makes the ship run smoothly (almost an affirmation of the writers' need to shake things up on an long-running show), and that just makes for good drama; we want this guy to take a hike and get the ship back on a smooth course.

But this episode exists almost purely as setup for Part II, and to that end, the best scene is saved for last. David Warner is that classic psychotic interrogator, one who deals in mental warfare more than anything.

He is ideal for the dark hour that's to come.

7/10