Family

Episode aired Sep 29, 1990
TV-PG
45m

IMDb RATING

8.3/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

Patrick Stewart, Samantha Eggar, David Birkin, and Jeremy Kemp in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Action Adventure Drama Sci-Fi

After defeating the Borg, the crew of the Enterprise experiences shore leave in various ways. Captain Picard's return to his family's vineyard in France has some extraordinary repercussions.After defeating the Borg, the crew of the Enterprise experiences shore leave in various ways. Captain Picard's return to his family's vineyard in France has some extraordinary repercussions.After defeating the Borg, the crew of the Enterprise experiences shore leave in various ways. Captain Picard's return to his family's vineyard in France has some extraordinary repercussions.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.3/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Gene Roddenberry was apparently not happy at the commissioning of this episode as he thought it was too much like an episode of a soap opera and lacked any science fiction element. However, show-runner Michael Piller received the backing of producer Rick Berman to go ahead and film it, because he liked the way it would humanize Picard and give him some back-story after his traumatizing experience of being turned into a Borg before being rescued. Roddenberry protested to Paramount who, at this stage were already losing patience with Roddenberry and his constant interference in the show's production. (He had already been banned from the sets of the film franchise some years earlier, after constantly complaining to the studio.) After his complaints about this episode, the Paramount board decided to force the already ill Roddenberry to take a back seat and take no further part in the production process and he died just over a year after this episode's broadcast.

Goofs
In most cases, Robert's name is pronounced in French ("Robare"), as it should be. Yet when Jean-Luc tells his brother about his ordeal with the Borg, he once uses the English pronunciation "Robburt".

Quotes
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: You don't know, Robert. You don't know... They took everything I was. They used me to kill and to destroy and I couldn't stop them.
[sobs]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: I should have been able to stop them. I tried... I tried so hard. But I wasn't strong enough! I wasn't good enough! I should have been able to stop them, I should've, I should...!
Robert Picard: So - my brother is a human being after all. This is going to be with you a long time, Jean-Luc. A long time. You have to learn to live with it. You have a simple choice now: live with it below the sea with Louis - or above the clouds with the Enterprise.
[they help each other up from the ground]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: You know, I think you were right, after all. I think I did come back so that you could help me.
Robert Picard: Yeah... Do you know what? I still don't like you, Jean-Luc.

Connections
Featured in Trek Nation (2011)

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

User reviews28

Review

Featured review

7/10

Family reunion

The Enterprise undergoes repairs and upgrades and the crew has time to meet their parents or relax on shore leave. Worf is not very pleased to see his adoptive parents coming on board the Enterprise. Especially his father who once served on a starship himself wants to see everything. I think we all know this feeling, when parents are so proud of their children that it becomes overbearing. But even Worf accepts the fact at the end, that family is family and that his parents wants to be a part of his life.

On the other hand we see Picard reunite with his brother and his family in France while visiting the family vineyard. Not sure why Picard has to dress like a homeless person. It looks like he put on some rags. And Picard surely loves to wear breast free clothing when not in his uniform.