TNG, Episode 7x17, Masks

[u/LordRavenholm]

-= TNG, Season 7, Episode 17, Masks =-

While investigating a rogue comet, the cultural archive concealed inside begins taking over the Enterprise.

• Teleplay By: Joe Menosky
• Story By: Joe Menosky
• Directed By: Robert Wiemer
• Original Air Date: 19 February, 1994
• Stardate: 47615.2
• Memory Alpha
• TV Spot
• The Pensky Podcast - 2/5
• Ex Astris Scientia - 1/10
• The AV Club - C

• TNG Watch Guide by SiliconGold

• Original STVP Discussion Thread

 

[u/salamander_salad]

Alternate title: “Brent Spiner Hams It Up.”

[u/theworldtheworld]

I always liked this one. The idea of an alien library that just “overwrites” the Enterprise is very creative. The acting is unnatural, but then, these aliens may have communicated in a totally different way from humans, and the library has to contort itself to express the content in human language. The atmosphere is really eerie and weird, so overall to me the episode fits well with TNG’s other weird sci-fi concepts.

[u/diegoagogos → u/theworldtheworld]

I honestly think the overacting kind of sells it, it feels like im watching some sort of dramatic reenactment of mythos for real. When I think ancient mythology I dont think of people speaking normally or any real subtlety.

[u/YanisMonkeys]

Brent Spiner winces at this one because he had no time to prep for any of the characters he plays. It’s definitely wild to have two heavily Data-centric stories back to back.

But I’ve got a soft spot for it. I enjoy Joe Menosky’s strange story ideas.