by Chris Snelgrove
| Published
As a huge Star Trek fan, I've always been fond of “Evolution,” the first episode of Star Trek's third season The next generation. Season 3 was when TNG finally hit its stride, complete with new uniforms and a new character-centric approach to storytelling that transformed the franchise for the better. Plus, “Evolution” has everything that makes the golden age of Trek so special, which is why I was shocked to discover that the creators behind this killer episode mostly thought it was mediocre.
“Evolution” plot
If you're a Star Trek fan and need a quick primer on “Evolution,” here it is: This is the episode in which the Enterprise ship accompanies an eccentric scientist hoping to observe and record data from a cosmic phenomenon that only occurs once every 196 years. Meanwhile, Beverly Crusher returns to the ship and tries to communicate with her son, Wesley, but he is too focused on his studies. In fact, he was so focused that he accidentally let some nanites escape and infect the ship's core. As creatures evolve, they threaten this time-sensitive experience, and in a good way TNG Fashion, diplomacy with this new life form ends up saving the day.
Speaking for myself, I thought this was it great Star Trek episode. It's not the best in the series or anything, but “Evolution” is arguably the strongest season premiere, and it feels stronger compared to “Shades of Grey,” the ridiculous show that ended Season 2. Which is why I was also surprised that the creators behind the episode found it mediocre, starting with showrunner and overall TNG savior Michael Piller.
Modest start to the season
Even though it's actually a Star Trek show writing Beller still concludes that the “evolution” was a second episode. Although he declared that it “went well,” he continued to express his regret that “I didn't like it.” While he emphasized that he was still “proud of the episode,” Beller summed up his thoughts by saying that the episode “didn't quite work.”
Veteran Star Trek director Winrich Kolbe was responsible for bringing this episode to life, and he shares Beller's assessment of the episode's mediocrity. He initially praised the plot, about a scientist who “suddenly discovers that there are ramifications he hadn't thought of,” and said he “liked” that “there's a certain amount of immaturity, or arrogance, or whatever.” However, he felt that “everyone took it as a children's show, even the writers”, which led to a “very serious problem” (these nanites could have easily destroyed the Foundation and threatened the Federation) which “wasn't handled properly” on screen. .
Kolbe is one of Star Trek's most reliable directors, and Piller has more or less been saved The next generation From the death spiral of the first two seasons, but I can't stand behind their criticism of “Evolution”. He gave us perfection The original series The setting with a twisted world and alien phenomenon is more bizarre, but it adds occasion The next generation Evolved by having Picard save the day using diplomacy, not violence. We've even seen the birth of a new life form, and if “looking for a new life” isn't journey enough, I honestly don't know what is.
Star Trek: The Next Generation It had better episodes than “Evolution,” but arguably no better season opener. It's a stand-alone story that's eminently rewatchable, even if its writer and director consider it a second episode. Considering how noticeably uneven the NuTrek era of the franchise was, this “B” episode now feels less than just Brilliant.
