TNG S2E14 "The Icarus Factor" Review By AnswerMan

Horrible:Meh:Adequate:Good:Fantastic

Star Trek The Next Generation is a daytime soap opera that observes a group of coworkers and their ever-evolving relationships with each other, as well as among their own families. In this episode, one of the heart-throbs of the show, Will, must decide whether he wants to stay with his beloved group or accept a promotion. Of course, he stays. But only after a tearful goodbye with his on-again/off-again girlfriend, a physical fight with his dad, a heart-felt one-on-one with his mentor, and an awkward conversation with the lady that his dad used to bang. Meanwhile another character, Worf, has been feeling blue, and the gang decide to cheer him up with a surprise party. Awwww!



Oh and, this TNG soap opera is also science fiction, so allow me to explain that aspect of the show. There is a tiny readout error on some equipment that is affecting nothing. They have it checked out. It is confirmed that the readout error is no big deal. Science! Fiction! BAM!

There is just nothing in this episode that works, except for Pulaski. I know that people don't like Pulaski, but I've always loved the character and think that her role in this episode is the only bright spot. She continues to surprise. Although many of the crew seem to be familiar with Riker's dad, Pulaski makes no bones about the fact that she loves him and totally wants him to be father to her babies and her fourth ex-husband. The fact that she's already been divorced three times is just another fact about herself that she sees no reason to hide or be ashamed of.

Among the things that don't work are:

• Picard's advice is non-advice
• Geordi and Data's outrage at the starbase team is unfounded
• Troi's words to Kyle Riker were out of line
• Geordi actually says that he's not comfortable inviting Klingons on the ship? WTH?
• Wesley is annoying as shit
• Why doesn't Troi join the ceremony?

But by far the largest one is that I fail to see how that fight between Will and his dad resolved anything. If anything, finding out that the old man always cheated should have just made things worse. Riker literally goes from "it should have been you that died" to everything being mostly better because.....? Why? Did I miss something?

"The Icarus Factor" barely qualifies as a MEH episode of Trek. The reason that I didn't rate it lower is because this background info on Riker is important, and because the episode does a decent job of entertaining the viewer, just not in the way that we're used to.




Published March 28, 2020