This episode can really be broken down into two parts. In the first part, we have the mysterious disappearances. Our protagonist here is Dr. Crusher, and it begins with her personal guest going missing. Not only is he no longer on the ship, but there is no record of him ever existing anywhere. Slowly, one by one, all the people on the ship also disappear. It's all done very well and the viewer is given a very eery feel. I think one of the reasons that it works so well is that we are never shown someone disappearing. There is no fading away, no flash of light, no nothing. Just someone's there, and you take your eye off them for a split second, and they're gone. It was a choice that works so much better than some cheesy special effects.Eventually it gets down to just Picard and Crusher. Though he is beginning to lose patience, Picard still gives Beverly the benefit of the doubt that something must be off. I think this is what gives the episode a different feel than your typical Twilight Zone episode. They could have easily gone the route of the entire crew thinking the good doctor was nuts and ignoring her claims. But what we're given is quite the opposite. Even though there is zero evidence to support her claims, everyone still takes them quite seriously. Sure there's an obligatory "maybe you should speak with Deanna" scene thrown in there, but it's not the sum of the show. Even though she's acting shrill and erratic, and what she's saying makes no sense, the crew ,and especially the captain, trust her completely. It's refreshing.
After Picard also disappears, she's left alone on the ship talking to the computer. It's actually kind of annoying how much time is spent asking the computer questions in this episode. From the very first disappearance when Worf asks where Quaice is, to the very end where Crusher asks the nature of the universe, the computer is a pointless major character in this show. Anyway, on to the second part.Wesley is conducting an experiment on warp bubbles, as proposed by disgraced warp propulsion specialist Kosinski in "Where No Man Has Gone Before." I'm not sure why, as all of Kosinski's work was revealed to be made up nonsense. But apparently there was enough to it for Wes to trap his mom in the bubble. All of what she's been experiencing is only in her mind, and she is physically trapped...somewhere. The Traveler returns to help Wes open a gateway. This is done by pushing all the buttons on the console with your eyes closed. And Bam! In crashes Beverly to the engineering floor. All is well.
It's certainly interesting that when her mind is free to create a universe of her own, Crusher creates a reality where everyone she knows is slowly taken from her. If she were a more interesting character, perhaps I would explore this a bit more. But since she's not, I won't. I've never been a Crusher fan, and I'm constantly disappointed in how episodes that feature her portray her. Always a mom before a scientist. Always emotional rather than astute. It's a shame.For a very chilling first half or so, "Remember Me" is a Good episode of Trek. Even though the explanation for what was happening was kind of stupid, it still was weighty. We know that the Traveler and Wesley story is a larger arching thing over the entire series, and therefore any episode featuring this plot line is important.
Published October 14, 2019
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