Captain Picard is great for talking his way out of trouble but in Star Trek's Chain of Command, this is the episode which establishes TNG far beyond a kids TV show. It's rated in the top five of all TNG episodes. Yes, we can always rely on the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D diplomacy, tough talk, and we come in peace boldly going where no-one has gone before... Trouble is when Dr Crusher, Lt Worf and Picard beam down to Celtris 3 on a secret search and destroy mission our three buddies bite off more than they can chew.....
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| WORF, PICARD, BEVERLY |
To begin the Cardassian lab developing metagenic weapons isn't there!!! What in great space? so the covert operation was based on Cold War misinformation. A hoax! We soon learn why when Worf and Crusher escape during the Cardassian ambush leaving Picard high and dry captured and at the mercy of one of Cardassias notorious torturers, Interrogator Gul Madred. also played the assassinated Chancellor Gorkon in Star Trek the Undiscovered Country
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| GUL MADRED |
Picard faces his finest darkest hour, abandoned by the USS Enterprise (now commanded by Captain Edward Jellico) injected with truth drugs yet still refused to spill about Federation Defense plans cos like he didn't know the Top Secret stuff, right!
So Gul Madred sees red and goes mad! He tortures the good captain for his own sadistic pleasure. (exactly like the head chef where I work) I guess you might call it a trick of the mind - this type of trickery involved manipulating the captain to reveal his knowledge and thus break his spirit. (oh yes then Madred has a torture device.) "Forgive me, I take no pleasure but I must demonstrate this." (YEAH SURE! )
Thus Picard's implant inflicts horrific bodily pain and what warped mind thought of this? Only Madred's of course! with him activating the pain device grinning evilly. Only Picard didn't know the location of Minos Korva! nor would he submit....
So finally Madred, Picard's tormentor after telling him the Enterprise has been destroyed continues with his trick of the mind... how many lights? Even though Madred hadn't extracted any intelligence of value from Picard, all that mattered now was the "human" submit to Madred's torture.
Meanwhile aboard the USS Enterprise-D - Riker and Captain Jellico (Picards replacement) have locked horns like bulls. Jellico shaking the crew up, Riker's peeved. It's like a little war between the "get it done guy vs everyone's friend. Ironically Riker loses only as fate had it Jellico has to get Riker to fly one more shuttle mission (because Riker is the best pilot) which meant speaking to him Ha! How that must have sucked!!!
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| RIKER AND JELLICO |
Chain of Command boasts lots of highs and lows. "There are four lights" croaks Picard brutalized hoarse from interrogation when in fact the captain admits later to counsellor Troi, I believed I could see five lights! and would have done anything to be freed.
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| Picard "There are four lights!" |
Amnesty International advised on the torture scenes in this Star Trek episode.
Do you feel BRUTALIZED at work by mean clowns with big mouths? Why do BOSSES ignore "TRASH TALKING"?
Gul Madred "TRASH TALK" dehumanization of Captain Picard clearly was unethical - does this right the suffering and starvation of the Cardassian people?
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER, TREKKERS
15 comments:
This is a powerful episode which demonstrates many human qualities b9th good and equally bad...disgusting but it is there nevertheless. One inhuman bastard should not condemn the whole people. This has been done in the past..German= Nazis. I have worked with mean people who love to discredit me..or tried to. The boss actually tried his best to make things liveable. Finally those 2 were gone and wonderful fellow employees came aboard. The new boss, though, didn’t t care a bit about anything so that didn’t help. I think some bosses love it when people trash talk..they think those people want to get ahead...wrong way of thinking
Sorry, it doesn't right it.
Great episode though. Frustrating at times to watch.
That was a tough one to watch.
It sounds very tough - and sounds as if we could/should recognise a lot of the behaviour portrayed in it.
Didn't he also play a Cardassian in DS9?
Torture is always wrong. It makes for good drama, though. I'm not a fan of difficult coworkers. Luckily, I can avoid the most difficult of mine most days. I just have to make sure the kiddos aren't making life difficult for their peers. Hard to do in the position of authority.
Last episode before DS9 premiered!
Yes it certainly was for Picard getting nabbed at the lab doorway on Celtrus 3. Then theres Beverly's promises to that strange Ferrengi haha, give me a break. I really felt so sorry for her.
"Her belly might be full but her spirit will be empty" says tortured weary Picard referring of course to Madreds daughter. Enraged Madred belts him across the face. I guess he forgot his torture pain device which is no surprise because most bullies like to get real close and personal.
Nearly Diane. Heres an excerpt from M.A. "Warner was approached by the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine production staff for the role of Akorem Laan in "Accession". Ira Steven Behr commented, "Personally, I wanted David Warner as Akorem. He wanted to do it, but his wife talked him out of it because he was on vacation and she didn't want him to work.
To quote Picard Liz "Torture is self defeating as a means of extracting information, its a wonder its still used as a reliable source of getting facts"
You know your Star Trek Squid! The first episode with Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Emissary" was his debut on DS9 I think.
I believe the unstable head chef where I work some might say finds satisfaction revenging on staff following years of expert experience which made him into the clever wombat he is today. The trouble is so few appreciate it. Those working and clowning around obeying orders do so controlled in fear. Gul Madred = head chef
Oh, but there is so much I don't know...
Captain Picard himself said “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life.” Birgit So even if the rule of law is on your side, the perpetrator is innocent until proven guilty. Lionel Stander is a case in point who defied the Hollywood blacklist but still never worked for a major movie studio.
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