The Enterprise is ordered to take on board Kosinski (guest star Stanley Kamel), an engineer, to perform an upgrade on the ship's warp drive. Riker and the ship's chief engineer are dubious about Kosinski's upgrades, which on paper appear meaningless. However, the man has successfully improved the efficiency of two other starships, and is arrogantly confident he can do the same for Enterprise.
When the experiment goes into effect, however, there are unintended consequences. The Enterprise shoots to speeds that are off the scale, ending up in a galaxy that, on maximum warp, should take 300 years to reach! Kosinski's attempt to return them home has even worse effects, as the Enterprise finds itself on the outer rim of the universe, in a place where thought and reality merge.
CHARACTERS
Capt. Picard: Actually manages to be of some use in his own show, for what just might be the first time since Encounter at Farpoint. Though he is dubious about Riker's suspicions of Kosinski, he is willing to back Riker up if the first officer decides not to let the engineer go ahead. He also does not allow Kosinski to treat Riker without due respect; when Kosinski says, "Come along, Riker," Picard barks at him, "Commander Riker!" Upon realizing the danger of the thought/reality merging at the edge of the universe, he lets his crew know what is occurring, and does his best to get them to keep their thoughts in control. The best showing yet for the captain, and probably not coincidentally the first time Picard actually works as a character in his own right, rather than simply being carried by Patrick Stewart's talent and screen presence.
Riker: Once again, the first one to suspect Kosinski is a fraud. The first one to listen to Wesley (albeit a bit late) and notice that Kosinski's assistant, "The Traveler," is more than he seems. At least he doesn't seem like the lead this time, but I'm really getting ready for Riker to be wrong about something in one of these episodes.
Data: Ironically for an emotionless android, Data seems particularly intrigued by the possibilities of exploration and scientific discovery on their first "hop." He then becomes all but invisible after "hop #2."
Pompous Space Bureaucrat of the Week: The late Stanley Kamel is terrific as Kosinski, the engineer whose faith in his own genius leads him to be downright obnoxious to everyone he encounters. The character isn't a million miles removed from the obnoxious space bureaucrats who plagued Kirk on a regular basis in TOS. Still, Kamel does a good job of conveying a certain insecurity and doubt in his eyes, even before the character drops the bluster, indicating that Kosinski's arrogance is there in part to cover up his own doubts about his so-called "genius."
IT'S TIME FOR... BRATS IN SPAAACE!
It would have to be a Wesley-heavy episode, wouldn't it?
Here, we discover that Wesley is not only a child prodigy, but that he is essentially the next stage of humanity's evolution - as Mozart was with music, the Traveler tells us (while supposedly talking to Picard), Wesley is with science and engineering. So Picard goes and makes him an Acting Ensign so that Wesley can come onto the bridge anytime he wants to. Oh, joy. A combination teen genius and Mary Sue... just what every show needs to really succeed.
THOUGHTS
Despite my dislike of the "revelations" about Wesley, Where No One Has Gone Before manages to deliver something I had all but given up on seeing, or at least on seeing before Diana Muldaur's brief tenure on the show: a genuinely good TNG episode.
In contrast to the slow-paced Code of Honor and Last Outpost, this episode moves along quite quickly. The scenario is established in the first few minutes: an upgrade that Riker doesn't trust, and an alien assistant that Troi cannot read (big surprise, Troi is unable to read anything that might actually be useful). Wesley and the alien bond - essential for the plot - and then the experiment goes into effect. By the first commercial break, the ship has traveled to another galaxy in a whir of special effects that I recall being dazzled by in 1987... and that still convey an effective sense of otherworldliness, even if they have dated. We sit around in this situation just long enough for the audience to absorb what has happened... and then the second "hop" occurs, raising the threat and weirdness thresholds substantially.
It's a good, tight script, co-written by frequent Trek novelist Diane Duane, one that understands the need to keep raising the stakes to keep the audience involved. Decent bits are provided for several of the regulars, too: Data's appreciation of the opportunity for exploration; Worf's vision of his pet Targ; the brief glimpse of Tasha, on her hellish homeworld, complete with scars just under her collarbone; even Picard's vision of his grandmother. Nothing's dwelled on long enough to slow down the pace, but many opportunities for future character development are provided.
This is the episode to really hint that this show might actually manage to deliver something worthwhile. Encounter at Farpoint was a promising pilot, but with distinct flaws in its pacing. Each episode since has managed to be worse than the one before. This episode turns that around in a big way, and makes me hopeful for future installments.
Which, of course, means that the next one will almost certainly be a return to mediocrity and/or awfulness.
Rating: 8/10.
Previous Episode: The Last Outpost
Next Episode: Lonely Among Us
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