Takara_Soong 4 Posted May 27, 2005 Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season: 4 Episode #: 22 Production #: 196 Episode Name: Half a Life Original Air Date: 05.06.91 Review not yet available. Cast: Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard Jonathan Frakes as William Thomas Riker Brent Spiner as Data LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge Michael Dorn as Worf Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi Guest Cast: Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi David Ogden Stiers as Dr. Timicin Michelle Forbes as Dara Terence McNally as B'tardat Caryl Struycken as Mr. Homn Director: Les Landau Teleplay By: Peter Allan Fields Story By: Ted Roberts and Peter Allan Fields Related Items: Kaelon Kaelon II Praxillus System torpedo sustainer engine Kaelonians Kaelon warship Mantickian pate Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HRH The KING 0 Posted June 3, 2005 An "issue" episode, partly connected to Euthanasia. Imaginative and insightful. The first episode to feature Lwaxana in a non comedic role which gave her character depth. Very good and an unhappy ending, which I like. Rating = 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GhostofMajorHayes 10 Posted December 13, 2007 I gave it a 5. David Ogden Stiers in a fanatastic role. Neat premise regarding a civilization that has a mandatory "retirement " age. The parable regarding Euthanasia couldn't be more obvious which works here due to the seriousness of the subject. One of the more memorable eps from season4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted January 5, 2008 4. I love how the opening line with Deanna making a log set the initial tone: "My mother is visiting." Excellent work from David Odgen Stiers, formerly and better known as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from "M*A*S*H". Forbes, of course, would come back in a more memorable role. While this was an interesting euthanasia story, there was also something hinted at about retirement homes in this one that makes it interesting too. Good stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekz 7 Posted January 6, 2008 I give it a 4 as an interesting look at an alien race with a different solution to population stability. Memorable Quotes "Counselor Deanna Troi, personal log, stardate 44805.3. My mother is on board." - Deanna Troi "Mrs. Troi, I must protest your unauthorized presence on the Bridge.." "What does this little one do, Mister Woof?." "Please, Madam! That is a torpedo launch initiator. And it, uh... it is Worf, Madam; not Woof." - Worf and Lwaxana Troi "That man's in a lot of trouble." - La Forge to O'Brien when Lwaxana and Dr. Timicin have left the transporter room "Oh, this is Mr. Homn. He doesn't say much." "How can he?" - Lwaxana Troi to Timicin and La Forge, quietly, to Data Background Information Notice that the first scene in which Picard exits the turbolift and peeks around the corner in fear of encountering Lwaxana is mirrored in the Deep Space Nine episode "The Forsaken", when Odo, then Lwaxana's love interest on Deep Space 9, does the same thing. Yet eventually he, like Picard in this episode, fails to avoid the confrontation. Michelle Forbes' performance in this episode was instrumental in her casting as Ro Laren later in the series. A blooper survived the final cut of this episode. When Deanna and Lwaxana are talking in Mrs. Troi's quarters, Majel Barrett walks past a mirror, in which you can briefly see a microphone boom. An homage to David Ogden Stiers' time on the series M*A*S*H was made during Timicin's test. The camera is focused for long stretches of time on a display titled "Composite Sensor Analysis - 4077" - a callback to the 4077th unit number of Stiers' MASH days. Awards This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) (Dennis McCarthy). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites