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🖖Star Trek TNG S06E09-10 Full Length Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2024-12-15 03:06:02
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

S06E09 The Quality of Life S06E10 Chain of Command Part 1This week we asked some very interesting questions about life and then we had a total shakeup on the Enterprise! Engage! 🖖Direct link*Note: You can change the quality of the video by clicking the settings icon (little cog) and making it a higher resolution!*

Files

ST NG S06E09-10 Full Length Reaction

Download options: https://www.patreon.com/posts/update-on-full-99864012 Main Channel https://www.youtube.com/@jenmurrayxo

Comments

Kane Is Able

Chain of Command. We've been waiting for this two parter since Encounter at Farpoint.

Dylan

Always love when Jen drops new Star Trek reactions 🖖

Brian Patterson

Chain of Command has always been my favorite two-parter. Ronny Cox as Captain Jellico has always been my favorite guest star on TNG.

Over50Gamer

Ooooof! I feel for you Jen. Now you have to wait until next week to see what happens to our good Captain. 😫

Paul Hess

Holy smokes I knew this day was coming but I never imagined it would be here ...

Geoff S.

You get to know a lot about Picard next week

Fanchman

I seem to remember reading that the new requirement for Counselor Troi to wear a standard uniform was a request by the actress Marina Sirtis.

Ian

Great thumbnail 😀 love these dropping so they can be enjoying on next Jen Sundays . With coffee and a slice of cake make it so 🔥

Preaching to the Horse's Mouth

I think the thing that comes to mind for me with Jellicoe is that he's used to commanding a smaller ship and crew comprised of just officers, no families etc. His much more formal "get it done" policies probably work much better in that environment even if his interpersonal skills leave something to be desired. Like you said, J, very well written. Part two fucking slaps also.

Over50Gamer

Just to comment on "The Quality Of Life": when Beverly was talking to Data about how scientists and philosophers have tried to understand the nature of Life and what exactly defines it, I couldn't help but think of one of my heroes, Carl Sagan, who said this: “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” In other words, life is a way by which the universe tries to understand itself. If this is true, then I think it explains a lot. I'm not sure how much, but... well... it's really a loaded conversation, but I'd welcome a discussion with anyone.

George Foot
>>158326753

I think he's also thrown straight into a difficult mission with very little time - it is not his choice, they needed to be ready in two days, the change in commander was not ideal but they did need the crew to just step up and get on with it.

Kane Is Able

I've been on Star Trek The Cruise multiple times, and I cracked up the first time i saw someone carrying around a lifesized ExoComp. I was also extremely pissed that I didn't think if it first.

Marco Borromeo

Chain of Command is one of these episodes / cliffhangers which stand out for several reasons. To me, the most important one is the 'shock of reality' it delivers - and it works two ways - for the (fictional) characters, but the audience simultanously: Picard, together with Beverly and Word, gets replaced from one minute to the other, Riker finally gets his a** kicked (out of his comfort zone) in a way no one before dared to, the crew actually gets pushed to their limits (yep, no more hanging around in 10 forward and the arboretum..) and one of the main characters gets captured and is in real danger. Actually I love it, everytime people / reactors are taken by surprise by all of this, because, hey, THIS is what actual naval / military life means. And especially when you are not in a drill (but even then..). People on the vessels are not supposed to get too comfortable in anything, personnel gets constantly replaced (also for various reasons), and sudden changes is what they need to adapt to constantly. Even if their main focus is science and exploration. And should fatigue and overwork actually become a serious problem, it would be starfleet command's responsibility. Not actually Jellico's. He simply got his orders with very little space for anything else.. Of course it's a science mission as well, but the Enterprise is a flagship and starfleet is a military organisation (even if it doesn't sound very pleasant to many, but otherwise there would be no ranks, uniforms and very clear command structures..) Getting ready and being pushed to the limits is a core element of it, at all times. They are not civilians. And that's the difference. I'm glad you acknowledged this point as well, Jen..🙏🏻 Riker behaves (at least in this one) like a spoiled, arrogant, self-rightous teenager who doesn't want to accept his new stepfather but certainly not like a trained, decorated officer. Right from the beginning, he questions the admirals reasons for replacing Picard, and she swiftly puts him in his place. As she also should.. Someone like him who refuses to move an inch from his position, blocking younger capable officers for years, being too close to the crew, etc. could actually rather arouse suspicion among starfleet command - in real life. But I think here we can see the limitations of the show quite clearly - as much as I appreciate it.. The older I get, the more I appreciate E. Jellico. He is not perfect - like no one - but under orders as well and he DOESN'T have the time for much soft skills, or honeymoon as he rightly says. And let's be honest - we all need someone, or a voice like him, now and then.. Someone who pushes us, without excuses. Get it done.. In a different setting, or longterm, he certainly has to adapt and lead in a different style. But here he simply can't afford to.. And well.. so good to see David Warner (Gul Madred) again. One of my favourite veteran actors and a true match to Stewart. (He played chancellor Gorkon in the 6th movie, which was released 1 year before these episodes..) To be continued.. !

Dave Hampton

While Jen has this cliffhanger, the cliffhanger for us is next week what we get along with part two. Do we get ship in a bottle which is great or emissary which is also great. Also, I have to say Ronny Cox plays this role so well. Edit adding if it is emissary maybe it will be another week before we get it since it is long. Did not mean to say we should get that along with part two all at once.

Kane Is Able

Jen, we want Chain of Command Part II ASAP. GET IT DONE.

Jon Hoover
>>158326528

That's one of those Factoids that could be true or it could be completely made up. I've never heard it before social media.

Paul Peavler
>>158327946

Starfleet is explicitly not a military organization. They serve a military defense role, but their primary mission is science and exploration by charter. Which is exactly why the flagship is not a warship but a large exploration ship with lounges and holodecks and science labs and filled with families. And exactly why Jellico is such a poor fit.

Marco Borromeo
>>158327946

Certainly, most of the time, they are explorers. But that was my point when I wrote about the show's limitations, respectively the fictional and sometimes a bit paradox aspect of it.. Imagine a real Federation of Planets and Starfleet (hence the word fleet) which has to deal with hundreds of different species, countless interplanetary conflicts (no matter if they are involved or not), moving in uncharted territory, etc. - A purely defensive approach simply won't always be enough.. And I think we all know (difficult to tell this without spoilers) there will be times in the future in which Starfleet will need to armor up massively and restructure in order to adapt what Q always talked about: facing challenges and threats the human species has no even any ideas about yet.. Jellico certainly is quite rigid and not diplomat at heart. But guys like him are needed in certain situations..

Paul Peavler

I am a certified Jellico hater and make no apologies for it. He's an interesting character from a conflict point of view, but in real life he's an absolutely abysmal leader and I hate the idea that Starfleet would ever make him captain. I'm a manager and so I work with a lot of people like him and they're the absolute worst, and while they may seem competent and effective at first, it's really a broken clock is right twice a day situation, and their long term efficacy is always abysmal because ultimately your efficacy as a leader (especially of a large crew like the 1000+ member Enterprise) is determined entirely by the trust and belief you engender in your crew. And leaders like that don't engender that trust, especially not like someone like Picard. Like Troi aptly pointed out, Jellico isn't actually confident in himself, it's a compensation tactic to make people think that he is. The problem isn't just that he has a certain way that he wants things done or that he has high expectations and strong demands. It's not even that he doesn't do things exactly the way his crew wants him to do things; challenging your subordinates is part of being a leader and a good thing. The problem is that he doesn't even try to explain his orders, he simply expects them to be followed because theyre his orders. And that will work for a time, but in the end, most people can't and don't want to work for someone like that. Most people are willing to make significant changes in their work, even ones they disagree with, as long as they believe that the people ordering those changes have good reasons to make them and are confident that they will be the right changes in the end, even if they ultimately fail. But Jellico doesn't inspire that confidence because he doesn't even try to, and he doesn't try to because (again, as Troi pointed out), he's not actually confident in them himself. In the end, leaders like that will always either deal with massive turnover or a team that only does the bare minimum to avoid reprimand, neither of which are very efficient or effective. Picard on several occasions has also pushed his crew and challenged them far beyond what they thought was possible. But he always does so with a real and genuine confidence and a desire and ability to impart that on those who serve with him, which is why his crew is so confident in his abilities and decisions and why they're so loyal to him. I highly doubt the vast majority of Jellico's normal crew would ever go to the lengths for Jellico that the Enterprise crew go to for Picard all the time.

Paul Peavler
>>158327946

I disagree that people like Jellico are needed even in those situations. I don't think a wartime leader is vastly different from a peacetime leader in needing to inspire conficence and loyalty among their subordinates (I would actually probably argue the opposite), which Jellico doesn't do. He may be able to win some battles but he couldn't win the war. And also without getting into spoilers, the leaders that we do see in future Trek that go against those kinds of adversaries and obstacles are generally much more like Picard than they are Jellico, even the ones that on the surface appear to be the opposite.

Clay F

Jen, you are so good at reacting to TNG. I like The Quality of Life episode. Interesting. "It was the most human decision you've ever made." The Chain of Command 2-parter is among my favorite episodes of S6. Good acting including by Cardassian characters. Count me in the camp that sees Jellico as a mediocre Captain.

Julian San

Damn, I love Chain of Command! Ronny Cox and David Warner are absolute CHEF’S KISS!!!

MattN

some fun trivia... ppl have already brought up the reason troi had to put on a uniform but the reason they got rid of the fish, according to the actor that played the new captain jellico, was because of patrick stuart. stuart hated having the fish because (per jellico's actor) stuart said, "We're doing a series about the species of the universe, about the dignity of different species, and we have a captured species swimming around in the ready room? That's immoral." i cant say i disagree thought. i never really thought about it until i saw that interview but im with picard on this.

Ian

Two really good episodes 🔥 , the quality of life just makes me want to see Jen react to Silent running (1972) even more

Opti_Frog

Quality of Life is really good, but Chain of Command is on another level. And they brought in two heavyweight character actors for these two episodes, Ronny Cox, whom Jen should recognise from both Robocop and Total Recall, and David Warner who knew Patrick Stewart from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

SnabbKassa

Obviously Jellicoe can't reassure the crew or you that Picard is coming back, because he doesn't know whether he will survive the mission. And Marina wanted to wear the uniform instead of the leotards she was made to wear.

Rob Collins
>>158330008

being a manager and being a military commander are 2 very different things dude, in a business you can just walk home and lose your job if you are upset, your feeling and your want to do what is in front of you is irrelevant in a military setting. they have a very real chance of going to war and Starfleet is very much a military organisation, they may focus on exploration amd science but they are the front line force when it comes to war so no dude he was very much in his right to get them ready like that

Brian Straight

Picard says "Make it so," to punctuate an order. Jelico says "Get it done." Shows their preference for how to give command.

Paul Peavler
>>158330008

Weird how Picard is exactly the kind of leader I described, in stark contrast to Jellico, and not only has far more respect and loyalty from his crew but is also a far more famous and accomplished captain in Starfleet. Leadership is leadership, dude, and earning the trust of your subordinates is, if anything, even more important in a military setting.

Paul Sophocleous

Jen, I think you missed a quick line at the beginning of Chain of Command where they mentioned that the Cardassians have just pulled their forces out of the Bajoran sector, ending their 50 year occupation of Bajor.

Brian Sartini

When you really come down to it life is much like fire. At a very basic level of our metabolism our mitochondria uses a chemical reaction with oxygen to create energy (ATP).

Gábor Árki

I’ve been looking forward to this Chain of Command reaction for this season. Jellico is such an interesting character. It’s clear that he’s not a bad person, but a blunt one for sure. He’s also thrown into a tough situation, taking command of a ship and crew he doesn’t know, with no time for a honeymoon phase, as the episode highlights. As Troi points out, despite his confident exterior, he has his own insecurities. His insistence on the crew adapting to his routines might be his way of coping and asserting control. I think casting Ronny Cox was perfect. His most notable roles often involve bureaucrats or politicians, so if you’re familiar with those, you might come in with certain expectations, and I feel the writing is even playing on those. The Quality of Life was an episode that caught me by surprise. I had almost completely forgotten about it and barely remembered anything, despite it being a solid one. After a slow start, it delves right into some compelling philosophical questions, like when something can be considered truly alive and whether it's ethical to send sentient machines on a suicide mission to save others. Interestingly, even 30 years later, we still haven’t settled the debate on whether viruses qualify as living organisms. They do not have their own metabolism, they do not consume energy. The cannot even reproduce on their own, but they can use other organisms to reproduce themselves. Nor have we any idea what is the point when an AI should be considered sentient or alive, despite making advancements in the area with a pace that was unimaginable even a decade ago.

Damon Corrigan

Another drop. So awesome. Quality of Life - one of my absolute favorites, and I love it. And it hits emotionally, too - you do fall for the little Exocomps and their little lives. I love it and them. Chain of Command - freaking Necheyev. Nuff said about her. You are right - I have always maintained there are reasons Picard is the captain of the flagship, and there are reasons why Jellico is a captain on the Cairo. One is not better than the other, they both just have their roles where they tend to perform better. The Enterprise D is also not configured to be a warship - it is a ship of exploration. However, I think it could be configured with a lot of work to become a warship if they needed her to be, and that is what Jellico is trying to do, and he didn't have time. I empathize with him, and I empathize with Riker and Geordi as well - it really is a Crimson Tide kind of situation, and neither side is working very hard to resolve the differences of command style and manner in the chain of command. That's just my take. :) Part II is difficult to watch for me. 'nuff said about that as well.

Paul Hess
>>158475762

Hint: Delete it. You might get lucky and get it deleted before it's seen

Zapp Rowsdower

The actress who played the Admiral who relieved Picard was in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. She was the wife of Clark's boss.

Lyntrinsic

I have mixed feelings on Jellico. I understand the crew's resistance to change and a new Captain, but he is the Captain and Riker should have told the department heads the Captain wants 4 shifts, so 4 shifts it is. He shouldn't have needed Jellico to tell him twice to get it sorted. It's not a democracy and I doubt thar order from Picard would have been ignored and given the "I was going to speak to you about that..." when it was raised. But that said, I wouldn't say I like Jellico.

Lyntrinsic

The Quality of Life is one of those episodes I always think I don't like, but then when I watch it it's so sweet and I love the Exocomps and it's wonderful. I think because it always gets me right in the feels the part of me that sobs "F**king Frakes." every time as I'm reaching for yet another tissue at the end of the Offspring at how beautiful the direction is doesn't want me to remember how much I love Quality of Life.

Brian Cali

You can't split the series finale into two weeks.

Jason Scade
>>158730691

Jen wanted to wait a week inbetween the two part eps as this is how it was for the tv audiences when they aired. Part 2 is now uploaded here 👍

Jason Scade

Great reaction and ep! 👍👍 You've seen the Captain Jellico actor (Ronny Cox) before in Robocop, he played the suited corporate villain of the film. He plays a more sympathetic character in the outstanding, brutal and tense 70s wilderness survival / thriller 'Deliverance' (1972). Solid cast of four leads and "..is widely regarded as one of the best films of 1972.". It's on your movie request site, currently at 22 votes. www.jenmurrayxo.com

Rob Collins
>>158330008

I didnt say Jellico was better, Im saying he was being hard in the face of a very real possibility of war and they have to follow the orders of their commander that has more experience, if anyone thought there was a problem it would have been Data and he followed orders to the letter

Zorak

In regards to The Quality of Life, I am definitely one of those that think Data was way out of line. But more so than that, I just thought it was a silly episode with very little justification for it's premise. You could take AI from the 1960's and program it to do exactly what the Exocomp was shown doing here, assessing a threat and determining to avoid said threat. The Enterprise computer itself has been shown to be capable of far FAR more complex decision making. What I don't like about this kind of story is where exactly is the line? Any piece of technology in the Federation is capable of running programs that actively choose self preservation over function. Given access to a replicator and basic programming, anything could easily construct new neural pathways in their hardware or software. The only difference between an exocomp and a tricorder is that a tricorder does not have a replicator bolted onto it and has not been programmed to use that replicator to build new neural pathways. At this point, Starfleet may as well consider everything with a computer in it a lifeform.

Michael B.
>>159857471

i disagree. I think the real question is not if the exocomps are a lifeform or not, but whether they are sentient or not. Humans have exploited non-sentient lifeforms (animals) as workforce and as a food source for millennia. It's debatable if to do so is wrong. But we definitely draw the line at enslaving sentient lifeforms. The exocomps not only showed self preservation (by exiting a Jefferies tube that was about to be dangerous for them), but they also showed intelligence higher than that of an animal – by proposing a superior plan to deal with the dire situation on the particle fountain. This requires an understanding of tools and technology far beyond animals we're familiar with. Before Data was assembled and activated he too was only a pile of technology. But as soon as he showed signs of intelligence and self awareness he became a sentient being endowed with the rights such beings enjoy. This subject was explored extensivly in the episode "The Measure of a Man". The only real difference between Data and the exocomps is that the exocomps don't look humanoid.

James Cain

Jen made me enjoy this episode much more than my usual reaction to it.

Ortizmo2000
>>158502341

Natalia Nogulich. Met her when I was working on a Trek video game back in the 90's. We hired her for a voice role as a Vulcan police official. She's nothing like her Admiral character at all. Very nice and kinda shy.

Greg In East TN

The "science-y" stuff is what we call "techno-babble" Did you recognize the new Captain as Lt. Bogomil from Beverly Hills Cop?

Bobby Coolbreeze

Jellico was right even if he was annoying to the viewers The Crew being put off balance especially Riker and Laforge whining was unprofessional and unnecessary. They are supposed to be professionals and the best in the fleet at their jobs. That’s what annoyed me about this episode. In real life, on Naval vessels, transfers of command weren’t uncommon and crew members wouldn’t act that way. Riker being insubordinate later on could in reality have caused him to get a court martial and be dishonorable discharge and thrown in the brig. I get that they played it that way for drama and conflict.