NEW GROUND


"New Ground" was an attempt at a "character episode" which failed miserably,
in my opinion.  The reasons for its failure stemmed primarily from the
pedantic script, and secondarily from the flat characterization which is
the nature of the series as a whole.

The plotting and script were atrocious.  The worst moment was the one where
Alexander's teacher was explaining (in excruciating detail) about Alexander's
character in class.  This was a perfect example of how exposition can make
an episode drag interminably.  We're TOLD (not shown) about Alexander's
"aggression" and other characteristics, and that he said that Worf told
him that Klingons don't listen to their teachers.

The rest of the story was nearly as bad.  We have the incredibly routine
sequences with Worf "trying to be a parent", all of which was entirely
predictable.  Every time Troi showed up on the screen I wanted to throw
something at her.  She added nothing useful (much less interesting or exciting)
to the show.  Twenty minutes into the episode I groaned, "You mean there are
still FORTY MINUTES of this stuff left?"

Alexander is basically a non-character.  He goes around, getting into trouble,
and whines about it afterwards in best "after-school special" fashion.  There
is nothing about him which sets him apart from any generic child you might
find on a sitcom.  He doesn't even act like a Klingon, so even THAT doesn't
set him apart!

This episode added nothing to Worf's character, unless you count Worf acting
like a stuck-up old fuddy-duddy a step forwrd (I do not).  There's an
impressive handwaving attempt to convince us that Worf is growing into his
role as a parent (sort of like Dan Quayle), but in the end all we get is a
commitment that he will try harder in the future - giving us  absolutely no 
basis to believe that he will actually do better in the future.  Nor is there
any concrete indication that Alexander will change.  Perhaps the point was
to illustrate that Worf is no longer running away from his responsibilities?
If so, they couldn't have come up with a worse illustration of this point,
unless they actually focus, in great depth and in the next four or five
episodes, on Worf's parenting.  Given TNG's track record in following up on
major character developments, I'll be very surprised - though pleased (I 
hope) - if they actually do this.

Worf was handled in only the most obvious, flat manner.  Honor, coarseness,
pretty speeches.  Where's the depth here, people?

No other characters are focused on in any depth in this episode.  In short,
the character aspects of "New Ground" fail utterly.  There's nothing new here.

The only other point worth considering is the "Soliton Wave" experiment,
which is a typical disaster/crisis add-on (the "tacked-on menace" as Roger
ang called it in "Hollow Pursuits", though I think it was far more successful
there than here).  I'm left to wonder why the Enterprise didn't go OVER
the wave rather than AROUND it, as it didn't seem appreciably large in that 
dimension.  I'm also left to wonder whether Starfleet, or the Klingons and
Romulans, for that matter, will see Soliton Waves as a viable weapon.  Given
the proximity of Romulus to Vulcan, it would seem that a suitably large
wave could be generated to obliterate that planet rather handily, especially
if it's launched at a time when there are no starships near by to try to
disrupt it, or it's big enough that they simply don't have the power to do so.
Anyone want to lay odds that the creators won't even bother considering such
a angle for future episodes?

"New Ground" broke none.  This episode was a waste of my time.  I can't think
of anything good to say about it.  Well, except that it didn't have Q or
Lwoxana Troi in it.

Grade:  F

SEASON FIVE AT A GLANCE:
Redemption II: B-
Darmok: A+
Ensign Ro: C
Silicon Avatar: C-
Disaster: B-
The Game: B-
Unification I: C
Unification II: D+
A Matter Of Time: B-
New Ground:  F
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Total Points: 22
Season Average: 2.200  ( C )
(Fall of 0.244 from previous episode.)