Parallels Reviews

Back from a recent Bat'leth competition, Worf begins to experience dizziness - and one of those all-too-common side effects of dizziness: changes in reality. Sometimes things are, at first changed only slightly for Worf - a birthday cake changes color, different people switch places or are present or disappear - but then sometimes events around Worf change - Worf will suddenly find himself on an Enterprise that is in battle or he is married to Troi. No matter what reality Worf finds himself in, each one is not his and he must find a way to restore time.

"Parallels" is an excellent episode that is extremely well written and acted - a thrilling mystery with an ever-challenged Worf at the center, who comes out all the better for it in the end. Naturally, Michael Dorn puts on one of his finest Star Trek showings in his near two-decade association with the series, there is little that Worf does not experience in one of the many alternate realities that he passes through.

"Parallels" is, specifically, one of the alternate reality episodes that are a part of Star Trek. A type of episode that seems to divide fans, "Parallels" breaks the mold as there is seemingly an odd consensus that this is one of the best TNG episodes ever (or at least one of the best episodes from TNG season 7). For my money, "Parallels" is easily one of the best when grouping it as an alternate reality episode or just viewing it as an overall TNG episode. It is also perhaps the episode that best addresses the idea that one action, whatever its degree of significance, can dictate our futures.

Judging by the high rating and ecstatic reviews, I'm more lukewarm on this episode than most. This isn't a particularly "heavy" episode intellectually or emotionally, but it does offer plenty of entertainment.

The writers clearly had fun fooling around with "what if" on this episode, throwing in increasingly bizarre/absurd twists. Data's blue eyes, the marriage to Counselor Troi, the changes to the bridge's look, Wesley as an officer, and finally the scene with the many Enterprises. That scene really is the highlight of the episode - played for laughs (285,000 hails!) and drama (the Enterprise from the Borg universe).

Among the best of the uneven 7th season.

Worf returns from the Bat'leth competition with a first place trophy. When he returns he walks into his quarters and is greeted with a surprise birthday party. While at the party Worf gets dizzy and notice things have changed before his eyes. It happens again in engineering. Worf gets dizzy and thing change again. This time Geordi and Data are at opposites sides of the room. Worf goes to sickbay to tell Dr. Krusher what is going on.
Krusher says he is suffering from memory loss. Worf asks for Data’s help to solve the mystery.

This episode is sort of like a "Crisis on Infinate Earths" story. Only this one is played more just for fun, for both comidy and just playing with the concept of What If.

What makes this episode work though is Worf himself. Michael Dorn does a great job making Worf act confused and a little scared, constantly unable to understand what the heck is going on. We at first began to observe all of the small possiblities mainly just simple small decisions like Jean-Luc Picard going to Worf's birthday party or Worf winning or losing a tournament. Then to some of the big possiblities from Denna Troi becoming his signifacant other (this of course forshadows something that comes latter in the show), Picard out of the picture and Riker in the captain role, and even multiple enterprises one which shows a dark possibility on what happens when one Enterprise fails.

.....I have seen this episode before, but the tape didn't have the ending on it, but I just now got to see it, so now I got to tape the rest of the episode. Everything is very different in this episode, and then there is another episode where Geordi gets injured, killed, and he is the cause of the problem to begin with.... they seem to pick on Geordi like they pick on Wesley..... and this episode Worf returns from a competition, and then things keep changing, and it takes some time to figure things out... and this is another episode where Worf and Deanna are in love.... and close to the end there are about 285,000 enterprises, and when Worf is back on the Shuttle the shuttle is filled with Worfs..... and he wins the contest after all....

An amazing plot that shows us a more in depth look at Lt. Worf. All the changing realities gave the episode a spunk that some could not supply to our beloved Worf. I loved the changes of the ship. I believe some of the changes were similar to those in the future Enterprise in 'All Good Things." A nice marriage to Troi and a brief apperance my Wil Wheaton ad Wesley Crusher. I still wonder what happened to Dr. Crusher in this episode, either she was dead (as was Jean-Luc Picard), or had been transfered to another star ship. Enjoy!