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Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Episode 16

Too Short A Season

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6.3

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AIRED: 2/8/88

Stardate: 41309.5 The aging and terminally ill Starfleet Admiral Mark Jameson, who is negotiating the release of hostages, suddenly begins growing younger through an unexplained phenomenon.

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Fan Episode Reviews (11)

Be Careful What you Wish For...

7.5

By GrifterTWolf, Feb 24, 2012

This story concept was used in the Curious Case of Benjamin Button but with a few crucial ideas that explain such a reverse mortality. The admiral, old, feeble unable to really go on outside of his own personal sense of pride suddenly starting to de-age quite rapidly over the course of about seventy years, leaving him no more than a teenager. The idea of a fountain of youth has always fascinated writers and adventurers and he found it, with all too real of an unexpected price. This episode could have been written around the poorly written "hostage negotiations" sub plot and focused more on his getting younger, maybe re-experiencing things he couldn't do anymore, such AS him realizing he can walk again.

A lot of the plot was folly, his skin seemed to just retighten on his face and body, he seemed to lose weight due to the reversal but it wasn't until he'd gotten to the point where his body would have probably ended its pubescent stage that he was suddenly dying. Karnas' reactions and repetitious accusations that they were tricking him was very believable, I wouldn't have imagined such a radical change in age like that until I saw solid proof, which was shown by the blood scar he'd taken. Several minor things not related to the overall sub plot made me smile, like the fact they took note that a phaser's "kill" setting had a different sound than the "stun" setting. Intricacies that really made the episode worthy of the kind of attention that future seasons would give it. And while it had a satisfactory ending, it didn't have a "happy" ending for anyone involved. I'd say this is one of the most passable ones of the season.moreless
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The Enterprise responds to a hostage crisis, which must be negotiated by an admiral with a secret.

6.0

By Celedorian, Apr 09, 2011

This episode surely looked better on paper than it turned out. While it reintroduces us to the wonderful idea the Captain dealing with an arrogant Admiral on his ship, (something that worked on the original series and would work well in future episodes of this TNG), the makeup, special effects, and props this episode heavily depends upon were a disaster during the shoot. The "old man" Jameson is obviously a young man with bad makeup on, and his futuristic wheel chair refused to work most of the time on set, so they had to shoot around the issue. Of course, even setting aside these problems, the script has some issues, though its high concept idea of a fountain of youth is interesting and reminiscent of "The Counter-Clock Incident" from the Star Trek: The Animated Series.moreless
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Admiral Benjamin Button....

5.0

By uk6strings, Jan 04, 2010

"Too Short A Season" is sluggish, uninteresting, and makes it difficult for the audience to invest any interest in the story. The episode is not horrible but it offers little to admire or get entertained by. So the story goes: The Enterprise escorts Admiral Mark Jameson (played by Clayton Rohner) to settle a dispute on Persephone V. But it becomes clear that there is more to the situation that it seems as Jameson begins to age backwards and the real reason for his involvement in the planet becomes apparent. Personally, I did not find much to enjoy about "Too Short A Season" - the writing seems less than strong, Clayton Rohner is simply awful in the role, and The Next Generation characters we tuned in for play a supporting role in this mediocre Trek episode.moreless
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How many times can we say Picard in 44 minutes?

8.0

By fifth_dimension, May 06, 2009

Seems the writers of this one wanted to make sure we all got the name of the new captain cemented firmly in our heads in this one. I cant tell you how many times Picard is said but it was enough to make it stand out in my mind; most of it coming from the Admiral. In all seriousness though, it was this "stand-offish" interaction between the Admiral and Picard, mainly the former letting Picard know that he has rank and he will be in control that actually provided most of the interesting moments of the episode. The Admiral's arrogance and desire for control through newfound youth reaches one of it's peaks when he takes Picard's spot in the captains chair while Picard is still on the bridge. As far as the main story of the episode is concerned, it comes along decently but falls way short on resolution or an interesting ending. It is particuairly disappointing and weak how even though the hostages are released, without any deaths in the end, their captor is neither punished nor given a second thought.moreless
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Eternal youth aint no joke!

7.6

By AvatarBlue, Apr 30, 2008

Though a little silly a times this episode does have its moments. The first, are the moments when the admiral reverts to a younger form. The scene where hes getting all hot and the collar with his wife is just hilarious.

That aside, the way in which the mystery of the admirals rejuvenation is revealed and more so his motive is the highlight here. In fact the only truly bad aspect of this episode is the way in which the crew's supposed grasp on reality is suspended as an apparent aling man starts to do the impossible. It was bad.

Worth a watch for the Clayton Rohner performance as the admiral.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Patrick Stewart	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Michael Dorn	Lt./Lt. Cmdr. Worf
LeVar Burton	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge
Jonathan Frakes	Cmdr. William T. Riker
Marina Sirtis	Counsellor/Lt. Cmdr. Deanna Troi
Gates McFadden	Dr. Beverly Crusher

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Clayton Rohner	Admiral Mark Jameson	Guest Star
Michael Pataki	Karnas	Guest Star
Marsha Hunt	Anne Jameson	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- When Anne Jamieson calls Sickbay after her husband's de-aging attack, the sound of the comm channel opening is heard when Anne's hand is still quite a distance away from the comm panel.
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- Karnas was responsible for the murder of two Federation negotiators as well as kidnapping more than once, and this is who Picard leaves in charge?
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- When Yar and Worf prepare to cut through the wall beneath the capital city, you can see the flash-powder cord before they shoot and the phaser beams get F/X'd in.
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QUOTES (1)
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- Picard: The quest for youth, Number One. So futile. Age and wisdom have their graces, too.
  Riker: I wonder if one doesn't have to have age and wisdom to appreciate that, sir.
  Picard: I hope not, Number One.
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NOTES (2)
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- Michael Pataki (Karnas) previously played Korax in the original Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles."
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- Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) does not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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