Sarek (episode)edit

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)

"Sarek"
TNG, Episode 3x23 Production number: 40273-171 First aired: 14 May 1990
←	70th of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	70th of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	177th of 727 released in all	→

Teleplay By Peter S. Beagle Story By Peter S. Beagle (from an unpublished story by Marc Cushman & Jake Jacobs) Directed By Les Landau
43917.4 (2366)
	Arc: {{{wsArc0Desc}}} ({{{nArc0PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc0PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc1Desc}}} ({{{nArc1PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc1PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})

Violent emotions sweep the Enterprise when Ambassador Sarek comes aboard to finish a long diplomatic mission.

[edit] Summary

Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan is beamed on board the USS Enterprise-D to fulfill his latest diplomatic triumph, a treaty with a mysterious race known as the Legarans. He introduces his wife, Perrin, who, like his previous wife, is Human. He inspects the conference room and uncharacteristically becomes slightly irascible that it is not properly prepared. After he has calmed down, he retires to his quarters, having, through his aides, refused to allow Captain Picard to show him the ship.

Over the next 24 hours, several unusual incidents of lack of emotional control break out among the crew. Dr. Crusher slaps Wesley in a fit of anger, Riker and Picard yell at each other on the bridge, and a fight breaks out in Ten Forward. Sarek himself continues to show signs of strange behavior: he appears at an evening concert and actually cries at a moving moment in the performance.

Eventually, Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi deduce that Sarek is suffering from Bendii Syndrome, a rare disorder that causes Vulcans over 200 to lose emotional control, and he is unconsciously broadcasting his intense emotions to the humanoids around him. Unfortunately, the results of a test to confirm it will not be available before the scheduled meeting with the Legarans.

Picard takes up the unpleasant task of confronting Sarek, who denies his condition. First, he has to get past the formidable Perrin, who is in complete denial about Sarek's condition. When he finally gets to speak to Sarek, it turns out that Sarek's Vulcan aide Sakkath has been using his own telepathic abilities to keep Sarek under control, but the pressure of the upcoming conference has overridden his ability to do this. When Picard intensifies the confrontation, Sarek completely loses emotional control and goes into a fit of rage. The problem is that the Legarans will deal only with him. Picard volunteers to allow Sarek to create a mind link between them, so that Sarek would have Picard's emotional control. Sarek warns that this would cause Picard to be overwhelmed by extremely powerful Vulcan emotions, but he ultimately agrees.

After the link is performed, Picard is indeed overcome, and in the presence of Beverly Crusher, pours out the contents of Sarek's ultimately anguished soul. In the meantime, a restored, rational Sarek successfully completes his negotiations with the Legarans. The link is dissolved, and with the negotiations over and Sarek under less pressure, Sakkath can again help him. Picard bids farewell to Sarek in the transporter room. Their lives have been forever joined, and each will carry a part of the other with him. Picard feels he has the better part of the bargain.

This episode or film summary is incomplete

This episode summary has been identified as lacking essential detail, and as such needs attention. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

Please obey copyright policy; do not copy material from other sources without permission.

[edit] Log Entries

"Captain’s log stardate 43917.4. The Enterprise has been given the singular honour of hosting the first meeting between the Federation and a mysterious race known as the Legarans. We are in orbit around Vulcan preparing to welcome aboard Federation Ambassador Sarek and his wife Perrin, who like his first wife, is from Earth."
"Captain’s log supplemental. In three hours time we are scheduled to meet with the Legaran. However it is all too evident that Ambassador Sarek is in no condition to proceed with the conference."
"First Officer’s log stardate 43920.7. Ambassador Sarek has successfully concluded the negotiations with the Legarans. The USS Merrimac (NCC-61827) has arrived and will transport the Ambassador and his party back to Vulcan."

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"I met him once... Many years ago, just briefly at his son's wedding. But I'll tell you it was quite a moment for a young lieutenant. Standing in the presence of such history... I was a little tongue-tied to be quite frank."
"You, tongue-tied?"

- Picard and Riker

"I see what you mean."

- Worf, upon entering a fight in Ten Forward

"At least I don't have to find my women on the holodeck!"

- Wesley, having a heated argument with Geordi La Forge

"I have been accused of many things in my life, never an excess of emotion"

- Sarek

"My Husband has taken an interest in your career. He finds it to be...satisfactory."
"My word...high praise from a Vulcan."

- Perrin and Picard

"I don't understand this. Everyone is protecting Sarek: his wife, Mendrossen, even you!"
"What would you have me do? March down there and destroy the man?!"
"The mission with the Legarans cannot be carried out with Sarek in this condition!"
"I know that!"
"THEN TELL HIM THAT THERE IS NO WAY!!"
"DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!"

- Riker and Picard, affected by Sarek's condition

"I saw you crying."
"I did not cry."
"I was there, I saw the tears."
"You exaggerate, captain. I recall only one tear."
"So you were emotionally affected by the music."
"That is not possible."
"You still haven't answered my question, Sarek. Is it logical for a Vulcan to cry?"

- Picard and Sarek

"I will take my leave of you now Captain, I do not think that we shall meet again."
"I hope you are wrong Ambassador"
"We shall always retain the best part of the other inside us."
"I believe I have the better part of that bargain Ambassador...Peace and long life."
"Live long and prosper"

- Sarek and Picard

"It is illogical for a Vulcan to show anger! Illogical! Illogical! Illogical! Illogical!"

- Sarek, raging against Picard's arguments

"NOOOOOOO!!!! It is... it is... wrong. IT IS WROOONG!!! The lifetime of discipline has washed away AND ITS PLACE! (laughs briefly then grunts) Bedlam. BEDLAAAAM!!! I was so old there is nothing left but dry bones (sobs) and dead friends. Oh, tired. Oh, so tired."

- Sarek, in Picard's mind shortly after the mind meld

"A mind-meld can be a terrible intimacy, captain."

- Sarek to Picard

[edit] Background Information

[edit] Story and production

According to Michael Piller, the story originally pitched involved another ambassador who begins to have mental problems on a mission. He recalled, "As we started talking about it in house on staff, we said what would really be interesting is if you took a very powerful member of either Starfleet Command or the Federation, and have them going through a time of their lives, like so many of our parents, where they're beginning to have problems with aging. From that point, it was two or three steps of somebody saying, 'How can we turn it into a science fiction show?' Somebody said, 'If you were a Vulcan, you could have some real telepathic impact from some kind of disease,' and from that point it was really short-stepped to, 'What about Sarek?' Sarek is an extraordinarily honorable character who we felt obliged to protect and deal with in a very respectful manner. At the same time, this becomes an extraordinarily personal story. A real stunning show." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)
Piller noted that the use of an established character like Sarek helped to "bring home the idea that even the greatest of men is subject to mental illness." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
The script received an uncredited page one rewrite by Ira Steven Behr and Ronald D. Moore. (AOL chat, 1997)
Behr wanted to include more direct references to Sarek's son, Spock, but recalled it was a great challenge to even mention the character at all, as there was caution among the writing staff at this time towards referencing the The Original Series. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)

[edit] Continuity

It is revealed in this episode that Coridan successfully joined the Federation after the events of TOS: "Journey to Babel", partly thanks to Ambassador Sarek's support.
Sarek introduces Perrin to Captain Picard and Commander Riker as "she who is my wife". He introduced his first wife, and Spock's mother, Amanda to Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy exactly the same way.
Sarek admits that, in her lifetime, he never revealed the depth of his love for Amanda. In Star Trek, his alternate self would, after her untimely death, tell Spock much the same thing.
During his argument with Geordi, Wesley indirectly refers to the chief engineer's experiences with the holographic Leah Brahms, depicted in TNG: "Booby Trap".
Though Data and company are supposed to be playing a concert of Mozart, the piece that brings Sarek to tears is the slow (second) movement of the Sextet #1 in B-flat Major by Johannes Brahms, which requires six instruments, not the four we see. (Although, the initial piece is indeed part of the Mozart Quartet for Strings No. 19 in C).
This is one of the few episodes where the Ten Forward lounge is seen fully lit instead of the softly-lit norm. In this case, it was likely the result of the outbreak of violence.
This is the first time a Vulcan mind meld was done in the series.
Picard's crumbling emotions, mirroring Sarek's inner turmoil, is an echo of a similar scene of Spock in TOS: "The Naked Time", even down to a single take being used.

[edit] Reception

Ronald D. Moore commented, "I think in some ways, it's even better than 'Journey to Babel'. Mark Lenard has a chance to do some solid acting. It's a character-driven show and that's different for us." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)
Michael Piller observed, "The key to the whole season is in personal stakes and personal drama. The Sarek story touches a lot of people." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)
Director Les Landau remarked, "There are some great moments in that show. When we first see Sarek listening to the concert and reacting to Data's beautiful playing of the violin and we, finally, see the tear fall from his eye...it reaches such a point within him that he can no longer take it and must leave the environs of the Enterprise theater which surprises the captain and Troi especially. There was just something about the way Mark Lenard played this moment and reacted that just made [it] extra special.

"The other moments that particularly come to mind in that episode is the mind meld between Picard and Sarek. Trying to come up with a way to conceptualize and shoot that became a frustrating point. I think, ultimately, when the two actors got to the set and showed me what they wanted to do, it just melded together and became a wonderful moment within the show. You always come to the set with a prepared framework for a particular scene, but you use that only as a schematic. When actors get to a set, all your planning can go out the window, and such was the case when Sarek finally says to Picard, 'Illogical, illogical,' to shed some kind of emotion. The dynamics between Picard and Sarek reach a level that I think is classic in Star Trek history.

"I think the most outstanding moment is when we finally see Picard sitting with Beverly, where he is the mind of Sarek thinking about his life that has come before, his former wife and the one and only reference to his son, Spock. If you watch what Patrick did in that scene, it is truly spectacular. I have had many great experiences on the show, but certainly that was one of the best. Patrick is so capable on so many different levels that one just let's him go." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)

[edit] Video and DVD releases

Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 36, 20 January 1992.
As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - Crossovers Set: 6 November 1995
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 3.8, 2 October 2000.
As part of the TNG Season 3 DVD collection.
As part of the Region 1 release of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - Jean-Luc Picard Collection.

[edit] Links and references

[edit] Starring

[edit] Also starring

[edit] Guest Stars

Previous episode:
"The Most Toys"

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 3

Next episode:
"Ménage à Troi"

Create a new article Upload a new image
Search Random page Upload image Recent changes	Help Newest articles Special pages What links here Recent changes Random page