Originally broadcast during Star Trek: The Next Generation 's sixth season in December of 1992, it's at once a mystery, drama and psychological thriller that explores the futility of torture while turning the series upside down in the process. [33] This should not be confused with the previously released The Jean-Luc Picard Collection, which was released in the United States on August 3, 2004, and included four TNG episodes but not this one or the movies. [29], The episode was released as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation season six DVD box set in the United States on December 3, 2002. Picard realizes he has been duped. Although broadcast in 1992, I couldn't help but be struck by the immediate currency today (2011) of the moral, legal and psychological issues put forth in the story - torture sanctioned by government, the reliability of information obtained under torture, the psychology of the torturer and the tortured.In relating his experience under torture to Counselor Troi, Picard brought to light one of the effects of torture that had been in the peripheral vision of my mind but had never articulated: It is often said that the tortured would confess or reveal anything his handlers would like to hear just to stop his torment. Jellico visits Riker in his quarters, where he candidly criticizes Riker's performance as a First Officer and Riker does the same for his command style. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Chain of Command, Part II subtitles English. [15] They note the performances of guest stars Ronny Cox, as the autocratic Captain Jellico, and David Warner as the Cardassian Gul Madred. Directed by Robert Scheerer. [26], In May 2019, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Chain of Command" (Parts I & II) among the top twenty-five episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch: “Chain of Command, Part II” Keith R.A. DeCandido Tue Oct 23, 2012 5:30pm 81 comments Favorite This “Chain of Command… Prime Video has you covered this holiday season with movies for the family. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Worf (Michael Dorn), and Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) are assigned by Starfleet on a covert mission to seek and destroy a Cardassian biological weapons installation on their border world, Celtris III. [25] Patrick Stewart's acting performance as a captive Picard is especially praised, noting the story as a showcase of the human spirit against lies and adversity. Picard is returned to Federation custody and reinstated as Captain of the Enterprise. Meanwhile, his replacement, Captain Jellico, meets his new command with some resistance from the crew. [6], In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter, noted this episode's scene where Picard cries out "There are four lights", as one of the top ten "most stunning" moments of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In other words, he would not be lying but telling the truth as he believes it as a form of psychological defense. Under Jellico, the Enterprise patrols the border near Minos Korva, a strategically significant Federation planet, and holds negotiations as to the fate of the planet with Cardassian representatives. Madred uses a number of torture methods, including sensory deprivation, sensory bombardment, forced nakedness, stress positions, dehydration, starvation, physical pain, and cultural humiliation to try to gain knowledge of the Federation's plans for Minos Korva. KGF Vissers. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly [22] TheGamer ranked Captain Jellico as the 14th best captain of Star Trek. Add the first question. Meanwhile, the Cardassians inform the Enterprise crew that Picard has been captured. So, refer to the 'Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Six' review for a full explanation of the stellar video. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Holy cow, is "Chain of Command" a fantastic slice of television, regardless of genre. AKA: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek TNG, Star Trek: TNG. See reviews & details on a wide selection of Blu-ray & DVDs, both new & used. It aired as the 10th and 11th episodes of the sixth season, the 136th and 137th episodes of the series. Chain Of Command - Part 1 Help Player Feedback Use the form below to send us your comments. After their training, the trio bribes a Ferengi smuggler ship to reach the suspected Cardassian planet, but by the time they have intruded the subterranean installation... STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION SEASON 6 RATINGS, Top Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes, Star Trek: Lower Decks: Much Ado About Boimler. Madred attempts another tactic to break Picard's will: he shows his captive four bright lights, and demands that Picard answer that there are five, inflicting intense pain on Picard if he does not agree. Fortunately, I still have time to prepare the ship and crew for the task ahead." His portrayal of a harsh, by-the-book, unfeeling officer in command undoubtedly made audiences hate him at first. [15], In 2017, Den of Geek included the "Chain of Command" two-part episode as one of their 25 recommended watches of Star Trek: The Next Generation. [2] They note a plot that tackles the struggles of people with bureaucracy, bad leadership, and suffering. His dialogue was written onto boards for him to read out as he went along. [2] They note performances by Ronny Cox as Captain Jellico, and David Warner's brutal presentation as the Cardassian alien interrogator Gul Madred. In this episode, Jean-Luc Picard is removed from command of the Enterprise for a covert mission, and his replacement is assigned to deal with the Cardassians openly. Because of a feared imminent Cardassian invasion, Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev comes to the Enterprise on the USS Cairo, to replace Picard as its captain by Cairo's captain, Edward Jellico, who immediately makes his mark on crew and ship, tells Troi there's no time for a 'honeymoon' with either for he expects the negotiations with the Cardassians he's charged with to fail and hastily deploys big plans to prepare the flagship for battle. Picard Episodes of Star Trek", "The 10 Best Episodes In Star Trek TV History, Ranked", "The 10 Best Star Trek: TNG Episodes Of All Time", "Our Seven Essential Picard Episodes from Star Trek: TNG", "The 14 Best Star Trek Entries to Accompany Picard", "Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4", "Exclusive Video: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 Gag Reel", "Blu-ray Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Six", "Best Of Picard Star Trek TV/Movie Collection Coming To Blu-ray With New IDW Comic", "Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Jean-Luc Picard Collection", "Blu-ray Review: Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection", "Why Captain Picard is still the most inspirational leader", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chain_of_Command_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)&oldid=990246581, Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 6) episodes, Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes in multiple parts, Articles with dead external links from July 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from September 2019, Articles needing additional references from February 2017, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Television episode articles with short description for single episodes, Television episode articles with short description and disambiguated page names, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 November 2020, at 17:03. [35] The release included a making of feature for "Chain of Command" and also the episode(s) can be watched with an audio commentary by Ronny Cox, Jonathan West, and Mike & Denise Okuda. [16] A regional newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, ranked 25 of the greatest episodes of Star Trek prior to Star Trek: Discovery and included "Chain of Command" as the 5th greatest in 2017. Star Trek The Next Generation episode transcripts Chain of Command, part one Stardate: 46357.4 Original Airdate: 14 Dec, 1992 Captain's log, stardate 46357.4. Picard is replaced as captain of the Enterprise so he, Lt. Worf and Dr. Crusher go on a top-secret mission into Cardassian space. Use the HTML below. Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. The second to last release in the seven-note Star Trek: The Next Generation Silver Coin Note Collection, this precious metal keepsake is made from 5g of pure silver and features a coloured and engraved replica of Juan Ortiz’s poster artwork for the season 6 episode, "Chain of Command, Pt. [18] They elaborate that David Warner gives a "...calm, measured performance", which they said "perfectly matches Stewart's slowly crumbling Picard". Jellico refuses to acknowledge that Picard was on a Starfleet mission, an admission necessary for Picard to be given the rights of a prisoner of war (along with better treatment) rather than being subjected to torture as a terrorist. [10] In 2016, The Washington Post ranked the two-part "Chain of Command" as the fifth best episode of all Star Trek. Jellico asks, rather than orders, Riker to pilot the shuttle. [14], In 2016, IGN ranked "Chain of Command" (Parts I & II) the 13th best episode of all Star Trek series. Stewart as Picard was at his Shakespearean best. As Picard is freed from his bonds and about to be taken away, he turns to Madred and defiantly shouts, "There are four lights!" “Chain of Command, Part II,” the closing installment in one of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s most-powerful two-parters, aired on December 21, 1992 – or 24 years ago today. AKA: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek TNG, Star Trek: TNG. Amazon.ca - Buy Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command (Bilingual) at a low price; free shipping on qualified orders. This leads to a heated argument between Jellico and Riker, which ends with Jellico relieving Riker of duty. In Picard's place, Starfleet assigns Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox), who has a vastly different style of command and decorum than the Enterprise crew, particularly William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), are accustomed to. Here are some of our picks to get you in the spirit. Written by You can pre-order them on Amazon. With word of the failure of the Cardassians to secure Minos Korva, Madred attempts one last ploy to break Picard, by falsely claiming that the Cardassians have taken the planet and that the Enterprise was destroyed in the battle. However, they find no signs of biological weapons, and suspecting a trap, they attempt to flee. Check out our gallery. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? [21], A character in this episode, Captain Jellico, was ranked as the 68th most important character of Starfleet within the Star Trek science fiction universe by Wired magazine. If you are experiencing problems, please describe them. At the 50th anniversary "Star Trek" convention in Las Vegas in August 2016, fans voted this and Star Trek: The Next Generation: Chain of Command, Part I (1992) the joint seventh best episode of the "Star Trek" franchise. If you are experiencing problems, please describe them. [25] They highlight Captain Jellico in command of the Enterprise-D, and Captain Picard trying to endure a brutal Cardassian interrogation.