Ai-LLM reviews of STNG -We'll always Have Paris

Google Gemini

"Star Trek: The Next Generation - We'll Always
Have Paris" is an episode that blends a scientific
anomaly with a deeply personal story for Captain
Picard, exploring themes of lost love, regret,
and the passage of time.

Plot Overview:

The USS Enterprise-D is en route to Sarona VIII
for some well-deserved shore leave when the ship
is unexpectedly hit by a peculiar time distortion,
causing everyone to experience rapid, disorienting
shifts in time. They then receive an emergency
transmission from Dr. Paul Manheim, a brilliant
scientist whose experiments involving non-linear
time fifteen years prior seem to be the cause.
The mention of Manheim's name deeply affects
Captain Picard, who recognises him. The Enterprise
immediately changes course to assist.
They find Manheim and his wife, Jenice, on a remote
planetoid within a volatile binary star system.
Manheim is dying, and his escalating experiments
with time and gravity are indeed the source
of the dangerous distortions affecting the region.
As Picard works to understand the scientific crisis,
a personal connection emerges: Picard and Jenice
share a complicated past, having been romantically
involved years ago and having missed a crucial
rendezvous in Paris. This unfulfilled past adds a
poignant emotional layer to the unfolding events.
Data is dispatched to Manheim's lab, where
he methodically works to correct the temporal
distortions. The episode culminates in Data
successfully stabilising the temporal anomalies.
Picard, seeking closure for himself and Jenice,
creates a holodeck simulation of the Parisian
cafe where they were meant to meet, allowing
them a heartfelt, if bittersweet, goodbye.
The Enterprise then resumes its course, leaving
behind a moment of personal reflection amidst the stars.

Strengths:

Picard's Personal Life: The episode offers
a rare and significant glimpse into Captain
Picard's past romantic life, adding depth
and vulnerability to his character. Patrick Stewart
delivers a nuanced performance conveying his regret
and lingering feelings.

Emotional Resonance: The themes of lost love,
missed opportunities, and the passage of time
are handled with sensitivity, making the episode
relatable on a human level.

Sci-Fi Concept: The core scientific concept
of non-linear time and gravitational experiments
causing temporal distortions is classic Star Trek
fare and provides an intriguing mystery.

Holodeck Use: The holodeck is used effectively
to provide a poignant and symbolic setting
for Picard and Jenice's farewell, showcasing
its emotional rather than just recreational potential.

Weaknesses:

Pacing: The initial setup and the scientific
explanations can feel a bit slow before the
emotional core of Picard's past fully takes over.

Visuals of Time Distortion: The visual effects
for the temporal distortions, while conceptually
interesting, are rudimentary and show their age,
sometimes undermining the intended effect.

Manheim's Role: Dr. Manheim, while central
to the scientific plot, serves largely as a plot
device to bring Picard and Jenice together.
His character isn't deeply explored beyond his
scientific genius and deteriorating health.J

enice's Portrayal: While crucial to Picard's
backstory, Jenice's character, outside of her
relationship with Picard, isn't fully fleshed out.

Contrived Situation: The coincidence of
the Enterprise encountering Manheim's
specific experiment and Picard's personal
connection feels somewhat contrived
to drive the plot.

Overall Impression:"We'll Always Have Paris"
is a significant early
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
for its willingness to explore Captain
Picard's personal life and add layers
of emotional depth to his character.

While some of its scientific explanations
are a bit convoluted and its visuals show
their age, its poignant themes of love,
regret, and time, combined with Patrick
Stewart's performance, make it a memorable
and affecting entry in the first season.

Rating: 7/10

ChatGPT

Here’s a refined review of **“We’ll Always
Have Paris”** (TNG S1E24), informed
by the chakoteya transcript and critical reception:

- ---

## 🧠 Premise & Character Beats

The Enterprise responds to bizarre temporal
“hiccups” and tracks them to Dr. Manheim’s
lab—amidst it, Picard reunites with Jenice,
a past love he abandoned for Starfleet ambitions.
It’s a dual narrative: a time anomaly *plus*
a deeply personal flashback to what could’ve
been. ([en.wikipedia.org][1])

- ---

## � What Works

* **Emotional Depth for Picard**: Stewart
showcases Picard’s internal struggle—duty
versus love—with sincerity, particularly
in the holodeck café scenes. Ex Astris
praised “insight into Picard’s
character… gives his character more depth.” ([ex-astris-scientia.org][2])

* **Time Anomaly Sequences**: The multi-Data sequence
and turbolift duplication deliver genuine sci-fi suspense.
One Redditor called the turbolift
moment “one of my favorite time issue moments in TNG.” ([trekbbs.com][3])

* **Technical Ambition**: Budget-conscious yet
polished compositing and Ron Jones’s restrained,
romantic score add nuanced atmosphere. ([filmscoremonthly.com][4])

- ---

## ⚠️ What Misses

* **Inconsistent Tone & Execution**: Critics—including
Den of Geek—found the romance over-scripted and the time-plot
logic flimsy. Den of Geek called it “tedious”
and “no logic to it.” ([denofgeek.com][5])

* **Soap Opera Romance**: Michelle Phillips’s
performance drew mixed reviews—some viewed her
as likable, others as “over-emotes.” Trakt’s
review slammed the “unconvincing melodrama.” ([trakt.tv][6])

* **Unfulfilled Premise**: The time rift is fixed conveniently
and tossed aside. Tor.com’s DeCandido found
it “forgettable” (4/10), suggesting it doesn’t
leave a lasting impression. ([imdb.com][7])

- ---

## 📊 Critical & Fan Ratings

| Source | Score / Grade | Notes |
| ------------------- | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| IMDb | 6.5 / 10 | Middle-of-pack scoring ([imdb.com][8]) |
| A.V. Club (Handlen) | B– / B | Enjoyed the time blips, but criticized romance |
| Tor.com (DeCandido) | 4 / 10 | Technically competent but lacks memorability |
| Den of Geek | Skip | Criticized pacing issues and thin plotting |
| Ex Astris Scientia | 8 / 10 | Praised character insight and technical craft |

Reddit fans often highlight the time effects and Picard moments:

“Season 1’s first really good… perspective switch

in the turbolift” ([reddit.com][9], [reddit.com][10])

“Possibly my favorite S1 episode… Picard consider

the road not taken” ([reddit.com][11])

- ---

## �️ My Verdict & Rating

**Strengths**:

* Strong emotional core and character
insight for Picard.

* Visually dynamic and imaginative sci‑fi
beats with the replicating Datas
and temporal glitches.

**Weaknesses**:

* Uneven script and tonal balance—romance
overwhelms science, time plot feels undercooked.

* Guest roles and narrative payoff don’t
fully meet the premise’s potential.

**Final Rating**: **6.5 / 10**

A heartfelt look at Picard’s past, elevated
by some standout time-travel imagery. It’s not
essential Trek, but its emotional resonance
and inventive effects make it a worthwhile dip
into Season 1 reality—even if it doesn’t
leave a lasting legacy.

- ---

Want a scene analysis—like the turbolift glitch or holodeck showdown? Happy to dive in!

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We%27ll_Always_Have_Paris_%28Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "We'll Always Have Paris (Star Trek: The Next Generation)"
[2]: https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/episodes/tng1g.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Ex Astris Scientia - The Next Generation (TNG) Season 1 Guest Reviews"
[3]: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/episode-of-the-week-well-always-have-paris.199765/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Episode of the Week: We'll Always Have Paris | The Trek BBS"
[4]: https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/notes/box05_disc04.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com "FSM: \"Skin of Evil,\" \"We'll Always Have Paris,\" \"The Neutral Zone\" (Ron Jones)"
[5]: https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/revisiting-star-trek-tng-well-always-have-paris/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Revisiting Star Trek TNG: We'll Always Have Paris | Den of Geek"
[6]: https://trakt.tv/comments/353148?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek: The Next Generation 1x23 \"We'll Always Have Paris\" review by Andrew Bloom - Trakt"
[7]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708840/reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" We'll Always Have Paris (TV Episode 1988) - User reviews - IMDb"
[8]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708840/ratings/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" We'll Always Have Paris (TV Episode 1988) - Ratings - IMDb"
[9]: https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/owqpnk?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TNG We'll Always Have Paris - Data in and fixing a time loop - what a great scene"
[10]: https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/o35w92?utm_source=chatgpt.com "I wish TNG had done \"We'll Always Have Paris\" in a later season, it could have been amazing [Spoilers]"
[11]: https://www.reddit.com/r/Star_Trek/comments/w5lyae?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star_Trek: Rewatch - July 22nd 2022 - TNG S1 E23: We'll Always Have Paris"

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