Davin News Server

AI / LLM reviews of Star Trek The Next Generation - Schisms

Google Gemini

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise begins to suffer 
from inexplicable, fragmented memory loss and vivid 
nightmares, all centered around a bizarre, repeating 
metallic clanking sound. Commander Riker is the most 
affected, experiencing disturbing visions of a surgical 
table and strange alien figures. Dr. Crusher identifies 
a correlating physical symptom—an allergic reaction 
resembling an itch—shared by the affected crew members.

After the crew compares their fragmented memories 
in the holodeck, they realize they are being 
systematically abducted in their sleep by an unknown, 
non-corporeal species. These aliens are transporting 
the crew to a dimensional pocket of "non-space" where
they are performing experimental, intrusive procedures.

Using a recovered fragment of Riker's memory, the crew 
sets a trap, luring the aliens back to the Enterprise. 
The ship then uses a modified probe to enter 
the aliens' dimension. A tense standoff ensues, 
culminating in the Enterprise successfully reversing
 the aliens' transporter signatures and escaping 
 their strange, unsettling operating room, leaving 
 the abductors stranded in their own space.

Strengths
Atmosphere and Suspense: "Schisms" successfully 
creates a chilling, almost horror-movie atmosphere. 
The mystery of the fragmented memories and the shared 
sense of violation build genuine dread. The sequence 
where the crew pieces together the puzzle in the holodeck, 
realizing they are victims of alien abduction, 
is brilliant and unsettling.

The Power of Sound Design: The repeated, 
eerie "clank-clank" sound of the aliens' machinery 
is one of the most effective sound cues in TNG. 
It is simple, auditory horror that immediately signals 
something is deeply wrong and helps ground the crew's 
shared trauma.

Riker's Focus: Jonathan Frakes delivers 
a strong performance, grounding the psychological terror 
in Riker's distress and determination to understand what 
is happening to him and his crewmates.

Weaknesses
Anticlimactic Explanation: The ultimate reveal 
of the aliens' purpose—that they were experimenting 
on the crew to find a better, more stable form of light
for their procedures—is often criticized as being weak. 
The motivation doesn't fully justify the high 
psychological horror stakes established 
throughout the episode.

Sci-Fi Gimmickry: The introduction of "non-space" 
and the "Soliton Wave" technology is a highly technical, Trek-specific solution that requires a lot of rapid exposition, making the climax less about human drama and more about scientific maneuvering.

Overall Impression
"Schisms" is an excellent example of TNG venturing into psychological thriller territory. It masterfully uses confusion, shared trauma, and unsettling soundscapes to create a disturbing and memorable viewing experience. While the conclusion is technically complex and the aliens' motivation feels a bit shallow compared to the terror they inflict, the journey remains gripping. It's a great choice for fans who enjoy episodes that are more atmospheric and creepy than philosophical.

Rating: 8/10

That was a deep dive into an episode that really stands out visually and aurally! 

ChatGPt

Here’s my review of *Star Trek: The Next Generation* — **“Schisms”** (Season 6, Episode 5), using the information from the transcript and critical/fan commentary, with a rating out of 10.

---

## What the Episode Does / Plot Summary

* Strange things begin happening aboard the Enterprise: several crew members (Riker, Geordi, Worf, and others) experience mysterious missing time, insomnia, unexplained physical symptoms, or feeling that something is not right. ([jammersreviews.com][1])
* The clues build slowly: Riker falls asleep, Geordi feels pain, Worf freaks out around scissors, etc. Crew start trying to piece things together. ([jammersreviews.com][1])
* Eventually they realize that aliens from another dimension (or phase) are abducting crew members during those missing times, performing experiments (including surgical procedures) while the crew are unaware. ([jammersreviews.com][1])
* There’s a holodeck recreation sequence: some of the affected crew use the holodeck to reconstruct their partial memories (foggy, fragmentary) of where they were taken. This is creepy and disorienting. ([jammersreviews.com][1])
* In the finale, Riker stays awake and tricks the aliens somewhat, manages to rescue at least one victim, and they close the rift / subspace gap through which the aliens were abducting people. But the episode ends with some ambiguity: we still don’t fully know the aliens’ motivations; a brief energy pulse at the end suggests something may remain unresolved. ([Wikipedia][2])

---

## What Works Very Well

1. **Atmosphere & Suspense**
   The episode builds dread gradually. What starts with mundane annoyances (poor sleep, odd pains) escalates into something genuinely creepy. Many fans say “Schisms” is one of the scariest TNG episodes. ([IMDb][3])

2. **Mystery Structure**
   The slow reveal works: little hints, mismatched memories, unexplained symptoms, leading to the realization of something wrong. It’s more effective by making the viewer feel the unease along with the characters. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

3. **Holodeck Reconstruction Scene**
   This is widely praised. Reconstructing their experiences in the holodeck is visual, eerie, emotionally unsettling. It’s memorable and tense. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

4. **Unresolved Ambiguity**
   The fact that the motivations of the aliens aren’t fully explained, and the threat is partly removed but not completely squared away, adds to the lingering feeling. For many viewers that uncertainty heightens the impact. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

---

## Where It Falters / Weaknesses

1. **Pacing / Slow Build**
   Several reviewers note that the first half drags — the episode spends a lot of time building up the weirdness before moving into more overt horror / confrontation. Some find the lead-in segments (insomnia, poetry reading, etc.) slow. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

2. **Technobabble & Plot Stretch**
   The explanation of how the crew are abducted, how the subspace rift works, etc., relies on a lot of technical jargon. Some of the science is vague or feels like it’s there to justify the plot rather than being integral. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

3. **Alien Threat Under-Developed**
   While creepy, the alien antagonists are not deeply characterized. We never get a strong sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing beyond “experiments.” No dialogue, motive, or consequences beyond the immediate rescue. Some fans feel this reduces the emotional or thematic depth. ([cameronmoviesandtv][4])

4. **Emotional Payoff / Resolution is Mild**
   The rescue and closing of the rift work, but they feel somewhat formulaic; the resolution doesn’t fully satisfy all the tension built earlier. Some viewers want greater confrontation or explanation. ([IMDb][5])

---

## Overall Rating: **8 / 10**

---

## Final Thoughts

“Schisms” is one of those TNG episodes where the creepy mystery stays with you. It succeeds best in unsettling tone, slow-burn terror, and in making familiar environments (your own crew ship) feel unsafe. It doesn’t quite reach perfection because of pacing issues and a somewhat thin alien backstory, but those don’t severely undercut what works. For viewers who enjoy eerie science fiction, psychological horror, or “what’s happening to me?” type stories, this one is highly recommended.

[1]: https://www.jammersreviews.com/st-tng/s6/schisms.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Schisms\" | Star Trek: TNG | Jammer's Reviews"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schisms_%28Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Schisms (Star Trek: The Next Generation)"
[3]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708770/reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" Schisms (TV Episode 1992) - User reviews - IMDb"
[4]: https://cameronmoviesandtv.wordpress.com/2020/05/09/star-trek-the-next-generation-season-6-episode-5-schisms-the-horror-of-abduction/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 6, Episode 5 – “Schisms” – The Horror of Abduction – cameronmoviesandtv"
[5]: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0708770/reviews?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" Schisms (TV Episode 1992) - User reviews - IMDb"

-- 
Member - Liberal International This is doctor@nk.ca Ici doctor@nk.ca
Yahweh, King & country!Never Satan President Republic!Beware AntiChrist rising!
Look at Psalms 14 and 53 on Atheism ;
All I want to hear from JEsus Christ is WEll done Good and Faithful servant