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AI/LLM reviews of STNG - Sub Rosa

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Dr. Beverly Crusher travels to the desolate planet Caldos II for the funeral of her beloved grandmother, Felisa Howard. While on the planet, Beverly inherits her grandmother's property and finds Felisa's diary, which details a passionate, century-long affair with a mysterious figure named Ronin. Beverly soon begins to hear Ronin's voice, feeling drawn to him, and eventually meets him in physical form, beginning an intense, sensual relationship.

The crew investigates strange occurrences, including wild weather patterns surrounding the estate and a mysterious candle that never seems to burn down. It is revealed that Ronin is not a human spirit but an anaphasic energy being residing in the family's antique candle. This entity has been subtly seducing, dominating, and drawing life energy from the women in Crusher’s family line for generations, essentially enslaving them with the promise of eternal love. The episode concludes with Beverly breaking Ronin's influence with assistance from Picard, destroying the entity, and returning to the Enterprise.

Strengths

Focus on Crusher: The episode attempts to give Dr. Crusher a major storyline centered on her family history and personal desires, which is rare in the final seasons.

Atmosphere: The production design successfully creates a distinct, gothic, and moody atmosphere on Caldos II, setting it apart visually from standard Starfleet environments.

Weaknesses

Major Tone Conflict: This is the episode's biggest failing. The plot is a blend of gothic romance and a supernatural "ghost story" that completely violates the science-fiction framework and rationalist tone established by seven seasons of Trek. The idea of a sentient, candle-dwelling entity that seduces a family line is highly incongruous.

Lack of Tension/Mystery: The mystery surrounding Ronin is often sacrificed for overt, melodramatic romance. The audience is shown what's happening, making the "reveal" less impactful.

Character Regression: Crusher's professional, intelligent character is largely sidelined, as she becomes almost immediately and illogically obsessed with the spectral lover, making decisions that seem beneath her Starfleet training and medical expertise.

The "Anaphasic Energy Being" Retcon: The attempt to explain the "ghost" using vague Trek technobabble (anaphasic energy) is transparently weak and fails to justify the supernatural setup.

Overall Impression

"Sub Rosa" is widely considered one of the weakest episodes of TNG. It is an attempt at a genre mash-up (gothic romance meets sci-fi) that unfortunately fails to integrate the two elements, resulting in a confusing, poorly executed, and often embarrassing story that feels wholly disconnected from the larger series narrative.

Rating: 2.5/10

ChatGPT

Good call — **“Sub Rosa”** (TNG S7, Ep 14) is one of the most controversial / polarizing episodes in *The Next Generation*. Here’s my breakdown, based on its plot (e.g. from Chakoteya and other sources) plus critical reception — and then a rating.

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## Review of *Sub Rosa*

**What Works / Strengths**

1. **Ambitious Genre Blend**

   * The episode leans into gothic-romance / ghost story territory, which is quite different from your typical TNG plot. That risk is interesting, because it tries to do something *new* for Trek. ([Den of Geek][1])
   * According to *Den of Geek*, it combines “literary appreciation, scientific inquiry, and silly conceits,” giving us a more atmospheric, mood-driven story rather than just a technobabble sci-fi plot. ([Den of Geek][1])

2. **Character Focus on Dr. Crusher**

   * This is one of the few episodes that deeply centers on Beverly Crusher’s personal / family life. That gives her emotional weight, beyond just being the Enterprise’s doctor. ([Durfee][2])
   * There is an exploration of desire: *Den of Geek* notes that the episode addresses female sexuality more directly than typical Trek episodes. ([Den of Geek][1])
   * Gates McFadden’s performance is earnest: despite the bizarre setup, she sells the emotional and seductive tension reasonably well.

3. **Creepy / Eerie Visuals**

   * There are genuinely creepy and gothic moments (storms, the old mansion, the candle as a receptacle) that give the episode a distinct atmosphere. ([Den of Geek][1])
   * The reveal that Ronin is not just a ghost but an “anaphasic” alien lifeform gives a science-fiction twist to the romance / horror narrative. ([Wikipedia][3])

4. **Thematic Depth (to an Extent)**

   * Themes of legacy, family, and what we inherit (both physically and emotionally) are present: Beverly is literally dealing with her grandmother’s past, and Ronin has “lived” through generations of her family. ([Durfee][2])
   * There’s a power / consent dynamic that’s somewhat disturbing: Ronin exerts control, and there’s a question of agency. Some critics (e.g., from Gameindustry) argue it parallels abusive relationships. ([Game Industry News][4])

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**What Doesn’t Work / Major Criticisms**

1. **Tone Misfit & Strange Premise**

   * Many feel that the gothic-romance, “sex with a ghost / candle” angle is wildly out of place in *Star Trek*. ([Screen Rant][5])
   * The Scottish-ghost mansion on an alien planet feels campy and not fully integrated into the Trek universe in a believable way. ([Den of Geek][1])
   * Critics at *Gizmodo* call the episode “unhinged” and argue that Beverly’s agency is undermined: she is more a victim than an equal in the relationship. ([Gizmodo][6])

2. **Character Agency / Consent Issues**

   * According to some reviews, Ronin’s “seduction” is less about mutual romance and more about manipulation. ([Game Industry News][4])
   * Beverly seems to be under his influence, raising uncomfortable parallels to possession or abuse. *Gizmodo* suggests she loses a lot of her autonomy. ([Gizmodo][6])
   * The resolution is messy: she destroys the candle / host, but the emotional wrap-up (“whatever else he might have done, he made her grandmother happy”) feels like a gloss rather than a true reconciliation. ([Wikipedia][3])

3. **Critical / Fan Reception Is Largely Negative**

   * On IMDb, many users rate it very low. ([IMDb][7])
   * *Gizmodo* calls it one of Trek’s “lowest lows,” in terms of how it handles character, tone, and romantic horror. ([Gizmodo][6])
   * Still, it’s not universally hated: a *StarTrek.com* writer gave it **10/10** in a list of *underrated* episodes, praising its weirdness and emotional ambition. ([Redshirts Always Die][8])
   * On Reddit, opinions are mixed: some find it deeply flawed and cringe-worthy; others say if you lean into the weirdness, it can be “a fun, witchy romp.” ([Reddit][9])

4. **Writing / Plot Inconsistencies**

   * According to a review (Random Musings), Dr. Crusher’s behavior is inconsistent: at times she seems possessed, other times she claims she was “seduced,” which muddies whether she truly had agency. ([JPHalt's Star Trek TNG Reviews][10])
   * The subplot (weather control malfunction) is flimsy, not tightly connected to the emotional / gothic main plot, and doesn’t provide strong tension. ([JPHalt's Star Trek TNG Reviews][10])
   * Some of the “scientific” explanations for Ronin (anaphasic alien, plasma-based candle) feel hand-wavy, especially given the erotic / romantic framing.

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**Overall Assessment**

* *Sub Rosa* is *ambitious*, for sure — it tries to do something very different for *TNG*, blending gothic romance, horror, and sci-fi.
* It provides a rare, deep “Crusher-centric” emotional story, but it fails in many ways to fully justify or ground the bizarre premise.
* The episode is tonally inconsistent: sometimes it's moody and creepy, sometimes melodramatic, sometimes unintentionally campy.
* The biggest problem is how it handles Beverly’s agency and consent: the romantic / sexual dynamic with Ronin is deeply troubling from a modern perspective and doesn’t land well for many viewers.
* That said, there is something to appreciate in its weirdness — and some fans do enjoy it as a “cult oddball” episode rather than a serious Trek morality play.

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**Rating: 4.5 / 10**

I lean toward a low score because, for me, the conceptual risk is overshadowed by poor execution and problematic character dynamics. It’s not the worst TNG episode, but it’s also not a hidden gem — more like a “so weird it’s memorable, but not in a good way” episode.

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[1]: https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation-worst-episode-worth-watching/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Why One of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Worst Episodes Is Still Worth Watching | Den of Geek"
[2]: https://www.durfee.net/startrek/TNG_0714.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Rob's STAR TREK Episode Guide"
[3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub_Rosa_%28Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Sub Rosa (Star Trek: The Next Generation)"
[4]: https://www.gameindustry.com/gamer-blogs/sub-rosa-the-secret-that-should-have-remained-a-secret/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Sub Rosa: The Secret that Should Have Remained a Secret - Gameindustry.com"
[5]: https://screenrant.com/star-trek-sub-rosa-worst-weakest-episode-joke-comic/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek Calls Out One of The Weakest Episodes of Any Show"
[6]: https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-sub-rosa-30th-anniversary-ghost-sex-candle-1851210280?utm_source=chatgpt.com "30 Years on, TNG's Ghost Sex Episode Remains as Unhinged and Awful as Ever"
[7]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708778/reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" Sub Rosa (TV Episode 1994) - User reviews - IMDb"
[8]: https://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/2022/09/26/star-trek-writer-calls-sub-rosa-an-underrated-star-trek-the-next-generation-episode/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek writer calls “Sub Rosa” an underrated Star Trek: The Next Generation episode"
[9]: https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/r7y56b?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Sub-popular opinion: Sub Rosa is not bad"
[10]: https://jphalt-startrek-tng-reviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/7-14-sub-rosa.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994) - Random Musings: 7-14. Sub Rosa."
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