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The Doctor <doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca> wrote:
> AI/LLM Reviews of Star Trek The Next Generation - Masks 
> 

Space Mayans! Another strong contender for worst episode of TNG ever made.


> Google Gemini
> 
> Plot Synopsis
> 
> The Enterprise encounters a 20,000-year-old transforming satellite
> orbiting a pre-industrial planet. When they bring the artifact aboard, it
> begins to overwrite the ship's computer systems and environment,
> gradually transforming the interior of the Enterprise into a jungle and
> an ancient temple complex.
> 
> Concurrently, the satellite's cultural database completely overwrites
> Commander Data's neural network, turning him into a vessel for the
> ancient culture's personalities and mythology. Data continuously changes
> roles, first appearing as a childlike female figure (The Maiden, or
> Masaka) and later manifesting as the aggressive Sun God, Korgano. The
> entire crew, particularly Captain Picard, must try to decode the bizarre,
> non-linear mythology being acted out, as the ship's life support systems
> fail and the transformation threatens to become permanent. Picard
> ultimately realizes he must play the role of the mythical "Moon" to
> distract and pacify the Sun God/Data, allowing the ancient culture to
> finally transition into a new state.
> 
> Strengths
> 
> Brent Spiner's Range: This episode is a showcase for Brent Spiner, who
> gets to perform wildly outside of Data's usual stoic persona. He adopts
> radically different mannerisms, voices, and physical expressions as he
> cycles through the various mythological figures (Masaka, Korgano, and the Trickster).
> 
> Unique Visuals: The visual effects of the ship transforming—with
> foliage, ancient stones, and a cascading waterfall appearing on the
> Bridge and in Ten-Forward—are strange and memorable, providing a
> unique, almost surreal atmosphere.
> 
> Weaknesses
> 
> Confusing and Arbitrary Plot: The central mystery is difficult to follow
> and its ultimate resolution relies on Picard essentially guessing an
> obscure mythological punchline. The audience is rarely given enough
> information to understand the rules or stakes of the transformation,
> making the events feel arbitrary rather than dramatically compelling.
> 
> Pacing Issues: The episode is slow, largely consisting of the crew
> reacting passively to Data's antics and the ship's physical changes,
> rather than actively solving a problem using traditional Star Trek methods.
> 
> Weak Premise: The idea that an ancient culture's entire existence could
> be preserved as a data structure that actively takes over modern
> technology is a hard concept to suspend disbelief for, even within the
> context of science fiction.
> 
> Overall Impression
> 
> "Masks" is almost universally cited by fans as one of the more baffling
> and poorly conceived episodes of TNG's otherwise strong final season.
> While it offers a unique visual experience and allows Brent Spiner a rare
> opportunity to stretch his acting muscles, the script is a philosophical
> and narrative mess. The episode is often more frustrating than engaging.
> 
> Rating: 3.5/10
> 
> ChatGPt
> 
> Here’s a review of **Star Trek: The Next Generation — “Masks”**
> (Season 7, Episode 17 / Production 269), based on the transcript from
> Chakoteya and common fan/critical responses. ([chakoteya.net][1])
> 
> ---
> 
> ## ✅ What Works — Strengths and Ambitions
> 
> 1. **Ambitious, Myth‑Heavy Concept**
> 
>    * The core idea — the Enterprise encountering an ancient “archive
> comet” from a long‑dead civilization that begins transforming the
> ship into artifacts & temples, while the ship’s android (Data) becomes
> host to personalities from that civilization — is bold and imaginative.
> ([ex-astris-scientia.org][2])
>    * It mixes sci‑fi with myth, psychology, and symbolism: masks,
> identities, ancient culture, memory, transformation. That kind of symbolic,
> cultural‑archaeology sci‑fi is fairly rare in the series — when it
> works, it can be interesting.
> 
> 2. **Showcase for Data / Actor Performance**
> 
>    * Because Data absorbs multiple personalities (including mythological
> figures like “Masaka” and “Korgano”), the episode gives the actor
> a chance to explore a range of personas, voices, and behaviors. Many fans
> note that this is “data‑playing‑roles,” a big stretch for the
> actor and a chance to show range. ([Bradley's Basement][3])
>    * For viewers willing to engage with the surreal concept, there’s
> something distinct about seeing “Data” become something alien,
> something symbolic, something uncanny.
> 
> 3. **Atmosphere & Weirdness — “Sacred Archive Gone Wrong”**
> 
>    * The cascading transformations of the ship, alien symbols, archaic
> rituals, masks and cultural artifacts — these create a strong
> *atmosphere*. It’s effectively unsettling in parts, and that
> strangeness is a deliberate strength for the episode’s mythology-driven
> horror/sci‑fi vibe. ([letswatchstartrek.com][4])
>    * For some viewers, that surreal “acid‑trip through alien myth”
> feel gives the episode a guilty‑pleasure quality — weird, cheesy, but
> memorable. There’s even a portion of fans, according to fan‑comments,
> who say this is “so bad it’s good,” or “so weird it’s awesome.” ([Reddit][5])
> 
> 4. **Standalone Structure**
> 
>    * “Masks” works as a standalone story. You don’t need deep lore
> familiarity to follow “comet → archive → transformation → solve
> by myth decoding.” That makes it accessible for episodic viewing, which
> in principle is a plus.
> 
> 5. **Thematic Layers (Identity, Memory, Culture, Change)**
> 
>    * The idea that a culture’s “archive” might survive as raw data
> and attempt to recreate itself — by transforming an entire starship and
> subsuming a sentient being — raises classic questions about identity,
> memory, survival of culture, and the danger of messing with unknown
> legacy/knowledge. For sci‑fi fans interested in those philosophical
> reckonings, “Masks” offers something unusual.
> 
> ---
> 
> ## ❗ What Fails / Where It Breaks Down — Weaknesses & Flaws
> 
> 1. **Plot Confusion & Lack of Clarity**
> 
>    * Many viewers describe the plot as “muddled,” “incoherent,” or
> “impenetrable.” ([Wikipedia][6])
>    * The mythology isn’t fleshed out enough for many — the transition
> from alien‑archive → temple ship → Data‑possession → ritual
> resolution feels messy, and motivations behind the archive’s behavior
> remain vague. Critics argue that the episode lacks a strong central
> threat or emotionally relatable antagonist, making it hard to care much
> about the outcome. ([Doux Reviews][7])
>    * The resolution arguably comes too suddenly: after a bizarre build-up
> and a slowly unfolding mythology, the fix (constructing a symbol/temple,
> Picard wearing a mask, ritual dialogue) feels rushed and somewhat
> anticlimactic. Many reviews note the ending is abrupt, lacking tension,
> and feels more like “reset button.” ([Trekking with Dennis][8])
> 
> 2. **Emotional & Narrative Stakes Are Weak / Don’t Land**
> 
>    * Because we don’t really get to see the personalities (the alien
> culture) in depth — no character development for Masaka, Korgano or any
> “citizens” of the archive — there’s little emotional investment.
> As one critic put it: “you can’t be bothered to give a crap whether
> Masaka or Korgano comes out on top.” ([Doux Reviews][7])
>    * The “multiple‑personality Data” plot turns more into weird
> visuals and mood than real character or moral exploration. After the
> transformation and the “defeat,” there’s no lasting impact — Data
> ends the episode “empty,” the ship is restored, and we don’t get
> deeper reflection. ([ex-astris-scientia.org][2])
> 
> 3. **Tone & Execution: Over‑the‑Top / Cheesy / Hammy**
> 
>    * A common complaint: the episode veers into overacting, hammy
> dialogue, and sometimes unintentional comedy. Some of the personas Data
> adopts come off as cartoonish rather than terrifying. ([IMDb][9])
>    * The attempt at deep mythology and symbolic weight often clashes with
> clunky exposition and overly heavy-handed “ritual dialogue,” making
> the episode feel more like a bizarre myth‑play than a coherent sci‑fi
> drama. ([spaceopera.com][10])
>    * Because it happens late in the series, some fans interpret it as
> “throwing weird ideas at the wall” — as though the writers were
> trying to deliver something new but ended up with a disjointed mess. ([Screen Rant][11])
> 
> 4. **Reset‑Button / No Lasting Consequences**
> 
>    * As with many “weird TNG” episodes, everything gets reset at the
> end. The alien archive is destroyed or neutralized, Data is restored, and
> life goes on as usual. That undercuts any sense of real consequence.
> ([Bradley's Basement][3])
>    * For those hoping for deeper character development (especially for
> Data or Picard’s archaeological side), there’s little lasting
> fallout. The “cultural encounter” ends without much reflection or
> change. ([ex-astris-scientia.org][2])
> 
> ---
> 
> ## 🎯 My Analysis & Where “Masks” Lands
> 
> I view **“Masks”** as one of those episodes where ambition and
> weirdness collide — it wants to be symbolic, mythic, psychological, and
> cosmic all at once. On paper, that’s cool. On screen, it’s hit‑or‑miss.
> 
> * If you appreciate **surreal sci‑fi, mythology, atmosphere, symbolic
> horror**, and don’t mind some cheese and weirdness: “Masks” can be
> fun, memorable, and weirdly compelling.
> * If you value **tight plotting, emotional investment, coherent villainy,
> meaningful character arcs**, “Masks” often feels messy, shallow, and
> ultimately unsatisfying.
> 
> What “Masks” *isn’t* is a classic TNG episode — it doesn’t
> deliver strong moral clarity, it doesn’t build to a satisfying
> emotional climax, and it doesn’t offer meaningful consequences for the
> characters. Instead it’s more like a stylized myth/dream‑sequence:
> strange, symbolic, but fleeting.
> 
> ---
> 
> ## ⭐ Rating: **5.5 / 10**
> 
> **Why 5.5**: Great ambition, interesting ideas, and a bold experiment —
> but the execution is too flawed: the plot frequently feels incoherent,
> the emotional stakes don’t land, and the payoff is thin. It’s more of
> a curiosity than a success, more “interesting failure” than “great episode.”
> 
> If you like, I can also list **5–10 TNG episodes** that handle “alien
> myth / culture archive / weird relic” better (i.e. *stronger* than
> Masks), for comparison. Do you want me to build that list for you now?
> 
> [1]: https://www.chakoteya.net/NextGen/269.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "The Next Generation Transcripts - Masks"
> [2]:
> https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/episodes/tng7.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Ex Astr
> s Scientia - The Next Generation (TNG) Season 7"
> [3]:
> https://bradleybasement.wordpress.com/sci-fi/star-trek/masks-tng-tv/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "‘Masks’ (TNG) (TV) | Bradley's Basement"
> [4]:
> https://www.letswatchstartrek.com/2021/05/19/tng-masks/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "[TNG] Masks
> - Let's Watch Star Trek"
> [5]:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/1knq1xb?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Just h
> t \"Masks\" on my full Trek rewatch... and I don’t get the hate"
> [6]:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masks_%28Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation)"
> [7]:
> https://www.douxreviews.com/2019/08/star-trek-next-generation-masks.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "Doux Reviews: Star Trek The Next Generation: Masks"
> [8]:
> https://trekkingwithdennis.com/2021/11/22/tng-rewatch-7x17-masks/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "Star Trek: The Next Generation re-watch – Season 7, Episode 17: Masks
> – Trekking with Dennis"
> [9]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708748/reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "\"Star Trek: The Next Generation\" Masks (TV Episode 1994) - User reviews - IMDb"
> [10]: https://spaceopera.com/startrek/tng/s7?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star
> Trek: The Next Generation reviews — season 7 | SpaceOpera.com"
> [11]:
> https://screenrant.com/star-trek-brent-spiner-tng-masks-prepostrous-acting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "Star Trek’s Brent Spiner Laughs At His “Prepostrous Acting” In TNG
> Dud Episode “Masks”"
> 



-- 
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.