From Newsgroup: rec.arts.startrek.misc

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

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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 symptomrCoan allergic reaction
resembling an itchrCoshared 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' purposerCothat they were experimenting
on the crew to find a better, more stable form of light
for their proceduresrCois 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

HererCOs my review of *Star Trek: The Next Generation* rCo **rCLSchismsrCY** (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])
* ThererCOs 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 donrCOt fully know the aliensrCO 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 rCLSchismsrCY 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. ItrCOs 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. ItrCOs memorable and tense. ([jammersreviews.com][1])

4. **Unresolved Ambiguity**
The fact that the motivations of the aliens arenrCOt 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 rCo 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 itrCOs 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 theyrCOre doing what theyrCOre doing beyond rCLexperiments.rCY 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 doesnrCOt fully satisfy all the tension built earlier. Some viewers want greater confrontation or explanation. ([IMDb][5])

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

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## Final Thoughts

rCLSchismsrCY 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 doesnrCOt quite reach perfection because of pacing issues and a somewhat thin alien backstory, but those donrCOt severely undercut what works. For viewers who enjoy eerie science fiction, psychological horror, or rCLwhatrCOs happening to me?rCY 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 rCo Season 6, Episode 5 rCo rCLSchismsrCY rCo The Horror of Abduction rCo 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"
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