Television Review: Family (Star Trek: The Next Generation, S4X02, 1990)
Family (S04E02)
Airdate: October 1st 1990
Written by: Ronald D. Moore Directed by: Les Landau
Running Time: 45 minutes
It is a widely held conviction among aficionados that Star Trek: The Next Generation, and by extension the franchise itself, reached its creative apex with the seminal third-season finale and fourth-season premiere, The Best of Both Worlds. This two-part epic, which famously featured Captain Picard’s assimilation by the Borg, is so profoundly consequential that many viewers naturally consider the subsequent episode, Family, to be its direct and essential third chapter. This instalment, which first aired in October 1990, boldly forgoes any conventional science-fiction narrative to become a pure character study, dealing exclusively with the psychological aftermath of the preceding crisis. While its audacious focus on emotional fallout rather than plot was initially divisive, Family has, over time, been reassessed as a groundbreaking and indispensable piece of the TNG canon.
The episode commences with the USS Enterprise-D, severely damaged from its confrontation with the Borg, docked at McKinley Station for repairs. Although Captain Jean-Luc Picard has been physically restored following his traumatic assimilation, Counsellor Deanna Troi correctly perceives that profound psychological wounds remain. She suggests he take leave on Earth, a recommendation that sets the episode’s primary drama in motion. Picard returns to LaBarre, the small French village and vineyard that has been in his family for generations. There, he encounters his older brother, Robert (Jeremy Kemp), a man deeply rooted in tradition and resentful of Jean-Luc’s decision to abandon the family legacy for a Starfleet career. Kemp portrays Robert with a wonderfully crabbed authenticity, his hostility intensifying when he learns of Jean-Luc's celebrated, heroic status—a status that has led to a prestigious offer to head the Atlantis Project. Their simmering tension culminates in a physical brawl in the mud, which almost immediately gives way to a powerful reconciliation. It is here that Patrick Stewart delivers what many consider his finest performance in the series, as Picard breaks down, confessing his shame and guilt over the actions he was forced to commit as Locutus. This raw, human moment allows Robert to finally see past the Starfleet captain to his wounded brother, providing the cathartic resolution that enables Picard to return to his command.
Running parallel are two secondary storylines that, while thematically linked, suffer in comparison to the Picard narrative’s depth. Lieutenant Worf is visited by his human adoptive parents, Sergey and Helena Rozhenko, played by Theodore Bikel and Georgia Brown. Their well-intentioned efforts to comfort Worf over his discommendation from Klingon society are touching, though the subplot is notably less emotionally charged. Concurrently, Dr. Beverly Crusher discovers a holographic message from her late husband, Jack (Dough Wert), intended for their son, Wesley. Wesley views the message for the first time on the holodeck, a moment of sentimental closure that, while heartfelt, is often criticised as the episode’s weakest narrative thread, feeling somewhat contrived and underwritten.
Family originated from a sound and necessary concept by producer Michael Piller, who sought to address the life-altering trauma of The Best of Both Worlds in a realistic manner, acknowledging that such events could not be simply brushed aside by the next week’s adventure. This approach represented a strong tonal shift towards a quieter, plotless "bottle episode" dedicated solely to character exposition. The premise was initially resisted by executive producer Rick Berman and series creator Gene Roddenberry, who demanded a "proper" sci-fi side storyline; Piller successfully argued against this, allowing the episode to proceed as a pure drama. The resulting script, by the esteemed Ronald D. Moore, proved the viability of such intimate storytelling within the Star Trek framework. Director Les Landau made effective use of the minimalist settings. Notably, this is the only episode in the series’ run to feature no scenes on the Enterprise bridge and to exclude the character of Data entirely. It offers a rare glimpse of ordinary, non-utopian life on 24th-century Earth, depicting LaBarre as a village seemingly unchanged for centuries—a conscious choice that aligns with the series’ theme of humanity cherishing its history.
The episode’s great strength lies in its guest cast. Jeremy Kemp is thoroughly convincing as the embittered, earthy Robert Picard. The seasoned actors Bikel and Brown bring warmth and authenticity to the Rozhenkos, providing a compelling counterpoint to Worf’s stern demeanour. Samantha Eggar, though an accomplished actress, is underserved by the slightly underwritten role of Marie, while David Birkin is suitably effective as the young René, a role he would return him to series as a child version of Picard in the later episode Rascals.
Upon its original broadcast, Family achieved the unfortunate distinction of earning the lowest Nielsen rating of TNG’s fourth season. Its abandonment of sci-fi trappings was not immediately popular with a segment of the general audience. Critics, however, lauded it for that very reason, praising its high-quality writing and acting. Some have since argued it is among the very best episodes the series ever produced. This overpraise, however, warrants scrutiny. While the idea of a character-focused "bottle" episode was indeed sound and arguably groundbreaking for the franchise, the execution is not entirely flawless. The central thematic conceit—exploring family and trauma through three separate storylines for three main characters—feels somewhat convenient and mechanically orchestrated. The Worf and Crusher subplots are demonstrably weaker than the Picard storyline, their emotional weight failing to achieve the same resonance.
Family is a courageous and largely successful experiment. It proved that Star Trek could tell powerful, human stories without reliance on alien confrontations or technobabble, paving the way for the more serialised and character-driven storytelling of Deep Space Nine. Its reputation as the unofficial third part of The Best of Both Worlds is wholly deserved, as it provides the essential emotional coda that the two-part action story lacked.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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