Star Trek: The Next Generation 6.24

Second Chances

Commander Riker leads an away team (which includes Worf and Data) down to the abandoned base on Nervala IV to retrieve the data logs. They only have a few brief windows during which the transporters will be able to transport them down or back up. They quickly discover that the base isn't abandoned. There is still one person living there, Lieutenant Will Riker.

Riker served aboard the Potemkin, the last ship to visit Nervala IV. He was the last person to leave something went wrong when he was beamed out and a duplicate of him remained on the planet. The Potemkin was unaware of what happened. It has been eight years since that day.

Commander Riker and Lieutenant Riker return to the Enterprise. They do not get along. Lieutenant Riker tries to resume the relationship he had with Counselor Troi before he was posted to the Potemkin. She is reluctant at first but later softens her resistance to re-engaging with him.

The away team later beams back down to the base on Nervala IV to finish the work they started. The two Rikers work together to access the computer core, levels below where the other members of the team are working. Commander Riker saves Lieutenant Riker's life.

Lieutenant Riker decides to leave the Enterprise. Captain Picard finds him a posting aboard the Gandhi and start going by his middle name, Thomas. 

Thoughts

This episode was directed by LeVar Burton. It was his directorial debut. This is one of two episodes of The Next Generation that he directed but he went on to direct several episodes each of Deep Space Nine (10), Voyager (8), and Enterprise (9).

There are no guest stars who play a major role in this episode. Dr. Mae Jemison, the first female, African-American astronaut played a crew member in a scene or two.

This episode dwells on two things. Riker's relationship will his duplicate and his relationship with Deanna. I thought both were well handled although something felt a bit off or forced in some of the moments in which Lieutenant Riker and Commander Riker butted heads. The part of the story that dealt with the second chance at romance with Deanna worked better for me.

I enjoyed this episode very much. I would say it is very good but not great. It is worth seeing although it is not one of my favorite episodes.