The length of this reaction & discussion did not justify splitting into separate videos. Moving forward, the reaction & discussion may be together or separate depending on what we think is best for that individual episode.

I teach History at the high school level (both World and U.S.). A few years back, I noticed that our class discussions on global terrorism and the events of 9/11 had changed, and in fact, had become very superficial. That actually makes sense when you realize that all of my students this year were born anywhere from five to nine years after the attacks in 2001. While they certainly had heard about the terrorists who flew planes into buildings, they had little knowledge about the way the events of that day actually unfolded, not to mention the things that led up to it and the changes in the USA as a result. I added a lot of that type of information to my class presentations on the 9/11 attacks, which helped with their understanding of the events of the day and the consequences that led to significant changes in the way Americans live today. What it didn't help a lot with was understanding why were attacked and the way terrorists think. To solve that, i began showing this episode of TNG. While it may seem a little over the top and preachy to those of us that clearly remember the world before 9/11, it has opened my students eyes incredibly and greatly increased class discussion and understanding. Another win for Star Trek! Live Long and Prosper! 🖖

Data: "....2024" Boys: "He SAID THE THING!!"

I really like this episode because it just painted both the government and the terrorists as broken people and both in the wrong and didnt pick a side to point who was in the right

Happy Irish Unification everyone.

I love it. “Waiter!” Explosion destroys part of restaurant “ … Check please!”

Picard's no pushover, actually having him react in a situation like terrorists appearing on his bridge and shooting his consoles by running up to the leader and decking him to the floor was excellent.

patrick stewart was an amateur boxer. this fact led william shatner to say " i really believe james t. kirk would win in a fight against jean luc picard, but im even more convinced patrick stewart would kick bill shatner's ass."

We didn’t get to see this one in the UK. The BBC didn’t show it because it was seen as an allegory of what was going on wrt Northern Ireland - it even referred to “Irish Unification” which gave explicit support to the goals of the IRA.

The reason this episode was harder for you to watch than other episodes is you are living at the same time as other events are happening. That experience you just had is the same discomfort we felt with other episodes which tied into the political or social climate at the time but may not be in the forefront of our societal consciousness. Congratulations, You now have a deeper understanding of what it is like to be a Star Trek fan.

Dudes, with your explanation of why you watch Star Trek for the characters, I REALLY can't wait until you get to DS9. I mean seriously...I can't wait!!

I really appreciate your takes a lot. You genuinely respect YOUR audience by properly discussing the quality and details of an episode. You don’t pretend to love everything like some channels just being hype to get views. You take time to think and analyze it to pick it apart or identify what was working great.

Worf: "If only people would listen to the security chief and tactical officer once in a while."

What i find fascinating is that this episode was written to reflect the situation in Northern Ireland in the early 90's, but as you said at the beginning of your review... it reflects some situations in 2024 as well. That is emblematic of great fiction... that the themes can become timeless.

This must be Anakin Skywalker's least favourite Star Trek episode. Also your reaction to Picard's punch was great!

good science fiction is always, in some way, a study of the human condition. that's why Star Trek is able to bring out the characters the way they do.

Just as DC Fontana described the original series, the writers tried to present issues without telling an audience what to think.

The scene of Data and Picard talking about terrorism had to be cut back in the day. Probably my favorite scene in all of TNG.

Picard could absolutely ignore Crusher's objections and beam her up if he wanted to; she doesn't have the authority to counter his order to evacuate back to the ship; the areas where she can overrule the Captain are in relation to the crew's health (including his own, potentially), provided it doesn't interfere with the functioning of the ship or endanger the ship's mission. She would have just read him the riot act for doing it, and he decided to let her proceed.

Finn totally underestimated the Picard right cross!

I do love the police uniforms in this. There's a lot of bad 80s fashion throughout the show but those look great.

Oooh this is the one which was banned in the UK when I was a kid.

One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. I don’t know who said this but it seems right. This episode hold up really well.

This episode was banned in the UK and Ireland as it mentions the Irish reunification....ironically, the year chosen for this reunification is this year.

Gabrielle Beaumont directed the TNG S3E6 Episode "Booby Trap". Sadly, she passed away at the age of 80 in October 2022.

"California and Texas teaming up .... " Ha, nice one, crackin' reference for something that bent over so far backwards trying to be apolitical it collapsed into utter pointlessness!

The thing about Star Trek when it takes on topics like this, it doesn't fully demonize any specific side. Finn's group is actually a bit sympathetic in the cause they are fighting for. I won't get into my views on current day politics, but I will say that there was something Picard said last episode, I believe? "Internal Security.... the age-old cry of the oppressor." that is VERY relevant to this episode. But now, we're seeing a group of people SO desperate in their fight for freedom, that they will do the unconscionable to achieve their goals. Much like we saw in the Andor show so far. When "the people" have been oppressed enough, their only recourse is to turn to violence.

Oh hey, it's the Irish Unification of 2024 episode. Sweet! I love this one.

the gun the woman is using when she beams on the enterprise and shoots the 2 women is a blaster from the tv series V.... :D

Underrated episode. It definitely challenges the audience’s preconceived notion, which has made a lot of viewers very uncomfortable. Not a perfect episode, but there’s lots of great Trek qualities in this one.

Interesting that you guys liked the episode separated from discourse around the time when this was released. At the time people thought it was absolutely on the nose. Just goes to show how different episodes can age differently to a new audience.

I think of "Vengeance Factor," "The Hunted" and "The High Ground" as being a trio of very serious, somber, tonally similar episodes, each reflecting back on a particular knotty problem of the times (clan feuds and cycles of revenge, terrible treatment of veterans, terrorism). And in some ways, they seem even more relevant today. "High Ground" is the best of the three to me in almost every aspect. Tighter action, better script, better guest stars, better direction, better sets. I liked them all, however, because these three, along with two banger Romulan episodes in the "The Enemy" and "The Defector," produced five out of six episodes that gave the series some much needed gravitas. While "The Price" was quite different in tone, I enjoyed it more than the average Star Trek bear with some really good world-building. These six episodes in sequence were what really sold me for good on TNG. I was already quite the fan, but these were the ones that solidified my fandom. At this point, we've lost some of the awe and wonder and innocence of S1 and S2, but this is better in the end.

Action Picard!

12:45 - I don't know how it works in Star Fleet or even in the present-day military, but I worked for a zoo for 20 years, and that's the way it works there: if it comes down to a disagreement between the zoo director and the veterinarian, guess who's in charge. The vet holds all the aces. That's just the way it is. Nobody. Bucks. The Doctor.

Trivia: TNG started its episode broadcasts on the BBC in the UK around 1989. Once they got to The High Ground, they banned it and skipped to the next episode because of tensions in Northern Ireland at the time. The "Irish Unification of 2024" did not sit well with the BBC.

Picard be like, "GET THE FUCK OFF MY SHIP!!!"

Some episode trivia from memory alpha: Originally, the plot was intended to have parallels to the American Revolution, but writer Melinda Snodgrass was told to change the analogy to Northern Ireland, a change she was very unhappy about. "I wanted it with Picard as Cornwallis and the Romulans would have been the French, who were in our revolution, trying to break this planet away. Suddenly Picard realized he's one of the oppressors. Instead, we do 'Breakfast in Belfast,' where our people decide they're going to go off to Northern Ireland."

Star Trek is like a dream. It's always night outside and everyone's in their jammies!

Reposted from Patreon: Cue the "Revenge of the Sith" jokes. The title of the initial pitch document was “Strength and Justice” - presumably not a feasible title, since there was already a TNG episode called “Justice.” It was this episode, not “Up the Long Ladder,” that major British and Irish broadcasters refused to air. Satellite channel Sky One showed it in 1992 but omitted the crucial, controversial scene in which Data mentions “the Irish Unification of 2024.” As of March 2024, the BBC had only ever broadcast “The High Ground” once, at 2:39 a.m. on September 29, 2007. This is the first-ever Star Trek episode with both a woman writer, Melinda Snodgrass, and a woman director, Gabrielle Beaumont. However, the finished episode is quite different from Snodgrass’ original concept. Snodgrass intended to write an allegory for the American Revolution, with Picard and his crew realizing they were on the “wrong” (British) side; Picard would have played a role analogous to that of Charles Cornwallis, the British commander who surrendered at Yorktown. The Romulans would have played the role of the French, allying themselves with the independence movement. Thus, Snodgrass originally intended to fulfill Alex’s prediction of the “switch” in the audience’s sympathies. Although Kyril Finn still compares himself to George Washington, Snodgrass reluctantly reworked the story to parallel the Troubles in Northern Ireland on orders from a TNG higher-up whose identity I cannot determine online. Michael Piller may well *not* have been the culprit, since he disliked the finished episode, calling it “Another show that I wasn’t particularly happy with” and agreeing with Ronald D. Moore that it made no significant statement about terrorism. The Ansata homeland’s location on the “western continent” is likely a relic of the original concept, although Ireland is also west of Britain. On the other hand, the statement that the Rutian government denied the Ansata independence 70 years earlier tracks well with the revised allegorical concept: the Irish War of Independence lasted from 1919 to 1921, and thus was underway 70 years prior to this episode’s original broadcast. While Crusher’s initial refusal to speak to Finn is dramatically effective, it seems odd that she never tells him her name, given that the three things real-world military and paramilitary organizations actively encourage their members to tell their captors if they become prisoners or hostages are their name, rank and serial number. Crusher goes on to reveal other potentially sensitive information to Finn, such as that she has a son and that he is aboard the Enterprise, while still not revealing her name. The absurdity of Troi’s costuming in TNG is never clearer than in this episode, in which she runs up the Bridge ramp shouting, “Security, Code One Emergency!” with her long aqua gown billowing behind her. This would be a dramatically effective incongruity if the terrorists had invaded a formal occasion, but Troi is wearing normal everyday attire for her duties aboard the Federation’s flagship. Kerrie Keane (Alexana Devos) later appeared in an episode of the legal drama series "Shark" called “The Wrath of Khan”! Richard Cox (Kyril Finn) was the first of two actors to play the role of Max Frazier, the father of one of the regular characters on the 1990s PBS children's show "Ghostwriter"; the realization that that show went off the air the year Alex and Josh were born has made me feel older than anything else that happened this week. The role of waiter/terrorist Katik Shaw is one of only four acting credits IMDb lists for Marc Buckland, who is primarily a TV director and producer (and whose Wikipedia article has been tagged for notability since October 2019). Christopher Pettiet (the boy) also appeared in "Point Break" and as one of the sons of L. Frank Baum, the author of the Oz books, in the TV movie "The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story." He died of a drug overdose in 2000 at the age of 24. (By my count, as of this comment I have written over 200 pages of comments on Target Audience Star Trek reactions on KZfaq and Patreon.)

I`m glad that you mentioned that so far Star Trek is a show that does not lecture you, but instead it gives you all sides and let`s you decide what side of the story you land on. With that being said and I`m not trying to start anything with anyone here, but that is the major problem that I and a lot of other people have with New Trek, it does not do that anymore, it just tells you how you must think and feel without even wondering about the other side of the argument at all. Again, I`m not trying to start anything, it`s just something for you guys to remember, so that down the line you can make that determination yourself. Keep up the good work guys, love the channel!!

I don't think this episode ever makes anyone's Top 10, but if you didn't like this episode, then I didn't know if I was going to continue. It's definitely an edge of your seat great episode.

In my opinion, really good SciFi is always allegorical of what is happening in the real world when it is created, it's what elevates it above other fiction. A prime example I always use is "The Forever War" which was written by a Vietnam War Veteran that was trying to make sense of what he had experienced, I highly recommend it to anyone interested. What elevates Star Trek is that it created regular characters you learn to love and care about, then put them in these allegorical situations. It's one of the reasons I love Star Trek....I also love the phaser blasts and tactical starship battles as well, but hey, just another reason to love Star Trek.

Even tho Crusher is used as a POV character in this episode, I do think we learn a lot about her and her character. I like how everyone in the crew is kinda afraid of her starting with Data when he says they need to beam up and she says no and he’s at a loss of what to do so he calls the captain and Picard and Riker are afraid to face her if they go against her wishes. It’s also cool to see her pull rank on Worf and order him to go get supplies to help the wounded. This also showcases Picard and Crusher unique relationship in that she is the only person on the crew who would openly challenge his orders like that. Everyone else in the crew holds Picard in such high regard (rightly so), but while Beverly respects him greatly she knew him before he was “Captain Picard”, when he was just “Jean-Luc” so she doesn’t have that reverence for him like everyone else which allows her to speak more candidly and more casually to him than anyone else on the crew, which is something Picard needs. He needs someone he can be more himself in front of and who he knows will call him out on his BS.

Glad the reaction and discussion were in the same video again. I much prefer this format.

One of the top ten, if not top five, What Star Trek is About episodes.

I've been waiting for the moment when you guys witnessed Picard springing into action and throwing that punch lol. I remember when I was a kid and watching this with my parents we all freaked out too.

This is one of those episodes I’ve only seen like twice in 30 years and don’t think about much, but your rewatch made me give it another look. I kinda dig it.

6:59 I had the same reaction to seeing Captain Picard throw that punch when I saw this as a kid. Pretty obvious stunt double in the follow through shot if you pause at the right moment XD

Am I the only one who noticed (back when I was a kid when this first aired and now) that the dimensional shifting technology is the ultimate weapon? It goes right around shields and damages organic tissue eventually... But doesn't seem to damage equipment at all, or at least not as fast. Using the shifting tech to put bombs in enemy ships while their shields are up would be hugely game-changing. These terrorists only had a small bomb so they had to manually make sure it was right on the warp core. But if you shifted over a photon torpedo warhead...

I completely forgot that this one existed, but it’s actually pretty good

"I love downers." Let's clip that to use out of context later.

I think the point of the music after "you will see him again!" is to sell the capability of violence with this guy paired with his nonchalance. It's like you agreeing to a friend and him responding: "Great. Now I don't have to kill you!" You're like wait what?..Subliminal threat is what I'm saying.

The weird thing about the technology is it may be deadly to humans... But couldn't you use it to send remotes? Or drones?

I think many people consider "The Velvet Revolution" in Czechoslovakia in the late 80's (and largely peaceful fall of "iron curtain"/soviet satellites throughout Eastern Europe) as an example of peaceful secession. A big part of the peaceful transition has been attributed to Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika policies, as well as his ultimate decision NOT to use the Soviet army against protestors/revolutionaries during crucial moments where he could have escalated things. What I mean is, both sides have to be okay with the change or there will be armed conflict. It's pretty rare when the more powerful side willingly allows the "weaker" side to leave. You are right, nearly every time in history these issues come up, it almost always leads to violent conflict.

Love the cafe set on this episode. We never get to see the worlds that they visit.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia separated peacefully after a referendum. And of course there was Brexit more recently. It's not unheard of.

What I like about Star Trek is the sense of awe and wonderment, but it also has the sci fi element to give it more plausibility. I like the character moments too but it's the way they execute the continuity throughout the series that drives the interesting character development. The political themes do tend to have a lot of freedom and different perspectives to offer which also makes the show very interesting.

I think the "I see no reason to kill you" was meant to carry the implied threat of "...yet". Like he was saying, "If you do whatever I say. But that could all change if you interfere." It was meant to indicate that he sometimes does kill hostages if he sees fit. That's how I read it. But I get why it seemed odd. They probably could have phrased it in a way that made it more threatening and less softened.

Dimensional shifting teleporter - when you wanna teleport via the Astral Plane DnD style instead of that pesky slow transporter! It even looks like it shifts you through a white glowing realm - just like the Astral Plane.

Such a wonderfully mature and measured post reaction discussion. You guys nailed it 👍

i love the ambiguity as you did. to me, the most subtle and intriguing part is that these aliens are not made up. they just look human. definitely enhances the commentary on human history! edit: looked up ansata. refers to a handled cross, aka an ankh. an ankh means both a cross of life and a hand mirror, which implies reflecting on yourself while living, and i like that if it was intentional-- the both sides ism metaphor is nice.

Cool episode. I call this the terrorist episode. Great episode filled with plenty action and Philosophical and ideological debates and tactics.

In his study of instances when terrorism has worked, Data notes that Ireland was unified in 2024. As a result, this episode was not originally shown by the BBC in the United Kingdom due to the then ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.[1] It was not broadcast in the Republic of Ireland by the Star Trek rights' holder, RTÉ, during the show's run though UK broadcasts were received there. Initial UK airings were edited and shown for the first time on the satellite channel Sky One on November 29, 1992.[3] The episode was broadcast unedited in May 2006 on Sky One and finally shown unedited on BBC Two during the third season's repeats after midnight on September 29, 2007

I really do like this format better. I am just a random viewer on KZfaq but I do find it more interesting and engaging to have the discussion directly after the reaction.

The punch felt throughout the galaxy.

This episode is called The High Ground because Blazin' Bev is friggin baked the whole time

Love your channel, guys! What I found interesting is that the writing never gives a _reason_ for why the Ensata wish to secede. In the American Revolutionary War, it (supposedly) was to gain independence from England. In the American Civil War, it was so that the South could conduct freedom to conduct its economy in the way it saw fit (through slavery). It would have added another layer of complexity if the Ensata had a sympathetic cause.

Canadian actress Kerrie Keane did an excellent performance in this episode.

0:44 I will NOT have what she's having!

This was aired right in the middle of the First Intifada and of course during the peak of The Troubles. While it’s unlikely Ireland will reunify, at least the Good Friday agreement of 1998 stopped the killing.

You've probably already watched it, but you guys are gonna love the next episode. And the second episode following that is probably going to blow your minds.

Dr. Crusher as Patty Hearst

It sounds like Picard says ‘pickle supplies’ at 0:36.

Yeah !!!!!!!!! The reaction and the discussion in one video. And, please keep includig the old school network promos. !!

Appreciate the discussion. It is cool to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as your thoughts on how the character moments elevate your enjoyment of the sci-fi moments. Thanks!

Actually many civil wars are for control of the country, not an attempt to secede.

Canada just asked for independence and got it (kind of). Singapore didn't ask for independence and got it - look up a video of their Prime Minister crying on televisiion as he tells the people. (they made the best of it tho) .

I'll admit right away that I could be wrong since it has been so long since it has happen, but I believe because this episode was done in the 90's one of the main thing's that was going on, that the U.S was keeping a eye on, that was being pointed out, was the fighting in Northern Ireland done by the I.R.A who was trying to take that part of the Island back from the U.K.

There have been a few clean, bloodless splits. Checkoslovakia being a recent example

Correction...the Civil War started when the Confederacy attacked the Union at Fort Sumter, federal land in South Carolina. Had they not done that and instead negotiated with the Union and sought trade deals with Europe, we may be two countries today. OK episode. Good premise. Good acting.

While secession and civil war frequently go together, they do not always: The English civil war didn’t involve any succession movement. The “velvet divorce” (dissolution of Czechoslovakia) or the end of the Kalamar Union (Norway-Sweden) are examples of successions without wars.

Ah yes, the episode the bbc cut out the Irish 2024 line.

Just wondering if you guys knew that the ceiling lights in the transporter are the original TOS transporter pads?

This is Captain Picard to Kyril Finn. We have a bargaining chip we would like to offer. We will trade you one perfectly good Pulaski for our Crusher.

I enjoy watching your takes on the characters, writing and directing. I was a young kid when I watched TNG for the first time, I was all into the ships, FX and battles. Watching them back through you guys is really interesting as there’s been quite a few quieter episodes that I didn’t pay much attention to the first time around which were great for character development. This episode was banned in the UK for a long time due to Data’s comment about the Irish.

"You'll see Wesley again." *intense musical sting*

This ep was either banned or censored in several countries for a long time (and still is).

It's over Anakin, I have TNG Season 3 Episode 12!

Sci-fi is perfect for talking about real issues, without the baggage that comes from talking about real issues.

I know they have different writers, but it almost seems like this episode and The Hunted was originally one script, that they decided to divide into two separate and distinct stories.

I have a little criticism with the opening scene The Enterprise is there on a humanitarian mission. Worf is good enough for security in an area that is "safe". However I would liked to see Picard beam down a medical team and security to treating the wounded only. You can still have terrorists attack and kidnap Beverly. But that is a few more extras and choreography to deal with.

It is over Anakin.

Super serious situation mirroring the Irish situation back then. With comic team interactions with crew to lighten it up!

Great discussion.

One of my favorite for all the reason you discussed.

Fun fact, the line of “the irish unification of 2024” alone got this episode banned in the uk for like 20 years

Great discussion. I think you guys nailed it on the head.

"Worf with a good isea." Worf always has good ideas. Like Riker (and all other senior officers) it's his job to offer alternatives to the captain. It's just that his focus is more on security, attack and defense than the big picture. When Tasha perished he was the logical choice for security chief because of just that background and range of expertise.

"This episode was such a downer." I'm really looking forward to the next episode's reaction.

I always liked this one, but I'm just here waiting for the next 2 Mondays, which should be epic if I understand you two.