When Star Trek: The Original Series premiered in 1966, it changed the face of sci-fi television, eventually gaining a cult following and launching several spin-offs. Its successor Star Trek: The Next Generation proved equally popular, if not more. As a result, fans of the franchise have often debated which entry is the superior series.
While The Next Generation isn’t without its flaws and The Original Series is a pathbreaker, the successor almost certainly surpassed its predecessor during its sixth season. The two-part episode Chain of Command was the exact moment The Next Generation proved that it was superior to its parent series. Here is what the episode gets right and what makes it even better than the classic original series.
Chain of Command Proved Star Trek: The Next Generation Surpassed The Original Series
Chain of Command is a two-part episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which premiered in December 1992 as a part of the show’s sixth season. The episode revolves around Patrick Stewart‘s Jean-Luc Picard who infiltrates a Cardassian territory only to get captured and tortured.
The episode is most notable for the graphic torture scenes. However, the episode goes much deeper into its characters, particularly Picard, using the torture scenes as a means to explore his past traumas and emotional scars. As a result, Picard feels more like a human and less like a two-dimensional fictional character.
Furthermore, the episode also explores themes of moral ambiguity in war. Picard’s torture raises questions about the use of such tactics. Meanwhile, the same is also evident in the conflict between Riker and Captain Jellico, who butt heads over how to deal with the situation after Picard is captured.
The emotional intelligence of the characters is also highlighted in the episode, especially when Riker accepts his dismissal from the Enterprise, with Data chosen as his replacement First Officer. The episode also brilliantly shakes up the main cast by throwing in guest star Ronny Cox, with impressive performances from everyone.
Ultimately, the episode takes a great risk by dealing with some complex real-world themes, something Star Trek was specifically designed for. However, it does so without cutting any corners and gives a complex resolution to the episode’s conflict with Picard almost giving in to the torture and only being saved at the last minute.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Fixed Some Flaws of The Original Series
Although Star Trek: The Original Series was pathbreaking, it often resorted to formulaic storytelling. The series was almost too scared to shake up the status quo, something The Next Generation did expertly with an episode like Chain of Command.
Moreover, the successor series had fewer plot-driven episodes and explored more character-driven stories. Chain of Command is again a perfect example of the same as it showcases a previously unseen side of Picard, taking him to his breaking point while simultaneously commenting on his leadership style by contrasting it with Captain Jellico’s style.
Similarly, the episode’s primary villain, Gul Madred, a sadistic Cardassian interrogator, is an example of The Next Generation’s desire to explore more nuanced villains with grounded motivations instead of them simply being evil for the sake of it, like the early appearances of the Romulans.
Lastly, The Next Generation has an increased focus on character development, unlike The Original Series, which resets characters to their original state at the end of most episodes. In contrast, the events of Chain of Command have a profound impact on Picard, which is subsequently explored in later episodes. As a result, The Next Generation literally surpassed its predecessor, and Chain of Command proves it on every metric.
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