Coming of Age by: Sandy Fries and directed by: Mike Vejar

 

“Coming of Age” is written by: Sandy Fries and is directed by: Mike Vejar.  It was produced under production code 119, was the 19^th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and was broadcast on March 14, 1988.

 

Star Trek didn’t really have a consistent continuity for its original series run.  Sure you’d get episodes that were sequels to one another: “Mudd’s Women” and “I, Mudd” are probably the biggest pair of episodes, but outside of that its episodes were generally avoided referencing one another.  Star Trek: The Next Generation as a series to be successful in the 1980s needed to reflect the general increase in internal continuity in American television that began in the late-1970s and would eventually arc into the completely serialized dramas we know today.  “Coming of Age” is the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that is both calling back to previous plot points and character arcs and attempting to setup future arcs, though as this is my first time watching Star Trek: The Next Generation I don’t actually know if any of the setup will be paid off.  Still, it’s actually quite nice to see an episode where things are set up, even if it’s still an episode of Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, therefore both oddly paced and acted.  The idea is that there is something within Starfleet that is a threat and Picard is being investigated to see if an old friend can trust him with a position running the Academy, thus being able to get to the bottom of whatever is threatening Starfleet.  This is oddly enough, the B-plot of the episode, both it and the A-plot being hastily setup in the pre-credits sequence, yet as a plot it’s essentially done at about the 2/3 mark of the episode, getting one final conclusion of Picard telling Quinn he won’t take the promotion, largely because it would take him away from the Enterprise being right at the end.  Writer Sandy Fries doesn’t seem to know exactly how to get to the reveal as well, seemingly trying to make the audience think Picard is going to show “imbalance” when a stressed, failed Starfleet cadet steals a shuttlecraft in an attempt to run away, but that’s what makes Picard pass the tests.  It’s nice to see some sort of setup for some sort of story arc, because that goes a long way to set Star Trek: The Next Generation up as distinct from the original series.

 

The actual A-plot of the episode is also one that works in theory, though less so in practice.  The main drama is Wesley Crusher taking the entrance exam for Starfleet Academy, something that has been key to understanding his character is his drive to enter the Academy and become part of Starfleet proper.  The exam itself has parameters that are at best silly and inefficient: they will only accept one new recruit into their ranks.  This is a general piece of storytelling trope that is already shaky, usually applied to military or other elite institutions which Starfleet is, but going down to have it literally just be one recruit as it is presented here just makes it fall apart.  Fries as a writer does have Wesley fail the exam eventually, after demonstrating quite a bit of competency and understanding that he has what it takes, which is a failure that can push the character forward, but the stipulation to doing it is weird.  There are several tests that Wesley has to undergo with the other examinees, some of whom are non-human looking aliens which genuinely makes Starfleet feel intergalactic.  The plot works on paper, but in practice it’s brought down not from bad direction, Mike Vejar despite only directing this episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, is actually a really effective director in terms of straining the examinee’s stress and the different types of tests.  The performances of the other examinees range from fine in the case of John Putch as the Benzite Mordock, to just outright bad with Estee Chandler as Oliana.  The dialogue between the examinees is also particularly rough, Wil Wheaton at points meaning to come across as accidentally condescending in the script, but Wheaton clearly realizes that would make Wesley look worse so he plays some things as sincere.  The actual meat of the episode is the final psychological test Starfleet puts Wesley through, it’s a brutal simulation of a dangerous scenario similar to the one that killed his father.  Wesley makes the right decisions to try and save the dying crew who have found themselves in a hopeless situation, but it’s still traumatizing to essentially make him live this type of scenario.  Fries as a writer doesn’t ever become quite specific as to how corrupt Starfleet is for this type of test, though there are some indicators that that may be the intention.

 

Overall, “Coming of Age” is an episode with so much potential that it never quite meets.  The big problem with the episode is a weak script and a supporting cast which oscillates wildly.  Ward Costello and Robert Schenkkan are the standouts and play characters that clearly are meant to be recurring, even if I have no way of knowing if they are without spoiling potential future episodes.  Wil Wheaton has to carry a plotline and the script isn’t quite enough for him to really carry, but the ideas are good enough that the episode isn’t actually terrible.  It’s kind of the definition of messy, but with a clear direction on where to improve so Star Trek: The Next Generation can move forward.  5/10.