Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Episode: 2.17 Samaritan Snare (5-15-89)
Rating: 3/5
Redshirt Status: 0/18.5/21.5

Notable Guest Stars:
Christopher Collins – Grebnedlog. He would continue to appear on Star Trek in DS9
Tzi Ma – Biomolecular Specialist

Review:

I watched this episode with my mother, who is a nurse.  While she wouldn’t be in a surgery (she’s not a surgical nurse) she agreed with me that this episode is full of technobabble that makes no sense.  They even made up a name for a scalpel, calling it a Tissue migrator.

I don’t really care for this episode.  I feel its not anyone’s best.  There is nothing in particular bad about it, but nothing particularly good about it either.  This is probably the shortest review ever, because other then Picard’s backstory, there is nothing really important in this episode to comment on.

Interesting Notes:

• Written by Robert L. McCullough
• Directed by Les Launau
• This episode plays a part in the sixth season episode Tapestry

Pros:

• Picard backstory
• Advancement of technology to include artificial hearts.

Cons:

• I like that they are now wearing hair coverings in surgery, but why not masks?  Its it the sterile field?
• This is supposed to be a routine procedure with complications, yet the complication is something only one doctor can handle? I would think they would have had someone able to deal with it at the hospital.