Star Trek TNG S03E22-24 The Most Toys, Sarek, Ménage à Troi – “We don't talk about Spock” | First Time Reaction – To Baldly Go Podcast (Ep. 056)

This week on The To Baldly Go Podcast, Aaron and Nate continue their release-order watchthrough with three more episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation: "The Most Toys," "Sarek," and "Ménage à Troi." This week, we get: Evil, terrifying characters Allegory Shakespeare We covered: The Most Toys Sarek Ménage à Troi In "The Most Toys," Data is left for dead and finds himself in the possession of a truly evil collector. We discuss how the episode works as part of the well-oiled machine of Season 3, the challenge of building tension when we know major characters are probably safe, and whether Data may be one of the most terrifying characters on the Enterprise when pushed far enough. In "Sarek," The Next Generation continues to stand on its own while still maintaining a strong connection to The Original Series. We talk about Patrick Stewart’s remarkable performance, Sarek’s emotional decline, aging, dignity, and whether the episode works as an allegory for Alzheimer’s or dementia. We also discuss the apparent rule against referencing Spock. In "Ménage à Troi," Lwaxana Troi returns, Shakespeare takes center stage, and the Ferengi are once again very Ferengi. We discuss judging episodes by their titles, whether Lwaxana is growing on Aaron, and how this episode lands after two heavier stories.