Ooh, first nit! When Picard is talking to Perrin, he has a line about a "Mozart recital." Listen to the piece that makes Sarek cry, though -- no way is that Mozart. I'm not sure what it really is, though.

It is from a Sextet by Brahms. Perhaps that's why the Ambassador was crying- he had been told it was an all-Mozart concert and was deeply disappointed that it wasn't. (And just how was the Quartet playing a piece for six instruments anyway? Were two of the instrumentalists double stopping all the time? That's the only way it might be possible, but even virtuosi would have trouble with the kind of double stopping needed to reproduce a sextet with four instruments...)

did any one notice the clean up job?
is it me or are did the guys in the back move a table to the door set it down and move it back?

In his Stardate Picard says that this will be the first meeting of the mysterious Legarans and the Federation, but isn't Sarek a member of the Federation and hasn't he been building a personal trust with them for 93 years? Also later in the show Picard states that the treaty will have incalculable benefits for the Federation, but if the Legarans are so mysterious, then how does Picard know that there will be any benefits to the Federation?

When talking about Sarek's accomplishments Riker mentions Alpha Cygnus IX. First of all, the correct way to refer to it would be as Alpha Cygni IX, not Alpha Cygnus IX. Secondly Alpha Cygni is more commonly known by the name Deneb, the same star from Encounter At Farpoint.
(Well, Star Trek is not the only show to get star names all wrong. An episode of Blakes Seven is titled Cygnus Alpha. What is it about Television Science Fiction writers, can't they open a reference book once in a while to get the names write... I mean, right?)

If Sarek is telepathically sending his emotions and affecting the crew, shouldn't the Empathic Counselor Troi pick this up immediately. I should think it would be as obvious as fireworks on a dark night to her.

So Wesley is dating Ensign Dumont. How old is Wesley in this episode? She must have spent four years at the Academy and has been an Ensign for an unknown period of time. Also this Ensign Dumont must be smarter than Wes since she passed the same, or a similar, entrance exam that he failed. (Unless she was field promoted for some 'service' to a Captain or Admiral.)

After Riker breaks up Wes and Geordi's screamfest, Wes says, "Permission to leave, commander.", then leaves without waiting for a response. Is this proper shipboard protocol?

Dr. Crusher says, "We have determined that the outbreak of violence..." Shouldn't she say outbreaks of violence? There was more than one.

When talking with Picard, after she correctly pronounces it Ben-die Syndrome, Perin then says, "My husband does not have Bandy Syndrome." Did she suddenly forget how to pronounce the word or was she just trying to trick Picard?

Let's review now, shall we. The Legarans only trust Sarek, they don't want any furniture in the meeting room, so Sarek will have to stand while they relax in their hot tub, the walls must be bare, and it took three months to arrange the time of the meeting, but there are no provisions for change. Ah, yes. Those Legarans are truly an incalculable prize for the Federation.

At the end when Sarek and his entourage are to transport over to the Merrimac, why is everyone just milling about waiting for Sarek to show up? Did Sarek have to stop at the `little Vulcan's room' and told them all to go on ahead? These people were all very protective of Sarek throughout the show, so why didn't they accompany him to the Transporter room?

At the beginning of the show the Enterprise picks up Sarek at Vulcan to take him to Legara IV and host this prestigious conference, but once the conference is over, they just schlep Sarek to another ship for the return trip to Vulcan. Did the Enterprise have another urgent appointment to make and the Merrimac just happened to be going in the right direction, or did the Federation just want to impress the Legarans by using the flagship for this treaty and once the Legarans had been suckered in did Starfleet just tell Picard to stick Sarek on the cargo ship and get back to mapping stars?

So Wesley is dating Ensign Dumont. How old is Wesley in this episode? She must have spent four years at the Academy and has been an Ensign for an unknown period of time. Also this Ensign Dumont must be smarter than Wes since she passed the same, or a similar, entrance exam that he failed. (Unless she was field promoted for some 'service' to a Captain or Admiral.)

In Hollow Pursuits Barkley refered to him as a "17 year old kid". Wes took the entrence exam when he was 15, so presumably when he was 16 he could have entered the acadmey, if Dumont was 16 when she started she could have graduated at 20 and be 21 or 22 in this episode. Seems reasonable to me.

KAM: After Riker breaks up Wes and Geordi's screamfest, Wes says, "Permission to leave, commander.", then leaves without waiting for a response. Is this proper shipboard protocol?

Luigi Novi: Well, no, Keith, obviously it isn't. Wes is being agitated by Sarek's illness, remember?

KAM: Dr. Crusher says, "We have determined that the outbreak of violence..." Shouldn't she say outbreaks of violence? There was more than one.

Luigi Novi: The outbreak refers to the entire situation, not each fight, Keith.

Brian Fitzgerald: In Hollow Pursuits Barkley refered to him as a "17 year old kid". Wes took the entrence exam when he was 15, so presumably when he was 16 he could have entered the acadmey, if Dumont was 16 when she started she could have graduated at 20 and be 21 or 22 in this episode. Seems reasonable to me.

Luigi Novi: Why would she be 21 or 22 in this episode? And how many 22 year old girls do you know who'd date a 16 year old?

Luigi Novi: Why would she be 21 or 22 in this episode?

Brian Fitzgerald: Wes took the entrence exam when he was 15, so presumably when he was 16 he could have entered the acadmey, if Dumont was 16 when she started she could have graduated at 20 and be 21 or 22 in this episode.

And how many 22 year old girls do you know who'd date a 16 year old?

Since this is the end of season 3 he would be 17 (almost 18) not 16. I can think of one (who was 21) who I went out with when I was 17.

When Perrin pleads with Picard to let Sarek complete the negotiations she mentions that Sarek thus would keep his respect, pride and honour. I can accept respect and honour, but isn't pride an emotion? Why would a Vulcan be interested in pride?

Maybe I'm just misreading it, but doesn't Wesleys little screamfest with LaForge border on insubordination? Why would Riker let it pass and not confront Wes and teach him a thing or two about prober behaviour for a Starfleet officer? Poor Barclay didn't get off so easily in "Hollow Pursuits".

NANJAO: I was really moved by this episode by Stewart's acting..His rendition of Picard experiencing Sarek's emotions was too good to describe. The final greeting was a real tear-jerker as well.

How come no one blows a boatswain whistle in Sarek's honor upon his arrival? Kirk got one in STII, Gorkon got one in STVI...why not Sarek?

Sensitive ears?

At one point, Picard mentions that he attended Sarek's son's wedding. I can't help but wonder who Spock married...Chapel or Saavik?

I can think of two explanations for why Sarek would not be piped aboard. First, he seems like a very humble person who did not wish to be received with such ceremony when simply doing his duty. He may have requested they dispense with such things. Second, his staff seemed determined to get Sarek settled in his quarters and spend the time until his meeting preparing in privacy. They may have asked that any formal welcome be set aside.

About the wedding Picard attended, perhaps it was not for Spock. Sarek might have had another child after Spock was in Starfleet, so the family would continue if Spock died. Decades passed between the old series and the new one, so there was time for him to have a child and have him grow to adulthood and marry. Even if it was Spock, why assume that it was either Saavik or Chapel that he walked down the aisle with? Perhaps neither was available when he decided to settle down. As cool as he was, he couldn't expect the woman he had known to pine for him forever.

Perrin's headdress contains pieces from the High Priestess garments in ST3. The stone I think came from the hand/wrist garments in ST3.

They said so in the Collectors Edtion of Star Trek III

Deleted scene:

Perrin: Why did you cry during the recital?
Sarek: They said it was a Mozart recital and they played a piece by Brahms. I wanted Mozart! (blubber blubber)

KAM made an interesting point about the Legarans. They seem very anal-retentive about protocol. I bet they'd go ape if that slime pool was one degree too hot or cold. The Federation bends over backwards to establish relations with snobby cultures like the Legarans, the Jarada and the Sheliak, and none of them ever have to show the Federation any consideration in turn. They seem to just slobber all over people like them, like high school students trying to hang with the popular crowd.

About Sarek's decades of work on the Legarans, I get the feeling cowboy diplomacy runs in the family. He and Spock have a taste for pursuing relations with foreign governments. After all, during Sarek's 93 years of work, Spock made friends with a Romulan Senator, the Klingon Chancellor and who knows who or what else, all without telling the Federation. Also, Sarek seems to be conducting this final negotiation with the Legarans without any assistance from the Federation. I know they trust only Sarek, but why doesn't the home office send some people to meet their representatives. Sarek retired after that negotiation, so the Legarans need to get used to some new people anyway.

Finally, I don't think the idea of Sarek feeling pride is any less believable than him feeling love or friendship. Vulcans are perfectly capable of emotion, and appear to regard logic as an ideal. If they were perfectly logical, they wouldn't have much of a civilization; they'd be as drab and ugly as the Borg. Vulcans clearly have concepts of love, loyalty, friendship, patriotism and shame. How logical are those?

WARNING POLITICAL CONTENT FOLLOWS....

The Federation bends over backwards to establish relations with snobby cultures like the Legarans, the Jarada and the Sheliak, and none of them ever have to show the Federation any consideration in turn.

Seems to be very similar to the way things are done here in the US. In business/diplomacy/whatever, US people are expected to bend over backwards to accomodate the other people, but no reciprocation is ever expected.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled nitpicking.

Chris Diehl: The Federation bends over backwards to establish relations with snobby cultures like the Legarans, the Jarada and the Sheliak…
Luigi Novi: I don’t recall any mention in The Ensigns of Command the Federation bent over backwards for the Sheliak to establish relations with them, only that their treaty with them took many people and a long time to write.

Chris Diehl: About Sarek's decades of work on the Legarans, I get the feeling cowboy diplomacy runs in the family. He and Spock have a taste for pursuing relations with foreign governments. After all, during Sarek's 93 years of work, Spock made friends with a Romulan Senator, the Klingon Chancellor and who knows who or what else, all without telling the Federation.
Luigi Novi: Spock never made friends with the Klingon Chancellor without telling the Federation. He said he opened a dialogue with Gorkon at the best of the Vulcan ambassador. There is no reason to think that this was not done openly through legitimate channels.

Chris Diehl: Also, Sarek seems to be conducting this final negotiation with the Legarans without any assistance from the Federation. I know they trust only Sarek, but why doesn't the home office send some people to meet their representatives.
Luigi Novi: Whether Sarek is meeting with the Legarans by himself, or with other representatives assisting him (which is likely), has nothing to do with cowboy diplomacy. The negotiations are being held openly on the Federation flagship, with the full knowledge and encouragement of the Federation. So how is this cowboy diplomacy? There is also no reason to assume that the “home office” did not send people to meet their representatives. We only know that Sarek is the point man in charge of the negotiations because the Legarans won’t speak to anyone else.

KAM, Chris,

I don't get it why the Federation shouldn't try to comply with the legaran's wishes. These are just protocol questions. I don't see the Federation as "bending over backwards" since there is no Federation standard in these negotionas, so why not accept the other culture's demands? Its not as if they demand a million credits cash up front, or dismantling of the fleet or anything outrageous like that.
Although the writers often forget it, the idea of the Federation isn't to propagate white middle-class behaviour, life style, mannerisms and speech pattern to every alien planet and species they encounter; its more the IDIC philosophy of accepting that there are different cultures, different way of doing thinks, and as long as everybody agrees on the core values (comparable to the UN Human Rights, I would guess), the rest is up to the individual members.

So the Federation isn't bending over backwards to an anal-retentive species; they are showing a culture where things are done differently respect by not forcing them to accept some federation standard of procedure.

And how does the Federation know that an alien race might not simply be as trying and demanding as possible as a way of testing the federation? As to how much sweet talk and actual behaviour fit together?

As for Picard saying that the Legarans have sth. to offer: I guess he was thinking of more than a simple trade or technology exchange program. He was thinking that the strength of the federation is the diversity of cultures, which encourages creative thinking and personal growth much more than a bland culture everywhere the same (much as cooking your own food gives you a broader taste than having only mcdonalds and nothing else everywhere).
So Picard is thinking that the legarans will add a distinctive "flavour" to the federation, maybe bringing a much needed sense of "take it slow, important things shouldn't be rushed".

Okay, constanze, you've convinced me. The best way to deal with other cultures is to... Conquer them quickly, crush them under our iron heel and bend them to our wills!!! Muhahahahahahahahahahaha!!! ;-)

Seriously, however, I think the thing which bugged me was that there was all this evidence of the Federation bending over backwards to please the Legarans, but Picard just says that there are good things to gain from them, but doesn't say what so the viewers' opinion of the Legarans is based solely on the things that have to be done to accomodate them.

You do have a good point with the "take it slow, important things shouldn't be rushed" comment. Matter of fact I think Tam Elbron mentioned the Chrysalians (?) in Tin Man who have a three day ceremony for saying hello. However this ep really doesn't show us any good things about the Legarans.

Also it could be argued that the Legarans don't really want to be part of the Federation and all these things are done to annoy the Feds into leaving them alone.
Legaran: What? Sarek finally talked you into meeting with them?
Legaran leader: Hey. I ran out of excuses. What could I do?
Legaran: Now what?
Legaran leader: Look. Why don't we make up a big list of conditions that would be hard for them to meet so we can find an excuse to leave early?
;-)

NOTE: It sure would have been nice for the writers to add a line as to when Amanda died.

Except such a line would likely have not served any kind of purpose except to gratify fans of TOS. All lines of dialogue should serve the story or its characters. The episode went along fine without any mention of Amanda, thus the line was unnecessary.

But Amanda was mentioned. Picard said Amanda's name when he was under the influence of the Mind Meld with Sarek. A line like: "Amanda...how I grieved when you died 75 years ago" (or something like that) spoken by Stewart (Picard) would have sufficed.

C'mon, John. Picard was rambling at this point. Including such extraneous wording would've diffused that appearance, and compromised one of Patrick Stewart's most memorably-acted scenes.

References and in-jokes are okay when they do not compromise the story.

That's a better idea. Thanx, Luigi.

In "Ensigns of Command", O'Brien played the Cello when they played Mozart.

Why did TPTB not have him play the Cello again in this episode?

Maybe O'Brian was busy doing his job in the Transporter Room?

It was nice to see Sarek cross over into this episode. Makes you feel like Star Trek and Star Trek The Next Generation are all in one big happy universe!

Picard talks about granting Sarek his "pry-vacy" when just four episodes ago in "Captain's Holicy" he was longing Britishly after a bit of "privvacy."

And likewise, near the beginning of the episode, Picard discusses the ambassador's "shedule"; later, he says the meeting with the Legarans is "skeduled." He really needs to work out which accent he intends to use.

Too bad Guinan wasn't in 10-Forward during the fight! She would have cleaned house and taken names! (See "Night Terrors")

Oh well. The Whoopster only made occasional "special guest appearances" a few times per season, under some kind of special contract, I suppose.

While I'm on that topic. Why was Diana Mulduar given a different credit for her time during the 2nd season i.e. "Special Appearance by"? That seems a bit snobby and elitist to me! Why wasn't she just in the regular opening credits like the other cast members for that season? I don't recall Mulduar being in ANYTHING else other than Trek and L.A. Law. Why did she get that kind of special treatment?

I wonder what Mulduar is doing these days. Anyone know?

A message from 2000 on IMDB.com said she was living on Martha's Vinyard and looking at restarting acting, but she hasn't been in anything since 1993. (She was in "IMPS" which has released this year, but it's been on the shelf since the 1980s.)

The "special guest appearance" is a way to give an actor a bigger credit without upstaging the rest of the cast. So Johnathan Harris was a "Special Guest Star" for the entire run of "Lost in Space". Yes it's crazy, but that's Hollywood.

Given that she was a latecomer to the series, it wasn't possible to add her to the opening credits without demoting one of the existing actors.

I believe that Heather Locklear was a "special guest star" for her entire run on Melrose Place. There's lots of weird stipulations in contract negotiations for actors. I've heard that Whoopi Goldberg was uncredited for her appearance in "Star Trek: Generations" because after the main TNG cast and the other major roles (Shatner, Malcolm McDowell and what not) she'd have been buried among the "also starring" cast.

I believe that Heather Locklear was a "special guest star" for her entire run on "Melrose Place".
She was, although she wasn't cast in the series until the middle of the first season.
Chris Noth is listed as "Special Guest Star" in the new series The Good Wife, although he's been in every episode so far. Even if only for a scene or two.

Why didn't the crew experience Sarek's laughter...or his sorrow...or his love?

Why only his anger?

true. it would have been interesting to see a range of intense emotions, the crew members experienced joy of the same intensity as his anger was shown it would have been just as debilitating. or what if some of the crew experienced his grief or depression? crew members might have been driven to the verge of suicide and not even know why they were depressed.

I agree that showing a range of emotions would have been more entertaining and made the episode a little more 3 dimensional.

Just watching these episodes on my new Nitcentral streaming account (wow-- all the Star Trek series' episodes at my fingertips ). In addition to the knowledge and experience of Picard, didn't the Borg also gain the knowledge and experience of Sarek through Locutus? Picard after all maintained quite a bit from the mind meld-- especially to share with Spock, a little over a year later.

Did you mean to say Netflix?

Yes, I meant Netflix.

That's what I call a delayed reaction!

When Sarek's Chief of Staff (the human) and Personal Assistant (the Vulcan) beam aboard, the Chief of Staff says "We must discuss some matters of the utmost delicacy." Picard and Riker look at each other, Picard sighs, and says "Please go ahead." Okay, that's pretty rude... the guy obviously wanted to speak to Picard privately, but O'Brien and two random Enterprise personnel are standing right there. So the Chief of Staff tells Picard some vague things, that Sarek has to take it easy, avoid public events, etc... You know, maybe if Picard had just let the guy speak to him in private, the guy would have told him about the Bendi Syndrome right then and they could have avoided all the trouble later!

Then, after Sarek arrives, the whole group leaves the transporter room to go check out the Conference Room... but Picard stays behind to look past the camera dramatically. Then, there's the title sequence. When the show comes back on, the group arrives in the Conference Room, and Picard is right behind Sarek and his wife! So he must have stared dramatically for a few seconds and then run after the group to catch up.

Oh, and at the concert, that one guy sitting behind Picard... his outfit was pretty pathetic! He's wearing what looks like an ordinary pink collared shirt circa 1989... It looks like they just grabbed somebody from the crew, shoved him in there, and told him to do up the top button to make it look more "futurey."

Oh, and of course... where is this S.S. Merrimac that Sarek and his gang supposedly beam over to at the end of the episode? I guess it did a "near-warp transport" and high-tailed it out of there before the next shot, which shows the Enterprise alone leaving the planet.

This episode seems as good as any to mention this general nit... the stair in front of the transporter pad is needlessly dangerous. Time and time again we see dignitaries, etc, stepping down off the pad and narrowly missing falling down because the stair only runs along the middle part of the pad. And the stair is black! Without any white or yellow stripe on the front of it! There's no way that people wouldn't be periodically falling off the pad.

Oops, I meant U.S.S. Merrimac... which of course reminds me of the silliness of the America-centric U.S.S. designations of Starfleet vessels. Sure, it's justified by meaning United Space Ship, as in the United Federation of Planets... I guess if the show were British, it would be the H.M.S. Enterprise. (Highspeed Mega-Ship).

Much love mentioned to Spock and Amanda from the Picard/Sarek mind-meld . . . but no mention of a human adopted daughter. :P

Much love mentioned to Spock and Amanda from the Picard/Sarek mind-meld . . . but no mention of a human adopted daughter. :P

Much love mentioned to Spock and Amanda from the Picard/Sarek mind-meld . . . but no mention of a human adopted daughter

Because no such animal exists.

Or his first born son and previous wife. ;-)

Yeah, that's true. And this episode was made after The Final Frontier, so they can't use "the character wasn't invented yet" card.

Sybok went over like a lead balloon, no one bought the idea that Spock had this half-brother that we'd never heard of before.

Gene Roddenberry even said that the character did not exist. And despite the fact that Roddenberry, at that point, had no creative control over the movies, everyone was happy to follow his edict. Aside from popping up in a novel or two, Sybok had been effectively expunged from Trek history.

And now the CBS Swindlers think that we'll buy the existence of Mikey Spock, even though the last fifty plus years of Trek history does not support the existence of this creature.

I didn't work in 1989, it won't work now. Trek fans are not as stupid as the CBS Swindlers seem to think they are.