Star Trek: The Next Generation / Shades of Gray

 I think a majority of Next Gen fans consider this clipshow second season finale, "Shades of Gray", the worst episode of the series. It is hard not to think it is almost a complete waste of the regulars. I credit Sirtis and Muldaur for providing panic, worry, tension, and ultimately relief while Frakes remains under a head device while being monitored for an infection caused by a little slug after visiting an alien world. I believe Muldaur's Dr. Pulaski deserved a better send-off than this. Sirtis' Counselor Troi is obviously constantly concerned while by her side. I don't hold the cast accountable for this, and a writer's strike and lack of budget resources just simply handcuffed the crew/production. Throwing a bunch of clips together (mostly from the first season when Riker didn't have his beard), sort of cobbled according to the emotional state of Riker's mind at any point in time (commercial break to commercial break) with a "uh oh, Riker's health is in trouble" basic plot at the very end of an already troubled second season did no one any favors. 

Okay, that out of the way, I remember catching this at the end of a video tape I borrowed from my uncle in the early, early 90s. I'd say perhaps 1990 (I started watching the show around 1989). The show was in syndication and popped up in different places. I want to say this was a late showing on a local channel. I have no idea why certain memories like this are so distinctive, but, nonetheless, since I just watched this later in the evening on Pluto TV of all places (they have a Star Trek channel)--I typically watch the show right now on Netflix or catch it when bored on BBC America, preferably the former without commercials--I was reminded of that past experience. I can say, for sure, I have no interest in ever watching this episode again. But the memories of borrowing these VHS tapes from my uncle, recordings he was able to make off satellite Paramount feeds without commercials, and this episode at the end of a tape that wasn't Next Gen specific was ironic.

One of my better rated user comments from IMDb is for one of the worst episodes of Next Gen. Go figure. This was from July 2012:

If there ever was a *nothing* episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Shades of Grey" is definitely it. It has an outline of a plot built for scenes ripped from the first and second seasons. It is a shame that the show ended their second season with a *clip show*. As we say where I work, it is what it is. Riker's life hangs by a slender thread after encountering an infection that is attracted to nerves, the source a thorn from a predatory vine during a geological survey on an unexplored planet. So Riker lays on a sick bay bed, unconscious, as a head device allows Pulaski to monitor the progress of the infection, trying to find a way to stop it from spreading to his brain, ultimately, of course, wanting to kill it. It seems that negative emotions, negative endorphins during dreams seem to repel the infection, actually even stopping it from completely overtaking Riker's brain. Riker's health reacting to emotions is the excuse for the scenes featured in "Shades of Grey". Passionate, horrifying, sad, violent: each emotional memory has a positive or negative reaction that influences the infection in one way or another. There are some decent moments, some good humorous touches, especially involving Picard and Riker (one scene at Data's expense at the end), but a brunt of the episode has Pulaski, concerned and calm, hypothesizing and theorizing, while Troi remains emotionally invested in the welfare of her Imzadi. Widely (and rightly, in my opinion) considered the worst episode of the entire series.