I've always liked this one :)

It's interesting, in retrospect, to compare how differently Trek handles telepathic abilities to the way B5 does. For instance I always find it amusing that Troi is given a free hand to go around poking around in other people's business without their knowledge (even in negotiations via the viewscreen) - whereas on B5 this would go against a licensed telepath's principles - or, here, how Tam Elbrun doesn't put up a mental block to stop the intrusion of everyone's thoughts, as with Talia/Lyta etc. You would have thought that the Federation or the Betazoids would have drawn up some kind of set of rules to protect both telepaths and non-telepaths from each other's less than scrupulous elements (let's not start on Spock and unauthorised mind melds :lol:). Whilst TNG doesn't place as much emphasis on the telepaths as B5 does, it may have made Troi a more interesting character had they investigated the ramifications of her ability in more detail.

As this is the first time I've watched this ep in years it's great to finally realise where I'd seen Harry Groener before (it always bugged me when I watched Buffy). I think he does an excellent job here, playing a very different character. In the wrong hands Tam could have been intensely irritating, but Groener manages to evoke a great deal of sympathy for the character. I would have liked to have seen the prior events explored in more detail, but his relationship with Data just about makes up for that.

I must admit, Tin Man's innards always reminded me, unfortunately, of those of the space jellyfish in Farpoint - which isn't a favourable comparison to draw. I've always liked the idea of living ships, both in literature and on the likes of Farscape and here.

Shame about the final scene, though. Pure schmaltz :rolleyes:

Must fall asleep during this one usually as I couldn't remember it at all :ponder:

TBH this one just doesn't appeal to me for some reason. Maybe it's because of all the brow furrowing great sorrow, too many thoughts crap but I just find the whole thing uninteresting and faintly boring :shrug:

Plus it was always really obvious that Tam was going to hook up with the alien and that the Romulans wouldn't have any luck trying the same. The whole oh look we're next to an exploding star and unfortunately our warp drive isn't w**king thing is a bit ho hum by now as well.