I was 11 when this came out and had yet to grasp the fundamentals of serialized storytelling, so I just came to the conclusion that Picard was dead and processed that emotionally until the season premiere.
😂 This episode was when my dad had to explain the concept of a "tv season" to me and I was just devastated to learn I would have to wait *months* to find out what happened.
I may be remembering incorrectly but I think there was actually some question as to whether Patrick Stewart would return in the following season (contract dispute). So it may very well have been the death of Picard depending on how things went.
I introduced my wife to this episode by attending a special screening in a movie theater to commemorate the Blu-ray release and it was SO FRUSTRATING that the "movie" version they made just seamlessly cut from this scene to the next scene without even a DUN DUN DUN.
Back in the day when you had to wait four months for a resolution (in this case necessitated by finality on whether Patrick Stewart was coming back to the show or not)
The thing I love most about BOBW is the dual plot, in which a) The Borg intends to assimilate the entire human race and b) Riker is a bit worried about losing his job
I love it. The whole episode the question is if Riker is ready for command, which seems like an academic question. Then when Picard is taken we see that he is and has been.
The human drama supports the narrative instead of being drama for its own sake.
I had problems with the aftermath because the two plot lines don't work in the same storyline. A big deal is made about how it's easier to build a new spaceship than find someone to command her, and then after hundreds of crews and their ships are wiped out Riker somehow doesn't get his own command.
I disagree. For me, the end of the first season of SG1 was a cliffhanger that *got me riled up for years*.
And at least half of the episodes of the first season of Heroes had cliffhangers that *still* make me scream.
I don't think I knew it was out on DVD! I haven't watched it since the original airing (mainly because no one seems to carry it on streaming) so I'll have to find that boxed set.
