Star Trek The Next Generation Feature Length Episodes: Ranked
8. Gambit
What lets Gambit down is the certainty that Picard isn't dead, so the hunt to find him and the shock reveals are a known fake out. That by itself wouldn't be too bad but the episode seems to put a lot of weight behind it. The rogue version of Picard is fun though once we finally get to see him. Riker and Picard butting heads/playing against each other is also a fun aspect of the episode.
It's better than Birthright and Farpoint but it is again one of the weaker two-part stories. There is simply no reason for it to stretch over 80 minutes rather than 40, save to give the audience more time to buy into the idea that Picard has actually died.
It's a welcome return was Robin Curtis who keeps on theme by playing another Vulcan, but not Saavik this time. Baran makes for a suitable pirate leader as well. Worth a watch.