Star Trek The Next Generation Feature Length Episodes: Ranked
5. Time's Arrow
Time's Arrow is a story that is pure romp. While the backbone of the story is presented as a serious race to save Data's life and head, the enjoyment of seeing the cast arrive in 19th San Francisco is worth the watch alone. Data carrying the anvil, shocking a young Jack London.
Picard, Riker and the others conning the landlady by getting her to act in their rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Guinan Vs. Clemens. It all just comes together perfectly. Also very welcome is a brief part by Marc Alaimo, who just oozes sleaze by trying to hustle Data. Data is not hustled.
The mystery of Guinan and Picard's relationship is finally explained and it makes for a lovely full circle moment when Picard enters Ten Forward at the end of the episode, simply simply smiling at Guinan as he walks, understanding everything much more clearly. It is a great moment for them as characters and a stand out moment in Trek history.
Samuel Clemens almost steals the show with his over the top delivery and bustle but it all lands perfectly and the numerous references to his works, not least A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, are all great to literary buffs. The Devidians were great one-time villains and they are overdue for a return!