Patrick Stewart and the Inner Light panel at the 2017 Star Trek Convention 

Picard standing alone and gazing through the window while player on the flute, thinking of the life he had just spent, is the greatest moment in Star Trek history for me

I still think, the best of this episode was, that Picard got a view on everything he didn't have in his real iife.

One of the best episodes ever produced in any Star Trek iteration.

The line near the end when "Kamen's" wife says, "Remember - put your shoes away." says it all. It is the silly little things like that that make a life. Their planet, their civilization is dying and that is what she thinks on on her deathbed - because what is valuable is not some cosmic necessity, but what wee each value - well done!

"Remember to put your shoes away...." Gets me in the feels every time.

One shining moment of humanity; when the product of the entertainment industry transcended it all and was elevated to a masterpiece of ART. Inner Light can be a consciousness changing experience; to touch a person's soul is to touch a universe.

Margot seems like a real sweetheart. Her "Eline" was one of the best characters in all of Star Trek.

My very favorite episode!❤

There are rare moments in film where everything works to perfection. The story is timeless and the performances are superb. This episode touched me in a way no other Star Trek episode has and I’ve watched them all.

I woke up yesterday morning, and I guess I had been dreaming about it or something, but upon waking I was remembering this episode. And as I got out of bed and made my way to make my coffee I reflected on it deeply until finally I found myself weeping in my kitchen, just like I had at the final scene. And remembering the scene later on when he plays the flute with a new love, which he does with so much love and sadness, its almost too much! Patrick Stewart did something so hard, I imagine as someone who isn't remotely an actor, but to deliver the gravity of what he had gone through, the love and the loss, grief for an entire life of love, which is lost in much the same way as it would have been had he not been transported back to his ship. He was old, and he would be leaving that life and everyone in it at any time, so there was nothing unfinished, no injustice, just love. And I don't know how to articulate what I'm trying to say here, but there is something about that episode, and Patrick Stewart's ability to carry it to us, we are with him all the way through it, but also, he is with us all the way. There is something in it that I think we all know so intimately, something about the human experience that is so core and difficult to articulate. It is a story about the grief that is always always intertwined with love, loss that's present all the time every second just outside our perception, which in fact is essential to our ability to make meaning of anything. That is actually one of the most important aspects of true joy. The episode spoke to us of these things. Of course I rewatched it and then searched the internet for further discussion. I am so excited that it is as beloved to so many people as it was to me, and I am so thrilled that there is a panel dedicated to that episode!

The Inner Light, my favorite episode in Star Trek: TNG. Absolutely fantastic.

I distinctly remember watching that episode when it first aired. It was deeply moving and felt like one of those timeless pieces of work that just somehow stay inside you. Thank you for sharing this panel! What a treat.

I always felt that this episode acted as a catch 22 for some of the fans, and even for the show itself. On one hand you have this absolute gem ;a beautiful episode that transcends the show, and when it is done, Picard has to go back to being regular Captain Picard. They managed to make an episode so well that it flies in the face of the thematic structure of the show, and even Picard's own character. He would have never been the same after that experience. I couldn't imagine the psychological strain put on him to have lived that life and then in a short span to lose his wife, daughter, son and grandchildren. Picard had basically chosen his career over family, and it is a decision he wrestles with throughout his character's time on screen. This episode should have been the last episode of the series and it should have been the tipping point for Picard to leave Starfleet. But I'm just a red shirt, what do I know. Despite everything it is easily one of, if not the best, standalone sci-fi episode of all time along with The Visitor from DS9.

Probably the most touching episode in TNG, every time I watch it... it’s transcendent. I think it speaks to the mortality we all face.

I don't know if this is just a general thing with actors, but it was really wonderful to see Sir Patrick and Margot Rose be so affectionate with each other on stage

My favorite episode of Next Generation, A memorial to all civilizations that died out, unknown. Always bring me tears.

When I watched that episode the first time I was overwhelmed, and felt it was the greatest episode I’ve ever seen of Star Trek and maybe of anything that I had ever seen on television. By the way kudos to the great character Batai in the story, Strangely the first character I always think of when I think of the Inner Light. He is like a mystic muse, who sums up everything.for everyone.

Im so glad that so many of us experienced this episode in the same way ❤

The Inner Light is the best episode of Star Trek, from any series of Star Trek, ever produced and no mistake. Moving and beautiful and human. Fantastic.

It's amazing to have a convention meeting dedicated to just one episode when there are entire series and movies (and dare I say franchises) that do not have this level of devotion.

There is a sense in which Picard got a very precious gift from those of Kataan. From what we have seen Picard since he has chosen a life in Star Fleet he never had a family. On Generations he finds out his nephew from his brother Robert had died and it grieved him because the boy was the last of the Picard line. Since he spent so much time on Kataan he was able to experience what he never would in the real world.

What was not mentioned is the role of Richard Riehle, as Batai. Batai was an interesting character (in 3 stages) from beginning as a close friend to Act 5, where he was the happy leprechaun (as Kamin/Picard realizes probe's mission).

Amazing how Stewart looks nearly the same as when TNG ended. He looks younger than his older Inner Light self with the makeup!

There should be a full length play of this episode!

I love this episode, the piece of music that he learns to play on the flute is hauntingly beautiful, I love that there are nods to it in the theme for Picard.

Watched that episode again yesterday.. Timeless and endlessly re-watchable unlike the mindless fluff they call Star Trek these days.

This was lovely. I'm usually resistant to picking favourites, but this episode has always been the top for me. Even thinking of it fills me with warmth. And these people on stage here could teach the world some much-needed lessons about what it should mean to be human. I've only been up this morning for 2 hours and you've already made my day! Thanks for posting!

This was an extraordinary panel about a beautiful episode. I really appreciated Margot, Sir Patrick, and Morgan's stories and thoughts and their sweet regard for one another, and Adam's moderating with a light touch so that we had a chance to hear a lot from each of them.

What a unique (to my experience) premise for a panel, to choose to discuss the dynamics of one of the sweetest things ever to come out of Star Trek

My fav episode was the inner light

Thank you for posting this. I can't believe the number of rude people who block your view and camera. Thank you for your persistence in focusing on the panel.

The Inner Light is my favourite ST TNG episode. It is an episode that came at the peak of the show and managed to create a lot of emotions in the audience. It captivated the hearts of everyone, even those who don't usually like emotional stories. However, we must understand that we had already built a relationship with the characters, through the previous seasons, and that became the basis for the Inner Light. That is what made the emotional effect so strong, along with the brilliant story of course.

What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived.

Outstanding! "The Inner Light"

Thank you so much for posting this. I really loved that episode and enjoyed the interview. Really appreciate it.

What a lovely concept. Thank you for posting.

thank you so much Heather:-)

I was really looking forward to this one so thank you! You have really outdone yourself this year, Heather!

ty for video

Inner Light's Margot Rose is in the movie "48 Hrs." playing a secondary role with a decent amount of screentime, and every scene is shared with TNG's Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar).

My favorite episode.

I love what Sir Stewart says about sense memory!!

one of my favs....

Thank you, Heather. This was such an interesting interview. One of my top-5 favourite episodes.

WOW! that was an amazing insight...of one of the most wonderful piece ever to come from the medium of television....

Captain Picard is by far one of the best captain of starship.

thanks for this! :D

Margot: yes, we know! Seriously, though, masterpiece of an episode. Thank you so much for posting this.

Hope Stewart returns in 2018!

Wow looks like she aged 10 years not 30.

Love the video!

One of my all-time favorite episodes in any ST show. I like the fact that after a while Picard starts to think that his Enterprise life was a dream, which I guess you would if you didn't "wake up" for 40+ years! Another fantastic episode, which is kind of a quasi-sequel to this one, is "Lessons" and it is in the same category of awesomeness. That (non-working) flute was sold at auction years ago for (IIRC) $7000. A mind-blowing ending to this episode, I thought, would have been for the Enterprise to go to that planet (Kataan, I think) and find evidence that Picard was actually there 1000 years ago!

The sets the art work et al...a magical world! Imagine they started bidding on the flute for only 5k. LOL

One of my favor Next Generation episodes

I always thought The Inner Light presented Picard to have two lifetimes worth of wisdom. Imagine being able to live your original life over again after living another one. 12:20 aw, I wanted to hear what Patrick had to say about coming to in the Enterprise after the experience, but he got interrupted :(

To me this was my favorite episode, I love the Star trek series tng but this one hit my own life in a way I can not tell openly but I congratulate sir Patrick and all the tng stars and all the guest stars! Wish they would bring it back!

I simply do not understand all the rude people moving around, much less blocking someone from taking a video. As a Trek fan from very early on, and I'm talking '72 for me anyway, my every experience with other Trek fans has been that they are, almost without exception, the nicest people on the planet. Please understand I am not complaining about you, this was out of your control. I'm expressing disbelief at how rude people, supposedly Trek fans, have become. What a shame.

Great video!! It must have been frustrating to have the same person just hover in front of you repeatedly blocking the view.

This is one of those rare episodes that resonated so well with fans that the flute could be shown in other episodes with no explanation necessary. Serious character depth. And how many other single episodes could merit their own con=panel?

AWESOME SAUCE!

This was really interesting. The people who kept walking in front of the camera were more than a little annoying, though.

Talk about some very powerful tech. A life times experiences and knowledge beemed into your head in 25 minutes...

SHUUUSH!

Patrick takin in the pain: You are Locutus of Borg.

20:10 DARMOK!! 33:20 A related point is made by JTK in Star Trek V.

I always thought of this episode as a much better version of The Paradise Syndrome

Watching this it just occurred to me that there was a DS9 Episode where they basically did the same thing with O'Brien, just that they put him in a Prison instead of giving him nice memories and a flute. Another fine example of technology being useful or harmful depending on who uses it.

First let me say this is my top favorite episode of STNG. While I love the premise (a whole life in 25 minutes) what always struck me as strange was that any society that could create a probe that advanced could easily have left their planet for another one. Another problem is that the society lived a rather primitive lifestyle. I still love the episode though and it creates rather profound questions about life and simulations!

Have they done a panel like this for DS9 In the Pale Moonlight? Because that would be something.

I don't even know how Jean Luc's mental stability would still be intact after going through something like that not to mention all the Locutus stuff that had happened. But in this instance your entire life was a dream. If any of us were in that position we would probably be in grief knowing that life is gone forever and was a dream.

"If we're all still around then." What did he know?

The part of this episode that never failed to astonish me was the scene where "Picard" tells his "son" Batai that he cannot quit school. It had been established that the world was ending, and Picard had already encouraged his daughter to marry before it was too late to enjoy life, yet the writers were too stupid to see the obvious incongruity. Unless Kamen/Picard saw music as a complete waste of time (kind of hard when "Kamen" seemed obsessed with his flute) then the idea that he would want to deny his son the same pleasure for an education that would be useless is silly. He knew - everyone is dead meat. Maybe while I am alive, maybe when my kids are alive, but almost certainly while my grand kids are alive. It was serious writing failure in what is still one of the best Star Trek episodes.

"I've been offered the part in 2020" Oh. Oh no.

That guys head lol

Did anybody watch Tesla Rocket yesterday?

Margot could play a Janeway double.

The problem is that Patrick Stewart does not do as good a Picard impersonation as Brent Spiner does! :-)

I gotta mention, the guy w/ cerebral palsy has good questions.

Imagine if they used that technology tactically. They could have advanced thousands of years beyond all other species in a matter of days.

welp that explains my version of conscious life integration

Sir Patrick is a consummate actor. Billshat played the part. Sir Patrick *BECAME* the part.

Guessing that 2020 King Lear role didn't work out for Patrick.

If you think about it, Picard’s unwillingness is to cave to Romulan mind games... remember “There are four lights!”? I have a hard time believing he wouldn’t believe this was a plot the entire time trying to break him... this time by comfort

3:20 What does he mean he has been offered the part now in 2020?

There was no other indication that these people had any kind of advanced technology. Yet they were able to launch a probe into space, with technology that the Federation doesn't even possess yet.

They sold that flute for like$7,000 and Pat was like, "its just a prop and it doesnt even play music." LOL

So a civilization, that is only starting to launch rockets, has a technology to link into a person's brain and allow them to experience, in 25 minutes, a virtual life that feels realistic and long lived? Something that the civilizations in the federation can't do. Yeah, that makes sense. Before people bash me, this is my favorite episode and I'm only nitpicking, but you can't help but think that.

the ferengis look like they are bringing out a prisoner for trial more than escorting a guest haha

It wasn't time travel, you wee a simulation.

Why aren't these interviews filmed professionally and put on a website or youtube channel? Or get a front row seat at least to film this. Thanks anyway because without this there wouldn't be a record at all...

If they are going to ruin Star Trek with stupid adventure action movies, why not remake this instead?

It is so irritating to see the most experienced and important man in the room speaking about his experience while the people in the crowd get in front of the camera for stupid small talk they could engage in after the thing they paid a ticket to see is over.

This person is blocking my view!!!

I don't like this moderator.

They really need to limit the number of questions from people with Downs to one per convention. We can't hear what they are saying, the panelists can't hear what they are saying and it takes time from other questioners.

She did a great job, but she missed the point. She was part of a computer program, so of course. She's putting too much not thinking she was real. She was dead 2000 years and she was a SIMULATION. But, right, she played a good role.