History YMMV / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E25TheInnerLight

** A similar tech would be used in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' to force O'Brien into experiencing decades of jail in a few moments. Actress Creator/MargotRose (Eline) even appears in that episode.

** A hangover from this episode is that it awakens a longing for Picard to have a family and children of his own. He never does.

* HilariousInHindsight: The rather unconvincing age makeup on old Picard makes him look positively ancient...which is very ironic, given that Patrick Stewart [[OlderThanTheyLook barely looked like he aged]] for decades after last playing Picard, only finally ''beginning'' to look rather older by the time ''[[Series/StarTrekPicard Picard]]'' rolled around. However, Picard-as-Kamin let his hair grow and didn't bother to wash it that often, while the real Stewart maintained a short cut.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Picard playing with his grandchild is played sweetly, but for some audiences, it can seem quite cruel for Picard's daughter to be having children in a world they both know is about to die.

** Watching the people of Kataan FaceDeathWithDignity is also much harder in the present day, as news about the probable effects of global climate change gets more and more ominous.

** InUniverse, Kamin is depressed his grandson won't live to be an adult.

* BrokenBase: You'll come across this in recent years. This episode still has a lot of fans who consider it well-conceived and emotionally powerful, but it's not uncommon now to come across people who view the episode in a more negative light, particularly with the FridgeHorror that the people of Kataan trapped Picard in a LotusEaterMachine where (to his perception) he lived ''decades'' of another man's life before being freed, which could be traumatizing to someone. Members of the ''Women At Warp'' podcast, as well as Youtubers Creator/AllisonPregler and WebVideo/{{Phelous}}, are just some notable people on record as not liking the episode.
* HarsherInHindsight: A similar tech would be used in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' to force O'Brien into experiencing decades of jail in a few moments. Actress Creator/MargotRose (Eline) even appears in that episode.

** The age makeup. Not a big problem back in the day of 480i broadcast resolution, but it really doesn't hold up under the fine detail of the HD remaster.

* BrokenBase: You'll come across this in recent years. This episode still has a lot of fans who consider it well-conceived and emotionally powerful, but it's not uncommon now to come across people who see a lot of FridgeHorror at what the people of Kataan have done. Members of the ''Women At Warp'' podcast, as well as Youtubers Creator/AllisonPregler and WebVideo/{{Phelous}}, are just some notable people on record as being firmly in the latter camp.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The age makeup. Not a big problem back in the day of 480i broadcast resolution, but it really doesn't hold up under the fine detail of the HD remaster.

* HarsherInHindsight: A similar tech would be used in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' to force O'Brien into experiencing decades of jail in a few moments. Actress Margot Rose (Eline) even appears in that episode.

* AwardSnub: On the DVDExtras, Michael Westmore claimed that Creator/PatrickStewart would have clinched an Emmy for this performance... if it hadn't been relegated to the SciFiGhetto, which was still alive and kicking in TheNineties.

* HilariousInHindsight: The rather unconvincing age makeup on old Picard makes him look positively ancient...which is very ironic, given that Patrick Stewart [[OlderThanTheyLook barely looked like he aged]] for decades after last playing Picard, only finally ''beginning'' to look rather older by the time ''[[Series/StarTrekPicard Picard]]'' rolled around.

** Ron Moore [[WordOfGod states]] that at the time they hadn't realised exactly how significant this episode really would have been for Picard (it was only afterwards that it struck them that the events of this episode would have been the single most important event of Picard's ''entire life'') so they were forced to content themselves with only a single follow-up in the later episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E17Lessons Lessons]]."

** Watching the people of Kataan FaceDeathWithDignity is also much harder to watch as news about the probable effects of global climate change gets more and more ominous.

* HarsherInHindsight: A similar tech would be used in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' to force O'Brien into experiencing decades of jail in a few moments.

* HilariousInHindsight: The rather unconvincing age makeup on old Picard makes him look positively ancient...which is very ironic compared to today, where Patrick Stewart [[OlderThanTheyLook barely looks like he's aged]] since the last time he played Picard.

* TearJerker: The ending- both the scene of Kamin's dead family and friends coming back to him, and Picard playing on his flute to close out the episode. Each widely considered among the most tear-jerking moments in all of TNG.
** Ron Moore [[WordOfGod states]] that at the time they hadn't realised exactly how significant this episode really would have been for Picard (it was only afterwards that it struck them that the events of this episode would have been the single most important event of Picard's ''entire life'') so they were forced to content themselves with only a single follow-up in the later episode 'Lessons'.

* TearJerker: The ending. Widely considered one of the most tear-jerking moments in all of TNG.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The age makeup. Not a big problem back in the day of 480i broadcast resoultion, but it really doesn't hold up under the fine detail of the HD remaster.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The age makeup. Not a big problem on televisions of the 90's, but it really doesn't hold up under the fine detail of the HD remaster.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The age makeup. Not a big problem on televisions of the 80's and 90's, but it really doesn't hold up under the fine detail of the HD remaster.

** WordOfGod states that at the time they hadn't realised exactly how significant this episode really would have been for Picard (it was only afterwards that it struck them that the events of this episode would have been the single most important event of Picard's ''entire life'') so they were forced to content themselves with only a single follow-up in the later episode 'Lessons'.

** Though perhaps it helps to explain the family life Picard got when he first entered the [[Film/StarTrekGenerations Nexus]].