There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself
Such does Raymond Chandler's literary detective Philip Marlowe summarize the conundrum that makes up the gist of the tale in his novel "The Long Goodbye". It has a practical application in this fourth season episode as well, although the central character, Dr. Beverly Crusher in this case, is unaware that she has in essence set a trap for herself.

While the Enterprise is docked at Starbase 133 Dr. Crusher's mentor and good friend Dr. Dalen Quaice comes aboard to begin a return trip to earth. The aging Dr. Quaice recently lost his wife after a long illness and is retiring from his post at the starbase; he laments to Beverly the loss of several other friends and that he hadn't taken more time to enjoy the friendships that he had with them. After seeing him to his quarters (and feeling sentimental & famalial I suppose) she makes a visit to her son Wesley in the engineering section where he is working on an experiment involving something called a 'warp bubble'. While speaking to his mother he is momentarily distracted by a sudden flash caused by his experiment. When the experiment is shut down completely he starts to say something to his mother but sees that she has left already. Going to Dr. Quaice's quarters the next morning Beverly discovers him missing and alerts security. A search for the missing doctor turns up some interesting facts - like the fact that there is no record of him ever having existed at all! This confounds Dr. Crusher who persuades the captain to continue to look for him, insisting that Dr. Quaice is not a figment of her imagination, something which is politely and quietly suggested to her. During several briefings on the investigation Data keeps reporting the number of personnel - which changes with each briefing further bewildering the ship's doctor. Finally when the starship is vacant of everyone except herself Beverly reasons that something is wrong with the physical world and works to come up with a solution to her dilemma.

Finally we get an episode where Dr. Crusher doesn't stand around looking luminous, debating ethics and/or being puzzled by some new medical condition or life form. Her character is used to great effect here, emphasizing her scientific intellect and also displaying some ingenuity. The disappearances of her closest comrades and the starship crew members are handled well in that they seem to be ordered correctly. First Dr. Quaice, then her medical staff, then Worf, then her son and the rest of the bridge crew until it is only she and Picard remaining. This is appropriate too as she has been near desperately clinging to him throughout the matter; she constantly searches him out to consult with him about the enigma of missing starship personnel. Just before Picard vanishes she begins to make a confession to him but he's gone in the blink of an eye. The 'confession' is one that fans of the show have come to expect but would have to wait for a few more seasons to hear.

As far as the story goes it's a pretty fair mystery - just don't think about it too long afterwards though or the flaws begin to show. The techno-science elements are a little flimsy (to be kind) and thankfully time isn't wasted on trying to convince us of the believability of them. Instead we are swept up by the same inexplicable happenings that are puzzling Dr. Crusher. Is time somehow being altered? Am I hallucinating? Am I going mad? It's the human element here that makes 'Remember Me' one of the most memorable outings of the fourth season.

Some final notes: the original script ended with Beverly realizing it was all a dream - UGH!!! Is there any other ending that stinks more than that old chestnut? Thank goodness for rewrites! The ending of the show was then scripted to include 'The Traveler' an alien who appeared in the first season TNG episode 'Where No One Has Gone Before. He has a two-fold purpose for his presence; he knows of a way to restore things as they were and he also has an important revelation for Wesley. 'The Traveler' would resurface for one more appearance in the seventh season TNG episode 'Journey's End'.

Dr. Crusher portrayed as someone who can figure things out
The most endearing quality of this episode is that it showcases Dr. Crusher as an intelligent woman who can figure things out on her own. This is in direct contrast to so many other episodes where her lines often reduce to a variant of "I don't know . . . "
The episode starts when her aged friend Dr. Quaice beams aboard the Enterprise and begins talking about having lost his wife and so many of his friends. After hearing this, Dr. Crusher visits her son Wesley in engineering, where he is conducting an experiment. During the climax of the experiment, there is a flash of light, but it is confined to engineering.
Beverly then goes to visit Dr. Quaice in his quarters, but cannot locate him. After an investigation, she learns that there is no record of his having boarded the Enterprise. This is only the beginning, as slowly the Enterprise crew disappears. However, those who are left do not find this unusual, and they begin questioning her sanity. Eventually, all are gone except Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard and Picard does not find it unusual at all. The fact that there are only two people on that enormous ship does not have an affect on him. He also vanishes, leaving Beverly alone on the ship.
Through all of this there are two occasions when a vortex of some kind threatens to engulf her and pull her off the ship. Finally, when the Enterprise computer informs her that the bounds of the universe are slightly bigger than the Enterprise, she realizes that she has been transferred to an alternate reality that is collapsing on itself. With the aid of the Enterprise crew in the true reality, she eventually returns to where she belongs. The Enterprise crew does not accomplish this alone, her return is accomplished with the aid of the Traveler, introduced in episode 6, "Where No One Has Gone Before."
I consider this a good, but not great episode. The showcasing of Beverly Crusher as a thinking person was refreshing, although the inclusion of the traveler seemed unnecessary.

Now, this is the way to feature Beverly Crusher
Poor Gates McFadden. Her "Beverly Crusher" was rarely given the opportunity to be the focus of a ST: NG episode. But, this third season chapter allowed the character to be showcased. McFadden plays the bewildered doctor with a conviction that she seldom got to reveal.

And it's a doozy: a tale of altered time, traveling aliens, and motherly love.

Where else but in "Trek" could those things coincide.

Mind boggling!
Dr. Crusher is my favorite actor/actress on this show. I'm an avid fan of all the Star Trek series, but TNG is my favorite of them all. :)

On this one, my son (12 yrs) and I were watching this episode on television. From the instant Beverly Crusher vanished, we knew something had happened with Wesley's experiment. We both voiced theories. About half way into the show, the truth hit me! I explained it to my son. (I won't reveal it here and spoil it.) As my theory was slowly proven to be correct, we found ourselves engrossed! There are only 3 episodes that have done this to us. (The other two are "True Q" and "The Game".)

Fans of the author Robert A. Heinlein will LOVE this one!

A Great Hour in Television History!
In the first season of Next Generation", we met a remarkable character called the "Traveler" who had an interesting understading and power over time and space. At the end of this episode, we are unclear of his fate.

He returns in "Remember Me". After returning from the surface by the transporter, Dr. Beverly Crusher's life turns into a nightmare. Her friends aboard the Enterprise start disappearing, and NO ONE EXCEPT HER REMEMBERS THEM!

The crew keeps disappearing until she finds herself alone on the ship. The universe has shrunk down to a small bubble surrounding the Enterprise. She finally realize that the universe has not changed, only her part of it has!

While in the transporter, she became trapped in a space warp and the Traveler, her son Wesley, and the entire crew are working to get her back. It was a great return of one of the series' best characters.