Welcome back to Underrated Trek,where I take a special look at Star Trek episodes that I love…which may not be the most popular or even liked by most. Today we have an episode that really fits that. I love it even though lots may not, because it tackles a sensitive issue but to be fair it doesn’t do it as well as it could. It seems to be playing it to safe at times. This is :
How can an episode do so many things rights, and others so wrong? Let’s talk about it.
Plot Synopsis:
The Enterprise is conveying a delegation of Ullians who are telepathic and can retrieve lost memories. After Troi escorts one, named Jev, back to his quarters Troi suddenly experiences a painful memory and falls into a coma
Crusher is unable to determine the cause and while all evidence points to the Ulians that evidence is circumstantial. Then after questioning Jev, Riker himself falls into a coma, following by Crusher herself.
After three crewmen have fallen into coma’s Picard is forced to formally accuse the Ulians. When Troi recovers, the Ulians help her to recall she was attacked during a memory by Jev’s father. However, it’s soon revealed that it wasn’t his father but Jev himself who has been attacking the officers. He tries to attack Troi again just in time for a timely save by Data and Worf.
Guest Stars:
Ben Lemon is Jev and it’s to bad he wasn’t given more to work with. It’s also nice to see Keiko with no O’Brien for once.
Episode Pro’s:
I glossed over it in the synopsis but the memories are very well done and shot. Kudos to the very odd atmosphere they are given, and the way the memories start from nothing and built to their climax. Very natural feeling. Troi’s involves a sexual encounter with Will, Riker’s involves an emergency on ship which resulted in an officer dying, and Crusher relives the time Picard took to her to see her husband’s dead body. Yeah these would be stressful enough with a telepath making it worst! These scenes are easily disturbing to watch.
I like how everyone has something to do here, with LaForge and Data conducting an investigation on the previous planets that the Ulians have visited. And yes then there is the big fan moment I adore from this one. In the end when Jev is trying to attack Troi again, Worf walks in and bitch slaps him. I love that moment, it lasts for a second but it shows what a badass Worf can be (it’s not always clear). I wont share the video again but it’s a great moment. By the way, just before that Troi does a decent job fighting which of course rocks.
I was impressed they used the word rape at the end, rather than just leaving it vague they come out and say it. Gutsy. I am not saying that this is the best approach to this subject, more below, but I think it gets the message out. Some criticize Picard’s final speech for being a bit redundant, but I like it. I think he makes a good point. No matter how civilized we may be, the capacity to be violent is always inside of us and we need to acknowledge that.
And Riker’s scenes after Troi goes into her come are very well done. It’s easy to forget that they love each other in this show but we can tell Will is heartbroken in that Sick-Bay scene. Nice acting.
Episode Con’s:
This episode has three major failings that keep it from being great. First, they don’t make it perfectly clear that nothing happened between Riker and Troi in the experience Troi’s remembers. It was just Jev manipulating her memories. I think one of the writers had to come out and clarify that, that all that really happened was the two talked and said goodnight.
The biggest failing however is that the real villain is blown in the damn teaser! Seriously were they trying to be this obvious? The teaser ends with Jev giving an ominous look while music plays. And to make it worst, Jev appears in all three memories! I mean they spend the rest of the episode making it seem like it’s a big mystery with Data and LaForge discovering the truth in their investigation and even giving us a fake out with Jev’s father, but it’s clear from before the first credit. And if they were going to make it clear, why not ho into more of Jev’s pathology so we can learn why he feels he has to do these things? All we know about him is that his father teases him a lot. That is something that they really didn’t approach well.
The third failing is a product of the time, in fact I mentioned in my “Riddles” article. We never really see Troi, Riker, and Crusher’s recovery process. Course in the 80’s and even 90’s that was common. For instance a sitcom character will suffer a devastating breakup, and the next episode will be fine. These days creators know that real life doesn’t work like that. But back then, we’re told that medics from the planet the Ulians come from will be in toucg with then..and that’s it. We also don’t get to know what punishment awaits Jev aside from that it’s “severe”.
Finally, Picard does play it a little to safe. I mean it should be blatantly obvious the Ulians are up to something and he always seems afraid to say it. I guess diplomacy but c’mon dude your officers are being assaulted!! Ok LaForge points out that there isn’t much they could do but still.
Fast Forward Moment:
Honestly I can’t come up with one here. All the scenes serve a point and move the story. I guess my one nitpick is in the scene where Data asks Geordi why it’s so hard for humans to recall memory. Why doesn’t he explain it’s because out memories are stored chemically? The explanation he gives is a tad…inaccurate.
Final Thoughts:Pretty god but, yes, it could have been A LOT better.
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