This is the first TNG episode that can be easily summarized as, "planet of the somethings." In this case it is very clearly planet of the junkys. This is one of those episodes that fakes you out by making it look like it is about one thing, in this case the the problems on the Enterprise caused by the unstable star they are observing, but it turns out to be about the two species of aliens they encounter. The guest actors do a good job portraying both the addicts from the impoverished planet and the dealers from the wealthy planet to the point that it should be pretty obvious to most viewers what is going on.
The episode begins with the Enterprise trying to get close to an unstable star to study its magnetic field or something like that. The shields aren't doing well and all their consoles get this blue animated effect. But suddenly they receive a distress signal from a freighter that is maybe in the same star system? They get there in no time at warp 2 so presumably it isn't far away. Also they are still being affected by the radiation from the star despite not seeming to be a lot farther from it that at the beginning of the episode when they weren't having any problems. The captain of the freighter seems totally oblivious to the danger and doesn't seem to understand the basic operation of his ship. Data figures out it is a problem with a specific part, but the other captain isn't able to figure out how to do anything. Tasha for some reason takes over at the transporter console and manages to link the system on the Enterprise with the other ship, but instead of getting on the pad the crew of the other ship first send over their cargo and finally themselves, but too late for them to all make it.
As soon as they arrive the two Ornarans start asking about the cargo. When they are shown it in the cargo bay they are relieved until the Brekkians explain they aren't going to turn it over since they payment was destroyed with the ship. The Ornarans explain it is medicine vital to their peoples survivale, but the Brekkians give zero fucks. They use their electrical projection powers on each other so Tasha has to stun them with her phaser. They eventually learn the Ornarans have a plague and the only way to treat the symptoms is with the cargo, a drug call felicium that can only be produced by the Brekkians. Since they Ornarans are so bad off the Brekkians eventually agree to let them at least have two doses from themselves which Dr. Crusher watches them administer and immediately realizes the drug is a narcotic.
Now we learn the truth. The Brekkians once had the plague too, but the felicium cured it. They managed to not get addicted but the Ornarans have now been addicts for centuries. They Brekkians only produce one thing, felicium and the Ornarans provide them with all the goods they need to live comfortably. Dr. Crusher is shocked and wants to make a drug to ease the withdrawl for the Ornarans. The Brekkians realize they have to give the Ornarans the drug or they may get over withdrawal and not need them anymore. Picard agrees to let them have the drug, but refuses to give them the parts they need to get the only two spacecraft they have working meaning this is the last dose they will ever get. This is apparently how the prime directive works now and the Enterprise bugs out rather than stick around and watch the Ornarans suffer.
Review: This episode suffered for a lack of a B story, but at least the A story was a good one. This is also one of the more TOS style episodes, and it would have been a decent episode of either series. Just read a really cool history of Best of Both Worlds Part I that has me looking forward to the more character driven episodes in the next few seasons.
7 out of 10
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-trek-story-daring-cliffhanger-803642
No comments:
Post a Comment