Other than Measure of a Man I can't think of any TNG episodes that center around a trial, but for whatever reason they are both some of my favorite episodes. Thinking about that last sentence it is probably because they only did it twice that it works so well. It is kinda surprising to me that Gene let this one through to be honest but I guess having the Admiral in charge of security be the one who walks out is a pretty good way of showing that Starfleet won't stand for this kind of crap. The pivotal scene where Picard quotes the prosecutors fathers words back at her gets me every time.
The episode opens with the captain looking into the simultaneous detection of a spy on board the ship and possible sabotage of the warp engines. The spy is a Klingon exchange officer accused of sending information about the Enterprise warp engines to the Romulans. Starfleet sends Admiral Satie to help with the investigations along with her Betazoid assistant Sabin. While checking the accused spies quarter Worf finds a hypospray modified to inject inert proteins containing secret information into someones bloodstream as a way of transmitting that information without detection. Geordi and Data work to find out what happened to the warp engines but are hindered by the high radiation levels that flooded the room. Picard meets with Satie and they discuss their mutual respect for her father and she tells him she is happy to be working with him on the investigation.
The spy is interrogated and eventually admits his loyalties to the Romulans but denies having anything to do with the engine explosion and the Betazoid assistant confirms this. The hearing expands to people he may have contacted starting with Dr. Crusher but she passes through no problem. The quarter Vulcan lab tech interviewed next seems nervous and the Betazoid announces he must be the one because he is hiding something! Picard isn't happy to have someone convicted on that basis and demands more investigation. Tarses, the accused technician, eventually admits that he lied on his Starfleet application his grandfather was Romulan, not Vulcan. This is enough for Satie but Picard is having reservations. He can see that this procedure has gotten out of control and is determined to try and stop it.
On the bridge Picard then receives a summons to appear before the investigation. It is immediately clear that this is a fishing expedition when he starts being questioned about things that happened years ago and have nothing to do with the current problems on the ships. It keeps getting more and more out of control until eventually Picard uses Satie's father's strong words denouncing the impingement upon liberties against her and she freaks out to the point that he supervising Admiral walks out of the hearing and the whole thing falls apart. This episode is a strong reminder that even such a forward looking and fair minded society can get out of control when fingers start being pointed.
Review: This episode manages to teach a lesson without being preachy with I feel like deserves at least one bonus point. Centering around Picard is also a consistently good idea and this is one of his better episodes.
9 out of 10
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