No not that First Contact, this is the episode one. And despite the lack of Picard going totally nuts and Troi getting drunk this manages to be a good episode. Honestly I think my favorite part about it is that the aliens don't decide that joining the Federation is the right call at the moment. So often everything just works out perfectly and it is honestly pretty boring. But to be totally honest I can see people on earth today reacting in a similar manner to the minister of internal security. I have always thought I wanted to be alive when humans discover they aren't alone in the universe, but honestly it is going to be a pretty rough time.
The episode begins with Riker being treated in an alien hospital. The doctors are confused by the placement of his organs and even more so by his fingers are they are tentacle people. Cut to a meeting in the chancellors office between him, a scientist lady Yale developing warp drive and minister of security Krola. The chancellor approves funding the warp drive over Krola's objections. Krola believes their society is changing too fast and is upset by the decision. Then we cut to Dr. Yale's lab where Picard beams in with Troi to make formal first contact. Yale is nervous but excited by the concept of not being alone in the universe. She is impressed with the tour of the ship Picard gives her, but also warns him that her people have strong feelings of superiority and may have a hard time accepting aliens. Picard then tells her that they know that because they have been observing with spies for some time and that Riker is missing which is why they sped up first contact.
Back in the hospital the doctors are having a hard time keeping Riker a secret. One of the nurses has the hots for him and offers to help him escape in exchange for sex. It isn't super explicit, but it appears he goes for the deal. Unfortunately the plan doesn't work and he is badly hurt trying to escape from the hospital. Meanwhile Yale introduces Picard to the chancellor who is totally blown away to learn they aren't alone. He gets the tour of the ship, but also expresses reservations that his people are ready for such rapid change. When he beams back he has a meeting with Krola, Yale and a few other senior officials. Krola is firmly against it and even reveals that they have captured a spy, commander Riker!
The chancellor confronts Picard who admits that they have infiltrated but that it was their very paranoia that made this necessary. The chancellor agrees that is reasonable, but isn't initially willing to release Riker. Krola has to fire the head of the hospital but finally gets a doctor who will pump Riker full of drugs to get him awake. He then shoots himself with Rikers phaser to make it look like he was attacked, but Dr. Crusher arrives in the nick of time and saves them both. The blast pattern reveals the phaser wound was self inflicted but fortunately it was also on stun. The chancellor takes all this into consideration before deciding his people aren't ready yet. Dr. Yale does manage to convince him and Picard to let her stay with the Enterprise though.
Review: Not totally mind blowing, but a good episode with a more serious ending than many TOS and honestly TNG episodes would have been willing to go with. Dark, but not excessively so and pretty relevant today as it was when it was released.
7 out of 10
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