Review 92 - Episode 88The One that's a bit like soft-porn
Men in nappys. Never a good start. But behind the worst costumes ever, these is a good debate about the prime directive. If you can get by the hairy chests and mens nipples. Thank Christ the Enterprise crew didn't have to wear them.
An away team including Wesley beams down to a paradise planet. Unfortunately, they have the death penalty for every crime, including Wes falling in a flower bed. Should Picard interfere and will the God like machine above the planet let them?
Bad stuff first. The costumes and aliens are fucking awful, surely one of the most embarrassing outfits ever in TV, not just Trek. Also the soft core hedonism, people shagging in bushes, guys being oiled up and sleazy Riker loving it. Ah, it's too creepy. Also the running everywhere is ridiculous and Troi is not cut out for it. To many males nipples on show I'm afraid.
Wes is also quite annoying and unbelievable here, with his moronic enthusiasm for such a stupid game. However once the death penalty is about to be applied it gets interesting., though how they missed that on reviewing the laws is a joke.
Picard and Data have some excellent scenes, debating the God like machine that hangs above the planet. The design of it is also well done and the effects are excellent. Troi, Geordi and Worf are all underused in this episode (though Worf gets a couple of nice one liners and it's interesting Geordi is nowhere near the planets surface. Geordi and sex don't mix). Tasha is really annoying and she seems to have shagged some guy on the initial away mission! Beverley's acting is a little ropey as well and her emotional scenes to Picard don't quite work to be honest.
The final scenes of debating the prime directive V. the death penalty are interesting, but the conclusion is hardly satisfactory. Picard effectively says we interpret the directive as we see fit and then somehow convinces the God being to let them beam up in a rather lame speech.
There's always going to be debate about the death penalty, but having it on an episode with men in nappys was never going to work.
2/5
Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 263/465
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