Star Trek: TNG 1.22 - Symbiosis

Review 106 - Episode 102 (Apr 18th 1988)

The One with the heroin-is-bad message

I usually hate episodes like this. Heavy handed sermons by people who have never experienced drugs or addiction. But curiously, this episode got better and better, until the final act revealed an excellent end game

One planet produces a Heroin substitute. The other planet needs it. Picards hands are tied due to the prime directive. What does he do? Some of the lesser cast get some good roles here. Tasha, in her final filmed role, has a good chemistry with Riker that will never be explored. She is genuinely good this episode and for the first time, i'm kinda sad she's about to die. Her scene with Wes is pretty cringey, but hardly her fault (or Wes for that matter)

The rest of the episode is Beverly trying to convince Picard that he should intervene. This is quite annoying as Bev should know the Prime Directive and when Picard gives his speech, it's really to the audience (and bizarrely reminiscent of the Iraq war). But their scenes are good.

Added cute bonus value is guest appearances from Merritt Butrick and Judson Scott from Star Trek 2. Good roles too play as well.

Heavy sledge hammer approach, but once it was acknowledged as a narcotic after act 2, improved greatly and Picards solution is clever, realistic and hopeful.

4/5
Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 304/535

Troi Cleavage Watch:

Barely in this episode and her sole scene was to say the ship was "tense". Pretty bad: