Star Trek: TNG 1.25 - Conspiracy

Review 109 - Episode 105 (May 9th 1988)

The One with the exploding head

The most violent episode of Star Trek ever? Bet that got your attention. The fact that I had only seen a cut version of this and only seen the uncensored version last night tells it's own tale.

There is a conspiracy in the Federation and it turns out to be bodysnatching beasties. This is one of the few out and out horror/x-files episodes that Star trek did and it benefits greatly from the change of pace and style. Also, using continuity and referring to "Coming of Age" is excellent and it's a bit of a mystery why this isn't the Season finale.

Picard meeting his old chums is tense as is the scene where he meets the heads of star fleet. Now, I find it hard to believe that the Federation is governed by a few old codgers and budgetary restraints take it's toll this episode. But the final scenes with Remmick are very creepy and the final OTT scene with heads exploding and a weird Alien creature poking out his body made me laugh. Bit of a cop out that once you kill the queen, all others die within their hosts, but I'll let it pass.

Good to see Crusher be a bit more aggressive (though Worf comes across as an idiot) and the final scene of the signal being sent into space is suitably spooky. Good stuff.

4/5
Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 314/550