TNG: “Lonely Among Us” and “Justice”

Date: February 25, 2020

Season 1, Episodes 6 and 7

Setting the Stage: I watched the first episode on Feb 24 around 8 pm as I ate my bacon and cheese veggie burgers with my bacon and cheese cauliflower tots, because I’m cool like that and I had to work an almost 12 hour day. I watched the second episode on Feb 25 around 6 pm with a whole mess-ton of Taco Bell, because I’m an idiot. I also watched “The Battle”, but I’ll write about that tomorrow. Still watching on Netflix, even though it keeps telling me that I’ll really like Voyager and I should watch that instead. Sorry Netflix A.I., someone is already doing that (though mine is a first watch rather than a rewatch) and I have an order to keep. Today’s writing music is random instrumental music that will help me to not fall asleep.

I also wanted to take a minute to plug a Kickstarter I’ve backed called Bad Ass Moms. I personally know at least two of the writers and would love to see at least three of the stretch goals reached. For those that don’t know me personally my Mom passed away in January 2019 at the age of 56 and she had some “bad ass mom” tendencies, so I’m looking forward to reading about some real life inspired and totally fictional moms. Here’s the link, you have two weeks if you want to support the project: http://kck.st/2SimbnD

Favorite Quote from “Lonely Among Us”:

Data: On the contrary, dear colleague. On their return, they drew medical supplies appropriate to the treatment of minor wounds and abrasions on these life forms.

Riker: Which, leaves us with only one conclusion.

Data: Exactly. That they were too engaged in their own affairs to have disabled our ship and murdered the Engineer. Given a choice, they’d rather kill each other than any of us. It’s elementary, my dear Riker. Sir.

Data doing his best Sherlock Holmes impression while still maintaining his Starfleet rigor

“Lonely Among Us” has the Enterprise ferrying two enemy entities, the Anticans (white haired mongoose teeth people) and the Selay (serpent-like), to a peace conference at the planet Parliament. We get to see Starfleet dress uniforms for this group and they quite spiff.

Back on the bridge we see an energy cloud ahead and as Worf is testing one of the sensors he gets electrocuted, yells a fierce battle cry, and then becomes agitated. As Dr. Crusher examines Worf she is also electrocuted and begins to act strangely. As she accesses the computer on the bridge, the electric current goes into the computer of the Enterprise and she comes back to her usual self. Various stations go down and then are repaired, but it’s a mystery. Things start going wrong again as Singh from engineering gets electrocuted and dies, but Wesley thinks something is afoot. I legitimately wrote the word “afoot” before I knew Data was going to go on a Sherlock Holmes kick, honest!

Both Dr. Crusher and Worf experience a time gap in their memory, so Troi decides she wants to try hypnosis and she finds that something had joined with both of them. When Picard touches the console he is now hit with the energy. With his unusual behavior, the crew discusses mutiny or some way to relieve him of command. As they return back to the cloud, the being makes itself known to the bridge, Picard “resigns” from command and electrocutes everyone on the bridge so he can transport himself and the entity into the cloud. The crew pulls some shit out of their ass (I cannot think of another phrase for what happened) and beam Picard back, though he doesn’t remember anything and decides to leave Riker in charge of the diplomatic relations.

I totally feel like the two other alien groups on the ship served no actual purpose other than to maybe show that nothing can ever go smoothly. Data trying to embody Sherlock Holmes is fantastic, and the rest of the crew can’t help but giggle at him. I also don’t understand why the beam knocked Worf on his ass but took over the machines and humans, was it something the Klingon did? I’m a bit disappointed that this episode didn’t highlight the two warring groups, didn’t explore what the energy being was, and ultimately didn’t keep my attention as much as it could have. I rate thee a 5B, comment below if you can guess why.

Favorite Quotes from “Justice”: that’s right, there are TWO 🙂

Data: Would you choose one life over one thousand, sir?

Picard: I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that. 

Picard with the evasive and sassy answer

Edo Medicator: God has prevented your escape.

Dr. Crusher: Then your god is unfair. My son had no warning that his act was criminal.

Other Edo Medicator: We cannot allow ignorance of the law to become a defense.

Picard: I don’t know how to communicate this, or even if it is possible, but the question of justice has concerned me greatly of lately. And I say to any creature who may be listening, there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.

Riker: When has justice ever been as simple as a rule book?

Picard: It seems the Edo Lord agrees with you, Number One.

A really charged speech for Picard and an interesting view on enforcing the law and justice

“Justice” sees the Enterprise coming back from establishing a colony on one planet and exploring another to see if it is suitable for shore leave. I already know this episode is going to be a shit-show because shore leave is never easy to come by. Data and Worf report a glitch, Picard approves shore leave, and Wesley beams down as part of the away team to be sure it’s suitable for children. The planet, Edo, has scantily clad and very affectionate inhabitants and the away team is very eager to explore. Back on the ship the crew tries to identify the mystery object, when a half-transparent vessel appears and sends a ball of energy to communicate with Picard. It warns Picard to “leave my children alone” and attaches itself to Data, who passes out. Wait, didn’t this happen already on The Animated Series episode “Bem“? It’s also very Charlton Heston.

Back on Edo Worf and Riker discuss sex and it’s suuuuuper awkward, but thankfully the inhabitants tell their visitors that there is no crime because if you break the law you get executed and all of the officers share the surprised Pikachu face while also realizing Wesley is not with them… dun dun dun. Of course while Wesley is playing with the other teenagers he breaks a law (he fell onto some plants, the criminal), the Edo mediators try to kill him, and Riker is not having any of that. Picard beams down and is clearly stuck between the Prime Directive and saving the life of Dr. Crusher’s son. Having just made Wesley an acting ensign, this seems like a waste to me. Picard beams back up with one of the Edo women and she identifies the vessel to be “god”, who then becomes mad so they have to beam her back before “god” attacks the Enterprise. Data finally awakens and is able to explain the vessel’s purpose. They all beam back down, Picard tells the inhabitants of Edo that Wesley will not be executed, and they try to beam back but are stopped. The exchange in my second favorite quote happens and they are able to get back aboard the Enterprise.

I’m super torn with this episode. On one hand we had to go through all of that just to have the crew be denied shore leave? Sigh. On another hand we have a mystery vessel and a new culture to explore, one that is quite risque, but both are left unexplored at the end. On yet another hand, hey I’m using a cheat card here, we have a great discussion about the topic of justice and what it looks like to different people in different places. With justice being such an important topic in today’s political climate, it’s important to see all of the sides to every action. I feel like I’ve just made a really bad pro/con list and didn’t really come to a conclusion, so this episode earns itself 5 pumpkin seeds.

TA Out!