Date: March 2, 2020
Season 1, Episode 16
Setting the Stage: I watched this episode via Netflix in the comfort of my own home after a fantastic but long weekend. I flew from Pensacola to Nashville and then to Raleigh where I picked up my car and went straight into the office. I saw approximately 20 students during my afternoon office hours, taught class, came home for a quick nap, ate dinner while watching this episode, and then answered about half of my emails while jamming out to Billy Joel. I’m just tired from writing that sentence. The usual contingency of Professor Zoom and Tempura were present during our Trek watch, along with the husband. Since I cannot write with lyrics, however, tonight’s Trek writing music is 2001: A Space Odyssey by Coccolino Deep.
Just 8 more days of plugging Bad Ass Moms: http://kck.st/2SimbnD.
Favorite Quote:
Picard: Dr. Crusher is a Staff Officer, Radue. Starfleet Regulation six point five seven requires that at least two Staff Officers are present during any treaty or contract negotiations.
and this, my friends, is why I love Data
Radue: Very well.
Riker: Not much on pleasantries, is he?
Data: I am not aware of Regulation six point five seven.
Picard: No, Data. Neither am I.
Data: I see, sir. (short pause) Oh, I see, sir.
The Enterprise has been following an anomaly which leads to the discussion of the infamous planet of Aldea, which turns out to be real and simply behind a protective shield that also acts as a cloaking device. Radue and Rashella beam aboard the Enterprise and then beam over Riker, Dr. Crusher, and Troi in very quick fashion. It turns out we have a Children of Men situation and the Aldeans cannot have children, so they want those off of the Enterprise. As soon as they are told “no”, however, they beam back the away team and beam over several children, including Wesley (of course).
Each child is assigned to a “unit” that will help foster the child’s talent. Wesley meets “the custodian” which is really a computer that has been running the lives of the Aldeans so much so that they do not know what Calculus is, among other things. The parents back on the Enterprise are rightfully panicked but Picard and Dr. Crusher have a plan and sneak a medical scanner over to Wesley when they are there to “negotiate” a trade for the children. Turns out the Aldeans are dying due to radiation poisoning which stems from using their shield.
Data and Riker are able to beam over through a break in the shield as Dr. Crusher and Picard go to finish the “negotiations”. It helps that the Aldeans really want the children to thrive so the Federation agrees to help Aldea and the children get to go back to their parents, but they still have to study calculus.
I immediately knew that I knew the actress who played Rashella and, as it turns out, she’s been in a bunch of stuff. I know her fondly from Sports Night and all is well in the world because that show was awesome and I miss it. Picard being visibly uncomfortable while the young girl was showing him affection was hysterical and he handled it well, as a captain should. I do like that they are finally acknowledging that there are families on the ship as Wesley has really been the only reminder since the first episode, I think. This wasn’t the strongest episode, but it had an interesting plot and pulled out a win at the last moment in true Trek style. It used others on the ship in interesting ways and allowed for some creative problem solving. I give it Track 8 off of Billy Joel’s Album Turnstiles which was originally written as his adaptation of a science fiction song, appropriate as I’ve just come back from a sci-fi convention. Give it a listen here:
TA Out!
To Boldly Go Where Everyone Has Gone Before 