SPOILERS AHEAD: In this episode, the "Enterprise" ends up at a planet where the inhabitants are androgynous. Commander Riker works with one of them, Soren, and they end up falling in love. Problem: these aliens are forbidden to express sexual desires inclined to only one gender (Soren tends towards female behavior), so she is "tried" and taken away for psychological reprogramming when their relationship is discovered.
The episode is famous, of course, for trying to take on the way gay people are treated in our culture, much as the original "Star Trek" took on issues such as the Vietnam War and racism. A big plus is that, up until the trial, the performances are solid and the writing is very good. As someone else here said, Soren's self-defense speech is rather heavy handed, perhaps making the point a bit too obviously.
However, my biggest problem is with what happens after Soren is taken away. Forbidden from the planet, Riker decides to disregard his Starfleet training and orders so that he can sneak down to the planet and rescue his new love. He also manages to convince the usually by-the-book Klingon Lt. Worf to go along with his plan. This is TOTALLY out of character for both Riker and Worf. This really rings falsely against the way both characters had been developed throughout the course of the series. The writer, Jeri Taylor, really should have known better. She decided to make the Big Social Statement at the expense of Riker and Worf. As a result, Jonathan Frakes gives an unconvincing performance during the last quarter of the episode, totally ruining it for me. The ending, of course, is predictable.
It's good that a television show tries for something other than mindless entertainment. But it can't be done with plot contrivances which go against the grain of the show's premise or its characters, which is what happens here. Certainly not one of the worst moments for "TNG", but far from its best.
The episode is famous, of course, for trying to take on the way gay people are treated in our culture, much as the original "Star Trek" took on issues such as the Vietnam War and racism. A big plus is that, up until the trial, the performances are solid and the writing is very good. As someone else here said, Soren's self-defense speech is rather heavy handed, perhaps making the point a bit too obviously.
However, my biggest problem is with what happens after Soren is taken away. Forbidden from the planet, Riker decides to disregard his Starfleet training and orders so that he can sneak down to the planet and rescue his new love. He also manages to convince the usually by-the-book Klingon Lt. Worf to go along with his plan. This is TOTALLY out of character for both Riker and Worf. This really rings falsely against the way both characters had been developed throughout the course of the series. The writer, Jeri Taylor, really should have known better. She decided to make the Big Social Statement at the expense of Riker and Worf. As a result, Jonathan Frakes gives an unconvincing performance during the last quarter of the episode, totally ruining it for me. The ending, of course, is predictable.
It's good that a television show tries for something other than mindless entertainment. But it can't be done with plot contrivances which go against the grain of the show's premise or its characters, which is what happens here. Certainly not one of the worst moments for "TNG", but far from its best.