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The title feels very counterintuitive to the episode.

Apparently, the crew of the Enterprise has stumbled across a planet after dropping off a colony nearby. To which Beverly points out that after all their hard work there, they could do with some shore leave.

Which for a moment, just a moment, took me out of the show. Because I was like what? That’s for ships.

Then I was like, a spaceship is still a ship. Meaning that they would probably just use the same terms for both. To which, I called myself a bit of a dope for taking ten seconds to put those things together in my brain.

Anyway, after that I refocused on the episode as the Away Team explained the idyllic planet below very similar to Earth with people on it who are nearly identical to humans. And well, they um, enjoy life to the fullest whenever they like. Apparently.

Everyone wishes to take shore leave here, but Picard wants to be certain this is a safe place for his people.

Which I cannot blame him since we soon discover that the reason this planet is so calm and wonderful after all their conflict is because they just straight kill anyone who steps out of line.

They’ve got random zones where all their laws are enforced. No one knows where they’ll be except for the police like enforcers who come to investigate for three seconds. Only to then whip out a poison needle and just kill the responsible party. Because no one knows where the zones will be and the punishment for even the smallest crime is death, no one committs any crimes.

Which I mean, it works.

I get the sort of absolute crime free world you’re going for here. You want peace. Seems like a perfectly simple way to do it.

But I agree with Picard at the end of the episode. Nothing can be just if you don’t make room for negotiation. If everything is absolute there can be no justice.

I really enjoyed his take on it. That the huge godlike entity agreed with him as well.

Overall, I understand what the Edo were trying to do. I even understand their argument about not wanting to make exceptions. However, I feel as though you should probably mention to the off-worlders before they set foot on your planet that they will be held to the same standards and you will be killed for the smallest of infractions.

Like you know, damaging some plants.

I mean, I’m not missing anything right. The plants were clearly not supposed to be touched for whatever reason. But I don’t think anyone should lose their life because they tripped into the greenhouse thing there.

Oh and side note, that dude with all the chest hair is supposed to be a child??

I’m pretty sure this was done not to put actual children in the revealing clothing that the Edo were wearing. Which I can completely get behind and understand. Perhaps though we should have picked a male without so much chest hair that he’s clearly in 20s and not his teens like Wesley is.

One more thing about this moment too, Wesley just straight up saying that he was with Starfleet and they don’t lie felt like a kid dressing up in his parents’ uniform rather than a thing I’m supposed to take seriously.

I don’t even think Riker could take him seriously.

Wesley, you’re a child. I don’t care about whatever title Picard gave you. You do not possess the same training or rank or title everyone else earned by going through the proper channels for it. Your mother works aboard the ship, and the captain lost his best friend – your father – making him feel like he must fill that role somehow. Therefore, you get special treatment.

So far, despite the Traveler’s instance that you’re special, you’ve done little to prove that to me. In fact, when you say shit like that you annoy me, because know you’re freaking place on the ship dude.

It’s sort of bothersome to me that I can enjoy Wesley from the adult side of things but find him annoying as all get out as well.

Like I adore Beverly wanting to save her son and being more than willing to go toe to toe with Picard to make it happen. It’s such a Mama Bear thing to do and I respect that so much. It’s one of my favorite tropes to see. And well, for me, it never gets old.

Then there’s Picard who is struggling to figure out how to get Wesley out of the situation without pissing off the strange godlike creature watching over the planet. While also not inferring to terribly much with the Edo’s society. Which – by the way – Picard I think you broke just by being there in the first place.

Forgetting about that. He’s struggling because he will not sacrifice Wesley who made a simple mistake while also trying to respect the oath he’s taken. While also keeping the entire ship of people safe.

It’s a tough balance that he manages to beautifully agree his way out of.

Which is yet another reason why Picard is an excellent leader and when he was possessed last week everyone probably should have noticed sooner.

Yet, Wesley himself sounds like a whiny brat.

I enjoy the people who care for him, doing their best to keep him safe. Worrying about his well-being. Coming to his rescue and willing just pulling weapons to protect him.

Wesley is a kid. And whether I like him or not, he’s allowed to make mistakes. Do stupid things. Trust that the adults in charge of his well-being will be there to protect him when he gets over his head. Which is the part of the storyline I enjoy.

Riker taking pride in Wesley’s progress.

His mother’s love willing to break her own oath to do whatever she needs to, to keep her son safe.

Tasha throwing down at the sight of someone trying to hurt him.

Everyone ensuring that he was being kept safe and sound while being held by the Edo.

Picard’s steadfast refusal to let him be sacrificed just because of some rules. Like the Edo’s or even his own to not interfere. There must be some leeway. A line in the sand they will not cross for the sake of upholding some arbitrary rule. A position I think even Starfleet would agree with as well.

Picard’s assurance to Beverly that he would not allow Wesley to be executed.

So while Wesley does annoy me from time to time, what he allows the other characters to bring to the table is more than worth it. I love it.

These types of situations allow for the characters and actors to stretch their legs and their skills as well. We get Data trying to understand Picard’s logic for not wanting to let Wesley die.

After all, it would technically be within the Prime Directive.

Especially, when we’re facing a threat like the strange godlike creature I don’t understand at all who has adopted the Edo for whatever reason. It would risk the entire ship and crew. Is that worth one life?

Picard does a great job of explaining that this is more than math.

It’s the spirit of the rules.

Often times, it’s a thing that lawyers or TV shows talk about as well. There’s the letter of the law and there’s the spirit of the law.

The law may say Wesley should die for his crime, that’s the letter of the law.

However, when the crime is so small and he did not know that he was breaking the law and about to face because of it. Should he really be punished so severely for something so small? No. That’s the spirit of the law.

It is meant to keep things in order. But it’s not meant to be horribly unfair or awful.

Like when a kid has a lemonade stand. No, they don’t have the right permits or health inspection or certifications for the stand. But no one cares and no one is going to arrest them because it’s the spirit of what the kid is trying to do. We let it slide. I mean, unless you’re a Karen but that’s another story.

For anyone who says that Star Trek has become woke, I think you should go back and watch more episodes like this. It’s always been woke.

Last things I wish to mention about the episode!

Deanna and Riker being subtly jealous over the people flirting with the other. Very nice touch. Love that. Because it does feel at times that the show wishes to forget about the tidbit it dropped in the pilot episode about their past relationship. Which for the record I would like to know more about, please and thank you.

The godlike creature being reasonable. Love that.

Picard just marking this planet as a no go and exiting as soon as he can. Do not blame him at all.

Apparently, Worf would kill anyone who is not Klingon if he tried to have sex with them. Which, um, yikes. And TMI.

Beverly telling Data to shut up. I agreed with her.

Data has not learned enough about when to shut the hell up.

Why did we have a trail at all when they just wanted to kill him out in the field? That’s just weird.

It amused me greatly that the police officer person thingy was like oh no, you’ve scared the boy now. This will make murdering him a lot harder now. Because he knows it coming. He did not deserve to die scared.

Well, he doesn’t deserve to die at all.

They were flowers. Calm your asses.

We brought Wesley to get a youth’s perspective on the planet. I think he might vote it down. Not a place for small children. They’ll all be killed.

Yeesh.

Anyway, overall, I enjoyed this episode. The moments when the characters get to shine are so much fun for me. Those are the moments that make this show great as they struggle with moral dilemmas. Finding solutions that don’t involve attempting to blast everyone to pieces. We try to resolve things with words.

And we do.

I really love it. Let’s see what the rest of the season has in store for me!

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