Amac Productions

Here we have an episode that confuses the ever loving hell out of me.

Now, don’t take that to mean it wasn’t good or that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. However, at the end of the episode I’m in a permanent state of confusion because why are Deanna and Riker not back together?

They’re both clearly pained by this arranged marriage.

Although Deanna who knew it to be a possibility and grew up on Betazed does handle it better than Riker. It can also be attributed to what she said to Riker about not having the capacity to believe two things at the same time. As well as her duty as the counselor, allowing her to handle her emotions better.

There’s a lot of factors that allow Deanna to go with the flow better.

While still having an outburst as well because this is all a bit much.

Suddenly, her entire life changes without warning as these people decide to lay claim to a thing they did when their kids were children. One apparently, Lwaxana did not think would ever come to pass. Merely, a thing they did long ago.

Except the Millers, oddly the humans upholding the Betazoid tradition, have arrived to see their children married.

Thus, we get to learn that both Deanna and Riker clearly still have feelings for each other.

Riker basically says as much when he says that being captain of a starship isn’t all he wants. A sentence loaded with feeling and emotion as he clarifies that he also wants her.

Something that Deanna is aware.

Which she should be. She can feel whatever he feels.

I imagine that this is also the problem as well. She can feel that she’ll come second to the fact that he wants to be a starship captain. That must hurt.

It’s completely understandable that she’d want to come first with someone. Or stay out of Riker’s way so he can achieve his dream. As it apparently seems to be impossible for captains to have families. Or something.

Which leads me to the frustration of shows from this time.

We’re so convinced that having a couple around would make them boring. That the show couldn’t possibly be as interesting if Deanna and Riker were a couple. Which is exactly what makes the ending so frustrating, because they should have said ‘screw it’ by the end of the episode.

They clearly still want each other.

Still call each other Imzadi. A very clear term of endearment from Betazed. One she does not grace on Wyatt.

One she still wishes to be for Riker even though she’s about to marry someone else. Not to mention, she wants him to attend the wedding and be there for her. She includes him, because she cares about him, and wants him around.

That’s sort of thing happens when you’re in love with someone. You want them around in the good times and the bad times. And if you don’t believe me, see Lorelai from Gilmore Girls when she was supposed to marry Max. She asked Luke to come to the wedding. And he showed up.

Because that’s what you do.

I will never understand the fasicnation with keeping characters single or the will they won’t they plots. They’re ridiculous. Just get together and stay together or don’t.

This in between is actually far less interesting to me.

Because everything about this episode reenforces the idea that Riker and Deanna still love each other. Want each other. At the end of the episode, they smile warmly at each other across Picard.

There’s literally nothing keeping them apart anymore. This should be an episode that forces them to confront the idea of losing the other permanently and realizing they want to be together more than they don’t. More than the supposed obstacles keeping them apart.

Which I also find stupid. Captain can’t have family because of plot Macguffins.

Get out of here. I think watching a captain struggle with having his family aboard the starship will be way more interesting than this in between the status quo thing we’ve got going on here with Deanna and Riker. Who for no good reason at all are content to return to the status quo that we had at the beginning of the episode.

Essentially rendering any attempt at growth moot.

Now, I’m still entertained by the episode. But the point of these episodes should be to force the characters to confront things they’ve been ignoring. Allow them to grow or even regress.

This does neither.

Riker and Deanna aren’t allowed to do anything differently than the start of the episode.

We don’t clear the air. We don’t get back together. We don’t even give a good reason to keep them apart. And I’m frustrated because this is the perfect moment to give them a chance to get together.

And literally put Picard in the middle of this couple.

Seriously, they sit on either side of him. Just imagine the sort of fun you could have with that.

As a writer, I would have chosen to put them together and give them growing pains as a couple trying to find their footing with their jobs and potential career paths. Because is there a rule that says they can’t be together?

I doubt Picard would have a problem.

Other than sitting between them while they have a mind conversation and he feels like a third wheel. Come on, that would have been hilarious!

I just feel like it was such a missed opportunity.

On the other hand, I’m thrilled with things we did get. Riker brooding over the idea that Deanna wouldn’t just always be there. One day she might move on and love someone else. Call them Imazdi instead of him.

However, he’s assured that she still wants to be that to him. As he is to her. That won’t change. No matter where they go.

I really love that vibe those two are giving. The idea that no matter how much time passes or where they go or who else comes along, it’ll always be each other. They’ll find their way together.

Which should happen now, but that’s beside the point.

I love that Deanna is so offended when her mother suggests marrying Riker. Which I feel Lwaxana did just to get a rise out of her daughter. Because there’s no way she doesn’t know they were together. Plus, Riker’s face when he looks at Deanna clearly feels like he’s teasing her too.

Also, I get the sense from Lwaxana that if Deanna said the word, she would find a way to get her daughter out of the marriage. In fact, it does feel that way from the advice she gives to Wyatt. Along with how she hugs her daughter at the end when Wyatt chooses another woman. It’s like she knows her daughter it relieved.

Like this was the outcome she wanted all along.

Why she was so difficult for the Millers to get along with. I think she was helping her daughter in her own way as she tried to help her escape a marriage that they never really planned for her to have.

It could feel like Lwaxana is too self-absorbed to pay attention to her daughter, but I feel it’s just who she is. But she’s also keenly aware of her daughter as well. She clearly loves her. Even if they don’t see eye to eye on everything – it’s clear she loves her daughter.

And vice versa. As much as Deanna is exasperated by her mother.

I really love the dynamic they have. Very much an accurate depiction of a mother and daughter who love each other and are always annoyed by each other as well. So much fun.

Another thing I enjoyed was how open Lwaxana was. She can hear everyone’s thoughts and is used to speaking her mind from a planet where people can all do the same thing. She’s blunt and honest and brash. She’s nothing like you’d except for a woman depicted in the 80s.

She gets to be who she is without apologizing.

Sure, Deanna does it for her, but she only explains her actions away as a Betazoid trait because they hear every thought. They don’t do little white lies. They just say whatever they think.

Deanna has curbed this to handle humans more easily.

I loved that Picard tried so hard to carry the suitcase and Deanna easily got him out of it. Opting out of politeness herself as well. She’s more Betazoid than we’ve ever seen her.

Saying what’s on her mind without worrying as much and letting her emotions out. Clearly, her mother has an effect on her.

Picard being so overwhelmed by everything happening, wanting to stop it, but also knowing he really shouldn’t. Because wouldn’t that break the Prime Directive to interfere with other cultures? However, can he just let Deanna leave when it’s apparent by how she reacted to the news, that she doesn’t want to leave. Can he just let her go?

Picard manages to balance this by being supportive while also being there if she wants to change her mind.

I love how thrilled he is when she stays at the end. I also love that he feels comfortable enough to tell her that he’s happy to have her along for the next adventure. It’s refreshing to have a not so stoic captain. One willing to tell his crew members that he likes having them around.

While he knows that one day they may all move on to other things or jobs or places, he’s always happy to have them while he can.

Love that.

I love Riker trying his best to be supportive while also dying inside. Very nice.

I love Homm. Dude is just so weird. And I think the actor was also on Charmed as a weird portal demon thing. He kidnapped Phoebe once. You weren’t supposed to touch him.

Wyatt’s entire plot was hilarious to me. He thought he was communicating with his future wife. Dreaming of her. Drawing her. Only to discover that Deanna is not what he thought her to be. I can’t help but wonder if Lwaxana knew this and was hoping he would be disappointed enough to call off the wedding.

Because the fact that he thought it was Deanna was probably part of the reason he wanted to marry her. He thought they were destined to be together. Only to discover that Deanna was merely a path to help him find the woman he fell in love with.

Love it.

I’m pretty sure everyone else loved it too. We get to keep Deanna. I’m thrilled by that.

Also, when I asked for more Deanna last review, I did not mean try and marry her off to some random dude. If you want her to get married, I suggest Riker. Thank you very much.

Overall, it was a good episode considering the time and the unfortunate beliefs that couples are boring. I did still enjoy it. Now, someone please put Riker and Deanna back together.

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