30th Anniversary TNG Episode Discussion Marathon

[Nate the Great]

November 2nd, 1987, "Lonely Among Us"

Fiver (by FatMatDuhRat)
Transcript
Memory Alpha

Ugh, this is a bad one. The sad part is that while the two plots have almost nothing to do with each other, you could imagine other subplots that would've fit better had they been separated. The random energy being possessing people should've been matched with a more technological story; a new form of sensor attracts them. Insert the idea that the energy being doesn't understand strong emotion, as they make it jump to another host. The delegates should've had one or two representatives each that we follow. Teach them to respect all sentient life. Maybe use them to teach Worf a lesson.

The Episode

Captain's log, stardate 41249.3. We have orbited the two major planets of the Beta Renner system taking aboard delegates from those two worlds. Since achieving space flight, their major life forms, the Anticans and the Selay have become deadly enemies. But both have also applied for admission into our Federation.

What does "these planets want to join the Federation" have to do with "these planets are enemies with each other"? Or are you going to claim that a planet can't join the Federation if there are ongoing hostilities with anyone else? This isn't like "Attached" when the warring factions are on the same planet. I could go on, but to be brief, these are two different missions.

TASHA: Neither seem like very promising Federation candidates, sir.
PICARD: Even Parliament's peacemakers may find this case a little difficult.

Again, what does one have to do with the other? Is the mission simply escorting the delegates to Parliament on a neutral vessel, or is the mission evaluating them for Federation membership?

PICARD: Oh, yes, well these life forms feel such passionate hatred matters of custom, God concepts, even, strangely enough, economic systems.

We get it, Gene, you hate money! Religious differences are nothing compared to the evil that is money! On a completely unrelated subject, remind me again who wrote silly lyrics to the TOS theme to steal half of Alexander Courage's money? Oh yeah, it was you!

DATA: I hope the Captain remembers his physical pattern is here. If he has, his energy has moved into the transporter relays by now.

Ugh. Entire essays could be (and have been) written about how the transporter works, whether or not people have a soul that travels along the beam, etc. Suffice to say, I doubt Picard knows enough about the inner workings of the ship to move around like this without getting trapped in a holodeck or something.

TASHA: Sorry, Commander, but Security Team Two reports they've discovered a puddle of blood outside the Selay Quarters and they can't find one of the delegates and so
RIKER: Lieutenant. This couldn't have waited a moment?
TASHA: It's good to see you, sir. The problem is that one of the cooks has just been asked to broil reptile for the Anticans, and it looks like the Selay delegate.

Ugh, so these guys aren't just at war, they're cannibals. Perfect Federation candidates! Apparently our heroes have missed a necessary step or two. First stop the fighting, then stop the cannibalism, then start talking about membership!

The Fiver

Selay Delegate: (sniffs) Eww! This ship stinks!
Picard: Sorry about that, the cleaners won't arrive until Tuesday.

We do get a lot of mileage out of that Generations joke, don't we?

Captain's Log: We're all relying on Mr. Singh right now to fix the Enterprise and --
Worf: (over the comm) Captain! Singh has been found sizzled and singed.
Picard: Whoa! Try saying that three times real fast.

--"and that means we're doomed" should've been in there somewhere, right? Picard passed by a perfectly passable passage to promote playing off a pleasant parody.

Picard: Data, be a good little android and take us back into the energy distortion.
Data: Uh, sure. Are you feeling okay?
Picard: Mwahahahaha! Yes, of course. Why do you ask?

I've said it before, a good maniacal laugh can be relaxing. Clears out the mental cobwebs and revives the spirit, don't'cha know?

Memory Alpha

* Supposedly the first bottle show. I'd argue that there are too many special effects to call it a true bottle show.
* Second appearance of O'Brien, and now he's wearing gold. The interesting thing is that we're told that he was a tactical officer on the Rudledge. He went from gold to red to gold? That's an inverse of Worf, isn't it?
* First appearance of Marc Alaimo. I wonder if we'll be seeing him again?

Nitpicker's Guide

* Phil points out that the transporter doesn't work in the episode according to how all of the reference materials say it should work. Normally I'd chalk this one up to growing pains, but the transporter doesn't seem to be sufficiently different to how it worked in TOS to start applying such wildly different rules to it.
* He's also confused as to how casually our heroes are taking the murder of the Selay delegate at the hands of the Antican.