Star Trek: the Next Generation really shone in their character episodes. While they often weren't technically sci fi, they did speak to the human condition and that is what good fiction is supposed to do. Besides, how many times can you do a show about man verses technology? Or in Data's case, technology verses man?

This episode opens with the Enterprise responding to a distress call where 2 ships are attacking a third. After the skirmish ends it is determined that they were attacking because they wanted to eliminate a negotiator headed to broker a peace on a planet that has been fighting for some time. Since this guy is pretty important, the Federation decides that the Enterprise should escort this man to his destination and he is beamed over, with his mother. His mother is a nasty old woman who screams jealously at everyone who comes near him. And then she dies. He claims that it is against the customs of his people to do an autopsy and then he talks Troi into doing a mourning ritual with him. As an empath, she is the only one on the ship who can do this properly. Then Troi starts acting crazy. She starts dressing provocatively and her hair starts going gray. What did this negotiator do and why?

The story is really interesting and well done, though the resolution is pretty obvious. It's not one of those thorny philosophical questions that we could be discussing 'til the cows come home. There's a right and wrong and that's that. It's still a worthwhile story in the determining of what's going on. Sorry to be so vague, but I don't want to give everything away.

The acting is marvelous. I'm not particularly fond of Deanna Troi because for the most part she looks like set dressing. The writers didn't seem to know what to do with women. But for this episode they let her stretch beyond the confines of the pretty woman on the set. Sirtis handles the weight of carrying the show well. When she first starts getting weird, it's very subtle. On the first crazy scene, she is in a counseling session. Her patient is talking about how her supervisor doesn't like her and picks on everything she does. Troi responds (very pleasantly) that maybe he hates the fact that she whines so much. It's very shocking, both for the statement and for who it's coming from. It could have been easily botched too.

I liked this episode because of the character aspects not because of the story. While the story is good enough and well put together, it is pretty obvious. However, the character development and the acting are really the interesting part. This means that if you like the characters, you'll like the episode, but if you don't care for them, then you won't care for the episode either.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older