Symbiosis

While it does seem follow some standard anti-drug art expressions from the time period, the episode is saved by it's acting and overall plot line.

Crosby and Frakes have some great execution of scenes dealing with the Ornarans/Brekkians. Especially when it comes to their evolutionary acquired weapon. Stewart's tone throughout sums up a tough interaction for JLP.

It's pretty clear that creating and then exploiting an entire planet of crackheads is up there on the list of reasons you'd break the prime directive, at least when it comes to JLP. A drug-addicted world, suddenly having 100% of the population going through massive withdrawal pains, without any notice whatsoever, doesn't seem to bother Dr. Crusher. However, JLP's plan has some foresight for the Brekkians in a way that shows compassion and good judgement in a no-win type spot. His final order of the episode to the helm sums up the result of the situation perfectly.

A distress call come from a freighter as the Enterprise begins to explore an interesting star.. On board, seeking help, are a couple of people who are in a state of reverie. Picard wants to help, but these people can't seem to help themselves. They don't seem to be able to do the most rudimentary things to control a starship. Soon the ship reaches a critical point and is about to explode. When asked to beam on board, instead of people, a pack of strange containers appears. It takes a second effort but only four of the six persons on board are able to be rescued. When the four arrive, they are arguing and sparring over the cargo and seem to have no concern for their dead comrades. What we find out is that the four represent two planets, on that profits from selling "medicine" to the other. The ones receiving the medicine are grateful for being able to pay for this stuff. What follows is a kind of negotiation between two forces that together manage to maintain a kind of balance. What happens is a moral dilemma where the prime directive does not allow PIcard to interfere, even though one force aggressively subverts the other. What ultimately happens makes for some interesting discussion.

I kept waiting for someone to say, "just say no." First of all it's obvious from the start that the Brekkians are drug addicts but the supposedly intelligent Enterprise crew with every medical technology at their disposal can't figure this out until 40 minutes into the episode? They act like a bunch of clueless idiots for the sake of the plot device. Then we have the obligatory "don't do drugs" talk with Wesley. I love Star Trek TNG but this episode just annoyed me and smacked of poor and obvious writing.

Quite enjoyed this one, may need to watch it again as I need to mull over the prime directive conundrum....and also I'm not sure why picard couldn't have just kept the drugs, after all they beamed the drugs on board the enterprise without asking permission first. Surely the prime directive has something to say about facilitating the supply of drugs to other planetary systems.

The distress call reminded me of working on an IT Helpdesk, hilarious, whenever someone is that vague about what the problem is you know they know exactly what the problem is, they don't want to tell you they've made some fat finger mistake.

Overall this is quite a funny and enjoyable episode.

Even maybe a top 3 Symbiosis is a great story, entertaining and simple. Not the best ever, far from it, but you will have a good hour of tv, a solid 8.5/10 Star trek season 1 have been the weakest by far, but not without some very good one, like the Paris one of skin of evil, to only named them.