Ethics

well, if you're going to do an episode on assisted suicide, Worf's the right character; to a Klingon, paralysis is a death sentence, and those guys do not abide disgrace.

As written, this is standard morality stuff. Debate rages between Riker and Work, Riker and Picard, Picard and everybody, all the while a cavalier scientist is onboard with a risky untested procedure.

It's the acting from almost everyone that makes this work as well as it does. Frakes' pleas are heartfelt, McFadden's indignation comes from a place of caring for her patient, and Stewart knows how to play up the grand moralizing.

It's nice to see an emphasis on the crew as family, but it also feels like these characters are convenient topical mouthpieces.

6/10

I won't rehash the synopsis since that's been well handled already.

But did Starfleet cancel the industrial safety training course at the Academy? How could those barrels be stacked on the second level of the storage rack, and not even be secured? That ship is always bouncing all over the place. Someone needs to get fired.

The Crusher family is annoying. The visiting doctor is a gross jerk. Ok so a lot of stuff here.

Worf is hurt, can't walk. Wants to die with honor. Abandon his kid for honor? Then his dumb kid is there saying "yes sir" all the time. Blah blah. But here is my big problem, they go ahead with a life threatening and risky surgery. The doctors and the nurse is all wrapped up and sterilized. Yet Worf is laying on the table with his hair just flopped out right where they are making an incision. Hmm... that's just sloppy and unacceptable.

Why did this happen? They can warp across the galaxy, transporters can phase people up and down to and from planets. But there are no nanites or cloned organs?

Meh ok I'm gonna shut up. I just found this Crusher heavy episode to be annoying.

What could have been a great episode was ruined by one thing....Dr. Beverly Crusher. She was right for not allowing Worfs suicide but her actions regarding an experimental medical procedure were just way over the top. Considering that Worf was not going to ever give in and accept his paralysis, how could she take the position she did? Even Picard was on board. And while her lashing of the visiting doctors actions at the end were likely warranted, her arrogant holier than thou attitude throughout the episode were ridiculous. How many times has she tried crazy ideas to save someone in other episodes? I'd say very many.

This episode feels long, it's boring and preachy. This is a good one to skip.