TNG - Code of Honor

Character: Why does Patrick Stewart sound like a robot during the opening Captain's Log? There is a definite feeling of Stewart being at sea in the role at this point and slowly feeling his way into a part that he would eventually come to cherish. He's so stiff and awkward throughout, like he is suffering from imposter syndrome. 'She's a rather lovely female' he says of Tasha to Lutan in a moment of misogynistic diplomacy. 'With the power of the Enterprise we could overwhelm this planet easily and just take what we want...' 

This is essentially the Lieutenant Yar episode from season one and proves to be as over the top and as ridiculous as the character herself. She's such a liability that I fail to see the reason that Picard is so insistent on getting her back. He's willing to go to war in order regain his Security Officer who by her own confession (several times, agonisingly) is horny for her captor. Astonishingly at the climax it is clear that Yar still desires Lutan despite the fact that he has behaved like a sexist pig throughout. The only reason she doesn't want to keep him is because there would be complications with her career. How did Denise Crosby play any of this with a straight face? 

Terrible Dialogue: In a hilariously inept sequence where Troi informs the Captain that Yar was bowled over by being coveted by such a 'basic male image' such a Lutan, Tasha declares: 'Troi, you're my friend and you tricked me!' It might be the worst written scene in TNG's run and that is against some pretty stuff competition. 

'Lutan wants you to be his First One!' 'Impossible Yarena, I am a career Starfleet Officer!' 

The Good: Whilst this episode does feature the artificial TOS-style exterior planetary backdrop that is very popular in the early episodes, I did appreciate how they inserted the set into the matte painting of the planet. The nicest thing I can say about this episode is the quality of the handful of the visuals. 

The Bad: We should have known that we were going to be in trouble when Lutan beams upon the Enterprise in arrogant ceremony and declares a woman being Chief of Security an astonishing thing. It was a production choice to have the entire population of this planet being played by African actors because the script only specified that the guards were. Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner both go on record as saying that this episode is racist and the worst episode that TNG put out. I'd agree with the first part of that statement (it is certainly troubling that this society, entirely consisting of black actors, is seen as behaving in a primitive fashion in it's obvious sexism and love of violence and superstition) but I wouldn't say this is the worst episode of TNG. Top ten, for sure. But there are far less visually interesting episodes along the journey than this. Even the score is in on the racism, leaning on stereotypical themes. The Ligonians talk in a simple, broken English, seem astonished by the great technology of the Federation and have an unusual and creepy interest in the women. 

There's a very funny moment when Yar is kidnapped by the Ligonians and Picard barely raises an eyebrow and turns to the camera in such a lackadaisical fashion that you would swear that he expected this move was always going to happen. The direction and performance are so lazy it feels like nobody is making any effort. Even funnier is the scene where Dr Bev demands to talk to Picard about her son and then drops that he is hiding in the turbolift the entire time because he isn't allowed on the Bridge. 

Isn't it hard to believe that the Federation cannot synthesize a vaccine that this bunch can conjure up. The script needs a reason for the Enterprise to stay and sort out this problem with Lutan and Yar otherwise Picard would be well within his right to send a couple of photon torpedoes at the planet and warp out of there. We're estimating deaths in the millions if the vaccine isn't obtained. 

Result: 'I fight for the vaccine!' I find it astonishing that anybody would show up to Star Trek to watch something as insulting as this. Insulting in terms of treating the audience with a complete lack of intelligence with storytelling as simple as this, that they would want to experience a culture that is made up out of racist and sexist clichés, and that they would be invested in regulars that are characterised this appallingly. How the show ever recovered from an episode quite this offensive is beyond me. This is the sort of backwards script that the writers of the Original Series would have rejected on the spot. Beyond the 'threat' of not obtaining the vaccine, there is no substance at all in this episode and given we have no interest in where this going even that is beyond caring about. So it is the fate of Tasha Yar, who is treated as both a sex object and a horny teenager in a script that damages the character beyond repair. I think this is going for an Arena style action sequence in the finale, but this time replacing Kirk and a Gorn for a couple of grunting women fighting over the chance to become a sex object of a man. The biggest insult is that I took the time to watch this and write this review. There is no end to Code of Honor's shame.