Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 34: A Matter Of Honor [VHS]

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Many of the Star Trek episodes from the Next Generation make good educational case studies. Much of the series writing was reviewed by Communication Theorists to insure interpersonal consistency. The result was character development that was believable and observable. Many colleges and universities around the country use this episode to study the impact that moving into a new and unknown culture can have on the individual. Riker must do what he can to fit into the Klingon command structure while preserving his own identity. The story does a good job of pointing out how easy it is to misunderstand events when viewed from only one perspective and how important it is to not carry our cultural predispositions into another culture. To a certain extent, it advocates the idea of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". However, it also shows that the host culture can learn from having an outsider identify options that may not have been considered before. All in all, it is fun to watch and makes the classroom more interactive as students discuss what they see.

Riker's Honor

Riker boards a Klingon Bird of Prey as part of an officer exchange program. This is another Next Generation gem with lots of action. Riker has to fight the first officer he bumped from command and has to watch his back. Promotions are gained by assassination! The Klingon captain believes that the Enterprise was responsible for a virus that begins to eat the hull of the Bird of Prey. All these ingredients make for Next Generation Classic!

The Federation has started an officer exchange program, whereby officers of different species can temporarily serve aboard other ships. A Benzite Ensign named Mendon arrives on the Enterprise and assumes his duties. Differences in the conduct of the different species immediately appear and Mendon is mildly rebuked for his breaching of the chain of command.
Riker is then given the opportunity to serve as first officer aboard the Klingon cruiser Pagh. This is the first time that any Federation officer has served on a Klingon ship, so Riker needs a crash course in the Klingon command structure. Worf informs him that if a Klingon captain appears weak, it is the duty of the first officer to assassinate him and assume command. Riker also sits down to a hearty meal of Klingon food before he is transported to the Pagh.
Once he arrives, his first command decision is to beat up the second officer, who questions his loyalty. The best part of the episode is when Riker is eating with other members of the crew. A few mild dirty jokes are passed between Riker and Klingons of both sexes. They laugh together and you can see the beginning of better understanding.
A bacterial colony is growing on the hull of the Enterprise and the Pagh and it is eating through the hull of both ships. Mendon discovers the infection and identifies a way to destroy the colonies. The Enterprise then sets off to intercept the Pagh and inform them of the infection. Meanwhile, the crew of the Pagh also discovers the infection and the captain believes that it is a weapon being used by the Federation. He then moves to attack the Enterprise. Riker manages to get the Pagh captain beamed aboard the Enterprise, assumes command of the Pagh and at his urging, Captain Picard surrenders to the Pagh. The infection is then cleaned from the hull of the Pagh and the Klingon captain is beamed back aboard. The captain's last act is to strike Riker, who takes the blow and leaves the ship.
This is an excellent episode, in that it shows us a great deal about the military culture of the Klingons. It also demonstrates how little humans and Klingons know about each other. Despite centuries of contact and peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, the members of the human and Klingon cultures know very little about each other. This is emphasized when a member of the Pagh crew looks Riker over as if he were a zoo specimen.

Cultural education and social exploration aside, this episode rocks! It is fun to see Klingons from an outsider's perspective, true, but it's fun to see Klingons period. "A Matter of Honor" showcases Commander Riker and it is Riker at his very best. The only comparable Riker episodes (in quality) might be "The Pegasus" and "Second Chances". As Riker attempts to fit in with a Klingon crew as their first officer, he first must gain the crew's respect. This is no easy task for a "weakling human" but Riker succeeds is showing the Klingons that he is no weakling and will not be bullied. Riker learns a lot about this pround species and, in the end, the Klingons learn a bit about humans, too. The result is that both Riker and this crew of Klingon ruffians grow and mature. And when Riker returns to the Enterprise, there is a sense of understanding and camraderie between him and the Enterprise's resident Klingon, Lt. Worf.

Great episode, maybe the best of season two.