Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 41: Pen Pals [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Data breaks Starfleet first contact protocol, talks to scarey orange child; Wesley saves planet. Picard rides a horse. Enterprise rides off into sunset.

Okay; so it's not THAT bad. I find this episode of TNG charming because it explores the fact that sometimes, Data's ethical programming is a lot more "ethical" than Starfleet's Prime Directive. I mean, when Data is faced with the prospect of watching his friend Sarjenka's planet die, he acts. Do any of the PEOPLE act? Not until the android forces the issue.

I found myself wondering what would happen if the humanoid Starfleet officers were faced with a Final Solution type problem? Would they sit around and analyse it and endlessly babble about the Prime Directive while millions died? Data would size up the situation, decide This Is Wrong and take action. Says a lot about "humanity." And that's the whole POINT.

Not as good or as well-written as Measure of a Man or Data's Day-- but worth owning just for the scene where Sarjenka takes one look at Troi, moves behind Data for protection and calmly says "Leave me alone." We're talking this is one smart scarey orange child. She knows where HER bread is buttered!

While scanning broad radio spectrum, Data hears a young female voice say, "Is anybody out there?" Data replies and he and his unseen friend, Sarjenka, become pen pals via the radio broadcasts. Sarjenka (Nikki Cox) tells Data of geological disturbances on her planet. Through the weeks of communication, Data has learned that his young friend lives on Drema Four (so many planets, so few names!), a pre-space travel world that limits what Data can share with her.

Data brings the matter to the attention of the senior staff who seem more than mildly shocked that the Leiutenant Commander could behave in such a reckless manner, possibly exposing a pre-warp civilization to the knowledge of alien beings beyond their world. Data asks that the Enterprise help to save his friend's planet, but Picard is bound and gagged by the Prime Directive. He is angry at Data for having exposed their hearts to a child they must leave to her fate.

Picard orders Data to terminate communications with Sarjenka, and he wryly does so slowly, as Sarjenka's pleas of "Data, why aren't you answering me?" penetrate the room. Picard finds a way out of the dilemma as Data begins to terminate his radio downlink - Sarjenka asks for help.

The other minor plot involves Wesley, who Riker has put in charge of the geological survey team that will attempt to save Sarjenka's planet. Wes is put in a position where he must order and supervise a team that is older, more experienced and has higher rank than he does and goes through a Baptism by fire experience in his first command of sorts.

Data makes a final gesture to Sarjenka that gives a peek into the heart of this heartless android, a subtle, easy-to-miss scene that speaks volumes as Sarjenka's planet is saved and she returns home. A true treasure of an episode.

Plot: The Enterprise is exploring a solar system whose planets go through terrible geologic activity to the point of tearing the planet apart. Wesley Crusher is given command of finding out (and possibly stopping) this solar systematic crisis. Meanwhile, Data picking up signals from one of the planets and suddenly recieves these words. "Is anybody out there?" Data, naturally replies, "Yes." (Not like he would have said "no".) Well, that pretty much blows apart following the Prime Directive in this case, so our heroes sit down and debate what to do next. It's either: (1) Follow the Prime Directive, break contact with the species, and watch them go extinct or (2), forget the Prime Directive and save the planet (and also keep fans from destroying their TV's after seeing the episode).

As far as the whole Prime Directive thing goes, you have to ask the obvious, "How can a man-made law be absolute since man is evolving?" (according to Star Trek). Since Star Trek tends to act as if God is irrelevent (or non-existant), then there is no basis for absolute truth. Hence the reason for the dilemma that our heroes face in this episode.

Great points are though that they do save the day, the brief friendship of Data and Sarjenka, and watching Picard ride an Arabian horse.

In this episode, the prime directive is thoroughly discussed and just as thoroughly circumvented. The Enterprise enters a new solar system where the planets suffer from extreme tectonic activity. So severe that it is capable of tearing the planets apart. Wesley Crusher is given his first command when he is placed in charge of the team investigating the activity. Data intercepts a message from a very young girl on one of the planets and he responds, striking up a dialog, which is a violation of the prime directive of non-interference.
This leads to a senior staff meeting where they discuss the role of the prime directive. While Worf argues in favor of the absolute nature of the directive, Dr. Pulaski argues that it is merely a guideline rather than an absolute. The contact with the young girl continues until it reaches the point where Data beams down to the surface in an attempt to contact her. Since she is scared and there is danger, Data beams back to the Enterprise with her. Crusher's team discovers the reason for the high activity and they find a way to reverse it. In order to return her to the planet, Dr. Pulaski eliminates all of her memories of her contact with Data.
What I dislike about this episode is the cavalier attitude towards the prime directive. It is supposed to be a rule so absolute that Star Fleet personnel will die before they violate it. Therefore, Data should have been brought up on charges for violating it. One lesson that should have been learned from human history is that even minor contact between civilizations can have extensive and unforeseen consequences. That is why the prime directive was initiated and is considered absolute. Also, recent experience with the Internet shows how dangerous it is for children to contact strange men over anonymous communication channels. The idea that this girl, whose age appears to be about 10, would be allowed to carry out such a relationship is absurd. Furthermore, Data's beaming down to the girl's quarters can be considered breaking and entering and most parents would try to shoot him if they were to discover him in her bedroom. Finally, to solve their problem, Dr. Pulaski is "required" to carry out one of the most invasive of personal violations.

Yet another one of those infuriating Prime Directive episodes where Starfleet rules demand that an entire of being die because it would be wrong for them to find out there are beings zipping around the cosmos in starships. The Enterprise is studying violent geothermal activity on planets in the Selcundi Drema system. While Wesley is put in charge of planetary mineral surveys, Data fiddles with the sensor array and comes across a radio transmission from a little girl on Drema IV named Sarjenka. When the child asks the fatal question, "Is anybody out there?" Data answers "Yes." This pretty much violates every rule in the book, but before Picard can get away from the planet, which is about to self-destruct, Sarjenka makes a plaintive call for help. Suddenly this changes everything.

What redeems this episode is the friendship between Data and Sarjenka, which is rather endearing. For some reason I have always liked the way children interacted with Data, much the same way I get a kick out of Naomi Wildmon and Seven of Nine on Voyager. No rationale explanation available, sorry. In "Pen Pals" I am perfectly content to let Picard stew in his own juices as to how to save Sarjenka's planet without letting anybody who lives there have a clue as to what is happening, although I tend to think all those beings might turn to a theological rather than a scientific explanation that might alter their destinies a bit. Besides, never argue with an android with a positronic brain. As somebody said once upon a time, not playing God is just another way of playing God.

Sarjenka cries for help

This episode is one your showcases everyone's favorite android, Commander Data.
He hears a cry for help from his workstation and the Prime Directive is held under a microscope. While Picard is pondering as to help this poor kid, Data continues to receive transmissions for help. It would have been very cold if Picard decided not to break policy...which is what the show does every time. I can't for a minute believe the fiction Prime Directive when it's broken all the time when it suits the interests of Starfleet....I know ... it's only a TV show...

There are lots of good special effects in this one. The deteriorating planet of Sarjenka and the scenes between Data and Sarjenka will bring a tear to the eye in the most jaded of fans. I recommend this one.