1.16 When The Bough Breaks

Rating: 1.5

The Enterprise discovers the legendary (and normally cloaked) world of Aldea, where society’s needs are provided for by a computer, leaving all the people to indulge in the arts. But a genetic mishap has meant the Aldeans can no longer have children. They steal about 10 of the most promising Enterprise kids, then refuse to give them back, offering only compensation in return.

Comments

The theme of an entire society controlled by a big dumb computer was used many times in TOS.

This is another very forgettable episode that seems dated. The direction is static, the scenes with the kids have goofy background music, and the plot has huge holes. However, Wesley gives a nice performance.

Nits

Granted, one could probably cloak an entire planet, but the amount of energy to do so would be huge. How would one also hide the energy signature used to maintain the cloak? Wouldn’t the ship’s sensors pick up this energy source?

When the two Aldeans beam onto the bridge, the man keeps rubbing his forehead and complaining that the Aldean’s eyes are sensitive to bright lights. Yet the woman does not seem to be bothered at all. Even stranger, when we see them back on their planet, it is just as bright there as it was on the Enterprise bridge. J

When Beverly slips the medical scanning device to Wesley, he immediately opens his hand. This seems to be in full view of the Aldean woman who is present. It should have been filmed so that it was clear that Wesley first moved his hand to a shielded position before opening it (more poor direction).

Strange cosmic coincidences - Harry creates a sculpture of a dolphin using an advanced sculpting tool that is attuned to his thought patterns, then polishes the piece using a cloth that looks very familiar to the cloths used on 20^th century earth for polishing – the edges of the cloth are even cut in a crinkle pattern, probably by Aldean pinking shears! J

Wesley needs to build up his repertoire of comfort phrases. Just after the children are kidnapped, he comforts Alexandria by saying, "I know you’re scared. We all are." Later, when the children are on a hunger strike and food is served, he tells Alexandria, "I know you’re hungry. We all are."

Memorable Moments

•    The special effects sequence when we see the inner workings of the ‘Caretaker’ computer.

Quotable Quotes

"You are trifling with the primal instincts of our species. I must warn you that human parents are quite willing to die for their children."
- Picard