7.02 Liaisons

Rating: 3.5

As part of a cultural exchange with the Iyaaran people, Picard embarks with Voval to visit their homeworld, but their ship is forced to crash land on an M-class planet, injuring Voval in the process. Meanwhile, Wolf is assigned to attend to the rude and demanding Ambassador Byleth.

Comments

This episode has the feel of TOS – the simplistic approach to first contact.

As the episode progresses, Voval sounds more and more like Robert Stack narrating Unsolved Mysteries.

Nits

Riker complains to Worf that he will have to spend the next three days escorting the Iyaaran ambassador around the ship. In the next scene, however, Byleth says, "Yes, the next seven days should prove most illuminating." (Maybe that’s Iyarran days?)

Picard and Voval are thrown from their seats in the shuttlecraft, which once again begs the question: why are their no safety harnesses in these craft?

Picard, ready to go for help, tells Voval, "Try to stay conscious", then takes off. Is there no first aid kit on this ship with some medicine that could be administered to Voval to help him?

I truly dislike the contrivances that writers and directors will conspire to place into scripts – situations that just never happen in real life – like Troi speaking to the Ambassador while walking down the hall by herself, unaware that he has turned off into a corridor to investigate his first child-sighting. Would Troi really continue talking to him if he had been walking behind her? Would he even have been able to hear her if this had been their positions? No…and no.

Voval says, "Captain, this ride extends for a kilometer in either direction." ‘Captain?’ It seems unusual that Voval would address Picard in that manner – he sounds almost like a crewmember.

Memorable Moments

•    There’s a subtle shot of an alien silhouette dragging the unconscious Picard’s body away after he is knocked out by a plasma burst.

•    Worf beating the stuffing out of the Iyarran ambassador

Quotable Quotes

"Klingons do not procrastinate! It is a – tactical delay."
- Worf to Riker

Worf: I do not see why it is necessary to wear these – ridiculous uniforms.
Riker: Protocol.
Worf: They look like – dresses.
Riker: That is an incredibly outmoded and sexist attitude. I’m surprised at you. Besides, you look good in a dress.

Data: How is your diplomatic assignment progressing?
Worf: Fine!
Data: I have heard that in moments of diplomatic tension, it is often helpful to find elements of commonality.
Worf: Ambassador Byleth is…demanding, temperamental, and rude!
Data: You share all of those qualities in abundance. Perhaps you should try to build on your similarities.

Byleth: (to Geordi) You! Are you smarter than this one? (referring to Worf)
Geordi: Why do you ask?

"You are an insulting pompous fool! And if you were not an ambassador, I would disembowel you right here!"
- Worf to Byleth

Picard: Ambassador, I have to tell you that in my culture, what you have done would be considered a crime.
Voval: Crime?