Oh boy. It’s this one.
Summary
Human-like aliens have a vaccine to some horrible disease that the Federation needs. Picard and crew must entertain them, earn their trust, and get the vaccine. The alien leader is interested in Tasha and kidnap her. Picard jumps through hoops to honor their kidnapping customs, but the evil alien refuses to give Tasha back and wants to make her his #1 wife. His existing #1 wife is not happy about this and challenges Tasha to a duel. Tasha defeats her and immediately beams her up where Crusher revives her. Since she technically died the duel is complete. She chooses a new husband and that husband agrees to give over the vaccine.
Observations
(Plinkett voice) Oh my God!
Sexist/racist African caricatures?
Tasha’s bad-wig stunt double takes down a dude.
“Your skill impresses me. I like you.” SINISTER MUSIC. It’s not the 1960s anymore, maybe ratchet down the telegraphs via musical queues?
Though already present in the first episode here we get a clear sense that Picard is a leader who listens to his people. After Tasha is kidnapped he asks everyone for opinions.
Crusher: Captain, we must have that vaccine! You have no idea what it’s like to watch someone die from the disease.
Picard: No, but I’ve seen my share of death.
Perfect moment for some emotion between Picard and Crusher about him having been there when her husband died. Nope. She cracks about how she’s just so darned bad at burying her emotions as a doctor. Then she segues into talking about Wesley, who has been holding up the turbolift on the bridge the whole time. Cute moment as Picard agrees to let Wesley come up and sit at ops. Remember, Tasha has been kidnapped and is probably being raped.
Of course these black aliens have multiple wives, just like savage races do.
Oh for fu… Tasha experiences a thrill, per her own admission, as a man expresses interest in her. A man who has kidnapped her, intends to rape her, and now has his existing wife challenging her to a duel to the death.
Riker calls Crusher all the way to the bridge to ask her what a message on his screen means. It’s about the outbreak flaring up. Couldn’t he forward it to her? Oh, Geordi is reading it too from the helm station? Did everyone get a copy?
The women on alien planet own all the land. See, it’s a progressive society. And that’s why the bad guy wants Tasha. To own more land? He’s the leader, and apparently some kind of dictator. Just change the rules, dipshit.
Early establishment of Geordi and Data being friends. He refers to Geordi as “my friend” multiple times. Geordi tries to escape when Data tells a joke.
First mention of the Prime Directive.
Tasha: “There is no combat training equal to that of Starfleet” Not even the Klingons?
Data: (referring to the alien weapons) “Are light, as if they are meant for women to use.” Not only are we being racist, we’re also highlighting the physical inferiority of women. Cool.
The climactic moment is two women on an awkward jungle gym flailing at each other.
The lady gets to choose a new husband at the end. So all’s well that end’s well.
Conceptually the idea is fine. Picard having to struggle to maintain the Prime Directive and respect another culture even when that culture is in vast conflict of his own. Execution is horrible. Don’t make them black stereotypes. Don’t make them any tribal stereotypes. Just make them people with funny forehead ridges and silly sparkly clothes.
Nitpicks
Data is explaining how the savage Indians of Earth behaved like these savage black aliens. He refers to a phrase and says it’s from “an obscure Earth language known as French.” He can’t possibly be that dense. Two episodes earlier Q referred to Picard as “Mon capitaine” multiple times right in front of Data. He didn’t do that out of randomness, Picard is French. Despite his English accent. Presumably he was raised speaking French. It’s far from obscure.
Armchair Screenwriter 