Star Trek 236: Man of the People

236. Man of the People

FORMULA: The Host + Violations + Sarek + The Deadly Years + Amok Time

WHY WE LIKE IT: Troi is always more interesting when she's not herself.

WHY WE DON'T: But does she have to be mind-raped once per season?

REVIEW: Once again, a diplomacy mission hinges on an expert negotiator who gets involved with one of the two female characters on the Enterprise and/or is not what he seems. Frankly, I'm more than a little bored with this particular plot device. The idea that Ves Alkar is so good at what he does because he can shunt off negative emotions isn't a clear link, and that hurts the premise of Man of the People. If it'd been about keeping himself young and alive by eating at his victims' lives, then maybe. But that's not how it's presented until the very end.

In any case, the plot is used to foist a "negative" personality on Troi, because face it, the real Troi is a dull character. It saddens me to say this, but it's nonetheless true. Without more character development than "she likes chocolate", she can't possibly rise above the cool, detached therapist persona. Unless you pull a possession plot on her, of course. The bitchy, slutty Troi is at least interesting, with some clothing choices inspired by her mother's dress. In fact, the hyper-sexuality may be because of the artificial aging, since that's what happens to Betazoid women in middle age. However, the way it's presented, it's like the creators are saying sex = evil. And in fact, isn't it all an excuse for cheap titillation as Troi fiddles with her cleavage or shows her hardened nipples?

One bit of "evil Troi" I liked is her blunt therapy session with the ensign who can't cope with criticism. It's meant to show that Troi is becoming callous and mean, but really, she's telling it like it is. You're in the service now, girlie, and no, you won't be coddled. I agreed with everything evil Troi said. It's perhaps damning that the most interesting things in the episode were scenes of shipboard life like that session. Worf's tai chi classes, the dreaded crew evaluation reports (with a mention of an Ensign Janeway!), Troi and Riker's downtime, etc.

But then it all ends with people aging or de-aging magically and you're back in science fantasy land. Need I mention how screwed-up the timeline is between Riker having his scratches looked at and how the mission proceeds?

LESSON: Everybody wants Troi for her mind, not her body.

REWATCHABILITY - Medium-Low: Not totally unengaging. There's some tension and a few telling character moments, but it's pretty tawdry and cheap, with a boring villain-of-the-week.