I blame Gene Roddenberry for the awfulness of this episode. Apparently, he could not stand the idea that an actual conspiracy to commit a coup de tat could happen in the United Federation of Planets, that Starfleet was way too cool to actually have such things happen. So, this episode, entitled "Conspiracy," begins with talk of a conspiracy, continues as if there really is a conspiracy, and then about 2/3 of the way through becomes a disgusting C-movie horror story.
Some like to praise this episode for experimenting with a "dark sci-fi story." If that's what this was, then it's a failed experiment. But, more than that, the fact is that "Star Trek" is never supposed to be "dark." "Star Trek" is a space-based action/adventure universe. It's supposed to be thrilling, fun, exciting, and stimulating to the imagination. When the series occasionally does put out a more serious episode, such as the classic "Best of Both Worlds," then it does so in the context of being a space adventure. It never brings itself down to the level of horror. It's too good for that. Any fool can make a cheap horror story. "Star Trek" is supposed to be above that.
The penultimate scene of this episode shows this horrifying creature emerge from the exploded body of a dead man and then get melted by Riker and Picard's phaser fire. It is a scene so graphic that it had to be cut when it aired on TV in Europe. And it is shameful.
This episode deserves to be disowned. It is without a doubt the single worst story told in the entire "Star Trek" universe.
Some like to praise this episode for experimenting with a "dark sci-fi story." If that's what this was, then it's a failed experiment. But, more than that, the fact is that "Star Trek" is never supposed to be "dark." "Star Trek" is a space-based action/adventure universe. It's supposed to be thrilling, fun, exciting, and stimulating to the imagination. When the series occasionally does put out a more serious episode, such as the classic "Best of Both Worlds," then it does so in the context of being a space adventure. It never brings itself down to the level of horror. It's too good for that. Any fool can make a cheap horror story. "Star Trek" is supposed to be above that.
The penultimate scene of this episode shows this horrifying creature emerge from the exploded body of a dead man and then get melted by Riker and Picard's phaser fire. It is a scene so graphic that it had to be cut when it aired on TV in Europe. And it is shameful.
This episode deserves to be disowned. It is without a doubt the single worst story told in the entire "Star Trek" universe.