When Star Trek takes a swing at the “overpopulation problem”, Kirk is kidnapped and used to introduce a deadly STD into the population. The writers even kicked both sterilization and prophylactics past the 1960’s censor goalpost. Is Earth spiraling toward overpopulation? Are we prepared to make difficult decisions for the survival of our species?
When Star Trek stops hiding the humanism behind the sci-fi filter, American™ racism and hatred is put on blast. They didn’t even bother hiding the mirror on this one.
When Star Trek revisits the Plane’arium storyline, the proverbial inmates have taken over the asylum led by a shapeshifting madman. Once again questions of rehabilitation, medication, and individual rights and liberty come to the fore. What effect does this new medication have on the inmate? Do inmates have the right of refusal of “care” in Star Trek?
When Star Trek trades in Cowboy Diplomacy for Marriage Diplomacy, Sarah and Allie find themselves in a very discomforting place. Why is the Federation forcing this woman to go through with the diplomatic marriage she doesn’t want? Why are the Klingons even in this episode? What even are those stones in that necklace, anyway?
When Kirk and the Gang find the missing scientists dead, they also discover some cousins of the bootyheads from the pilot. With a sun going nova imminent, can good ol’ human emotion save a planet full of mute aliens that we only ever see one of? Did they even try saving any of the other aliens on the other planets in this system? Why don’t people just ask for help?
Just how far would humans go to ensure our survival as a species? What would we kill to save ourselves, and where’s that line? Why aren’t we willing to try new things? What’s Sarah’s “clicker story”?
Star Trek often asks the question, “What would a civilization based on ‘XYZ’ look like?” This week it’s the ancient Greeks and KSM find themselves in the position of defending against another powerful alien species drunk on their own power.
When Star Trek runs out of story ideas, it’s time to revisit that old idea of Logic v. Emotion and how Kirk uses the best of both to be an effective leader.
McCoy catches a terminal case of xenopolychlamydia, the crew stumbles upon a Truman Show asteroid ship, and Allie’s back on the dating apps. Could Allie find love at first sight like McCoy? Will she avoid the dick pics and the xenopolychlamydia?