Social commentary is when you use your characters to subtly explore the issues at hand while keeping the characters in character, like the Deep Space Nine episode Far Beyond The Stars. An after school special is when you jam a message down the audience's throat's just to teach a message. This question Wesley asked came out of nowhere because it didn't fit the situation in the episode.
Corrine Conorino I disagree. The entire episode was about drugs in general. And Wesely being a young inquisitive, (and somewhat naive) mind is likely to ask such a question, while Tasha, someone coming from a background where drugs were definitely a common issue would provide insight on the matter. Whether or not she's talking from experience of personal drug use is up for debate, but she clearly has had up-close experiences with these things, while wesely has had a pretty sheltered upbringing. That's what I got from it at least, a stark contrast between two people with vastly different upbringings.
+RedShirtGuy96 To me, it felt out of nowhere because the way the aliens got addicted was through trickery and deceit, an issue that was handled simplistically, and Wesley brings out voluntary addiction out of nowhere. For instance, if the episode was about Tasha relapsing, then it would make sense for Wesley to ask, wondering why someone who seems so strong would resort to destroying herself. Take the Deep Space Nine episode The Wire, where Garak finds himself addicted to an implant in his head similar to heroin addiction. Bashir can't fathom why Garak would engage in self-destructive behavior and, during his withdrawal, explained how his life on the station was torture and the implant offered Garak release.
She may have been. As she said, there was a lot of drug use on her planet. She may very well have had some herself. To know more about what her planet was like, read the novel Survivors, which has her background in it. (There's also a bit in the episode 'Where no one has gone before' where she sees an illusion of a cat and it gives her a flashback to her childhood).
My parents used candy as an example as I was addicted to candy as a kid! You got a sugar high and wanted more. But drugs are more dangerous and have harmful effects, and can ruin your life.
One of the aspects of TNG I disliked was they started out acting like a bunch of Mormons compared to the TOS classic crew. It grew better over time (or maybe we just got more used to them), but the early seasons were rough. This is a classic example - why would Wesley be surprised (and seemingly scandalised) by intoxicating substances when Kirk was kicking back bootleg Saurian Brandy and Romulan Ale less than a century before? As tech improves, we retain better historical records, not worse, so this should've been well known or easily accessible to Crusher.
I love the audio delay echo effect.. sounds like being high on any number of off-the-shelf household chemicals.
Wow, trek. Way to turn into an after school special.
+Corrine Conorino (suburbantimewaster) Where have you been? Star Trek has always been a source of social commentary.
Social commentary is when you use your characters to subtly explore the issues at hand while keeping the characters in character, like the Deep Space Nine episode Far Beyond The Stars. An after school special is when you jam a message down the audience's throat's just to teach a message. This question Wesley asked came out of nowhere because it didn't fit the situation in the episode.
Corrine Conorino I disagree. The entire episode was about drugs in general. And Wesely being a young inquisitive, (and somewhat naive) mind is likely to ask such a question, while Tasha, someone coming from a background where drugs were definitely a common issue would provide insight on the matter. Whether or not she's talking from experience of personal drug use is up for debate, but she clearly has had up-close experiences with these things, while wesely has had a pretty sheltered upbringing. That's what I got from it at least, a stark contrast between two people with vastly different upbringings.
+RedShirtGuy96 To me, it felt out of nowhere because the way the aliens got addicted was through trickery and deceit, an issue that was handled simplistically, and Wesley brings out voluntary addiction out of nowhere. For instance, if the episode was about Tasha relapsing, then it would make sense for Wesley to ask, wondering why someone who seems so strong would resort to destroying herself. Take the Deep Space Nine episode The Wire, where Garak finds himself addicted to an implant in his head similar to heroin addiction. Bashir can't fathom why Garak would engage in self-destructive behavior and, during his withdrawal, explained how his life on the station was torture and the implant offered Garak release.
Talk about a misleading title.
wish we could have seen Data's response to the "lesson".
Is it just me or did Tasha sound like she was peaking from personal experience.
She may have been. As she said, there was a lot of drug use on her planet. She may very well have had some herself. To know more about what her planet was like, read the novel Survivors, which has her background in it. (There's also a bit in the episode 'Where no one has gone before' where she sees an illusion of a cat and it gives her a flashback to her childhood).
I think the entire cast and the director were on drugs when this scene was filmed. How else could one explain it?
Watching this at .5 speed is great.
My parents used candy as an example as I was addicted to candy as a kid! You got a sugar high and wanted more. But drugs are more dangerous and have harmful effects, and can ruin your life.
So can sugar, wendym1234...it IS a powerful drug that's ruined many lives
I remember this part
One of the aspects of TNG I disliked was they started out acting like a bunch of Mormons compared to the TOS classic crew. It grew better over time (or maybe we just got more used to them), but the early seasons were rough.
This is a classic example - why would Wesley be surprised (and seemingly scandalised) by intoxicating substances when Kirk was kicking back bootleg Saurian Brandy and Romulan Ale less than a century before?
As tech improves, we retain better historical records, not worse, so this should've been well known or easily accessible to Crusher.
How does Yar know this shit?
what's up with the voice?
I don't know why it sounds like that here. It doesn't sound like that in the actual episode.
Ugh. "Just say no" bullshit.
*You're hitting the pipe, aren't you?*
Found Wesley