In the eighth episode of the second season of The Next Generation, Riker participates in a swap of First Officers between various ships and ends up on a Klingon ship. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.Â
The Next Generation is a deliberately slow show. I know that’s not a revelation to any of you, and it’s not something that’s new to me either. This show prods along most of the time, exploring ideas, themes, and morality more than anything else. It’s not the kind of show full of plot twists and action sequences with a million explosions. Even the military aspect of The Next Generation is largely only represented in rank, honor, and duty. Sometimes, I feel like the show drags, but I wonder if that’s because of what I’m used to watching of modern television. Are shows of the last 15 years flashier? More intense? More action-packed? Or am I imagining that?
I guess I always have to keep that sort of historical context in mind when I’m watching the show. I’m watching it through the lens of someone in 2015, and while I do my best to try and see things for what they were at the time, other times it’s a lot harder. For example: it still bothers me that the Klingons are the closest thing to a race of “people of color” within the Star Trek canon, that they’re made up of mostly white actors in brown/blackface,  and that they’re the primary race of violent, aggressive characters onscreen in “A Matter of Honor.” I think it’s not hard to see a commentary on race relations within Riker’s time on the Klingon vessel, especially when you consider how easily this fits a metaphor for cultural exchange. You’ve got different kinds of food; different courting rituals; different understandings of war and honor. You’ve even got a scene where Riker, Klag, and Kargan all realize that each other’s species has a sense of humor.
That humanization of these characters is important within The Next Generation‘s canon, of course. The integration of the Klingons into the Federation was never truly explained to us, but this episode does explain the dynamic between the Klingons and the larger Federation. So I understand why this is such a neat episode. Because this show allows smaller themes and characterizations to grow within 45 minutes, we don’t need this massive, life-ending moments of development. Instead, we can see how the Klingons – namely Klag – change their perception of humans through Riker. We can see how Mendon learns to adapt to the strange cultural mores of the Enterprise and how that affects his general well-being.
Isn’t that ultimately what this show is supposed to be about? Expanding horizons? If so, then this sort of genuine cultural exchange – not appropriation, which is an entirely different phenomenon – is something that should happen a lot more often. A lot of that relies on intent. Did Riker go to the Klingon ship Pagh with the intent of learning or the intent of teaching? I think it’s the former, given that he purposely tried out as many Klingon dishes prior to boarding the Pagh. He made it clear to Kargan that he wasn’t there to supercede his authority. And the scene in the mess hall was indicative of a true desire to learn and understand, not to judge.
How is that different from Mendon? Right off the bat, Mendon assumes he is right. He assumes that his way and his culture is so correct that he does’t even bother to consider that his behavior might be offensive or, at the very least, insensitive. Why else is he so annoying to the crew and to the audience? Because we know he’s violating the rules. We know he’s doing things the “wrong” way and arrogantly so. It’s not until Picard gently corrects him that he starts to rethink his behavior. And so, it’s through this that “A Matter of Honor” can help people understand navigating through a culture that they’re not a part of.
So I have mixed feelings on the episode. It was a decent premise and execution that felt lacking in a few areas. But I do admit it’s the kind of storytelling I find intriguing on The Next Generation. There’s care written into the script, the actors clearly know how to have fun with the material, and we get to explore social issues and ideas within the framework of the show. But sometimes, I feel like The Next Generation hasn’t truly grabbed me yet. I felt that way by the end of the first season of The Original Series, but it’s still not quite there yet for me. I enjoy a number of these characters, and there have been a large handful of fantastic episodes, but it’s not terribly consistent on that front, you know?
But I’ll keep watching.
The video for “A Matter of Honor” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– The Mark Does Stuff Tour 2015 is now live and includes dates across the U.S., Canada, Europe, the U.K., and Ireland. Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of The Legend of Korra, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
- Mark Does Stuff is on Facebook! I’ve got a community page up that I’m running. Guaranteed shenanigans!
– If you would like to support this website and keep Mark Does Stuff running, I’ve put up a detailed post explaining how you can!
– Please check out the MarkDoesStuff.com. All Mark Watches videos for past shows/season are now archived there!
