In the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of The Next Generation, I don’t even know how to describe this episode without massively spoiling it. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Trigger Warning: For consent issues.
Oh my god, this season has a number of episodes in it that I would consider the “best,” and it makes me so thrilled to know that I’ve got eleven more to watch. Which of those will I adore??? All I know is that “First Contact” is one of the most fiendishly clever scripts this show has ever had, and it’s also brutally uncomfortable, a chance for the writers to show us how the Federation would actually be perceived by an alien race.
Obviously, this is one giant representation of what first contact on Earth would be like, except the roles are reversed. There’s a lot here that plays into that metaphor, such as the bureaucratic resistance towards space exploration. The Malcorian people have a fierce conservatism to them, one represented in Krola’s characterization, but also present in Durken’s reluctance. All of the scenes in the hospital are lifted from decades of stories within the genre, but they’re applied to the Malcorian’s reaction to a human. Even Lanel’s story here is a joke that references a common plot within this genre. (Though it’s a horribly uncomfortable one once you think about it, since Riker is compelled to have sex in order to survive, and that is a mess of a thing to do to someone, and surprise! The consent issues aren’t addressed at all.)
Thankfully, this isn’t just one giant gag, despite that there are a few humorous scenes. The Next Generation plays this story quite seriously, and I’m perfectly fine with that. At times, this is a tense thriller as much as it is an exploration of a culture clash, and I don’t think those things are mutually exclusive. I mean, we open with a mystery: How did Riker end up here? Why does he look as he does? Why don’t Picard and Deanna seem to know where he is? As the pieces come together, though, we know that we should be worried about Riker’s fate. Why?
Well, that question is answered by the worldbuilding we’re given. In a remarkably short amount of time, we get an understanding of the Malcorian society that easily helps us to comprehend why this situation is so tense. But what really makes this work for me is how the framing of “First Contact” focuses on the Malcorians instead. For a while, I became convinced that this episode would take place entirely on Malcor III because of the way this all unfolded! And when it didn’t? God, there’s so much wonder and amazement written into this story. To a point, of course. The first person to make knowing contact with humans is Mirasta Yale, a scientist who has spent her entire life waiting for such an event to happen. Picard and Troi were smart to reach out to her before anyone else because she was the least likely to react to them in fear.
However, I think it’s very important to acknowledge – like this episode does, openly so – that some people are justified in reacting negatively to the presence of the Federation. While Krola is a flawed person with a terrifying martyr complex, he still represented a very specific and ubiquitous type of person within this culture. While we might know that the Federation has the best intentions here, it’s completely understandable that their behavior is read as invasive. How could it not be? The Federation watched this planet for years, then sent observers to live within the populace and report on them. That would seem creepy and unnerving to anyone, you know? Just because Krola exploited this situation for his own gain – both personal and political – doesn’t mean there isn’t a validity to anyone’s fear of the unknown. Hell, in this case, I think that the writers were honest about what a first contact scenario would actually be like in this context.
Look, it’s entirely sensible that the Malcorian people would view the Federation as oppressors, as invaders, or as conquerers. Riker’s disaster is a perfect demonstration of what the existence of alien life would do to people in this culture. They’d react with paranoia and violence. (I’m including Lanel in that, since demanding sex as the means of escape counts as violence to me.) Their entire system of belief would collapse in a matter of days, given their ingrained arrogance and self-importance, and I don’t see how that could have ended well. So the resolution to “First Contact,” while emotionally disappointing, is perhaps one of the most honest things this show has ever written. The Malcorian people are not ready for extraterrestrial life. It would prove disastrous in this stage of their development, so Riker’s role would serve nothing more than to ignite an urban legend. He’s basically Malcor’s Roswell alien in the flesh.
So where does that leave someone like Mirasta Yale? She’s seriously one of my favorite one-off characters in The Next Generation thus far, and I was so sad when Durken revealed that he was asking Picard and the Enterprise to leave them alone. For Yale, it was the worst sentence imaginable, a declaration of repression. How could someone like her ever thrive within this environment? How could they keep the truth secret when it filled them with wonder and excitement and joy? I know I shouldn’t expect to see Yale ever again, but isn’t it the best idea? WHAT IF WE GOT TO SEE HER DISCOVER THE REALITIES OF SPACE FLIGHT ALONGSIDE THE ENTERPRISE CREW? Oh my god, if this doesn’t actually happen, I am truly going to need the fanfiction world to provide me with this story. I need it more than most things ever.
The video for “First Contact” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– The Mark Does Stuff Tour 2015 is now live and includes dates across the U.S. this summer and fall 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.
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