So Jelico is a "military" officer, which begs the question of what in the world is the Enterprise-D supposed to be anyway? I mean, the thing has weapons, so ... what exactly is Picard?
Regardless what we have here is Captain Picard undergoing behavior modification, often used in psychiatric wards on the tougher patients who refuse to give up their vices or delusions. It's essentially legalized torture, and it's no fun.
Again, this was probably the last of three episodes that I saw of this poorly conceived TV series. Had Kirk been there he would've fought his torturer, jimmied the lock, punched and kicked his way out of the ward, taken a Cardassian weapon, and busted out of that place.
The thing about psychiatry is that even if you know the techniques, as my High School psychology instructor pointed out, they, the psychiatrists or doctors or psych-techs, will still administer the same techniques you see in this episode. If you recall "Plato's Stepchildren" from the 1960's television show, you get to witness the same thing. Only instead of being physically beaten the subject is subjected to a lot of drugs that make him or her susceptible to psychiatric suggestion, and you, or the patient, have to fight to withhold or restrain your desire to act on your inner desires, or suffer the consequences of staying there longer until you are able.
Fans of Star Trek the Next Generation insist that it's a far more "intellectual" show. Eh, maybe. I mean I suppose it is in that Picard doesn't get into fist fights, and the ship rarely does any serious combat, but that doesn't make the show "smarter" per se, just the usual contract with the audience of getting them off the show, or to keep the show in a more reserved perspective than old time fans like I who thought Kirk and Spock were really cool.
Picard plays the cooperative patient who insists that he can out wit and out last his torturer. Does he succeed? Well, if he was trying to quit smoking, drugs, alcohol, surfing online smut or what have you, then I suppose so. But again there's really no point in applying this other than to show the audience behavioral modification as a plot device for an episode to see Picard get psychologically brutalized. A "real" torture session would have some guards beating the tar out of him, or using far more physical painful methods applied to sensitive areas of the body. So, you're seeing (thankfully) a very misapplication of psychiatry for exposition to the audience, without letting the audience in on what is actually going on.
Like I say, this was one of the final three episodes that I ever saw of this series, each time I would tune in I would hope the show had improved. It did, but more in technical ways and taking the basic plots of the story and giving them equal prominence of the personal subplots which acted as the basic story for the first three seasons, and kept the basic presentation formula until the series finale.
So, there's not much else to tell. In a setting where all material wants are met with so-called magic tech that is "replicator" technology, one wonders why the Federation has any enemies if they can satisfy anyone's wants and desires. Why? Because wars are always fought over money or natural resources, and as such there is no need to war with anyone here. So, why are the Cardassians such pains? Because that's what the producers wanted.
Another iffy episode for an iffy show. Again the emphasis is on interpersonal relationships, and not the plot, which does not make for interesting nor compelling viewing.
But, if you're a die hard TNG fan, then you've seen this already and have made up your own mind.
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