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(More customer reviews)This episode properly summarizes what can be expected on Earth if extraterrestrials were to suddenly appear and say, "Welcome to the universe!" Riker is part of a team on the surface of the planet Malcor carrying out observations of the civilization. A scientific team of Malcorians is about to carry out the launching of a spacecraft that will have warp capability so the Enterprise is there to evaluate the planet to determine if it should be extended an invitation to join the Federation. However, Riker is inadvertently caught in a riot and injured, losing his communicator. He is taken to a Malcorian hospital, where the doctors quickly determine that he has an alien internal structure.
This forces Picard to contact the planetary leader and reveal the existence of the Enterprise and the Federation. The head scientist of the Malcorian space project is overjoyed to learn of the Federation but the head of planetary security is deeply suspicious. However, the leader is a man with a level head and he agrees to hear Picard out and tour the Enterprise. As Riker begins to recover, he tries to escape from the hospital but in a bit of realistic comedic levity, a female Malcorian staff member agrees to help Riker escape, but only if he first makes love to her. While this may on the surface be absurd, given the number of humans that claim to have had a sexual encounter with a space alien, this event is plausible. The Malcorian chief of security orders the doctors to give Riker drugs that endanger his life so that he may be interrogated and the chief then tries to create a situation where Riker appears to shoot and kill him with his phaser. Fortunately, Riker is able to reset the phaser to stun before it is fired and both Riker and the security chief are beamed to the Enterprise where Dr. Crusher is able to save both of them. The episode concludes with the Malcorian leader recognizing that his planet is not ready for the Federation, but the head scientist of the Malcorian space projects asks to be allowed to become a member of the Enterprise crew. Picard grants her this permission.
The complete spectrum of reactions to the appearance of extraterrestrials, including the sexual lust, makes this an excellent episode. Absolute proof of intelligent extraterrestrials would be an enormous event, I have long considered it one of the most significant events that could ever occur to humanity, the others being absolute and irrefutable proof of a supreme being as in a God, the development of artificial intelligence and the absolute and irrefutable proof of life after death. Let us hope that if humans ever undergo the Malcorian experience, both sides are as realistic and reasonable as the Malcorian leadership and the Federation represented by the crew of the Enterprise.
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