I want to re-watch Trek, but am looking for organize my watch-throughs thematically. I just can´t handle 24-episode seasons. 1

I’m interested to see how TNG handles societal conflict within the framework of externally-mediated diplomacy (a Trek staple), aka negotiations. I’m not looking for EVERY episode with diplomacy in it, just the ones where two or more parties are being mediated by a third party. Episodes with only two parties (First contact stories if it is only Star Fleet and the other civ) do not belong on the list.

The episodes don´t necessarily have to be “formal negotiations,” either. I remember an episode where Ryker negotiated for the rights of males on a planet rather capably using only his winning smile, hairy chest, an ever-abiding curiosity about foreign cultures. Since there were three parties (males, females, and Ryker)², it would go on the list.

Legal disputes handled authoritatively by a court of law (Measure of a Man) would also not be on this list.

Thank you so much!

Footnotes:

  1. If anyone has a central clearing house for Trek playlists (or their favorite selective playlist) please let me know what it is.
  2. Actually four parties, if you include the shipwrecked alpha chads.
  • hallettj@leminal.spaceEnglish
    4·
    4 days ago

    Hmm… episodes where violence is the answer. The obvious candidates are the first two Borg episodes. Those were written to challenge the idea that diplomacy is always an option:

    • Q Who
    • The Best of Both Worlds

    Other (less good) episodes with an enemy that can’t be reasoned with include Skin of Evil, and Conspiracy. And I suppose Time’s Arrow (but that one is a good episode).

    Episodes where negotiation fails, and the Federation chooses violence:

    • The High Ground (hey, it’s in both of my lists!)
    • Preemptive Strike

    There are a bunch of episodes where there is an individual, or a handful of individuals, who must be stopped. That’s a common story even in Star Trek. A couple that seem most relevant to me for this idea are:

    • The Most Toys (because of Data’s analysis of his situation)
    • Starship Mine (maybe the purest example of a regular crew member choosing violence)

    It is a shorter list. After all, we’re not talking about TOS.

      • ummthatguy@lemmy.worldMEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        The question is, do you believe he pulled the trigger before the transport? What’s more, did he come to the conclusion by cold android logic, or was this a resulting spark of human compassion finally achieved?

        • SaltSong@startrek.websiteEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          The weapon was active. To me that says he pulled the trigger.

          And I think he worked from logic to reach the same conclusion a human might reach through emotion. Data can never be a human, but he is very human.