Reply #51: I take refuge in Star Trek-TNG

[FredStembottom]

I get the DVD's from netflix regularly to keep in touch with the values so consistently portrayed on that show. Especially the one over-arching theme of people encountering and being horribly frightened by something they don't understand but STILL forcing themselves to think it through and finding what looked like the most dire threat possible - is something utterly different in reality.

There is a small, "quiet" little episode I will never forget about the Enterprise crew encountering a ship from a previously unknown civilization. What is odd, is that they can understand every _word_ the new beings are saying - but still can't understand anything they are saying - and vice versa. Somehow, the 2 ship's captains become stranded together on a nearby planet. This leads to near all-out war as the 2 remaining ship's crews are unable to communicate about what has happened and what to do. The entire rest of the hour is filled with the 2 captains painstakingly piecing together why they can't understand each other - even though they understand every word. How they can begin to. And finally how to work together to get rescued and prevent a war. If you haven't seen it I won't spoil it for you as to why they can't understand each other but it is the most unexpected and yet simple reason imaginable! Utterly original.

I got a tear seeing level-headedness and understanding in a scary situation presented as a force that can conquer nearly anything.

And they gave that message as no other show before or since. And these days I can't get enough of it.