“Haven”

I just finished watching Haven and just wanted to say that there are some fantastic comedic moments in this episode. I think my favorite may very well be the bit with Picard carrying Luxwana's luggage. Check out Picard's facial expressions as this scene plays out...priceless (almost as priceless as the look on his face when she beams off the ship at the end of the episode).

Yeah, the plot is forgettable...but who cares? It's a fun episode that your review takes waaaaay too seriously if you ask me.

I too, personally found this episode pleasant. I think it had good production values, and certainly like this one more than the previous ones, except Hide and Q. I would put it at 3 stars.

Jammer didn't mention this, but there's serious reason to doubt the character's motivations and actions, which could have been avoided with a little more thought on the character's thoughts and actions. What I mean is, that Wyatt said he's had this image of a woman for years -- yet he never bothered to confirm or deny it by seeing a picture of Deanna in advance -- surely this is possible in the 24th century! He said in the show he assumed the woman was Deanna, but since it was so easy to find out, and it must have interested him the idea what she looked like since he bothered to draw this mystery woman, he doesn't sound believable.

They could still have worked this into the story, e.g., he brought the pictures with him, knowing they weren't Deanna, but wanting them nearby. Deanna could ask about them, and it would just be a mystery at that point, which I think would be a good thing actually (get the audience invested). Also, it wouldn't seem so obvious that they were set up for failure. As the show goes, you just don't believe Deanna and Wyatt are really going through with this.

Also Jammer, this is the 24th century - Deanna doesn't have to move in with Wyatt, Wyatt could move to the Enterprise! We know from many episodes there are both civilians and families aboard. This means the marriage could actually happen, from that point of view. Although we we know she wouldn't marry for a different reason -- the producers wanted her available to have stories with her involved with other males, tough to do if she's married.

Mmm, it's not that bad of an ep (even when I hated the rom-com concept) but the place where they put it really killed any enjoyment I could have get.

It's just the beginning of the season and the series. I was still trying to figure out what Star Trek is all about, and they gave us this: A comedy with romance. Gosh, Lwaxana was so annoying (and lol, Lurch from the Adams Family was there) and the outcome was super predictable.

Good thing the next ep was "The Big Goodbye"

Another reasonable episode with major flaws. The Enterprise is visited by Troi's mother, Lwaxana and her fiancée in adherence with traditional Betazood custom.

I found Lwaxana Troi distinctly unappealing from the off, as though the writers had deliberate chosen to make her into 'Mother from hell', but this is actually one of her more tolerable appearances ('Cost of Living' or 'manhunt' anyone?) The scenes at the pre wedding dinner, especially the classic line:

'Please could you continue the petty bickering'

I still find entertaining. However, as Jammer points out, there is no real jeopardy premise here. No way is one of The main characters going to disappear off with a stranger. The Miller family were fairly uninteresting and I found Robert Knepper distinctly unimpressive. I did enjoy Carel Struycken as the Valet, Mr. Homn, though! An uneven episode which, I agree merits 2.5 stars - probably the most consistent run of fair to middling episodes yet.

Why did Deanna call Riker as Bill?

Every time I try to watch the dinner scene between the families, the moment they put the camera on Yar, I start thinking of the song "Hair" by the Cowsills. (Oh, this episode is telling in that "Yar" is a diminutive of "By'ar'F")...

This is the sort of drippy drama seasons 5-7 would descend to, but at least it's not as preachy.

1.5 of 4. The opening bit with the silver box and dialogue-driven head does plenty to knock it down...

That Cowsills song is awesome, and much too good to connected to this episode...

Pleasant is a good way to describe this ep -- while Lwaxana and Wyatt's parents bicker, Troi and Wyatt deal with a strange situation as maturely as they can. I love the way Riker pouts and sulks and the way Deanna and Wyatt subtly call him on it (Wyatt's "good luck with that" is the best). I love Data's reaction to the bickering. I also really like the way Lwaxana deliberately seeks to guide Wyatt when he asks for help from her, and while she is blase on the surface there is a sense that she is looking out for him and her daughter too. I think this is probably Lwaxana's best appearance overall, though I do consider Half a Life and some of the Odo-Lwaxana material on Deep Space Nine to be worthwhile.

The episode suffers because it doesn't have a strong story throughline. Haven is a planet which might have mystical healing power and that's where Wyatt meets his destiny with the Tallerians, and the destiny with Troi was just a mislead. Great -- but um, what? It's hard to draw any conclusions about what this episode is 'about' besides some fairly effective dramatic scenes. That But those dramatic scenes are some of the best character pieces that season one has to offer, which is admittedly a low bar.

I can't quite decide between 2.5-3 stars. This and Hide and Q are the two best episodes up to this point; Haven is better at presenting largely real recognizable people, and Hide and Q is more interesting as a story.

Never was a fan of this episode. It did boast, however, Trekdom's worst hair. And that, indeed, is a very impressive achievement.

This episode might have worked were it not for the terrible, awful whining violins throughout. All of the background music was unbearable.

I love this one. Yeah, it's got flaws, but there are so many themes that resonate with me.

I like Deanna's strength with Will--she says, as clear as crystal, that she loves him but knows he has other ambitions and is not willing to be her mate. And he just stands there--he isn't willing to take any risk that might jeopardize his career.

The idea of an arranged marriage might seem archaic, but let us accept it for purposes of the episode--for Deanna to find that her future husband is smart and witty and cute must be an incredible relief! I could completely relate to Deanna as she comes to be fond of Wyatt.

Wyatt's drawings are where the episode goes awry--he's been fantasizing about a girl from a Whitesnake video. But when he realizes his drawing girl isn't Deanna, he is open to appreciating the real girl, and their blossoming crush is adorable and believable. But then Miss 80s hair shows up and that's all she wrote.

Wyatt was likeable and charming, and Deanna's reaction to him was true to life. I'm sorry it had to end so quickly.

Another mediocre episode, but had a few decent moments. The dinner scene was quite comical, and I laughed out loud when data asks "Would you please continue the petty bickering?" Good stuff. And the crisis that Picard faced was interesting, the last remaining survivors of a race carrying a deadly disease. But the solution was too contrived... Anyway, 2 stars at best.

About as light and fluffy as its possible to get, accentuated by an overwrought violin score and the entry of another irritating character in Lwaxana.

There's nothing really to dislike here, and some of the comedic by-play is worth a smile (Picard wrestling the luggage being a particular highlight), but it meanders gently to a basically unexplained finale without ever really hitting a dramatic mark. 2 stars.

Deanna nearly married T-Bag!

I found it amusing how at the end of this episode, Lwaxana tells Picard that he's too old for her. Patrick Stewart was only 47 here, while Majel Barrett was 55!

The luggage scene was comedy gold, as was everything to do with Mr. Homm, one of my favourite Trek side characters.

I presume that as a powerful telepath, Lwaxana must have discovered Wyatt's intent to transport over to the Tallerian ship, yet chose not to warn anyone or talk him out of it. I like that - it gives her character a touch of nuance and seriousness that we sadly seldom get to see in the series.

Mr Homm is a bright point here.

Oh no-more scoffing at allegedly inferior cultures that ,shock horror, involved in violent conflict. Our crew members are so hubris ridden you'd think a nemesis was around the corner.
Lwaxana's explanation to Wyatt of his dream girl actually existing is no explanation at all-it makes the midichlorians look logical.
Equally unconvincing and badly acted was the rushed departure of Wyatt's parents at the end of the episode.
At least one of them could have said: 'Oh well, our son the Doctor has gone forever but at least he'll be happy until the plague gets him.' At least they appeared to be no more bothered about it than that.

I'm surprised at the benign response to this episode, I thought it was hideous. Riker acts like a massively unprofessional bell-end; how did the guy presented at this point in the series get one unfortunate transporter accident away from commanding the flagship of the Federation? The chump flounced out of a meeting with the senior officers in with Picard literally in mid-sentence and cried off an important social function because of a chick? At least the bloke who he would become - a chubby hirsute comedian with an ongoing mission to impregnate new life forms - was portrayed as professional and competent enough at the actual job to be a believable commander. But this dude?! Come on!

Then there's Picard, a man so far presented as angry, humourless and certainly not one to suffer fools gladly but also confident and assertive. How did he suddenly turn into a genuflecting moron in front of Troi's mum? I'd like to think season one Picard actually in-character would sooner "accidentally" leave her in a holodeck simulation of a nuclear apocalypse with the safety protocols disengaged rather than do his best bellboy impression to carry her freaking massively impractical bronze-plated suitcase.

Perhaps I've just had a sense of humour failure?

I think I have more patience and appreciation for Deanna and Lwaxana than most ST fans, so I was OK with this.

And I liked the effort to give these characters families and things to worry about besides alien threats and rips in space/time.

Ultimately a pretty sappy episode, sort of humorous courtesy of the great Majel Barrett. The resolution with Wyatt going over to the Tarellian vessel as some sort of duty that he feels he must fulfill...whatever. He wasn't a bad character or anything and Troi doesn't get married (as expected). No explanation posited on how Wyatt had visions of that Tarellian woman in his dreams and vice versa.

I liked Barrett as Lwaxana Troi here -- it's a humorous role that isn't totally silly/stupid. She was actually the highlight of the episode (which doesn't say much for the episode). The scene at dinner was pretty good ending with Troi blowing up at the parents, especially her mother. Data had this bizarre smile standing beside Mr. Homm.

I thought Riker would be a bit more discrete with his facial expressions and actions regarding his spurned feelings for Troi. This definitely felt forced as was his icy disposition with Wyatt in the holodeck.

2 stars for "Haven" -- a different kind of TNG S1 episode considering what's come to date; Troi's character / Betazoids are fleshed out a bit and it sets the stage for Troi/Riker to get closer. Might be the best of the Lwaxana Troi episodes but it's mediocre overall with a flat ending as Wyatt goes to save the Tarellians resolving the problem of Troi's marriage conveniently.

Of course a disease specifically created by one species to kill members OF THEIR OWN KIND happens to be deadly to multiple species that didn't evolve on the same planet as well ... because the plot demands it. Sloppy and absurd. Other notes: I found Lwaxana to be rather irritating. Otherwise an uninteresting but harmless episode.

For almost 3 years, Matt L. up there was the only comment on this review.

After 18 months or so checking to see if anyone else had responded, he probably got fed up. haha

Live long and prosper, Matt L... wherever you are!

The beginning was fun. All that part with Picard carrying the luggage. LOL.

Troi's mom and her valet were amusing in an otherwise drab plot. Fun to watch for the antics.

Maybe I missed something but how did these people, who were said to be at a 20th century technology level when they wiped out most of their species, manage to build such advanced starships?

This was the perfect time in the season for an episode dedicated to either Troi or Troi and Riker's past romance, but the script's structured poorly. "Haven" opens with too many introductory scenes - a mysterious box arrives, followed by Troi's meltdown in the transporter room, followed by the arrival of the family who seek an "arranged marriage with Troi", followed by the arrival of Troi's mother, followed by Troi's private meeting with her "future husband" - all of which exist to introduce characters or set up plot. A better writer would have streamlined all of this.

Indeed, a better writer would have dedicated this plot to Riker and Troi, and jettisoned the subplots with the Tarellians, dreams and visions, which seem to exist only as a kind of thought experiment: ie - is it possible to construct a scifi script which offers a scientific explanation for true love (which Lwaxana unconvincingly tries to articulate: all things are connected, exist on the same mystical level, which inexorably draws people to things they love).

I actually enjoyed this one. I am not sure why. Troi was okay despite this one being about a truly emotional time for her. Maybe Because I enjoy Laxana for some reason. Again not sure why.

I really enjoy this episode, well executed comedy and Troi performs well in it. Some highlights:

- Yar yet again allowing random things to be transported aboard. She seems to think as long as she’s there to see what it is, that is adequate security.
- Picard’s initial reaction to Troi. Knowing now how he feels about her through the rest of the series, seeing him put in a genuine effort with her here is doubly amusing.
- Data’s absorption in observing Troi’s family drama
- That plant pet creature of Lwaxana’s
- The ambiguity around whether Lwaxana is telling the truth about Picard being attracted to her or if she’s just trying to bully him into liking her
- I enjoyed the acting of Troi’s husband-to-be. I thought he put in a pretty subtle and well done performance for a guest actor. You can’t quite decide how to feel about him.
- The double meaning in Troi’s words at the end when her mother hits on Riker: “Mother, Riker has other obligations!”

3 stars

Watching and commenting:

--The legendary Lwaxana makes her auspicious debut! Wow, that's some message for Deanna. Gems literally spill out of it.

--Wyatt seems sweet. I like him better than Riker already.

--Ah, I love this bit with Lwaxana's luggage being so heavy. Yep, she comes with heavy baggage.

--Lots of stuff about past agreements and obligations.

--A Tarellian ship, a spectre from the past, appears. They thought the threat was gone 8 yrs ago, but surprise! It's back like a forgotten fiance.

--Frakes' acting, as a jealous ex, is cringy. Looks like Riker's old feelings for Deanna are back like a forgotten Tarellian ship.

--Weird story. Destiny, future, moving forward despite the tractor beam of the past.

--Some fun moments. I wonder if Picard ever really does have a few wandering sexual thoughts about Lwaxana. We'll never know.

Average ep. Kept me entertained.

@Springy

"Some fun moments. I wonder if Picard ever really does have a few wandering sexual thoughts about Lwaxana. We'll never know."

I think it's implicit he does have those kinds of thoughts - at least if we take some of the comments Lwaxana has about Picard's feelings seriously. And you're right, we'll never know if we can take those comments at face value. Of course, in terms of a romance these two are about as far away in compatibly as, I think, two people could get. I always liked the Picard-Crusher shipping, and (possible spoilers) it's more-or-less stated that they'd be together if it weren't for what happened between Picard and Jack Crusher.

I really love how Picard reacts to being treated as a servant. One of the first high points of the worst season. :)

A bit heavy handed with the idea that late 20th century technology could produce an ohhhhh so deadly virus that kills everything in its path that 24th century medical tech is helpless against. Ummm ya and this late 20th century society with interstellar glowing generation ships and transporters(!) to boot. Gotta make that social commentary so on the nose to the audience last we fail to grasp the folly of bio weapons.

Still a pleasant outing. I do like the offebeatness of these season 1 episodes. Even the music is nice in an over the top way. And lol about Lwaxana's luggage and of course my favourite recurring character, Mr. Hom.

An amusingly stupid episode. The whole marriage story is pretty ridiculous. I laughed quite a bit. I liked the new hairdos during the marriage dinner. Beverly definitely should have kept hers, Tasha too. Did anybody ever notice that Deanna's body suit cannot be put on without help? Maybe it is worth the hassle because it accentuates her hips so nicely but now I cannot stop thinking about someone having to come over every morning and evening to help her undress. Yeah my mind started to wander...

Apart from that really not much. I guess there is a theme of free love or destiny. I 'm not sure but this is all forgettable.

"Why did Deanna call Riker as Bill?"

That was her nickname for him in a few early episodes.



This episode is remarkably perfunctory. It's kind of like an early Generation X portrayal, most notably by "oh well, whatever" Wyatt, but also by the Tarellians.

It's kind of justifiable for Wyatt, considering the arranged marriage and all, but still the character seems so uneven. Seemingly out of the blue on the holodeck, he starts sparring with Riker, albeit in a passive aggressive way.

It's certainly obvious this show hasn't found its vibe yet. Wyatt's parents also seem to be only mildly troubled he's running away to join a leper colony.

I always dreaded the Mrs Troi episodes - yes she is a comedy character but also annoying as hell and her episodes are often the most boring, which is not fitting for Majel Barrett.

There were some redeeming features in this otherwise flat, dull episode: the dinner scene (and I agree about Beverly’s hair style- it should have been kept!); Mr Hom (should have been brought onto the Enterprise full time...); the Terelian ship with the 1980s ‘Wyatt woman’.

All in all, a very dull episode mostly. Jammer’s been far too generous.. 1.5 stars, for the comedy, and no stars for the draggy violin score.

I'm surprised by how moderate the comments are for this (IMO) pretty nonsensical episode.

1) Why did the Federation let the Tarellians be murdered and driven to extinction rather than helping them cure the disease? Isn't that exactly the Federation's sort of do-gooding? Absent the unbearable wedding plot, the Tarellian plot would have been a standard later season outing: ship carrying dangerous disease innocently threatens peaceful planet, and as both sides' desperation increases, Crusher technobabbles a cure in the nick of time.

2) How exactly was Wyatt supposed to cure a disease untreated by 24th century medicine with just a few tiny pill-boxes? Why not bring them to a Federation medical facility with isolation chambers and research equipment?

3) The whole relationship between the Trois and the Millers could have been an opportunity for a real emotional backstory - maybe Troi's father's death caused their friendship to break down? How does Troi feel about her whole potential marriage being rooted in promises made when her father was still alive? (Not that we got any insight into the purpose of the Betazoid genetic bonding thing, why humans would agree to it - and what was genetic about it, anyway?)

4) Why now and why here? At the beginning of Hide and Q, Troi was shuttled off to visit Betazed. Why not then?

About the only interesting thing about this episode, although I doubt the writers had it in mind, was the bell-ringing during the meal. Betazoid social gatherings would probably be totally silent since conversations would be telepathic, so ringing a bell may have filled the silence.

Beverly to Wyatt":

"I'm pleased to have a medical colleague on board."

Um...what?

Has she not an entire staff of colleagues on board...and under *her* command?

Has anyone else considered the possibility that Lwaxana facilitated the psychic connection between Wyatt and the woman in order to spare Deanna from the arranged marriage?

I think this episode would have been stronger with two simple changes: When Picard asks if Deanna will be staying aboard the Enterprise with her new spouse, she could have said, "That's something I will have to discuss with him." Then, during the scene when the two of them are first alone and trying to get to know each other, they could have agreed that he would move onto the Enterprise and apply for a civilian medical job on the ship. (The US military has many civilian employees, and gives strong hiring preference to military spouses. Starfleet could have a similar policy.)

If the viewer had been presented with such a reasonable way that Deanna might have gotten married and still remained part of the cast, I mean, crew, there would have been more tension in the plot. Instead, we know from the start that this marriage isn't going to come off. There's a big red Reset Button in the background of every scene.

Reverend Spork commented that this episode boasts Trekdom’s worst hair. Notwithstanding, Richard Sabre was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series.

How on earth are nominations farmed for these more obscure Emmy categories? Did someone watching a bunch of series that year fall off a chair with the sudden realisation the hairstyling was outstanding in TNG “Haven”? Or was Richard Searle due a nomination on account of some rota system?

@ Q Anon

No, that would require Lwaxana to be something other than a self-absorbed piece of shit

“somehow still remains essentially likable” - no, she’s vile. I found this probably the least watchable episode so far, mostly because of her, though Riker’s overwrought behaviour was also very annoying. Also, did I somehow miss an explanation of just how the Tarellian woman appeared in Wyatt’s dreams?

This a much better episode than I remembered. Good performances, the Tarellian ship is a very cool design--both for the bisexually lit bridge and the exterior which appears to have some kind of Culture GSV forcefield instead of a traditional hull in some places, which is awesome--and the romance plot dovetails with their plot nicely.

Trois twice refers to Riker as Bill. Interestingly subtitles note it as Will.

Btw another poor episode. Not 2 1/2 star worthy. Acting by Riker/Trois/Yar is embarrassing.

Did anyone else notice that Wyatt Miller’s dad was a space cowboy?

I’m definitely not in line with the general consensus on this one, it might be my least favorite episode of season one so far. I find Lwaxana to be grating, I know she’s *supposed* to be overbearing and that she’ll have some solid moments later in the series, but here she’s just too much. However, that’s not why I dislike this outing so much. The reason I’m not a fan of Haven is that piece of crap Wyatt. TNG had a lot of “sensitive” modern goobers always getting in Troi or Beverley’s business, and 80s/90s pop culture in general was littered with these guys, my wife refers to them as SNAGs(sensitive new aged guys), who are all vulnerable and in touch with their feelings or whatever(barf), but Wyatt takes the cake. Wyatt shows up on the Enterprise and is surprised/disappointed to find that his bride-to-be isn’t his dream woman, of whom he’s been having visions for years. You might imagine here that he’d call off the wedding, right? Wrong! Instead he thinks to himself “fuck it, I’ll settle for you, Deanna “you’ll do in a pinch” Troi”, and jumps right on board with this hackneyed scheme to exploit some loophole in betazed culture in order to pressure Troi into marrying him. Gross dude, gross. Apparently betazed society has this genetic bonding thing where kids are pawned off into arranged marriages, and I guess it’s a really important part of their culture that Deanna is bound to honor. But you see, Wyatt has no such social obligation, the worst he can do is mildly disappoint his conniving parents, once he learns Troi isn’t the woman he’s been crappily painting all this time he could just call the whole thing off with minimal consequences. But does that imbalance of coercive power bother Wyatt? Heck no! “Do you really want to go through with this” he limply asks, oblivious or apathetic to the expectations of Betazed culture that function as a social gun to Troi’s head. Her obvious trepidation about the entire situation means virtually nothing to Wyatt, after all their parents made an agreement that barely anyone remembers, so to hell with the ethical, or even moral obligation to put the whole thing on ice. Fucking yuck.

Hate is a strong word, I don’t use it lightly, but I can say with absolute clarity of mind that I *hate* Wyatt. He’s a disingenuous, self serving creep openly conspiring with his parents to commit what amounts to legalized date rape. He’s also passive aggressive, and I don’t even believe he’s a real doctor. Fuck. That. Guy. I hope his sweaters itch, I hope his underwear binds, I hope his shoes are too tight, I’d like to see him get large amounts of gum stuck in his stupid hair, I’d like to see him get the most atomic of wedgies, I’d enjoy seeing him embarrassingly lose his place during a public speaking engagement, I derive pleasure at the thought of the wind inverting his umbrella, I hope his luggage is forever on its way to Cleveland, I hope he pours a bowl of cereal only to then realize he’s out of milk, I hope he stubs his toe really bad the day before the big race, I hope he garners a reputation as someone who smells bad, I hope the wind is never at his back, I hope the sweet taste of victory forever turns to ashes in his mouth, screw that guy!

Otherwise, Patrick Stewart is a delight as always, Mr Homm is pretty fun, Riker has some eclectic tastes in porn, Yar is impressed by jewels for some reason, and Data proves to be awesome at parties. Also, Picard’s final line of “our destiny lies elsewhere” is now my favorite thing to say.

TOS inspiration: Shades of Elaan of Troyous and Amok Time.

1/4 plague ship full of 80s hair metal groupies.

This episode is kind of bad, because the Wyatt thing is half-baked and leaves Troi without much agency in the story, but I read what happens between Wyatt and Troi differently. They seem to me to be on the same page: kind of surprised at the idea that this arranged marriage is being pushed forward, feeling the pressure from overbearing parents, not sure if it's what they want, but also attracted to each other and...curious, thinking that they have met someone special, while also recognizing that maybe they might not be The One. Wyatt asks her if it's what she really wants, and he is at a disadvantage in one respect in that she is the one with empath powers. Wyatt is a bit spineless about the romance but he seems to me to be going through with it partly because he thinks he owes it to Troi. To the extent that Troi feels pressure Wyatt's flaw is less applying pressure himself as feeling a similar pressure to Troi, albeit "just" from overbearing parents rather than overbearing parents AND culture. Even there though, Lwaxana ends up being less overbearing than Wyatt's parents in that she is the one to more or less give Wyatt permission to call the whole thing off. There is some hint too that Wyatt's parents are, if not abusive, so overbearing that Wyatt really does need to run off to a plague ship to escape their influence, whereas Deanna can ultimately, with difficulty, negotiate her relationship with her mother.

Probably what the episode is saying about Deanna herself is that, really, Riker is The One for her, the way the plague ship girl is the one for Wyatt. And the difference is mostly on Riker's side: he is less willing to acknowledge his feelings than Plague Ship Girl is for Wyatt, so the will they/won't they can be spun out longer.

I’ve tried to be more generous to Wyatt, but the more I think about it, the worse he comes off. Obviously this is a writing issue as I’m pretty sure the script’s intention is for the audience to see him as a charmingly befuddled nice guy caught up in some zany circumstances. As it’s written tho, Wyatt is history’s greatest monster. Ok, fine, that’s extreme. But he clearly only goes along with his parent’s crazy caper because he assumes Troi is his dream rocker babe, he has to know full well that his parents are pushing this whole situation as some sort of self aggrandizing scam, after all he is a grown freaking man and (allegedly) a medical doctor, not some aimless teenager. So once that cat was out of the bag and it was clear Troi was uncomfortable about everything, the ONLY option would be to bow out. It would be one thing if Troi was excited and gushing about the wedding, then I could see Wyatt having a dilemma, but otherwise he’s basically lowbidding for a mail order bride.

Also, he eventually does just what I’m saying he was ethically obligated to do in the first place by jumping ship to be with his terrelian fantasy girl, so it’s not like the option of calling off the wedding was unthinkable to him, as soon as the grass was greener as it were he bounced. Like I said, I hate Wyatt.

I think both of your reads on the episode are interesting. For me the word "destiny" is critical as the episode seems to be about the possibility that one has a 'correct' destination in life and that the process of figuring out what it might be could be painful. Even if Will and Deanna are right in front of each other's faces and are destined for each other, the path for them to settle how to work things out might be arduous (as it did turn out to be). The fact of an arranged marriage being tacked onto this theme does make logical sense, even though modern audiences might be repelled by it instinctively. The idea is that two people are "for" each other, in this case decided by the family. But this idea that one has a final resting place that's knowable and in this case spelled out by overbearing parents, is part of what is meant by finding your "Haven". The fact that the wedding wasn't forced on them when it became clear that they weren't destined for each other does seem to mitigate whatever pressures were being put on initially. One can perhaps sympathize with the parents wanting so desperately for this children to have the correct outcome that they might force the issue and in fact get in the way of said destiny. In fact I think that happens all the time.

About the episode title:

Captain's log, Stardate 41294.5. Our destination, the class M Beta Cassius planet known simply as Haven. It is a world so renowned for its peaceful beauty that some believe it to have mystical healing powers. We will rest and relax, all too briefly, I fear

This idea of finally resting, relaxing in that beautiful place called Haven, resonates with the idea of heaven of course, but also speaks to the sigh of contentment as you perhaps find the person you're meant to be with, and more broadly, the life you're meant to have, the role you're meant to play. Like a ship coming into port, and all those other metaphors we've heard over the decades. But the Enterprise, says Picard, will only rest and relax briefly. As the final tagline mentioned by Idh2023 says, the destiny of the Entperise isn't to sit around and relax, but to get back to work. Shades of TOS and Kirk here in this sentiment. The 'haven' for a Starfleet office isn't a place, but a vocation, so naturally being on their merry way is the haven they seek, and likewise we might say Riker and Troi have a similar fate, to orbit each other while they serve their Starfleet roles. Sounds romantic when I say it like that...

As a brief sidebar, for anyone here who ever played the Star Trek CCG (customizable card game) back from the days when MTG first came into print, there was a card type called "dilemma" where you put these booby traps basically in your opponent's way to stop them completing missions and to get their personnel killed. Anyhow a regular feature of my deck was the Tarellian Plague Ship, which required them to sacrifice a medical personnel or else lose their whole crew. I had combos to go with it, you can rest assured. For this little bit of nostalgia the episode gets a small bump from me.

@Peter, I had some of those Star Trek CCG cards - not many, but a few - but except for trying it out once with a friend, never got the chance to play. I always liked the idea of it.

Re the episode, I wanted to strengthen one comment, which is that I feel pretty confident Lwaxana knew, or at least was pretty sure, that the wedding wouldn't actually go forward; or that, if it did, it would be because Wyatt was good enough for Deanna. Lwaxana claims that she is straightforward, but she does wait until they are in private to apologize to Deanna for the match, implies that Wyatt should follow his own heart, and doesn't actually tell the Millers she wants to get out of the match, but, I suspect, turns her Lwaxana-ness up to 11 to throw enough wrenches in the wedding to give Deanna and Wyatt the opportunity to call it off themselves. I think she knows that if she had said outright that she knew that Deanna and Wyatt weren't sure about the match, in addition to jeopardizing Lwaxana's regal Betazoid values, more importantly they would always feel that Lwaxana made the choice to split them apart. Lwaxana gets Picard to carry her luggage; she seems to make sure Wyatt is the one who terminates the arranged marriage, which she perhaps wants too. She might be trying to prick Deanna into jealousy when she suggests that she, Lwaxana, should go for Riker.

Re: Haven and the concept: it's noteworthy that Wyatt's own "haven" is true love, yes, but also a plague ship where he can work and help people. It is a fairy tale ending in that it's what he sees as his life's work, but it still is going to be *work*. Right now Riker and Troi are too far from being able to incorporate their romantic love into their work, without distracting from it.

@Idh2023, sure. Wyatt shouldn't hold Troi to a marriage she feels duty-bound to. I think it is partly the sci-fi setting that mitigates it for me: not only has Wyatt been raised his whole life to anticipate the marriage, but Betazoids have telepathy and deep knowledge of their emotions, which Wyatt seems to think gives them greater emotional maturity. I don't think he seriously considers that Deanna may feel trapped, because he already looks up to her, and to the extent that she is duty-bound by Betazoid culture I think he feels similarly bound, by the nature of his and Troi's parents' close relationship.

Where I agree is that Wyatt's acceptance of this union and his parents' wishes seems to go against the sort of humanist ethos of personal freedom and self-determination that Trek humans usually have; it feels like at odds with most of the Trek version 24th century humanity, in general and even within the episode (c.f. some of Picard's and Riker's lines). It's not that no humans practice arranged marriages in our world, but it doesn't really match with the humans we normally see in Trek. It feels like maybe Wyatt should have been some non-telepathic alien or something.

I appreciate that you guys can glean worthwhile analysis out of this episode. Try as I might, I just can’t get past my loathing for Wyatt long enough to put together a cogent thought. But that’s my problem, I’ll deal with it.

While arranged marriages are indeed alien to me, what I think I’m more repelled by in this case is sloppy plotting. For any of this to work either Wyatt needed to be similarly bound by custom, maybe by being a fellow betazoid for example, or he needed to be too young to easily defy his parents, which would have its own issues. But as it stands, Wyatt is:
A) super dubious about the concept of consent.
B) too spineless to say no to his parents, despite being an adult and a medical professional.
C) fully participating in this scheme to trap Troi in order to join his family to the rings of betazed or whatever the endgame here is.
D) all of the above.
As I see it the script leaves no other paths to take for this character and as a result this is what the episode becomes about, leaving me to wish to see Wyatt comically split his pants in front of a large, important, judgmental crowd.

That’s a reasonable and redemptive interpretation of Lwaxana’s more aggressive eccentricities, definitely explains some things, and boosts her character quite a bit. But it makes the Millers look even worse, that Lwaxana would be going to such extremes to derail this whole affair raises the question of who is the one insisting on it going forward in the first place.

This episode is far better than I remember it being from when I saw it in first run. I was ten at the time and therefore too young to understand it, although of course it does contain several memorable jokes. Middle-aged me would probably give it three stars. The main flaw in the episode is that it hinges on Wyatt never having seen a picture of Deanna as an adult. This is a pretty big plot flaw. (There's a similar flaw in "Galaxy's Child" where Geordi doesn't know that Leah Brahms is married). The secondary flaw is that the very first thing that happens after the Box of Quark explodes is that Troi tells Picard that when she gets married, she will have to leave, thereby demonstrating that she will not in fact be getting married. This was completely unnecessary, as Wyatt could have come to live on the Enterprise. I'm sure there's room for a civilian doctor. It's not like Wyatt has some prior commitment!

I think the meaning we are supposed to take from this episode is that you need to follow your heart even when society's traditions don't agree. Although this is a Troi-focused episode, it's really Riker who has to realize this, and Wyatt is his foil. Wyatt is expected to marry Deanna, but he wants to marry Ariana. Riker is expected to marry a spaceship, but he really wants to marry Deanna. Also, I think this is the first appearance of Riker being pissy and passive-aggressive whenever he doesn't get his way, even when it's all his own fault! (See also: Chain of Command)

Now I will address the comments of Idh2023, who I think is completely wrong about this episode.

"But as it stands, Wyatt is:
A) super dubious about the concept of consent."

No. The first time Wyatt meets Deanna in private, they talk about his drawings of Ariana, and that's when they clear the air about why Deanna wasn't what Wyatt expected. Up until he met Deanna, he thought she was sending him all these mental images. He had no reason to think she would say anything other than "what took you so long!" The second time, now that they both know what's going on with him, he asks her if she still wants to go ahead with the arranged marriage, and she says yes. There is absolutely no consent issue whatsoever.

"B) too spineless to say no to his parents, despite being an adult and a medical professional."

As soon as he realizes something is wrong, he goes and talks to Lwaxana about Ariana. He asks her if this is some sort of Betazoid weirdness or if something else is going on. Lwaxana tells him that if he thinks Ariana is his soulmate, it's because she's his soulmate. And as soon as she actually turns up, he goes to live with her on the plague ship. Seems like Wyatt knows exactly what he wants, and the only problem is that some of the puzzle pieces are missing.

"C) fully participating in this scheme to trap Troi in order to join his family to the rings of betazed or whatever the endgame here is."

Again, no. Now I will grant that the episode isn't very clear about why, exactly, the wedding is going ahead right now, when it hadn't been before. Maybe Wyatt wanted to finish his medical degree, and then go ahead with the marriage.

Now, of course, it's possible that Wyatt's parents want their son to be the next heir to the holy rings of Betazed, or whatever. The episode doesn't explicitly say. But here's what it does say: Wyatt has had this woman in his head for more than a decade, and he's spent his whole life assuming they're supposed to get married. And it turns out he's right! He's just wrong about how he's supposed to meet her. So it sure sounds like Wyatt's behind it, and if his parents have ulterior motives, that isn't what Wyatt cares about. There's no scene in the episode, even in private, where either Wyatt or his parents express regret about missing out on the social benefits of marrying into the Troi family. The Millers even let Deanna keep the wedding gifts.

If anyone has an ulterior motive, it's Lwaxana: it's clear from the get-go that she doesn't like the Millers. Although in light of later Lwaxana obnoxiousness it might be hard to see, she's doing everything she can to make the Millers unhappy in hopes that they will try to call off the wedding. Honestly, the Millers seem pretty normal.

I think much of the dislike of the episode is rooted in disapproval of arranged marriages. Picard even says so: "It seems to me that she is trapped by a custom of her home world which the facts of the twenty-fourth century life have made unwise and unworkable" But on Earth, today, more than 1/3 of marriages are arranged. Arranged marriage is common in the Islamic world and in Africa, but the numbers are driven by India, where nearly all marriages are arranged.

One thing I like about this episode is that it contributes so much to our understanding of Betazoids, much like how "Amok Time" - also about an arranged marriage - and "Journey to Babel" contributed so much to our understanding of Vulcans. These sorts of episodes just don't happen in today's short-season, highly-serialized shows. Bring back 26-episode, or at least 22-episode seasons. I'll take an occasional filler episode or *even Shades of Gray* if it means things like Data's cat, Klingon pain sticks or the traditional Betazoid wedding can come about naturally.

This is also an unusual episode because it has four major guest stars and several minor ones. You almost never have more than three major guest stars, and usually just one or two. Also, the wedding box is Armin Shimerman!

I'd give a hypothetical version of the episode 3.5 or even four stars if Wyatt and Deanna had actually gotten married and he came to live on the Enterprise. One thing about TNG, especially early on, the setup makes a big deal about there being families aboard the ship... but none of the main characters have any. Beverly and Wesley don't really count because Wesley becomes a member of the crew in the fifth episode.

And Troi would have been the best fit. Picard wouldn't because it's too hard for captains. Riker doesn't, as is driven home in this episode, because he *wants* to be a captain. Data and Worf don't make sense. Beverly is recently widowed and has unresolved feelings for Picard; Wesley is too young. It's down to LaForge and Troi, and LaForge's love life is a tire fire, so that leaves Troi.

The writing staff wanted to keep Troi single so she could have love interest stories, but that doesn't really work, except for this episode. The only one, really, where that's important and also works is "Man of the People," another Troi episode that I like more than most people do. And "The Child" would have worked better, because the audience would think "They got married last season, and now she's pregnant. Okay."

@fluffysheap

I fear you might have missed my point. My thesis is this: I hate Wyatt. And that’s, like, a feeling man, you can’t be “wrong” about, like, feelings and stuff.

Now, the *reason* I hate Wyatt can be debated, and it comes down to a few points. First, Riker’s flabbergasted exclamation of “but he’s human” in reaction to hearing of Wyatt’s role in this arranged marriage, which implies, if not outright states, that humans and arranged marriages are a rare combination in the 24th century, so much so that the first officer of the diplomatic flagship of the Federation would remark with incredulity, even confusion, at the absurdity of the situation. Secondly, Lwaxana apologizes to Deanna about this whole mess stating that she’d practically forgotten about it until the Millers tracked her down and insisted on keeping this weird pact. They had evidently not spoken in some time, and Lwaxana was apparently content with pretending that they had never made any vows and presumably letting the deal fade into nothingness. Deanna, too, had largely put this out of her mind, being sure that it would never happen. It was the Millers, humans with no real connection to the traditions of Betazed, pushing for this union. Clearly they have some agenda at work, I’m guessing they want their family to be joined with the upper crust of betazoid society. And the tools they use to achieve that goal are the cultural obligations binding the Trois and the cooperation of their grown adult son, Wyatt. For his part, Wyatt goes along with this scheme because he’s made a pretty ballsy assumption that the woman he’s been dreaming of for years is Deanna, never bothering to confirm such a leap by looking up a picture of his betrothed. So he must have figured, via his visions and reckless assumptions, that Deanna was into the whole thing and they had essentially been psychically dating for years. But when Wyatt stumbled off the transporter pad to meet his future life partner he’s stunned to behold that she’s not his vision of love but is instead a (pretty hot) total stranger, stirring feelings of disappointment strong enough for Deanna to feel, which is, of course, a terrible start to any relationship. At this moment it should be obvious that neither Deanna or Wyatt are really on board with any of this, that the only reason Deanna is willing to go through with it is her familial obligations, and Wyatt is clearly in love with someone else. But rather than do the sensible thing, which would be to consult a neurologist in order to figure out why he’d been vividly hallucinating about some random rocker babe for most of his life, or the honorable thing, which would be to acknowledge Deanna’s coercion and put a stop to the proceedings, he instead chooses to forge ahead with what is essentially a shakedown of the Troi family. Wyatt isn’t some kid, he’s not a minor being railroaded by overbearing parents, he’s a grown man in his 30s who’s evidently gone all the way through medical school. He should be able to see his parent’s mercenary motives here, unless he’s a completely clueless dolt. Even if one doesn’t find him as ethically repugnant as I do, his behavior and choices here are at the very least weird. Sure he “clears the air” with Deanna, asking if she really wants to go through with the marriage, but honestly, how can he ever trust her answer? She’s at the mercy of some apparently deep seated cultural influences, influences that Wyatt doesn’t share. And lastly, to throw salt in the wound, Wyatt throws Deanna over the moment it becomes convenient *for him*. As soon as it’s his hopes and dreams being curtailed by this arrangement, Deanna is yesterday’s news. But had his dream woman not showed up, had it only been Deanna’s personal life suffering, all signs point to Wyatt pressing on. So I repeat, I hate Wyatt, he’s an unscrupulous, conniving, self absorbed little weasel.

@Idh2023 I am not sure why you ascribe zero agency to Lwaxana or Deanna for that matter. In the case of the former, if she's so lackadaisical about the whole arrangement that she was basically assuming everyone forgot about it, then that's not really consistent with her being bound in any real sense because clearly she never took the arrangement that seriously in the first place.

Regarding Deanna I think while there is some cultural pressure it's a bit ridiculous to call this coercion in a sense that would truly rob her of agency. She's not some child bride in Saudi Arabia or even like Kamala in The Perfect Mate. It's pretty obvious she could get out of it if she really wanted. I mean nobody serious thinks Picard is going to put a phaser to her head about it if she tells Wyatt to fuck off.

Regarding Wyatt's bizarre decision not to look up Deanna prior to this meeting, I'm going to excuse that more as a product of 1980s writing rather than a true plot point. It's hard for people born into the Internet (and especially social media) era to imagine how hard it was back then to casually "look up" someone. I mean yes this is the 24th century so there is that but sometimes writers have blind spots owing to a certain time and place.

Anyway I think Wyatt being a scumbag here is a mighty stretch. Not that I have gone out of my way to watch this episode many times, but I never got even an inkling of coercion from him fwiw.

My take would be that Lwaxana, being a betazed socialite of sorts and a representative of her planet in a general, Federation-wide sense, could have quite a bit to lose if she or her daughter flouted tradition. Might it cause a scandal that could tarnish her reputation and cost her her position as ambassador? I’d say that’s at least plausible, if not obvious. So, if someone says do something or they’ll cut off your parents access to something vitally important, then yes that’s a form of coercion. But regardless, even the mere aroma of trepidation from Deanna should be enough for any decent person to pump the breaks. The perception alone is a relationship trust killer.

Now, I’m not saying that any of my take reflects writer’s intent. I think we, as the audience, are meant to see Wyatt as a flustered nice guy caught up is some whacky circumstances. But that’s not how the script plays out as I see it, and taking everything at face value, Wyatt is a villain.

Ok, I'm sorry, or maybe not, but I'm going to be a bit sarcarstic and a bit polemic here.

"My take would be that Lwaxana, being a betazed socialite of sorts and a representative of her planet in a general, Federation-wide sense, could have quite a bit to lose if she or her daughter flouted tradition. Might it cause a scandal that could tarnish her reputation and cost her her position as ambassador? I’d say that’s at least plausible, if not obvious"

Plausible or obvious, there is no indication of it in the entire episode. The job of Lwaxana is never mention in relation to the marriage or the position of Deanna or her choices.
I may say that in ST a LOT OF THINGS are plausible. For example, Picard and Riker could blow up the entire ship without reason by trying a very dangerous maneuver without the help of the computer (Farpoint episode). By logic they have surely corrupted the entire court martial to not be put in jail for that.

That Lwaxana could have her reputation tarnished or maybe lose her job means that she considers her job more important that selling her daughter? Why is the other person that was forced into this binding deal as a child and without being asked the villain and not the mother who has sold her daughter years ago and was selling her again now for her own benefit? (THIS IS NOT AT ALL my take of this episode, just following the logic here)
Why does Deanna consider her mother's job more important that her own life? Or why after this she goes on considering Lwaxana her mother at all?

Then there are some facts:
Lwaxana married a human. Where were the betazoid traditions then?
Deanna is half human. She has an excuse to follow both culture.
Deanna had a very meaningfull relationship with Riker. Where was this looming marriage of doom then? She told Riker she was bethroned to someone else before having sex with him? And before starting the telepatic connection?
Was Deanna playing Riker as a fool, or she didn't think the marriage's deal was so important?
Did she care for how her cheating would impact her mother 's job back then?

Cause the way the episode plays it it seems more some agreement between the parents that MAYBE their sons could marry someday. When they will be old enough to decide. And old enough to be or not be attracted to one another. A bit of pressure from the parents and a little cute betazoid emphatic ritual between the children, but nothing more.

"But regardless, even the mere aroma of trepidation from Deanna should be enough for any decent person to pump the breaks. The perception alone is a relationship trust killer."
Is this not true for Deanna too? After the revelation of the drawning is clear that Wyatt wasn't in to it at all. Why has not Deanna stopped everything? Did she consider the reputation or the job of her mother more important that her life AND the the life of Wyatt.
Even worse, why, after he had told her that he has dreaming of this other woman since childhood believing a betazoid was communicating with him, the counselor of the Ship has not investigated? Wondered if there was the influence of another telepath? What were their intentions? How this has influenced Wyatt? If it/them was still influencing him?
Why did the empath not perceive that after believing in something for his whole life (20 and a few years) the carpet was pulled away from under Wyatt’s feet and he was not in a position to make a decision in a couple of days?
That he was redefining his life and himself? And his mind? What about the dreams he always had (which coincidentally inspired him to become a doctor, another integral part of his identity)?
Cannot she be mature enough to at least do her job for the ship safety and as a psychologist?
Again, is Deanna such a villain that she doesn't care of all of this cause it could interfere with her mother's reputation?

And this is the point that really is wrong for me. "But that’s not how the script plays out as I see it, and taking everything at face value, Wyatt is" ...the VICTIM.
Taking it at face value Wyatt has been groomed to throw away his life and going in a ship full of walking dead people to find a cure or die with them.
Since childhood he had dreams that influenced his life. Thoughts and images put into his mind. His mind had being violated. And by chance he has become not only a doctor, but a doctor specialized in the exact illness this people needs him to cure.
It doesn't make it any better that his parents were grooming him too for the marriage with Deanna.
Since childhood. Not when he was already an adult. Not when his moral values and believes were already strong and developped.
He developped his values and believes and the concept of self around those manipulations.
It obvious that between the two he grew up believing that the woman in his dream was his only destiny and reason of life.
And at the end he really ended up sacrificing everything he has, - friends, home, home planet (or any planet), work, and most likely his own life, - to spend a few years in a small spaceship full of terminal patients dying around him.
And Deanna or Lwaxana don't help him one bit. Telephatic abilities and duties as counselor or not, both don't care at all.

(Again, this is not my take of the episode)


Now some random thoughts:
- the parents on both sides has done the deal respetting some betazoid tradition. Maybe the humans thought to honor the deal and the betazoids.
- Wyatt, too, is pushed and maybe doesn't call out the marriage from the need to respect the tradition of another culture (a rather important thing in the interplanetary future) and not to disappoint or offend or put in a difficult position Deanna.
- Deanna never says to Wyatt that she doesn't want the marriage.
- if the parents of Wyatt know of the dreams maybe they thought the relationship between the two is already developed. Or maybe they are scared of what would happen to their son's mind if they don't respect the deal with the betazoids, who have all the power and can also act as if they are oltraged by the deal. Or maybe they thought their son would find some peace of mind after the marriage is done. They too can also believe in destiny, since their son has gone on and on dreaming his future wife. Maybe they believed the betazoide wife is anxious to marry their son and then they are disappointed to find out it's not the truth. After all they haven't a lot of time to readjust their believes and expectations. Given more time they would have stop everything.
It's not clear who knows what and if there is open communication about the core topics.
- if the parents don't know of the dreams, then they and Wyatt are there for two completly different reasons.
- Wyatt too could believe that his mind would be fixed after the marriage with a betazoid. He has just discovered that he has dreamed of a woman who doesn't exist. Maybe he thinks it's a side effect of their bound with Deanna and his mind just has filled the gaps. Now he is confused that the dreams and reality don't match, but maybe he thinks with time to discover that they in fact do.
(My point here is that there is a huge plot hole in failing to adknowledge how this mindmelt nobody understands and that is not normal affects everyone)
- maybe Wyatt's parents just have a strong concept of honor. They have made a promise to the friend who now is dead and they want to fullfil it. Believable or not there are still people who believe in honor at the cost of life changing decisions.
(Pratically for me reducing them to 'they want money' 'they want power' when we don't know their motivations is not enough).

This said, I like the episode. It’s well-paced and fun. It never bothers you. Luaxana is one of the treasures of star trek, the more mature you like. One of those episodes you can watch over and over again without any problems.
I like the story, and all the characters. Wyatt is much better than Riker and Deanna loses in the change. And I like that it is told not with "modern" realism but as a fairy tale about fate. Where the dedication to career and work lead you to love and do not have to sacrifice either, being able to be realized and loved and make a difference. I like that Wyatt is given recognition for his courage in making a similar choice and his dedication to his work of saving lives and that he is recognized as a model human being to imitate, instead of doing a cold analysis whether it was a "free or influenced" choice. Wyatt becomes the archetype of all the brave doctors and men of science who have made a difference by putting their lives at risk, sometimes making sudden choices and against all logic and for the strangest reasons like Wyatt’s, more than a human being to be analyzed for the vague history of his past that is given to us.
The episode emphasizes his *choice* in a positive way: Wyatt is not just someone forced into a marriage, he has a calling. Is there perhaps a parallel here with Riker, who is divided between love and career and can not decide himself, ending up being stuck and undecided on both, while Wyatt believes that there is no conflict, But when he has to choose, he decides to be true to himself and follow his medical path rather than someone else’s expectations (parents and Deanna) or commitments made that have some value but do not rappresent him. And this perhaps also opens the way to love, but it is not the fundamental point. How is not the other woman the key point (that would bring us back in grooming if it was all there).

Certainly for me Wyatt is more pleasant than Riker. He is insecure and unsettled in his career at the beginning, but, although he has little time to decide, he decides by proving to be much more resolute, mature and confident of who he is than our first officer, who continues to go around in circles with Deanna from an infinite number of episodes and does not go anywhere in the career.
Other positive points: the way it is constructed (Wyatt’s strength would have no meaning without fragility) which adds realism, and the Betazoid philosophical vision of Lwaxana who tries to open the mind to a view of the whole that goes beyond our small narrow egoism.

Lwaxana’s job or reputation are hypotheticals that might explain the behavior of the Troi women, the fact is we don’t know whats at stake for them. But there must be something, and it must be significant for both Troi women to begrudgingly honor a commitment that clearly neither wants to go forward. A commitment that they both had largely marginalized in their minds to the point of having almost forgotten or believing would never come to pass. It seems that neither Lwaxana or Deanna feel comfortable being the one to call off the wedding. Why would this be unless they had something to lose in doing so? I think it was @William B who observed that perhaps Lwaxana was deliberately trying to sabotage the wedding, cranking up her powers of annoyance to a screeching eleven in order to drive the Millers into being the ones who cut and run. I personally like this interpretation because it greatly salvages her character in the midst of this bizarre situation, but it further implies, if true, that Lwaxana needs the Millers to be the deal breakers, that she and Deanna can’t, without repercussion, simply send the Miller family packing. So I suppose we can point our fingers at Deanna, talk of her agency and ask why she doesn’t step up and put an end to this weirdness. These are good questions that we can only answer by implication, and I’d say it’s implied that she has something binding her to this agreement that goes deeper than the usual considerations pertaining to life and relationships. Placing the impetus on her to act feels like blaming someone being mugged at gunpoint for not simply refusing the mugger. After all, they still have “agency” right?

The Millers on the other hand have no sword of Damocles hanging over them, nor do I see them as hyper-respectful of Betazed culture, mother Miller’s contentious insistence on a human ceremony undercuts that idea. So why would they hunt down Lwaxana and push this thing ahead? I suppose it’s possible that they’re worried about their son’s sanity, perhaps they’ve been watching him, seemingly in a trance, paint weird pictures for years, unresponsive to the world around him, sculpting his dream woman out of mashed potatoes while mumbling incoherent ramblings to himself. But I didn’t get that vibe. Nor do I get the sense that they’re scared of running afoul of betazoid traditions or culture, they seem enthusiastic, even aggressive, participants. Have they been grooming Wyatt his whole life to accept this arrangement? I suppose it’s possible, but the Miller’s wish to have human culture representation in the marriage ceremony implies that they’re strongly attached to that heritage and would probably have exposed Wyatt to that perspective, so what kind of grooming are we talking about here? Did they lock him in a Skinner box and condition him to unquestioningly accept the idea of an arranged marriage? I just don’t see it.

The episode is meant to be a lighthearted, rom-com fairytale of sorts. Personally I didn’t get enough rom or com for it to work, and that boils down to me not finding the setup worthy of either. Wyatt’s dilemma is poorly crafted, the kind of season one half measure writing that sadly litters the first run of episodes. Due to that shaky writing, I can’t see a path forward for Wyatt, or the Miller parents really, that doesn’t leave them looking pretty bad.

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrghghghgh! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

DAMN IT! IT’S MY DAMN MOTHER-IN-LAW! Hide your kids! Hide your wife! She’s here to suck the blood of good feelings like an ancient vampiric succubus, leaving you a broken shell of a person in search of every shot of whisky you can find.

This is supposed to be an escapist space opera, but there she is! My goddamn mother-in-law to a tee! What is this, *Black Mirror?* It’s as if writer Tracy Torme had Troi's telepathic powers and probed my mind, writing in the most annoying, destructive person I’ve ever met into his Star Trek script. It’s all here! The passive aggression. The side-eyed judgment. The habit of walking through life like she’s constantly smelling the odor of shit everywhere. The mind games couched in niceties. The self-importance and the fake airs she displays. I remember one recent Christmas when the family was all together at our house, and the hag stepped out to walk our dog around the yard. My son accompanied her to chop some wood. A couple of minutes later, he comes back in to ask me where the axe is. To which her long-suffering, equally crotchety husband chimes in, “Why, is she being that bad?!” Ba-dum-boom!

I’m speaking, of course, of the character Victoria Miller (played frighteningly realistically by Nan Martin). Please, someone tell me this is the last I’ll see of that witch on this show. I came to Star Trek looking to escape reality, not wallow in it.

On the other hand, Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi is something else (but I kid). I loved Barrett’s performance, and I *adore* Lwaxana. She doesn’t give a fuck; she’ll be as blunt as a hammer if the situation calls for it—or even if it doesn’t! She’s full of life and funny as hell. You can almost tell that Picard is plenty annoyed while in her presence, but also secretly charmed a bit. Yes, she’ll meddle in your affairs, but only because she wants to truly help you. She’s a consummate taskmaster who knows what she wants and will get it from you. She’s like a cat: she’s the queen of the room and knows it. Ah yes, she can read your mind on top of everything else, so you’d best behave yourself while sizing her up. Seriously, I’ll take a Lwaxana Troi over a Victoria Miller any day.

Majel Barrett was absolutely lovely as Chapel in The Original Series, and she even stole the show as the malfunctioning computer in the Animated Series episode “The Practical Joker,” but as Lwaxana Troi, she is RIGHT AT HOME. This is the role she was born to play, and she does so with a subversive but warm gusto. She nailed it. She’s outstanding in this role.

The best Lwaxana scene is the one between her and Wyatt, where she helps him make sense of the recent weird developments in his space-opera life. I agree with others above in that it really appears here that Lwaxana had every intention to dissolve this marriage after all—remember, it was the Millers and not the Trois that forced the issue.

I loved the dinner party. It’s an intentionally schlocky theatrical sequence directed to perfection. Between the explanation of Betazoid weddings making Victoria nearly choke on her food and giving her husband an erection, Lwaxana’s pet vine causing an interstellar incident, and the sexbot’s fascination with the “petty bickering” that belongs in a daytime telenovela (but still causes Troi to knock over a gong and storm out of the room screaming like a toddler as Yar can barely contain her laughter), there’s a lot to love. As an added bonus, Troi, Yar and Beverly all look *great.* (And in other scenes, that Haven administrator with the crazy accent is smoking hot, and the blonde on the alien ship is suhhhmokin’ hot.)

Robert Knepper, a character actor known for compellingly playing psychopaths and jackholes, is wasted as Wyatt, the bland paramour on the other side of this arranged marriage. His one good moment is the one where Wyatt imitates his dad sucking in his gut in front of a mirror. That’s the crazy Robert I know.

The storyline about the plague-addled refugees wanting to settle on Haven—and willing to all die stubbornly in their attempts to do so—is interesting for a second or two, before it descends into predestination mumbo-jumbo (that crosses thousands of light years of course) solved by writer fiat.


Speak Candidly:

Crusher -- “The Tarellians had reached Earth's late twentieth century level of knowledge. That's all you need if you're a damned fool.”

(Oh, lovely! It’s Beverly’s turn to deliver the weekly smugness. What’s that noise, you ask? Why, that’s the unmistakable sound and odor of flatulence being expelled from Beverly’s asshole, and let me tell you—it stinks just as much as ours does.)


My Grade: C+

Why do all of the Captain's Logs in season 1 sound like he is speaking inside a subway bathroom?