TNG S02E17

In this installment:
(viewed 6/4/2013)

Star Trek:  The Next Generation, S02E17 - "Samaritan Snare"

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"Samaritan Snare"

• Oh, this is one of my favorite second-season episodes...from a comedy perspective.  Mentally-handicapped aliens, Captain Picard and Ensign Crusher trapped in a shuttlecraft together...what's not to love?
• Speaking of mentally-handicapped, here's Ensign Gomez!
• Seriously...the Pakled are one big "retard" joke.  It's a little tasteless, although it's a good example of humor that would be considered insensitive now that wasn't considered insensitive as recently as 24 years ago.
• And for once, Worf's overprotective nature is in the right.  Fools!
• So Captain Picard has a fake heart.  There just so, so many jokes in here.
• The Pakled also remind me of the two "babies" from the movie Nothing but trouble.
  
  "We're not allowed in the house.  We eat too much cereal."
• "Our Betazoid counselor is often aware of things beyond our perceptive abilities."
  
  And you've slept with her Riker, so if you weren't dense-like-brick you'd know that.
• Now who wouldn't want to have coffee and sandwiches with the Captain?
• "Was this before the Klingons joined the Federation?"
  
  This throw-away line and the appearance of the Federation seal alongside the emblem of the Klingon Empire in the episode "Heart of Glory" are the only pieces of supporting evidence for a case that the Klingons were--at least temporarily--full members of the UFP.  Most fans consider these to be minor continuity errors and accept the rather overwhelming evidence that the Klingons, although eventual allies, were never Federation members.
• Picard learned a valuable lesson as a young man:  Don't tangle with a Nausicaan.
• "Why would they go through the charade of needing our help?"
  
  "For the sole purpose purpose of making Lt. La Forge their prisoner."
  
  How is it possible that you didn't pick up on that, Riker?  You're being out-thought by Troi, for pity's sake.  Get it together, man!
• "Would you be suggesting a ruse of some sort?"
  
  Urge.  To post.  Archer quotes.  Rising.
• I'm...not a doctor.  But I'm pretty sure none of the stuff they say in the operating room with Picard is actually real doctor-y stuff.
• "They used their crimson forcefield!"
  
  This reminds me of when I used to play starship combat with my little brother.  I invented a weapons system for my USS Excelsior Micro-Machine called the "color phase" that was able to bypass the shields on his ship and destroy it.
  
  I don't think he's ever forgiven me for that.