As the episode begins, it seems that Justice is TNG’s foray into softcore porn. Everyone is scantily clad, and everyone appears to be at some stage of foreplay (I suppose going any further on network TV would probably have been too scandalous). But the episode quickly turns dark and sinister when Wesley is sentenced to death for a minor infaction: falling into a bed of new plants while playing a game.

This episode feels like a legitimate bridge between the OS and TNG. The Edo, their planet, and their customs feel like they are straight out of the OS. But the god-like entity in orbit with the Enterprise, as well as the explorations of justice, captial punishment and the Prime Directive hint at the far more enlightened and profound themes what TNG will become.

This episode suffered from the overly-stereotyped Edo as well as issues with acting (namely from Troi and Wesley). But it’s still worth watching — if only for seeing people run around half-naked.

Topics: Prime Directive
Filed under: TNG Reviews