Liaisons is an experiment in emotion. There’s pleasure, antagonism and love. It is an unfortunate irony, then, that the episode is conducted, by in large, without a whole lot of emotion. Part of the problem is that the premise is a bit shaky to begin with. And following three distinct story lines results in a watered down impact of each of them.

After an amusing scene in which Worf bemoans having to wear a dress uniform, the episode begins with the Enterprise welcoming on board some Iyaaran ambassadors, who are there to conduct the first cultural exchange between their society and the Federation’s. One of them, named Loquel, is assigned to Troi. The other, named Byleth, was to be assigned to Riker. However, he insists on being assigned to Worf — who reluctantly agrees. The third Iyaaran, named Voval, is a shuttle pilot who is to bring Picard back to the Iyaaran homeworld.

From here the story splits into three parts as we follow Picard, Troi and Worf as they interact with their Iyaaran counterparts. Troi’s story is the one with the least emphasis. It seems that her charge, Loquel, is obsessed with recreation and eating desserts — to the point where even Troi is beginning to say no to sweets. It’s a fairly pedestrian plotline that really is only present in order to balance out the other two.

Worf’s story is, perhaps, the most well done plot of the episode. His charge, Byleth, is a singularly abrasive individual who seems to take pleasure in antagonizing Worf. Byleth is insulting, demanding, belittling … and the effect is to make the audience nearly as frustrated as Worf. Ultimately, Byleth steals from Worf during a poker game and Worf simply loses it. After tossing Byleth across the room, the Iyaaran inexplicably thanks Worf, and heads off to “document” the incident.

As for Picard, his shuttle, predictably, doesn’t reach its destination (why does that always seem to happen to Picard?) . Once on the surface, he is injured during a plasma storm. He awakens to find he is inside the wreckage of a separate shuttle, and in the presence of a mysterious woman. She claims that the Iyaaran shuttle pilot has been killed, that Picard has been badly wounded, and that she has been marooned, alone, on the planet for seven years.

Picard is an optimistic fellow (as always) and confidently tells this woman, Anna, that they will find a way off of the planet, and to safety. There’s only one problem with Picard’s intentions: Anna herself. She appears flighty, uncertain, and timid. She quickly latches on to Picard, telling him that she loves him (!?). And at every turn she tries to sabotage Picard’s attempts to escape the planet.

Eventually her proclamations, and overtures, of love become downright disturbing. She simply cannot understand, or seem to accept, that Picard doesn’t love her. As we soon learn, Anna is not who she appears to be. She is, in fact, the Iyaaran shuttle pilot in disguise. The Iyaaran’s mission was to experience love, in the same way that Byleth experienced antagonism, and Loquel experienced pleasure. Indeed, they were merely scientists, exploring what had been, to them, alien concepts.

And when Picard explains that the Iyaaran actions could be considered a crime, Voval is ignorant of that concept as well. Fortunately for Voval and his comrades, Picard and the Federation are understanding and gracious about the experiment. Voval transports Picard back to the Enterprise and all’s well that ends well.

Liaisons is a slightly below average episode because it never really manages to connect its explorations of emotion to its audience. Its biggest success is with the Worf story line. But Troi’s story is simply too bland (in spite of the sweet tasting food). And Picard’s story is just too bizarre to be connected with love.

Filed under: TNG Reviews