[TNG] Season 4, Episode 23: The Host
Rating: 2
“The Host” uses a no frills Trek plot – the Critical Diplomatic Situation Only Our Guest Star Can Resolve this time – to frame a romance gone weird with Crusher and Trek’s first look at a Trill. This version is quite a bit different from the Trill of Deep Space Nine, but it’s a good concept for an episode. It would be more compelling if the emotional conflict were better executed. Perhaps if the useless diplomacy plot were dropped there would’ve been more time to explore the idea more effectively. There are some nice scenes between Crusher and Troi, though!
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Notes:
Crusher has a boyfriend. He’s a Trill!
but he’s got belly problems.
She tries to keep it super secret even from her best friend the mind reader.
Guess what there’s negotiations that need to happen!
Crusher puts her hand in green goo.
The Trill guy apparently can’t be transported, because it will kill him, but also doesn’t want people to know that? Anyway, the shuttle gets ambushed on the way to the negotiations.
He gets injured!
They find out his secret! Not sure why it was ever a big secret. Is it embarrassing or something?
The host body is dying and the symbiont needs a new one. Riker volunteers!
The symbionts are more colorful than in DS9.
Not-Riker wanting to bone Beverly makes things awkward.
Not-Riker negotiates in the Trill’s place.
Crusher still has feelings for the Trill! Unlike the Trill rules in DS9, the symbiont is totally the other guy, and not any part Riker anymore…I think?
Then the new Trill host arrives. Uh oh! it’s a *gasp* GIRL.
They still kind of like each other, but Crusher thinks humans aren’t ready for that kind of thing. I think she was referring to herself? Maybe the audience of 1991?
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