"Martyrs cannot be silenced."
Angel One is a matriarchal planet where the women dominate over the men, and are in control of every facet of life. They rule in government and in the bed room. The planet's leader, Mistress Beata (Karen Montgomery), is strongly attracted to Commander Riker who, along with Yar, Troi, and Data, is attempting to locate survivors of a group on board a freighter, Odin, which suffered an asteroid collision, whose pods might have landed on Angel One. The episode also features a virus quickly infecting the Enterprise which actually might have started from Wesley and a friend, letting off a sickly sweet odor that produces flu-like symptoms when deeply inhaled. When Picard gets sick beyond the point of ably commanding the Enterprise, Geordi is left in charge (echoing the more awesome "Arsenal of Freedom"). When Riker becomes sexually involved with Beata, Troi, Yar, and Data are unsuccessful in convincing the Odin party's leader, Ramsey (Sam Hennings), and his men, to leave with them so they can find a new home to live but Ramsey and his men (who have developed families on Angel One) do not wish to leave. Beata sees no alternative but to execute the Odin group before their ways/philosophies becomes a hindrance to how Angel One has functioned as a society, their very way of life. Riker points out to Beata, in an effort to rescue Ramsey and his people from condemnation, that evolution eventually happens and executing them will not stop the inevitable. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher works on finding an inoculation for the virus coursing at an exorbitant rate throughout the ship, not allowing Riker and the away team to beam back until she does. Also established is that The Romulans appear to be possibly on the verge of attacking Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone, needing the Enterprise to get there in the hopes that their presence will halt such possible violence. Interesting development has Beata's trusted "number one" married to Ramsey!
I won't lie, this episode does nothing for me as a Next Gen fan, although it was cool seeing Data standing on the bridge all by himself as normal crew members are either in sick bay or their quarters, ill from the virus. The Angel One plot makes a statement about how any type of hierarchy, whether its male or female, as the dominate figurehead in ruling positions over the other, change is bound to happen as the oppressed/repressed are certain to revolt/rebel against such a way of life/political power. Riker, in more ways than one, uses his "tactical skills" to halt a potential disaster, that of unnecessary executions when a solution could be reached to not take human life. Captain's throat being affected by the virus at the end as he tries to tell the bridge to set a course for the Neutral Zone is, to me, the funniest scene in the episode. I consider this one of the worst of the first season; but the season has so many good ones, Angel One is probably quite an eyesore, unless the "archy" storyline is meaningful to you.
Angel One is a matriarchal planet where the women dominate over the men, and are in control of every facet of life. They rule in government and in the bed room. The planet's leader, Mistress Beata (Karen Montgomery), is strongly attracted to Commander Riker who, along with Yar, Troi, and Data, is attempting to locate survivors of a group on board a freighter, Odin, which suffered an asteroid collision, whose pods might have landed on Angel One. The episode also features a virus quickly infecting the Enterprise which actually might have started from Wesley and a friend, letting off a sickly sweet odor that produces flu-like symptoms when deeply inhaled. When Picard gets sick beyond the point of ably commanding the Enterprise, Geordi is left in charge (echoing the more awesome "Arsenal of Freedom"). When Riker becomes sexually involved with Beata, Troi, Yar, and Data are unsuccessful in convincing the Odin party's leader, Ramsey (Sam Hennings), and his men, to leave with them so they can find a new home to live but Ramsey and his men (who have developed families on Angel One) do not wish to leave. Beata sees no alternative but to execute the Odin group before their ways/philosophies becomes a hindrance to how Angel One has functioned as a society, their very way of life. Riker points out to Beata, in an effort to rescue Ramsey and his people from condemnation, that evolution eventually happens and executing them will not stop the inevitable. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher works on finding an inoculation for the virus coursing at an exorbitant rate throughout the ship, not allowing Riker and the away team to beam back until she does. Also established is that The Romulans appear to be possibly on the verge of attacking Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone, needing the Enterprise to get there in the hopes that their presence will halt such possible violence. Interesting development has Beata's trusted "number one" married to Ramsey!
I won't lie, this episode does nothing for me as a Next Gen fan, although it was cool seeing Data standing on the bridge all by himself as normal crew members are either in sick bay or their quarters, ill from the virus. The Angel One plot makes a statement about how any type of hierarchy, whether its male or female, as the dominate figurehead in ruling positions over the other, change is bound to happen as the oppressed/repressed are certain to revolt/rebel against such a way of life/political power. Riker, in more ways than one, uses his "tactical skills" to halt a potential disaster, that of unnecessary executions when a solution could be reached to not take human life. Captain's throat being affected by the virus at the end as he tries to tell the bridge to set a course for the Neutral Zone is, to me, the funniest scene in the episode. I consider this one of the worst of the first season; but the season has so many good ones, Angel One is probably quite an eyesore, unless the "archy" storyline is meaningful to you.