About a month after reviewing many of the original Star Trek shows from the 1960s, seeing many for the first time in more than 20 years, I watched this episode for only the second time ever - the first time since it was shown originally. I cannot understand all the hatred for this episode by other reviewers here on IMDb: it's as preachy and unrealistic as those original Star Trek episodes, and like the original, presents a social issue we are actually dealing with right now in a barely-veiled way. The episode is obviously talking about homosexuality rather than an androgynous and asexual race, and now, almost 15 years after it premiered, it's just as powerful to see Soren using so many of the same arguments that people have had to use for same-sex relationships and marriage equality.
Another reviewer said that he doesn't understand why it's a bad thing that Soren is "reprogrammed", because at the end, she is glad she's been "cured." Ridiculous! Go watch the Twilight Zone episode "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" - she's also really happy at the end after she's been "reprogrammed." Do you think that's also a happy ending?!
This episode is rarely shown anymore, and I have wondered why. Perhaps because of fear that some people will misinterpret as an attack on people who are transgendered or asexual? I'd like to give people more credit than that - surely we can appreciate this pioneering episode for its original intentions in the time it was made.
Another reviewer said that he doesn't understand why it's a bad thing that Soren is "reprogrammed", because at the end, she is glad she's been "cured." Ridiculous! Go watch the Twilight Zone episode "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" - she's also really happy at the end after she's been "reprogrammed." Do you think that's also a happy ending?!
This episode is rarely shown anymore, and I have wondered why. Perhaps because of fear that some people will misinterpret as an attack on people who are transgendered or asexual? I'd like to give people more credit than that - surely we can appreciate this pioneering episode for its original intentions in the time it was made.