There were quite a few anomalies with this episode. With the Prime Directive having been mentioned a couple of times, Data (Brent Spiner) steps forward at one point to state that because the marooned Ramsey (Sam Hennings) on Angel One was not on a Federation vessel when their freighter crashed, that he and his group were not bound by the Prime Directive. I don't see how that would have made any difference. Respecting Ramsey's decision to stay behind and not be 'rescued' would have been a personal choice, notwithstanding the death sentence pronounced by Elected One Beata (Karen Montgomery).
And wasn't it just three episodes prior in "Haven" that Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) expressed feelings for each other when she was expected to follow the tradition of her home planet to a prearranged marriage? What happened? Troi didn't express any feelings of jealousy or become protective of Riker in the presence of Mistress Beata. Lapses in continuity like that tend to be bothersome.
In any event, Commander Riker smoothes things over with both Beata and Ramsey in a way that manages to assuage both sides, while back on board the Enterprise-D, Picard and one third of the entire crew suffer their way through an unknown virus before Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) comes up with an inoculant. In record time one might say, considering everything we went through when Covid-19 first hit. With a patchy plot and Riker going drag, this was not one of the better episodes of the first season, ending as it did with time to spare as the Enterprise made its way to the Neutral Zone to deal with the Romulans.
And wasn't it just three episodes prior in "Haven" that Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) expressed feelings for each other when she was expected to follow the tradition of her home planet to a prearranged marriage? What happened? Troi didn't express any feelings of jealousy or become protective of Riker in the presence of Mistress Beata. Lapses in continuity like that tend to be bothersome.
In any event, Commander Riker smoothes things over with both Beata and Ramsey in a way that manages to assuage both sides, while back on board the Enterprise-D, Picard and one third of the entire crew suffer their way through an unknown virus before Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) comes up with an inoculant. In record time one might say, considering everything we went through when Covid-19 first hit. With a patchy plot and Riker going drag, this was not one of the better episodes of the first season, ending as it did with time to spare as the Enterprise made its way to the Neutral Zone to deal with the Romulans.