The Enterprise visits the unaligned planet Rutia IV to provide medical supplies which can be used in the wake of violent terrorist attacks. The attackers, a group of separatists known as the Ansata, have increased their activity since developing a new transporter technology that can't be traced. But it comes at a price; this "dimensional shifting" is altering their biology at a molecular level, and the group abducts Beverly Crusher in the hopes she can reverse the effects.
"The High Ground" is an episode about terrorism, and watching it today is a very different experience than seeing it in 1990. In many ways, the episode feels quaint. The typically Star Trek perspective of not understanding a violent or destructive mindset seems so naive in today's society. The look of the aliens-of-the-week seems inspired by the original series; all the men have a white streak through one side of their hair, while all the women have a black streak through the other.
But in other ways, the episode still feels very topical. The terrorist leader, Kyril Finn, is full of justifications for violence that you hear from the mouths of real world terrorists. ("They're the ones killings your son, not me.") And the head of alien security, Alexana Davos, has a number of lines that could have been taken from transcripts of American politicians of this new century. The tactics she resorts to, infringing on her society's freedoms in the name of security, is a subject being debated right now.
Why do the writers hate this episode so much, then? Well, to hear them tell it, it's because they didn't really say anything here. The script is credited to Melinda Snodgrass (for once, focusing her story on a character other than Data). She had originally wanted to draw a more resonant metaphor with the American Revolution, and putting our heroes in the role of the British. Instead, she was instructed to drop this approach, and the script became an analogy for a conflict that American audiences could regard at a much greater distance, the terrorism in Northern Ireland. (A bit more about that later.)
Staff writer Ronald Moore pointed out that the episode offered no insights and took no stand on the issue. It simply presented that "terrorism is bad," preached awkwardly on the subject, and provided no social commentary. Another staff writer, Brannon Braga, noted that the episode was created in the wrong way. Ordinarily, he said, an episode would begin with an idea to put a science fiction spin on a topical issue. This episode came from a producer request to have a more action-adventure episode, and they simply decided on the terrorism theme without first having an "angle." In fact, the sci-fi device of the dimensional shifting wasn't even originally part of the concept; it was conceived of to address a complaint from Gene Roddenberry, who wanted a logical way in which the terrorists could overcome Enterprise technology.
On the one hand, the criticisms aren't off base at all. The episode is really sterile when it comes to any meaningful commentary. But on the other hand, that doesn't mean it's devoid of anything good. There's actually a lot of strong, unconventional writing for many of the main characters.
Dr. Crusher is especially strong in this episode. She wields her authority, ordering Worf around in the opening teaser. And we see that neither Riker nor Picard is willing to cross her by beaming her up against her will during a crisis. She remains resilient while being held prisoner, standing up to her abductor on many occasions, even though he is a known killer.
Picard gets to cut loose a bit too. During the terrorists' attack on the ship, he even throws a punch! And in the final acts of the episode, when Picard and Crusher are held prisoner together together, the interactions are wonderful. They first dance around what they really want to say, and then start to let loose with what's really on their minds. It culminates in a great tease where Beverly is about to reveal "some things I want to tell you, in case we don't get out of this." Rescue comes right then, and we don't get to hear anything. (For now. In the final season, the episode "Attached" would at last address the relationship between the two characters.)
Other observations:
- Ron Jones provides another great musical score. The Ansata terrorists get their own theme, which is played in a suspenseful motif during the opening, and an all-out anthem during their later assault on the Enterprise.
- Interestingly, this episode that you might have very masculine expectations about revolves around Dr. Crusher, has a female guest character as the alien security chief, was written by a woman, and was directed by a woman -- Gabrielle Beaumont, Star Trek's first female director. I applaud the subversion of gender stereotypes.
- As I noted, this episode's closest real world allegory was to Northern Ireland and the IRA. Data makes a direct allusion to this when he mentions the "Irish Unification of 2024," which he says was brought about through violent means. This one reference got the episode "banned" in the UK for more than a decade. Though it was released on video, and did air on satellite and cable (though often with this dialogue removed), the fully intact episode did not go out on the BBC until 2007.
- There's a moment near the end of the episode in which an armed young child threatens to shoot the alien head of security. There I do feel the preachiness the writers were critical about; it's a totally over the top moment. But I do wonder, how different would the episode have been if the child actually had gone through with it and shot her? (Not that they'd ever have dared to do such a thing on television in 1990.)
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