"Star Fleet was founded to seek out new life. Well there it sits. Waiting." Honest to god, I get choked up every time.
It kinda reminds of Asimov's concept of psychohistory. The more he talked about it and tried to explain it in greater detail, the sillier it became. The universal translator is already a silly idea, but it becomes much more so with "Darmok."
Hmmm...makes you wonder how the ol' mind meld would have fared with the Tamarians...or full Betazoid telepathy for that matter....
We know there are some species (Ferengi, for one) that Betazoids can't read. I think it's a good bet that the Tamarians are a species the Betazoids wouldn't read, or at least wouldn't read very clearly. The mind meld is an interesting idea and the Enterprise had some Vulcans aboard, but how do you explain to the Tamarians what they're trying to do? Do you abduct a Tamarian and force a mind meld without cooperation, à la Spock-Valeris?
I just watched Sanctuary this morning, In it's DS9 kind of way I think it might fit into the Darmok category no?
Since we are opening this slightly to other Trek I have to speak up for Nemesis and Living Witness from Voyager.