Why did the flute people...

I think I know just what you mean, and there are many times I have the same outlook...this time with this episode, I did not get past the emotional and visceral impact "Inner Light" had on me...I am a life-long Trekkie (TOS first aired when I was 9) and lean towards emotion and feeling rather than logic and dictum most times...That is what I was referring to when I said "those people" I think you did fine in your explanation, and isn't this what ST and the Forum is all about!?!?...exchange of ideas and opinions and canon and all of it!!!

 

time to another TOS-TNG "which's better?" comparison (I love those):

Best Episode of TOS: Kirk travels thru time and saves the universe
Best Episode of TNG: Picard learns to play a little flute

 

I far prefer TOS and in no way consider "The Inner Light" the best episode of TNG. No even close. I'd rather watch "The Royale".

 

It's a good episode but way way overrated. It's rather slow and not much exciting stuff happens.

 

I was to busy having sex with my wife.

 

It may subvert the intention of the episode, but the more I read this stuff the more I like the idea that what Picard saw was a bit of a show being put on for his benefit.

The technological inconsistencies. The almost bucolic nature of the planet's inhabitants (prefiguring Picard's Nexus vision?). Perhaps if the probe had selected Worf then he would have been the leader of a Kataanian army fighting on the far side of the planet. Or Data could have been a scientist working to build the probe before it was too late for the civilization.

Also, we have no way of knowing how many people the probe might have zapped (or tried to zap) before encountering Picard.

Lastly, if memory serves, the probe doesn't "self-destruct" at the end of the episode; it simply shuts down. Perhaps Our Heroes could jump start it if they had any desire to?

 

"Flute people"

 

Dang, the episode is nearly three decades old and the mind rape aspect never stuck out, especially as "Violations" had aired only four months earlier. Knock out the victim and give 'em a nice piece of candy (or toy) afterward doesn't really make up for it. But it's not a typical sort of crime either and I'd have to admit I', intrigued - it's a lot easier to pick up on history than reading a book and memorizing every word for a test, where - oddly enough - one's a monkey if they pass and a mushroom if they didn't...