Why did the flute people...

Destroy their memory bank after it transferred all the data to Picard?

More could have been learned by repeated visits by other people.

And what if he hit his head and forgot the whole thing before writing it down?

 

Dr. Selar would mind meld with him and recover the information. Naturally, because Selar is so hot, she and Picard would be nearly naked during all this, especially if the scene were to air during sweeps weeks.

 

Maybe they were worried wars would be fought over who gets to keep the flute.

 

I don't know why but "the flute people" gets me every time I read the thread title

 

...AS USUAL, you have your finger on the pulse of the thing, Melakon...and I am imagining the flute music in the background as Selar looks over her left shoulder and asks Picard, "...will you be commencing the fitness and endurance test any time soon, Captain Picard...."

...HELL yes...

 

I'm ready to replace Picard anytime....sorry for the use of my little brain...

Suzie Plakson could be my mother and she's stille attractive....

But for the initial question, It seems they wanted that as a very special and unique experience.

 

The Probe's Self Destruct made this episode even more self-serving than it already was! Now that Jean Luc has learned valuable life lessons about Family, thanks to Mechanical Mind Rape, no one else can get anything else out of it. This experience was for Picard ... and him alone. Everything else about this episode is fine, except for the method used to impose this "other life" on him. If, for example, Picard found himself on some derelict ship and pressed a wrong button, or ventured where he shouldn't have and ZAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!! here he is, living someone else's memories, it might've made more sense. As it is, it's weird and pretentious ...

 

The Probe in this episode is the same sort of dramatic device as the Guardian of Forever, or the Melkots, or the holodeck. Its only purpose is to get Picard to the story the writer wants to tell.

 

I really, really dislike "The Inner Light". It is one of the few episodes that I actively dislike.

 

Care to tell us why?

 

Picard is mind-raped and that is never even mentioned. Riker acts like a total dullard for the entirety of the episode. A probe that can instantaneously interface with a human brain? The probe completely shuts down after implanting its memories in exactly one person? What was the point of even sending it then? They would've been better served to have sent books and recordings about their civilization.

But for all the problems, it commits the biggest sin a Trek episode can commit, it is incredibly dull. I can leap past most logic problems in a story if it is entertaining. "The Inner Light" simply doesn't do its job as entertainment (for me).

 

Sometimes I think Mods should have the authority to make thread titles more understandable.

 

Not a bad idea; another forum I frequent has the mod policy that the Gorts (yes really) can change a thread title and they just have to leave a * to indicate it's been "improved".

Could come in handy but cuts down on the hilarity...

 

That's why I only sometimes think it.

 

It has been a while, did the probe self-destruct or did it just fail after fulfilling its mission? The species that launched it were not all that advanced and it seemed like this was a quick fix solution to left their culture live on even if they all died. It wasn't exactly perfected, nor is is reasonable to think that it would work as intended.

Also TV fiction before I think 2000 or even later, tended to not even considered mindrape something to go into unless something sexual happened. Nor instances of females taking males with or without force is even considered rape (Tucker getting pregnate is seen by some as a rape even though it probably isn't). That and it is a topic that most producers would like to avoid or brush over as it was one of those things you don't talk about on prime time television in the 1980s and 1990s. At least on shows that will probably have a younger viewing audience.

 

Interesting...when I first saw this episode, I remember thinking that the Kataanians would have the nucleonic beam target a "receptive" brain...one that would "understand" somehow...funny how hindsight shows you what you did not consider...

 

If memory serves, Riker had the probe brought aboard...that's how Picard got the flute...and I think you are correct about "mindrape" and the time and viewing audience, as you say, above...

 

Not arguing, but in this case I knew exactly what he was referring to.

And I'm with BillJ on this one. It's too dull for nothing.

It's a wonderful little fluff piece so the pretentious can look down on the people that like crude things like "action" and even worse "fun" episodes. I think that's why it's so highly rated by some, because they are those kind of people. And I am certainly not referring to anyone here or even implying anyone here, just those people in general, if you like this, then that's perfectly fine.

 

I disagree. Especially since TNG had already done "The Best of Both Worlds", "The Mind's Eye", "Violations" and "Power Play".