Galaxy's Child (S04E16)
Airdate: 11 March 1991
Written by: Maurice Hurley
Directed by: Winrich Kolbe
Running Time: 46 minutes
One of the definitive highlights of the celebrated third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation was undoubtedly the episode Booby Trap. It stood out not only for its exceptionally tight plotting and superb special effects but also for its exploration of ethical and technological dilemmas that felt remarkably ahead of their time. Amongst its most memorable elements was the introduction of Dr Leah Brahms, portrayed with engaging intelligence by Susan Gibney. Given the character’s impact and the lingering chemistry hinted at within the holodeck simulations, it was entirely expected that Brahms would make a return to the series in the Season 4 offering, Galaxy’s Child.
Upon viewing, however, it becomes apparent that the main plot of this subsequent episode has very little to do with Dr Brahms herself. The narrative begins with the USS Enterprise-D on a routine trip to Starbase 313. En route, the vessel receives strange readings from the still largely unexplored Alpha Omicron system. Captain Picard, ever the explorer, orders a reroute to investigate this mysterious phenomenon. Upon arrival at a gas giant within the system, the source of the readings is revealed to be a strange, living entity travelling through space. Unfortunately, the encounter goes awry; the creature reacts aggressively to the Enterprise’s probes by enveloping the ship and emitting what is soon to be lethal radiation. With few options available to set the ship free, Picard reluctantly orders the use of the ship’s phasers, a defensive measure which succeeds in freeing the vessel but tragically kills the creature.
The aftermath of this action leaves Picard grappling with a profound sense of guilt over killing a lifeform they were supposed to study. Matters complicate further when the crew discovers there are still living signs within the remains of the entity. It is revealed that the creature was pregnant, and the "aggressive" behaviour was actually a mother trying to protect and free her unborn child. Attempting to make amends for his earlier error, Picard orders the use of phasers once more to perform the Enterprise’s own high-tech version of a Caesarean section. The plan works, and a new life is brought into the void. However, the newly born creature immediately begins to follow the Enterprise, mistaking the starship for its mother. The crew attempts to flee, but the creature persists, ultimately attaching itself to the engineering hull and beginning to drain the ship’s energy reserves.
This crisis occurs shortly after the Enterprise receives a distinguished guest: Dr Leah Brahms, who has arrived to personally inspect the modifications Geordi La Forge has made to her engine systems. La Forge looks forward to the encounter with palpable anticipation; during the previous crisis in Booby Trap, he had created a holographic image of Brahms to assist him, and amidst the solitude of the holodeck, he had fallen in love with this idealised simulation. Yet, Dr Brahms in the flesh proves to be very different from her digital counterpart. It takes some time for the amorous La Forge to realise that the real woman is a far cry from the affectionate confidante he had programmed. Dr Brahms and La Forge are constantly at each other’s throats, with tension reaching a breaking point after she discovers the holographic recreation of herself and is justifiably outraged by the invasion of her privacy. By the episode's conclusion, however, Brahms and La Forge manage to work together, finding a solution for the energy discharge that encourages the "junior" creature to leave the Enterprise, thereby saving the ship.
Despite these narrative threads coming together, Galaxy’s Child is widely considered the inferior episode when compared to "Booby Trap". The most obvious reason for this disparity is the distinct lack of focus in the plot. The Enterprise discovering a fascinating space-travelling lifeform and La Forge having to deal with his misguided infatuation with Brahms feel like two separate storylines that are only tied together very late in the game, and in a manner that feels somewhat too convenient and contrived.
Furthermore, the episode was met with significant disapproval from a large segment of the "Trekkie" community due to what was perceived as character assassination. Here was a formidable Starfleet engineer seemingly reduced to the behaviour of a teenage boy with a crush. Worse still, by modern standards, his actions could be interpreted as those of a stalker, or potentially something more sinister, especially given his unjust anger after realising he won't get his way with Dr Brahms. Some viewers even felt that the scriptwriter, Maurice Hurley, was taking the side of La Forge and attempting to justify his actions, painting him as the victim of Brahms’ prickliness rather than the architect of his own uncomfortable predicament.
Thankfully, the episode does not entirely succumb to this interpretation. When Dr Brahms predictably discovers the holodeck version of herself, her anger is presented as entirely justified. La Forge eventually receives a soul-crushing reality check when Dr Brahms informs him that she is married, effectively shattering the fantasy world he had constructed around her. By the end, both characters learn to respect one another as professionals rather than objects of affection or projection. The presence of Guinan as La Forge's spiritual advisor also helps to mitigate some of the episode's more cringe-inducing issues, offering wisdom that helps ground the Chief Engineer.
Nevertheless, the episode fails to fully live up to its potential. It could have worked significantly better had the writers utilised the character of Lt. Barclay, the semi-comical figure who had previously demonstrated issues with holodeck fantasies in the episode Hollow Pursuits. Using Barclay would have framed the obsession as a known character flaw to be overcome, rather than a sudden, uncomfortable deviation for La Forge.
On a positive note, the actual main plot involving the mysterious space creature is handled much better. The storyline is aided immensely by a combination of traditional optical effects and some early 1990s CGI work, which looks very impressive for its time and holds up reasonably well. Director Winrich Kolbe helms the episode with skill, managing the balance between the interpersonal drama and the sci-fi jeopardy. He is greatly assisted by the cast, particularly Sir Patrick Stewart, whose performance in dealing with the Captain’s feelings of guilt over killing the creature he was supposed to encounter adds a necessary weight and gravitas to the proceedings.
Additionally, Susan Gibney is great in her role, delivering a character that is very different from the one portrayed (or rather, simulated) in her previous appearance. She captures the frustration of a brilliant engineer seeing her life's work altered without consultation, whilst still retaining the capability to collaborate when the situation demands it.
In the end, Galaxy’s Child is, despite some controversies and its inability to quite live up to the high standards set by Booby Trap, a more than solid piece of Star Trek. While the handling of the La Forge subplot remains a point of contention for many, the strength of the sci-fi mystery and the competent performances ensure that the episode remains a watchable, if flawed, entry in the canon.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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