Home Soil (S01E18)
Airdate: February 22nd 1988
Written by: Robert Sabaroff
Directed by: Corey Allen
Running Time: 46 minutes
Star Trek has long positioned itself as a science fiction franchise, yet the "science" component of this genre has frequently been overlooked in favour of prioritising the "fiction" element. All too often, writers have sacrificed scientific plausibility for the sake of sociopolitical allegories, using futuristic settings merely as backdrops for contemporary moral dilemmas. This tendency has resulted in numerous episodes where the science feels like little more than window dressing for the narrative. However, Home Soil, the eighteenth episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first season, stands as one of the rare occasions where the series genuinely engages with hard science fiction principles. Unlike many of its contemporaries that pay mere lip service to scientific concepts, Home Soil attempts to grapple with the implications of genuinely alien biology and the scientific method itself, making it a noteworthy, if imperfect, entry in the Trek canon.
The episode begins with the USS Enterprise-D conducting a cartography mission in the Pleiades cluster when it receives orders from Starfleet to investigate why a terraforming project on the ostensibly barren planet Velara III has fallen behind schedule. Captain Picard hails Dr. Kurt Mandl (Walter Gotell), the leader of the Federation scientific team, who insists everything is proceeding normally. However, Counselor Deanna Troi's empathic abilities detect deception, prompting Picard to dispatch an away team consisting of Commander Riker, Lieutenant Commander Data, and Lieutenant Geordi La Forge to investigate the situation firsthand. Upon arrival at the terraforming facility, the away team encounters Mandl's colleagues: hydraulics specialist Arthur Malencon (Mario Roccuzzo), biosphere designer Luisa Kim (Elizabeth Lindsay), and engineer Bjorn Bernsen (Gerard Prendergast). Almost immediately, the episode takes a dark turn when Malencon is killed by a malfunctioning laser drill during routine operations. Data narrowly avoids the same fate during his investigation, leading Picard to suspend the terraforming project pending further inquiry.
The investigation reveals a small crystalline object at the facility, which is subsequently transported to the Enterprise's laboratory for analysis. It is here that the true nature of the "malfunction" is uncovered—the crystalline structure is revealed to be an inorganic lifeform, capable of both communication and self-replication. What follows is a tense sequence where the organism, dubbed a "microbrain" by the crew, rapidly multiplies and takes control of the laboratory. Captain Picard discovers the creature's vulnerability to darkness, but more significantly, he realises that the microbrain is intelligent and has been attempting to communicate with the human scientists. The terraforming project, by introducing water to the planet's surface, was inadvertently threatening the microbrain's existence, prompting it to reprogram the laser drill as a defensive measure. In classic Star Trek fashion, Picard successfully negotiates a peaceful resolution, arranging for the microbrain's return to Velara III while placing the planet under quarantine to protect this newly discovered form of life.
At first glance, Home Soil appears remarkably unoriginal. Its central premise—inorganic intelligent life defending its home from human encroachment—bears striking similarities to the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode The Devil in the Dark, which featured the silicon-based Horta. Additionally, the concept of terraforming had already been explored in films like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Despite these apparent similarities, the episode manages to feel relatively fresh. The microbrain is significantly more alien than the Horta. In Home Soil, the crew takes considerable time to even recognise that they're dealing with an intelligent lifeform rather than a simple malfunction or natural phenomenon. What's particularly commendable is how the Enterprise crew approaches the problem scientifically, carefully gathering evidence and testing hypotheses—a stark contrast to the terraforming scientists who were blinded by their schedules and professional dedication. Robert Sabaroff's script (Sabaroff also wrote the strong TOS episode The Immunity Syndrome) effectively plays with this concept by introducing several red herrings, including elements that initially suggest the episode might develop into a murder mystery.
The resolution, while somewhat anti-climactic, remains consistent with Gene Roddenberry's optimistic vision of the future and Star Trek's environmentalist undertones. Picard's recognition of the microbrain's intelligence and right to exist represents the series' humanistic core, even if the solution—simply turning off the lights—feels somewhat simplistic. The episode is also notable for giving Deanna Troi one of her rare meaningful contributions during the first season, when her empathic abilities detect Dr. Mandl's deception, proving essential to the plot's development.
Directed by Corey Allen (who also helmed the series premiere Encounter at Farpoint), Home Soil demonstrates competent direction despite apparent production limitations. Allen makes effective use of the confined sets to create tension, though his heavy reliance on close-ups occasionally feels stylistically odd. The production faced significant challenges, with the script reportedly delivered to Allen just one day before shooting commenced. This likely explains some of the episode's narrative inconsistencies, such as why the highly trained scientific team missed obvious signs of the microbrain's existence and communication attempts.
The guest cast is largely wasted in what are essentially one-dimensional roles. Walter Gotell, better known for his appearances as General Gogol in multiple James Bond films, fails to make much of an impression as the hostile Dr. Mandl. Similarly, Elizabeth Lindsay is given little to work with in the stereotypical role of the female scientist. This underutilisation of talent is particularly disappointing given the episode's potential.
Despite these flaws, Home Soil stands as a commendable effort for Season 1 of The Next Generation, which was still finding its footing. While it doesn't reach the heights of later TNG classics, it represents the kind of thoughtful science fiction that Star Trek should be producing more frequently. The episode's central concept—that life might exist in forms completely alien to human understanding—remains scientifically plausible and philosophically interesting. The memorable phrase "ugly bags of mostly water," coined by the microbrain to describe humans, has even entered broader pop culture, being used as the title of a documentary about Star Trek fans and referenced in various musical works.
At the end, while Home Soil suffers from predictable plot elements, underdeveloped characters, and some questionable scientific leaps (such as the microbrain's ability to rapidly take over ship systems), it succeeds in its core mission of presenting a genuinely alien form of life and exploring the ethical implications of humanity's expansion into the cosmos. For a first-season episode produced amid significant production difficulties, it represents a very good attempt at hard science fiction that, while not among TNG's absolute best, remains one of Season 1's more intellectually satisfying offerings.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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