Conspiracy by: Tracy Torme from a story by: Robert Sabaroff and directed by: Cliff Bole

 

“Conspiracy” is written by: Tracy Torme, from a story by Robert Sabaroff, and is directed by: Cliff Bole.  It was produced under production code 125, was the 25^th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and was broadcast on May 9, 1988.

 

The resolution to “Conspiracy” is one of those images that feels like it should be iconic because it’s an utterly over the top sequence where a minor recurring character, Remmick from “Coming of Age” having been taken over by a parasitic, insectoid alien has his head melt a la Raiders of the Lost Ark and the parasite burst out of his chest.  It’s a sequence that is beautiful in terms of special effects and honestly pushes the envelope for what could be shown on television in the late 1980s (only about five months after Doctor Who aired Dragonfire which had an equally disturbing effects sequence of someone melting).  It’s probably the best piece of effects work that Star Trek: The Next Generation has done so far, and apparently it was entirely done in the editing of the episode.  Now this does mean that many of the effects in the rest of the episode are at best subpar, though some of that is Cliff Bole’s blocking of scenes especially with some of the older members of the episode’s cast.  The actual plot that gets to this point also has its roots in “Coming of Age”, mainly what was infiltrating Starfleet and the Federation, essentially making “Conspiracy” the first attempt at wrapping up a story arc for Star Trek deliberately.  It’s a bit odd that this isn’t actually the finale of the season, but then again this is still the late-1980s and story arcs like this are usually reserved for soap operas.  This is also an episode that ends with the tease that more is coming, a beacon has been sent out into the uncharted regions of space and that something is coming.  Now, I am aware that the parasites in this episode do not actually appear again, however I do wonder if this means there is going to be a multi-season arc to bring these ideas to the front.

 

Tracy Torme is responsible for writing “Conspiracy”, having previously devised and scripted “The Big Goodbye” and it’s clear Torme is a young writer who knows what he is doing.  So much of the episode is this tense exploration that there could be a mole on the Enterprise and within Starfleet.  Picard is setup in this episode to be on alert for something, the Enterprise receiving a message for his eyes only and fairly quickly within the episode’s second act are the parasites attempted to be used on the crew.  The opening act sees Picard interrogated by a friend with trivia on his memory to confirm his identity.  There’s some lovely character moments for Picard examining his history with Dr. Crusher and her dead husband, that deeper history being hinted at and a relationship between Picard and Crusher being under the surface that’s never quite explored.  Patrick Stewart is clearly engaged as Picard here, almost to a degree we hadn’t actually seen before this point because Picard gets to investigate.  When the conspiracy is eventually revealed as to who has been taken over by the parasites a completely tense dinner sequence occurs.   This dinner sequence is actually the best shot sequence of the episode, maggots being served as food is a particularly chilling image and Stewart plays it near perfectly.  The idea then that Riker has been taken over, though a bluff setup between him and Crusher that Picard cannot no about so as not to reveal it to the aliens.  Jonathan Frakes can really play evil and any episode that is going to give the cast some meat to play around with is going to be better than over half of what this season has done.

 

What’s holding “Conspiracy” back is twofold.  As previously mentioned, Cliff Bole’s direction has some odd framing.  This is an episode where there are several action sequences where characters like Riker have to fight older characters and they are shot at wide angles with stunt doubles.  Bole really should have setup shots to perhaps get close to the impact on Riker and not actually seeing the older characters throwing punches.  The other problem is that despite attempting for a story arc, there isn’t actually a whole lot of effect or really getting use out of the replacement, parasite aspect.  This is an episode that really would have benefitted from a recurring character being taken over who wasn’t a secondary antagonist in their only appearance.  Perhaps this episode could have actually been the episode where Tasha Yar died and left the show, it would have given Denise Crosby something to actually do with the character.   It doesn’t take too much away from the episode, only holding it back from being more effective than it already was.

 

Overall, “Conspiracy” is another of a handful of episodes from the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation to really feel like it was meant for the 1980s and is pushing the series forward to be something successful.  While it isn’t the strongest episode of the season, if Tracy Torme’s style was taken forward as the modus operandi of production, asking questions about the morality of Starfleet properly and not being afraid to go dark in places.  It’s genuinely a solid piece of television that executes a minor, two episode story arc really well for its conclusion.  7/10.