Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) Justice (1987) User Reviews

Aryan Sex Planet

[anarchistica · 7/10 · 17 March 2020]

If you didn't know this already, Gene Roddenberry was kinda sleazy. TOS is filled with scantily clad women and dodgy scenarios. Justice isn't even the first "sexy" TNG episode but it's probably the most explicit one. Thankfully, seeing a planet full of fit, blonde haired people making out is absolutely hilarious. The outdoor scenes were already cracking me up but i lost it when they entered the one building they have.

Aside from being funny, this episode also offers a solid moral dilemma - with a twist! This is Star Trek at its, well, maybe not finest but it's pretty good. The concepts of justice and civilisation, the Prime Directive, the needs of the many - it's got it all. Justice serves as a template for later, more respectable episodes dealing with these things.

This also has Wesley's infamous line: "I'm with Starfleet and we don't lie". Unintentionally hilarious is the best kind of hilarious.

Does rescuing Wesley really violate the Prime Directive?

[wwcanoer-tech · 5/10 · 19 December 2021]

The Prime Directive states that they shall not interfere with the natural development of an alien civilization.

Early on, one of the aliens says "We just need to accept that you are powerful and escaped our justice." (paraphrasing). I understand that Picard doesn't like that statement because he would like to negotiate Wesley's release that is acceptable to all but then the plot line goes to talk of the Prime Directive. The alien has already shown that they can handle the rescue without affecting their civilization, so there is no impact and the Prime Directive doesn't come into play at all!

Even if the alien had not said that, to think that the rescue of Wesley would harm the development of the society is ridiculous. This was a simple case of wanting to respect laws, not the Prime Directive. (Of course, since the aliens were not warp capable, they should not have been visited. Questionable how they actually made first contact.)

I expected an interesting debate on the merits rather than trying to appease a false god. For example, at one point the alien security says "ignorance of the law is not an excuse". That is only relevant when the person has some capability of learning the law. The crew specifically asked for and studied the planet's laws so that they would not be ignorant. The aliens' withholding of a full explanation of their laws is the source of the problem here. I believe that they could have come to an agreement that left the aliens better equipped to meet new people and not be negatively impacted at all.

In fact, the alien kids where quite horrified that Wesley would die and argued for his release, so killing him would do more harm to the society because these kids would now see the law as unfair. That is what could create a much larger problem that grows and creates unrest.

The ending was incredibly unfulfilling because there was no negotiation. Picard simply decided to take Wesley.

Life on our world is driven to protect itself by seeding itself as widely as possible

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 16 May 2021]

Enterprise explores a planet with a very harsh justice system.

I enjoyed it, but in the sense that some aspects are so bad it's good. There are some decent ideas and scenes that are genuinely and intentionally funny.

The plot is based on a fairly ridiculous premise, but entertaining. The fact that Wesley even goes to this planet is baffling, let alone how the plot contrivances get him into a certain predicament. For me it unfolds in a silly but entertaining way, with a resolution that's not exactly cinematic, but sticks to the morals and codes of Star Trek. There are some mildly interesting musings on justice and laws of deterrence and a decent focus on the prime directive.

My favourite part is one fantastic conversation between Worf and Riker about sex as they stand chatting amidst a scene that is as close to an orgy as Star Trek gets. In fact there are plenty of memorable lines, some good and some awful but unintentionally funny such as Wesley's "I'm with Starfleet, we don't lie" and Tasha Yar's "It's a kind of syringe".

The visuals are definitely focussed on the Edo. These characters are played by attractive people in the most outlandishly revealing costumes frolicking about doing exercise, handstands and generally pleasuring each other. Jay Louden has not got the best physique of the guest actors but wears a brilliant mankini.

Performances are mostly good, with Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner as great as ever. Marina Sirtis acts suitably awkward in the face of such open sexuality, along with Will Wheaton, who convinces as a child caught up in adult shenanigans. Michael Dorn and Jonathan Frakes appear to be having fun in the midst of all the flesh on display. Gates McFadden is a mixed bag. She portrays emotion well, but struggles to deliver some lines that call for more assertiveness. Most of the guest actors playing the Edo seem to be picked for looks over performance.

For me it's a 5.5/10, but I round upwards.

Misapplying the Prime Directive

[Rizar · 12 September 2009]

"Justice" (Episode 7, Season 1, Air Date 11/09/87, Star-date 41255.6) explores a conflict between different moral systems, and portrays a theme of seeding new colonies around the universe (to improve our survival chances). I enjoyed the liberal side of the Edo colony. We could learn much from their ability to strip away stuffy clothing customs at times!

The Enterprise team arrives at an M class planet (after helping to seed a new human colony elsewhere). They are looking for some rest and relaxation. They love the beauty of the planet and think the local humanoid population, called the Edo, are completely safe.

The Edo are passionate hedonists. They run around from place to place to stay fit, and they engage in sensual love making and play other enjoyable games. Their only apparent rule is that no one is to be made to do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Picard allows a small away team to beam down to the planet to decide whether it's a safe place for shore leave.

But the team learns about dangerous and absolutist Edo laws. Wesley Crusher breaks a mundane rule about not crossing a white marker protecting plants. The Edo have a system of random punishment zones in which mediators enforce laws pertaining to those zones for a certain period of time. If anyone commits an offense, even a minor one, they get the death penalty.

This obviously leaves out many components from a system of justice. Wesley doesn't get any chance to defend him self in a court, he sees no lawyer, and he gets no jury of his peers to hear his defense. If this is their system of justice, then it doesn't have much fact finding in it and it doesn't do much to protect against instances of the misapplication of the law. Suspects sometimes give false confessions and witnesses often misperceive an incident. And by the time such a misapplication would be found, the suspect would be dead.

To make matters worse, the Enterprise gets visited by multidimensional beings orbiting the Edo planet. (They'd have to exist in more than just 3 dimensions to be more multidimensional than us.) The beings inhabit a partially invisible ship. They communicate electronically with Data and attain complete knowledge of humans through Data's immense library of information.

We also hear an enlightened discussion about gods. The Edo believe the orbiting space station (with the multidimensional beings) is a god. Data reports that the multidimensional beings think this belief is acceptable since the Edo are at an early level of development.

Data also says the beings want to observe humans before taking any action against them, but the beings are adamant that their children, the Edo, must not be removed from their planet or disturbed in any way. It seems the beings are also in the business of seeding lifeforms around the universe. But they, it seems, have left flesh and blood behind for a greater than 3 or 4 dimensional existence. Plus they are much more powerful than humans, so they could easily force us to obey Edo laws and our own laws if they want.

The extremes of the Edo system of punishment make Picard's moral dilemma interesting. Picard seems twisted over whether to violate the prime directive and rescue Wesley from death. But the noninterference directive, he reasons, was never meant to force him to put his crew in such danger. His decision tries to balance competing moral principles.

Bernard Williams would agree with Picard's decision to save Wesley since he believes we internalize our moral beliefs, so we do not have to 'do as Romans do when in Rome' ('Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy'). Williams actually believes in the ultimate relativity of some types of moral beliefs so he is not against exceptions to rules; but he is against just assuming that people believe dual systems of morality, both Edo and human law at the same time.

In one sense the prime directive isn't even at issue. The Edo warmly welcome our kind to their planet and wish to discuss the terms of our stay. But the negotiations never take place and they hold us to their laws before we agree to them or learn them. The prime directive states that we shouldn't interfere with the natural development of other civilizations. It doesn't say we fall under Edo laws when we are already interacting with them, nor that *our* laws disappear when we visit other civilizations.

Picard seems to realize that we never agreed to ignore our moral beliefs the moment we made contact with an alien civilization. And our beliefs would have prevented us from agreeing to the Edo terms of visitation.

Picard and Riker announce that absolute rules are too extreme to always apply without exceptions. But a better principle would be some sort of principle of negotiation between civilizations of equal moral standing: if you want to visit us, you must obey our rules and here are our rules that you would have to obey *if* you agree to visit. If you don't like our laws, don't visit. And the prime directive would demand that we stay away and honor their refusal.

Applying the prime directive in this case puts our moral system on a lower, unequal standing. The Edo shouldn't ignore our morals unless we agree otherwise. We might have tried to negotiate a treaty that allowed us to punish our own kind under our laws for such short visitations, for example.

Additionally: (1) Star Fleet doesn't have a death penalty and believes it didn't act as a deterrent. (2) Picard refuses to make his decisions based on a number game: the danger of the many doesn't outweigh his moral consideration of the one.

I found the episode filled with interesting moral questions but also with excellent themes of colonization and diverse stages of religious worship.

A world of Ken and Barbie's.

[thevacinstaller · 6/10 · 1 March 2021]

The enterprise crew decide to go for shore leave on a planet full of sex crazed Ken/Barbie's and 'rad dad' Picard decides to let Wesley go down to get a first hand experience.

This is not a good episode at all but I was roaring with laughter at how awkward the actors are in the meet/hug scene down on the planet. The awkwardness continues throughout the episode as we are witness to prominent male/female cameltoes.

It is never explained why the multi dimensional creature wants to protect the Edo but my theory is that the creature is comprised of voyeurism addicts.

Wesley continues down the path of being a super nerd by spurring the advances of a beautiful girl who clearly wanted to 'play ball'.

On a positive note ---- DAMN, this is a serene planet. Where is this being shot? I could use some inner peace and this location looks like the garden of Eden.

The ending was pretty anti climatic. Picard didn't use his legendary speechifying to convince the Edo people this was a misunderstanding.... He does manage to convince the multidimension being with a throwaway line somehow.

You really have to wonder what the 'extra's' were feeling during this entire shoot...... "What am i doing with my life? ..... Should I go to law school? I am a trained actor and you can see my ass cheek's in this ridiculous get up!"

This is a bad episode but it's also hilarious. It did make me belly laugh so overall this is a moderate success.

I actually liked it

[whatch-17931 · 7/10 · 27 March 2021]

I thought it was really the first strong episode.

Granted, it's a clunky setup. And instead of Picard whinging through half the episode about what the Edo deity would think of them violating the Prime Directive- the deity might not have even noticed they had the law out that it was significant- probably he should have done a fake death for Wesley like in Code of Honor.

It's also a huge slip up that it goes unmentioned the parallel of Picard having sent Jack Crusher to his death and it very nearly happens to Wesley.

It's also comical that Wesley's sweater is by far the best looking outfit on the planet.

Also, Yar's lack of due diligence on the legal penalties for breaking laws on the planet is severe incompetence. At a minimum it's enough to remove her from her position of security chief. And it wasn't like it was hard to learn- she found out later while just having a chat over martinis.

Anyway, yes lots of flaws, but the first season was riddled with that. It still had some interestingly philosophical stuff and we got a good, if short, Picard speech.

Don't crush the grass Wesley

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 18 September 2018]

In this episode from the first season Patrick Stewart is put into a real moral dilemma. He finds a peaceful planet and the crew interacts well with the natives and a little R&R is in order. Even for Junior Ensign Wesley Crusher who is enjoying himself with the young humanoid folk on the planet, showing them soccer until he steps on the lawn to retrieve the ball. All life even the grass is sacred and no wilful destroying of any is tolerated. The punishment for this infraction is capital as it is for just about every offense.

A truly ridiculous position, but one held dear by the planet overseers including a large alien presence that orbits the planet and watches out like a mother lion for her cubs. At one point it decides to get rough with alien earthlings that mostly are the Enterprise crew. As you can see Captain Picard has his hands full. Mostly because of StarFleets omnipresent Prime Directive.

Not good enough for Gates McFadden and Doctor Beverly Crusher is not about to see her son executed for nonsense.

This is one of many episodes, in this case the first of many where the Prime Directive can be nonsensical if stretched beyond reason.

"Let's just hope it's not too good to be true,"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 26 August 2023]

I'm not certain the Prime Directive was even a driving force in this episode. What was Captain Picard supposed to do - let the Edos execute Wesley (Wil Wheaton) just because he fell into an off limits flower bed? Still very early in this series run I felt Wesley was getting too much time as a principal player in the crew's activities. For this viewer, it would have been a better idea to mature his character into a more seasoned participant on the Enterprise-D, even if he did show an enhanced intelligence among the players. But that's just a personal bias.

As for the story, the shore leave aspect of the episode had already received a treatment of sorts two programs prior in "Where No One Has Gone Before". Down time for the away team was interrupted by Wesley's transgression that anyplace else would have been regarded an accident. The justification for the death penalty helped explain why the planet was such an oasis of pleasure and freedom from worry, even if exceedingly harsh for the perpetrator. From the vantage point of present day, the violent smash and grabs by mobs of criminals in high end department stores would probably cease pretty quickly with even a modicum of punishment, so maybe the Edos were on to something.

With the story's resolution, I didn't feel as if the Prime Directive was violated or was even a concern, even if Picard and members of the crew discussed its importance in dealing with an alien culture. Captain Kirk didn't have much of a problem with it either in the original series, and to my recollection, the Federation never intervened on behalf of the doctrine. You have to admit though, it does sound cool.

Just bad

[fhazduzj · 3/10 · 5 July 2022]

This is one of the worst TNG episodes.

While I liked the character of Wesley Crusher more later on, he was extremely annoying early on and here he's probably at his most irritating. Combine that with ridiculous "aliens" that are nearly naked and just run around all the time and a story that amounts to nothing, this is an easy one to skip.

You're not missing anything.

Law, Justice, Capitol Punishment & a Higher Power?

[dting2010 · 7/10 · 1 December 2018]

It's a better and more insightful episode than reviews suggest. It's more than a story about Wesley touching the grass. It's how society views very crucial aspects of their existence.

The Enterprise Visits a Weird Sex Planet

[Samuel-Shovel · 2/10 · 11 June 2019]

In "Justice" after making first contact with a technologically inferior yet friendly race onown as the Edo, the Enterprise sends down an away team to consider a brief shore leave stay in their idyllic planet. Things quickly go awry however when the ship discovers a multi-dimensional semi-transparent vessel orbiting next to it. Things get more dire when Wesley is sentenced to death for accidentally breaking a law he didn't know existed. The alien vessel claims the Edo as its children and the Edo worship it as a god. Their rules and laws come from it and every crime is punishable by death. Picard tries to figure out a way to free Wesley without breaking the Prime Directive.

Data interacts with Edo's god, exchanging information with it, showing it all that he knows. Dr. Crusher pleads with Picard to save Wesley no mater the cost or repercussions.

In the end, Picard breaks the Prime Directive. The god allows them to beam Wesley out without too big of an incident. The Edo don't agree but stand idly by as they leave. Picard probably soiled relations with the Edo people for Federation purposes but everyone escapes alive.

Woof! This one is the worst of the early first season bunch, a season that's been fairly dismal even before this. It has Gene's fingerprints all over it: an all-powerful God, a ham-fisted moral quandary that's not as deep as it's made out to be, and a bunch of scantily clad women running around. This would have fit right in in TOS Season 3 but it makes for a bad TNG episode.

It's heavily implied (if not downright said) that this is a sex planet. I'm pretty sure that first away team including Riker and Yar had some massive orgies or something judging by the greeting they get when they come back with Worf, Wes, and Deanna.

Also, I think this is a good lesson for Picard never to send children on early away team missions, regardless of how amiable the planet and people seem to be. That seems like a terrible decision in retrospect.

We did get a reprieve from Wesley for a while while he was locked up on death row. It was pure bliss not having his annoying presence on the screen for most of the middle of the episode.

The ending is just as bad as the build up here. Picard does all this posturing on this moral dilemma he has but it never seems real. It's clear they'll always save the boy. They're not going to let him die just because there's the slight possibility it might cause the other ship to destroy theirs. I also don't understand where that idea comes from? At no point does the other ship imply that it'll kill them if they take Wesley back. So why are we so concerned about it? If anything this psuedo-god probably wants them all off the planet so they'll stop bugging his "children".

Data's scene where he reveals the ship is more than just one entity reveals nothing to the audience, nor is Picard justified in yelling at Data for something he's programmed to do.

I can't think of many positives to this episode. It introduces the Prime Directive to TNG at a grand scale but I'm not even sure if it's applied directly. This situation is way different than how I understand the Directive. I thought it was mostly for uncontacted planets? It's about not interfering with a planet's development. This is clearly a different situation since the Edo know about their vehicle in the sky and their different way of life. It all seems a bit silly for this episode to drag on like this when we know Wesley is going to be beamed up whether the Edo like it or not. I doubt that they'll throw their judicial system aside just because some alien shows up and destroys a few plants. I think the writer of this episode and Picard need a refresher on what the Prime Directive is and its intention.

The Prime Directive calls for Wesley to die...and I'm fine with that.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 10 November 2014]

The Enterprise arrives at a planet where everyone seems very happy, very athletic and VERY sexual. These people are very welcoming and Picard is interested in investigating the place for shore leave. Naturally, the intergalactic player, Riker, is in favor of this, as the place is full of good looking people who LOVE sex...much like Ryker! However, there is a hidden down side to the place. While it's mostly about pleasure and relaxing, there is a local taboo--one that is insanely arbitrary. And, when Wesley breaks the taboo, the locals want to put him to death. Based on what many people thought of this character, this MIGHT have been a great idea and would have been in keeping with the Prime Directive!

In addition to this plot, the ship's sensors see some anomaly--something that MIGHT be there but isn't. Eventually, they locate some sort of floating space craft that warns the crew NOT to bother the inhabitants on the planet. To further communicate with the humans, the entity takes over Data and makes him become inert--like he's dead.

The is a very good episode of the series--quite memorable and a great example of the problems which might result from the Prime Directive. Well worth seeing and a truly novel plot.

The absolutists.

[amusinghandle · 6/10 · 24 December 2023]

Would you believe that Picard won the day by consulting famous quotes and coming up with a banger quote, "There can be no justice, so long as long as laws are absolute". The divine power of Picard's righteousness convinced an alien entity/god of his species true intent and now it's onto Regula 4 to drop off some vaccines.

This episode is so awkward and cringe that I just can't help myself, I kind of love it. The entire society is filled with Alpha's who maintain rock hard bodies with the cultural practice of running everywhere! I wonder if they discussed having the people run everywhere to provide a logical reason for all of them to be buff?

I am going to take a leap of faith that somehow the enterprise crew was not made aware of the one law this society has. There has to be a council sessions after this experience to possibly provide leaflets to future visitors, right?

I like how the A and B plots tie together in this episode. I get bummed out when the plots have nothing to do with one another in plot or at the very least --- in theme.

There was an attempt to create and maintain some real conflict with the potential execution of Wesley but that was quickly snuffed out by Picard's assurance to Bev that he would not let him die no matter the consequences.

What the prime directive needs is a team of 500 an hour lawyers to create sub sections/amendments/exclusions. Ah, but it is absolute. Perhaps the episode is a commentary on the prime directive as much as it is on the interpretation of Justice. Wait, am I going too deep in on this cringe episode?

It made me laugh, it made me cringe, it made me laugh again with Picard convincing a god alien of starfleet's goodness with a one sentence inspirational quote.

It's not that bad.

First season's worst one

[robert_s01 · 3/10 · 16 September 2008]

This episode does contain everything a really bad Star Trek show needs. A plastic conflict, created merely for moral purpose, a sentimental, naive way of raising theological and philosophical questions and an easy one dimensional solution at last. Furthermore there's not the slightest moment of suspense or innovation to this one. It's plain boring... Questioning death penalty is a highly complex matter, as is comparing different law and moral systems. But the biggest impudence is that God thing. Couldn't they have thought of something more intelligent and original?

The cast seems to have felt as uneasy with it during production as I did while watching. McFadden is unconcentrated and delivers one of her worst performances, showing that there is everything but a loving relationship between her and Wesley (or Will Wheaton). Picard's overly harsh treatment of Data quite set me up as well as the latter one's relapse to an earlier state of development. We may be in the 9th episode but Data already has learned a lot about humans, though surely not enough to prevent any conflict sufficient to know what is considered important. Picard's silly speech at the end finishes this one off and leaves the audience in despair (or should I say outrage?)...

The Edo do have some lovely girls and the idea of a paradise-like society is as old as mankind itself but that's not enough to get away with. We see Picard's quarters for the first time (why does Dr. Crusher enter without permission?) and the opening shot, showing the Captain's face from a low angle while circling around him has something to it but all the rest is pure rubbish (should I exclude Worf's remarks on Klingon sexuality?). And honestly, has anyone ever believed, Wesley would die in the end (I for my part kept hoping, although I knew better)?

I want to watch Star Trek to get inspiration and not a lecture on simple solutions.

1 over a 1000

[russem31 · 8 April 2006]

ST:TNG:09 - "Justice" (Stardate: 41255.6), this is the 9th episode to be made but the 8th episode to air on TV. This episode brings a moral dilemma - should you override one's own laws to rescue one life - should laws be that absolute? And as Data put it to Picard, "Would you choose 1 over a 1000 lives?" This is a question that for me hearkens back to what Spock said in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (when he said it was logical to sacrifice one for the many or a few), and one that fittingly reminds us that The Next Generation, which is still in its infancy at this point, still resides in the same universe as the Original Series. This is truly an episode which is at the very heart of Roddenberry's vision.

Prime Directive

[Sheerluck_Ohms · 3/10 · 21 August 2019]

Isn't the prime directive violated just by visiting a new species. You're interfering by exposing them to your way of thinking. The people they visit in this episode are not advanced enough to not be affected by this visit, but also by the resolution of this episode. The resolution is also a violation of the prime directive as it could have an effect on the way the species deals with their laws in the future. So far in the series the prime directive isn't stated very clearly and is used as an ill-defined, lazy way of trying to be a roadblock, without actually being so. Also this episode ha some of the simplest views over the issue of capitol punishment, not delving into the complexity of it. The episode seems to say "Hey don't execute someone for accidentally squishing some plants. Absolute, cruel laws are bad. " And that's a very obvious point that isn't very deep compared to the issues science fiction stories can explore.

Wesley visits a sex planet but fails to punch his V-card.

[snarky-trek-reviews · 2/10 · 8 February 2021]

Let's face it, Gene Roddenberry and the TNG writers want Wesley to be the central character of the show. We are seven episodes in and more often than not the drama is revolving around or directly influenced by him in one way or another. I maintain my position that we are actually watching Gene Roddenberry fantasize about his own childhood when we see Wesley on screen.

The Edo are a peaceful, honest, god fearing people dedicated to sexing each other up all day. In order to maintain law and order, punishment zones are randomly set up at various locations inside their pleasure garden. Unfortunately, the punishment zones are not dedicated safe spaces for BDSM though I admit that might encourage more crime than it prevents.

Wesley falls afoul of one of these punishment zones because of course he does. His crime? Failing to take a massive hint from a young lady in orgy clothes. Either that or its his outfit. He looks so ridiculous in contrast to the Edo wearing that baggy sweater and what definitely aren't corduroy pants that I can't help but think of the Fonz water skiing in his leather jacket.

Despite how dorky he looks and how awkward he sounds, Wesley still manages to impress the hot young thot by doing cartwheels. She takes him aside, holds him by the hands, and ask him to teach her how to play a game. And in the crime of the century, he tries to get her to play baseball instead of dock the shuttle. Wesley's failure is so egregious that I think his mentors on board the Enterprise should be punished as well.

In orbit we have yet another all powerful non-corporeal race observing the humans with measured curiosity. Let's just hope they don't judge us all by the failures of the Enterprise and her crew.

Verdict: Skip.

Troubling....

[bass1bone · 4/10 · 17 July 2006]

It seems that science fiction is always raising questions that have no easy answers. Often, sci-fi is almost prophetic in critiquing the way things are by presenting alternative futures. Sci-fi has a long history of social critique.

This episode of ST:TNG is particularly troubling in two ways: the questions and issues it initially raises, and the ease with which it evades actually probing or answering those issues. The beginning point is a question of justice: how can we regard as just any system in which the legal consequence of every crime is the same, or in this case death? This is troubling for some of the metaphysical questions it raises, especially if you are a Christian, a Muslim, or a Jew (and not just a Jew in the cultural or ethnic sense): is God just in setting eternal consequences for our actions? Is God just in setting the same eternal consequence for every bad deed or lack of good deed? Is God just in judging all people by the same standard? Beyond that, there is also the question of whether humanity itself (presumably Western civilizations in particular) now saddles itself with unjust laws and punishments which do not "fit the crime." If this episode had chosen to actually deal with those questions (or for that matter raised them in a less simplistic scenario) it could have been one of the best episodes of the entire series. Instead, we have a speech and Picard and crew pretty much do what we've known they could do all along. It was sad, easy, and anticlimactic.

The most ridiculous law ever

[ThunderingTim · 1/10 · 26 May 2017]

So far this first TNG season has (if you count the pilot as one episode, which I think you should) had 7 episodes, including this one. 2 of them had the characters acting unusual (which is ridiculous since we haven't even established a ground for comparison) but 2 episodes have focused on Wesley. The first was okay, albeit sickly sweet in its ending, but this one isn't. It just isn't.

PLOT (SPOILERS)

The Enterprise crew visit the Edo,a oversexed bunch of bronzed and blond superhumans (aliens of course, but identical to humans, go figure) that will rub up against anything and anyone they encounter. The ship encounters a object in space claiming to be the Edo God. Whilst playing with Edo kids Wesley breaks a glass greenhouse, and is almost put to death by Edo coppers. This means a diplomatic standoff between Starfleet and the Edo. Picard has the bureaucratic nightmare of keeping his semi-crush Crusher happy, saving Wesley, not insulting the Edo, not getting destroyed by the Edo God and stick to Federation rules. After a compromise cannot be reached Picard out-speeches the God and beams up Wesley and they warp away.

THINGS I LIKED

..........I guess the Edo God?

THINGS I DISPISED

Not even Worf could crack my smile with his "Nice planet" when hugged by the admittedly extremely attractive Rivan. I'm surprised Troi didn't get jealous with her present. The Edo look ridiculous in their revealing pink half-suits. I hate the idea that these people are so carefree and happy when the slightest offense will get you the death penalty. Usually dystopias do not look like the Garden of Eden. I refuse to believe a species like this can live like this. We learn pretty much nothing about the Edo God making it a plot device, although it is nice to see the Enterprise outclassed -it will not happen many times more.

But all of this isn't even the main problem. Since Wesley's life is at stake, the episode will only succeed if the audience remotely cares for this boy, which would be a big fat NO! Wesley in this stage is such a dweeb, such a eager-to-please non-entity. His perfect day is having breakfast with his mother, getting good grades in school, being on the Bridge, getting a compliment from Riker or the Captain, and then go to sleep in his pink room filled with stuffed unicorns and a framed picture of Picard. Only later will I get some respect for the boy. I liked him in Evolution until he ruins it with one sentence, and I liked the ideas of him being moody because of expectations and choosing a non- Starfleet path. However, that is done so much better with Jake Sisko, who suffers because of the expectations coming from being Sisko's son, everyone thinking he will go to the Academy, and, in the end, choosing a non- Starfleet path. Why does it work for him? Because he is a good character. When he says: "Yo, instead of getting killed by Jem Hadar and not even getting paid for it, I'm gonna write and not be paid for it (which is basically my life at the moment)" we can only applaud him.

The other big problem is the other Crusher. Has a mother ever been less concerned for her child? She seems more involved in Symbiosis about drug addicts. Maybe even she hates Wesley, who knows? But her imploring the Captain and shutting up Data when he lacks subtlety is horrible to behold. I just didn't buy it. Gates McFadden is a dancer first and an actress second and it shows here.

The last big problem is the same we have with A Matter Of Persopective when Riker gets wrongly accused of murder and may go to jail. Not for one second do we believe Riker is guilty, or will be found guilty, or Picard letting Wesley die in Edo hands. This takes away a lot of interest you may have for this episode and after 20 minutes you'll be watching for the good looking Edo, not for the story if I may use that word so callously here.

CONCLUSION

You can probably tell I do not like this episode and I consider it to be second only to Code of Honor (ugh) in the category of Worst TNG episode, hell even Worst Star Trek Episode. Just don't watch it. You'll laugh only once perhaps, and then get bored. Really, really bored. With the life of the least liked character hanging in the balance you'll wish Picard just shrugged and warped out to ruin some other civilization. Horrible. 1/10

Planet of the runaway Roddenberrys

[skinnybert · 4/10 · 1 September 2022]

Typically ham-handed, but Roddenberry always had a weakness for that -- as he did for scanty costumes. "Justice" is probably the peak of both issues, and there's something to be said for a screen full of fit, young bodies. But this is Star Trek, and first-season TNG at that, so it's another round of superficial assertions on deep subjects that ultimately ends with a deus ex machina solution (rather literally in this case).

Most of the acting isn't bad, so it's almost good ... if the premise weren't quite so flimsy, nor the denouement rather anticlimatic. Special bonus points go to the female guest lead's earnestness, which actually makes this episode fairly believable. Also, Gates McFadden is quite convincing, while Marina Sirtis seems rather uncomfortable with the whole premise. Special groan to having Data (a machine) be 'unconscious', and administered by medical personnel instead of engineers.

Shut up Wesley

[Timothynorris · 2/10 · 16 August 2019]

Dear God I hate the character of Wesley. Nearly every episode he is in stops the flow of the story.

ST TNG: Justice; Pubescent First Contact

[WhiteFerrari · 2/10 · 25 August 2020]

In watching this episode there is no 'justice', no peace. The premise is so illogical, the plotting is so nonsensical and the conflict is so unconvincing that there is no tension or entertainment to be found. It is pure ridiculousness and discomforting to experience.

The writing still boasts a serious flaw in the redundant repetition of dialogue. There are also many obnoxious musical choices and exposition dumps. Wesley telling the mediators "I'm with Starfleet. We don't lie" gives me so so much second-hand embarrassment. A lot of characters have their sentences interrupted which feels unnatural.

'Justice' also begins with what may be the weakest teaser yet. This is Dr. Crusher's first underwhelming performance, with the actress overacting and the plot alienating her unnecessarily through it's prioritisation of Picard and the Edo female's dreadful back and forth.

The characterisations broadly are uneven, which isn't helped by the poor acting. In the scene with the intrusion of the entity, Picard is looking way past the entity rather than at it, making the scene ring hollow.

The society is supposed to appear happy and free, but with everyone spouting platitudes such as "joy and happiness" mindlessly it instead feels mind-numbing and debilitating. They also have no issue or cultural shock when the Federation, who are interstellar travellers, beam down to their planet which is still completely earthbound? This isn't questioned until the conclusion when the Edo female assumes they are gods. Finally, the conclusion is laughably anticlimactic.

How not to tell a good story...

[grizzledgeezer · 3/10 · 24 February 2017]

One of the basic rules of storytelling is that your story "universe" can have any rules you like, but you have to stick with them. This necessarily includes understanding the //implications// of the rules -- especially those implications that aren't immediately obvious. *

The Prime Directive was originally intended to prevent the Federation from interfering in the "normal" development of a society (unless, of course, it was "degenerate" in a way that "justified" interference -- qv, "The Apple", which strongly resembles "Justice"). It should have been obvious //from the beginning of TOS// that the arrival of beings from an unknown "other place" //is// interference, no matter how you choose to define it. Hence the later refinement of the Prime Directive to make contact only with space-faring civilizations.

The writers -- perhaps at Roddenberry's suggestion -- came up with a "Planet of the Horny Blonds" story, then concocted a situation that brought the Enterprise into conflict with the Edo society.

Granted, the story's point -- the need to respect other peoples' laws and mores -- is a good one, but the situation seems so forced and in-organic that it's not plausible. Its only purpose seems to show that Picard is clever enough to get the Edos' god to change its mind -- in itself, an act of gross interference, likely to have severe repercussions once the Edo learn of it. (The obvious question of why the Edo god didn't prevent the Enterprise from contacting the Edo in the first place isn't answered.)

Another unanswered question is how application of the death penalty to what are generally trivial and arbitrary infractions is supposed to deter the Edo from theft and murder? Are the Edo so dispassionate that homicidal jealousy doesn't occasionally rear its head?

* Asimov had fun with thin in his robot stories, most of which revolve around humans not anticipating how their commands to robot would interact with the three laws of robotics.

prime directive

[Zephyr707 · 4/10 · 14 September 2020]

If you can ignore the fact that the prime directive would likely have prevented the enterprise from making first contact with such a civilization in the first place then the episode isn't too horrible and explores some interesting moral dilemmas and has some decent character development moments. the relationship of the edo to starfleet and starfleet to the edo god vessel set up an interesting hierarchy and dynamic

Archaic laws......

[gritfrombray-1 · 5/10 · 13 August 2009]

When the Enterprise visits the almost idyllic Edo they are pleased and refreshed to find a loving, caring and trouble free people. Watch the scene where Worf growls 'nice planet...', as he is embraced by an Edo beauty! Away teams visit this beautiful planet and Wesley gets to playing with some of the younger people and accidentally falls into a flower bed. The laws state on this planet, laws unknown to the Enterprise crew, that the sentence for any infraction of any law is death. The Judicators acknowledge there is room for leniency until sundown when they insist their laws must be enforced! Picard explains that in Earth's past people were executed for heinous crimes but that law is a thing of the past and is deemed to be unworkable and archaic. The Prime Directive is in full force again here but the planet is protected by a 'God' in outer space. It seems that an entity is in orbit which is like a floating city which is partially visible and issues orders through a loud booming voice! Picard and Riker eventually negotiate Wesley's release and the Enterprise warps off, crew glad to be out of there. One of the worst episodes of the first season...