S1: Episode 23: A First Grader Knows More About CPR Than Crusher; BP Oil Monsters Deserve Redemption Arcs!

Start Trek

You guys, TASHA YAR DIES IN THIS ONE. Like game over, no resurrection, straight up dead. I was not prepared for this, I knew the character was being taken out of the series but I assumed her character was getting transferred to like the more competent ship that Starfleet doesn't have a camera crew on! NOT COOL, TNG.
Oh, and making her death even worse is that Crusher basically tries to use a defibrillator ON TASHA'S BRAIN when trying to revive her. And literally no one steps in, so shame on everyone in that room, because I read an article about a kindergartner who saved his grandfather at an airport after he had a heart attack by using an AED by following the picture directions, so what the damn hell.
So I really don't care about the rest of the plot of this episode because I am legit angry since Tasha is my favorite character and she legit got an ignoble death. But basically, Troi crashes on this planet with a sentient BP Oil Slick who was abandoned by his fellow folks and is immortal and bored, so it likes to torture humans to force interaction. It's holding Troi hostage, who was on a shuttle coming back from a poncho convention before it crashed on this thing's planet. I think this creature can be rehabilitated, but Dave disagrees #spacism. If this evil oil slick has only had interactions with other organisms based off of injury than how does it know that friendliness might invoke the same amusement? Jeez, everyone is so judgmental. Plus, let's be honest, a giant oil blob monster would look awesome on a Starfleet Recruitment Brochure.
Alas, everyone is just interested in being rude to the hapless oil blob monster and once again Picard is all about the Prime Selective Directive.
Featuring: Riker getting hurt again (haha)! Tasha predicting a swift death for herself accurately because Crusher was around! Spaaaaace goooo! Data not understanding sand is very bothersome for human eyeballs! Biffles Worf and Tasha bro-ing down for the last time! Anger throwing ice cubes because of senseless favorite character death (that's more a me thing)! Everyone being a jerk to this orphaned oil slick sentient being! Troi basically exchanging Tasha's life for a bunch of ponchos! Literally all of the leadership leaving the bridge! And so much more.
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