I know one needs to inject the human element into these episodes. The characters have families somewhere. Deanna Troi is no exception. Being a Betazoid and having the ability to sense emotions and in some cases, read minds, she is a valuable member of the crew. She is not a full Betazoid (sort of like Mr. Spock's half-Vulcan). When Lwaxana, Deanna's mother, shows up (a great Scrabble word) she is a tiresome, overbearing woman. Deanna, as part of a culture that endorses it, has an arranged marriage and her mother is here with her fiancé to make sure everything goes as it should. When he sees his "beloved" he is stunned. He has been dreaming of someone else. Now the more interesting story. A doomed group of Terrelians is wandering the galaxy, trying to find safe haven (at Haven, of course). They are infected and can't be allowed to land where there is habitation. Included among the crew is the person Troi's betrothed has been having dreams about (pardon my preposition). The solution to this tale is interesting. While many find Lwaxana a refreshing change, I found her an intergalactic stereotypical Jewish mother. Of course, we haven't seen the last of her.
