"Drumhead" shows just what can happen in an environment when paranoia reigns. Ret. Adm. Nora Satie (Jean Simmons) is summoned to the Enterprise to head an investigation of sabotage/conspiracy aboard ship.
Simon Tarses (Spencer Garrett) is interrogated and reveals that he is 1/4 Vulcanian. However Satie's Betazoid assistant with her mind reading capability insists Tarses is hiding something. The inquisition resumes in an open courtroom where the proceedings had been private before and Tarses pleads the 5th Amendment to inquiries that he is 1/4 Romulan instead of Vulcanian and lied on his Starfleet Admission form, making his testimony "suspect." Tarses is indeed 1/4 Romulan but Capt Picard finds no other blemish in his record and is satisfied that Tarses is no threat, Satie thinks otherwise.
Meanwhile Picard finds out the explosion of the dilithium chamber was caused by a manufacturing defect in the hatch casing. This being the reason for the investigation. Picard tries to dissuade Satie from continuing the investigation but she flatly refuses indicating that she reports directly to Starfleet Command. Meanwhile Picard is now grilled by Satie and his career is put into question with Prime Directive violations, his Borg assimilation and Satie questions Picard's loyalty to Starfleet. When Lt. Cdr. Worf (Michael Dorn) rises to defend Picard, Satie points out the Worf's father was a Romulan Collaborator and the Worf himself has been discommendated by the Klingons which is then another mark against Picard. Witness to all this is head of Starfleet Security Adm. Thomas Henry (Earl Billings). When Picard's response is to quote Satie's father, a respected jurist, on the subject of the state placing limitations on a person's liberty. Satie furiously berates Picard for invoking her father's name in his own defense, stating that she has "brought down bigger men than you, Picard!" Admiral Henry leaves the room in the middle of the tirade, having recognized Satie's paranoia for what it was. The prosecution calls a recess, and leaves a disgraced Satie sitting alone in the courtroom.
The episode ends with Worf finding Picard in the observation lounge to inform the captain that Admiral Henry has ended the hearings and of Satie's departure from the Enterprise. Picard remarks that the human race thinks it has come so far, with the Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials all an unpleasant memory. Worf laments that he was initially eager to assist Satie in her witch-hunt because of how she presented her case. Picard speaks of the ever-present, but subtle, danger of those who would spread fear and suspicion in the name of righteousness and reminds him that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Satie's breakdown at the end is reminiscent of Capt. Queeg's (Humphrey Bogart) meltdown in "The Caine Mutiny." In that movie it is brought out that paranoids walk a fine line between sanity and insanity. Saite is in the end just another Queeg or McCarthy or any other person who uses fear to gain an end. 10 of 10.
How Star Trek in all of its incarnations never won an Emmy for the show or episodes/actors itself is unbelievable. Certainly this is one episode worthy of a win amongst many others such as "The Measure of a Man"; "Yesterday's Enterprise"; "The Offspring"; "Sarek"; "The Best of Both Worlds Pts 1 & 2"; "Half a Life"; "Darmok"; "Unification Pts 1 & 2"; "Ethics"; "The Inner Light"; "Chain of Command Pts 1 & 2"; "Dark Page"; "The Pegasus" & "All Good Things..." And that is only "TNG."
Simon Tarses (Spencer Garrett) is interrogated and reveals that he is 1/4 Vulcanian. However Satie's Betazoid assistant with her mind reading capability insists Tarses is hiding something. The inquisition resumes in an open courtroom where the proceedings had been private before and Tarses pleads the 5th Amendment to inquiries that he is 1/4 Romulan instead of Vulcanian and lied on his Starfleet Admission form, making his testimony "suspect." Tarses is indeed 1/4 Romulan but Capt Picard finds no other blemish in his record and is satisfied that Tarses is no threat, Satie thinks otherwise.
Meanwhile Picard finds out the explosion of the dilithium chamber was caused by a manufacturing defect in the hatch casing. This being the reason for the investigation. Picard tries to dissuade Satie from continuing the investigation but she flatly refuses indicating that she reports directly to Starfleet Command. Meanwhile Picard is now grilled by Satie and his career is put into question with Prime Directive violations, his Borg assimilation and Satie questions Picard's loyalty to Starfleet. When Lt. Cdr. Worf (Michael Dorn) rises to defend Picard, Satie points out the Worf's father was a Romulan Collaborator and the Worf himself has been discommendated by the Klingons which is then another mark against Picard. Witness to all this is head of Starfleet Security Adm. Thomas Henry (Earl Billings). When Picard's response is to quote Satie's father, a respected jurist, on the subject of the state placing limitations on a person's liberty. Satie furiously berates Picard for invoking her father's name in his own defense, stating that she has "brought down bigger men than you, Picard!" Admiral Henry leaves the room in the middle of the tirade, having recognized Satie's paranoia for what it was. The prosecution calls a recess, and leaves a disgraced Satie sitting alone in the courtroom.
The episode ends with Worf finding Picard in the observation lounge to inform the captain that Admiral Henry has ended the hearings and of Satie's departure from the Enterprise. Picard remarks that the human race thinks it has come so far, with the Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials all an unpleasant memory. Worf laments that he was initially eager to assist Satie in her witch-hunt because of how she presented her case. Picard speaks of the ever-present, but subtle, danger of those who would spread fear and suspicion in the name of righteousness and reminds him that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Satie's breakdown at the end is reminiscent of Capt. Queeg's (Humphrey Bogart) meltdown in "The Caine Mutiny." In that movie it is brought out that paranoids walk a fine line between sanity and insanity. Saite is in the end just another Queeg or McCarthy or any other person who uses fear to gain an end. 10 of 10.
How Star Trek in all of its incarnations never won an Emmy for the show or episodes/actors itself is unbelievable. Certainly this is one episode worthy of a win amongst many others such as "The Measure of a Man"; "Yesterday's Enterprise"; "The Offspring"; "Sarek"; "The Best of Both Worlds Pts 1 & 2"; "Half a Life"; "Darmok"; "Unification Pts 1 & 2"; "Ethics"; "The Inner Light"; "Chain of Command Pts 1 & 2"; "Dark Page"; "The Pegasus" & "All Good Things..." And that is only "TNG."
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