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UNCUT - Man of the People (TNG S6E3) | Star Trek Journey 237

🕑 Added 2025-03-23 18:37:44 +0000 UTC

Comments

Fedora The Explorar

One of the most sexist and misogynistic episodes in Trek, only outlasted by Code of Honour.

Paul Rymer

Entertaining episode, good score and a great performance from Marina Sirtis.

Derek Orr

And now for next week…the excitement mounts!

Derek Orr

Ugh right the one where they casually resort to euthanizing Troi and wait till the last possible second to try and reviving her🤦‍♂️ and worf is worse than a rookie cop with loosing his side arm like that

L J

I think this is one of those episodes that doesn't hold up well on rewatches, which is one reason fans dislike it so much. It may be intriguing and even entertaining on a first watch when you don't know what's going on, but when you know the outcome it all just falls flat and comes across forced and shallow. Yes, as you pointed out, the execution was well done. Marina Sirtis gives a great performance and there are some really cool shots. But the story is uninteresting and makes for a tedious 45 minutes to watch. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say E, but it is definitely in the low tier of TNG episodes for me - probably bottom 10 of the whole series and one I typically skip.

BN13

Ok, yeah you're right. It's more accurate to say that we all find certain things either entertaining or not entertaining. I find good writing entertaining, and I don't find Troi's portrayal here, or almost anything about this episode entertaining. But other people might find different things entertaining and thus enjoy this episode a lot more, and both are perfectly fine. It just depends on what you like.

Josh (Target Audience)

Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. You enjoy good writing, themes, and interesting ideas, optimism for the future because you find those things entertaining brother. Totally fair not to find this one entertaining, but saying you don’t watch a tv show, read a book, look at a painting, etc. for entertainment doesn’t make any sense. That’s what the purpose is.

BN13

When Troi goes into "evil counselor" mode, I actually find this disturbing because there are a lot of real therapists out there like that, and they do a lot of damage to innocent people. Unfortunately, toxic people like to get into positions where they can prey on the mentally weak and vulnerable. So what better place for them to be than in a position of authority where people come to them desperate for help, and can't tell when they are being gaslighted or otherwise abused? I wish we got a follow-up with that ensign.

BN13

Star Trek isn't something I watch for entertainment value. I watch it for good writing, good themes, interesting ideas, and optimism for the future. This episode is one of the worst written of the entire show. The plot makes no sense. The only reason to watch this is to watch Marina Sirtis have fun with "alternate Deanna" which personally holds no appeal for me. Because of the writing, bottom 5 of the series for me. Right up there with Shades of Gray for being a clip show, and The Outrageous Okona for being a bad Mary Sue fanfic.

Sainjl

The therapy scene is actually payback for that other lady telling Troi that she was “wrong, absolutely wrong” in that other therapy scene.

Boggle

What a shocker. Troi gets mind-raped by another telepath for the 9001st time. Poor Troi. She did get some hellish revenge at the end though.

Crankygrandma

It was the only good part

Ee'char

This is possibly one of the LAST episodes I ever "saw for the first time" (along with Darmok, Shades of Gray, and The High Ground). Can't say I missed much, although there are other episodes I would dread rewatching more. This kept my interest long enough.

Steve Boshear

I barely remember this episode, but rewatching it with you guys, my first thought was - couldn't the Enterprise have just fuckin' left? What's the range on this guy's empathic powers? Get a couple star systems away and see if he's still fucking with Deanna from there.

Smear Campaign

(Just kidding Alex. You know I’d love to bang you more than Stevie Wonder’s big toe 😍 🦶)

Smear Campaign

Hopefully we’ll finish season 7 before Alex realises that Josh only keeps him warm because people find him annoying and he boosts engagement in the comments.

Timothy Nikiforovs

Yeah, this one may not be E tier for me because Troi being horny and bitchy to everyone is at least entertaining, but it's solidly in D tier for me. I find the whole concept to be pretty trash and I just don't care about it, and they were really retreading some of the worst Troi tropes here. There's 1 other episode that isn't as bad as this, but it's just really boring, and I can't decide which is my least favourite of the season, but thankfully most of the season is pretty good.

Steve Boshear

If it makes you feel any better Alex, it's not just you. I don't like any of the people I regularly watch on YouTube.

Aaron Wells

Or Troi waited 2 minutes after his mother's death threat, and then decided to invite him to place where she does lots of bending and stretching right next to him.

Aaron Wells

Well yeah, she knew the camera was going to be gloriously zoomed in on her assets for half this episode. The skin tone seems secondary to me. If she was giving me that smoking look in the turbo lift, I'd probably just pass out on the spot from a sudden and unexplainable drop in blood pressure.

Aaron Wells

I'm one of those assholes that had the temerity to point out the historical parallels with the end of the Cold War. So even though he hates me, lol, I'll be on team Alex. #teamAlex #teamJackLondon #teamRamenNoodles

Timothy Nikiforovs

LMAO, that's gotta be the best skit you've done in quite a while.

Nolan

Alex, your feelings may stem from the fact that Josh has a very easy-going nature, while you exude a common man relatability. You share our insecurities, and what you may feel the comments are saying in subtext is just our own self-doubt reflected in your being, not that we dislike you. You are simply A Man of the People. (Though not at all a prick like the asshole in this episode)

Column Meanie

Pretty different situation. Shelby was in Starfleet and was a protege of Admiral Hansen, a good friend of Picard. And Hansen suggested Riker let her play. Alkar was a complete stranger to everyone and didn’t have the Starfleet connection. Idk maybe it’s a pacing issue.

Phillip Grischa

Yup, usually reactors have fixed positions, Gallifrey Gals for example, Kat is always on the left, Paula is always on the right. I can see how Josh and Alex switching sides between the reaction and the discussion can be confusing.

Nolan

I think this is a HUGE factor in the disparaty between our rankings and theirs: whether we look forward or slightly dread the rewatch of an ep.

Nolan

The Enterprise D: Science Vessel, warship, community center, daycare, strip mall, apartment complex, office tower, medical center. In SPAAAACE.

Nolan

Two, great, big perks.

Narnman

she does seem to have a noticeable tan here in recent episodes compared to last season

#MaxwellDidNothingWrong

It's not that we like Josh more, it's that half of us think Alex is Josh

Jovet

Late comment. But I always wondered if Alkar's ship was attacked in personal retaliation for what he did to someone previously as a "receptacle."

Jovet

Even Riker?

Jovet

"And look like Cruella de Vil!"

Jovet

@Loot Narsbaar You must be a new arrival here. Star Trek is well renowned for its porking! It's just a shame the ship's walls are so thin.

Jovet

You sum that up well.

Jovet

It's really Alkar's sexual appetite, being pushed through Deanna.

Jovet

It's not too weird to me. Riker invited that admiral and he invited Shelby to poker after being on the ship for five minutes. Either someone suggested it to Alkar, or he asked.

Jovet

It's kind-of interesting in a sci-fi-socialiogical kind of way. But it's not great, because the "Deanna must get mentally/phsyically ravaged" trope has been done more than once before. I'm sure the writers felt this would be different—perhaps even more tame—since there was no explicit porking involved, but ... it's not great, either. I still say there is far worse coming.

A G

Also they would have had an 8 week hiatus between seasons. Spiner was pure Bronze until episode 6.

Loot Narsbaar

I haven't heard someone say "porked" in at least 25 years

Loot Narsbaar

Probably the two most prominent reasons paramount funded the blu ray remaster

Wrestling With Gaming

Thank you for your service 🫡

Philbot

If I recall correctly Janeway had a sister. In one of the novels at least..

Regan

That probably isn't a tan on Counsellor Troi. Although she is from England, Marina Sirtis is of Greek descent and would naturally have an olive complexion.

empirejeff

Troi getting screwed with. Feels like we have seen that before. Are we ever going to find a good Troi episode?

tyranusfan

Since you already know it’s not a spoiler… I never realized that they used the name Janeway in this episode. Interesting. One of the producers must like it

tyranusfan

Dr Stubbs comes back and loads his Mark Twain program on the holodeck

tyranusfan

Yeah it’s the same as Kirk and the Scalosian princess. Camera cuts to him pulling his boots on.

Ron Hubbard Jr

It is…It is…It is green.

Ron Hubbard Jr

I absolutely hate this episode, but I guess there are a couple of perks to watching it… 😏

Jonathon Tsagris

Episode 3 is IMO the worst of the season (and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the writers of this show keep going back to ‘let’s have Troi be violated’ as a story idea). I don’t blame anyone for eagerly awaiting episode 4.

Banes

Love the intro. Brilliant x)

Banes

That would be amazing, haha

Column Meanie

So weird. The dude was on the ship for 5 minutes and then he’s doing Worf’s yoga class. Wtf?

Mel Primus

Great f**in into.

Prof Moff

TNG The sex scoreboard Oh yeah sexy Troi beboppin’ Riker 14 Troi 5 new Dr. Bev 3 Picard 3 Data 2 Ro 1 Worf 1 Geordi 1 Broccoli 2 i Chief/Keiko 1 Extra: Troi uses a boy toy like a…………… boy toy. Yes this is a score. Anytime a guy is putting his boot back on while sitting on a women's bed ALWAYS means some riding cowboy went on.

GreenCauldron08

So glad you guys got a kick out of that therapy scene! That was always my favourite part of this episode!

ScotchBeard78

This one's another of those campy guilty-pleasure ones for me. "Counsellor Troi has changed her appearance" is one of the TNG meme phrases a friend of mine and I will always dig back up. I love it when she goes full vamp and everyone's just trying to navigate Dark Deanna insatiable sexual appetites.

valen

Did anybody else notice the Indian-Vulcan nurse??

THE LORE!!!

This episode is one that doesn't seem like it's bad until you're rewatching the series and you find yourself going "do I have to watch this one?" And try to talk yourself out of skipping it. I like the premise of a selfish and self righteous person shoving negative energy away onto someone else but Troi getting the raw deal again is tiresome and I absolutely hate the effect of her turning young again instantly. On the plus side, Marina Sirtis is hot AF with that grey streak in her hair in Ten Forward

A G

Also... you can really... tell... that this was filmed for TV before the idea of 4K... the... dress... I am just saying. I questioned myself around The Outcast... after seeing Troi in her "post-work out" outfit. I knew I was gay. But cheers to my nerdy friends watching this back in the day. They LIKED this episode.

A G

I loved the opening. Alex. I like you. You are cool.

Worf and Riker Ride Again

Ha! Loved the intro

Scarpad’s Domain

Just an OK episode I agree

Sam Langanke

D for stealing the concept from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Sam Langanke

They just should have hired a Vulcan for the negotiations and skip the episode.

Ground Under Repair

Couldn't agree more on "Well executed. Poor material"

Jovet

Troi and that ensign absolutely most definitely porked!

James Knight

Alex not listening to Troi, smh, he'll end up getting a First Duty speech from Picard.

Jovet

14:35 Good one, Josh!

Tom Occhipinti

Generic milquetoast episode. C-. At best.

Evan Guthrie

Huh, I didn't get a notification for this one

AzoriusMage

Do we have to keep doing dodgy negotiator/diplomat stories which mostly involve Troi? Poor episode in my opinion other than Troi's transformation.

AzoriusMage

Head writer:"We need an episode for Deanna". Junior Writer: "How aboout we violate her get her posessed and horny?" Head Writer: "We did that so lets make her a complete bitch too this time"

Ross Townsend

Just have him carry his boots! Josh and Alex missed that the "young stud" leaving Deanna's quarters picked up and carried his boots out.

penoyer79

LOL Nice!

penoyer79

lol Alex! these are golden. best part of a meh episode.

Nolan

Okay, but that smolder in the turbolift. How did I never notice till now? Maybe cause the rest of the ep konks me out?

EnigmaticPenguin

I have this bottle of green tinted gin I found I found at the liquor store last summer to drink while watching the full length on that one for no particular reason…

Nolan

An episode about a smug manipulative asshole draining the lifeforce of others and using them uncaringly to advance his own career; we sure this isn't about Alex Kurtzman? Sorrynotsorry.

xadg

Counselor Troi Unleashed

Darren Seal

Never know what to make of this one. It’s fun in the right frame of mind and Marina Sirtis seems to be having fun but yeah not the strongest episode by any means. Barely C tier

Philbot

All of Troi’s love Interests are rapey from Devinoni Rao, violations guy, this guy, even Riva always sleeved me out might be the orange face? They also do a thing with great god like negotiators, Sarek, Riva, Odan.. like “they are soo good at their jobs no one else could do it.”

EnigmaticPenguin

Roasted by Troi of all people. That’s like Worf losing a fight to a barrel.

Keith S

I'm surprised you didn't have a strong reaction to that nightgown Troi was almost wearing when Riker came to her quaters. My jaw certainly dropped when I first saw it. I'd say we were even on the reaction to her scratching Riker's face and neck. All in all the intro you did was so worth it.