Star Trek: The Next Generation 5.21

The Perfect Mate

The Enterprise transports Ambassador Briam of Krios to a ceremony between the Valtese and the Briosians. Two Ferengi are taken on board during the trip when their ship reaches a critical state. The Ferengi interfere with a gift from the Kriosians to the Valtese. The gift was Kamala, an empathic metamorph who was in stasis until one of the Ferengi interfered with the stasis field.

Kamala is to be the mate of Alrik of Valt. Her physiognomy makes her extremely attractive to men with whom she comes in contact. Ambassador Briam insists that she stay in her quarters. Captain Picard, prodded by Doctor Crusher, allows her out of her quarters but then has to rescind that order when she proves to be too distracting for any man with whom she comes in contact.

Captain Picard ends up spending a fair amount of time with Kamala. He resists her charms for the most part and only rarely lets down his guard. He understands the importance of not interfering with the peace process. He ends up spending more time with her than intended after Ambassador Briam is injured by the Ferengi who try to bribe the Ambassador into handing over Kamala.

Captain Picard steps in and takes over for Briam. He and Kamala grow closer and closer. She goes through with her part in the peace process, as intended. Ambassador Briam recovers.

Thoughts

This is one of the 10 episodes of this series in which Counselor Troi does not appear. Data, Worf, Riker, and LaForge all appear in this episode. The first three each get a scene with Kamala.

I've seen this episode at least once before, in 2015. I watched it again because I didn't have any notes about it, from my previous viewing. I'm glad I rewatched it. It was not a chore. There was considerably more to the episode than I recalled.

Notes

Famke Janssen played the part of Kamala. This is her only appearance in an episode of this show. The only other thing in which I have seen her is sone of the X-Men films.

Tim O'Connor played the part of Ambassador Briam. This is his only appearance in an episode of this show. I know him best from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. I have also seen him a couple of episodes of Wonder Woman, the first of which was Wonder Woman 1.09. He was also in Across 110th Street (1972).

Max Grodénchik plays one of the Ferengi. He later went on to play Rom on Deep Space Nine. This is the second of two episodes of this show in which he appeared. The first was 3.19 Captain's Holiday.

This is the 18th of 25 episodes that was directed by Cliff Bole. I have seen at least nine of those episodes including 2.20 The Emissary. He also directed episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager.