You might think that this is a Worf episode, and you're not entirely wrong. But I think mainly this is a Beverly episode, and it happens to be a damn Good one. Beverly Crusher is a character rarely explored in any depth. We know that she is a doctor, mother to Wesley, that her husband is dead, and that she has breakfast with the captain. Later we learn that her family does the nasty with ghosts, but aside from these things we really don't get to know her any better, and what we do know is pretty bland. She dances, she directs plays, she's a doctor, blah blah blah. However, in this episode, she takes a stand for what she believes in. She is decisive, passionate, and she also happens to be right. Crusher is not my favorite character by a long shot. She's not even my favorite TNG doctor, but in "Ethics," I like her a lot.
Worf is near-mortally wounded by a falling barrel while looking for a leak of some sort. He is paralyzed, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Frankly, seeing this type of severe injury is refreshing. Usually in TNG there's two possible injuries: those that can be easily fixed by waving a magic thingy over it, and those that cause your entire body to evaporate into oblivion. No in between. But here we see that even their modern medicine has its limitations. Worf will never walk again on his own.
So of course Worf wants to kill himself, and of course everyone thinks this is a dumb idea. I think that's kind of bullshit, because basically they're saying that it's ok to have a Klingon on board, until he wants to do something Klingon. We like Worf only as long as he's acting human. Even Alexander thinks his Klingon posturing is unnecessary. I think Picard has the most culturally respectful view on this, as he councils Riker to consider helping Worf off himself, and then Beverly to let him try the experimental surgery by the visiting neurosurgeon Dr. Russell. She says she's never performed it before, but there's a 37% chance of it working. Ok, that's about one in three. But let's consider this. If something only works one in three times, do you really think there's any chance of it working THE FIRST TIME? Not where there's a learning curve and skill involved, it won't.Dr. Russell has the most punchable smirky face I've ever seen. Crusher hates her, and for good reason. She puts her research above the well-being of the patient. Beverly relieves her of all duties when she tries an experimental practice on a dying patient. Russell asks her how she would feel if one of her family members is saved by the information gathered from the experiment, and Crusher strongly responds that she will not be drawn into a hypothetical. I just love this exchange. Crusher is so strong and resolute, and so right.
But Russell is given the opportunity to test out her new procedure on Worf, because everyone agrees that it's better than him killing himself. And it fails. He dies. Seriously. Actually, they do sell the death very well, and if I didn't already know about the ongoing story line of Worf, I would have totally believed it. But just as the tears begin to well up in your eyes watching Alexander say goodbye, he starts breathing again. They attribute it to redundant systems that are so common in Klingon physiology. Which, I don't get. Why would a species so obsessed with dying be so hard to kill? All Klingons want to do is die in battle, but apparently their bodies make this nearly impossible. That sucks, I guess?
For its raising of ethical dilemmas, and for portraying Beverly Crusher as a strong figure, "Ethics" makes for Good Trek. It's too bad that no one listens to her, though. Also, why does Riker think that the replicators in sick bay make less appetizing food than anywhere else on the ship? And why does Worf have to have his face on a sewer grate while having surgery?
Published August 6,2019
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