UNCUT - The Perfect Mate (TNG S5E21) | Star Trek Journey 228

I kind of liked this one more on a rewatch, but maybe she just got to me like the AI in Ex Machina. Probably the same AI to be honest. They are sneaky. B

This is one I constantly go back and forward on - can never decide if I like it or not. But I’d sooner have episodes like this one than the dreary Imaginary Friend

The whole it is her nature argument is weak. It is not bad but for the show as a plot device but it is a bad argument. If her nature was war like and she was hurting others then no one would allow that defense.

I would give this a C. The guest star was great. My problem with the episode is that Picard is so stupid throughout the episode. What did he think would happen by spending so much time with her? Why not have Data with you just in case? The guest star did a good job of being a seductress. That seemed to carry the episode. Dr Crusher scenes could have been better. She was annoying for the most part.

Ahoy! Not sure if you're already aware, but last week Colm Meaney won the Irish Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Well deserved! Don't watch the video of it on YouTube until you're half way through season 6 as there's spoilers!

She just did what she was designed to do

its tng's Elaan of Troyus

Picard's MOTHER enjoyed his piano lessons, ok that explains it now.

Not one of TNG's strongest showings certainly, but I'll be a bit more generous and give it a B. I consider this and the episodes preceding and following to be a noticeable dip from a reasonably strong set of eps up to First Duty and another pretty good string leading up to the finale. Of those 3 though, Perfect Mate is the most enjoyable IMO. I do think Famke and Patrick both added a lot with their performances. Regarding the patron take about how the episode is all about a woman born to do nothing but please men, while yes that's what we saw, it was also mentioned that a male equivalent did exist and was somewhat common. Being common, I imagine the male metamorphs are held in much lower regard. I doubt they got the pampered upbringing Kamala did. There's always another side to these things. I have to say though, Riker walking out of Kamala's quarters probably took more willpower than anything he's ever done up to that point.

Your discussion makes a mediocre episode fun! Thank you! 😊

They emotionally banged

When she asked if she was the most unique being he’d ever met I kinda wanted him to say “well actually..”. 😁

The concepts in this episode are one of the most Star Trek of all the concepts ever explored in Star trek. One of the points if not the main point is human rights. And how we as humans cannot put human rights onto alien life forms. Consistently and over and over again in the episode people in the federation are pontificating and dictating what the metamorph should want, and what is right for her to want, and how we know better than this alien species. And yet, and here's the Star Trek part, how wrong we are. How presumptuous we are to think that we actually know better. Beverly's point of view, Picard's point of view, are all completely wrong about what is right for Kamala. You can see it in 10 Forward when it sets it up so that it looks like Kamala is going to be abused by these alien men and yet she goads them on and says that she just wants to have fun because she reads what they want. She's doing exactly what she's supposed to do because that's what she does. The concept of her rights being trounced upon is completely incorrect. Our expectations are the last thing we need to be thrusting upon her and this alien culture. If there is a B plot then the B plot is that Picard is very very taken with her as he should be as every man would be and yet he is steadfast. And the final tragedy is that Picard would secretly, or not so secretly, love to be her mate and cannot have her even though she has bonded with him and is literally the most perfect mate that he could ever have. By design. In my opinion this is one of the most Star Trek like concepts in that it throws our values in our face and tells us we're wrong. The real challenge is Picard knowing that Kamala will always long for him whilst serving another male. This piece is not really explored but only in the two final close-ups in the episode. For me this episode is a somewhat homage to Elaan of Troiyus the TOS episode where Kirk is compromised by a spoiled princess's tears that affect him biologically forcing him to love her. I'm not sure why the two of you did not care for the episode necessarily but I do feel that it is telling that both of you are confused by it. For me this episode is sublime. It is pure Star Trek. It is beyond memorable for me and I saw this originally as a teenager. It has severely mature themes that are subtle and nuanced and could be flushed out more as a story arc over a series of episodes or at least 2 episodes in my opinion. But as I said it's an excellent companion piece to Elaan of Troiyus. For me it's S tier. Full stop. ;)

I don't think she is lying to Picard. If you follow the story. She said she would bond within two days and it was more than two days by the time she meets her future "husband." So yes she had imprinted to Picard. The point of the story is the tragedy of being perfect for another person that you cannot be with and then having to live the rest of your life with someone other than your "perfect mate." And in this story the idea that she has become exactly the type of woman that is perfect for Picard and then will never be able to have that deep of a connection with the new man is the element of tragedy. It is most deeply felt by her, not so much for Picard. "The Bridges of Madison County" comes to mind as a romantic movie that explores this theme, although there are probably hundreds. TNG just put a sci-fi spin on why the two "lovers" could not end up together.

I enjoyed this a lot more on a rewatch, I was just bored with it when I first saw it. Your discussion was great, glad you reconsidered your initial scores.

The Ferengi are a pox on TNG. I'm with Alex. Its the wrong sort of cringe.

"Where do your stains go? " "All the way down." Yes, I know. That kind of quote is from some other show.

I forgot Riker went to the holodeck to blow off steam. Spicy

I think I just find the concept of the episode more interesting than the actual episode itself.

So it's not a spoiler to mention that Cetacean Ops was first mentioned in Yesterday's Enterprise.

I'm most curious how you both don't believe that she truly bonded with Picard. I don't see what her motive would be for lying, given that at the end, Picard suggests she put off the ceremony and stay on the ship with him, "don't go through with it" he says, but Kamala is the one to refuse and carry on with her duty, as she says (being imprinted on Picard there and that sense of discipline and duty coming into play). If her goal was to elope with Picard, that doesn't make much sense to me? Since she had her chance right then to do so. Or do you mean that she lied about bonding with Picard just to mess with him? That doesn't seem to be in her character either. Would love to know what you think her motive would be for pretending to have bonded with him.

DOLPHINS! Geordi took the Ferengi to see the dolphins!! I never realized this was ever even eluded to in any episode! @07:35

This is a question I must ask... Have you guys ever been in a relationship like this one? I have. It's about 2 people who can't be together but they fall in love. Been there. I still think about her 25 years later.

TNG Ferengi are like TOS Klingons. Annoying but with potential for the future.

I always believed the most interesting part of the episode is that Picard DID NOT resist Kamala, he was "fully seduced". Sure, he didn't sleep with her, but that's because his idea of intimacy is different. The other part is – Picard realizes, that Kamala forces herself to go with the bonding for the sake of peace and I think he respects that, because he would sacrifice himself for his crew or his people... and he does in a way... He knows full well the woman is a chameleon, that everything he feels is just chemistry, he understands his jealousy is irrational, he also knows his duty to her and the mission... and he accepts this one will hurt.

This was actually better than I remembered. I think the strongest element is actually seeing how Kamala shows things about Picard that he wants deep down but has buried for the sake of his career and duty. Ultimately Picard is devoted to Starfleet and clearly doesn't want to settle down and get married (at least at the moment), but I think Kamala represents things he has given up and we get to see sides of Picard that he very rarely shows to anyone.

Talking about female emancipation but parading a young woman as literal cock-tease around who is "just born" to please men. Gene Roddenberry would have approved this episode.

Its good to see Tim O'conner, he was in a few memorable Twilight Zone/Outer LImits era episodes and the 70s Buck Rogers. Weird to remember that Famke was totally unknown when she did this, did any Trek guest star have a career that took off like hers did in the following few years?

With the Ferengi, while they didnt show this, they tend t be expert lock breakers, so maybe they thought the encrypted lock was enough and when they saw an unauthorized entry Worf came down?

I guess this is one where it depends on how much you like the concept. I thought it was fascinating, and such an interesting character piece for Picard. I think that absolutely we are supposed to believe what she is saying, both that she likes who she is with Picard and that she bonded with him. Yes, it makes sense it would be a lie, but I don't think thats what the episode was going for. It also makes sense to me that she would like Picard more for the reason that she gives, that she likes who she is with him and that he's a challenge, which is unusual for a Metamorph. On another level, this could be about "that" sort of girl, someone who is irrestible but you know is ultimately bad news. ,Maybe experience helps inform that perspective and helps me relate better. The thing is, you, or Picard in this case,wants to believe it, even though rationally you have serious doubts.

I really believe the purpose of this episode was to show the strength of Picard’s character and how attractive that strength was to the Metamorph. The purpose was to have a slightly tragic ending (the Metamorph fell in love with Picard because of his character), and having it be a compliment to Picard and his character. The ending scene when he was asked how he withstood the temptation was to show that outwardly he withstood, but inwardly he fell. But his character kept him from showing that outwardly.

This is certainly a contract filler episode in my opinion, but damn, Patrick Stewart's performance really elevates it.

I feel the same as you two. I don't like the episode but I want to go back and watch it. Because cute supermodel!

Well, I really enjoyed this one Its "Picard is a badass" in a different way.

i remember it took alex half of season one TOS to like Bones.

Off topic and I can't link to it because of spoilers, but Starfleet's greatest enlisted man, Colm Meaney, was just honored with the Irish Television & Film Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award. (I recently started Hell on Wheels and he is so very entertaining in that.)

lol i havent seen this episode since it aired. didn't realize famke was the girl. a meh episode.

The sex scoreboard This may be a debate starter but YES Picard gets a score. Riker 14 Troi 4 Dr. Bev 3 Picard 2 new Data 2 Ro 1 Worf 1 Geordi 1 Broccoli 2 i Chief/Keiko 1 Extra: We almost had a Riker score but he pulled a JANE: “I’ll be in my bunk”. But now we get into the score that is being given. BY THE STANARDS WE HAVE BEEN USING, we have to give hiding the serpent to Picard. Reasons why: 1. An about to have sex moment, then a commercial break, time jump to next morning. This has always been something we usually assume as a yes. 2. The look on her face before the wedding when she is telling Picard about her bonding with him, she had that “just had a massive O” look on her face. 3. Picard did not deny it in the end scene AND looked guilty as shit. There is no proof they didn’t do the yo yo in Professor X wheelchair so we assume YES.

Wolverine will be pissed off

Famke J had the most jaw dropping scene I ever saw on TV in Nip/Tuck Season 2 with actor Seth Gabel.

They could have made this episode a bit more interesting if they had her pheromones influence Crusher and Troi, too.

I think the mixed feelings with this one are all about the actress's performance. I think Famke Janssen makes it hard to dislike this episode because she plays the character so well. It may not keep your interest with another actress. And let's be honest, she is a good choice to play a woman that any man would fall for.

In the Ten Forward scene, you guys were asking who those dudes with the interesting makeup are. In the opening Captain's log, Picard says they had to pickup some miners. I know that everything that is said in those logs usually goes out one ear though, so it's understandable.

I’ve known many people who tragically change/limit who they are to stay in a bad marriage or continue to work a needed job they hate etc. I feel like the point of this episode is that, though she has to change outwardly for the good of her people, through meeting Picard, she at least discovers a version of herself that SHE ENJOYS BEING when she is alone.

This episode has grown on me on rewatches. And yes, I picked up the Elaan of Troyius connection just this last time. SO.......who thinks Picard actually DID spend the night with her? I do...I thought she was actually being sincere and he stayed with her and made love to her. At least that's my head canon.

Just skip this group of 3 episodes... :)

This episode is about Picard's passionate turmoil. We never see him in internal conflict. It was really well set up, and is why I enjoy this episode.

44:54 No porking.

Interesting. Is this the first time you guys ever started on opposite sides of the same rank and then merged in together upon rewatch?

Famke's acting chops are fascinating to watch. I missed it as a kid, but as I grew older I could see how everything from her speech to her body language. Even with Picard, she suddenly got more serious, leaned forward to put her elbows on her knees. The rest of the episode was lacking, but I found she approached the character well

7:40 The Ambassador did not request security. He just requested voluntary limited access to the cargo bay.

When I was a kid, we used to tape TNG every week. Instead of using the actual titles, my sister and I would label the tapes with descriptive titles we made up for each episode. This one got labelled as "Ferengi Try to Kidnap Special Woman in Egg Thing". I think this one kind of went over our heads as kids...

The Ferengi head drape actually had a IRW purpose: it covered up the incomplete makeup.

As for her flirting with everybody, but then "loving" Picard, I think it actually does make sense just by how her species works. The "flirting" that she does is what her species does. Whenever they are around anyone, they actually partially become part of that person. Who they are actually kind of changes based on what that person wants. As an autistic person, I can relate to this because it reminds me of masking. It's like every person that she Interacts with is a new mask for her to try on to see if she likes it. I wouldn't even say she "loves" Picard at all, but the basis for love is there. When she adapts to Picard, or tries on Picard's mask, she realizes that unlike everyone where wearing their mask might be a fun fleeting thing to experience, when she's around Picard, she doesn't want to take that mask off. When she's morphed to Picard, she actually becomes her true self. Or she feels more like herself then she does when she's alone. She says when she's by herself, she feels incomplete. But with Picard, it's like she's her, but she's whole. And again, as an autistic person who is happily married, I get this. To someone who grows up masking to everyone, you know you've found the right person when you don't have to mask anymore, and you like how who they are compliments how you are, and you each feel more like yourself when you're with each other. I think over the course of the episode, she realized that even though she was supposed to be for Ori Gavold, she is actually for Picard. I wouldn't call this infatuation or even love. She just experienced the true version of herself that she knows she wants to be. And after experiencing that, she doesn't want to be any other way. So she chose to bond with the mask she liked best, not the one that was chosen for her. Which actually empowers her. It's too bad that she couldn't be with the mask she chose, but she also doesn't need to.

Just a throw away here. There are dolphins on federation star ships they help with navigation. So I've heard anyway.

At least the last 3-4 episodes are pretty good overall. Trying to be positive after seeing Cost of Living, Perfect Mate, and Imaginary Friend all in a row.

I personally don't think Kamala was lying about being bonded to Picard. Because once she told that to Picard, he urged her not to go through with the wedding. But she said she had to go ahead with the ceremony to end the war. I will say it was sort of a dick move to tell him that just to make Picard feel bad?

Seven Generations principle is that decisions should be sustainable for seven generations— and also that strong trauma will be passed down for seven generations before it heals. It’s a common idea among Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the U.S.

I recently rewatched this, and I'm still not sure what they were trying to go for here. The interactions between Picard and Dr. Crusher were kinda interesting, but Beverly bringing in an opposing view almost felt like a bit of an alibi, because large parts of the episode, specifically Kamala's dialogue, were written like this was someone's secret fantasy. 😆 (Also, didn't we already do this "Young beautiful woman is destined to unite two warring peoples, falls in love with a member of the Enterprise crew, but ultimately decides to pick duty over love"-thing in "The Dauphin"?)

We are for you, Alex and Josh 😁. I would giving this episode a "B" -- I do think she was being sincere at the end. And if you believe that then the ending is very sad as others have said.