Synopsis:  Tasha kicks some ass for her first (and only) time, though it’s on a jungle gym with creepy men ogling her.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Understand the proper value of women

Review:  This episode is near universally abhorred, and rightfully so.  Not only does it run the risk of appearing racist, it is horribly acted and logically flawed.  It is the first mention of the big bad Prime Directive in TNG, despite the fact it is irrelevant to this episode.  After Tasha is kidnapped, Picard states that he cannot just overpower them and take her, for fear of violating the directive.  What the fuck?  They kidnapped her!  No cultural norm can be an excuse for harming another person, and the Enterprise would have every right to simply move in and take her back.  The real reason they don’t intervene is because they know if they do, they get no vaccine and millions of people die.   Yes, the directive keeps them from stealing the vaccine, but it is also possible that their adversaries would destroy it if they tried.

I do give the writers some credit, though.  When Picard is negotiating, he eventually learns that no amount of righteousness will get him what he wants (which would mean NO treaty, NO vaccine, and NO Lieutenant Yar!), and that he must meet his adversaries where they are in order to work with them.  This is a valuable lesson for anyone working with cultures that seem backwards to them.

There’s also a great moment where Picard gives a speech about how awful humans were in the 20th century, then apologizes to everyone for preaching to the choir.  It’s too bad the rest of the crew doesn’t take his cue for the next few seasons.