‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Retro Recap – ‘Home Soil’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

As we continue our journey through season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a particular pattern is starting to emerge. In that, clearly the writers’ room came across several supremely specific ideas that they really wanted to explore in great detail. Which is why we’ve been on a run of stories involving how far aliens and humans will go, in order to right a wrong or hold onto something important in their lives, because that notion offers so many possibilities storytelling wise. But that particular concept isn’t the only one that the writers’ room realized they could expand upon. For the nature of the universe, and what alien life might actually look like, is something that features endless possibilities as well, and it just so happens that the series resurrected this concept in its next episode.
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For ‘Home Soil’ went all in out in exploring what kinds of wild lifeforms the universe could give life to, by having the crew of the Enterprise swing by a remote terraforming facility on a lonesome planet. A place where no life should exist, and according to the Federation’s engineers, that was indeed the case. But as the crew learned more about this particular endeavor to create an M class planet, the more they became suspicious of what was going on in this remote facility. For the administrator was dodgy and eager to have them leave, simply because he was hiding something from the away team. And to complicate matters further, one of the technicians died horribly while working nearby, which meant that the crew was going nowhere until this matter was settled.

A decision that immediately put the crew of this facility under scrutiny. Because where else would Picard and company look, in regard to a murderer? But as the investigation into this untimely death continued along, quite the surprise fell into the crew’s lap. For in the place where said technician died, a beautiful and tiny and glowing speck of ‘sand’ was discovered, one that had the potential to be an actual life form that no one had ever seen before, and it turns out, that was exactly the case. Which was quite astounding since Data and Crusher came to learn that it was more or less composed of the same elements that computers are made out of. But the fact that it was able to procreate, proved that it was indeed alive, and this discovery brought about some complications aboard the 1701-D.

Because soon this creature is able to replicate enough of itself to become sentient and communicative and once it speaks to Picard, he and the bridge staff come to learn that these poor beings feel terror and anger toward humanity for ignoring their pleas. For Picard also learns that the terraforming crew had an inkling that life might be on this world and chose to not express it to Jean-Luc or Starfleet, which forces Picard to get creative in finding common ground with this bold new species, one that manages to commander the ship in the hopes of bending the crew to its will and punishing them as it did that unfortunate technician. But eventually, Jean-Luc and his intrepid officers find a way to show these beings that they mean them no harm, allowing for these creatures to return home and enjoy their lives in peace and harmony. 

If anything, this is in many ways a fairly by the numbers episode for certain. Because it doesn’t really go into anything too deep concept wise, and it moves at a brisk pace and features a little action to break things up. Which normally should bore us or leave us feeling ho-hum about this tale. But the fact that it expands upon ‘Lonely Among Us’ by offering up a supremely unique alien, one that doesn’t resemble anything we know of on Earth, makes this one a winner for certain. For these creatures are simply dazzling and they leave the viewer curious at every turn and exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations is part of the magic of this franchise. Which makes this tale a wonderful mental palate cleanser and it should be interesting to see if more unique explorations involving truly alien, aliens, await us down the line as we begin to inch toward the season one finale. Until next time.    

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