10 Most Controversial Star Trek Episodes
3. Up The Long Ladder
When one thinks of this episode, one generally thinks about the depiction of the Irish. Certainly, there is a lot to be said about the stereotypical 'fiddle-dee-dee' imagery, but it was actually the uproar from Pro-Lifers that took writer Melinda Snodgrass by surprise.
The Mariposa clones Riker and Pulaski against their will, though Riker then terminates said clones before they can mature. Riker then says that he did not consent to the procedure, and has the right to control what happens with his own body. The Pro-Choice stance was obvious and had shades of The Original Series in how it was approached.
The episode was originally about immigration. Snodgrass pitched the idea to executive producer Maurice Hurley, himself a staunch Irishman, that they use 'Irish tinkers' as a stand-in for what was happening in America with immigration at the time. Hurley loved the idea.
Many Irish viewers did not.
While the intention was admirable - never judge a person based on the surface when in fact they can be vital to society - the execution felt more than a little off.