Star Trek: 10 Starfleet Crews That Totally LOST IT

7. The Next Generation: The Game

The Game
CBS Media Ventures

As soon as they announce Wesley Crusher is stopping by for a visit in The Game, you know things are going to get crazy. Riker brings back a game from Risa that stimulates the pleasure centres in the brain...illustrated by an uncomfortably extreme close-up of his face. Slowly but surely, the crew become addicted, falling under the influence of the Ktarians who are using the game in an attempt to enthral the Federation.

The entire episode feels oddly frisky. The game rewards players with bursts of pleasure...Wesley embarks on a flirtation with the tenacious Robin Lefler...even the way Troi eats ice cream makes you feel like you're intruding...and that Ktarian makeup? Enough said.

Wesley, the only one still not hooked on the game, manages to foil their plans with nothing but ingenuity, willpower and a very snazzy jumper. Although he does get some help from Deus Ex Data, who manages to undo the Ktarian mind control with a flashing torch. Easy when you know how.

But the scariest thing about this unexpectedly horny episode is how blasé they seem about what happened. They all but shrug over almost handing control of the Federation to the Ktarians. La Forge comes closest to disbelief when he says he can't believe what they were about to do, but everyone else keeps calm and carries on. No self-analysis. No soul-searching. Just a quick Captain's log and a brisk goodbye to Wesley...without so much as a thank you. Being Wesley Crusher truly is a thankless task.

The moral of this story is as subtle as a brick. Just say no, kids. And while we wouldn't argue with that, there had to be a less weird way of saying it.

Contributor

Katherine has been boldly going since childhood, when the BBC Two 6pm Star Trek slot changed her life. She was drawn in by the franchise's optimism, compassion and flair for character-driven storytelling. She's been writing stories since she could pick up a pen and has spent far too much time immersed in television, films, books, music and theatre. She loves any chance to talk or write about her favourite fandoms, of which there are many. When not busy writing, she can usually be found playing video games or explaining why the concept of a transporter is actually terrifying.