this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2026
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Help me build a TNG "Diplomatic negotiation" watch list (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 days ago by schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works to c/tenforward@lemmy.world
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I want to re-watch Trek, but am looking for organize my watch-throughs thematically. I just can´t handle 24-episode seasons. ^1^

I'm interested to see how TNG handles societal conflict within the framework of externally-mediated diplomacy (a Trek staple), aka negotiations. I'm not looking for EVERY episode with diplomacy in it, just the ones where two or more parties are being mediated by a third party. Episodes with only two parties (First contact stories if it is only Star Fleet and the other civ) do not belong on the list.

The episodes don´t necessarily have to be "formal negotiations," either. I remember an episode where Ryker negotiated for the rights of males on a planet rather capably using only his winning smile, hairy chest, an ever-abiding curiosity about foreign cultures. Since there were three parties (males, females, and Ryker)², it would go on the list.

Legal disputes handled authoritatively by a court of law (Measure of a Man) would also not be on this list.

Thank you so much!

Footnotes:

  1. If anyone has a central clearing house for Trek playlists (or their favorite selective playlist) please let me know what it is.
  2. Actually four parties, if you include the shipwrecked alpha chads.
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[–] charonn0@startrek.website 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Symbiosis: The crew must mediate between a planet of addicts and another planet of dealers.

Loud as a Whisper: The crew are ferrying a famous mediator to a warzone, but after his aides are killed the crew must step in.

The Vengeance Factor: The crew must mediate between the queen of a planet and a group of rebels who left the planet 100 years ago

The Price: The crew host negotiations for control of a wormhole

The Outrageous Okona: The crew rescue a charming rogue, but two angry fathers show up looking for him.

Too Short a Season: The crew deals with the ramifications of a badly botched diplomatic negotiation that was handled decades earlier by the guest-starring badmiral.

[–] hallettj@leminal.space 5 points 2 days ago

I considered Too Short a Season in my "Episodes about negotiation, but really it's about a hotshot ambassador" category. But IIRC it's ends up being a two-party negotiation - there isn't a mediating party.

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Great list. And OOP, if you're not yet in the mood for diplomacy saving the day, another show staple is the use of strategy to outwit those who would use violence. Some examples are A Matter of Honor, Peak Performance, and The Ensigns of Command.

And one of my all-time favorites, Who Watches the Watchers showcases a humanoid who transcends outdated motives of violence through the acquisition of higher knowledge.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Oh, damn, yes, please! A "Violence IS the Answer" watchlist would give me a more balanced portrayal of how STNG looks at things.

Edit: Oops, misread you--I don´t think that's ever a case TNG makes even obliquely.

[–] hallettj@leminal.space 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Hmm... episodes where violence is the answer. The obvious candidates are the first two Borg episodes. Those were written to challenge the idea that diplomacy is always an option:

  • Q Who
  • The Best of Both Worlds

Other (less good) episodes with an enemy that can't be reasoned with include Skin of Evil, and Conspiracy. And I suppose Time's Arrow (but that one is a good episode).

Episodes where negotiation fails, and the Federation chooses violence:

  • The High Ground (hey, it's in both of my lists!)
  • Preemptive Strike

There are a bunch of episodes where there is an individual, or a handful of individuals, who must be stopped. That's a common story even in Star Trek. A couple that seem most relevant to me for this idea are:

  • The Most Toys (because of Data's analysis of his situation)
  • Starship Mine (maybe the purest example of a regular crew member choosing violence)

It is a shorter list. After all, we're not talking about TOS.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 2 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

The Most Toys is a fascinating moment for Data.

[–] ummthatguy@lemmy.world 1 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

The question is, do you believe he pulled the trigger before the transport? What's more, did he come to the conclusion by cold android logic, or was this a resulting spark of human compassion finally achieved?

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 2 points 10 hours ago

The weapon was active. To me that says he pulled the trigger.

And I think he worked from logic to reach the same conclusion a human might reach through emotion. Data can never be a human, but he is very human.

[–] charonn0@startrek.website 1 points 1 day ago

Or just watch DS9.

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No case needs to be made. Turn on the nature channel. Violence is the base, default solution. It is the ability to rise above it that sets apart higher-order creatures. We are living in the most privileged age to ever exist if violence feels like some not-yet-tried solution.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

That's quite a simplified view of nature. Many cooperative species, from bees to elephants, build their societies on cooperation. And sometimes they get violent, too, whether internally or externally.

I'd really recommend you read anything about primates by Frans der Waal before basing your worldview on just-so stories.

[–] hallettj@leminal.space 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You already mentioned Angel One

Episodes where the crew clearly mediate a cultural conflict:

  • Symbiosis
  • The Ensigns of Command (the two sides don't interact directly, and one side is human, but this is all about negotiation, and it's a good one)
  • The Vengeance Factor
  • Devil's Due (political negotiation via courtroom procedure)
  • Suddenly Human (family-scale dispute, but culturally divisive, one side is human)
  • Birthright
  • Journey's End (one side is human)

Episodes where the crew gets involved in an internal conflict (episodes with * are more action than negotiation):

  • Angel One
  • The Hunted*
  • The High Ground
  • Transfigurations*
  • Legacy*
  • Unification*
  • The Outcast

Internal conflicts, but specifically Klingon politics where the two sides are Klingon factions:

  • Reunion
  • Rightful Heir

Episodes about negotiation, but really it's about a hotshot ambassador:

  • Loud as a Whisper
  • Sarek
  • The Host
  • Man of the People

Honorable mention: The Price is mostly negotiations between several cultures. But there isn't a clear mediating party. And the negotiation is over a purchase agreement, not a political disagreement.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Thank you! This is a beautiful and thoughtfully presented list.

[–] hallettj@leminal.space 1 points 1 day ago

You're welcome! It's a self-serving pleasure to show off my knowledge of Star Trek episodes.

[–] Seimhe@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Now that you mention it, I would love to have tags for the episodes including negotiation and other elements.

I hope you get a constructive answer.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh, yeah, there probably is a Trek database somewhere doing this, no?

[–] thessnake03@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

This has some good things tagged as sources in the article

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Diplomat

[–] thebardingreen@lemmy.starlightkel.xyz 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)
  • Obviously Darmok.
  • Also, the Chase. - The crew find hidden code in DNA across multiple planets, end up having to cooperate with Klingons, Romulans and Cardassians to unlock it.
[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Obviously Darmok.

Idk if it fits in, since it's between the Feds and the Tamarians.

Banger if an ep, really dials in Picard's motivation

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