Television Review: The Hunted (Star Trek: The Next Generation, S3X11, 1990)

The Hunted (S03E11)

Airdate: January 8th 1990

Written by: Robin Bernheim
Directed by: Cliff Bole

Running Time: 45 minutes

"If the planet or alien society looks too good to be true, it usually isn't good" is one of Star Trek's most enduring narrative clichés. This trope, in itself, is not inherently problematic; indeed, at its best, it serves as a springboard for profound explorations of societal hypocrisy, moral complexity, and the shadows lurking beneath utopian façades. The Hunted, the eleventh episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation's third season, attempts precisely this trajectory. Yet, despite its promising premise, the episode ultimately stumbles, failing to transcend its formulaic framework to achieve the depth and resonance that characterises the show's finest hours.

The episode commences with Captain Picard and the Enterprise encountering Angosia III, a world whose humanoid inhabitants present themselves as paragons of enlightened progress. Their society appears sophisticated, peaceful, and eminently worthy of Federation membership—a prospect Picard initially deems highly likely. However, the veneer cracks almost immediately when Prime Minister Nayrok (James Cromwell), requests the Enterprise's assistance in apprehending a dangerous fugitive who has escaped from the penal colony on Lunar V. This abrupt shift from diplomatic overture to manhunt instantly signals the familiar Star Trek pattern: the utopia is a mirage. What follows is a rather conventional pursuit, as the Enterprise tracks the fugitive, Roga Danar (Jeff McCarthy), whose small sub-warp vessel proves surprisingly elusive until Starfleet ingenuity prevails. Danar's initial capture scene is undeniably effective, showcasing his terrifying physical prowess as he demolishes the transporter room and overpowers multiple security officers—a stark visual representation of the threat he embodies.

The narrative's true potential, however, emerges once Danar is confined. Counsellor Troi's empathic assessment yields a shocking revelation: beneath his formidable conditioning, Danar possesses a fundamentally non-violent nature. His subsequent explanation unravels the episode's central tragedy. The Angosians, he reveals, were historically a peaceful people until the Tarsian War necessitated soldiers. The government responded by subjecting individuals like Danar to irreversible physical and psychological alterations, transforming them into remorseless, hyper-efficient killing machines. When peace returned, these veterans, deemed incompatible with civilian life due to their engineered aggression and trauma, were not rehabilitated but discarded—exiled to the brutal prison colony. This premise, drawing clear parallels to real-world treatment of military personnel, holds significant dramatic weight. Danar's subsequent escape—demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness within the Enterprise's Jefferies tubes (canonically named here for the first time)—and his orchestration of a mass uprising from Lunar V, culminating in an assault on the Angosian capital, forces a moral confrontation. Picard's refusal to intervene militarily, insisting the Angosians resolve their self-created crisis before seeking Federation membership, delivers a characteristically Starfleet message about responsibility and self-determination.

Ironically, while The Hunted is not actively poor, its greatest failing is its profound forgettability. Sandwiched within TNG's stellar third season, it suffers immensely from comparison. Airing directly after The Defector, arguably one of the series' pinnacle achievements, its relatively simplistic narrative and underdeveloped themes appear glaringly inadequate. The script, written by Robin Burger from a concept by showrunner Michael Piller, was explicitly intended as an allegory for America's treatment of Vietnam veterans. While the core idea—society discarding those it has traumatised for its own convenience—is potent, Burger's execution oversimplifies complex socio-psychological issues. The Angosian government's actions feel cartoonishly callous rather than tragically bureaucratic, and the resolution hinges on a conveniently timed rebellion that Picard merely observes, delivering a moralising speech rather than facilitating genuine reconciliation. Intriguingly, reports suggest the original vision was far darker and more violent, exploring the veterans' justified rage more fully, but budget and time constraints forced a neutered conclusion, leaving the central conflict unresolved and the moral ambiguity unexplored.

Director Cliff Bole manages the material competently, crafting a generally satisfactory action-driven episode. The utilisation of the Enterprise's Jefferies tubes provides a refreshingly claustrophobic setting for Danar's evasion sequences, adding tangible tension. Some moments, however, strain credulity—Danar's ability to temporarily disrupt the transporter beam during his initial capture borders on the absurdly superhuman. Performances are functional rather than exceptional. Jeff McCarthy embodies the physically imposing, tormented supersoldier archetype adequately, but lacks the nuanced depth to elevate Danar beyond a Rambo-esque archetype. James Cromwell lends Prime Minister Nayrok a compelling veneer of statesmanlike authority gradually eroded by panic, effectively establishing his recurring Star Trek persona, later cemented by iconic roles as Zefram Cochrane.

Ultimately, The Hunted exemplifies the perils of Star Trek playing it safe. It recognises a profound injustice—the systemic abandonment of those sacrificed for collective security—but retreats from examining its messy, painful realities. Instead, it offers a tidy, action-packed parable where the utopia's flaw is revealed, the outcasts rebel briefly, and the Federation delivers a lecture before departing. The episode's heart lies in the right place, acknowledging society's duty to its warriors. Yet, by failing to delve beyond surface-level allegory and opting for a conventional structure over genuine moral complexity, it remains a footnote in TNG's legacy—a well-intentioned, competently made, but ultimately unremarkable hour that evaporates from memory almost as swiftly as Roga Danar vanishes from Enterprise.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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