Tasha's drug speech

[Mr. Laser Beam]

This has been in my headspace for awhile now and I gotta let it out.

I'm sure Denise hated delivering that stupid bit as much as anyone. Probably made her physically ill. But I have always been curious - if she had been allowed to write it herself, I wonder what she would have said.

And no, this isn't intended as some smartass comment, I'm genuinely curious. If Denise had been given carte blanche to write whatever lines she chose, but still with the same intent (meaning, the studio says it still has to be anti-drugs), I really do wonder what it would be. What would someone who'd been through as much shit as Tasha has, have said in a situation like this?

 

[1001001]

 

[Qonundrum]

This has been in my headspace for awhile now and I gotta let it out.

I'm sure Denise hated delivering that stupid bit as much as anyone. Probably made her physically ill. But I have always been curious - if she had been allowed to write it herself, I wonder what she would have said.

But that's what an actor does: To sell another persona, convincingly, without their own person seep through in the performance. Sometimes it's easier if one agrees with the material, but...

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Denise sells it well, regardless if she liked the script or agreed with it-- and she disagreed with enough scripts that she wanted to leave. "Justice" does Yar's character far worse than this speech.


Indeed, historically speaking, there are a number of actors who get even death threats of all things, because of the fictional character they play, despite it being full known that said actor's real-life views are the opposite of the character being portrayed, is played so well that audiences forget the difference. Unless there's a better reason, of course.

And no, this isn't intended as some smartass comment, I'm genuinely curious. If Denise had been given carte blanche to write whatever lines she chose, but still with the same intent (meaning, the studio says it still has to be anti-drugs), I really do wonder what it would be. What would someone who'd been through as much shit as Tasha has, have said in a situation like this?

The late-80s and early-90s were anti-drug PSAs everywhere. Even video games had programming with textual screens or vocalizations about "winners don't use drugs". TNG was just par for the proverbial course.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

There are other shows that handle these kinds of deep conversations better. Maybe it works better if the characters have more of a connection, or if they're doing some activity together as they discuss it, or if the responsible adult in the conversation uses allegory before getting to the meat of the matter.

 

[Skipper]

"Remember people, drugs are BAD! Racism is BAD!

...but for whatever reason we can't openly say that homophobia is bad. You have to use your imagination while we tackle this subject in a very convolute and oblique manner."

 

[Yistaan]

This is the one in Symbiosis? I looked up a transcript and I don't see what's wrong with it. Peoiple who genuinely don't think they're drunk and getting into a driver's seat is still a problem in this world. Marijuana causing schizophrenia (it happened to someone I know) is on the rise. Not only is there nothing wrong with Tasha's drug speech, we need more of these speeches.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I think it's because it even sounds scripted that it stands out, as though Tasha wrote this speech for a long-ago PE class, memorized it, and has been saving it for just such an occasion.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I do not indulge in recreational pharmaceuticals at all. Ever.

But so long as two extraordinarily addictive killer drugs (i.e., ethanol and nicotine) are given a free pass, such speeches cannot help but carry the stench of hypocrisy.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

You know, it just hit me.

Picard says that the Prime Directive prevents the Federation from trying to stop the Ornarans' drug addiction, AND from providing any replacement parts for the decaying Ornaran freighters.

The first one I get, but the second? The PD specifically allows the Federation to provide assistance that is asked for, and that's exactly what the Ornarans did - they asked for help. If the Federation is allowed to help in "Pen Pals" (since the distress call in that episode was interpreted as a request for help), then why not here?

 

[Kor]

This is the one in Symbiosis? I looked up a transcript and I don't see what's wrong with it. Peoiple who genuinely don't think they're drunk and getting into a driver's seat is still a problem in this world. Marijuana causing schizophrenia (it happened to someone I know) is on the rise. Not only is there nothing wrong with Tasha's drug speech, we need more of these speeches.

The speech is very clunky and bonks the viewer painfully on the head with the preachy message. And the delivery is on par with Yar's "This so-called court should get down on its kneeeeeeeeeeees to what Starfleet is!" speech in Encounter at Farpoint.

Qonundrum embedded a Youtube link above but playback was disabled.
Perhaps this one might work:

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Kor

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

If the Federation is allowed to help in "Pen Pals" (since the distress call in that episode was interpreted as a request for help), then why not here?

The pusher-addict relationship between the two societies is on the verge of a collapse that would be the normal, natural, and healthy evolution of the societies of both planets. Providing spare parts would perpetuate that pathological relationship beyond its natural end. By invoking the PD and demanding that the Enterprise crew refrain from aiding the Ornarans in putting a more merciful end to their addiction, they walked right into Picard ruling that providing the spare parts would also violate the PD.

The society in Pen Pals was doomed (and so, for that matter, was the one in Homeward, although in that case, there was no distress call).

 

[fireproof78]

This is the one in Symbiosis? I looked up a transcript and I don't see what's wrong with it. Peoiple who genuinely don't think they're drunk and getting into a driver's seat is still a problem in this world. Marijuana causing schizophrenia (it happened to someone I know) is on the rise. Not only is there nothing wrong with Tasha's drug speech, we need more of these speeches.

It's all in the delivery.

Though, it's not like these speeches always work. I'm aware and seen the potential impact of schizophrenia and early marijuana use but that hasn't stopped people.

 

[AntonyF]

I don't have issues with this scene. Yes it feels a bit on the nose, but this was TNG season 1. It's a problem that pervades it in terms of clunkiness.

And I think it's easy as adults to sit here and roll our eyes... but Wesley was a kid, many kids were watching... you as an adult are not the only viewing audience.

 

[somebuddyX]

If I rewrote "Symbiosis" I would have Wesley stuck on Ornara/Brekka, has a minor injury and gets hooked on felicium accidentally, and have one of his Ornara/Brekka friends OD. Do it like a Degrassi episode.

 

[Lady Mondegreen]

How many people have actually been convinced not to do drugs by heavy-handed, on-the-nose PSAs?

 

[Moonglum]

How many people have actually been convinced not to do drugs by heavy-handed, on-the-nose PSAs?

Well this certainly put me on the right path in life...well, except for all the weed.

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[Ragitsu]

"Drugs...make you feel good."

 

[CoveTom]

You know, it just hit me.

Picard says that the Prime Directive prevents the Federation from trying to stop the Ornarans' drug addiction, AND from providing any replacement parts for the decaying Ornaran freighters.

The first one I get, but the second? The PD specifically allows the Federation to provide assistance that is asked for, and that's exactly what the Ornarans did - they asked for help. If the Federation is allowed to help in "Pen Pals" (since the distress call in that episode was interpreted as a request for help), then why not here?

Picard may have also been stretching the restrictions of the Prime Directive a bit to fit the situation, as well. He knew he couldn't just jump in and upset the relationship between the two planets directly, but he also knew that if he denied the replacement parts, it would ultimately end up having the same effect in the long-term.

 

[fireproof78]

How many people have actually been convinced not to do drugs by heavy-handed, on-the-nose PSAs?

Raises hand.

 

[Qonundrum]

How many people have actually been convinced not to do drugs by heavy-handed, on-the-nose PSAs?

Based on this,
https://www.axios.com/2024/12/30/teenage-drug-alcohol-use-declines

I can think of a few possibilities at least, but the correlation between the late-80s anti-drug onward suggests that MJ was somewhat successful. For a while. Then usage went back up but has since slowly gone down, interestingly enough. At least, according to that article. There are other drugs, and I'm not optimistic in a belief that reruns of "Symbiosis" will have had as much effect now compared to the days before the PSAs were deemed "corny".