Patrick Abbott, Sci-Fi Author

Everyone always plays the clip of Picard verbally pile-driving Commander Maddox, but that's not really the important part of the episode. Due to a shortage of qualified legal personnel, as well as an asshole JAG (which NEVER happens in the carbon 'verse), Commander Riker was pressed into service acting as the legal representation for the aforementioned scientist (who literally wanted to vivisect Commander* Data). And Riker swallows his personal feelings - of which he naturally has many - and does his duty, to the point where he felt like shit about it afterwards. Data reminds him that without Riker doing what had to be done, the asshole JAG's initial ruling would have stood, and Data would be in bitty bits. But the below image reminded me of that reality, which only further drives home how far Star Trek has fallen. The diaper-clad failures responsible for SA could never even conceive of someone putting their personal feelings aside and doing what has to be done, no matter how distasteful it might be. To them, their personal feelings are everything, and no one's ever allowed to be uncomfortable. And to think we used to get 23 episodes an orbit of the former, and they can't even manage 10 of the latter. (* - Colloquially, it's polite to give Lieutenant Commanders verbal promotions, mostly because it's easier to say.)