Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) The Price (1989) User Reviews

More good than bad in it

[snoozejonc · 6/10 · 14 June 2021]

Enterprise hosts an event to negotiate access rights to a wormhole leading to the Gamma Quadrant.

This is a mostly good episode with some poorly written romantic scenes but more than a few redeeming qualities.

The plot is interesting from a sci-fi and nerdy perspective with regards to the implications of the wormhole, particularly if you are interested in the premise of shows like Deep Space Nine and Voyager. It also works as moral take on an empath's ability to read emotions.

Unfortunately central to the plot is a fairly weak romance involving Deanna Troi and a guest character. These type of one-episode-wonders never work for me because I can never take them seriously. Romances on screen only get my interest if the love develops out of something meaningful the characters go through together or if they have spectacularly good chemistry. This is not one of those stories and, like most Star Trek romances, she's in love because she just is.

The best aspect of it is how it turns out for Troi in relation to the wormhole plot which gives her some strong character building moments and a good contribution to something important in the episode.

Riker has some decent scenes. One in particular where he is somewhat taunted by someone and then responds with a fantastically written and delivered piece of dialogue. It is probably the highlight of the episode and nearly made me say "well done" to a fictional character.

The visuals are okay with some great makeup and costuming for the alien effects of the Ferengi and others. One sequence of dialogue is very abruptly and noticeably cut mid discussion. The less said about Troi and Dr Crusher's aerobics session whilst they discuss men the better.

Performances are solid with good work from the main cast, particularly Marina Sirtis and briefly Jonathan Frakes. Matt McCoy looks the part of a classic slime-bag with his baby face, dark hair and blue eyes and to be fair he acts it well.

Deanna dating a creep.

[thevacinstaller · 6/10 · 15 March 2021]

When I watched this episode I was left with the impression that Ral had 'cast a spell' on Troi rather than a legitimate 'Troi in love' episode --- as a means of reducing the effectiveness of her telepathic abilities. Throughout the episode Troi seems is a daze/drugged not genuinely in love with Ral.

Ral is the 'win at any costs' guy that everyone living life on earth has encountered at some point. Nasty guy. You have to be a special kind of fool to commit to an agreement before the shuttle crew reports back on the viability of the wormhole ---- but that's what spectacular arrogance yields, I suppose.

This episode has some meaning to it but I was pretty bummed out about seeing Troi being used and exploited. Deanna ---- You should have kicked this guy in the groin instead of saying you have a job as counselor. Ugh!

What's up with that? "I am a garbage excuse for a human being but I want you to put up with my BS and make me a better person...." ---- If anyone say's this line to you, RUN as fast as possible away from them.

Riker's a good guy in this episode. He's not being a jealous jerk --- he wants Deanna to be happy and astutely can see through Ral's fake exterior presentation and verbally thrashes him.

I loved the workout gear and girl talk scene with Bev.

Double Standard, Fans?

[sloopnp · 7/10 · 2 July 2019]

I don't know why people hated this episode so much. I liked the whole wormhole angle and seeing someone with Troi's abilities actually use them for sinister purposes. My favorite part was Riker's response to Ral when he tries to toss Troi in his face, and Troi's dismissal of Ral with: I already have that job. As for everyone having an issue with Troi "hooking up" with Ral so quickly, funny how nobody complains when Riker pretty much does the same thing every other episode. What's the problem there, folks? The lack of real action (outside Troi's bedroom) is the only drawback to this episode.

A predecessor to Deep Space Nine.

[russem31 · 17 April 2006]

ST:TNG:56 - "The Price" (Stardate: 43385.6) - this is the 8th episode of the 3rd season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The Enterprise hosts a group of dignitaries who are bidding for the rights to the first and only stable wormhole to exist - it travels to the Gamma Quadrant (like another stable wormhole that'll be seen in Deep Space Nine). At the same time in this Troi episode, she meets one of the negotiators, Devinoni Ral (played by Matt McCoy) who turns out to be ruthless and successful - even to the point he's determined to win Troi's love regardless the costs. There Ferengi also make an appearance in the bidding war.

Trivia note: this is the first episode we see Troi's love of chocolate when she asks the food dispenser in her quarters for a "real chocolate sundae". She also gets 3 letters from her mother. And, we see her and Beverly Crusher do their stretching exercises for the first time.

Nice character development

[leovasc789 · 7/10 · 3 February 2023]

Another nice episode of this season. Don't understand the criticism.

The plot is all about Deanna's romance with the guest character. She immediately falls in love with him as he can hide emotions and turns out to be a mystery for her. Soon it will be explained though.

This reveal much of Deanna's personality and ethics, also her improved relationship with Riker. The guest turn out to be just a manipulative and egocentric predator with no values at all, who is rejected by Deanna as she understand his true colors.

Anyway, this episode also introduces ideas later explored in Star Trek universe (Deep Space Nine) and has an interesting aproach on wormholes.

The only negative stuff is the ridiculous gym outfits and the annoying ferengi attitude towards the whole conflict.

How Much Is That Worm Hole?

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 15 August 2014]

Several alien representative are on the Enterprise to negotiate an agreement with a culture for rights to use a worm hole that will allow them to transfer to different sectors of the galaxy. The Ferengi make their presence known and actively sabotage the process, including poisoning one of the negotiators, the Federation rep. He falls ill and Riker must take his place. One of the men on the ship is a handsome man who immediately is attracted to Troi and she to him. He is masterful at his job and usually gets what he wants. He tells Deanna that he is himself part Betazoid, and she comes to realize that this gives him an unfair advantage over others. She begins to suspect that he has no moral compass, but it is hard for her because she is generally pretty lonely. This episode does drag a bit and alliances are formed. Unfortunately, a discovery is made that changes things. I will leave that to those of you who wish to watch this offering.

A stacked deck

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 10 July 2019]

Will Riker's prowess at poker has stood him in good stead. But Jonathan Frakes is up against it when during negotiations over a possible stable wormhole where he has to pinch hit for the regular Federation rep, he's up against Matt McCoy.

McCoy is a telepath a fact he keeps secret from all even Marina Sirtis. This makes him one good negotiator with a big advantage. The planet Barzan of which Elizabeth Hoffman rules is not as technologically advanced so someone has to purchase the rights from them. McCoy is working for one group.

The Ferengi are in the hunt as well. Three of the schemingest, scurviest of the species you ever saw.

What happens in the end. In the case of the Fergengi pure delight for the viewer.

Cool Episode, mostly because of the Wormhole

[Gman4MF · 7/10 · 9 November 2018]

Love the Wormhole thing. However on entrance of Devinoni Ral i had to fight the immediate impulse to puke. Not in the least in how he looks. As the episode evolves it becomes clear that the character's immoral way of negotiating only adds to this premenition...

Quite an underrated episode

[sunkorg · 9/10 · 10 January 2018]

I enjoyed "The Price" when it first aired in 1989 and most of it holds up nearly 30 years later (except for some of the 80s hair styles..oy!). The episode offered our first real look at a stable wormhole-type scenario that would be ultimately further explored in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The emotional tap dance between Troi and Ral was fun to watch, though by today's standards (and perhaps even by 1989's), Ral's passes at Troi were a bit too abruptly forward and predatory. But this is television, and writers only have 45 minutes to develop such trysts. Actor Matt McCoy really has fun with his character, and here he reminds me of a suave, but geeky, young John F. Kennedy.

The humor in "The Price" is particularly fun, with most of the comic relief coming at the expense of the Ferengi. The showdown between Riker and Ral in Ten Forward marks one of the best duels in Trek, with Riker satisfyingly putting Ral in his place.

"The Price" is an underrated TNG episode, likely because the story is more about manipulation and ethics rather than space battles and time warps. This was a great episode for Marina Sirtis and her character shines here.

Send care packages to Deanna Troi at the Enterprise D.

[amusinghandle · 7/10 · 27 January 2024]

Oh, my dear Deanna --- I am not sure how to take this episode because on face value it seems like it is attempting to write an actual love story but when you pay attention to Sirtis performance it seems like she is being drugged. I am planning my flag on 'deanna is drugged' and this episode is a sad exploration of exploitation and manipulation but effective in it's message nonetheless.

You remember that classic movie, "White men can't jump..."? No, of course you don't ---- well, anyway --- there was a line in it when woody's gf told me "sometimes when you win, you actually lose..." and that's what jumped out to me in this episode. Sometimes it is better to lose.

Devinoni Ral is a horrible person but the actor did a wonderful job of portraying a testable character.

I have watched this one a few times but I got something different out of it this time ---- the sad exploration of a manipulator who ultimately loses. There are people like Ral out there right now, so it's somewhat satisfying in that sense.

There should have been an ending scene where Commander Riker shows up in Troi's quarters with chocolate ice cream ---- This is an easy home run and would smooth over this controversial episode.

How to Buy a Wormhole

[Samuel-Shovel · 2/10 · 24 September 2019]

In "The Price" the Federation attends negotiations for the control and access of a "stable wormhole" that would allow them to travel to a distant quadrant that would take 90 years to reach otherwise. But other cultures are interested in this wormhole as well, notably the Ferengi, and two other races with scientific interests. A human negotiator representing the Chrysalians shows up on the Enterprise and quickly woos Troi. She soon finds herself with a conflict of interest when she learns the man is part Betazoid and uses his powers unethically during negotiations. Meanwhile Data and Geordi take a pod into the wormhole with some Ferengi to make sure it really is stable.

The main storyline here is the romantic intrigue between Troi and Ral. I don't think they get the tone quite right though and it makes for the episode's most boring scenes. And to make matters worse Ral's "courting" of Troi is entirely misogynistic. The writers turn this three dimensional empathic character into a sex object for their male gaze. It's uncomfortable.

Watching Ral negotiate with other races and his showdown with Riker are probably the best scenes. The big finale scene leaves a lot to be desired. The only thing of real importance here is the two Ferengi that get left on the opposite side of the wormhole.

I also like the shot of the Ferengi flirting at the bar...

One of the best episodes

[rskolek · 9/10 · 9 April 2020]

I do not understand the negative reviews. This is a really good episode, with interesting plot and characters.

"The rules of the game change to fit the moment."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 5 December 2023]

Let's just think about something for a minute. I don't know how intergalactic rules will emerge in the far distant future (if they ever do), but how is it that the Barzans can lay claim to a wormhole? And not just any wormhole, but the first and only stable one known to exist. If, as was stated in the episode, one could navigate a trillion light years through a wormhole in the space of a few minutes, how would the Barzans have been able to deter anyone from using it that wanted to. Just enter it and be gone!! The Barzans admitted that they didn't have the expertise or technology to manage their 'ownership' of the wormhole, so they were willing to sell it to the highest bidder, thereby bringing potential bidders aboard the Enterprise to negotiate for the rights. I still can't wrap my head around that idea.

You know, I've mentioned it in some of my other reviews, but the whole Riker/Troi dynamic from episode to episode doesn't have any kind of continuity. In the first season, for example, the 'Haven' episode had them both expressing feelings for each other in the face of a pre-arranged marriage for Troi (Marina Sirtis) which ultimately didn't take place. Then, in the second season, Riker had a fling with the farmer's daughter in "Up the Long Ladder", which had to make you question what kind of commitment he had with the Counselor. In this episode, Troi is swept off her feet by a one-quarter Betazoid, acting like a schoolgirl in that ridiculous workout scene with Doctor Crusher (Gates McFadden), right after a provocative encounter with Devinoni Ral (Matt McCoy) that more than suggested they did the nasty. I don't know why, but I just find it bothersome that the Riker/Troy relationship isn't nailed down one way or the other.

Anyway, the story gets goosed with the appearance of the Ferengi, bent out of sorts because they weren't invited to the wormhole negotiations. The imbecilic Ferengi, Daimon Goss (Scott Thomson) fires a missile into the wormhole to express his displeasure over being outmaneuvered, while Commander Riker calls Devinoni Ral's bluff about taking Troi with him when he leaves (see what I mean?). However, she finds Ral's tactics using his empathic power to win the negotiation with the Barzans to be underhanded, and she decides to stay put on the Enterprise. Good call on her part, I guess. The guy was a bit too self absorbed in my estimation.

Euww... what a total denigration of Troi

[cheesus-895-673869 · 1/10 · 24 March 2022]

This is pure vileness. A guy "oozes" his way into the life of Deanna Troi. How did she even let this walking slime enter her room, let alone her life. He is disgusting.

I would say this episode just ruins her strong character. "Oh you have big blue eyes... therefore I will sleep with you!" I do not think any thought went into this episode at all. It is a disgrace.

If there is anything in the episode, it is totally ruined by this tacky "character". I use the word "character" loosely. He is more like a cartoon caricature.. It basically just revolves around smut. It is like a bad porn movie with no actual sex scenes.

The scene involving Riker is pretty pointless. The fact that Troi even considered this guy palatable is amusing at best. Vomit bags at the ready for this episode.

One of my favorite episodes

[skiop · 7 February 2016]

I'm shocked about the negative comments this one gets. It's one of my favorites.

Here, there are negotiations over the ownership of the first stable wormhole known to exist, and Troi begins a tumultuous relationship with a handsome opposing negotiator. This allows some development of Troi's character and also shows how her relationship with Riker has evolved since the first season.

In ways, this episode foreshadows Deep Space Nine. Not only is there a stable wormhole, but the Ferengi here are more comical than evil (granted, they are still evil, not at all purely comical as in DS9). There are other comical parts here too, like Troi's argument with the ship's computer in the opening scene.

The worst thing: The ridiculous workout outfits that Troi and Dr. Crusher wear.

Passionate Troy....

[IfyOgwude2 · 10/10 · 10 December 2021]

I really love this episode. Counselor Troy falls hard and fast for a charismatic sexy negotiator. But alas all isn't as rosy as it seems. I love that this episode focuses on a short romance. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Garbage

[zombiemockingbird · 1/10 · 31 March 2023]

Devinoni Ral is a gas-lighting, manipulative slimebag, which is painfully obvious from the second he first opens his mouth. The fact that Troi doesn't pick up on this with her empathic abilities, is pathetic. Not only does she not pick up on something so obvious a blind, deaf, mute could get it, she "falls in love" with the scumbag. She just lost complete credibility (not that she honestly had much to begin with). Her character is a completely worthless waste of time. The scumbag has better perceptive skills than she does. Then toward the end she could tell the Ferengi guy was lying, and then suddenly she senses the scumbag is lying. Surprise! Now her senses are working. Guess they're random, because at the end she still seems kind of confused.

A slow story that seem to go on forever.

[kfo9494 · 3/10 · 21 March 2014]

This episode is a gift to Marina Sirtis (Dianna Tori) to try and develop her, so-far, one dimensional character. But instead of giving Tori a pathway to create a more interesting and involved character, they give her a plot where she looks like more like a 'women-of-the-night' than a respectable member of the Enterprise crew.

It begins when the Enterprise is in orbit around the planet Barzan that has a stable wormhole nearby. They are in negotiations along with the Chrysallis and the Ferengi over rights to the wormhole. But little does anyone know, the Chrysallis negotiator Devinoni Ral, a nice outward looking fellow, is part Betazoid and can read a person's feeling while negotiating. He is also rather nasty person that will do, say or use anything just so his side gets the best over another in any situation. And for some reason Counselor Troi hops in bed with the slick agent and actually abets him by not revealing the truth about the good-looking negotiator.

An uninteresting episode that seemed way slow in developing. The part of the story that concerned the wormhole was a good story but when it was paired with the Troi/Devinoni relationship, it got old fast. The best part of the episode was between Geordi and a Ferengi shuttle-craft operator concerning the wormhole becoming unstable. But other than that short moment, there is little to entertain in this slow and uninteresting offering.

Star Trek The Next Generation--The Price

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 8 April 2013]

Really, "The Price" is a Deanna Troi episode, with a subplot including bidding negotiations on a supposedly stable wormhole (the first ever) with delegates from certain planets (Federation, Chrysallis, Ferengi, etc) hoping to secure its rights. Troi finds herself drawn to Devinoni Rai (Matt McCoy), of the Chrysallis, a deceptive, cunning negotiator who will use whatever methods he can to get rights to the wormhole. The Ferengi's lead negotiator, Daimon Goss (Scott Thomson), is also not above using nefarious methods to get closer to attaining rights to the wormhole, even using an invisible poison during a handshake with the Federation negotiator, leading to the man's temporary coma. Picard places himself at an accidental disadvantage when he agreed to be the middle man during the negotiation process, removing the possibility of his stepping in to be Federation's lead negotiator, handing over responsibilities to Riker. Riker and Rai aren't just rivals at the negotiating table; Devinoni brings Troi into the conversation as if she were a pawn to be doled out as well. McCoy has quite the smug, confident, aggressive character, moving quite fast with Councelor Troi (much to her liking), with her agreeably allowing him to advance with her sexually in relatively short order. Picard will want to test the wormhole, sending Data and Geordi in a shuttlecraft through it to see how stable it really is on the other end. Goss sends his Ferengi officers in their own pod, leading to hilarious results when they don't listen to the warnings from Data and Geordi when they discover that the end of the wormhole sent them to a totally different quadrant than expected. Geordi realizes (when looking at the wormhole through his visors) that the wormhole will soon be completely unstable, with the shuttlecraft returning to the Enterprise with the news. Rai plays his hand by securing the rights to the wormhole, through underhanded means (negotiating with the other delegates, offering concessions to them if they agree to back out), while the Federation get out of a potential hot mess thanks to Geordi and Data's findings.

I have no qualms with allowing Troi to have development. Thing is she's played like a fiddle by Rai who immediately captures her attention, lust, and heart. They talk about running away together while lying together in her bed. He massages her feet, they kiss passionately on the first date, and it is pretty much acknowledged that the two have sex before even going out to dinner! It moves quickly with these two. I think Troi has some really great episodes down the road, but this one doesn't exactly do her any favors. It is a bit ridiculously whirlwind. Troi does admit that she may be allowing things to move a bit too fast when doing stretching exercises before an aerobic workout with Beverly Crusher. But when Rai throws her up in Riker's face during a "sizing up" chat, it truly demeans Troi, I think. I like how Riker tears Rai down to size, too, for using her to get under his skin. The ending leaves Troi having to give tough love to Rai after he uses the last treacherous maneuver left to secure the rights, not knowing the wormhouse he sneakily won over is worthless. He still wants her to "be his conscious" but she informs him she already has a job as counselor. Ouch.

Just one line.

[drgarnett · 19 September 2020]

Think about this episode the next time you see Matt McCoy selling insurance on TV. Not so much that the product is defective, but that you're listening to an actor.

A bit of a prelude to "Deep Space 9".

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 16 November 2014]

I would definitely agree with kfo9494's review of Counselor Troi in the series so far--her character has been incredibly one- dimensional (and often annoying I would add). This episode is a chance for Marina Sirtis to do more with this know-it-all character---though this opportunity wasn't fully realized. We see here that Troi is a bit of an 'easy girl' (I am trying to be delicate here), this isn't one of the character's finer moments! After all, she JUST met this new guy and almost instantly she's a sex machine! Perhaps they have eliminated STDs in the 24th century and Troi is just taking full advantage of this! But, even if this doesn't offend or annoy you, her actions seem amazingly shallow and silly--and don't do a lot to give her character depth.

A group of delegates have arrived to bit on rights to the only known naturally occurring wormhole. This wormhole will allow whoever controls it to travel bazillions of light-years almost instantly--and it obviously is worth a huge fortune. Among the several delegates are the sneaky and rather comical jerks, the Ferengi, and a guy named Devinoni Ral who seems more interested in getting his groove on with Troi than negotiating. He also, incidentally, is a real jerk.

The idea of the wormhole would be the basis for the soon to air series, "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" (1993), so in this sense "The Price" is an important episode. But the whole relationship angle with Troi and Ral seemed incredibly contrived and difficult to believe in the least. Too bad the writers didn't take this opportunity to do more with Counselor Troi--clearly and opportunity missed. Overall, despite the whole wormhole angle, a very slow and unsatisfying show.

As the Enterprise Turns

[glornt · 4/10 · 19 September 2020]

Some interesting and entertaining elements here (wormhole, Ferengi), but the episode is marred by the predominance of soap opera elements in which Troi becomes even more annoying than her usual Captain Obvious role.

On the plus side, there's not much Wesley and no Whoopi, so the episode gets double what it would otherwise deserve.

If you like soap operas... well, it's not even good soap opera, so I still can't really recommend it.

A Senior Trekker writes........................

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 9 January 2022]

New uniforms, new credit sequence and Doctor Crusher returned to us but was Season 3 of The Next Generation really as good as we remember? Some of that enthusiasm may have have been generated by relief that the series had not been cancelled but the 1990's also heralded an era of considerably more stability behind the scenes. Senior Trekker will continue to score every episode with a 5.

One of my favourites, of course. Senior Trekker is such a sucker for Babel-type episodes where we get to see a whole variety of alien races and customs, showcasing the prizewinning work of the make-up and costume departments. It seems almost inconceivable nowadays that these creative teams would have to produce the entire look of the episode in a matter of days, often working on more than one storyline at a time. That we can call to mind so many of their creations: the Barzans, the Ferengi, the Caldonians after such a long time has passed is just downright miraculous. However, it has to have been the guest actors who really brought them to life. Given how long some of those scenes must have taken to set up and how much gunk they were carrying around on their foreheads, its amazing how the individual performances stand out.

Elizabeth Hoffman, who played premier Bavhani is currently enjoying her retirement at age 94 Castulo Guerra, as Seth Mendoza, still has a very busy career Kevin Hall, the 6' 9'' actor who played Leyor died tragically young, while our two Ferengi, Scott Thompson and Dan Shor, are no doubt still looking for their chairs.

Troi's romantic storyline was probably the weakest part of the episode, despite the fact that it gave Marina Sirtis some comedic opportunities and the chance to have a sexy, well oiled foot massage. Apparently, the intimate scenes gathered quite a few complaints which is ironic because fans could have seen a great deal more of her had they chosen to look out a copy of Michael Winner's film The Wicked Lady. Her co-star Matt McCoy, as Devinoni Ral, was so oleaginous that most women's "creep alert" would have firing loud and clear before they got anywhere near the bedroom. This makes Counsellor Troi's infatuation even more of a surprise. Her holier than thou attitude when he explains his mildly-underhand negotiations at the end, definitely hints at morning after regrets.

Deanna Troi cannot be trusted

[albert-bentall · 2/10 · 8 October 2020]

The episode was great, but the moral of the story, never tell your secret to deanna troi, her self-importance knows no bound in this episode.

This episode... #MeToo

[cmills-71909 · 1/10 · 5 January 2021]

Did anyone notice that Devinoni guy was rock-hard? Seriously. In the scene where troi and ral are in bed, she hops on his lap. Dude is completely erect. It's like 3-4". From the look on his face to his sharpie pen- this whole scene is completely degrading and gross. I thought her costume was bad. #MeToo