It took over 15 years for a specific Star Trek episode to be broadcast in a particular country, and it has not been shown there since.
Imagine being a Star Trek fan and suddenly finding yourself unable to watch the latest episode, or even worse, being stopped from watching an entire season. This was the reality for Star Trek enthusiasts in the UK when the character Data, portrayed by Brent Spiner, made a controversial statement about the year 2024.
If you’re from Britain, you might not be familiar with ‘The High Ground’, episode four of season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation. There’s a good reason for this, as the episode could be interpreted as promoting violence.
While a bit of on-screen blood and gore is generally acceptable, broadcasters hesitate to air content when the violence has political implications.
So, what made the scene so problematic that it wasn’t shown in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland for such a lengthy period?
In the episode, Data talks about the ‘Irish unification of 2024’ when citing instances where violence has effectively achieved political objectives.
Though it first aired in the United States in 1990, concerns regarding Data’s remarks led the BBC and RTÉ — broadcasters in the UK and the Republic of Ireland — to avoid broadcasting it.
Sky, a UK satellite broadcaster, aired an edited version two years later, omitting the contentious scene. The unedited episode reportedly made its UK debut on Sky in 2006.
The BBC eventually aired ‘The High Ground’ in September 2007, which remains its only broadcast according to their archives.
This decision was influenced by the ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland at the time, as the IRA sought to terminate British rule in the country.
So, what exactly was Data’s dialogue in the episode?
The episode revolves around terrorism after the abduction of Dr. Beverly Crusher, the Starship Enterprise’s chief medical officer. Data states: “I’ve been reviewing the history of armed rebellion, and it appears that terrorism is an effective way to promote political change.”
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, responds: “Yes it can be, but I have never subscribed to the theory that political power flows from the barrel of a gun.”
Data then counters: “Yet there are numerous examples of when it was successful – the independence of the Mexican state from Spain, the Irish unification of 2024, and the Kenzie rebellion.”