| "Symbiosis" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Next Generation episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 22 |
| Directed by | Win Phelps |
| Story by | Robert Lewin |
| Teleplay by |
|
| Featured music | Dennis McCarthy |
| Cinematography by | Edward R. Brown |
| Production code | 123 |
| Original air date | April 18, 1988 |
| Guest appearances | |
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"Symbiosis" is the twenty-second episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It first aired on April 18, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The teleplay was written by Robert Lewin, Richard Manning, and Hans Beimler, based on a story by Lewin, and the episode was directed by Win Phelps.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, Picard tries to mediate a trade dispute between two neighboring planets, one of which is the sole supplier of a drug to treat the other's apparently fatal disease, only to discover a far more sinister relationship is involved that he cannot interfere with.
The episode was written after executive producer Maurice Hurley worked on Miami Vice, which he credited for resulting in the drug trade theme in the episode. The guest cast included Judson Scott and Merritt Butrick who had both appeared in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). The episode received mixed reviews with criticism directed at the subject matter and the unsubtle nature of the presentation.