I am a sucker for some human drama. I feel star trek got better when it started to develop characters that actually felt human with all our positive and negative attributes.
As a guy getting a bit older (well seasoned), I find that I actually feel for Kyle Riker quite a bit in this episode. In life (well, maybe not 24th century earth), you have bills to pay and a job to keep and being a single parent while still maintaining those obligations is no easy task. You just see things a bit differently once you have joined the lemmings on the front line of society; or at least I do.
I like Riker's performance as moody/passive aggressive angry son. You have to get that stuff out of your system and the wave of emotion is not something that you analyze logically .... no... you solve this old fashion way by physically fighting your dad until battered and bruised you come to a realization. It's like meditating until you see visions. Who among us has not physically fought their dad?
Worf's B-Plot ties in with the theme of family and crazy fight rituals. For humans we get drunk and then vomit on our parents carpet as a right of passage (it's great fun!) but getting tortured and screaming out personal truths sounds appealing too, i guess.
I have a soft spot for people who try to make right or apologize for perceived wrongs and I feel a genuine sadness from Kyle Riker.
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