star trek tng mistakes

Star Trek: The Next Generation ( 1987 )

95 mistakes in season 1.

Starring: Patrick Stewart , Michael Dorn , Brent Spiner , Jonathan Frakes , Marina Sirtis , LeVar Burton , Gates McFadden , Denise Crosby , Wil Wheaton

Genres: Adventure , Sci-fi

Encounter at Farpoint (1) - S1 - E1

DVDs can be longer or shorter under different countries' TV systems. Please try one of these times:

PAL: 00:06:10     NTSC: 00:06:40

PAL: 00:20:53     NTSC: 00:22:37

Conspiracy - S1 - E25

Continuity mistake : In the beginning of this episode, Riker orders Geordi (who was navigator at the time) to increase to Warp 6. In response, Geordi replies, "Aye sir, full impulse."

Too Short a Season - S1 - E16

PAL: 00:02:00     NTSC: 00:02:10

Datalore - S1 - E13

Revealing mistake : As Lore kneels over an unconscious Data , the person on the floor is a body double.

Angel One - S1 - E14

Visible crew/equipment : When Riker goes to meet Beata, they sit on the bed together drinking something. As Beata puts her glass down, a hand in the lower right-hand corner reaches for it and removes it for her.

Continuity mistake : After drinking some spiked Champagne from Lore, Data falls backward, yet lands on his face.

The Big Goodbye - S1 - E12

Visible crew/equipment : When Riker tells Yar to open a channel to the Jarada, you can see the reflection of a boom mic in the workstation along the back wall behind him.

The Last Outpost - S1 - E5

Continuity mistake : When Picard asks the Ferengi if they are withdrawing their surrender, Yar's arms pop back and forth from folded to extended as the shots change.

Character mistake : At the end of the episode, after Lore has been defeated, Picard asks Data if he is O.K. Data replies, "I'm fine." One of the plot points of this episode is that Data cannot use contractions.

Suggested correction: That characteristic was not added to the character until season two. In the first season, Data uses contractions on a number of occasions.

It's still a possible mistake, even if it wasn't part of season 1 scripting. Just because we only learn later that Data doesn't use contractions, doesn't make this mistake invalid. We learn Data was specifically constructed that way and hadn't been able to use contraction since being created, which means all of season 1 he shouldn't be using contractions. Although it would probably be best to submit it as a mistake in season 2 when it's mentioned that it contradicts what was established.

It would only be a mistake if he used the contraction after the trait was established for the character.

Possibly, but that's not how mistakes on this site work seem to work. It could still be a valid mistake in the context of the entire show since the character trait had in fact been established. It's the same way for when shows do something like establish a character's birth-date in later seasons, but when episodes from earlier season have the character at the wrong age. Although it would probably be best to submit it as a mistake in season 2 when it's mentioned that it contradicts what was established.

PAL: 00:34:05 - 00:40:38 NTSC: 00:36:55 - 00:44:02

When The Bough Breaks - S1 - E17

PAL: 00:00:43     NTSC: 00:00:47

Where No One Has Gone Before - S1 - E6

PAL: 00:05:46     NTSC: 00:06:14

Other mistake : After greeting Crusher, Data explains where Picard is. Problem is he uses the contraction "he's" instead of "he is." Data is supposed to be incapable of this.

Suggested correction: This is only a mistake if the series is taken as a whole. At this point in the series, that particular trait wasn't part of the character. Data uses contractions multiple times in the first season, as the trait was added later.

While it was explicitly expressed in season 2 that Data can not use contractions, the fact that they did established this character trait means it could be a valid mistake since the trait is meant to show Data could never use contractions since his creation, not that he suddenly developed it some 30-odd years later. Although it would probably be best to submit it as a mistake in season 2 when it's mentioned that it contradicts what was established or at least make one character mistake for "all of season 1" than list every individual time it happened.

Character mistake : In his exchange with Admiral McCoy, Data uses several contractions (i.e., shouldn't, I'm). For the rest of the series he doesn't, and in S3: Ep16, " The Offspring ", he admits that his programming makes him incapable of using contractions. And in S4: Ep8, " Future Imperfect " Riker questions Data on when he started using contractions, knowing that Data is incapable of it.

Suggested correction: It is true that in later seasons he is unable to use contractions. However, since that characteristic was not introduced in the first season, this is not a mistake. His behavior is consistent with the character's behavior throughout the first season.

Incorrect. It would be a mistake if he used a contraction after the trait was added to his character, but the mistake can't be retroactive as it wasn't a mistake for him to use it at that point in the show.

Other mistake : In this episode, when Riker makes his log entry, he says the stardate is "4124.5, " the 4-digit style of stardates from The Original Series, rather than the 5 digit style used in The Next Generation.

Continuity mistake : Picard addresses the ballerina as ensign, when in fact she has no pips on her uniform, making her a crewman.

Continuity mistake : The lipstick on Picard changes between when he is kissed, and later when he leaves the holodeck (it's darker and on and above his lips.) Also, and more importantly, being holodeck matter, it should have disappeared after re-emerging in the real world.

The Naked Now - S1 - E3

Continuity mistake : When Geordi is put onto a bed in sickbay there are two pillows - when he gets up to leave a little later they have disappeared.

Continuity mistake : At the very beginning of the Episode, Picard makes a log entry stating that the Enterprise is heading for the USS Tsiolkovsky at warp seven. Subsequent outside shots of the ship show it is traveling at impulse.

More for Star Trek: The Next Generation

Commander William T. Riker : In your position it's important to ask yourself one question: what would Picard do? Wesley Crusher : He'd listen to everyone's opinion and then make his own decision.

Trivia : The cast really are very good friends. At LeVar Burton 's wedding in 1992, the best man was Brent Spiner and the ushers were Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes and Michael Dorn . And when Brent Spiner recorded an album (Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back), the backing groups listed as The Sunspots are again the male members of the bridge crew.

Deja Q - S3 - E13

Question : Why does Guinan have an intense hatred for Q?

Answer: He brought the Borg to the Alpha Quadrant and showed them that it was full of worlds waiting to be assimilated. Guinan's homeworld was their first stop, and they assimilated everyone and took over the planet, leaving The Survivors of her race without a home. Q is ultimately responsible for that.

Captain Defenestrator

By the time Q takes the Enterprise to meet the Borg, Guinan already knew who they were and they had already destroyed her world. Therefore the above answer can not be right. I believe Guinan is much more than she appears, and her people have had encounters with the Q in the past. It is these interactions, that obviously were not pleasant, that fuels her distrust.

oldbaldyone

That's what the above answer is saying. Q brought the Borg to the Alpha Quadrant (not Earth) and the Borg destroyed Guinan's home world in the late 2200's, which is why she hates Q. Although she met Q in 2160 and they both saw each other as enemies right away.

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The 5 Worst Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ranked

In the eyes of Trekkies,  "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may be the greatest TV series of all time . No other show — not "The Sopranos," not "M*A*S*H," not "Manimal" — has come close to the high quality and rich premise of the adventures of the Enterprise-D in the 24th century. Famously, creator Gene Roddenberry took core concepts from his 1966 "Star Trek" series and enhanced them for "The Next Generation," creating an even more aggressively utopian world that was even more forthright about its anticapitalist, anticolonialist intentions. He even instigated a rule among the show's writers that no two characters were allowed to bicker, and no stories could stem from interpersonal conflicts. In Roddenberry's vision, everyone got along at all times.

Writers, naturally hated this idea, as they felt conflict is the best way to create drama. For the first two seasons, Roddenberry, writers, and lawyers all butted heads over the series. It's no wonder that most of the show's worst episodes come from those first two seasons.

Of course, "The Next Generation" had its fair share of stinkers, producing some horribly written, contrived, sexist, racist, or just plain obnoxious episodes. The bad episodes, especially after season 2, are few and far between, but they are certainly not absent. In many cases, one can practically picture the show's writers banging their heads against the wall, trying to come up with something filmable under a deadline.

And we Trekkies always noticed when it was crunch time. As much as we love "Star Trek," we also tend to be its harshest critics, happy to point out plot errors, canonical inconsistencies, or bad character choices to anyone willing to listen. In that spirit, here are the five worst episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," ranked from least-worst to, er, most-worst.

5. Sub Rosa

In "Sub Rosa" (January 31, 1994), Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) goes to the planet Caldos IV to attend her grandmother's funeral. Her grandmother, Felisa (Ellen Albertini Dow), lived in a quaint Irish cabin with, Crusher is shocked to learn, a 34-year-old live-in lover named Ronin (Duncan Regehr). Ronin, however, is said to be a ghost (!) who can only appear to corporeal beings if someone lights an ancient candle. Dr. Crusher, acting under Ronin's ghostly influence, lights the candle and a man from the cover of a Harlequin romance novel appears. He says he's in love with Dr. Crusher and implores that she leave the Enterprise.

There are multiple scenes in "Sub Rosa" wherein McFadden, possessed by a green ghostly cloud, writhes around in sexual ecstasy. There is also a scene later in the episode wherein Geordi (LeVar Burton) and Data (Brent Spiner) exhume Felisa's corpse, only to witness her springing back to life and attacking them with green lightning. The idea of haunted candles, sex ghosts, and lighting-imbued gramma corpses would have been fine elements to include in a Full Moon horror movie from 1986, but in "Star Trek," it feels absurd and odd The episode then tries to use sci-fi to explain all the weird haunting crap by stating that Ronin was an anaphasic alien and that the candle was his energy recepticle. Um ... okay.

"Sub Rosa" is also bad because the ordinarily stalwart Dr. Crusher is so easily manipulated by a man in a leather vest. Dr. Crusher can pursue whatever sex life she wants, but one would hope she'd be wiser than to boink a creepy candle ghost.

4. Angel One

Also known as "the sexist one," the episode "Angel One" (January 25, 1988) takes place mostly on the titular planet, which, it is explained, is a matriarchal society. The women occupy the seats of power, whereas men — physically smaller and weaker in this species — tend to serve in servant positions. The leader of Angel One is Beata (Karen Montgomery), who is stingy with the Enterprise-D's requests to search her planet for a crashed ship. Beata eventually agrees to some investigations. However, she demands to canoodle with Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in exchange.

The idea of "Angel One," I think, was to depict a society in which women were in charge, and reveal that it was better run than any ol' patriarchy we might have here on Earth. Or perhaps it was meant as a topsy-turvy metaphor for the mistreatment of women by flipping the script on traditional gender oppression. The problem is that Beata is depicted as horny and unwise, while Angel One's matriarchy is intolerant of traditional marriages and men's rights. It feels gross, self-pitying, and ultimately, yes, sexist.

"Angel One" also reeks of Gene Roddenberry's tendency to create male porno scenarios in space . A planet of sexually assertive women who want to pluck and devour the men of their choice? One can grasp how Roddenberry might see that as self-insert fiction.

There is also a subplot about a rampant virus on board the Enterprise, but who cares? I forgot that subplot was part of "Angel One" and I've seen the episode multiple times.

3. Cost of Living

Also known as the "Auntie Mame" episode, "Cost of Living" (April 20, 1992) looks away from the show's main characters to focus on the relationship between Deanna Troi's mother Lwaxana (Majel Barrett) and Worf's son Alexander (Brian Bonsall). Lwaxana is there to marry a stuffed-shirt diplomat she doesn't care about, and keeps eschewing her own wedding prep to spend time with an eight-year-old boy. She takes him into the holodeck where they watch jugglers and bathe in mud (which looks unsettlingly like pudding). The multicolored head in a bubble is played by Dustin Diamond.

Alexander loves spending time with Lwaxana, as she encourages him to break rules and live for the moment. This is horrible advice, given that Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) has been working very hard with Worf (Michael Dorn) and Alexander to develop a mutual respect, discipline, and a healthy father/son regard. Lwaxana's advice, for however fun it might sound, is undoing all that.

Lwaxana may be a force of nature in "Star Trek," but here, she's more annoying than anything. One can see her not listening to or giving practical advice, and brushing off her own daughter in favor of ludicrous Cirque du Soleil shows. The episode meanders through a miasma of bad parenting and ultimately says that it's okay to loosen up sometimes, parenting be damned. Then there are the multiple scenes of Lwaxana in a mud bath with Alexander, which are simply unpleasant. In the future, it seems, the ultimate luxury is to sit around in a vat of oobleck.

2. Code of Honor

Also known as "the racist one,"  the episode "Code of Honor" (October 12, 1987) was misguided from the start. In the episode, the Enterprise visits the planet of Ligon II looking for a vaccine, only to encounter a culture devoted to, well, a strict code of honor. They respect physical strength and fighting prowess, and have complex customs devoted to exchanging respect. In early versions of the script, the "Star Trek" writers envisioned the Ligonians as reptilian beings that abide by the rules of feudal Japan. When the episode was finally shot, the Ligonians were all played by Black actors and dressed in a sci-fi version of 1940s tribal African garb.

The visuals and ideas were a throwback to dated Hollywood tropes, and even some of the showrunners hated how it was turning out. The episode's original director was fired partway through production, perhaps because of his decision to make the Ligonians into dated caricatures. "Star Trek," as mentioned, frequently aspires to be anticolonialist, but the old-fashioned costumes force audiences to think of painful depictions of "darkest Africa" in colonialism-forward Hollywood movies from generations ago. Congratulations, "Star Trek," you did the opposite of what you should have been doing.

Additionally, the titular code of honor is based on old notions of sexism, while the plot featured the kidnapping of Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) because she's pretty. Yar and a Ligonian name Yareena (Karole Selmon) eventually have to fight to the death in a risible cage match that had been seen in multiple episodes of the original "Star Trek." In addition to everything else, "Code of Honor" is a snore.

1. Shades of Gray

"Shades of Gray" (July 17, 1989) served as the "Next Generation" season 2 finale, by which point the show had run out of money. A writers' strike had shortened production on the season , forcing it to top off at 22 episodes instead of the usual 26. Because of this, a lot of the season's scripts suffered and the finale had to find a way to cut some corners.

The solution was that most insulting of endeavors: a clip show. I understand that in the days before streaming, reruns were catch-as-catch-can, and many viewers may not have seen every single episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Nevertheless, trying to pad out an episode with clips from previous episodes still felt cheap. What's more, when scenes were presented out of context like in "Shades of Gray," they wouldn't make sense to the casual viewer anyway. It was misguided and desperate.

The premise of the episode is fine enough: Riker is scratched by an alien planet that gives him a strange virus. He falls into a coma, so Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) has to stimulate his cerebral activity to keep the virus from reaching his brain. She inserts needles into Riker's skull, causing him to have flashbacks to earlier scenes from the series.

"Shades of Gray" is notorious for its cheapness and it frequently tops lists of the worst "Next Generation" episodes. Having rewatched it recently, it doesn't emerge any better than it did in 1989. It's still just a clip show. What's more, the acting is terrible, with every character playing up every scene to the extreme, forcing the episode into a melodramatic territory that almost feels like parody. This is nobody's favorite episode for one basic reason: it sucks.

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Here are some of the best bloopers from 'Star Trek: TNG' season 7

By Kwame Opam

Source Uproxx | Via io9 Toybox

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Captain Jean-Luc Picard cursing up a storm. Commander Riker chasing an ensign down the Enterprise corridors. Season 7 of Star Trek: TNG must have been a wild time for the cast and crew. Uproxx got their hands on a clip from the upcoming Blu-ray, due out December 2nd, and it's absolutely hysterical. We just wonder what Worf is up to in all of this. Take a look.

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Mistakes That Are Hard To Ignore In Star Trek

Star Trek has been a part of pop culture for nearly six decades. Through eight different television series, 13 films, and countless novels, comics, cartoons, and other media, Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future is familiar to everyone, whether they're fans of science fiction or not. That scale makes for a wonderfully rich and complex fictional universe ... but that complexity means it gets harder and harder every year to keep everything straight. 

With all the various characters, settings, and J.J. Abrams' alternate universe, it's no surprise there have been plenty of mistakes in the various Star Trek productions. But simple production errors or minor continuity problems you can overlook. The budgets and prestige associated with Star Trek have varied so wildly over the years that it's hard to blame anybody when Spock's ears look a little wonky or when a re-used establishing shot shows a character who shouldn't be there. But the errors on this list are more than that. They're mistakes so big that they're difficult — probably impossible — to ignore.

What's up with Miles O'Brien?

TV shows introduce minor characters without clear backstories all the time, and sometimes those characters prove too popular or useful to just discard, necessitating a sudden and unexpected infusion of detail. Such is the story of Miles O'Brien, who appeared in the first episode of The Next Generation ( TNG ) as a nameless crew member working the transporters. According to the collaborative fan site Memory Alpha , O'Brien's rank has been variably "crewman," "lieutenant," "warrant officer," and "ensign junior grade." Eventually his rank was stabilized as "chief petty officer," but even that was never actually mentioned onscreen and is just sort of accepted by everyone as canon. 

O'Brien wasn't initially intended to be a major character. He didn't even get a last name until the second season (he had to wait two more seasons to get a first name), and no serious effort was put into his backstory until season four.  Trek producer and writer Ronald D. Moore explained that, "O'Brien was originally just a day player on TNG and very little, if any, thought went into his rank or background for quite a while." While this makes perfect sense in terms of the logistics of producing a television series, sci-fi needs a certain level of verisimilitude to work, and having a military organization treat a crew member's rank like a random afterthought is almost unforgivable.

It's hard to ignore that terrible fight scene in Star Trek: The Next Generation

Picking on production errors isn't always fair. TV shows have to grind out episodes on schedule and on budget, after all, and sometimes mistakes just have to be included in the final product. That's especially true when it comes to action scenes. Everyone knows that stunt doubles do a lot of the heavy lifting in action scenes, and nitpicking continuity mistakes that don't really impact the quality of the story or performances seems petty when you consider the (literal) decades of entertainment a franchise like Star Trek has given us. 

But sometimes there are mistakes so violently obvious and terrible that they're enraging. Sure, you can't afford to reshoot every fight scene that doesn't turn out great ... but you should probably reshoot a fight scene that turns out as awful as the one between William Riker and Rear Admiral Quinn in the otherwise classic Next Generation episode "Conspiracy." In this legendary (for all the wrong reasons) scene, you can see the stunt doubles pretty clearly for several agonizing seconds. This isn't just a blink-and-you'll-miss-it glimpse. This is as if two entirely new actors were hired for the scene midway through filming, with only minimal effort put into making the stunt professionals look anything like the actors they're subbing for.

Nero looks pretty lazy

The 2009 reboot of Star Trek brought into the world by J.J. Abrams is essentially set in an alternate universe. While it's arguably a smart narrative choice, some timey-wimey magic had to be woven into the story involving a black hole and some time travel in order to get us there. The villain of the film, a Romulan named Nero, blames Spock and the Federation itself for the destruction of his planet, Romulus, and then accidentally travels back in time, where he decides to exact his revenge. He almost immediately manages to kill Captain Kirk's father, George ... and then does absolutely nothing, apparently, for a few decades while George's son, James Tiberius, grows up to be the cocky future captain we all know and love. 

Considering he's on a mission of vengeance and in a universe where Romulus hasn't been destroyed yet, you might imagine he could find better uses for his time. As it is, audiences are left questioning what exactly he's been up to for all that time. The explanation is easy. According to The Nerdist , scenes were shot showing how Nero and his crew were captured by Klingons and held in prison for most of that time, but the scenes were cut before release. You can choose to include those scenes as canon in your head, but the fact remains that the official story leaves Nero hanging out in deep space, sulking, for 20 years or so.

Star Trek: First Contact forgot about New Zealand

As The Telegraph   notes, it's almost comically common for New Zealand to be left off of maps. So common, in fact, that there's a whole subreddit devoted to the phenomenon. So you'd think that the producers of a major motion picture predicated on the idea that mankind has expanded civilization into space and routinely sees the world from that vantage point would be very careful in choosing the maps used in special effects shots ... but you'd be wrong. 

In the film First Contact , Captain Jean-Luc Picard takes a character named Lily to an airlock and shows her Earth from the ship's location in space. Australia is clearly shown ... but in the spot where New Zealand should be, it's just blue ocean. Obviously, someone in the effects department picked up a crummy map image to create the effect, and you might be tempted to explain it away as future climate change or some other disaster (the film is set in the year 2063), except that New Zealand is referenced many times in the Trek universe, so that doesn't work. It's just a mistake that, once seen, can't be unseen.

How is Spock watching that black hole?

Science fiction as a genre of entertainment exists on a spectrum of realism that ranges from "just barely fictional" ( The Martian ) to "science is essentially magic" ( Doctor Who ). Star Trek falls somewhere in the middle, generally. While it isn't above inventing things like dilithium crystals or playing fast and loose with the laws of physics when it comes to faster-than-light travel, it tends towards reasonably realistic depictions of space travel and life on board massive ships. No one's watching Star Trek for the science education, in other words, though it usually doesn't outright offend ... with the exception of one sequence in 2009's Star Trek which sports science so bad that even the most forgiving fan has to wince and squint their way through it. 

As astronomer Phil Plait explained ( via Slate ), the scene has Spock standing on the planet Delta Vega watching as Vulcan is consumed by a black hole . That's essentially the same as if you were standing in your backyard watching as Mars got consumed by a black hole, meaning you wouldn't really see an up-close view, would you? Forget what would be happening to Delta Vega itself if it was really that close to the formation of a black hole — Spock simply wouldn't be able to see what he's seeing in the film.

Pike's glaring mistake

Captain Christopher Pike is only slightly less iconic to fans than the famous Star Trek captains Kirk, Picard, Sisko, and Janeway. He was the first captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise in the original pilot episode, returned in the classic two-part episode "The Menagerie" late in the first season, and has been rebooted as a character several times (most recently in Star Trek: Discovery ). 

In the 2009 reboot, J.J. Abrams imagined Pike as a veteran officer who inspires James T. Kirk to enter Starfleet Academy. Portrayed by Bruce Greenwood, this version of Pike is sort of an ideal Starfleet officer — calm, ethical, and smart. So it's especially upsetting when Pike says the following while trying to convince Kirk to follow in his father's heroic footsteps: " You understand what the Federation is, don't you? It's important. It's a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada." 

The problem? That's not what the Federation is. That's what Starfleet is. The Federation is an interplanetary governing body. So yeah, it kind of ruins the moment and undermines the gravitas that Captain Pike's character had been earning up to that scene because it makes you wonder how in the world Pike passed his entrance exams if he can't even get the fundamental definitions right.

The varying power of Star Trek's transporter

Science fiction stories have to be careful not to completely blow up the limitations of reality and the laws of physics, or they wind up with technologies so advanced and powerful they're essentially magic, and fans start wondering why you can't just solve every problem by using it. Star Trek established several technologies that are potentially problematic — the replicators can make just about anything, the Holodeck can create immersive illusions and characters that can achieve sentience and affect reality — but the biggest problem is the transporter. 

Astronomer and writer Phil Plait points out that the transporter is shown to have the ability to re-write people's DNA in the Next Generation episode "Unnatural Selection" (it's used to cure Dr. Pulaski by overwriting her DNA with an earlier copy), and in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture , a horrific transporter accident shows the flip side of this capability. And yet this power, which could be used in an infinite number of ways, is never a major plot device again. It's possible the implications of this — that everyone entering the transporter bay is being scanned, destroyed, and recreated elsewhere — discouraged the writers from pointing it out again. Just as likely is the fact that having a magic machine that can reset anyone to yesterday's version was simply too powerful to have lying around.

A mathematical mistake in The Squire of Gothos

The golden rule for science fiction is, if you're not 100 percent certain of the science, don't include it. Why not? Well, because someone is always going to check your math. In the original series episode "The Squire of Gothos," the otherworldly character of Trelane tells the crew of the Enterprise that he's been observing Earth. They do some back-of-the-envelope calculations regarding the distance between the planets and conclude that Trelane is about 900 years behind Earth history. In other words, because it takes time for light to travel, Trelane is essentially seeing Earth's past. 

That's all well and good, but as the vlog Truth OR Myth points out, the original series canonically takes place in the 23rd century, and the first season of the original series takes place in the year 2265 specifically. That would mean Trelane is observing 14th-century Earth, but he's explicitly aware of Napoleon and the American Revolution, so he must be watching the early 1800s. So these Starfleet officers are either absolute trash at basic math, absolute trash at basic physics, or absolute trash at Earth history.

Chekov and Khan shouldn't know each other

The Wrath of Khan rescued the Star Trek film franchise after The Motion Picture failed to get people terribly excited. A sequel to a classic episode from the original series ("Space Seed"), it delivered a crackerjack story that addressed the crew's encroaching middle age and offered some iconic backstory for Captain Kirk (including how he defeated the infamous no-win scenario known as the Kobayashi Maru), not to mention some absolutely incredible scenery-chewing from Ricardo Montalban. It also has a mistake you just can't ignore and maintain your sanity. 

When Pavel Chekov meets Khan Noonien Singh on Ceti Alpha V, Khan and Chekov clearly recognize each other from the Enterprise 's earlier interactions with the late 20th-century superman. The problem? As Tor points out , Chekov wasn't a character on the show when "Space Seed" aired, and thus he never met Khan onscreen. While you can imagine that Chekov was a crew member and interacted with Khan offscreen — several tie-in books and comics have done just that, including the film's novelization — it's simply a mistake the writers either didn't notice or chose to ignore for dramatic effect.

Star Trek's breathing computer

One of the most iconic aspects of the future imagined by Gene Roddenberry is the ship's computer, which utilizes voice interaction technology that puts the modern-day Alexa to shame. One of the reasons the computer on the Enterprise was such an iconic part of the show is thanks to the voice work of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, Gene Roddenberry's wife, who provided the voice of the ship's computer for decades (she also portrayed Nurse Chapel on the original series and Deanna Troi's formidable mother, Lwaxana Troi). Roddenberry's voice work was fantastic, managing to give the computer some personality while still sounding very computer-like.

However, there was one huge problem with the computer's voice, especially during The Next Generation . Sometimes production forgot to edit out the sounds of the very human Majel Barrett-Roddenberry doing things like breathing, something a computer would probably not do. These moments are subtle, and you have to be listening for them. For example, in one scene in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager , Lieutenant Tom Paris asks a replicator to list the varieties of tomato soup it can produce (yes, really), and you can clearly hear the computer take a breath while rattling off the menu, which kind of ruins the illusion of an advanced artificial intelligence explaining the many, many varieties of tomato soup available in the far future.

The warp speed in Star Trek is a mess

The currently accepted model of the universe pegs the speed of light — 186,282 miles per second — as the upper limit when it comes to zooming around in space. Of course, you can forgive a sci-fi franchise like Star Trek for hand-waving the laws of physics a bit. No one wants the Enterprise to take 60 years just to get to its first mission, after all, and so they came up with the warp drive (we're not even going to admit that the ridiculous spore drive on Discovery exists). 

While warp speed has never been precisely defined (smart), scientist James O'Donoghue (via Science Alert ) did some calculating and concluded that warp one is essentially light speed, and warps two through ten are just ... faster, somehow . All well and good (though he goes on to demonstrate that at warp one, it would take the ship a disappointing four years plus just to go from Earth to Pluto), but the real problem is in the details. Consider an exciting action sequence in the Star Trek universe. The Enterprise is chasing a Klingon ship at warp one. The Klingons drop out of warp, and one second later, so does the Enterprise . But one second later puts the Enterprise 186,282 miles away. Even a fraction of second puts the ships tens of thousands of miles apart in the emptiness of space.

There are a lot of mistakes when it comes to Data's speech patterns

One of the pleasures of Star Trek is its thoughtful explorations of sci-fi tropes, and the android Data is one of the most successful such ruminations in its history. Data allows the franchise to explore questions of sentience, free will, and spirituality in intelligent and unexpected ways, while also allowing for a lot of really bad robot jokes. 

However, one of the worst mistakes The Next Generation writers made was establishing that Data, as an android, couldn't use contractions due to programming limitations — something they waited until episode 12 ("Datalore") to bring up. On the one hand, this lent Data a slightly off-center formality that underscored his inhumanity. On the other hand, according to Wil Wheaton ( via HuffPost TV ), this was a new idea the writers introduced in order to distinguish Data from Lore, the other android who looked like Brent Spiner, and Spiner was upset at the sloppy way it was being introduced, especially since Data had used contractions in previous episodes. Later in the series, the writers dropped the idea that Data couldn't use contractions, and there are, of course, plenty of possible explanations for the shift. But in the early going, this was an obvious and grating mistake born out of a nifty concept that no one really committed to.

Fan Edits TNG Bloopers into the Original Episodes

Everyone loves a good blooper reel . For some folks, it’s the only special feature on a Blu-ray they ever even watch. And some of the most extensive bloopers for any series can be found on the Blu-ray box sets for Star Trek: The Next Generation . The TNG cast were infamous for goofing off on set and cracking each other up constantly, and there’s ton of evidence of that in their blooper reels for each season.

Now, thanks to the folks at TrekMovie , we’ve learned about one Trekker who has taken those extremely silly moments and edited them back into their proper episode. And the results are flat out hilarious. The YouTube channel Ryan’s Edits has done five of these videos so far, which he’s named StarTrekINtakes . The first one is from the season four episode “Future Imperfect,” and finds Geordi (LeVar Burton) and Worf (Michael Dorn) bro-ing out on the bridge in ways we are not normally used to. Think a 24th century Bill and Ted.

The next video makes it look as if Lt. Worf just revealed something pretty personal about his childhood. This one’s an edit from the season three episode “Booby Trap.”

From that very same episode, Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan gets a lot less wise and sage-like, and a lot more potty-mouthed than we are used to. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth Miss Guinan??

This next one came from late in TNG’s seventh season, from the episode “Parallels.” Jonathan Frakes going a little nuts on one of the crew decks feels totally like “high school senior year days before graduation” style tomfoolery.

The last one posted (at least so far) is from the TNG series finale “All Good Things,” and it looks like Brent Spiner ( Lt. Commander Data ) was goofing off on set all the way though to the very last episode.

There are a metric ton of TNG bloopers out there , so here’s hoping that Ryan’s Edits keeps bringing up more StarTrek INtakes . Because we could all use a good laugh these days more than ever.

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My Geek Wisdom

Because there is a lot of knowledge to get out of the weirdest things

“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

From: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Genre:  Television

Who said it?: Captain Jean-Luc Picard

The story behind the quote:  There are already several quotes from the old Star Trek cast. Now, it’s time to give a little respect to The Next Generation, the successor to the franchise. Star Trek: The Next Generation successfully introduced new fans to the sci-fi world where humans explored the final frontier. The series also gave us many memorable characters and, thankfully, lots of great quotes.

This week’s quote comes from The Next Generation Episode entitled Peak Performance, wherein Picard and Riker (played by Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes, respectively), take part of a series of war games to test their mettle as part of their training. During the episode, Lt. Commander Data (played by Brent Spiner) plays a competitive game against the the war games observer in a strategic game aptly named Strategema. To his surprise, Data, who just so happened to be an android, loses. This makes Data start to lose faith in himself as a strategist as there was supposedly no way he should have lost.

The quote happens during the second act. Picard asks Data to come to the bridge but the android has second thoughts. This is when Picard, after ordering him on to the bridge, gives the quote.

Geek wisdom :  Life isn’t fair all the time. Sometimes you will given lucky breaks and sometimes unlucky ones. There are also going to be times when, even if you think you’ve thought of every possible bad thing that could happen and prepare contingencies for them, things may still not swing your way. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try things anymore. The important thing is that you try.

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Author: Victor de la Cruz

Most of my childhood (and adult life) was spent doing a lot of geeky stuff: watching TV, playing video games and going to the movies. To some, it may have been a waste of time. Well, to me, it has made me what I am today... a geeky adult. I actually write for a couple of blogs, namely: geekwisdom.wordpress.com 3rdworldgeeks.com gamemoir.com Please check them out! View all posts by Victor de la Cruz

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Watch: Fan Puts ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Bloopers Back Into The Show

| April 13, 2020 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 19 comments so far

Star Trek fans love bloopers. It’s a tradition that goes back to the 70s when bloopers from the original Star Trek series were shown at the first Trek conventions. Over the years, home video releases from the Trek series and feature films have kept the tradition going with the release of more blooper reels. But what if these funny takes were never cut from the show?

Star Trek INtakes

In the last week, the fan behind the YouTube channel Ryan’s Edits has been taking bloopers from Star Trek: The Next Generation and re-editing them back into their original episode scenes. So far he has done five of what he is calling “Star Trek INtakes,” including one just released today. Here they all are.

LaForge and Worf get overly exuberant on the bridge in “Future Imperfect.”

Worf almost overshares in “Booby Trap.”

Guinan has some blunt love advice for Geordi in “Booby Trap.”

Riker hams it up to fool Worf in “Parallels.”

Data gets a bit too excited in “All Good Things, Part 2.”

Keep track of more fun bits in our series of great Star Trek links .

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Watch: Kirk’s ‘Wrath Of Khan’ Scream But In Claymation

Save the best for last. Thank God the bloopers were cut from the show! Bloopers are like memes of their day.

BRILLIANT! BRAVO! My favorite was the clip from “Parallels” where Riker tweaks and chases off the background artist just trying to unobtrusively walk by.

That wasn’t a background artist, it was an uncredited actor (actress) who regularly played ensigns and other behind the scenes officers.

By bad. She was an actress in the background who never had lines. I thought that was a background actress.

What a riot those are. Wish there were more!

My absolute favorite is the high-five from “Future Imperfect”, but these were all fabulously done well! :-D

with both transitioning straight from a high five to a Picard maneuver in one fluid motion.

Holy crap… The Worf from Booby Trap was hilarious!

I watched these this morning and just came back to watch #5 again.

These are good silly fun!

That’s hysterical. I laughed out loud at that Whoopi Goldberg clip

more i want more

OMG, these are hysterical! So creative. Job WELL done!

I love these guys so much, but the one with Riker yelling at Worf and then chasng Lt. Jae down the corridor was my favorite. I’m so happy Riker (and Frakes) are back in Star Trek again. I can’t WAIT to see him back in season 2 of Picard (we all know it’s happening ;)).

CBS need to go back into the archives, find more outtakes and make their own videos like this.

They could recreate whole new “lost” episodes with that stuff.

This is breaking canon! Now i must find a way to explain it. Maybe its an alternate universe where all characters act like in “Orville“. Or the scenes are inacurate holo simulations of the original events like in thar one Voyager Episode. Yeah. That be it.

…or inacurate like the holo simulation of the Enterprise finale…there should be the correct version somewhere… that VOY episode was great. Their take ob the mirror universe. Unofficialy.

I like the first one where Geordi and Worf hi-five.🤣

Nice page here. Thanks Trekmovie! Iiiiii-eeeee!

Star Trek: TNG's Biggest Starfleet Academy Mistake Is Back

WARNING: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2

• Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 reintroduces the contentious Nova Squadron from Star Trek: The Next Generation, raising questions about the necessity of elite cadet groups in Starfleet Academy.
• The inclusion of Nova Squadron suggests that Starfleet Academy has not learned from its mistakes, as seen in previous series.
• Despite the potential flaws in the concept of elite squadrons, the teamwork between Maj'el and the main group of misfits in Prodigy's second season offers hope for redemption and a more cohesive Federation.

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 revisits a controversial aspect of Starfleet Academy featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation , continuing what many believe was a mistake found in both TNG and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . In Star Trek: Prodigy season 2's opener, "Into The Breach, Part I," written by Kevin & Dan Hageman and directed by Ben Hibon, the lovably troublesome young characters of Star Trek: Prodigy find themselves face-to-face with one of Star Trek 's most famous—or perhaps infamous—group of Starfleet cadets.

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 raises the show's stakes to epic new levels, and a big reason for that is that new characters carry the weight of old Star Trek stories. The second season of Star Trek: Prodigy introduces a new Vulcan hero , Maj'el (Michaela Dietz), who turns out to be more than just a new face and a cool rendition of the classic Vulcan haircut. Maj'el is part of Nova Squadron, meaning Starfleet Academy hasn't learned from its mistake 16 years after Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine introduced Red Squad, a different crop of elite Starfleet Academy cadets who were given their own starship, with tragic results.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 - Everything We Know

Netflix has the option to order Star Trek: Prodigy season 3. Here's what we know about the young Starfleet crew of the USS Protostar's return.

Star Trek: Prodigy Reveals Starfleet Academy Still Has TNGs Nova Squadron

The elite group of cadets wasn't disbanded after the events of tng: "the first duty".

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's season 5 episode "The First Duty" depicted Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) as a cadet at Starfleet Academy. Wes is shown to be a member of an elite squadron of cadets called the Nova Squadron. This team is responsible for the recent death of one of their own after Nova Squadron's forbidden maneuver backfires. Still, their status above other cadets gives them special privileges and allowances . The squadron's leader, Nick Locarno (Robert Duncan McNeill), tries to convince Wesley to lie but eventually takes the fall for their teammate's death.

Robert Duncan McNeill would later play Lieutenant Tom Paris in Star Trek: Voyager.

At the beginning of the 20-episode run of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and the young crew of the USS Protostar follow the orders of Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) to join the crew of the newly-built Lamarr Class USS Voyager-A. Dal, Zero (Angus Imrie), Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Murf (Dee Bradley Baker), and Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) immediately encounter Maj'el and Nova Squadron, who are cold and dismissive to Admiral Janeway's warrant officers. So, Starfleet Academy still sets some cadets above the others as 'elite' despite the proven mistakes that can come of that, as seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Should Star Treks New Starfleet Academy Show Have A Nova Squadron?

Will Star Trek's new show have its own 32nd century answer to TNG's Nova Squadron, or does such elitism go against Starfleet Academy's core values?

Why Starfleet Academy Elite Squadrons Are A Mistake

Why does starfleet even have elite groups of cadets in the first place.

Starfleet is an exploratory organization meant to advance the United Federation of Planets' knowledge about the galaxy and harbor peace, so why does its school actively pit students against each other ? Nova Squadron from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Prodigy and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Red Squad both seem to clash with the principles of Starfleet by placing "elite" cadets above other students. With Star Trek: Prodigy focusing so heavily on the cohesiveness of the Federation and the need for more teamwork, the inclusion of such a divisive group of cadets might be a big mistake .

There might be hope for Starfleet's elite squadrons to prove themselves as nobler than their predecessors.

However, just like Wesley Crusher and the original Nova Squadron came to terms with their own mistakes, Maj'el and her squad work closely with Dal and the rest of Star Trek: Prodigy 's main group of misfits-turned-heroes in season 2. This teamwork means there might be hope for Starfleet's elite squadrons to prove themselves as nobler than their predecessors . Because it's known to excel at finding positive outlooks regarding dire situations and exploring the good in even the worst of characters, if anyone can redeem Star Trek: The Next Generation' s mistake, it's Star Trek: Prodigy .

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Release Date September 28, 1987

Genres Drama, Superhero, Sci-Fi, Action

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Star Trek: Prodigy

Cast Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, John Noble, Jason Mantzoukas, Brett Gray, Angus Imrie, Jameela Jamil, Robert Picardo, Jimmi Simpson, Ella Purnell, Dee Bradley Baker

Release Date October 28, 2021

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi, Adventure

Showrunner Kevin Hageman, Dan Hageman

Franchise Star Trek

Number of Episodes 40

Captain Picard's Best Quotes From Star Trek: TNG

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A Forgotten Crossover Brought Together Two of the Best '90s Sitcoms

Game of thrones: how was the wall built, 'walked out of the pages of my book': george r.r. martin praises next game of thrones spinoff.

Fans can’t wait for the upcoming third season of Star Trek: Picard , which will see Patrick Stewart return once again to the beloved character. He will be joined by even more of the cast from Star Trek: The Next Generation , giving fans a chance to see some of their favorite characters years after the end of the hit TV series.

RELATED: Star Trek: TNG's 10 Best Away Team Members, Ranked

When he was Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise, he became known for his impassioned speeches on the rights of sentient beings and Starfleet's dedication to the Prime Directive. This resulted in a number of memorable quotes that showcase why Captain Picard was a favorite crew member on Star Trek: The Next Generation .

10 “There Is A Way Out Of Every Box, A Solution To Every Puzzle; It’s Just A Matter Of Finding It.”

Jean-Luc Picard had a number of important qualities that helped make him a great captain of the Enterprise . One of his most important attributes was his analytical mind. The crew frequently survived due to Picard’s ability to work his way out of puzzling situations or traps.

This became even more clear when Picard and Dr. Crusher were forced to escape prison together in the seventh season’s “Attached.” The close friends had devices implanted that began sharing their thoughts. This also made it impossible for them to be too far apart from each other. It was a difficult situation, but one they managed to find a solution for together.

9 "There Are Times, Sir, When Men Of Good Conscience Cannot Blindly Follow Orders."

Captain Picard was always the first to bring up Starfleet's dedication to the Prime Directive. However, he was also forced to go against it on more than one occasion. His loyalty to Starfleet also came into question when he was asked to carry out orders he didn’t believe in based on his own morals.

When Data created his own artificial offspring named Lal, an admiral from a Starfleet science facility attempted to separate them for research. Capt. Picard spent a lot of effort in helping to define the rights of artificial lifeforms like Data, and he refused the admiral’s command. “Order a man to hand his child over to the state? Not while I am his captain.”

8 "The Prime Directive Is Not Just A Set Of Rules; It Is A Philosophy, And A Very Correct One.”

Starfleet operates with a very strict rule that has governed every version of the Enterprise over the years. The Prime Directive forbids intervention in another alien culture’s development. Capt. Picard was forced to clarify this when Dr. Crusher discovered a problematic relationship between two planets in the first season’s “Symbiosis” episode.

Picard and Crusher disagreed about their level of involvement, and Picard was forced to follow the Prime Directive to the letter. “History has proven again and again that whenever mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well-intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous."

7 "I Have Never Subscribed To The Theory That Political Power Flows From The Barrel Of A Gun."

The Enterprise-D was frequently involved in political matters on the various planets they visited, such as in the third season episode “High Ground.” Dr. Crusher was kidnapped while giving medical aid by a group of terrorists fighting against their government. However, she soon learned that they were rebels fighting against an oppressive government.

RELATED: 10 Things You Completely Missed In Star Trek: Picard Season 1

Captain Picard made his own thoughts on their political situation very clear when contemplating their position. The government’s violent actions that started their rebellion were just one of many that highlight the issues that come with ruling through force. Picard’s ideals followed the Federation’s beliefs which came from a mostly utopian society on Earth and other planets.

6 “There Are Four Lights!”

Capt. Picard was taken prisoner by Cardassians in one of the best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the two-part “Chain of Command” episode from the sixth season. He was on a secret mission that was revealed to be a trap as the Enterprise received a new captain. The Cardassians were attempting to extract information from Picard by using extreme torture methods.

Picard was implanted with a device that caused immense pain at the touch of a button. His interrogator was a Cardassian named Gul Madred, who was trying to mentally break Picard. Behind him were four lit lights, but he attempted to make Picard claim there were five. Picard never broke despite the pain, defiantly shouting to Gul Madred the truth until he was freed.

5 "There Can Be No Justice As Long As Laws Are Absolute. Even Life Itself Is An Exercise In Exceptions."

The first season episode “Justice” explored a beautiful and seemingly peaceful planet. Unfortunately, the crew of the Enterprise soon discovered that peace came with a deadly catch. When classic Star Trek: TNG character Wesley Crusher accidentally destroyed newly planted flowers in an area that was specifically marked, he unknowingly broke a law that had fatal consequences.

Picard was forced to fight against that planet’s laws to stop his young ensign from being killed for an innocent mistake that ultimately hurt no one. The planet’s absolute justice may have kept them peaceful, though it wasn’t true justice. Exemptions had to be made in some situations to protect the innocent, not condemn them.

4 "You Have To Measure Your Successes And Your Failures Within. Not By Anything That I Or Anyone Else Might Think."

“Coming Of Age” from the first season followed Wesley Crusher’s first attempt to enroll in Starfleet Academy. He competed against the brightest minds from a few other planets and was a clear frontrunner. However, he decided to help his comrades instead of focusing on his own work, which ultimately cost him the position.

RELATED: Star Trek: 10 Characters Who Should Have A Picard-Style Solo Series

Crusher was worried that Capt. Picard would be disappointed in what he perceived to be a failure. Picard hadn’t quite warmed up to the children on his ship at this point in the series. However, he still offered words of wisdom to the aspiring young cadet. Picard and Wesley began to grow much closer after the captain shared that he failed his first entrance exam as well.

3 “What We Leave Behind Is Not As Important As How We Lived.”

Captain Picard met another commander of the Enterprise from the past when the TNG cast made the jump to the big screen in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations . Picard met Captain Kirk from The Original Series in a metaphysical realm after they were both caught in a cosmic ribbon. It gave a spotlight to some of Captain Kirk's greatest quotes as he shared his wisdom with Picard.

As Picard collected things from the destroyed Enterprise alongside Will Riker, he shared his thoughts on how he planned to spend the time given to him. “Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. But I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again.”

2 “It Is Possible To Commit No Mistakes And Still Lose. That Is Not A Weakness. That Is Life.”

One of Captain Picard’s most memorable quotes came from the“Peak Performance” finale episode of the second season. The ship was engaged in a series of combat simulations in order to prepare for the new threat of the Borg. A strategist was brought on board for the simulation. He managed to defeat the occasionally Jedi-like Data in an advanced game of strategy.

Data’s confidence was shattered to the point that he felt he could no longer perform his duties on the bridge. Picard was able to give him a pep talk that restored Data’s confidence and allowed him to defeat the strategist. Picard’s quote falls in line with one of Starfleet’s captain tests called the Kobayashi Maru, which makes cadets train in a simulated “no-win” exercise.

1 "Let's Make Sure History Never Forgets The Name Enterprise."

A rift in time resulted in an ill-fated Enterprise from the past arriving in the present, which severely altered the timeline. One of the biggest changes was the return of Lt. Tasha Yar to the bridge, despite her death in the main timeline. It soon became clear that the Enterprise-C ’s removal from its place in time led to a violent war with the Klingon Empire that threatened the Federation.

Guinan was able to recognize that something had changed. It was decided that the Enterprise-C had to return back to its own time, where it faced certain destruction. However, the destruction of that ship would end the war that never should have happened. Capt. Picard proved he was one of the best captains in Star Trek with a rallying speech that further inspired the ill-fated crew.

• star trek (tv)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

Peak performance (1989), patrick stewart: captain jean-luc picard, photos .

Quotes 

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I'm less than one hour away from a battle simulation, and I have to hand-hold an android.

Doctor Pulaski : The burdens of command.

[Kolrami has criticized Riker's inappropriate joviality and lack of seriousness for a commanding officer] 

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Don't confuse style with intent. Only a fool would question Commander Riker's dedication to Starfleet and the men and women under his command. He is simply the finest officer with whom I have ever served.

Sirna Kolrami : We shall see if your faith is well-founded.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : The test is whether the crew will follow where Commander Riker leads. His... his "joviality" is the means by which he creates that loyalty. And I will match his command style with your statistics anytime.

Sirna Kolrami : [of Riker]  He's quite good.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : He's the best.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Attack posture, circumvental attitude. Prepare beams for photon mode.

Ensign Burke : Bye-bye, Hathaway.

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This scary the next generation episode is exactly what modern star trek needs more of.

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Star Trek: Will Riker's Entire Character Timeline Explained

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​every time the gorn appeared in star trek (so far), why star trek: the next generation's enterprise had a rarely-seen second bridge.

A scary Star Trek: The Next Generation episode featuring Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) proves that Star Trek could benefit from more horror or thriller narratives. Since the 1960s, Star Trek has been a staple in sci-fi and is often even credited as pioneering many popular tropes of the genre. While Star Trek 's science has matured and modernized over the decades, the core concept of its sci-fi roots has stayed fairly unchanged. However, one Star Trek: The Next Generation episode pushed the boundaries of the genre and incorporated horror and psychological thriller aspects into its chilling narrative.

Star Trek: The Next Generation often dedicated entire episodes to a single character's development, and one such instance for First Officer Commander Will Riker was in TNG season 6, episode 21, "Frame of Mind," which features aspects of the horror and thriller genres. Often considered one of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's best episodes , "Frame of Mind" is one of the franchise's darkest stories . With themes like kidnapping, psychological abuse, physical torture, and emotional manipulation, Commander Riker encounters some of Star Trek 's worst – and best – horror aspects that should make a return to the franchise.

Star Trek Should Follow This TNG Riker Episode's Horror Example

Commander riker's chilling experience in "frame of mind" was an exciting change for star trek.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Frame of Mind" is widely held as one of Commander Will Riker's best episodes , and it's obvious why. Jonathan Frakes is at his very best, showcasing his impressive and diverse acting ability by portraying Riker as not only unsure of his sanity, but also as questioning his surroundings at all times. Through the physical and emotional trials the episode puts him through, Commander Riker's mental stability is tested. Although it isn't Star Trek 's only horror-themed episode, "Frame of Mind" taps into a less direct form of thriller that suits the franchise .

From Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Picard, Will Riker's timeline involves some of the most important moments in the entire franchise.

Star Trek 's darkest episodes usually feature narratives responding to real-life struggles, like the consequences of inequality and the real cost of war. What "Frame of Mind" does is highlight how Star Trek can incorporate darker themes and even corporeal horror into a sci-fi setting without losing the suspension of belief. Commander Riker not only suffers mental injuries, but he's also physically tortured by the inhabitants of Tilonus IV. His well-being is a major cause of concern throughout the episode, adding to a sense of edge-of-the-seat suspense that makes the episode even more appealing.

Why Star Trek Needs More Horror

Sci-fi and horror could go hand-in-hand to bring a thrilling new aspect to star trek.

In recent years, Star Trek added a few more horror-like narratives to its growing list of episodes. The resurgence of the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has provided some full-on horror Star Trek episodes . However, the Gorn lack a nuanced approach to horror – they're monsters, but they don't provide much psychological thrill. This thriller aspect is what could give Star Trek a real edge in the increasingly competitive streaming market. Mixing sci-fi and horror could also modernize many of Star Trek 's more dated stories to hook younger fans, just like the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

The Gorn have already been in 6 Star Trek shows since 1967, but as the villain in Strange New Worlds, they show no signs of disappearing anytime soon.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's foray into horror provided a sneak peek into scary elements that would appear in future Star Trek projects, but the franchise hasn't included real, unhampered horror. While the occasional thrill and jump scare aren't entirely uncommon in modern Star Trek , the aspect of real mental, and even body, horror has yet to be explored. The underlying vein of suspense, the psychological torture, and the well-written plot twists at every turn make the episode "Frame of Mind" a perfect example of how Star Trek can – and should – include horror to invite a younger audience to the franchise.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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