star trek next generation dr stubbs

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The Enterprise brings eminent scientist Dr. Paul Stubbs to the site of a binary star system, expecting a massive stellar explosion to occur in a few hours. He has waited many years for this event and has devoted his entire life to its study. The Enterprise, however, begins to suffer a series of malfunctions, some minor but others far more serious. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Ken Jenkins

Scott Grimes

Amy O'Neill

Randal patrick, mary mccusker, cast appearances.

Patrick Stewart

Jonathan Frakes

LeVar Burton

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Marina Sirtis

Brent Spiner

Wil Wheaton

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Star Trek: The Next Generation : "Evolution"/"The Ensigns Of Command"

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"Evolution"

I always get nervous when I talk about a show's big themes. It's something I really should do more often. My favorite television critics are the ones who can take a full season of a show and discuss it as unit, making confident statements like, "The third season of  Breaking Bad  is far and away the show's best," or "This last season of  30 Rock  had some serious problems," and teasing out how individual episodes work together in service of a larger picture. Obviously  30 Rock  doesn't have the lofty goals of a serialized drama, but it's inevitable that a group of twenty-plus episodes, written and filmed as a rough unit, are going to have some kind of connective tissue, especially if there are stabs at continuity and a common writing staff. Part of my job as a TV reviewer is to try and tease out that tissue, even when it's not obvious.  Especially  when it's not obvious. And it always makes me nervous, because, y'know, I'm just this guy. How do I know anything?

Still, a pattern is emerging in  The Next Generation , and it's worth talking about as we move into the third season.  TOS  was a space Western, focused on exploration, and the danger and excitement of living life on the edge of civilization.  TNG  is about the next step: what happens when civilization has moved in and the paperwork begins. Which sounds boring, and let's face it, sometimes  TNG is  boring. Sometimes it feels like every exciting new discovery gets buried under hours of discussion and deliberation and debate. Yet that careful consideration arguably creates greater opportunity for drama. The best TV shows of the last few decades have been shows that have embraced the drudgery of second guessing, of realizing that no action can exist without consequences, and one of the elements of the show that excites me the most as we move forward is its willingness to deal with the aftermath. It doesn't always work, but when it does, the impact is incredibly powerful. (And really, aren't the best episodes of  TOS  the ones that embrace the idea that heroes don't live in a vacuum? "The City On The Edge of Forever" wouldn't work if Kirk and the others had found a way to save Edith Keeler; "Amok Time" wouldn't resonate if it didn't contrast Spock's stoicism against his temporary fury.)

"Evolution" isn't a great episode, but as a premiere, it is so much better than "The Child" that I'm in danger of overrating it. Beverly Crusher is back! That means we get more face-time with Wesley, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. The plot is a riff on the standard "alien force messes with the  Enterprise  systems," and it all comes down to Wesley not putting his toys away properly, which is the sort of storyline that would've worked a lot better if he was 10. (No, wait, I take that back, precocious kids are far more irritating than immature teens.) Plus, the ending resolution solves everyone's problems without any cost. I don't need every episode to be a tragedy, but in order for an upbeat ending to work, there needs to be more of a sense that it  won't  work, and that never really happens here.

It's never embarrassing, though, and there are enough good ideas thrown out that it's never boring, even if it fails to hit the high notes. It might just be my lingering affection from  Scrubs , but I dig Ken Jenkins as the prickly Dr. Paul Stubbs. He hits the line between off-puttingly arrogant and vulnerable, and Picard always gets more interesting when he's forced to deal with someone who doesn't immediately bow to his orders. (Glad as I am to have Beverly back, there was a potential in the Pulaski and Picard relationship that was never really fulfilled. I'm not sure it could've been with the show as it was, but the current crew of the  Enterprise can be a little too friendly.) The series has dealt with the problem of determining what constitutes life before, but there's something to be said for its commitment to its principles. Once Dr. Crusher raises the possibility that the force that threatens the ship could actually be more than just a technical glitch, the discussion over what to do changes without hesitation.

Basic plot: There's some science stuff going down (I appreciate the show's attempts to bring more hard science into the franchise, and I think it works, but I sort of zone out during those bits—I like knowing they're there, but I don't understand them well enough to summarize), and Dr. Paul Stubbs is on the  Enterprise  to complete an experiment he's spent a good portion of his life working towards. Wesley, being a dork, inadvertently lets some nanites loose on the computer systems of the ship, and those nanites breed, and gain sentience, and cause all kinds of havoc, inadvertently endangering Stubbs work and the rest of the crew. Stubbs and Wesley exchange some words about the dangers of being a child prodigy, Troi tries to break through Stubbs' arrogant shell, and Data lets the nanites used him as a puppet. Oh, and Beverly is worried that her son is too stressed. Happy endings all around, though.

There's conflict in the episode, and some minor suspense about whether or not the main problem will be resolved in time for Stubbs to complete his work, and yet… Well, it's very pleasant. I really don't have a problem with pleasant, and there are lots of times the show can use pleasant to its advantage; it makes the characters more immediately appealing, it helps carry us over the weaker writing beats, and it means we definitely pay attention when we get a legitimately serious threat. There are also times, though, when I wouldn't mind a little more edge. "Evolution" is a good example of an episode that starts to tighten the screws, and then leaves off a few turns too soon. Stubbs is pushy and single-minded, and a decent character—his obsession with using old baseball statistics to recreate plays could've been overly quirky, but Jenkins sells it well enough. His decision to take care of the nanites himself (or a portion of them, anyway) has potential, but it doesn't go anywhere. When Data lets himself be infected by the tiny robots, it's a little creepy, but that creepiness is half-realized. The nanites aren't particularly interesting, and the danger they represent never distinguishes itself.

As for Wesley, I like the idea of what they're doing here—I can't imagine him ever getting the full Quiz Kid Donnie Smith treatment, but I appreciate the awareness that being the smartest guy in the room has its downside. Yet, again, there's no follow-through. Wesley freaks out when he realizes that it's his fault that the ship is in danger (I do like that we start with him sleeping, presumably moments after his science project made its escape), he has a eye-rollingly on the nose conversation with Guinan, and he gets in a minor spat with his mom. There are no sanctions, and no one yells at him for his mistake. Even Beverly's concerns are pointless. She talks to Picard about being worried that Wesley isn't behaving like a proper 17 year old (when I was that age, I had no girlfriends, and I read a lot, and look how I turned out)(er, check that), but it turns out he's fine. He even has a girlfriend.

"Evolution" is very passable. It isn't great. While none of its plots are terrible (only the Beverly story comes close, as her conversation with the captain is kind of ridiculous), there's no risk. The characters are all where they need to be, my favorite doctor is back, and the show feels like it's ready to take that next step. It knows the way. It just needs a little push.

Stray Observations:

• Seriously, this is  so  much better than "The Child." I'd also put it higher than "Encounter At Farpoint," season premiere-wise. ("Farpoint" has great moments, but is too clumsy to be consistent.) Whatever the episode's problems, it's comforting to know the show is strong enough now that it can pull through a weak-ish script without embarrassing itself.
• The look is different, too. The effects are better (which I'm assuming is due to more money being spent on the first episode of the season), and the whole thing is shot on film.
• The Troi/Stubbs interactions never get into second gear, but it's good to have someone calling her on her invasiveness. "My dear counselor, no insult intended, but please turn off your beam into my soul."
• An actually, legitimately good Wesley moment: "I always get an 'A.'"
• Actually, the worst beat in the Beverly scenes is the comedy music cue at the very end.

"The Ensigns Of Command"

How many problems in this world come down to land? It can be a difficult concern to relate for those of us who don't identify strongly with our homes (I mean, I like Maine, I really do, but if somebody was throwing grenades at me to convince me to leave, I wouldn't be all that torn up about doing so), but that doesn't make it any less powerful or real. Identity is hard work, and one of the ways people figure out who they are is knowing where they came from. The threat of losing that, of being uprooted and thrown into an unfamiliar environment, one that doesn't have the same connections or memories… well, that can have a powerful effect on people. The threat of losing home can change normally peaceful men and women into, well, whatever they need to be to protect their piece of the world.

It's that desperation that drives the story in "Ensigns," and while I don't think the emotion is as well-developed as it could be, it's clear enough to create the sort of conflict that "Evolution" lacked. I really liked this episode, and while it's come down slightly in my estimation since I watched it, I still think it's got a lot to recommend it. The stakes are higher, the resolution forces characters to make strong choices, and the episode makes some smart observations about Data that aren't compromised or softened. There are weak spots—the colonists aren't as developed as they should've been, and their leader, Gosheven, is sort of a lump. (An aggressive lump, but still a lump.) Plus, the Sheliaks look like they belong in a  Dr. Who  serial from the '70s, although that's not really a bad thing in my book. Anyway, weak spots and all, this was exciting and clever, and I especially appreciated how the best parts were the ones you had to think about a little to really grasp the implications. "Ensigns" connects most of the dots for you, but not all of them, and that's important.

Let's put the issue of property aside, and take a look at Data. I don't think the question of his nature has been this prominent in an episode since "Measure Of A Man," and where "Measure" was primarily about proving what we all knew, "Ensigns" goes a step deeper, and questions whether or not Data's quest for self-actualization can ever be achieved. We tend to assume certain things about the character because humans tend to ascribe emotional content to actions, even when there's no proof of it. When Data should be happy or sad or excited or proud, it's nearly impossible to accept that he isn't those things, even when we're repeatedly told that the android is incapable of feeling the way we understand it. Partly that's because Data is played by a human actor, and he's written by humans, and given the natures of on-going television drama, there's going to be some occasional seepage. Really, though, we see what want to see. Data is polite, helpful, and calm, so it's easy to assume that must mean something more than programming.

But does it? "Ensigns" doesn't spend all its time on the issue, but it opens with Data preparing to perform in a concert, and the relationship he develops with one of the colonists on Tau Cygna V makes it more than just a matter of curiosity. That Data wants to be more human makes sense, because it's inherent in his design. I can't remember if he's brought this up himself, but the fact that he was built to  look  like a man, and given the basic tools required to interact with other men (and, hubba hubba, women), at least implies that his purpose is to be as human as possible. How exactly he goes about that is by getting better and better pretending to be a real live boy, with the hope that eventually there will be a transition between pretending and simply being. I never really liked the emotion chip he gets in  Generations . (Which is otherwise an absolutely perfect movie that I have no problems whatsoever withahahahaha, who the hell am I kidding, it stinks) It's a shortcut to the solution that actually makes him more robotic than before. Here, at least, when he doesn't feel anything in the face of Ard'rian's affections, it's honest.

I'm making it sound like the episode is dryer than it actually is, but one of the reasons I liked this one so much is that it manages to balance all this heaviness with a gripping, well-paced story arc. The core conflict is very clear: an immovable object (15,000 colonists who've made their home on Cygna through years of sacrifice and struggle) meets an irresistible force (the Sheliak, to whom the planet technically belongs). The Sheliak want to colonize Cygna immediately, and threaten to wipe out anyone who gets in their way, while the colonists, led by uber-dick Gosheven, want to stay and defend their home. Against an alien race with vastly superior technology. Maybe it's an arrogance born out of decades of struggle, but the colonists aren't really making smart choices.

The ep is split between the sides of this struggle: on the one hand, there's Data trying to convince everyone to run for their freaking lives, and on the other, there's Picard, negotiating with the Sheliak to buy enough time for the evacuation. (The atmosphere of the planet prevents easy transport.) Both sides are great fun to watch. Like I said, Picard does well when faced with a strong adversary, and he's besieged on multiple fronts here. The Sheliak are inflexible and contemptuous, and Starfleet isn't much help in the deliberations; when Picard asks for assistance, they tell they can get him the extra ship he needs… in about three weeks. Even the normally reliable Geordi is unable to solve the transporter problem in time. Picard is only able to get the time by relying on the Sheliak's obsessive attention to detail, putting them in a corner and forcing them to accept his demands.

The emotional core of "Ensigns" comes from Data's struggles on Cygna. As with everything, his approach is logical, and the solution he eventually settles on is striking while still being consistent with everything we know about the character. I do think the deck had to be a little stacked to force him to the point of violence. While we don't see every conversation Data has with the colonists trying to convince them of the dangers of the Sheliak threat, what we do see is more vague than it needed to be, and if he'd done a better job of explaining the nature of the danger, the episode probably would've ended a lot sooner. (It seems like he doesn't actually say, "They have really, really good weapons" until the very end.) I like his progression, though, from direct honesty, to reverse psychology, to shock value, and I like how his decision to shoot some of the locals (with the phaser on stun, of course) is both perfectly sensible and surprising. It's not like Data is in danger of becoming an anti-hero, but he takes a risk here that a human character might not have taken, and it's an excellent reminder of Data's potential to make the right choices the rest of us might not be capable of. (I worked very hard not to have that sentence end in preposition, but it was not to be.)

Another reminder of Data's oddness comes in his relationship with Ardy, a geeky tomboy who's first fascinated, then emotionally drawn to the android. This is the first time we've seen Data dealing with romance since (shudder) "The Naked Now," and it could've been disastrous; it's easy to imagine the writers trying to soften the character or wink at the audience. (I didn't really get into it at the time, but one of the disappointing elements of "Pen Pals" is that it relies on Data having an emotional connection with someone, and it reduces him. He's more interesting if he's pretending to have feelings, not losing his judgment to them.) I wouldn't call their final scene together stark, exactly, but it does show there are certain limits to Data's development, even while his conversation with Picard at the end of the episode argues otherwise. Ardy kisses Data, and he analyzes the action, and then tries to respond in kind—not because he shares the emotional connection, but because he's designed to mimic appropriate behavior. Ardy realizes this, and while you could argue that she's a little naive to think she might've won the android over, her self-awareness mitigates this. She knows she's being foolish, but she tries anyway, and Data comes as close as he can to reciprocation.

It's a nice scene that only gets better in retrospect, because it's the sort of touch this show needs to jump from good to great. It goes back to the idea of consequences I mentioned earlier.  TNG  has tried to achieve the same levels of pulpy fun that were  TOS' s stock in trade, and never quite managed it. Our new leads are more thoughtful, more deliberate, and that means it's harder to buy them as two-fisted, hormone-crazy action stars. (Obviously  TOS  was capable of thoughtfulness, but it's a much rawer show than  TNG  is.) That's something the series needs to embrace, and both "Evolution" and "Ensigns" are good examples of the returns the writers can get when they know what kind of show they're working on. "Ensigns" is the better of the two, because the compromises it reaches to arrive at a semi-happy ending are organic and satisfying. Bring on the rest of the season, please.

• Nearly gave this one an A-, and I'm still on the fence. If I'd seen this late S1 or early S2, I definitely would've graded higher, and I'm not entirely convinced I still shouldn't.
• So are Beverly and Picard dating now?
• "Here we stand." "Then here you die."
• How awesome is Picard's stalling?
• "But nothing more?" "I do not understand."
• I didn't really get into Picard's pep talk to Data at the end, but it's a nice way to temper the bleakness of the Ardy goodbye scene without denying it's truth.
• Next week, we get into "The Survivors" and "Who Watches The Watchers."

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION Season 3, Episode 1

Dr. Paul Stubbs, an eminent scientist, has come aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise to study the explosion of a star in the Kavis Alpha Sector, which occurs only once every 196 years. As the crew prepares to launch Stubbs' research unit, the ship is suddenly drawn into the fiery path of the stellar matter. The U.S.S. Enterprise computers initially fail to respond to commands to stabilize, yet even after the ship is restored to normal, the computer reports no malfunction. Faced with the potential breakdown of the ship's main computer, Picard warns Stubbs that the mission may have to be aborted. Stubbs, who has devoted his career to studying the once-in-a-lifetime event, is insistent that his project be completed at any cost. Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher is shaken by the realization that an experiment he had been working on may be at the root of the ship's trouble. jssor_1_slider_init(); [ Complete Screencap Index ] Knowing he must confide in someone, Wesley talks to his mother, Dr. Beverly Crusher, who has returned to the U.S.S. Enterprise after a year's service at Starfleet Medical. He explains that during a genetics experiment, he allowed two nanites, robots tiny enough to enter living cells, to interact. It now appears that they are rapidly replicating and essentially eating the main computer, shutting down the power, weapons, communications and life support systems on the ship, one by one. What's more, the nanites have evolved to the point where they have become, in effect, a civilization capable of intelligent thought. When Picard refuses to destroy them, Stubbs fears that his life's work will be ruined and attempts to kill them. In retaliation, the nanites attack Stubbs and render the ship powerless. Desperate to stop the nanites, Picard asks Data to find a way to communicate with them. The robots, distrustful of humans, refuse to agree to a cease fire. As a gesture of good faith, Data allows the nanites to enter his circuits and manipulate his verbal programs, thus using him as a conduit for face-to-face communication. "Speaking" through Data, the nanites reveal that they meant no harm, but needed to explore the computer system. After Stubbs apologizes for trying to kill them and arranges a new home for them on planet Kavis Alpha IV, the nanites relent and even help reconstruct the computer core in time for Stubbs to complete his experiment.

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Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S3E1 "Evolution"

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Original air date: September 25, 1989

Wesley Crusher is fast asleep with his head on the counter where he's been working. He's been experimenting with some nanites, which are tiny robots that can do very delicate work due to their microscopic size. Unwittingly, he's left the container open and some of them have escaped. They proceed to infest the ship like pests, eating away at the circuitry in the computer and using those resources to reproduce themselves.

The Enterprise has come to witness a particular explosion at a binary star system that only occurs once every 196 years, having brought a Federation scientist named Dr. Stubbs (Ken Jenkins). When the ship starts to malfunction, Wesley discovers that it's the nanites that escaped that are causing the problems. Dr. Stubbs takes matters into his own hands, flooding the computer core with gamma radiation. This kills many of the nanites, but not all of them, and the remainder react by sabotaging the life support. This is quickly overridden, but after Dr. Stubbs is confined to quarters, the nanites find a way to attack him there with an electric shock.

Tropes in this episode include:

• Author Appeal : Stubbs being a massive baseball fan. It's not the last time that Michael Piller would inject that trait into a character.
• The Bus Came Back : Dr. Crusher, who was Put on a Bus at the start of the previous season, returns to the show in this episode, and stays for the rest of its run.
• Calling the Old Woman Out : Wesley snapping at Beverly. Wesley: Look, I have done everything that everyone has asked of me and more! I mean, how can you know? You haven't even been here.
• Although it's said that baseball is no longer played in the 24th century (something that is picked up on later in Deep Space Nine as well), the writers clearly remembered that Wesley had already talked about the game way back in the first season episode " Justice ", so they weave it into his backstory that he used to play it with his dad. Clearly, Jack Crusher was, along with Stubbs and Ben Sisko, one of the few devotees left of the game.
• Picard tells Beverly that he was known to get into quite a bit of trouble when he was Wesley's age—echoing what he told the boy in " Samaritan Snare ".
• Child Prodigy : Dr. Stubbs was a former wunderkind , and he sees a kindred spirit in Wesley. He warns Wesley that his own potential will be his greatest adversary.
• Chuck Cunningham Syndrome : Dr. Pulaski is gone, without any explanation of why she left or where she went. In fact, she's only even mentioned on two more occasions during the show's entire run.
• Early-Installment Weirdness : The new collared Starfleet uniforms debut. However, in the early season 3 episodes, they have seams going down the sides of the chest, along with bigger shoulder pads. The streamlined uniform sans seams and with smaller shoulder pads would appear in "Booby Trap" and would stay in use until Star Trek: First Contact .
• Failsafe Failure : Manual override is jammed, Captain!
• Future Loser : Stubbs is essentially what Wesley could grow up to be. Not a brilliant academic with the respect of his peers and a litany of work behind him, but an isolated hermit, obsessed with one experiment to give his life meaning.
• Game of Nerds : Stubbs uses baseball to relax, but not by playing it on the holodeck like Sisko . He instead relives the games in his mind using statistics.
• Gone Horribly Right : Wesley's school project involves putting two nanites together to see what would happen. Result: He creates a new species that starts to consume the Enterprise and jeopardizes a science mission. Admittedly, had he secured the sample properly, this wouldn't have happened.
• Hypocritical Humor : From Beverly after she spots Wesley in Ten Forward with a girl. "It's so good to see him having fun for a change, with an attractive young woman who obviously looks at him with extraordinary affection. [to Guinan] What do you know about this girl?"
• Instant A.I.: Just Add Water! : All Wesley does is allow two nanites to work together, when normally they are deployed singly. Wow, is it really that easy to create sentient mechanical life?
• Irony : As Ira Behr once noted, it didn't go unnoticed among the other writers that Michael Piller (a huge baseball fan) established that baseball was dead in the world of Star Trek .
• Wesley doesn't receive any form of punishment for endangering the entire crew. On the other hand, he doesn't receive any accolades for creating a new sapient life form, either, so it balances out.
• Stubbs is a selfish, narcissistic Glory Hound who jeopardizes the crew when he escalates the situation by exterminating some of the nanites while Engineering is working on a slower, safer way to remove them. He's Easily Forgiven by the nanites at the end of the episode, and his experiment goes off without a hitch.
• My Beloved Smother : Downplayed with Beverly. She's concerned about Wesley, but she's very relaxed when dealing with him. If anything, it's Picard she bothers about the matter note  This is actually a very healthy way of dealing with the situation; she holds herself together to parent Wesley, and only lets out her insecurities when she's with a friend .
• Wesley has this reaction on discovering that his nanites are responsible for the trouble aboard the Enterprise .
• To a lesser extent, Stubbs after he realizes that the nanites really are sentient, and rather peeved that he just killed a load of them. He doesn't get too broken up over it, but it's clear that he honestly regrets his actions.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero : The nanites are initially the result of Wesley's science project, which he left unattended and unsecured. They multiplied and escaped.
• Oblivious Guilt Slinging : Dr. Stubbs rants forlornly about how his lifelong dream, a once-in-a-lifetime scientific dicovery, has just been delayed by two centuries "due to rain"... while alone with Wesley, who's worrying that the accidental release of his nanites might be responsible for the ship's problems.
• Parents as People : Beverly is anxious about missing a year of Wesley's life while she was reassigned to Starfleet Medical.
• Public Domain Character : Guinan seems to be reminiscing to Wesley about another scientist friend that she knew who has a similar dilemma as Wesley. "His name was Frankenstein". Later seasons would establish that Guinan has been on Earth rubbing shoulders with the likes of Samuel Clemens . But whether or not this is meant to imply that in the Star Trek universe, Frankenstein is based on a true story is anyone's guess. Not impossible since the Greek Gods and Merlin (one of Flint's identities as mentioned in Requiem For Methuselah ) are said to have existed in Earth's past.
• Shadow Archetype : Stubbs to Wesley. He was dubbed a wunderkind in his younger days, everyone expected great things from him, and his relationship with his mother can be difficult at times. Of course, whereas Wesley still has his life ahead of him, Stubbs's big moment is make or break right now, so the pressure is mounting. Wesley felt he could take his time with a few traps, but Stubbs does something far more reckless in the interests of expediency.
• Shout-Out : The game Dr. Stubbs is reliving in his sleep when the nanites attack him is Bobby Thompson's 1951 "Shot Heard 'Round the World".
• Shut Up, Hannibal! : Stubbs isn't an outright villain, but after he gets caught sterilizing a number of nanites, he gets very cocky about "the highest command of the Federation" giving him the authority to carry out his experiment. Picard: If any man, woman or child on this ship is harmed as a result of your experiment, I will have your head before the highest command in the Federation .
• What Measure Is a Non-Human? : Stubbs sees the nanites as nothing more than rogue machines that need to be destroyed. Once their intelligence is established beyond the shadow of a doubt, he is completely apologetic.
• Where Did We Go Wrong? : Downplayed. Beverly is generally proud of Wesley, but she wonders if he's too focused on work instead of enjoying himself. She also feels out of step after being separated from him for a year.
• Why Don't You Just Shoot Him? : When the crew try to fix the problem while preserving the nanites, Stubbs' "solution" is to fire a high-energy gamma pulse at the computer core, killing them.
• You Are Not Alone : Wesley is feeling the weight of his responsibilities, and snaps at his mother . She responds well. Beverly: I'm here now, Wesley. Come on, I'll help you.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E22 "Shades of Gray"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S3E2 "The Ensigns of Command"

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How Star Trek Made LeVar Burton Actually Glow For Its Identity Crisis Episode

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Identity Crisis" (March 25, 1991), Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) meets an old friend, Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten (Maryann Plunkett), the only surviving member of a mission they both went on years before. It seems that their compatriots have gone missing or stolen shuttlecrafts to return to the planet Tarchannen III, where they were last united. Soon after her arrival, Leijten also begins exhibiting weird behavior, twitching nervously and demanding a visit to Tarchannen III. Her body begins to mutate. Her fingers fuse together and eerie blue veins appear on her skin. Her eyes turn yellow. It's all Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) can do to slow the mutations.

Geordi, while unattended, also suddenly begins to mutate. He eventually returns to Tarchannen III, having turned into a near-invisible creature that can only be seen under a special blacklight. Leijten has to overcome her own mutations and communicate with Geordi before his transformation becomes irreversible.

"Identity Crisis" is a good body-horror episode of "Star Trek," and perhaps shouldn't be watched in the dark alone. The scene where Geordi recreates a shadow on the holodeck is one of the scariest in the show's history.

In order to achieve the look of the invisible alien, Burton had to undergo a full-body makeup process  that involved a facial prosthetic, contact lenses, a lot of painted-on veins, alien gloves, and alien feet. It was the most makeup Burton ever had to wear on "The Next Generation."

In the book "Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages" edited by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, "Crisis" director David Livingston recalled the makeup process in detail, as well as the complex lighting the episode required. Livingston used U/V light on set, a first for the series.

The Mark & Brian Show

Some fun trivia: local KLOS DJs Mark Thompson and Brian Phelps, stars of "The Mark & Brian Show," played two additional aliens in the episode. They had no lines and just lurched past the camera. They also didn't have to undergo the same makeup process that Burton did, wearing full-body stockings and masks instead. The issue was getting the aliens to glow as it said in the script, a problem Livingston presented to his producer, Peter Lauritson. After checking out some test footage, Livingston went to longtime "Trek" makeup artist Michael Westmore and longtime costumer Robert Blackman about achieving the look. Livingston explained:

"We were talking about how we're going to make these guys glow and Peter Lauritson said to me, 'Why don't we try ultraviolet?' [...] I said because we had done a test the year before. I almost dismissed it, but then pulled out the tape and looked at it, and said this stuff is great. [I] went to Michael Westmore and Bob Blackman and said we want to do this, and they designed these suits and we painted them with U/V [paint] and put these contact lenses into this woman's eyes that glowed. [...] LeVar looked fabulous."

The costumes looked great, and they did indeed glow under a blacklight, a phenomenon anyone who has visited a commercial haunted house has likely encountered. The next problem, however, was lighting a set with blacklight-activated aliens on it. It seems that Livingston had to employ a special kind of blue lamp on set to bathe everything in a low, even color. This was in addition to the white lights needed to illuminate the actors. This kind of lighting had never been done on "Next Generation," a show that typically featured clean and even lighting.

The blue beacon

Livingston described the lighting rig as follows:

"We used heavy blue light for the set lighting, and it's different lighting than you see elsewhere because all the source coming from behind the camera is blue light. That's a decision we made and it should look harsh and unrealistic and not well-lit because it's not lit from one single blue source. It's basically a beacon shining out. It looked different than anything else and that was intentional." 

It was certainly strange-looking, giving off a ghostly vibe that wasn't used elsewhere in the series. Livingston noted that it worked well before adding that, after 1991, many other photographers and TV-makers started to use a stylized U/V light to create glowing images, notably in music videos. He continued:

"What I was surprised at was how powerful the U/V reflected back, and MTV is using it a lot now. I liked our use because it was integrated into the story. We used it to make it work dramatically rather than doing it as an effect. To me, that was a major accomplishment. We didn't do it to just be glitzy, we did it because it tied in dramatically with the story."

The makeup on Burton took four makeup artists and six full hours to apply. It was not just Burton's most extensive makeup job but the longest application in the history of the series. Luckily for Geordi, he was spared a subplot in the "Crisis" script wherein he and Leijten experienced a stalled romance. Geordi had already experienced several stalled romances , and piling another one on the character seemed cruel. The showrunners merely mutated him into an alien instead.

• ABBREVIATIONS
• BIOGRAPHIES
• CALCULATORS
• CONVERSIONS
• DEFINITIONS

Star Trek: The Next Generation 1987

Counselor Deanna Troi: Dr. Stubbs, I know how much this means to you...

Dr. Paul Stubbs: My dear Counselor. No insult intended; but please turn off your beam into my soul.

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Published Apr 10, 2024

A Brief History of the Progenitors in Star Trek

They designed life itself!

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery 's "Red Directive ."

StarTrek.com

Captain Burnham's top-secret mission in the final season of Star Trek: Discovery has finally been revealed. But this time, the Discovery crew isn’t stopping a future-destroying A.I., or a lethal, extra-galactic force. Instead, they’re investigating the basic mysteries of why most species in the Star Trek universe look vaguely human.

As revealed in " Red Directive ," the search for technology used by ancient "Progenitors" sets-up a massive treasure hunt for the season. But, who are the Progenitors? What did Jean-Luc Picard know about the secrets of inter-species alien DNA? And how does all of this fit in with Gene Roddenberry’s earliest ideas for Star Trek ?

Here’s a brief history of the Progenitors, from the early 1960s, to the 24th Century, all the way to 2024, and the 31st Century.

The Real World-Origins of the Progenitors

"The Cage"

When the U.S.S. Enterprise first set out to seek out "new life and new civilizations," a huge swath of those alien lifeforms turned out to look a lot like human beings. And the primary reason for that, at least behind-the-scenes, was two-fold.

First, human actors are more affordable, and second, Gene Roddenberry wanted the classic Star Trek to avoid the sci-fi trope of "Bug-Eyed Monsters." And so, in one of the original 1964 pitch documents for Star Trek , Roddenberry floated the idea of "The Parallel Worlds" concept . The idea was that the format of Star Trek — from a writing and production standpoint — would generally deal with "...plant and animal life, plus people, quite similar to Earth. Social evolution will also have interesting points of similarity with ours."

Unlike a huge swath of science fiction on TV at the time, the promise of strange, new worlds, that were, in fact, populated by people , is something that set Star Trek apart, and was the cornerstone of what gave the series its humanist angle. But, the side effect of course, was an in-universe question — why were so many aliens humanoid?

The Old Ones, Sargon, and The Preservers

"The Paradise Syndrome"

The first two seasons of The Original Series are sprinkled with hints that, in the distant past, the galaxy was visited by super-powered aliens with technology far more advanced than anything in the Federation.

In " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ," we meet Ruk, an android built by "The Old Ones," an alien race capable of creating humanoid androids that were basically immortal. In " Return to Tomorrow ," the disembodied soul of Sargon, refers to humanity as "my children." While Dr. Muhuall says this idea flies in the face of evolutionary theory, Spock mentions the idea that aliens seeded life would "explain certain elements of Vulcan pre-history."

Then in Season 3, in " The Paradise Syndrome ," Bones and Spock tackle the question head-on. When they realize an ancient race of "Preservers" helped various humanoid species throughout the galaxy, the idea of an ancient alien race guiding and "seeding" a ton of humanoid species became less of a myth and more of a working theory. "I’ve always wondered why there were so many humanoids scattered through the galaxy," Bones says. To which Spock replies, "So have I. Apparently, the Preservers account for a number of them."

And then, the questions about an ancient humanoid species went answered. At least, until The Next Generation . 

"The Chase"

Directed by Jonathan Frakes and written by Ronald D. Moore and Joe Menosky, " The Chase " was a sixth-season episode of The Next Generation , which, according to The Next Generation Companion , was considered in the writers' room the most "Roddenberryesque" episode of TNG at that time. The story itself took cues from Carl Sagan's novel Contact , and posited that yes, ancient aliens not only seeded most of the humanoid species, but also hid a message in the DNA of all those species.

Captain Picard's interest in archeology comes in handy during the quest to locate all the DNA strands and reveal the message, which was also represented metaphorically by the ancient artifact known as the Kurlan naiskos .

At the end of the episode, representatives from the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Empire, the Cardassian Union, and the Federation, all witness the truth — an ancient Progenitor (played by Salome Jens) makes it clear that all the humanoid species in the galaxy don’t exist out of pure hubris, but instead, out of a kind of desire for legacy. "You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence…. Remember us."

Ronald D. Moore pointed out that there's no reason to believe that the Progenitors from "The Chase" and the Preservers from TOS aren't one in the same. Though not explicitly stated in the script, he said, "But this could be them, and be internally consistent."

Discovery Brings It All Home

"Red Directive"

While The Next Generation established a canonical fact that TOS only danced around, that only answered the question of why . With Discovery Season 5, a stranger, and more complex question is getting broached — how ?

"The Chase" told us why there are so many humanoid species in the galaxy, but we had no idea how the Progenitors specifically pushed life to evolve on various planets toward the exact form of life we’re all so familiar with. As the crew of Discovery — and other forces — are in pursuit of this ancient tech, Star Trek is boldly speculating on one of the biggest questions of all time.

If there was a supreme intelligence behind the creation of life, what was their method? While these kinds of questions are somewhat mind-boggling in real life, what Discovery is doing now is what Star Trek has done all along: Ask provocative questions that are beyond what we know now, so that maybe, in the future, we’ll be better prepared.

We don’t know that the Progenitors exist in real science, but the "panspermia hypothesis," is a very real scientific concept. A friendly alien may not have consciously sparked life on Earth eons ago, but, in reality, it is possible that some building blocks for life itself may have come from the stars.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

• Star Trek 101

‘Star Trek: Discovery’s Connection to ‘The Next Generation’ Explained

...And it involves a new crew.

The Big Picture

• The USS Discovery embarks on a red directive mission with ties to Star Trek lore, focusing on the Progenitors' technology.
• New faces join the crew on a mission to uncover an artifact related to the Progenitors in the Next Generation era.
• The technology to create life poses a powerful threat if misused, as Moll and L'ak aim to sell the artifact to the highest bidder.

The first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 are finally available on Paramount+, putting Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery back on the boldly going business. This time, they're not going another 800 years into the future, but instead, their mission has a connection to another time: the Star Trek: The Next Generation era. Back then, Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) once led the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on a mission that uncovered the secrets of life itself as we know it . It may have been a one-episode story, but it's now getting the proper arc it deserves; the time has finally come to learn the secrets of the Progenitors.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

The Discovery Is Given a Red Directive Mission by Dr. Kovich

The final season of Discovery starts off with its foot on the door, with ties to past Star Trek lore and the return of Dr. Kovich ( David Cronenberg ), which always means business for the Discovery crew. This time, his mission is so important that it interrupts a Starfleet event, but can't be disclosed because it's a red directive (a mission of a highly classified and dangerous nature that takes precedence over all other tasks) . Captain Burnham doesn't like the idea of keeping secrets from her crew, but since the Discovery is the only ship that can take this mission thanks to its spore drive, she accepts it.

The secretive mission introduces some new faces to Discovery , including couriers, Moll ( Eve Harlow ) and L'ak ( Elias Toufexis ), as well as U.S.S. Antares Captain Rayner ( Callum Keith Rennie ). The mission was to retrieve an artifact from a Romulan science ship that had been adrift for 800 years, but Moll and L'ak beat them to it, then take the artifact to the planet, Q'mau, where the synthetic antique dealer, Fred ( J. Adam Brown ), opens it up and reveals a diary written by the Romulan scientist, Vellek ( Michael Copeman ). Even though Moll and L'ak have escaped Starfleet in Q'mau, Admiral Charles Vance ( Oded Fehr ) helps officer Sylvia Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ) obtain information on Vellek.

As it turns out, Vellek was once part of a group that—under the leadership of Captain Jean-Luc Picard —attempted to solve the mystery of the planet Vilmor II. There, they found out about a race of humanoid aliens known only as the Progenitors , who have created life in its humanoid form and are the common link between all present humanoid species in the galaxy. The Discovery's mission, however, isn't about the Progenitors themselves, but rather about the technology they used to do what they did.

The Progenitors’ Story Comes From a Single Episode in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

Season 6, Episode 20 of The Next Generation , "The Chase," is one of the wildest in the entire series. For the first time ever, a Star Trek episode shows Humans, Klingons, Romulans, and more together in the same scene. That's all thanks to one of the most interesting plots in the franchise, which sees these races coming together to discover the secret of their common origin. Unfortunately, The Next Generation didn't carry on with this plotline, but Discovery is finally giving it the sequence it deserves.

"The Chase" starts off with Captain Picard meeting his old mentor, Professor Galen ( Norman Lloyd ), aboard the Enterprise-D. The scholar is there to recruit Picard for a long-term mission that will result in the most important scientific discovery of their time, but Picard can't give up his post on Starfleet. Picard decides to take the Enterprise-D and finish what Galen started. He begins by analyzing the data his mentor had gathered (large blocks of numbers laid out in a sort of sequence). Following this trail, he eventually discovers that the numbers are actually a DNA sequence. On the planet, Loren III, Picard intervenes and mediates their conflict upon learning that both of them are there for the same reason the Enterpreise-D is, calling for them to analyze the combined DNA strands they have. They learn that those are all part of a puzzle, with each sequence complementing one another, but that there are still missing pieces.

The Enterprise-D follows the Cardassians to Vilmor II with the Klingon emissary on board, and they find out the planet has lichen growing on the dried-up ocean floor. Discreetly, Dr. Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) inserts all the DNA samples they now have onto her tricorder, which then projects the recording of a humanoid woman ( Salome Jens ). Thankfully, everyone stops arguing to listen to the projection, as the woman explains that she belonged to a race of ancient aliens from 4.5 billion years earlier. Her species eventually came to terms with their extinction, but they sowed pieces of their own DNA on many planets where life could grow across the galaxy as a way of ensuring a lasting legacy . Their intention was for all those future species to come together upon discovering their shared ancestry . Cardassians and Klingons immediately resume their bickering, unable to accept that they have anything in common. Later, Picard ponders with the Romulans that one day, in the future, perhaps all species will learn to coexist for the sake of their shared ancestry.

Where Does This Leave Captain Burnham and the Discovery Crew?

The race of ancient humanoids is never named onscreen, but they are referred to as the Progenitors from then on. With Discovery finally finishing this loose thread in Star Trek lore, it's important to ponder that the Progenitors must have used powerful tech to sow their DNA across the galaxy, which is what the overall plot of the season is going to be. The technology to create life is powerful by definition , and can be used for terrible things if it falls in the wrong hands. Right now, Moll and L'ak have the diary, but they're unwilling to cooperate with the Federation after a failed negotiation attempt by Cleveland "Book" Booker ( David Ajala ). However, they're looking to sell the diary to the highest bidder.

After the events of the first part of the season premiere , "Red Directive," Captain Rayner has been discharged from his command of the U.S.S. Antares. As sad as it is to see an officer of 30-plus years being discharged, it's also very serendipitous, as Captain Burnham is in need of a new number one for the Discovery as Saru ( Doug Jones ) is about to take a new diplomatic post for the Federation. During their chase on Q'mau, Rayner mentions that he has history chasing Moll and L'ak, which will surely come in handy . Also, Book finds out he has a past connection to Moll that makes them all but family, which is another potential lead to finding her.

Star Trek: Discovery is available to watch on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2366

• View history

In 2366 , numerous log entries were made on the captain's log for the USS Enterprise -D . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation )

• 2.1 Mission to binary star system
• 2.2 Distress call at Rana IV
• 2.3 Mission to Mintaka III
• 2.4 Mission to Koinonians' homeworld
• 2.5 Mission to Orelious IX
• 2.6 Distress call at Galorndon Core
• 2.7 Mission to Barzan II
• 2.8 Mission to Acamar III
• 2.9 Mission to Nelvana III
• 2.10 Mission to Angosia III
• 2.11 Mission to Rutia IV
• 2.12 Mission to Bre'el IV
• 2.13 Legaran conference
• 2.14 Charting the Hayashi system
• 2.15 Mission to Tanuga IV
• 2.16 Officer Exchange Program
• 2.17 Rendezvous with Lal
• 2.18 Diversion to Lonka Cluster
• 2.19 Mission to Nahmi IV
• 2.20 Mission to Beta Agni II
• 2.21 Trade Agreements Conference
• 2.22 Mission to Zeta Gelis cluster
• 2.23 Borg Invasion

Entrants [ ]

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard . ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Entries [ ]

Mission to binary star system [ ].

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43125.8. We have entered a spectacular binary star system in the Kavis Alpha sector on a most critical mission of astrophysical research . Our eminent guest, Dr. Paul Stubbs , will attempt to study the decay of neutronium expelled at relativistic speeds from a massive stellar explosion which will occur here in a matter of hours. "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. Our computer core has clearly been tampered with and yet there is no sign of a breach of security on board. We have engines back and will attempt to complete our mission. But without a reliable computer, Dr. Stubbs' experiment is in serious jeopardy. "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. Dr. Stubbs has used his influence to have planet Kavis Alpha IV designated the new home of the nanite civilization. Commander Data 's neural network has been vacated. He has been returned to us unharmed and, with the help of the nanites, our computer core has been reconstructed in time for the experiment. " ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Distress call at Rana IV [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43152.4. We are cautiously entering the Delta Rana star system three days after receiving a distress call from the Federation colony on its fourth planet . The garbled transmission reported the colony under attack from an unidentified spacecraft. Our mission is one of rescue and, if necessary, confrontation with a hostile force. "
• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43153.7. We are departing the Rana system for Starbase 133 . We leave behind a being of extraordinary power and conscience. I'm not certain if he should be praised or condemned, only that he should be left alone. " ( TNG : " The Survivors ")

Mission to Mintaka III [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43173.5. We are en route to Mintaka III where a three-man Federation anthropological field team has been studying the inhabitants. Our mission is to resupply the outpost and repair their malfunctioning reactor . "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. Dr. Crusher has repaired my injury with her usual skill. Mr. La Forge will supervise the dismantling of the observation post after I make one last visit to Mintaka III. " ( TNG : " Who Watches The Watchers ")

Mission to Koinonians' homeworld [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43198.7. The Enterprise remains in standard orbit while we investigate the tragedy which has struck the away team . Lieutenant Marla Aster , ship's archaeologist , has been killed on what should have been a routine mission. Whatever the explanation, it will not bring back a valued and trusted officer. " ( TNG : " The Bonding ")

Mission to Orelious IX [ ]

• " Captain's log, Stardate 43205.6. We have arrived at Orelious IX to chart the battle in which the Menthars and Promellians fought to their mutual extinction. Among the ruins, we have found a relic – a Promellian battle cruiser that has withstood the centuries. " ( TNG : " Booby Trap ")

Distress call at Galorndon Core [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43349.2. An unidentified distress signal has led to the discovery of a crashed Romulan vessel on the surface of Galorndon Core , a Federation planet. We have recovered one survivor, but Lieutenant Commander La Forge did not report back with the away team and is still missing. " ( TNG : " The Enemy ")

Mission to Barzan II [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43385.6. We're orbiting Barzan II, which is entertaining bid for control of what appears to be a stable wormhole which could provide a permanent shortcut to the distant Gamma Quadrant. " ( TNG : " The Price ")

Mission to Acamar III [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43421.9. In an effort to put an end to the Gatherer raids, we have come to the Acamar system to enlist the aid of Marouk , the Sovereign of Acamar III . " ( TNG : " The Vengeance Factor ")

Mission to Nelvana III [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43462.5. We have beamed aboard an apparent Romulan defector who claims to be a low-ranking logistics officer with extraordinary information about a secret offensive. "
• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43463.7. We are holding a position at the Neutral Zone border proximate to Nelvana III . If our guest is telling the truth, there are 21 hours left before the Romulan base becomes functional. " ( TNG : " The Defector ")

Mission to Angosia III [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43489.2. We have arrived at Angosia III , a planet that has expressed a strong desire for membership in the Federation. Prime Minister Nayrok has taken Commander Riker and me on a tour of the capital city. " ( TNG : " The Hunted ")

Mission to Rutia IV [ ]

• " Captain's log, Stardate 43510.7. The Enterprise has put in at Rutia IV to deliver medical supplies following an outbreak of violent protests . Although non-aligned, the planet has enjoyed a long trading relationship with the Federation. Now, a generation of peace has ended with terrorist attacks by Ansata separatists who are demanding autonomy and self-determination for their homeland on the western continent. Recreational shore leave has been prohibited and all away teams have been instructed to beam down armed. " ( TNG : " The High Ground ")

Mission to Bre'el IV [ ]

• " Captain's log, Stardate 43539.1. We have moved into orbit around Bre'el IV. With the assistance of the planet's emergency control center, we are investigating a catastrophic threat to the population from a descending asteroidal moon. "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. We are no closer to finding a solution to the deteriorating orbit of the Bre'el moon, but with the arrival of Q we now have a good idea of the cause. "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. We have sustained light damage from an attack by an alien species known as the Calamarain . They apparently have a grievance with Q – no doubt one of many lifeforms that do. " ( TNG : " Deja Q ")

Legaran conference [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43917.4. The Enterprise has been given the singular honor of hosting the first meeting between the Federation and a mysterious race known as the Legarans . We are in orbit around Vulcan preparing to welcome aboard Federation ambassador Sarek and his wife, Perrin , who like his first wife , is from Earth . "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. In three hours time, we are scheduled to meet with the Legaran delegation. However, it is now all too evident that Ambassador Sarek is in no condition to proceed with the conference. " ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Charting the Hayashi system [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43779.3. The Enterprise is preparing detailed exospheric charts of the Hayashi system . Although tedious, this endeavor is the first step towards planet colonization. "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. Traveling at high warp we are still several days from rendezvous with the mysterious entity Starfleet has christened " Tin Man ". My immediate concern is with Tam Elbrun . Starfleet considers his unique abilities crucial to our mission, yet he seems to me unstable. "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. A confrontation between the Romulan warbird and "Tin Man" is imminent. I have no alternative but to rely on the telepathic abilities of Tam Elbrun. "
• " Captain's Log, supplemental. With all main systems at least temporarily restored, we are proceeding to Starbase 152 for inspection and additional repairs. We have had no further encounter with the Romulans. As for the whereabouts of "Tin Man" and Tam Elbrun, we can only speculate. " ( TNG : " Tin Man ")

Mission to Tanuga IV [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43610.4. After completing a delivery of dicosilium to the Tanuga IV research station , our away team is receiving an update from Doctor Nel Apgar on his efforts to create Krieger waves , a potentially valuable new power source. "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. Commander Riker has informed me that Doctor Apgar was the only one aboard the space station when it exploded. We remain in orbit investigating the accident… " ( TNG : " A Matter of Perspective ")

Officer Exchange Program [ ]

• " Captain's Log, Stardate 43685.2. As part of an exchange program , we're taking aboard a Klingon officer to return the recent visit of Commander Riker to the cruiser Pagh . " ( TNG : " Sins of The Father ")

Rendezvous with Lal [ ]

• " Captain's Log stardate 43657.0 While Commander Riker is away on personal leave the Enterprise has traveled to sector 396 to begin charting the Selebi asteroid belt
• " Captain's log, supplemental. I have just been advised of a highly unusual project undertaken by Commander Data. "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. We are holding position pending the arrival of Admiral Haftel from Starfleet Research . Commander Data is completing his final neural transfers to the android he has named Lal ; which I have learned in the language Hindi means beloved. " ( TNG : " The Offspring ")

Diversion to Lonka Cluster [ ]

• " Captain's log, stardate 43714.1. We have finally succeeded in eradicating the Phyrox plague on Cor Caroli V and will soon be preparing to leave orbit and proceed to our next mission – a rendezvous with the USS Hood to assist in their terraforming efforts on Browder IV. " ( TNG : " Allegiance ")

Mission to Nahmi IV [ ]

• " Captain's log, 43807.4. We're taking on a load of special tissue samples donated by the Mikulaks for shipment to Nahmi IV . The samples could prove vital to the containment of an outbreak of Correllium fever on that world. " ( TNG : " Hollow Pursuits ")

Mission to Beta Agni II [ ]

• " Captain's log, 43872.2. In order to neutralize a sudden contamination of the water supply at the Federation colony on Beta Agni II , we are procuring 108 kilos of hytritium from the Zibalian trader, Kivas Fajo . Because pure hytritium is too unstable for our transporters, Lieutenant Commander Data has been shuttling the material to the Enterprise . "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. As the result of a yet unexplained shuttle explosion, Lieutenant Commander Data has been lost. " ( TNG : " The Most Toys ")

Trade Agreements Conference [ ]

• " Captain's log, stardate 43930.7. The Enterprise has been in attendance at the biennial Trade Agreements Conference on Betazed . For the first time, the Ferengi are present and I have reluctantly consented to their boarding the Enterprise for the closing reception. " ( TNG : " Ménage à Troi ")

Mission to Zeta Gelis cluster [ ]

• " Captain's log, stardate 43957.2. We are charting an unexplored star system within the Zeta Gelis cluster . This routine assignment has made for a refreshingly quiet time aboard the Enterprise . "
• " Captain's log, stardate 43960.6. Our mission to map the Zeta Gelis star cluster is proceeding on schedule. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher reports that the recovery of the patient she has named John Doe continues at a remarkable pace. " ( TNG : " Transfigurations ")

Borg Invasion [ ]

• " Captain's log, Stardate 43989.1. The Enterprise has arrived at Jouret IV in response to a distress signal from one of the Federation 's outermost colonies . "
• " Captain's log, Stardate 43992.6. Admiral Hanson and Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Shelby of Starfleet Tactical have arrived to review the disappearance of New Providence colony. No sign remains of the nine hundred inhabitants. "
• " Captain's log, Stardate 43993.5. With confirmation of the Borg 's presence in Federation space, Admiral Hanson has returned to Starbase 324 to discuss strategy with Starfleet Command . Lieutenant Commander Shelby remains on board to continue tactical preparations. "
• " Captain's log, Stardate 43996.2. The Enterprise remains concealed in the dust cloud. And, to my surprise, the Borg have maintained their position waiting for us to come out of hiding. I have no explanation for their special interest in me or this ship. We continue to prepare our defenses for the inevitable confrontation but, I must admit, on this night I contemplate the possibility that no defense may be adequate against this enemy. " ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds "; PIC : " The Next Generation ")
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Galaxy's Child

• Episode aired Mar 9, 1991

As Geordi La Forge finally meets the real Dr. Leah Brahms, a tragic first contact leaves the Enterprise with a gigantic galactic infant suckling the ship's energy. As Geordi La Forge finally meets the real Dr. Leah Brahms, a tragic first contact leaves the Enterprise with a gigantic galactic infant suckling the ship's energy. As Geordi La Forge finally meets the real Dr. Leah Brahms, a tragic first contact leaves the Enterprise with a gigantic galactic infant suckling the ship's energy.

• Winrich Kolbe
• Gene Roddenberry
• Maurice Hurley
• Tom Kartozian
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 26 User reviews
• 9 Critic reviews

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Doctor Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Dr. Leah Brahms

• Ensign Sariel Rager

• Ensign Pavlik

• Transporter Technician Hubbell

• Ensign Gates
• (uncredited)

• Enterprise Computer

• Ensign Russell
• Science Division Officer
• Starfleet Ensign

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Before finding the holodeck program, Leah Brahms reviews an engineering log of modifications made to the ship by La Forge. The last entry on the list which is only seen very briefly is "Tonight on HBO."
• Goofs In Ten Forward, Geordi describes Dr. Brahms as unfriendly and too focused on her work, and says that she hates what he's done to her engines; yet, in their previous scene together, Brahms expresses admiration for one of Geordi's modifications, to the point of encouraging him to publish a paper.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : We're out here to explore, to make contact with other life forms, to establish peaceful relations but not to interfere, and absolutely not to destroy - and yet look at what we have just done.

• Connections Referenced in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Relics (1992)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 26

• planktonrules
• Nov 19, 2014
• March 9, 1991 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Star Trek Never Explains Its Most Overused Trope

Posted: April 17, 2024 | Last updated: April 18, 2024

Star Trek has many tropes that it constantly returns to, like the Enterprise always being the only ship in range to handle the crisis of the day. Perhaps the strangest trope is how Artificial Intelligence is presented via the presence of sentient holograms. The appearance of smart holograms is the most overused trope in all of Star Trek, and the franchise never fully explains the AI powering characters like Vic Fontaine, Moriarity, and the Doctor.

AI Isn’t Supposed To Be So Common

To understand how confusing the whole matter is, you need to remember a different kind of Star Trek AI: the Soong-Type android. The Next Generation makes a big deal out of the fact that Data is very unique because he is sentient; the galaxy is full of robotic servants, but only the androids with a positronic brain like Data could evolve into fully sentient beings, complete with emotions. In short, Data’s sentience makes him relatively unique in the galaxy, and the franchise has gone out of its way to explain that Data is special due to the genius of his creator, Dr. Soong.

Holographic AI

While there are only so many Soong-type androids out there, Data has some kindred spirits in the form of intelligent holograms. Star Trek: The Next Generation gave us a taste of how weird AI in the 24th century could be when a simple request from Geordi La Forge resulted in the holodeck creating a sentient Moriarity. Later, Voyager would introduce a sentient Doctor hologram, and Deep Space Nine would bring in sentient lounge singer Vic Fontaine.  

Notably, though, exactly how these fan-favorite Star Trek characters had more advanced AI than other programs is never really explained. For example, if the Enterprise-D computer can create a sentient program after receiving a vague verbal request–which is how the sentient hologram of Moriarty is created in “Elementary, Dear Data”– does that mean the ship’s computer is also sentient? For that matter, could anyone with access to the holodeck accidentally whip up a hyper-intelligent villain with the capability of putting the entire ship in danger?

Compared to the other Star Trek holograms, we get the most info on Voyager’s Doctor, but the AI powering him is never explained. For example, it’s canonical that the EMH began the show as a short-use emergency program and just developed sentience because he was on almost all the time. Whether this would happen to any hologram that was left on for a long enough time is something the franchise never addresses.

Vic Fontaine

Last but not least among Star Trek’s smart holograms is Vic Fontaine, the Vegas lounge singer whose AI was programmed by Dr. Bashir’s buddy, Felix. We don’t know much about Felix other than that he creates holo programs, and he’s obviously good at it because he intentionally made the singer sentient. If this is something a random character can do in his spare time and distribute to others, then I can’t help but wonder if the galaxy is filled with more sentient holograms than we’ll ever know.

We’ll Just Have To Accept It

Star Trek gave us some great storylines featuring these characters, but it’s notable that the AI powering each hologram seems to break all the rules of the franchise. The more you wonder how these programs even achieved sentience in the first place, the more questions you’re going to have about how all of this works. Of course, this is the perfect time to remind myself of that wonderful mantra from Mystery Science Theater 3000: “If you’re wondering how he eats and breathes, and other science facts, then repeat to yourself, ‘It’s just a show, I should really just relax.”

In other words, I won’t lose much sleep if Star Trek goes another few decades without explaining this overused AI hologram trope. But for a franchise that prides itself on continuity and scientific accuracy, it’s amazing that we don’t know anything else about the origin and implications of these holographic miracles. 

Delete The Wife

Now, I may never have an answer to the big question of whether Captain Janeway could have made that holographic bartender from “Fair Haven” sentient if she kept shacking up with him. If so, do we have to add her “delete the wife” moment to her list of kills, right next to Tuvix?

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Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery’s progenitor technology is far more powerful than wrath of khan’s genesis device.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is hunting for the Progenitors' life-giving technology, which has more power than Wrath of Khan's Genesis Device.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

• Star Trek: Discovery season 5 features a treasure hunt for the powerful Progenitors' technology.
• The Progenitors' technology can create life, modify ecosystems, and possibly reanimate dead organisms.
• The Progenitors' technology is more dangerous and diverse than the Genesis Device from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 centers on a treasure hunt for the Progenitors' technology, which sounds even more powerful and dangerous than the Genesis Device in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Project Genesis was the 23rd-century brainchild of Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) and David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), her son with Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Genesis was intended to address overpopulation and food shortage in the galaxy, but it was turned into a dreadful weapon by Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban).

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a sequel to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "The Chase," which explained why so many species in Star Trek 's galaxy are humanoid. The answer: Ancient humanoids seeded countless worlds billions of years ago, creating numerous species in their image. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5's 32nd century, the ancient humanoids are called the Progenitors, and their technology, hidden since the 24th century, must now be found by the USS Discovery before it falls into the hands of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis), who will sell the Progenitors power to create life to the highest bidder.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery’s progenitor technology powers & dangers explained, the progenitors' treasure can do more than create life.

What the Progenitors' treasure actually looks like and where it is hidden are yet to be discovered, but Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) gave a breakdown of what the ancient technology can do in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3 , "Jinaal." The implications of the Progenitors' technology are vast . As Stamets explained to Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie):

The technology… It could have incredible applications. One could use it to design new lifeforms, accelerate evolution, modify ecosystems. And if it can create life, then, in theory, it might even be possible to reanimate dead organisms… It could make even the spore drive discovery inconsequential by comparison.

The Progenitors couldn't just seed the oceans of planets to create humanoids in their image, but they could also redesign entire worlds. It's remarkable, then, that the ancient humanoids died out because the Progenitors were essentially like gods. Perhaps they warred upon and used their own technology on themselves, annihilating their species. In turn, this would explain why they left behind the message seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Chase" and access to their technology, so that they could live on through the many species they created.

Why Star Trek: Discovery’s Progenitor Tech Is More Dangerous Than Wrath Of Khan’s Genesis Device

It's much more than Genesis.

The Progenitors' technology sounds very similar to the Genesis Device in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in its implications. Star Trek II' s Genesis Device could bring a dead world to life, creating entire ecosystems and flora. The energies of the Genesis Planet also resurrected Spock (Leonard Nimoy), accelerating his rebirth to adulthood. Genesis' danger was that its matrix would replace existing life with its own , which made it a potential weapon of genocide.

The Genesis Device was seen again in Star Trek: Picard season 3, and a black market Ferengi Genesis Device was stolen and detonated in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4.

However, the Progenitors' technology sounds more precise and more diverse than the Genesis Device. Genesis was meant to bring dead planets back to life with its set matrix but not necessarily create humanoid or other species. Project Genesis was primarily designed to create Class M planets for humanoid habitation . In contrast, it sounds like the Progenitors could create - and destroy - anything they desired with their technology, which is why it can't fall into the wrong hands in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+