STAR TREK - THE NEXT GENERATION SEASON 5(1991-1992)
SPACE, THE FINAL FRONTIER! THESE ARE THE VOYAGES
OF THE STARSHIP: ENTERPRISE! IT'S CONTINUING MISSION:
TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS, TO SEEK OUT NEW
LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS, TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO
ONE HAS GONE BEFORE!!
The fifth season, with most of the main cast still here, with an
addition of a new crew member in Ro Laren!
EPISODE 1: REDEMPTION PART II(Sept. 23, 1991):
Continued from the last episode of the fourth season,
this one's about a rogue bunch of Klingons out to
overthrow the Klingon government! With the help of
the Romulans, and especially a certain Commander
Sela, who says she is the daughter of Tasha Yar!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Cheif
O'Brien, Lt. La Forge , Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher & Guinan!! A-
EPISODE 2: DARMOK(Sept. 30, 1991):
A contact with a new civilization who talk apparently in
gibberish!! In reality they are all talking in metaphors!!
It takes a while for the crew of the Enterprise to catch on!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander Data. Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Counselor
Troi, Lt. Commander La Forge, Cheif O'Brien & Dr. Crusher!!
Guest starring Paul Winfield(Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Kahn,
Mars Attacks, The Terminator, Babylon 5 episode "GROPOS")
& Ashley Judd(Daughter and sister of the famous country duo
The Judds, in her first of two appearances here)! A+
EPISODE 3: ENSIGN RO(Oct. 7, 1991):
This introduces Ensign Ro, who has several appearances
throughout the next few years!! She has been known throughout
the galaxy as being very hard to work with, and very disruptive!!
Also introduced here is Mott The Barber!! An outpost has been
attacked by the Bajorans, or at least that's what the crew
believes!! With Ro's help, Captain Picard and crew are working
together to stop these attacks!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Commander
Riker, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander Data, Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi,
Lt. Commander La Forge, Guinan!! A
EPISODE 4: SILICON AVATAR(Oct. 14, 1991):
The Christaline Entity is back, and destroying everything in its
path!! This time it's attacked a new colony being established on
an uninhabited planet!! This traps most of the colonists, as well
as Riker, Data & Dr. Crusher in a cave on the planet!! This brings
out a planet killer "groupie" who makes life Hell for the crew of
The Enterprise!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Dr. Crusher, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf, Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander La Forge & Counselor Troi!!
One of the saddest episodes! A
EPISODE 5: DISASTER(Oct. 21, 1991):
During a normal off day, a disaster hits the Enterprise, causing
much disruption, and many people in very dangerous positions!!
This includes the Captain, who was in a transporter with three
kids who had won a science contest and their prize was a day
with him!! Chief O'Brien, Ro and Troi are stuck on the bridge
with skeleton crew, Worf, Riker, Data and a VERY pregnant
Keiko are in 10 Forward, La Forge & Crusher are in engineering!!!
And the ship is in real trouble!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Chief O'Brien, Keiko
O'Brien, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Commander
La Forge, Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi, Captain Picard & Lt. Worf!! A
EPISODE 6: THE GAME(Oct. 28, 1991):
Other than the Borg episodes, which I truly detest, this is probably
the weakest entry in this season, and one of the worst in all seven
seasons!! Wesley Crusher shows back up for a visit to his old ship,
and finds that the entire crew has become mesmerized by a new
game that seems to be taking control of them all!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker, Captain
Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Commander La Forge, Couselor
Troi, Ensign Crusher, Chief Miles O'Brien, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher &
Nurse Ogawa!!
Ashley Judd returns for her final appearance as Robin Lefler, and
she and Wesley team up to solve the issue of "The Game"!! A
EPISODE 7: UNIFICATION, PART I(Nov. 4, 1991):
THIS WAS DEDICATED TO THE LATE GENE RODDENBERRY!!
Some Vulcans are out to make peace in the universe by getting
them and the Romulans all to sit down and pound out a treaty
between them!! The delegation from Vucan is non other than
Mr. (Ambassador) Spock!! Problem: there are those who don't
want peace!!
There's a huge flaw here, in that in the beginning of the episode,
Perrin says that Sarek wants to "patch things up between him and
Spock"! The issue: they had already patched things up in Star Trek
IV: The Voyage Home!!!!
Sarek dies in this episode!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Commander
Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Commander La Forge, Lt. Worf, Dr.
Crusher & Counselor Troi!!
Guest starring here are three huge names in Star Trek, Leonard
Nimoy(Spock), Mark Leonard(Sarek) and Malachi Throne(Star Trek:
TOS episodes "The Menagerie" Part 1 & 2 & "The Cage", It Takes A
Thief, Babylon 5 episode "The Coming Of Shadows", Star Trek: TNV
episode "In Harms Way")!!! A
EPISODE 8: UNIFICATION, PART II(Nov. 11, 1991):
ALSO DEDICATED TO GENE RODDENBERRY!!
Continuing from the previous episode, Picard and Data are on
Romulas and have found Spock!! And this is where the fun begins!
Sela is in the middle of the whole thing!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Lt.
Commander Data, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi,
Lt. Commander La Forge & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 9: A MATTER OF TIME(Nov. 18, 1991):
A dude saying he's from the future appears on the bridge of
the Enterprise!! This is while there is a disaster happening on
a planet that they are trying to figure out how to rectify!! Future
dude seems to be more in the way than anything else!!
Starring, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander La Forge,
Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Lt.
Worf, Dr. Crusher & Counselor Troi!!
Guest starring here as the Time Traveler is Matt Frewer(he played
Sherlock Holmes in the four TV movies from the 90's, The Hound
Of The Baskervilles, The Sign Of The Four, The Royal Scandal & The
Case Of The Whitechapel Vampire, as well as being in Eureka, The
Librarians, Max Headroom & Watchmen)!! A
EPISODE 10: NEW GROUND(Jan. 6, 1992):
This brings back Alexander into Worf's life, much to his chagrin!!
Also, a new propulsion method is being worked on and the Enterprise
is asked to be one of the first ships to try it out!!
This is REALLY boring!!!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander La Forge,
Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf, Captain Picard, Commander Riker,
Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!
Not a great episode!! B
EPISODE 11: HERO WORSHIP(Jan. 27, 1992):
This one's about a boy who has picked Data as his personal
hero, and he goes around, following him and emulating everything
that he does!!! The boy was rescued from a ship that had been
in distress, and Data, along with Riker, beam over where Data
saves the boy!! And the rest of the crew, including his mother and
father, were all killed!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander La
Forge, Dr. Crusher & Counselor Troi!!!
Another pretty boring episode!! But not as bad as the previous
one!! B+
EPISODE 12: VIOLATIONS(Feb. 3, 1992):
A group of telepaths are aboard the Enterprise, being transported
when one of them gets a little too personal with the crew and they
go into comas!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Keiko O'Brien, Dr. Crusher
Lt. Commander La Forge, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard, Lt. Worf & Counselor Troi!!
A very disturbing episode!! B+
EPISODE 13: THE MASTERPIECE SOCIETY(Feb. 10, 1992):
If this feels a little familiar, it's because it is!! TOS did it's famous
"Plato's Stepchildren" which dealt with an overly "advanced"
civilization in which, not only did they push the members of the
Enterprise around like children, but they forced Kirk and Uhura
into the very first "inter-racial" kiss!!(though it has been debated
whether they actually touched lips!), Anyway, as for this episode,
The Enterprise becomes aware of a large fragment hurtling toward
a planet that was thought to be uninhabited, but actually is host to
a bunch of people who have cultivated their society by selective
breeding to an idyllic society, and they don't want that disrupted!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Riker,
Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Commander La Forge, Lt. Worf,
Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 14: CONUNDRUM(Feb. 17, 1992):
While making contact with an unknown ship, the Enterprise gets
hit with some sort of energy field!! The results: everyone forgets
who they are, who anyone else is, their positions on the ship,
and what to do next!! To make matters worse, there's someone
aboard the ship who shouldn't be, and the computer has been
affected by giving out wrong information!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Ensign Ro, Lt. Worf,
Lt. Commander La Forge & Captain Picard!! A
EPISODE 15: POWER PLAY(Feb. 24, 1992):
While on a planet searching for possible survivors from a crash long
ago, three of the away team get taken over by an alien entity, and
they proceed to try to take over the Enterprises!!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Dianna Troi, Ensign Ro,
Lt. Commander La Forge, Chief O'Brien, Dr. Crusher & Keiko O'Brien!! A
EPISODE 16: ETHICS(Mar. 3, 1992):
Worf has a boo-boo and he wants to kill himself!! Ok, overly simplified,
but that's how I viewed this!! My personal opinion of suicide is probably
tainted because I've known someone who did this!! Even if you're in a
coma for months, I still have a problem with "pulling the plug"!! Case
in point being my son-in-law, who was in a coma for a long time but
suddenly woke up!! To me, suicide is the most cowardly act any person
can make!! And what the Hell is with Dr. Crusher's attitude!!!!! She acts
anything but like a doctor!! Anyway, I don't care for this episode!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander La Forge, Lt.
Worf, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Captain Picard, Alexander Rozhenko,
Counselor Troi, Nurse Ogawa(seen but not heard: Lt. Commander Data)!! F
EPISODE 17: THE OUTCAST(Mar. 16, 1992):
Another one where Riker can't keep it in his pants!!! An androgeonous
race(neither male nor female) has lost a shuttle craft and the Enterprise
is trying to help locate it, which appears to have disappeared in a kind of
black hole!! At least in this one, it's the 'female' who makes the first move!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data, Captain
Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander La Forge, Dr. Crusher, Counselor
Troi & Lt. Worf!!
Another pretty weak episode!! B
EPISODE 18: CAUSE AND EFFECT(Mar. 23, 1992):
The Enterprise gets destroyed with all hands aboard!! Then, the
Enterprise gets destroyed!! Then, the Enterprise gets destroyed!!
A kind of Ground Hogs Day episode!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Dr. Crusher, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Commander La Forge,
Ensign Ro, Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher, Nurse Ogawa
& Counselor Troi!!
Guest starring here is Kelsey Grammer(Cheers, Frazier) in a very
short role!! A
EPISODE 19: THE FIRST DUTY(Mar. 30, 1992):
Wesley Crusher appears for the second time this season!! And of
course is the center of the episode!! While doing a routine flight
practice, there is a major accident in which a cadet is killed! And
while being investigated, all of the cadets hold back information!!
But Wesley is having trouble not telling the whole story!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander Data, Counselor Troi, Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher
& Lt. Commander La Forge!
A very young Robert Duncan McNeil(Star Trek: Voyager) guest stars
here as the leader of the squadron(Not as Tom Paris), as well as the
ever great Ray Walston(My Favorite Martian)!!
This is a really good episode!! A
EPISODE 20: COST OF LIVING(Apr. 20, 1992):
Another family type show, with the center of the story based
around Worf and Alexander as well as Deanna and her mother
Lwaxana!! Seems mom is getting married, and wants Deanna
to be there, along with Captain Picard and most of the crew!!
As a sub-story, there's an alien presence on board which is slowly
eating away at the ship!!
Overall, a whimsical episode!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker, Alexander
Rehzenko, Counselor Troi & Lt. Commander La Forge(seen but
not heard is Dr. Crusher)!!
Majel Barrett is back as Lwaxana Troi!! A-
EPISODE 21: THE PERFECT MATE(Apr. 27, 1992):
Another episode that deals with personal relationships! One of
two feuding planet's ambassador's is bringing a "gift" to the
other planet as a peace offering!! While on the way, the Entrprise
comes upon a Ferengi ship that's in trouble and they beam the
two crew members aboard!! The two immediately get into trouble
by breaking open the gift, releasing the contents, which really
causes a lot of trouble, especially for Captain Picard!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Commander
Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander La Forge & Dr.
Crusher!!
Guest starring here is Tim O'Conner(Buck Rogers, Peyton Place) & Max
Grodenchik as a Ferengi(Star Trek: DS9)!!
Actually quite boring!! B
EPISODE 22: IMAGINARY FRIEND(May 4, 1992):
More "personal relationship" issues here!! A young girl has an "imaginary
friend" that her father is a little concerned about!! Things get really weird
when an alien force come into the Enterprise and takes the form of her
friend!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Counselor Troi, Lt. Commander
La Forge, Commander Riker, Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Dr. Crusher,
Nurse Ogawa, Lt. Worf, Guinan & Alexander Rozhenko!!
This is even more boring than the last episode!!! B-
EPISODE 23: I, BORG(May 11, 1992):
Our introduction to Hugh, the Borg who's self aware! The crew find
him badly hurt, and they are in a conundrum on whether to take
care of him, or use him to destroy the whole Borg collective!! The
decisions made will have long reaching repercussions!!
Another episode where the doctor is, well, un-understandable!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker, Counselor
Troi, Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Dr. Crusher, Lt. Worf, Lt.
Commander La Forge & Guinan!
I HATE BORG!!!! But this was a lot better than all of the others!! A
EPISODE 24: THE NEXT PHASE(May 18, 1992):
While helping out a distressed Romulan ship, Ro Laren and Geordi La
Forge are lost!! In reality, they are out of phase with the rest of the
universe!!
Riker "plays" the trombone again!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Lt.
Commander Data, Commander Riker, Ensign Ro, Lt. Commander La
Forge, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher(seen but not heard: Counselor Troi)!! A
EPISODE 25: THE INNER LIGHT(June 1, 1992):
The Enterprise comes upon a strange probe that emits a beam and
suddenly Picard passes out! When he awakes, he's on a strange planet
where he's not only well known, but has a family!! Very reminiscent of
the Star Trek movie Generations, where he goes into the nexus and
has to make a decision between his duty and his newly found family!!
He lives a complete life in this new world!!
Picard "plays" the flute!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Lt. Commander
Data, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander La Forge, Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher &
Nurse Ogawa!!
Perhaps the best ever episode of Star Trek, save perhaps, City On The Edge
Of Forever!!!! A+
EPISODE 26: TIME'S ARROW, PART I(June 15, 1992):
Picard and crew go to Earth to investigate clues that extra-terrestrials
were on Earth 500 years previous!! One of the artifacts appears to be
Data's head!!!!
This has similarities to City On The Edge Of Forever, as well as Spectre Of
The Gun(also known as The Last Gunfight!)!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard, Lt. Commander
Data, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander La Forge, Guinan, Counselor Troi,
Dr. Crusher & Lt. Worf!!
Guest starring here is Mark Alaimo(Star Trek: DS9, Total Recall, Naked Gun
33 1/3, Tango & Cash)!! A
SPECIALS ON DISC 7
MISSION OVERVIEW: YEAR FIVE:
A review of the fifth year's episodes
A VISIT FROM SPOCK:
With input from: Patrick Stewart(Captain Picard), Michael Okuda(Scenic
Artist Supervisor), Jonathan Frakes(Commander Riker), Jeri Taylor(Supervising
Producer/Writer), Michael Pillar(Executive Producer), Denise Crosby(Sela),
David Livingston(Producer) & Brent Spiner(Data)
DARMOK:
With input from: Michael Pillar(Executive Producer), Patrick Stewart(Captain Picard)
THE INNER LIGHT:
With input from: Patrick Stewart(Captain Picard), Michael Pillar(Executive Producer)
I, BORG:
With input from: Jeri Taylor(Supervising Producer/Writer), Jonathan Del Arco(Hugh),
Michael Pillar(Executive Producer)
DEPARTMENTAL BRIEFING - YEAR FIVE:
PRODUCTION:
With input from: Peter Lauritson(Supervising Producer), Patrick Stewart(Captain
Picard/Director), Michael Westmore(Make-Up Designer), Brannon Braga(Writer),
Jonathan Frakes(Commander Riker/Director), Ronald D. Moore(Writer), David
Livingston(Director), Michael Pillar(Executive Producer), Jay Chattaway(Music
Composer)! A
VISUAL EFFECTS:
A overview of some of the special effects used in the show!
With input from: Robert Legato(Visual Effects Supervisor), Peter Lauritson
(Supervising Producer), Michael Okuda(Scenic Artist Supervisor), Dan Curry
(Visual Effects Supervisor), Gary Hutzel(Visual Effects Coordinator), Dennis
Hoerter(Mo. Co. Tech.)! C
MEMORABLE MISSIONS:
With input from: Marina Surtis(Deanna Troi), Dan Curry(Visual Effects Supervisor),
Michael Okuda(Scenic Artist Supervisor), Robert Duncan McNeil(Tom Paris in Voyager
and played Nicolas Locarno in "The First Duty"), David Livingston(Director), Dennis
Madalone(Stunt Coordinator), Jay Chattaway(Music Composer), Ronald D. Moore(Writer)!
A TRIBUTE TO GENE RODDENBERRY:
Gene passed away during the filming of this season!
With input from: Guy Vardaman(Research Consultant), Mel Harris(President:
Paramount Pictures), Gene Roddenberry(Creator/Writer/Director), Patrick
Stewart(Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes(Commander Riker), William Shatner
(Captain James T. Kirk), Rick Berman(Executive Producer), Herman Zimmerman
(Production Designer), Whoopi Goldberg(Guinan), Robert Legato(Visual Effects
Supervisor), John DeLancie(Q), Majel Barrett(Nurse Chappel, Lwaxana Troi), Wil
Wheaton(Wesley Crusher), Ronald D. Moore(Writer), Jeri Taylor(Supervising
Producer/Writer), Michael Dorn(Worf) & Gates McFadden(Dr. Crusher)!
The ending of this is absolutely hilarious!!! Patrick Stewart singing "A You're
Adorable"!!
From an IMDb.com customer:
This show continues the excellence provided by the
original Star Trek. Set some 75 years after Kirk's adventures,
The Next Generation was an excellent show and provided
state-of-the-art special effects. I recommend it to any science
fiction fan. - mattkratz