First Contact: The Next Generation Introcast

The Enterprise transports Ambassador Alkar and his elderly mother to a mediation on a warring planet. The man is clearly a bit sinister and so Troi is obviously drawn to him so he can do something nefarious to her. That’s really just her role in this show. After his mother dies, he performs a ceremony with Troi and after that, she just camps it up and puts on some fabulous outfits. But she’s also ageing rapidly and sleeping with younger crew members like she’s Riker. It turns out that he’s such a good negotiator because he channels all his negative emotions into women and that makes them age for some reason. The best way to stop him is to kill Troi and everyone seems fine with that. And before he can perform the ritual on a new woman, Troi is resuscitated and he starts to age like he drank from the wrong grail cup but much cheaper. And then Troi gets young again and everyone is relieved because older women don’t belong in the workplace.  Listen to more season 6 episodes Time’s Arrow Realm of Fear The post First Contact: ‘Man of the People’ Season 6 Episode 3 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise investigates a missing ship, the USS Yosemite, which is stuck in a plasma streamer with the crew unaccounted for. With weird space rays making a shuttle trip or use of the transporter impossible, Barclay suggests tying the two transporter systems together so that they can get through. But the trouble is, that will make the process take double the time and Reg has a fear of transporters this week. While in the beam, he sees some unconvincing special effects and starts to question his sanity. But when he starts glowing all blue, the crew work out that there are lifeforms in the plasma (aren’t there always) and that they’ve been caught in the transporter. Going back in and being terribly brave, Reg cuddles the giant transporter worm and beams back a missing crew member. And we all learned something about facing our fears.  The post First Contact: ‘Realm of Fear’ Season 6 Episode 2 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is called back to Earth after someone finds Data’s head in a cave while doing an archaeological dig along with evidence of aliens on Earth some 500 years ago. Some cellular fossils lead them to Devidia II (the best Devidia) where Data gets sucked through a time hole and arrives in San Francisco in 1893. There, he tries to track down the aliens, claiming to be a Frenchman and winning money playing poker. And what’s a trip to the past without encountering a famous person? Look everyone, it’s Samuel Clemens and he’s friends with young Guinan. Back on the Enterprise, the crew plan a holiday to the past and Guinan tells Picard he better go or they might never meet. So Worf gets sent packing and everyone else goes back in time for a fun romp, but will they catch the aliens? Will they find Data? Will something interesting happen with Guinan? And can Data get his head back on? Yes, yes, no, yes. ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ ‘The Perfect Mate’ ‘Imaginary Friend’ ‘I, Borg’ ‘The Next Phase’ ‘The Inner Light’      The post First Contact: ‘Time’s Arrow’ appeared first on The Spoilist.

After doing some space stuff to bulk out the Captain’s log, the Enterprise encounters a probe of unknown origin. It emits a pulse which hits Captain Picard. He awakens on an unfamiliar world and is told his name is Kamin, an iron weaver recovering from a fever on a pre-warp planet called Kataan, and he’s married to Eline. Picard is initially is reluctant to accept this as truth but finds the people to be peaceful and friendly. As the years pass, he comes to accept his new life, has children with his wife and finds solace in playing his flute, but he has concerns about the future of the planet due to the ongoing drought. Over the years, he investigates the cause all while losing friends and family. He eventually discovers that the planet is dying due to the changes in its sun. A probe is launched… the probe the Enterprise encountered right at the beginning of the episode. Picard wakes up back on the Enterprise with a lifetime of memories, forever a changed man… until next week. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ ‘The Perfect Mate’ ‘Imaginary Friend’ ‘I, Borg’ ‘The Next Phase’ The post First Contact: ‘The Inner Light’ Season 5 Episode 25 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Geordi and Ro are killed in a transporter accident as the Enterprise tries to help a stranded Romulan vessel. But are they really dead? They’re both still around but no one can see them. Ro thinks she’s a ghost but Geordi thinks it would be weird to be dead and have a VISOR and clothes. However, he decides to keep them on anyway. Due to some weird Romulan science, it turns out they’re actually cloaked, but a new kind which means they can pass through matter. Meanwhile the Romulans are plotting to blow up the Enterprise for some reason, and only the ghost people know. And it’ll blow as soon as they go to warp. Can they get solidified again before the Enterprise gets there? Or at least before Riker has to deliver a eulogy? More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ ‘The Perfect Mate’ ‘Imaginary Friend’ ‘I, Borg’ The post First Contact: ‘The Next Phase’ Season 5 Episode 24 appeared first on The Spoilist.

While scouting a system for colonisation, the Enterprise here’s a distress call. Upon answering, they find a lone surviving Borg, Third of Five. Against protests, Crusher insists on trying to help him, eventually bringing him on board the Enterprise. Troi thinks Picard may experience trauma with a Borg on board but he insists that he’s fine, but decides to use the Borg to send a virus into the collective and wipe them out for good. However, while studying him, Geordi bonds with him, even naming him Hugh, and he begins to show signs of becoming an individual and understanding life beyond being a Borg. Even established Borg hater Guinan starts to think he’s a fairly decent dude. Can they really send him back to his demise? Or even worse, to return in a disappointing season six episode?  More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ ‘The Perfect Mate’ ‘Imaginary Friend’   The post First Contact: ‘I, Borg’ Season 5 Episode 23 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is exploring a nebula when it runs into a plot from an 80s children’s show. Starfleet brat Clara has trouble making friends as her father moves around so much so she mostly plays with her imaginary friend Isabella. But when a glowy ball from the nebula comes on board, Isabella suddenly becomes real and makes Clara go to places she doesn’t want to go and starts harassing anyone who gets in her way. Troi’s hot chocolate gets horribly spilled, so she has some chocolate cake as comfort and contemplates her depth of character. Anyway, the nebula starts to damage the Enterprise and the creatures suck the energy from it because they see them as a threat or something, until Picard has a heartfelt conversation with the child and sorts out the misunderstanding. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ ‘The Perfect Mate’ The post First Contact: ‘Imaginary Friend’ Season 5 Episode 22 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is transporting a Kriosian ambassador and his cargo to negotiate peace with their distant relatives, the Valtians. But before they can get there, they have to answer a distress call from a Ferengi shuttle, to remind viewers that they exist before Deep Space Nine premieres next season. Their accident was a ruse and they were really interested in the precious cargo – a woman! It is revealed Kamala is a metamorph who empathically senses what men around her want and becomes their perfect partner. She’s been promised to the Valtian ambassador and her personality will become fixed as she matures. Following an accident, the ambassador is seriously injured leaving Picard to carry out negotiations but he must work closely with Kamala to learn the traditions and rituals vital to the negotiation, but can he resist her charms? If only Troi was around to help with all this empath stuff. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ ‘Cost of Living’ The post First Contact: ‘The Perfect Mate’ Season 5 Episode 21 appeared first on The Spoilist.

A wedding episode? A wedding episode featuring Lwaxana Troi? And Worf’s son Alexander? Stop Star Trek, you are spoiling us. If they go to the holodeck and meet some out of work circus performers, then this might be the best episode ever.  There’s also a B plot which seems like it was leftover from season three of The Original Series which sees some weird space parasite turns computer circuits to goo. Then it all ends with Worf making a joke in the bath. Somewhere, Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy are laughing while Spock raises an eyebrow,  More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ ‘The First Duty’ The post First Contact: ‘Cost of Living’ Season 5 Episode 20 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise heads to Earth so Picard can deliver the commencement address to Starfleet Academy, but before they arrive, they receive news that Wesley has been involved in an accident during flight training which means we get to have one of those trial episodes Star Trek does so well. While Wesley is injured, his friend Joshua Albert is killed. During the enquiry, the visual evidence doesn’t stack up against Nova Squadron’s testimony with their leader Nick Locarno claiming it was all the fault of their dead teammate. But after consulting his old mentor, Boothby, Picard works out that they were trying to perform a dangerous and banned stunt. Picard tells Wesley what he knows and threatens to submit the evidence if he won’t own up. But will Wesley do the right thing in the end? More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’   The post First Contact: ‘The First Duty’ Season 5 Episode 19 appeared first on The Spoilist.

So what is it? ‘Cause and Effect’ is an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation all about a time loop. A time loop? Yes, a time loop. It is perhaps, the greatest time loop episode of all time with the Enterprise trapped in a cycle which sees the ship being destroyed after a collision, and no one even gets the chance to exchange insurance details. But everyone is getting a bit of a sense of deja vu, including Beverly who hears the death screams of the whole crew as she downs her evening liquer. Can Data use a weird time loop messaging service to save the day? Or will we never get to that great cameo? Find out all that and more in First Contact. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’ ‘The Outcast’ The post First Contact: ‘Cause and Effect’ Season 5 Episode 18 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is called in to render assistance to the J’naii after one of their shuttles disappears down a weird space hole. Riker works closely with a member of their species, Soren, and they become close. The J’naii are gender neutral and regard other species as more primitive, however Soren confides in Riker that they identify as female, but it is forbidden on her planet and regarded as a sickness and if anyone finds out, they will be sent to conversion therapy. There are many discussions about gender roles, makeup and Riker’s genitals, which probably made this a fun watch with the family at teatime. When Riker and Soren kiss in the gardens, their relationship is discovered and Soren is taken away. Riker attempts to intervene, and considers breaking the prime directive to do so. Following a rescue attempt, he is rejected as it’s too late and returns to the Enterprise, a little sadder than he was before. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ ‘Ethics’   The post First Contact: ‘The Outcast’ Season 5 Episode 17 appeared first on The Spoilist.

While playing a game of find the plastic melting radiation, some barrels fall on Worf, leaving him paralysed. Crusher invites a neurological specialist, Doctor Toby Russell, to assess his condition and she offers a miracle cure with low odds of survival which involves growing a new spine. Meanwhile, Worf asks Riker to help him commit ritual suicide which he is not thrilled about, but Picard tells him that other cultures are different so it’s okay and encourages him to help his friend. To give other people something to do,  the Enterprise responds to a medical emergency and Crusher asks for help from Russell, but she uses some experimental treatments which result in death. Riker lectures Worf and Alexander gets sad so Worf decides to live and gets the experimental treatment. He almost dies but then doesn’t because Klingons have double organs for everything or something. But we all learned some important lessons along the way. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum’  ‘Power Play’ The post First Contact: ‘Ethics’ Season 5 Episode 16 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise answers a centuries old distress call solving the mystery of an early Federation starship that disappeared. But Troi senses life so an away team take a shuttle down to investigate as space rays or something make transporting impossible. So Chief O’Brien beams down with a pattern enhancer but before they can return, some glowing lights possess the bodies of Troi, Data and O’Brien, leaving Riker’s alone because… well, they knew where it had been.They claim to be the dead crew but act extremely sketchy, taking hostages and shooting everyone. Picard tries to negotiate with them and they finally confess that they are all prisoners forced to live on a moon as energy, unable to escape. Picard tells them about willing to die for a cause, and fearing a long monologue, they decide to give the bodies back and then everything is fine. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’ ‘Conundrum‘ The post First Contact: ‘Power Play’ Season 5 Episode 15 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The crew of the Enterprise have lost their memories but still remember how to push all the buttons. Using the ship’s systems, they find their personnel files and their mission. The Federation is at war and they’re on their way to attack a big space station and they can’t communicate with Starfleet or risk giving away their position, which is mighty inconvenient. Upon scanning their enemy, it appears that they are nowhere near as advanced as the Enterprise. Picard starts to have doubts about blowing them up with a photon torpedo but first officer Kieran McDuff encourages him to fight on. Meanwhile, Riker, Troi and Ro get involved in a 1970s sex comedy. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ ‘The Masterpiece Society’   The post First Contact: ‘Conundrum’ Season 5 Episode 14 appeared first on The Spoilist.

While carrying out the Starfleet’s primary mission, following big rocks in space, the Enterprise realises that this one is heading for a previously unknown human colony. While Picard offers assistance, the colonists are resistant. They reveal they have been selectively breeding for eight generations, to create a version of paradise, the very best of mankind where everyone’s life and role is predetermined. Without help, their home will be destroyed by earthquakes but some fear that the natural balance of their society will collapse through interaction with the outside world. Troi is charmed by their leader while Geordi keeps his distance from their head scientist, Hannah after putting into action everything that he learned on his mandatory training course. With a mixture of Hannah’s innovation and Federation technology, the colony is saved but damage has been done. Many decide to leave, seeing the greater potential in the outside world. And that means that we can end the episode by saying something deep about the prime directive. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ ‘New Ground’ ‘Hero Worship’ ‘Violations’ The post First Contact: ‘The Masterpiece Society’ Season 5 Episode 13 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The writers sat around thinking, you know what? It’s been awhile since an alien entered Troi’s quarters in the night, we better do some kind of psychic violation storyline. A delegation of three memory archaeologist aliens are on the Enterprise on their way to a planet to create some kind of history of some other aliens. Everyone is reluctant to use their services except Keiko because the actor was available. But one of them is clearly a baddie because sinister music plays when he gets in the turbolift and people keep falling into comas: first Troi, then Riker and finally Crusher. Data and Geordi investigate comas on other planets and it turns out this happens a lot when these guys are around. Everyone wakes up and the bad guy is revealed as the bad guy.   More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ New Ground Hero Worship The post First Contact: ‘Violations’ Season 5 Episode 12 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise investigates a missing ship in a wibbly purple region of space. The only survivor is a boy named Timothy who data rescues from under a pillar. Those are always falling on people in these situations. Timothy’s way of dealing with trauma is to pretend to be an android and he starts acting like Data which allows us to play the TNG greatest hits of how weirdos in the future deal with grief and Data hanging out with a child. Meaning the crew investigate what caused the accident and work out it’s some weird echoey thing in space which amplifies power into a feedback loop. Or something like that. It doesn’t really matter. The important thing to learn is, don’t go into purple regions of space. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ New Ground The post First Contact: ‘Hero Worship’ Season 5 Episode 11 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is helping a scientist with a new form of propulsion, a soliton wave, which offers warp travel without a drive. For this first dangerous test of this experimental technology, they decide to fire it straight at another populated planet. Meanwhile, Worf’s mother turns up with Alexander and buggers off as swiftly as she can, leaving the Klingon working out what it means to be a father. Turns out Alexander is difficult, disruptive and a liar which is odd considering his mother was murdered and his father sent him away instantly. Worf decides to send him away to a Klingon school. But can they resolve their differences and somehow tie into the science plot before the episode is done? More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ ‘A Matter of Time’ The post First Contact: ‘New Ground’ Season 5 Episode 10 appeared first on The Spoilist.

While the Enterprise tries to save a planet suffering from an environmental disaster, a historian, apparently from the future, arrives on the Enterprise to observe the events. His eccentric manner infuriates some of the crew, except Doctor Crusher, but I’m not sure what they were trying to do there. Anyway, they save the planet with some phasers and deflectors because they can solve all problems and the time guy is revealed to be a con artist from the past. And that’s about it.  More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ ‘Unification’ The post First Contact: ‘A Matter of Time’ Season 5 Episode 9 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Ambassador Spock is missing and it seems he’s gone to Romulus. Could it be that this living legend has betrayed the Federation? Well, we’re going to tease it out for a very long time because Leonard Nimoy doesn’t come cheap but Mark Lenard was also available to play Sarek for a scene to make it feel a bit more like a big crossover event. Data and Picard head to Romulus to investigate while Riker gets involved in a B-plot involving stolen ships. It seems that Spock has found an underground movement on Romulus who hope to reuinfy the two peoples and build a shared culture. But it seems there’s a dark plan at work, led by Sela, to try and invade Vulcan and a plan that doesn’t completely make sense. The two generations work together to attempt to save the day and ensure the safe future of the Federation.   More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’ ‘The Game’ The post First Contact: ‘Unification’ appeared first on The Spoilist.

Riker brings something back from Risa and soon all of the crew have it. Except for Wesley, because as we know, there are some games he doesn’t know how to play. The whole crew end up addicted to an augmented reality game which requires players to get little discs into little cups. But there’s something more sinister at work, as the game alters brain chemistry making players highly suggestable. So Wesley teams up with Robin Lefler, a bright young engineer with a can-do attitude and a set of rules. Can they save the ship, just like the good old days while also being a little preachy? We have to hope so.  More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’ ‘Disaster’   The post First Contact: ‘The Game’ Season 5 Episode 6 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Do you like disaster movies like The Poseidon Adventure or The Towering Inferno? Then you’ll like Disaster because it’s basically that but on Star Trek. The ship hits a weird space rock or something and loses all power. Picard gets stuck in a turbolift with some children, Troi is left in command on the bridge with a helpful O’Brien and stroppy Ro, Worf must deliver Keiko’s baby, Data and Riker try to get to engineering while Crusher and Geordi also get given a pointless plot for some reason. Picard learns how to be Captain von Trapp while Troi learns that being captain means making hard decisions. Really it seems like she’s not been paying attention. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’ ‘Silicon Avatar’   The post First Contact: ‘Disaster’ Season 5 Episode 5 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Riker’s awkward seduction is interrupted by the crystalline entity which devastatingly transforms a colony which looks surprisingly like a California park into a matte painting. The survivors wait out the disaster in a cave until the Enterprise eventually comes to rescue them. They are joined by Kila Marr, an expert on the creature who lost her son in the attack by the entity on Omicron Theta, Data’s homeworld. The Doctor initially mistrusts Data, believing him to be working with the entity but later she softens when she asks him to share some of her son’s memories. Despite this, she seems intent on destroying the giant killer space crystal while Picard would rather start a dialogue. While the crew works out a method of communication, Marr uses the same to destroy the creature. She later asks forgiveness from her son through Data, but he offers none. More First Contact season 5 episodes ‘Darmok’ ‘Ensign Ro’   The post First Contact: ‘Silicon Avatar’ Season 5 Episode 4 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Following a terrorist attack on a Federation outpost near the Cardassian Empire, Ensign Ro, a Bajoran with a bad reputation, is assigned to the Enterprise. While the crew are reluctant to work with someone who got other officers killed, her information proves valuable, and Guinan decides to become her friend. While it appears the Bajorans are behind the attacks, it soon becomes clear that they don’t have the resources and Ro is a pawn in the middle of a game being played between the Cardassians and this week’s Badmiral. With all revealed, Picard mentions Wesley’s chair is still empty if she’d like to stay on board. Listen to the previous episode ‘Darmok’ here. The post First Contact: ‘Ensign Ro’ Season 5 Episode 3 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is on a mission to begin a new relationship with the Tamarians, a race who have been in contact with the Federation but have up until now, not been understood. The trend continues with Picard unable to establish a meaningful dialogue. The Tamarian Captain Dathon beams himself and Picard down the planet, offering Picard a knife. Picard refuses to fight but it is clear that is not the intention. While the Enterprise crew attempt to rescue their Captain, the Tamarians are more than a match for them as they aim not to escalate to a battle. Picard begins to understand Dathon, his species talks in metaphors, every situation references a story from their past. In their history Darmok and Jalad bonded over fighting a beast at Tanagra and Dathon has placed Picard in the same situation. When the captain finally understands, it’s almost too late as the beast fatally wounds Dathon. But on returning to the ship, Picard is able to use their form of language and begin communications. Listen to the previous episode ‘You Must Remember This: Season 4’ here. The post First Contact: ‘Darmok’ Season 5 Episode 2 appeared first on The Spoilist.

We’ve been watching season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation for three years now as we cover it for this podcast. Do you want to listen to what happens when a man who has only seen these episodes once tries to remember what happened in them? Well, then this is the episode for you.     The post First Contact: You Must Remember This – Season 4 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise returns to Kronos so Picard can fulfil his duties as arbiter of the high council and install Gowron as Chancellor. The Captain suggests that Worf should take the opportunity to reclaim his family honour. But there is unrest within the Empire with the Duras family led by Lursa and Betor plotting against Gowron having found a new heir to rule. Worf decides to help Gowron win power in an attempt to have his house restored but when he is made Chancellor, many of the high council side with Duras, beginning a civil war. Worf resigns from Starfleet in order to fight alongside Gowron and his brother. Meanwhile Starfleet suspects the Duras family are backed by Romulans and the Enterprise leads a fleet to set up a blockade, apparently not realising that space is huge and three dimensional. Picard is shocked to discover the Romulans are led by Sela the daughter of the alternative Tasha Yar from ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise‘ but no amount of technobabble can make anyone care. The blockade works, Worf’s honour is restored, Data proves himself in battle and Gowron wins the war. Then Worf rejoins the Enterprise and everything is basically fine again.  Listen to the previous episode ‘In Theory’ here.     The post First Contact: ‘Redemption’ appeared first on The Spoilist.

After a bad breakup, Lieutenant D’Sora takes a romantic interest in Data as he is kind and attentive in a way her previous partners have not been. Data asks all of the senior staff for advice before deciding to pursue the relationship. In a series of random scenes Data learns that women don’t always mean what they say, that you shouldn’t be creepy and weird and start arguments for no reason, and that it’s important to pay attention to people. The relationship ends when D’Sora realises she’s drawn towards men who are bad at communicating their feelings but Data doesn’t care because he’s a robot. In the perfunctory science B-plot, the crew investigates a nebula but it’s filled with a bunch of weird space anomalies that make matter disappear, killing an extra in the process. In order to get out with the Enterprise intact, Picard insists on piloting a shuttle ahead of the ship to navigate around the space bubbles. He does but in a vain attempt to create drama, the shuttle explodes but everything is fine. Listen to the previous episode, ‘The Mind’s Eye’ here. The post First Contact: ‘In Theory’ Season 4 Episode 25 appeared first on The Spoilist.

By Geordi is on his way to Risa on a shuttle when he’s suddenly attacked by Romulans, which came as a great relief to the computer as Geordi was just getting started on his seduction moves. The Romulans use his VISOR interface to show him any image they choose to reprogramme his brain to put him under their control. Meanwhile the Enterprise is dealing with an uprising on a Klingon colony with the Empire accusing the Federation of supplying weapons to the rebels. But all is not as it seems as while the weapons are Starfleet in appearance, they have apparently been charged by Romulan power sources. Could these plots come together in some kind of assassination attempt on a high ranking Klingon in order to destabilise peace? Wait, when did Star Trek VI come out? This all seems very familiar. Listen to the previous episode ‘The Host’ here.   The post First Contact: ‘The Mind’s Eye’ Season 4 Episode 24 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Doctor Crusher has a boyfriend, Odan, a Trill ambassador who is negotiating between the peoples of two moons, so generic that no one even bothered naming them properly. When going to the planet hosting the talks, he refuses the transporter, instead preferring the shuttle. However, it’s attacked upon leaving the Enterprise leaving him fatally injured. On his deathbed he reveals he is merely a host body and that the Trill are a joined species and his symbiont is the real Odan who must be saved. With the Trill days away, Riker offers to be the host to try and help save the peace,  leaving Crusher confused that the man she loves is in the body of her friend. Convincing the generic aliens of his identity, peace is negotiated, but Riker’s body rejects the symbiont. A new host arrives just in the nick of time but it’s… a woman. Crusher explains that it is perhaps a human failing that they can’t get used to the person they love changing so much, finally outing herself as a David Tennant era Doctor Who fan. Listen to the previous episode ‘Half a Life’ here.  The post First Contact: ‘The Host’ Season 4 Episode 23 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is participating in a scientific mission to help the people of Kaelon II restore life to their failing star. Leading the project is Dr Timicin, who has dedicated his life to this research but is out of his element on the Enterprise, having come from an isolationist world. Lwaxana Troi is also on board visiting her daughter and takes an interest in Timicin, which is eventually reciprocated. After the experiment fails, he reveals to her that he is returning to his planet to take part in ‘the Resolution’ a ritual suicide all members of his society participate in when they turn 60. Enjoying his newfound companionship and with the desire to continue his work, Timicin requests asylum on the Enterprise, which risks causing a diplomatic incident. With his faith lost and at the pleading of his family, he eventually returns to the planet to honour the traditions, which isn’t exactly the neat bow of an ending you expect on Star Trek. Good. Listen to the previous episode ‘The Drumhead’ here.    The post First Contact: ‘Half a Life’ Season 4 Episode 22 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Following a minor explosion in the warp core, a Klingon exchange officer is found to have been working with the Romulans and sending them classified information. However, he denies sabotaging the warp core. Suspecting a conspiracy on board, Starfleet sends the legendary Retired Admiral Norah Satie on board to investigate. While she and Picard work well together, soon she and her staff begin to use underhand tactics to gather intel, make unfounded accusations and create connections to imply guilt before opening up the interrogations to the public. When Picard objects, he is put on the stand, but can he make a big speech which stops the witch hunt while drawing parallels with history and our contemporary situation? You bet he can. Listen to our previous episode, ‘Qpid’ here. The post First Contact: ‘The Drumhead’ Season 4 Episode 21 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is hosting a Federation archaeology symposium and among such prestigious academic company, Captain Picard is nervous to deliver the keynote address. But he’s surprised and delighted to find Vash, his old flame from Risa, among the delegates. And like any show in search of some kind of plot, Q shows up offering to grant Picard a wish because he feels indebted to him following the events of Deja Q. Picard refuses but seeing the  complexities the captain has in his mixing his romantic and professional lives, Q decides to send him and his crew to Sherwood forest with Picard as Robin Hood, the senior staff as the merry men and Vash as Maid Marion, to teach him that romance is bad? Or that working together is good? Or that it’s fun to get out of the studio? Who knows? But there’s a lesson there anyway and everyone works together to save the day and get back to the Enterprise. His debt repaid, Q leaves and Vash goes with him, seeing the opportunities an amoral god can offer to an amoral archaeologist.   List the the previous episode ‘The Nth Degree’ here The post First Contact: ‘Qpid’ Season 4 Episode 20 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Remember Barclay? He was more entertaining than most of the series regulars so when you come up with a good story,  you might as well give it to him. While out repairing the Argus Array, Reg gets knocked out by a weird space ray from a probe but quickly recovers. He’s not the same after, displaying intelligence, insight and confidence. But as his intelligence increases as does his insubordination. Eventually he hooks himself up to the computer via the holodeck and becomes the computer. His goal is to transport the ship across the galaxy, but what awaits the Enterprise when it arrives? Why, it’s a big floaty head. Listen to the previous episode, ‘Identity Crisis’ here.  The post First Contact: ‘The Nth Degree’ Season 4 Episode 19 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Geordi’s former colleague Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten comes on board. She’s worried that all of their former colleagues from a mission to Tarchannen III have deserted Starfleet and disappeared. She begins to act increasingly strangely and wants to go down to the planet’s surface before she begins to transform into a strange alien creature. Doctor Crusher investigates the medical possibilities while Geordi goes over old logs searching for a clue. It turns out aliens plant their DNA in visitors in order to reproduce, which seems challenging when you think about it.  Crusher discovers a way to reverse the process, but will it be too late for Geordi?  Listen to the previous episode ‘Night Terrors’ here.  The post First Contact: ‘Identity Crisis’ Season 4 Episode 18 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise discovers the missing science vessel, the USS Brattain, abandoned in space. It turns out all of the crew have killed each other, having gone slowly mad but with no apparent  explanation. When they try to leave, the Enterprise also finds itself stuck and tensions start to rise with the crew succumbing to the same condition that afflicted those on the Brattain. Turns out they are stuck in a weird space rift which requires a massive explosion to escape from. But apparently they don’t have anything powerful enough on board. But they’re not alone, aliens are trying to communicate with Troi through her dreams which is causing disastrous side effects for everyone else. Can they make her understand before it’s too late? Listen to the previous episode ‘Galaxy’s Child’ here. The post First Contact: ‘Night Terrors’ Season 4 Episode 17 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise discovers a new lifeform, some kind of space whale, and everyone gets excited. But when the Enterprise gets too close, it attacks. Forced to fire phasers to protect the ship, the creature is killed. But no one is sad for too long because it turns out that it was pregnant and the Enterprise delivers the space baby. But it soon hooks on to the ship and drains the power. In the other plot, Geordi meets the designer of the Enterprise’s engines – Dr Leah Brahms. Cold, cerebral and lacking in humour, First Contact has now been running for 8 years. Listen to the previous episode, ‘First Contact’ here.     The post First Contact: ‘Galaxy’s Child’ Season 4 Episode 16 appeared first on The Spoilist.

Riker is injured while undercover investigating the Malcorians, an alien race on the verge of warp technology. Riker tries to escape suspicious medics while Captain Picard makes contact with their chancellor in order to introduce the Federation. He is intrigued by the idea but wary as his society has yet to catch up with their technological advances and fear change. On one side, the administrator for the Space Bureau makes the case to pursue the new relationship but on the other, the leader’s chief advisor argues that the planet could go it alone. But trust is broken when Riker’s true identity is discovered and this could have huge consequences for this First Contact mission. Listen to the previous episode ‘Clues’ here. The post First Contact: ‘First Contact’ Season 4 Episode 15 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise gets pulled into a wormhole while investigating an unusual M-Class planet and he crew are all knocked unconscious. Data informs them that they were only out for 30 seconds but some things don’t add up – the  planet has disappeared, Doctor Crusher’s moss samples have grown and Worf has a broken wrist but no memory of breaking it. Picard suspects Data isn’t telling the truth about the incident as he appears to be blocking the investigation at every turn. Could it be that they were out cold for longer and Data is under some alien influence? Or did the writers just watch Red Dwarf’s Thanks for the Memory and figured that would do?  Listen to the previous episode ‘Devil’s Due’ here.  The post First Contact: ‘Clues’ Season 4 Episode 14 appeared first on The Spoilist.

  Someone found an old original series script titled ‘Devil’s Due’ in a box and they changed the names of the characters. Kirk Picard must face off against Ardra, a woman who claims to be a mythical Satan-like entity, who has claimed the planet Ventax II after they apparently made a deal for 1000 years of peace in exchange for the planet. Picard believes her to be a con artist but her actions suggest she has magic powers. Will the Enterprise save the planet? And why does Picard wear such short pyjamas? Listen to the previous episode ‘The Wounded’ here.  The post First Contact: ‘Devil’s Due’ Season 4 Episode 13 appeared first on The Spoilist.

The Enterprise is patrolling the Cardassian border when it’s attacked in contravention of the recent peace treaty. The Cardassians reveal that a Federation starship has been destroying their ships without provocation. Picard is ordered to work alongside their old enemy to investigate and to keep the peace at all costs. They track down Benjamin Maxwell, the renegade captain of the USS Phoenix, who claims the Cardassians are building up their weapons reserves with a view to restarting the war. With help from O’Brien who previously served with Maxwell, they bring the starship back to Federation space, but was there truth in his claims? Listen to the previous episode of First Contact reviewing ‘Data’s Day’ here. The post First Contact: ‘The Wounded’ Season 4 Episode 12 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘DATA’S DAY’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 11   Data records a podcast about a day in his life for Commander Maddox, that guy who tried to have him taken to pieces in The Measure of a Man. The day revolves around the personal – with Data acting as the father of the bride in the wedding of ship’s botanist Keiko Ishikawa and Chief O’Brien – and the professional with an important Vulcan ambassador on board with a secret mission to Romulus who apparently dies in a transporter accident. Will the wedding go ahead? And was it really an accident? Feel the childlike wonder as you experience all of the ups and downs through Data’s eyes. The post First Contact: ‘Data’s Day’ Season 4 Episode 11 appeared first on The Spoilist.

We’ve watched a couple of trailers for Star Trek: Picard and now we’re going to talk about them in our usual ill-informed way. Join Alex, Andrew and James as they look forward to the next Star Trek television series coming to CBS All Access in the US and globally on Amazon Prime on 23 January 2020. https://youtu.be/YhBBXHwEsIo   The post First Contact: Star Trek Picard preview appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘THE LOSS’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 10 Following some unusual sensor readings, the Enterprise finds it is unable to resume its course with both warp and impulse engines failing to have any impact on the ship’s new course towards a weird purple thing that will probably crush them. Meanwhile Counsellor Troi experiences extreme pain and soon realises she’s lost her empathic abilities. From this point forward, she’s horrible to everyone including Riker, Crusher and Picard and then patronising to Guinan. She even hands in her resignation. But of course, what ship could cope without a therapist? It is only with Troi’s insights that the crew are able to solve the sci fi problem of the week. Some two dimensional beings are dragging the ship towards their favourite part of space, and once their needs are understood the ship can break away and Troi regains her vague magic powers. The post First Contact: ‘The Loss’ Season 4 Episode 10 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘FINAL MISSION’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 9 Wesley Crusher has been accepted into Starfleet Academy. Before he does, Picard decides to take Wesley on a mission where’s he’s mediating a mining dispute. For some reason they head out on some wreck of a mining ship with a shifty captain. The ship then crashes on a desert planet right on cue while the Enterprise answers a distress call because a garbage ship is poisoning a planet with radiation. While Picard, Wesley and Captain Grumpy survive the crash, they must travel a long journey to some caves where there’s some water protected by some weird forcefield. Picard gets injured when they try to access the water but can Wesley save him? And can the Enterprise save the planet without getting everyone horribly irradiated? And why didn’t Picard pack any sandwiches? Listen to the previous episode, Final Mission, here. The post First Contact: ‘Final Mission’ Season 4 Episode 9 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘FUTURE IMPERFECT’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 8     After an away mission goes wrong, Riker wakes up following an emergency transport to find 16 years have passed. He’s told a rare brain disease he picked up on the planet means he’s lost all of his memories since that time. In this future, he is captain of the Enterprise, Ambassador Picard is helping to negotiate peace with the Romulans and he’s a widower with a son called Jean Luc. But is everything is at seems or is this a Romulan plot to gain information? And if it isn’t a Romulan plot, is it a strange fantasy concocted by some weird little alien dude? Listen to the previous episode, Reunion here.  The post First Contact: ‘Future Imperfect’ Season 4 Episode 8 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘REUNION’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 7 K’ehleyr is back with news. Worf’s a father to a tiny little Klingon called Alexander…for some reason. And also the leader of the high council, K’mpec is dying, poisoned by his rivals. K’mpec wants Picard to arbitrate on his successor with Duras and Gowron keen to lead the Empire. Following K’mpec’s very sudden death, Picard delays the process for as long as he can while he investigates. Meanwhile K’Ehleyr announces she wants to marry Worf but he refuses to share his shame with Alexander. This leads K’ehleyr to investigate Worf’s dishonour which leads her to accusing Duras and his family of treason with the Romulans. He kills her in order to keep the secret and Worf challenges him to the right of vengeance but will be be able to fight and keep his Starfleet principles? The post First Contact: ‘Reunion’ Season 4 Episode 7 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘REMEMBER ME’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 6 The Enterprise answers a distress call from a Federation freighter which is orbiting the planet Tarkana IV, the home of former security chief Tasha Yar. They race to get there but the ship explodes but their escape pod makes it to the planet. Unfortunately the planet is ruled by two warring factions and the crewmen are being held hostage by the Alliance. Beaming down to the surface, the Enterprise forms an…er… alliance with the Coalition whose members include one Ishara Yar. She is assigned as liaison to the Enterprise and wins the trust of many with her bravery, particularly Data who encourages her to stay on the Enterprise but can she be trusted and will the missing crewmen we don’t care about ever be rescued? The post First Contact: ‘Legacy’ Season 4 Episode 6 appeared first on The Spoilist.

FIRST CONTACT: ‘REMEMBER ME’ SEASON 4 EPISODE 5 While docked at Starbase 133, Wesley conducts an experiment with the warp core while Doctor Crusher welcomes on board her old friend and mentor, Doctor Dalen Quaice. But the next day he is gone and there’s no record that he was on ever on board. While an investigation is carried out, it seems no one can remember ever meeting the man. Soon after, Crusher’s medical staff also disappear and when she asks the crew about them, they have been forgotten. People keep disappearing until only Beverley remains on board ship. She knows she hasn’t lost her mind but perhaps there is something wrong with the universe. It’s probably something to do with Wesley’s experiment because they always cause life threatening situations and frankly he shouldn’t be allowed to touch things. Listen to the previous episode, ‘Suddenly Human’, here. The post First Contact: ‘Remember Me’ Season 4 Episode 5 appeared first on The Spoilist.