New Generation Episodes - Season 4

by Jonathan Burt (JEB2@vaxa.york.ac.uk) & Edward J. Lord   2 December 1991
Original Ideas (well almost original) Jonathan Burt.
Produced by John Nathan Turner (JNT, former Doctor producer)

Season Four of 'Star Trek - The New Generation'

4:01 TRIBBLES VS BORG (PART II)

Arriving at the Borg planet, Relew, the Tribbles, who have multiplied faster than the Geordis, force O'Brien to beam them down to the surface where they indulge in fierce hand to hand battle with the Borg. Harry Mudd, having had trouble with Tribbles, rescues some Borg from the blood bath below. In gratitude they convert Mudd into Muddqutus. Riker, fed up with Tribbles, Borgs, and the endless rantings of Muddqutus, warps away leaving them all to it.

4:02 NEXT WEEK IS LESS THAN IDEAL

The Geordis fall asleep. A week later, they wake up to find they have no arms or legs! What is more, everyone thinks they have always been like that! Could it have something to do with the nearby Romulan vessel? Or could the danger be closer to home? (JNT: This is an excellent mystery story; who has got the Geordis' legs and why? Pip and Jane have provided us with a classic tale.)

4:03 HOME ALONE

The diminutive Worf and his wife, Dr Selarkeleyr, return to the Klingon homeworld for a ceremony to solemnize the return of Keleyr 4 years ago. However the homeworld seems to be abandoned, and Worf has to fulfil his ambition to be Emperor. However, he is only Emperor for one day as the other Klingons return from the seaside. Unfortunately it is enough time for Worf to have declared war on the Romulans, and the Enterprise has to beam him out of there in the nick of time.

4:04 JEHOVAH'S FERENGI

Reports about the increasing hostility of the Ferengi do not match with observations of the Ferengi group travelling about the Universe converting races to the Ferengi religion. Picard is sent to investigate, but is strangely reticent about his findings.

4:05 DATA PROTECTION

A high ranking Starfleet Admiral wants to dismantle Data as he claims he is a threat to the future stability of the Universe. This Admiral Lor Datasbro seems to have a personal vendetta against the android, and it is up to Picard and Riker to find out what it is before it is too late. (JNT: This story features some stunning special effects which I am sure viewers will love. As for the surprise villain, I am sure the viewers will be delighted when they find out who it is).

4:06 KEIKO'S CAKE COURSE

It is fast approaching Captain Riker's birthday, and Chief O'Brien and Keiko decide to bake him a cake. (JNT: A lovely character study, with only Keiko and O'Brien in it as they examine O'Brien's warped nature since his resurrection.)

4:07 SKIN OF EVIL (PART II)

The Enterprise warps to pick up a group of archaelogists trapped on the banned planet, Varga 2. Unfortunately Armus disguises himself as a sleeping bag and gets on the ship with the rest of the baggage. He wreaks havoc until Tasha causes him such confusion that he flies off in a shuttlecraft to rest. The Enterprise loses contact with him. (JNT: A bleak episode, but I felt Armus had such potential that I had to bring him back. As for where the shuttlecraft has gone - who knows? Stay tuned!)

4:08 REVENGE OF THE ROMULANS

After suffering Deanna Troi for a few months, the Romulans have tired of her constant harping on about suffering, sin and emotion. Tomalok is particularly fed up of her observations about his repressed childhood. They decide to take revenge on the Enterprise. It is Commander Picard they most hate so they decide to kidnap him and place him in a holodeck with only Deanna and Lwaxana for company. Meanwhile Riker and Data search for clues to Picard's whereabouts. Data, using his refined sense of smell, concludes Picard is on Romulus and the two launch a daring rescue, which is not entirely successful as they bring Deanna back too. (JNT: It is great to have Marina back as the show was missing her amazing acting talents.)

4:09 PIKE STAFF

The Enterprise encounters another rift in space through which the original Enterprise emerges, NCC 1701, commanded by Captain Chris Pike. Magically the two crews swap positions. (JNT: I love continuity, and this aspect is strongest in this fantastic tale!)

4:10 GENESIS OF THE FERENGI

A time travel story. Hearing rumours about an impending Ferengi invasion, the officers on the Enterprise find the ship being hurled back in time by a mysterious figure to prevent the development of this aggressive trait in the Ferengi. Once there, Riker is amazed to find that the renowned villain Amster is in fact the Ferengi Prime. Riker must agonize over the moral consequences before he blows Amster away with a Phaser. In so doing, the captain hopes to have changed the future for the better. However as the Enterprise departs, a mysterious figure looms over Amster's corpse ... (JNT: I have had a lot of mail asking for more Ferengi episodes, and I can exclusively reveal that this is the first of a batch. Amster fans, don't worry though, despite seeming to be killed here, he will be back!! Stay tuned!)

4:11 GIANT GEORDI

The Geordis vote to become one entity once more. However the conversion process goes a bit wrong, and although Geordi was one again, he is now 39 feet tall. He must sleep in the corridor as he keeps hitting his head on the ceiling, but all the women want to get to know him.

4:12 GUINAN'S DAUGHTERS

Guinan goes into an easy labour with Jack Crusher's children. Once born the girls (Mell and Well) grow up incredibly fast. At the same time, the Enterprise's systems start to fail. Are the girls' birth and the ship's problem connected? Riker believes so, but is struck down by a deadly virus before he can act. One by one, the crew fall until only Guinan, Well, Mell and Commander Picard are left ... (JNT: Viewers have often commented on how much they have enjoyed the 2nd season opener of the classic series "The Child", so I have decided to reuse some of the same elements here. It's a cracking episode, one which reveals a lot of Picard and Gunian's relationship."

There then follows what JNT refers to as his 'Ferengi Trilogy'

4:13 PLANET OF THE FERENGI

4:14 TERROR OF THE FERENGI

4:15 FATE OF THE FERENGI

In these episodes, Amster, magically revived, journeys to the Ferengi Homeworld to install himself once more as the Ferengi Prime. It transpires that the Ferengi are a collective being, and Amster uses this aspect of them to mount a revenge attack on the Enterprise. The Enterprise crew are under stress, and it is not a good time to be attacked by the Ferengi. The Ferengi capture the ship and install Amster as its commander. Wesley, trying to contact his mother, realizes something is wrong and so sets off to help. Amster is revealed to be none other than the supposed Betazoid Tam Elbrom (from "Tinman") with amazing new powers as the Ferengi Prime, who has distorted the Ferengi's time-line for his own purposes. The Enterprise crew face a massive task - they must defeat Tam the Ferengi and restore the past to it proper order ...

4:16 TAIL TALE

Q has been learning French, in which 'queue' means tail. Q therefore decides it would be a nice idea if all the Enterprise crew had tails too to celebrate this linguistic coincidence.

4:17 PEACE OF CAKE

Keiko bakes a cake to bring together Klingons and Romulans who are still at war after Worf's intervention. Having secured peace through a pacifying ingredient in her cake, Keiko is hailed as Peacemaker of all Time.

4:18 RETURN TO EDO

Wesley, who was magically seen alive in "Fate of the Ferengi" turns out to have been resurrected specially by the God of the Edo to
open negiotations for the Federation with the Edo. Condoms, after the great Condom War, are again the central issue. Fortunately the Edo are specialists in this field.

4:19 BEVERLY'S BABIES

A family episode. Beverly is seen preparing to have Picard's baby, looking after James Riker, her son from Captain Riker and getting to know her eldest child Wesley again after his resurrection.

4:20 THE MARRIAGE

Captain Riker has the honour of joining Commander Picard and Dr Beverly Crusher in holy matrimony. However peeping Tom, Worf, trying to learn a thing or two to impress Dr Selerkeleyr, almost spoils the wedding night ...

4:21 BANANA SKINS

The Enterprise warps to the Banana Republic to take on board a Banana delegation. Unluckily it transpires that this is where Armus, the skin of evil, landed his shuttle craft, and it looks as though the surface of the Republic is covered in rotting banana skins ...

4:22 THE PLANET OF MYSTERY

(JNT: This is no less than the 100th episode, and it is a roaring, romping 90 minute advantage in which every single old enemy - the Ultimate Computer, the Borg, the Bananas - return!!) A mysterious forcefield drags the Enterprise to a mysterious dark planet. As the forcefield seems to emanate from a mysterious dark tower, Riker decides to beam all his officers to the mysterious planet to investigate. Mysteriously, they encounter and mysteriously overcome every old enemy they have faced. A mysterious Romulan consul, T'Pot, reveals the tower is known as the Tower of Pick Card and is the source of great power. Picard looks rather shifty, but points out the difference in spelling. The crew must get into the dark tower to switch off the forcefield, but who is really manipulating them?

4:23 FALL OF TROI

Captain Riker is overwhelmed with joy when he discovers that the Bananas have reached Betazoid and some have survived Armus' attack. Unluckily the Bananas have declared war on the Betazoids over unjust banana prices at market, and are winning. The House of Troi falls and Picard must rescue Lwaxana before the Bananas get her ...

4:24 PROMOTIONS

As a belated gesture of true thanks for all the work they have done, Starfleet promotes everyone on the Enterprise. Picard is captain once more, and picks the diminutive Worf as his new first officer. Only Ensigns Ro and Yo refuse their new commissions.

4:25 GUT FEELING

Admiral Riker can finally leave Captain Picard to guide the vessel and he returns to his natural instincts for a while. But they need honing as Lesley Ben, the woman he dates, is more interested in sharp action than any other form of action. For once, Riker's gut feelings have misled him.

4:26 DAYLIGHT BORGERY

The Enterprise finds the Borg are trying to capture Armus from the planet of the Bananas. However, as always, the Borg turn their attention away to the Enterprise when it arrives and activate a sharp cutting beam. Admiral Riker and Captain Picard frantically rack their brains as the atmosphere of the ship drains into the void of space and the Borg prepare to at last assimilate the Enterprise into their culture ... (JNT: A wonderful way to end the season. I love the way that continuity is maintained with the return of the Borg once more!)