Schisms
- Episode aired Oct 17, 1992
- TV-PG
- 45m
Commander Riker's inability to fall asleep begins to show in other members of the crew in other forms, putting the Enterprise on the trail of a mystery.Commander Riker's inability to fall asleep begins to show in other members of the crew in other forms, putting the Enterprise on the trail of a mystery.Commander Riker's inability to fall asleep begins to show in other members of the crew in other forms, putting the Enterprise on the trail of a mystery.
- Lt. Shipley
- (as Scott T. Trost)
- Starfleet Ensign
- (uncredited)
- Crewman Martinez
- (uncredited)
- Lt. Hagler
- (uncredited)
- Ensign Kellogg
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe poem "Ode to Spot" later appeared in A Fistful of Datas (1992).
- GoofsConsidering an emergency has been called in, the cargo bay security and medical teams weren't exactly rushing to the scene.
- Quotes
Lt. Cmdr. Data: Throughout the ages, from Keats to Jorkemo, poets have composed odes to individuals who have had a profound effect upon their lives. In keeping with that tradition, I have written my next poem in honour of my cat. I call it "Ode to Spot":
Lt. Cmdr. Data: Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature, / An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature. / Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses / Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.
Lt. Cmdr. Data: I find myself intrigued by your sub-vocal oscillations, / A singular development of cat communications / That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection / For rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.
Lt. Cmdr. Data: A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents, / You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance. / And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion, / It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.
Lt. Cmdr. Data: O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display / Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array. / And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend, / I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
- ConnectionsFeatured in TrekCulture: 10 Scariest Star Trek Episodes Ever (2020)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Some problems with Jordy's visor, Data's internal chronometer, a weird glowing plasma conduit in cargo bay 4 plus a lot of jargon about tetryon particles, and, most importantly, some similar complaints to Troi of odd reactions to ordinary objects, lead to a possibly sinister mystery.
An effective scene occurs in the holodeck (using a perspective of the room I had never seen) where some of the affected crew (Riker, Worf, Jordy and Kaminer) transform an ordinary conference table into a spooky-looking torture device. While it is odd how vague general commands to the computer result in some very specific additions to the table (aforementioned Kaminer asks for a double-jointed swing-arm a meter long, and a detailed electronic device appears). As a result, they conclude that they have all been there before.
Eventually, they gather enough clues (Will Riker's arm had been severed and reattached, for one) to realize that crew members are being kidnapped having horrible things done to their bodies!
This is a very good episode. My only real gripe is the conclusion. When the episode reached resolution, I was disappointed by the whole experience. I understand budgetary limitations, but I believe some clever editing and lighting and a maybe a completely different approach to the scene would have been more satisfying. Nevertheless, this is a solid episode that would definitely fall into the 'creepy' category.
- shandy8
- Mar 13, 2021
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1