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Legacy (episode)

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The survivors from a doomed freighter crash-land on Turkana IV, Tasha Yar's homeworld, and are taken hostage by a dissident faction. When the Enterprise moves to intervene, they are joined by Tasha's sister Ishara who has ulterior motives.

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 1.7 Log entries
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Production history
• 3.2 Story and script
• 3.3 Production
• 3.4 Continuity
• 3.5 Reception
• 3.6 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Co-stars
• 4.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.6 Stunt double
• 4.7 Stand-ins
• 4.8.1 Other references
• 4.9 External links

Summary [ ]

Riker , Data , Troi , and Worf are playing poker . Troi and Worf are not having much luck , as most of the chips are shared between the two commanding officers. Data raises the stakes, and makes Riker leave the hand. Noticing that they are comparable in poker skill, Riker offers to challenge Data with a magic trick, betting all his chips into a pot that he will retrieve any card Data will pick – with Data's help. Troi cautions Data from doing this and although he values her advice, the android accepts and adds all his chips with Riker's as Riker barely keeps from laughing out loud, believing he'll have an easy win.

As instructed by Riker, Data pick a card (the Jack of Hearts) and puts it back in the deck without showing him. After shuffling and manipulating the cards several times, Riker makes Data pick the same Jack again, to Troi's surprise. Data is however hardly impressed, explaining that he saw that Riker had kept the edge of his left thumb on the card and shuffled so it was on top. By keeping track of it, he was able to have Data remove or keep cards at his choosing until Data's card was the only one left. His gamble having utterly failed, Riker is left chagrined as the triumphant Data rakes in all the chips for himself. In that moment, Captain Picard calls and informs them that the USS Enterprise -D has received a distress call .

On the bridge , an audio message is received from the Arcos engineer Tan Tsu , explaining that a warp drive breach is to go critical in just five minutes. The sound of an explosion makes Tan Tsu inform the crew that it is now three minutes to core breach and thanks the Enterprise for trying to rescue them. Picard orders Ensign Bennett to increase the Enterprise 's speed to warp 9.6, although the engines have already exceeded recommended limits. They arrive in transporter range just a second too late, witnessing the freighter explosion. However, Data has detected an escape pod trail, which is leading to the colony. The colony is infamous for being lawless: the USS Potemkin was the last Federation ship to contact the outpost in 2361 and was warned that any intruder entering the colony would be killed. Despite this, Picard orders Riker to assemble an away team .

Act One [ ]

Although the surface settlements have been destroyed, the colonists now live underground. The away team, including Riker, Worf, Dr. Crusher , and Data, beams down, with phasers ready and set to maximum stun. Looking for the pod, they initially meet no resistance, but suddenly an alarm rings and armed men engage the away team. While explaining their purpose, proximity detectors on the Turkana colonists starts blinking, and the Enterprise crewmen follow the colonists away while they escape. In a safe place, Riker and the others learn from Hayne that the colony is controlled by two opposing cadres, the Turkana IV Alliance , who is currently holding the Arcos men captive, and the Turkana IV Coalition . Hayne , the Coalition leader, tells Riker that he will help him find the prisoners but expects to receive weapons in exchange. He claims to need them in order to maintain peace, but the away team is not convinced. He also explains that no serious conflicts can occur, since intruders are immediately spotted thanks to the proximity detectors. Crusher and Data reply that they know how the colony is torn by conflicts and violence from a former crewman, who died in the line of duty. Riker decides to go back to the Enterprise , and Hayne gives him a bottle of Telluridan synthale as a gift for the captain.

Hayne introduces Ishara Yar to the Enterprise crew

On the ship, Picard states clearly that he won't provide weapons to anybody, especially "urban street thugs", as he puts it, although he recognizes that the Coalition is currently the only door open to rescuing the hostages. He announces that they will keep that door open to them and see where it leads. While discussing, a communication from the colony is received. Hayne introduces Ishara Yar , claiming she is Tasha's sister.

Act Two [ ]

Hayne offers help to the Enterprise , apparently to avoid Picard paying a ransom to the Alliance in exchange of the prisoners. After consulting with his senior staff , Picard accepts the proposal, although realizing that such an offer should be addressed with suspicion. Ishara beams on board and is welcomed by Data. Her first reaction is to think of him as a cybernetic warrior, but Data explains that his purposes are different. He explains to Ishara that the Enterprise is not a ship of war but of exploration.

Data and Ishara talk to each other in a corridor , and Data is surprised that Tasha never spoke of her, although they spent much time together. Ishara replies that Tasha had behaved cowardly by leaving the colony, at which Data politely, but firmly, objects in his own way. For a moment, Data seems to recognize a gesture of Tasha in Ishara's face. In the observation lounge , Ishara is received by the senior officers, and offers her DNA to be scanned to confirm her identity. She then explains that the colony started to fall apart thirty years before, and the surface city fell in ruin. The Coalition and Alliance were granted police powers by the government (endowing them with proximity detectors), but at some point, both factions got rid of the government itself. Tasha left the colony more or less at that time, asking her sister to follow her, but Ishara was already part of the Coalition at that point.

A map of the underground colony

At that moment, a message from one of the hostages, Tan Tsu, is received, informing the Enterprise that in twenty hours the hostages will be killed. Ishara provides useful information on the structure of the Alliance base. To locate the prisoners, La Forge suggests exploiting the myographic scanner , a sensing device located in the escape pod which monitors the vital signs of the crew, but an amplifier needs to be installed in the pod. Ishara reveals that the pod is in Level 3-C, Section 5 47 . She tells the crew that the Coalition has its sources. To work in the pod device, Worf suggests creating a diversion, and Ishara offers to beam into the Alliance base, so that her proximity sensor will trigger the alarm. To do this, she is ready to take the risks, but Riker prefers to leave the decision to the captain. After providing her DNA to Dr. Crusher, Ishara talks with Data about Tasha. The android remarks that she is dearly remembered by the crew and explains the circumstances of her death .

After being granted permission from the captain, Ishara is beamed into Alliance territory by Chief O'Brien , triggering the alarm. The escape pod is thus left only lightly guarded, and the Enterprise away team can easily access it. The device is damaged, however, and La Forge has to fix it, taking up some valuable time. Riker therefore asks to beam Ishara to the ship, but O'Brien informs him that her position is currently shielded by a transformer substation directly above the chamber she entered, and no transportation is possible. Riker orders the others to return to the ship as soon as possible and goes after her. After shooting an Alliance guard, he finds her stunned and they both beam back to the Enterprise .

Act Three [ ]

On the ship, Picard informs Riker that the DNA test to confirm Ishara was Tasha's sister was positive, but Riker isn't surprised after seeing how Ishara behaved in the colony. The captain then berates his first officer of taking unnecessary personal risks; Riker explains that they lost Tasha under his command and couldn't let himself repeat that history with her sister, but Picard tells him he can't afford emotional responses, but complements him on the success of their mission.

After Dr. Crusher has healed her broken ribs , Picard also congratulates Ishara for her actions. Ishara explains that she never flees from danger as her sister did. Picard then replies that Tasha was no coward and remembers how he met her for the first time, when she was trying to aid a wounded colonist through a Carnelian minefield since both her ship and his responded to the distress call. For this reason, Picard wanted her on the Enterprise and her commanding officer at the time owed him a favor. In the months that followed, Tasha never once failed to put the safety of the crew before her own, and she died doing the same. The captain concludes that Ishara would be proud of the woman that Tasha became and she would have been proud of Ishara.

Ishara and Data talk again. After discussing some specifications of the Alliance base, she asks about Tasha, whether she had friends on the Enterprise . Data replies she had ties especially with Commander Riker, Lieutenant Worf, and himself, much to Ishara's surprise. He explains that friendship is not based only on emotions, which he does not possess, but also on familiarity and that Tasha is now missed by him.

La Forge has successfully localized the Arcos crewmen. They are deep underground, but the Enterprise 's phasers can drill a hole and allow transportation. La Forge notes that he will need two hours to modify the phasers for drilling. Ishara would like to help, but her proximity sensor would trigger the alarm and compromise the mission. She explains that the proximity sensors cannot be removed, since they have a small explosive inside, ensuring enduring loyalty to the cadre. Data, however, devises a procedure to remove the implant. Riker suggests that Ishara think twice about this, a decision that would change her life forever. He tells her to think about it while La Forge modifies the ship's phasers.

Ishara enjoys conversation in Ten Forward

In Ten Forward , Ishara talks to Data. She tells him about how her and Tasha's parents were killed just after she was born. Some people took care of them for a few months, until they came home one day, and they were gone. Tasha took care of Ishara, and when she was old enough, Ishara joined the Coalition. Tasha didn't join; she hated the cadres and blamed them for their parents' death. For everything. She refused to join and left the colony as soon as she had a chance. Ishara now seems to realize that Tasha was not weak, but willing to have a better life in a more constructive environment. Ishara understands how much she already trusts Data, even considering him a friend. Data would also like to consider her as a friend. Ishara laments to Data that she wishes she had known about the Enterprise fifteen years ago and that things might have been different. " Maybe it's not too late, " she says.

Ishara kisses Data

Data tells the captain that Ishara wants to remove her implant and that she has further intention to leave the colony and eventually enroll in the Academy and one day join Starfleet . Troi comments that her loyalty is still divided, but Picard wishes to grant Ishara the possibility of changing her life. Talking with Troi, Data explains that he has now become used to Ishara, and for this reason he is supporting her. Ishara comments how different life is on the Enterprise : in the colony, nobody does anything but for gaining something. The android replies that he will enjoy her continued presence on the ship. Ishara has now to talk with Hayne to communicate her decision to him and goes into the observation lounge for privacy. Before leaving, she softly kisses Data on his cheek. In the transmission with Hayne, however, Ishara behaves unexpectedly, bluntly reporting that everything is going as expected.

Act Four [ ]

Dr. Crusher has just successfully removed the proximity sensor from Ishara's body. Crusher gives Ishara the implant, in the form of an orange crystal. After gazing at it for a few seconds, Ishara chooses to give it to Data, as a way to remember her. In the corridor, an admiring Worf commends Ishara for her decision to join the Academy . In the meantime, the Enterprise 's phasers have dug a hole 1.6 kilometers deep, allowing the away team composed of Riker, Data, Worf, and Ishara, to beam to the colony. The area they beam into has minimal security, being located deep behind the defense lines. After some wandering, they locate the hostages and get them free with minimal struggle. At that point, Ishara, unnoticed, leaves the away team, but is soon discovered by a member of the Alliance, who manages to trigger the alarm. Worf believes she tried to draw the enemy's fire against her. After beaming the hostages on board Enterprise , Riker and Data go looking for Ishara. She is at the base's power core, changing its programming, when she is discovered by Data. The android realizes she is overloading the fusion generator to deactivate the defense system. However, he fails to understand her purposes, and Ishara explains that this way the Coalition troops will defeat the Alliance. Since the Federation would be responsible, Data says he cannot allow this, but Ishara is ready to kill him to proceed with her plan.

Act Five [ ]

Data faces Ishara overloading the fusion generator

Data realizes how they were all deceived since the beginning, and Ishara angrily orders him to leave, since the hostages are now free. Data asks if their friendship was also part of the deception. Ishara, now clearly uncomfortable, insists that Data should go away, otherwise he will die in the explosion. Thanks to the sudden intervention of Riker, Data manages to stun her and to restore the fusion reactor. Riker grimly notes that Ishara's phaser was set to kill.

Back on the Enterprise , Picard and the other officers face Hayne via the viewscreen . Riker is angry and wants Ishara to be judged for attacking the Enterprise crew, but Picard, saddened, ends the debate and orders her to be returned to the colony. He then abruptly closes the channel, interrupting Hayne. Picard realizes that everybody, including himself, gave Ishara so much confidence, trying to get some part of Tasha back with her sister. Picard tells him that they saw more than was there. While Data is taking Ishara to the transporter, she feels uncomfortable. She explains that she did what she had to do. She also states that she was not always lying, and that she enjoyed talking with him, and that their relationship was the closest thing to friendship she ever experienced. Apparently untouched, Data has O'Brien energize the transporter.

A few days after, Data confides in Riker, explaining he is puzzled because his thoughts are still on Ishara. Riker explains that in every trust there are risks, but without these risks there would be no friendship, which makes people what they are. Eventually, he claims that such risks are worth taking. Leaving Riker's quarters, Data stops, thoughtful, looking at the crystal implant Ishara left him.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2367

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Data, have you got a flush or a full house? " " It will cost you 20 to make that determination, sir. "

" How many cards? " " Eleven. " " Take five. Throw them away. " (Data throws the five cards over his shoulder, Troi chuckles, Worf is not amused)

" Estimate five minutes to warp drive containment breach. " (Explosion) " Make that three minutes. Thanks for trying, Enterprise."

" Ensign, warp factor 9.3! How much time? " " Seven minutes, fifteen seconds will put us within transporter range, Captain. " " 9.6! "

" The Enterprise is not a ship of war. It is a ship of exploration. "

" You don't believe I'm Tasha's sister. " " We have considered the possibility. " " I'm not surprised. You can sample my DNA if you'd like. " " Yes. I will. "

" As I experience certain sensory input patterns, my mental pathways become accustomed to them. The input is eventually anticipated and even 'missed' when absent. "

" I don't want to kill you, Data… but I will. "

" Set to kill… "

" The time we spent talking… that was the closest thing to friendship I've ever had. If that means anything to you. " " Energize. "

" In all trust there is the possibility of betrayal… Without trust there's no friendship. No closeness. None of the emotional bonds that make us who we are. " " And yet you put yourself at risk. " {smiling} " Every single time. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• One-page memo from Michael Piller , conveying pitch from Tony Kayden : 30 August 1989 [1]
• Final draft script: 20 August 1990 [2]
• Premiere airdate: 29 October 1990
• First UK airdate: 11 May 1994

Story and script [ ]

• This is the first Star Trek episode written by Joe Menosky . He recalled that it originated at a pitch session with Michael Piller . " Michael didn't like my pitches, but he liked my background, so he pitched an idea to me . That story became 'Legacy.' And on the basis of that script, I was hired on staff. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 266) Menosky went on to write many episodes for Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , and Star Trek: Discovery .
• This episode was intended as an allegory on gang warfare. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 145)

Production [ ]

• Director Robert Scheerer watched the first season episodes that Tasha Yar appeared in prior to filming. It was Scheerer who suggested Beth Toussaint for the role of Ishara Yar, having previously worked with the actress on an episode of Matlock . ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 210)
• The Turkana underground complex sets are redresses of the Borg ship interiors. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 145)
• Wil Wheaton ( Wesley Crusher ) does not appear in this episode.

Continuity [ ]

• This is the 80th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , breaking the record of 79 episodes set by Star Trek: The Original Series . The cast and crew held a party at the end of filming to commemorate the occasion, and the milestone was widely publicized. Author Larry Nemecek has noted that "Legacy" was therefore a fitting title. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., pp. 135-136 & 145)
• The reference to Camus II was an homage to " Turnabout Intruder ", the 79th and last episode of TOS. The in-joke was devised by Rick Berman , Jonathan Frakes , and Eric Stillwell . ( Star Trek Encyclopedia , 3rd ed., p. 62)
• The episode also mentions the last ship to have contact with Turkana IV was the USS Potemkin . A ship of the same name was mentioned in "Turnabout Intruder".
• Data recalls the events in TNG : " Skin Of Evil " when he speaks of Tasha's death.
• Hayne tells Picard " The enemy of my enemy is my friend ", which James T. Kirk also tells Spock to justify him teaming up with Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek Into Darkness .

Reception [ ]

• Michael Piller remarked, " It was a good episode because of the performance of the girl and the relationship between her and Data. There's nothing as poignant as seeing the betrayal of an innocent, as Data is. I was very happy with this show, but it doesn't stay with me. It's a show that has great entertainment value, but it doesn't stick as one that I'll always remember. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 210)
• Joe Menosky commented, " The pleasure with Data was walking the line between android and Human, and hinting at moments when a deeply vulnerable true Humanity would be glimpsed beneath the machine. True Humanity? Or was it just our imagination? That was the line. In 'Legacy', that moment came through with the look on Brent [Spiner]'s face in the last second before we cut to black. It was just wonderful. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 176)
• A mission report for this episode by Patrick Daniel O'Neill was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 15 , pp. 37-40.
• Director Robert Scheerer remarks, " That's the one where we went to the underground city. That set was great, really exciting. [Set designer] Richard James had done a wonderful job with it; there were many twists and turns, and we did a lot of hand-held work, sneaking around and blowing out doors. That was enjoyable. I had to go back and see the shows with her [Tasha Yar], because I didn't even know the character. Once I saw who we were talking about, I knew how to deal with it, and her. " ( The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 20 , p. 34)

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 40, 9 March 1992
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 4.2, 7 May 2001
• As part of the TNG Season 4 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
• Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars [ ]

• Beth Toussaint as Ishara Yar
• Don Mirault as Hayne
• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien

Co-stars [ ]

• Vladimir Velasco as Tan Tsu
• Christopher Michael as Man #1

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Rachen Assapiomonwait as Nelson
• Michael Braveheart as Martinez
• Debbie David as Russell
• Cullen Chambers as Arcos pilot
• Cooper as Reel
• B.J. Davis as Alliance member
• Chris Doyle as Alliance member
• Margaret Flores as science division officer
• Goldie Ann Gareza as Alliance member
• Mark Lentry as civilian
• Tim McCormack as Bennett
• Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
• Noriko Suzuki as operations division ensign
• Talbot as Ten Forward waitress
• Natalie Wood as Bailey
• Five Alliance members (including Yosh )
• Five Turkana IV civilians
• Seven Coalition members

Stunt double [ ]

• Unknown stunt performer as stunt double for Beth Toussaint

Stand-ins [ ]

• Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden
• Randy Pflug – stand-in for Colm Meaney
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Dennis Tracy – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• James Washington – stand-in for Michael Dorn

References [ ]

47 ; 2337 ; 2352 ; 2361 ; access tunnel ; accusation ; adversary ; air ; Alliance ; alternative ; " ancient history "; android ; Antares -class ; Antares type escape pod ; archaeological survey ; Arcos ; Armus ; assumption ; audio ; authority ; away team ; base of operations ; battle ; battle exercise ; bedrock ; behavior ; betrayal ; bioelectric signature ; birthplace ; bluff ; bone tissue ; booster ; cadre ; Camus II ; cardiovascular function ; Carnelian minefield ; chamber ; chance ; choice ; city ; Coalition ; colonist ; colony ; computer ; comrade ; concentration gradient ; conspiracy ; conversation ; converter ; corridor ; cowardice ; crate ; cybernetic device ; damage ; database ; day ; dealer ; death ; deception ; defense ; denial ; desire ; detection system ; dispersion trail ; distress call ; DNA ; door ; dozen ; drilling ; Earth ; emergency orbit ; emotional bond ; emotional consequence ; emotional response ; enemy ; engineer ; entry point ; environment ; escape pod ; event ; explosion ; facial expression ; faction ; fake ; family ; fate ; Federation ; feedback loop ; feeling ; file ; flush ; force field ; fracture ; freighter ; friend ; friendship ; full house ; fusion generator ; gift ; government ; granite ; ground ; hail ; hand ; head ; headquarters ; heart ; hello ; hostage ; Human ; identity ; immunity ; " in the line of duty "; incision ; inert gas ; information ; inside straight ; intention ; intersection ; ion trail ; jurisdiction ; King Mei ; kilometer ; landing point ; legal right ; level ; liaison ; line of duty ; loyalty ; luck ; malevolent entity ; Manu III ; maze ; medical assistance ; memory ; mental pathway ; metabolism ; meter ; micro-explosive ; minute ; mission ; mnemonic network ; month ; muscle ; myographic scanner ; name ; number one ; " on file "; orbit ; order ; overload ; pain ; path ; peace ; perimeter ; pilot ; phaser ; photon grenade ; Picard's starship ; place ; plan ; playing card ; poker ; poker face ; police power ; Potemkin , USS ; power source ; prank ; privacy ; promise ; proposal ; proximity detector ; raid ; ransom ; rape gang ; reason ; relay ; reparations ; rescue attempt ; rescue plan ; result ; rib ; risk ; safety ; saying ; second ; section : secure channel ; sensing device ; sensory input pattern ; shaft ; ship of exploration ; ship of war ; shunt ; sister ; skirmish ; sonomic chromosome ; sonomic comparison ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; status ; storage tunnel ; strategy ; stunstick ; subspace channel ; subspace message ; subspace transmitter ; superior officer ; tactical station ; Telluridan synthale ; term ; territory ; thing ; thought ; thousand ; threat ; thumb ; torture ; transformer substation ; transmission ; transporter ; transporter range ; transporter room ; transporter signal ; tricorder ; troop ; trust ; Turkana IV ; Turkana City ; Turkana City cartographic database ; Turkana system ; urban street thug ; Vagra II ; vector ; violence ; visual contact ; vital signs ; wall ; warp drive containment breach ; warp factor ; way of life ; weapon ; word ; xenon ; Yar, Natasha ; Yar's commanding officer ; Yar's guardians ; Yar's parents ; Yar's starship

Other references [ ]

• Engineering Division Duty Roster – Third Shift Antimatter Operations Unit : D'Angelo, Dick ; Finks, Wilbur ; Foster, Jr., Don ; Mees, Jim ; Nesterowicz, John ; safety officer ; Sepulveda, Fernando ; Third Shift Antimatter Operations Unit
• Turkana City cartographic database: botanical section ; power generation plant ; residential complex ; ventilation and recirc complex ; waste management plant

External links [ ]

• " Legacy " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Legacy " at Wikipedia
• " Legacy " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Legacy" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• " Legacy " at the Internet Movie Database
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E6Legacy

Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S4E6 "Legacy"

Edit locked.

Original air date: October 29, 1990

In the officer's card game, Data is showing substantial improvement in his poker skills and successfully bluffs Riker in a hand. Riker tries to win his chips back with a card trick, but Data sees right through it. With this thematic foreshadowing accomplished, the officers are called to start the plot.

On a mission to rescue the crew of a severely damaged Federation freighter, the Enterprise has traveled to Turkana IV, where their deceased former security chief Tasha Yar was born. The freighter explodes, but an escape pod containing two surviving crewmen lands on the planet. But locating the crewmen on the planet will be more difficult than they expect.

The government of the planet has collapsed and devolved into warring factions. The conflict between the two remaining factions, the Alliance and the Coalition, has destroyed all civilization on the surface. All natives now live underground and fight constantly. An away team searching through the tunnels makes contact with a Coalition cadre, who claim to know the location of the missing crewmembers. They away team follows them to their hideout to meet Lane, their leader. Lane states that the Starfleet survivors have been kidnapped by the Alliance and will surely be held for ransom. He offers to help the crew return their missing men purely to stop his rivals from profiting from them.

When the away team returns to the ship to tell Picard about their offer, Lane contacts the ship and introduces them to Ishara Yar, Tasha's sister, who can lead them to the hostages. Although Picard greatly suspects deception, he agrees to Lane's proposal, and Ishara beams aboard. In a meeting to plan their next move, Ishara states that the Alliance is decentralized, so the hostages could be held in one of many locations. Geordi suggests locating a device from the freighter wreckage that can help pinpoint their location. Due to the tracking devices that all Turkanans have implanted, Ishara suggests that she be used as a decoy.

During the mission, Ishara fights bravely and risks her life for the mission, which earns her respect from the crew. She also speaks regularly with Data, and they bond over their shared connection to Tasha. Ishara is still angry at Tasha for abandoning her, but Data speaks highly of Tasha as his friend. Ishara says that she now considers Data her friend and eventually decides to follow in Tasha's footsteps by joining Starfleet.

Ishara has her tracking device removed and gives it to Data as a memento. Once the hostages have been pinpointed, she leads the rescue mission through the Alliance base and locates the room where they're being held. While the rest of the away team grabs the hostages, Ishara goes off alone. Data follows her and discovers that she's in the process of rigging a massive explosion, which will destroy the Alliance's security as a precursor to a massive Coalition invasion. All of her interactions with Data have been a ploy to facilitate this scheme. Data refuses to allow her to continue. With Riker's timely arrival, the two officers incapacitate Ishara and cancel the explosion.

Tropes in this episode include:

• Becoming the Mask : To a degree. Ishara mentions that her time with Data was the closest thing to a real friendship that she ever had, but that didn't stop her from betraying him.
• Berate and Switch : Picard gives Riker a minor telling-off for letting his personal feelings motivate him to divert from the mission to save Ishara, but then tells him, "well done."
• Beware the Nice Ones : The Coalition's plan is foiled when Data stuns Ishara.
• Big Brother Is Watching : All members of the two cadres are implanted with proximity detectors that light up whenever someone else is near and instantly alert either side to incursions into their territory.
• Call-Back : Data recalls the circumstances of Tasha's death , at the hands of "a malevolent entity" as a demonstration of its power.
• A Day in the Limelight : An example of the very rare posthumous variety, since it centers on Tasha Yar, her planet, and her family. Unusually for this type, the character doesn't even appear in flashbacks.
• Eating the Eye Candy : A rather humorously ambiguous example. After donning a form-fitting bodysuit, Ishara stands near Worf's station on the bridge. Worf casts several sidelong glances in her direction as Data states that Tasha's station was nearby. It's not clear whether Worf is simply affected by deja vu over seeing a Yar on the bridge, or whether he's developing a crush on Ishara. It's worth noting that Worf respects Ishara's bravery in combat and also hinted at a similar romantic interest in Tasha herself in her final episode.
• Hell-Bent for Leather : The Coalition outfits all have baggy brown leather jackets.
• Hostage Situation : The Enterprise is at Turkana because a pair of unfortunate freighter pilots bailed out of an exploding ship right into the colony, where they are promptly abducted.
• Riker risks his own life to save Ishara. Picard: You took some unnecessary personal risks, Number One. Riker: We lost Tasha on an away team under my command. The thought of the same thing happening to her sister— Picard: That's an emotional response, Will. We can't afford it. Riker: Understood. [walks off] Picard: Commander? [Riker looks back at him] Well done.
• Ishara considers herself fully justified for deceiving Data and the other crewmembers, stating that it would be foolish not to take advantage of their presence to gain an advantage over the opposing faction.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die : Riker still regrets Tasha's death from " Skin of Evil ".
• It's All My Fault : Though wounded by Ishara's betrayal like everyone else, Picard concedes that they let their memories of Tasha cloud their better judgment.
• Karma Houdini : Ishara doesn't pay for tricking the Enterprise into removing her tracking implant or for firing a phaser set to kill at Data and Riker. The worst that happens to her is that she feels a bit bad for manipulating Data. Riker comments that he's not sure he would have made the same choice.
• Law Enforcement, Inc. : Both the Coalition and the Alliance were this for a while fifteen years ago, as the old Turkanan government awarded them police powers in a desperate attempt to maintain order. It didn't work; a few months later, the cadres decided that they didn't need the government any more .
• Long-Lost Relative : Ishara to Tasha. She stayed behind on Turkana when Tasha escaped to a better life, and grew up considering Tasha a coward for not sticking it out like she did.
• Loving a Shadow : The Enterprise crew wanted to believe that Tasha Yar's sister would share at least some of the same perspectives and beliefs she had, and this allowed her to trick them.
• Ms. Fanservice : For no explicable reason, Ishara dons a form-fitting blue catsuit that emphasizes her excellent figure while hanging around the ship.
• Mutual Disadvantage : The two factions are at a stalemate because both sides have biometric implants which are immediately registered by the opposing side's security system, ensuring that neither side can sneak up on the other. Ishara gets the crew to remove her implant, as part of her plan to disable the security system and end the stalemate.
• Not So Above It All : Picard admits that he wanted to see "something of Tasha" in her sister as much as any other member of the crew, which is why he can't blame Riker for being deceived.
• Nothing Personal : Ishara claims that befriending Data under false pretenses isn't anything to do with him, it's just a good tactic in her war against the Alliance.
• Orbital Bombardment : A non-lethal example, where the Enterprise uses her phasers to drill a 1.6 kilometer pit into the surface of Turkana IV so they can transport to an otherwise inaccessible location. (You'd think there'd be some legal and/or ethical issues with blasting a pit into a non-aligned, inhabited planet, but nobody raises an objection, nor does either Turkanan cadre react with anger to their planet being shot at.)
• People's Republic of Tyranny : The two factions are called the Coalition and the Alliance, but they act like rival street gangs.
• Power of Trust : Discussed during the final scene in response to Ishara tricking them all. Riker: In all trust, there is the possibility of betrayal. I'm not sure you were prepared for that. Data: Were you prepared, sir? Riker: I don't think anybody ever is. Data: Hmm. Then it is better not to trust. Riker: Without trust, there's no friendship, no closeness, none of the emotional bonds that make us who we are. Data: And yet you put yourself at risk. Riker: [smiling] Every single time. Data: Perhaps I am fortunate, sir, to be spared the emotional consequences. Riker: Perhaps.
• After the deception is revealed, Picard still agrees to return Ishara to the Coalition. Riker says that he's more charitable than he would've been.
• Picard criticizes Riker for letting his emotions get in the way of his leadership when he rescued Ishara. After doing so, however, he still commends Riker on a job well done.
• Replacement Goldfish : Everyone sees Ishara as this to her sister to some extent, enough to go from cynical and suspicious of Turkanians to trusting them as soon as Ishara reveals herself.
• Shout-Out : To Star Trek: The Original Series . The final episode of TOS broadcast during the original run was number 79. This is the 80th episode of TNG. As a way to acknowledge this, the opening Captain's Log states that they are bypassing their scheduled archaeological survey on Camus II. In TOS, the final episode had the crew visiting Camus II due to a distress signal from the archaeological expedition. This episode's title, "Legacy," is also partially a reference to TNG's relationship with TOS.
• Shut Up, Hannibal! : Even after his deception has been revealed, Hain starts another long-winded speech about how his faction is just trying to "preserve the peace..." , and Picard curtly orders the channel closed.
• Small Name, Big Ego : The two cadres that run opposing sides of the capital city have awarded themselves the grand names "Coalition" and "Alliance", but Picard notes with disgust that they are nothing more than street gangs with pretensions to legitimate authority.
• That's an Order! : Used by Riker when leading their first raid against the alliance. He tells Worf to stay to protect Geordi while Riker himself goes to retrieve Ishara. Worf objects, but Riker steadfastly orders him to stay with Geordi.
• Tin Man : After telling Riker that he's spared the emotional consequences of a broken trust, Data steps outside the room and the viewer sees that he still has Ishara's crystal implant. He stares at it thoughtfully.
• Underground City : The inhabitants of Turkana IV lives underground in a city that extends three km down, since the fighting destroyed the city on the surface.
• The rescue of the hostages proceeds in two stages. In the first, the away team needs to find and modify the freighter's escape pod so that they can track the hostages by the vital signs that it's monitoring. To draw the Alliance guards away from the pod, Ishara is beamed down into nearby Alliance territory, where her proximity implant sets off the intruder alarms.
• During the final confrontation, Riker shouts at Ishara. As she turns to fire on him, it gives Data the opportunity to fire on her.
• You Keep Using That Word : Beverly notes that, however much the Coalition leader talks about keeping the "peace," there doesn't seem to be a lot of it around.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S4E5 "Remember Me"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S4E7 "Reunion"

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

“Legacy”

Air date: 10/29/1990 Written by Joe Menosky Directed by Robert Scheerer

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

Review Text

When a Federation freighter goes down over the war-torn colony of Turkana IV, the Enterprise goes in to rescue the survivors. The survivors, however, are now being held hostage by the Alliance, one of the colony's warring factions. The other faction is the Coalition, and is led by Hayne (Don Mirault), who proposes to work with the Enterprise crew in order to rescue the hostages. Turkana, by the way, was the home colony of deceased Enterprise crewmember Tasha Yar.

Story linchpin: Among the Coalition's soldiers is Tasha's younger, hotter sister, Ishara (Beth Toussaint, who looks like the younger, hotter sister of Linda Hamilton). She volunteers to help the Enterprise crew in their rescue attempt. Obvious question of the hour: Can the crew trust her, or does she have her own agenda on behalf of the Coalition? Fortunately for "Legacy," the crew is smart enough to pose this question aloud up front. Picard decides to attempt cooperation with the Coalition in the absence of a better option.

"Legacy" is a competent but unremarkable affair: Nothing hugely wrong with it, but not a whole lot in its favor, either (unless you count Beth Toussaint in a one-piece). It's all but impossible to care about the random, overly simplistic sociopolitical conflict between the Turkanan factions. We've seen the "two warring factions" plot on Trek plenty of times, and "Legacy" gives us precious little political intrigue to make this remotely compelling. The action scenes consist of competent but unremarkable shootouts in underground tunnels.

Faring better, but still plenty shy of great, is the material surrounding whether the crew can trust Ishara. Some scenes depicting the developing friendship between Ishara and Data are palatable, but we spend much of the hour waiting for the other shoe to drop and Ishara's betrayal to be revealed. Ishara is at the mercy of an inevitable plot. And when she's not, her status as "Tasha's sister" is mined too heavy-handedly for my tastes.

Previous episode: Remember Me Next episode: Reunion

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50 comments on this post.

Oh, yeah, I recently watched "Legacy," and Ishara Yar is much hotter than I realized when I watched this episode originally, at age 10.

I agree that Beth Toussaint looks a lot like Linda Hamilton. I also thought Carolyn Seymour(who played Romulans in both "Contagion" & "Face of the Enemy") looked a bit like Sarah Douglas

Nigella Vestibule-Hogdkiss

I find the idea of this episode quite fascinating. The Federation are powerless to do anything to stop the horrors on a planet in their own space. Could be an interesting dilemma for a captain and his crew if they ever revisit it.

I agree pretty much with everything. The one other problem I have with the episode is that while Data's trust in Ishara is set up very carefully over time, the rest of the crew's isn't quite as well -- certainly, there are key scenes, such as Picard telling Ishara how remarkable a woman Tasha was and the crew's reaction to Ishara risking her life to save the team. It makes sense that everyone, especially Picard, Riker and Worf out of closeness and guilt (Picard and Riker as her commanding officers, Worf as the person who inherited her job) would have the feelings they do for Tasha transfer to Ishara, but it's just a tad underdeveloped for them in order to have the careful work being done for Data, which is quite good overall. While this is not an especially strong episode, it is still season four and thus better than all but a handful of season one episodes, which means that this episode is another, like "Yesterday's Enterprise," which deals with Tasha's character and death better than anything in season one. The tragedy surrounding Tasha's death is strong enough that it's a little overwhelming to think about. Tasha got off Turkana IV only to die for absolutely no reason. The person who misses her the most of anyone in the world is Data, who has no feelings (that he's aware of, at least) with which to grieve her fully; and (I believe) Data believes that he and Tasha were closer than they actually were. Ishara, as someone who cares about Tasha but has not seen what has happened, is able to experience her story from an outsider's POV, the same way, bizarrely, Tasha was able to in "Yesterday's Enterprise," and it once again retroactively makes Tasha's own story much stronger than it would have been. The episode is still only a 2.5 star show, but it has a few elements of interest.

Tasha and Ishara came of age in very different backgrounds, but even if that weren't so, the presumption that one has, somewhere deep down, the virtuous traits of the other just because they are siblings rings absurd.

I thought that this episode was interesting, at least 3 stars in my mind. Personally, I did manage to care for these people. I wonder what's supposed to be the Federation policy in the case that a civil war breaks out on a member planet. Did the Federation try to help them in the past? Maybe. The Prime Directive shouldn't apply in this case, so the Enterprise should have the right to intervene. I understand that the Enterprise's mission isn't to help these people, but it's interesting to see that the Enterprise only seems to care about the missing crew members and Tasha's sister. Given how little the Federation cares about them, I can't really blame them for trying to manipulate the Enterprise into helping them. I thought it was a bit jarring to see Picard blame Riker for "taking unnecessary risks" when he saved Ishara's life. That really makes the Federation look cruel and heartless. First, Ishara is a former crewmember's sister, she's also a former member of the Federation, a human and she, as well as her friends, risked their lives and gave valuable intelligence to the Enterprise. But it seems that her life is worthless to Picard. This is a prime example of Federation arrogance. It shows an inherent sense of superiority compared to "these people". Transpose this into a colonial context: The white colonel blames his officer for risking his own valuable life to save a worthless black woman who well, risked her own life to help them. But he lets it slide because the officer had "an emotional response". I find this disturbing morally. And couldn't they have made a bit more of an effort to help these people? They offer Ishara the chance to get rid of her implant, but what about the rest of the colony? At the end of the episode, Data keeps thinking about Ishara, but what about the billions of people suffering on that planet? Nope. I guess their boobs are not as hot. It's also really simplistic to depict the colonists as ignoring the value of friendship. "No one ever does anything for anyone else unless they have something to gain from it." I understand that they have limited time and that their society is a caricature, but really? Humans everywhere are capable of friendship. A major point of the episode is that disabling the defense system is wrong and that Data cannot allow it because then "the Federation will be responsible for the resulting deaths." But, wouldn't allowing one side to win the war bring a quicker end to the conflict? Isn't the Federation really just keeping in place a system that is causing a perpetual war? And what about the Federation's duty to help these people? Does it have one? In the end, they blame themselves for having trusted Ishara, they wanted to see Tasha in her. But isn't it normal that Ishara tried to used the Federation to her advantage? After all, she and her people are in a desperate situation and the Federation clearly doesn't give a dang about them. Yet, if she had managed to manipulate the Federation people, then maybe she could have improved her people's situation or put an end to the conflict. The episode's theme is betrayal, and doesn't this apply, first and foremost to the colony? They joined the Federation and when things went wrong, the Federation, presumably, didn't help them. Aren't they the ones who were were betrayed? I wonder what other people think about this. Copyright © Tom 2014

The phaser beam they fired at the surface to enable transport as at an angle...that would seem to create a very unstable hole.

William B: "(I believe) Data believes that he and Tasha were closer than they actually were." I thought that too. Data puts an awful lot of emphasis on their supposedly close relationship (see also the hologram scene in "Measure of a Man"), when all that happened between was sex while under the influence of a toxicant that impairs judgement, and afterwards she told him that it "didn't happen". Apart from that, I can not remember any particular relationship between the two during any of Tasha's episodes. Data seems to value the experience much more than Yar, who usually goes for strong, somewhat authoritative men (like Lutan or Picard in "Hide and Q"). It's probably because Data has never shared a similar experience with anyone else, while Yar was mainly looking for sex as a form of self-validation in "The Naked Now" (remember her talk with Troi beforehand, where she expressed her wish to appear more feminine).

WOW! This episode was bad! I mean really bad! I certainly did not expect it to be this horrible. "Legacy" has never been a favorite of mine (in fact, I can probably count on one hand with fingers left over the number of times I've watched it) but I still didn't think it would be like this. I went into it for this re-watch remembering it as a fairly pedestrian, run-of-the-mill episode, something worthy of a 5/10. Wow, was I wrong! First, let me list the actual good things about it, because there aren't many.... the opening poker game scene and Beth Toussaint in a skin-tight one-piece. That's pretty much it. I'm actually going to go back and re-watch it again just so I can be sure I don't miss any of the problems, because they are legion. I'll be back.

You know what, I've decided not to go back and re-watch this one, because I just can't bring myself to do it. The plot inconsistencies, the political subtexts, the woeful misuse of Yar's sister and the complete failure to show Turkana IV as a desolate wasteland of violence (seriously, it just seems like they have two competing governments instead of one world government - if that's so bad, then how come we manage to get along with around 200 governments in the real world?) all add up to one major misfire of an episode. It's not as bad as, say, "Shades of Grey" because at least it's trying to be an episode. It's not as bad as "Code of Honor" or "Up the Long Ladder" because it's not openly racist. It's also not as bad as "The Last Outpost" because it's not a showcase of total incompetence. But, still, it's pretty bad. 0/10

With regard to others' comments about Data possibly believing he and Tasha were closer than they actually were - In another episode, Data describes the basis of his friendship with Geordi as follows: "I never knew what a friend was until I met Geordi. He spoke to me as though I were human. He treated me no differently from anyone else..." This is, at least in my opinion, largely why Data considered Geordi his "best friend." Obviously there were other factors - they spent a lot of time together, and they shared a lot of interests, for example - but the biggest difference between Data's friendship with Geordi and, say, his friendship with Picard or Riker, is that Geordi *consistently* treats Data like a human being unless circumstances specifically call for focus to be placed on Data's mechanical properties. (Even then, Geordi often expresses some level of discomfort, such as in "A Fistful of Datas" when the panel on Data's head is open: "I must admit, Data, I never get used to seeing you like this.") When Data had his sexual encounter with Tasha in "The Naked Now," she essentially treated him just as she would a human male (aside from inquiring about the extent of his functionality, but that's obviously a logistical concern in that moment). I think that's why Data later placed so much value on the encounter between them. When she asked him for "gentleness, and joy, and love," and in their subsequent encounter off-screen, she made feel completely accepted as fundamentally human-like, and she allowed him to participate in a particularly intimate human experience.

Diamond Dave

A perfectly acceptable but broadly underwhelming episode. Some of the nicest scenes revolve around Data's relationship with Yar's sister and her ultimate betrayal. But while one can understand Data being sucked in, and to a lesser extent Riker wanting to make amends for Yar's death, for the others to be so gullible is problematic. The action sequences are OK enough, and the poker intro is fun as always, but this is only average. 2.5 stars.

Nobody mentioning Troi above. I have a hard time buying a story based on everyone trusting a lie when Troi is right there the whole time. There are some vague attempts to dismiss this, but they're not very satisfying. If Troi really doesn't sense anything is amiss, then what good is she, ever? If she does, but can't pinpoint it, then why doesn't she sit Ishara down and interrogate her until it's clear what's going on? Would also have been nice if the show acknowledged that, by removing Ishara's chip and returning her to the planet, the ship had already intervened, shifting the balance of power pretty substantially.

I can't help but like this one; good action scenes, Tasha Yar backstory and references, and good character growth for Data. Why is it reviewed so harshly here? The biggest gripe I can come up with is the clichéd scene that cues the audience in on the pending betrayal. I think it would have been better to surprise the audience with it. Incidentally, in regards to the comment about Picard chewing out Riker; of course he did. Riker did have an emotional reaction and take unnecessary risks. That doesn't mean Picard doesn't care about the "native." It means he cares about his first officer and recognizes that their mission wouldn't be made easier by his death or (worse) capture by The Alliance. 3 stars from me.

Yeah, this is a so-so episode for me. The thing that bumps it up a bit is the continuity with Tasha Yar. I'm not really a fan of him, but I would have liked to seen more of Riker in this episode dealing with the guilt of Tasha dying under his command. Also, for a planet teetering on the edge of lawlessness and scarcity everyone seems really well-fed.

Orion Slave Guy

I wasn't expecting to see such a positive reaction. This is a tremendously boring episode. The dialogue was so cheesy between Data and Hayne; me and my wife were looking at each other shaking our heads. The crew comes across and way too gullible. Sorry I disagree with most of you.

Pretty simplistic stuff here. Also pretty obvious that Ishara is planning something treacherous (but what...??) The crew surmised that when she was introduced but go along with it. So she basically wants to get access to blow up something and uses the crew to get it, but then Data/Riker phaser her and prevent the explosion - nothing special here. I'd take issue with Data here for being duped so easily even if he was tight with Tasha Yar. Did Ishara know that Data is her best hope for deceiving someone? She did recognize him as non-human immediately and maybe read up on Yar's friends aboard the ship? "Legacy" gets 2 stars from me. Seen better episodes where Data is dealing with emotions (like "Skin of Evil" when Tasha Yar is killed etc.) Got slow paced at times as Ishara familiarizes herself (or rather goes about duping) the crew. Just not a very captivating episode.

Long-time lurker/reader, this is my first comment. Thanks for the reviews and the forum to discuss TNG, Jammer! @Tom: Thanks for bringing up the colonialism and sexism in this episode. I like your analysis, largely. However, I take issue with the idea that the Federation helping one side defeat (read: massacre) the other would help bring peace. Seriously?! You think that's a viable end to a civil war, to help one of the sides crush the other? One more thing which I haven't seen anyone mention: I think it's a gigantic plot hole that the Enterprise allows Ishara to go back to her planet *without* her implant! Data takes it out and examines it for an "emotional" ending to the episode, yet no one (in the show or on this board) seems to think that allowing a member from one faction in a civil war to return to battle essentially permanently cloaked is exactly the same as taking sides in a war. Data's scene on the planet where he notes that if Ishara succeeds in blowing up the opposition's reactor that "The Federation would be responsible for the resulting deaths," is meaningless if they allow Ishara to return to the planet without her implant! Anyway, I agree with Jammer overall: 2.5/4

Am I hallucinating or was the actress playing Tasha's sister required to wear her costume without underwear? If so, were any of the male guest stars required to follow a similar protocol?

@digitaurus - I've noticed that quite often among the female guest stars. I've been rewatching the series and I'm seeing a lot of nipples in the early seasons. My guess would be Gene had something to do with that... or maybe the network wanted to spice things up to keep viewing figures high? Ishara reminds me of Billie Piper. Or rather, the other way around.. It's those lips and cheekbones.

RandomThoughts

Hello Everyone! @digitaurus Yes, once a male wore a weird, white spandex suit that left little to the imagination, in Transfigurations (season 3). While many outfits were racy or form fitting, you couldn't see much of anything in the old 480. Now with them on Blu-Ray/HD, you can see much that was previously hidden. For example, in the season 6 episode Man of the People, you can potentially see right through Troi's top in HD, but not in the old SD. Your mileage may vary, of course. :) RT

Sean Hagins

Maybe it's me, but I never found "Tasha's sister" attractive! The pretty girls from TNG to me are the ensign on the bridge with the toned down Beatle moptop haircut, the shapeshifter from the Dauphin (*the younger one of course!), the girl who was Wesley's partner in The Game, and maybe a few others. As an early teen at the time, I found the younger girls attractive (remember, I was only a kid myself) like the girl who played the younger Ensign Ro in Rascals, and the girl who was stuck in the turbolift with Capt Picard and the 2 young boys in Disaster. People like Troi and Tasha's sister I actually found (and still find) quite unattractive! But it's the same with girls I know-Riker was always the one who "got the girl", and yet my female friends found him ugly! A few liked Picard (although he was quite old), and many liked Geordi Ok, but about the episode itself-this one was kind of "Meh" to me. Not horrible, but I never found it interesting

I feel like this episode missed a trick by not exploring Ishara's motivations - her real ones. She's evidently willing to go on a suicide mission for her "cadre" but there's no real sense of why. Maybe she genuinely sees victory for her people as being the only way to fix her world, that the federation has evidently abandoned You could even make a case that despite the episode's apparent condemnation of her, she acted heroically, choosing to sacrifice her life for her cause rather than abandon her world for a more comfortable life

@digitaurus Probably not wearing a bra was part of the contract. And the sexism in those day was different. Although USA , in my opinion generally have be more puritan, there was still a more openness. TNG is 30 years old and the main reason was probably to get it more sexy and attract male viewers, for the female actor a necessity but not a shame. Girls or even men! in minis was more frequent in the first seasons. And, even if this is not a forum for cultural development. Being a non English speaking European born in the 60s i saw many of my female classmates without a bra. There was no hysteria about it. Furthermore there is (seldom) no physiological need , except perhaps when doing sports, for a woman to wear a bra. In fact probably bra wearing makes the breast sag. Even if it was not a top episode I liked it but would have liked another ending. It was to simple an very polarised. Ishara should have left the colony but not remained on Enterprise. I.e put in custody and left on the next star base or human colony to start a new life after sitting out the consequence of trying to kill Data. She said she had no real friends on the planet, why go back? Without the detection chip in, and bra on her chest the universe was open for her.

Another boring bunch of drivel. Watched it for the first half or so, then left it playing in the background and listened while I did other things. The opening with the poker game was uninspired. Seems TNG is obsessed with that the way the ham actor playing Sisko on DS9 was obsessed with baseball. The whole "everyone in the 24th century loves stuff from the 20th" is so tiresome.

@JerJer The poker games are always momentary diversions that subtlety speak about the episode. Also, is it really so unbelievable there would be poker in the 24th century? It’s one of the things I could see easily surviving even the most hectic wartime on Earth.

"The whole "everyone in the 24th century loves stuff from the 20th" is so tiresome." Um, hello? Haven't you ever heard of Anbo-jitsu? It's only the ultimate evolution of the martial arts. Not to mention the holodeck, that weird cyber-squash game from a couple episodes back, and three-dimensional chess. It's not like poker is the only recreational activity these people are interested in.

I keep thinking about Linda Hamilton when I see this guest star in this episode...specifically the Terminator movie. Then there is the fact that Linda Hamilton has a twin sister, which is extra intriguing... I think this guest star's career was probably negatively affected by Linda Hamilton's success. I mean, if you're a casting director, aren't you telling yourself "Do I really want the Terminator chick in my production?" Think about it. It's not just the looks, but it's the whole vibe.

Eh. It was OK. Casting wasn't great - Ishara looked nothing like Tasha. Zippo. And this bugged me, from Ishara: "Our parents were killed in some crossfire just after I was born. Some people took care of us for a few months, then one day we came home and they were gone. So Tasha took care of me, and when I was old enough I joined the Coalition. " The "then one day we came home and they were gone." The wording is as if she was out with her older sister, the two of them came home, and they found their "foster parents" gone. Just weird wording for someone who was probably around 4 months old at the time of the event. I know, picky, picky. But it bugged me, and the whole episode felt sort of haphazardly put together. Continuing with our Family theme for the Season, certainly, though I didn't find it particularly enlightening about Tasha. Forgettable.

I have a friend who worked on the crew for Voyager, and they said all the actresses' costume had padding built in to enhance their breast size. In fact, that's one of the reasons Genvieve Bujold (originally cast as Janeway) quit the show.

I just want to say: Ishara is so fucking hot. That is all. https://vader.joemonster.org/upload/rfs/174521749aadf51Beth_Toussaint_Ishar.mp4

This would be a bit of a filler episode except for the sheer, unmitigated, eye-popping hotness of Beth Toussaint, which transforms it into a "must watch". In terms of the plot it's pretty formulaic, constructed from familiar elements - the warring faction on the planet trying to manipulate Picard & crew to their advantage, a phaser shootout in underground tunnels and even a poker game. I must say, for an insurgent guerrilla group the Coalition fighters have immaculate wardrobes and hairdressing at their disposal. One of my Star Trek pet peeves is that away teams always beam down in the same uniform, whatever the task or conditions - and this one is no exception. Ishara goes into combat wearing a powder blue catsuit. I think I'd probably seen this one before but I can't actually remember it.

Ehhh it was okay. Still better than the kid episode two episodes ago. I really didn't like how trusting they were of Ishara, and how they took her implant out but sent her back. I would have sent her to the Alliance to pay for her deception.

Hotel bastardos

Well, it certainly wasn't shades of grey levels of shite, but it it gets a resounding "meh" from me....

I feel like this was a poor first attempt to start trying to leverage the Tasha Yar character's story. I was not moved by very much at all about the performance but I did find myself wishing we had gotten more from Data revealing that maybe he had actually developed a romantic love for Yar given that they engaged in sinful pre-marital congress. This was definitely a 'eyes glaze over out of a lack of interest' episode for me.

Hmm.. a sinful robot. Which god would he be punished/saved by? It would have to be us humans, given we are his creator. Well, it seems appropriate that we have the power to absolve sin, since we created the idea in the first place.

Best part of the episode by far: Sarah Connor getting beamed onto the Enterprise and seeing yet another fucking Terminator.

Lol... when Tashara first appeared, I was like, "Whoa! Since when was Linda Hamilton on TNG?" I mean, the face, the hair, the mannerisms, the dystopian society surrounding her, it was all Sarah Connor. Except for Beth Touissant being much hotter, as mentioned. And that kiss she gave Data, in blue spandex... Okay, so looks may have been part of it, but Tashara also had a real magnetism about her that carried the episode, which is an unsung gem in the TNG canon (especially on this page). There is a real tragedy here involving Data and the first true betrayal of his trust. We see laid bare the fact that while Data doesn't feel human emotions, he feels his own brand of emotions that are just as tangible. His rapport with Tashara, the organic (and believable) growth of their relationship, the way he said "energize" while she was on the transporter rather than giving her a final word of consolation, and the look of desolation on his face as he gripped her homing beacon implant at the end, were very moving to me. This was a magnificent, understated acting performance by Brent Spiner, matched step by step by Toissant, and I can't believe that this episode seems so easily dismissed. This is not the nostalgia of a rewatch either, as I have no recollection of ever seeing this episode. There was also a poker game AND a Riker card trick in the intro, which should alone be enough for a bonus star. They spent some money on this, too -- we also had some excellent set designs with smoky and relatively elaborate underground tunnels, and good costume design for the hostiles to boot. Speaking of, the Federation needs to seriously invest in camouflage for its away teams -- that red shirt Riker's got on ain't gonna blend in too well for guerilla warfare (@ James G -- on the money there). Of course, Legacy has some contrived aspects to it, as all TNG episodes do, but this wasn't a tenth as contrived as Remember Me, what with an imaginary Enterprise constructed by Dr. Crusher's mind inside some warp bubble, which she can only escape by taking an imaginary lift to imaginary deck 36, while the Traveler of all people helps Wesley "Skywalker" Crusher rescue her through use of the Force. This one is the 3.5. Remember Me can get 2.5, maybe. It all balances out.

So rewatching season four and it had some strong stories that i really enjoy but its the little things that bug me, like Crusher calling o'brien by his last name, Worf upset about Crusher joining an away team cause of the rape gangs in this episode. Tbese little things shouldnt bug me so much but they do...

1. In no universe is Ishara hotter than Tasha, nor Sarah Conner. 2. Do both factions have access to 1980s shoulder pads, blow-dryers and Aqua Net? 3. This episode was silly, but I give it tiny props for trying to establish an emotional core. 4. Catch that magic panda; use her powers.

Hmm. The poker game at the start, Riker’s conversation with Data at the end, (the two things - the nature of “trust” - are obviously linked), and Ishara’s Tasha-like friendship with Data, are the only things that raise this episode above the merely humdrum. For some viewers, I guess the producers deciding that putting a ‘hot’ female in a body-hugging romper suit, might raise the approval level? Ishara was impossibly well-groomed for someone living in a dystopian culture, and the shoot-out scenes were as hilariously bad as a B-movie Western. The attempts to re-awaken Tasha’s memory (did someone, somewhere, feel some guilt about sacking Denise Crosby?) felt clumsy and too drawn out. In the end, I just didn’t feel invested in the episode. 2 stars.

@TIDD If you are looking for a realistic portrail of how people look, the TV/Film isn't the place to look.

@b1gdon Asking for internal consistency isn’t too much to ask! The story has its own character which the production should respect.

Actually I thought Ishara looked like a younger Cheryl Hines from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I'm with @Luke, likewise found it impossibly bad to sit through for a rewatch. Total turkey. The main positive is the crew is immediately aware that they are probably being manipulated.

Maybe it's just me, but Data felt too human in this episode. What usually makes his character so great is that the show so rarely cheats and implies that deep down he's basically a "real boy". Classic episodes like The Offspring get a lot of their emotional resonance from showing how while many of Data's values align with ours, he still experiences things fundamentally differently from how a human would. It feels like this episode cheats a little too much with his feelings and even how weirdly playful he is in the opening. It makes for some easy drama, but it also makes his character way less interesting.

So... Ishara... Okay, looks like a washed-up Saved By The Bell character (as do her comrades-in-arms), but...and in that bodysuit...ai ai ai dios mio... I'm joining whatever cause she's in! Anyone else shocked Riker didn't make a pass at her!?

I'm having a really hard time believing the Federation couldn't do anything about this ragtag group of backwards terrorists or that the situation ever would have gotten so bad in the first place being it was a Federation colony in Federation space. There's no prime directive to worry about here. Send in the fleet, they could have this mess cleaned up in a day.

It's been a long time since I've watched this episode, but I think it was said that the colony had declared independence from the Federation 15 years earlier. I kind of wish they had gone more in depth with the history of Turkana IV. I think one of the old TNG novels "Survivors" said that it was a lost colony from the early days of Earth's space exploration.

Yeah. missed opportunity. For all of you starship captains out there, a pro tip: Don't let the security risk wander around your bridge. Or even allow them within five decks of the bridge. 2/4

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Jonathan Frakes Names His Dream Cast For Star Trek: Legacy

At the conclusion of the third season of "Star Trek: Picard," after the villains had been defeated, showrunner Terry Matalas had properly and carefully set up another "Star Trek" spinoff series, should Paramount+ have wanted it. Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) had received a posthumous recommendation for a captaincy from her late commanding officer Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) and was put in command of the U.S.S. Titan-A, now newly rechristened the U.S.S. Enterprise-G. One can perhaps assume that the rechristening was a special favor for the aging Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) now over 100 and happy to have a legacy. 

Also serving on the Enterprise-G were a raft of characters seen throughout "Picard," most notably Seven's ex-girlfriend Raffi (Michelle Hurd), who would serve as her first officer. Picard's adult son Jack (Ed Speleers) was hastened through Starfleet Academy and was already serving as an ensign. Also onboard were the Titan's other senior staff, including Lieutenant Matthew Arliss Mura (Joseph Lee), Ensign Kova Rin Esmar (Jin Maley), Ensign Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharp Chestnutt), and Dr. Ohk (Tiffany Shepis). Matalas has made no secret of the fact that he would love to feature this crew and the Enterprise-G in a series he would call "Star Trek: Legacy."

In a recent StarTrek.com interview with Jonathan Frakes , longtime "Star Trek" actor and prolific TV director, the veteran talked a little bit about who he would like to see on any potential versions of "Star Trek: Legacy." Naturally, Will Riker — the character Frakes first played on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987 — would be a regular on the show. In Frakes' vision, Riker would be an admiral and a liaison to the show's younger characters, like Charlie in "Charlie's Angels." 

Riker's Angels

Riker appeared throughout the third season of "Star Trek: Picard," and one of the dramatic subplots involved his reconciliation from his wife Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). The two had become uncomfortable in their relationship since the death of their young son, and it would take a kidnapping and an extreme combat scenario to bring them close again. In the show's final scenes, they even talk about going to Florida on their vacation, a difficult feat, seeing as Florida was destroyed back during the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise."

With their relationship ostensibly patched, Frakes would love to see Riker and Troi back together again and involved in the action. Seven of Nine may be the captain of the Enterprise-G, but, as Frakes sees it, Riker should be there to helm a starship of his own. He said: 

"The Rikers' marriage is back on track. In my mind, for the show to be able to move forward, Riker would have to be a captain and have his ship, or he would be promoted to admiral and be a liaison. I'm only half-kidding when I say it would be great for me if the show carries on and I'm like Charlie from 'Charlie's Angels.' They'd have to come to my office one day a week for a meeting with Riker. That'd be perfect. Then I could direct a bunch of the episodes and be around the show."

This all feels a mite cheeky on Frakes' part, and he may only be half-serious. He's been known to make similar suggestions for himself in the past.

Legacy, dammit

This author recalls seeing Frakes speak at a "Star Trek" convention back in the early 1990s, right when "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" had debuted. Frakes was asked by an audience member if anything further would be done with Thomas Riker, a transporter-created duplicate of Will Riker. Frakes smirked and suggested that Thomas should be stationed on "Deep Space Nine." The suggestion was clearly less driven by storytelling requirements and was more a clear plea to get more acting work from the franchise.

So it seems Frakes would cast "Legacy" thus, saying:

"I suspect if it does go forward, it would be Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, and Ed Speelers, who's now in Starfleet, and Mica Burton and Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, who played Geordi's daughters. I would also imagine Lulu Wilson, who played the Rikers' daughter in season one and was so fabulous, could be a part of it. She could come back and maybe be in Starfleet. It feels to me like there's a real opportunity for three of the legacy characters' children to carry on and sort of be the next 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' It just feels like it's laid out there. It's the blueprint for the next phase."

Mica Burton is the daughter of LeVar Burton who played Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Mica played Alandra La Forge, Geordi's daughter, on "Picard." Lulu Wilson played a character named Kestra, who was indeed Riker's and Troi's daughter, but didn't appear in the third season of Picard. Wilson, 17, has also appeared in "Ouija: Origin of Evil" and the two "Becky" movies. 

In a series with the word "Legacy" in the title, it seems that scrounging up as many legacy characters as possible may very well be a creative mandate.

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Star Trek Unveils the Breen's Terrifying Ultimate Weapon, THE CHIMERA

20 best episodes of star trek in tv history, ranked, star trek reveals one of the 21st century's biggest scientific breakthroughs is illegal in the future.

As Star Trek: Legacy is intended to continue the story of Star Trek in the 25th century, there are an endless stream of characters from across the history of the franchise who could appear. Pitched by Terry Matalas as a follow-up to his acclaimed Star Trek: Picard season 3, Legacy will follow the adventures of the crew of the USS Enterprise-G, commanded by Star Trek: Voyager 's Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). The Enterprise-G's bridge crew is made up of Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) and Lt. Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut), who are the children of three Star Trek: The Next Generation legends.

The weight of history on the Enterprise-G's bridge is enough to guarantee that there could be regular appearances from characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Voyager , and beyond. Star Trek: Legacy still hasn't been commissioned, but Alex Kurtzman has identified the "undeniable" appetite for the Star Trek: Picard spinoff . Terry Matalas and Todd Stashwick have both confirmed that Captain Liam Shaw will return in some form, which will be welcome news for fans of the abrasive former Captain of the USS Titan-A. With a Shaw appearance a certainty and other TNG legacy characters a strong possibility, there are at least 11 more Star Trek characters that must be a part of the Picard sequel show.

10 Alexander, Son of Worf

Alexander Rozhenko (Marc Worden) was the only TNG offspring not to feature in any of Star Trek: Picard 's three seasons. Now that Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) has returned to Star Trek , the return of Alexander is surely inevitable. Given their difficulties in TNG , it would be fascinating to see how Worf's more spiritual outlook has impacted his paternal relationship with Alexander. Worf and Alexander would also be the ideal way in to exploring the Klingon Empire in Star Trek: Legacy , especially now that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brought back the TNG -style Klingons. The Klingon Empire have been largely quiet since the end of the Dominion War, so they're long overdue a visit by the 25th Century's Federation.

9 Alandra La Forge

Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton) deserves a promotion to Lieutenant and a role as the new Chief Engineer of the Starship Enterprise . While Sidney's continued service aboard the ship formerly known as the USS Titan-A was confirmed in the Star Trek: Picard finale, it's unclear where Alandra is currently based. It's possible that she's still working alongside her father at the Athan Prime Fleet Museum, but the character deserves to spread her wings. She's the most obvious candidate for the Chief Engineer role in Star Trek: Legacy , and it's hoped that, if commissioned, the show will recognize this and promote Alandra.

8 Jake Sisko

As the Federation rebuilds in the wake of the Changeling/Borg alliance in Star Trek: Picard season 3, the civilian population will need an ace journalist and commentator who has experience of the Dominion War. This is why Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) would fit in brilliantly as a recurring character in Star Trek: Legacy . Journalism is rarely explored in the Star Trek universe, so a reporter like Jake, who is the son of a Starfleet legend and Bajoran religious icon Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , could be a great addition to the Legacy cast, pushing the show in uncharted territory for the franchise.

7 Dal R'El

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 is canceled , making it difficult for the characters to return if a new home on streaming can't be found. This is disappointing as fans may never find out if Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his young crew mates ever get an official Starfleet commission. Star Trek: Legacy could answer that question by bringing in Prodigy showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman and perhaps even giving Dal a position aboard the USS Enterprise-G under Captain Seven - another protégé of Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). An appearance by Dal in Star Trek: Legacy could also answer if Starfleet ever moves on from their fear of Augments.

Another Star Trek: Prodigy character who should appear in Star Trek: Legacy is Gwyndala (Ella Purnell), because her species, the Vau N'Akat is due to make First Contact with the Federation in the 25th century. Gwyn left to prepare her people for the revelations that there is life outside their own sheltered world, to avoid the devastating civil war that tore their planet apart in the 25th century. Legacy could pick up this story, revealing that the Vau N'AKat and the Federation made contact much earlier, thanks to Gwyndala, and are now firm allies of the Federation rather than the bitter enemies who turned Starfleet's ships against each other.

RELATED: Star Trek: Legacy Is Now Voyager's Best Chance To Continue

5 Beckett Mariner & Bradward Boimler

Star Trek: Legacy will take place twenty years after the events of Star Trek: Lower Decks , so older versions of Ensigns Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) could appear in the show. Hopefully, they'll have made their way out of the lower decks of the USS Cerritos and are now in command of their own starship. As Boimler and Mariner will make their live-action debut in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, they can easily make other live-action appearances, hopefully in Star Trek: Legacy .

4 Dr. Julian Bashir

An appearance by Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) in Star Trek: Legacy could finally answer whether he became a member of Star Trek 's Section 31 . Alternatively, Julian could be working under Admiral Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) at Starfleet Medical. Star Trek: Prodigy established that Starfleet was starting to explore the Delta Quadrant in the late 24th century, and Bashir always had a fascination with frontier medicine. Perhaps the USS Enterprise-G could be dispatched to the far-reaches of Federation space to aid a stricken medical ship commanded by Captain Julian Bashir.

3 Colonel Kira Nerys

Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) was left in command of Deep Space Nine after Captain Benjamin Sisko entered the Celestial Temple. It's unclear exactly how relations between the Cardassian Union and Bajor are following the events of the Dominion War, so Kira would be the ideal character to explore this political landscape. Star Trek: Picard season 3 made it very clear that the scars of the Dominion War are yet to heal, so it could be fascinating to dedicate some Star Trek: Legacy episodes to the diplomatic relationships between the Federation, Bajorans and Cardassians.

2 Voyager's EMH Doctor

Star Trek: Voyager 's EMH Doctor (Robert Picardo) didn't get his happy ending during the original series and Star Trek: Legacy can finally oblige. It would be interesting to see how Star Trek: Picard 's synth ban has affected the life of the Doctor in the period between the USS Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant and the start of Star Trek: Legacy . Hopefully, he's finally been granted the sentient status that he failed to obtain in Voyager 's final season. There's plenty of ground that Legacy can cover when it comes to the Doctor, most notably in the holographic rights storylines that Voyager was so good at. As holo technology has advanced, the debate will likely be as hotly contested as ever.

1 Admiral Kathryn Janeway

Star Trek: Legacy could benefit from Prodigy 's cancelation because Terry Matalas could finally realize his dream of an on-screen reunion between Admiral Janeway and Captain Seven. The reunion had originally been planned for Star Trek: Picard season 3, but budgetary limitations and Janeway's attachment to Star Trek: Prodigy made it impossible. Star Trek: Legacy should feature Janeway as the lead Admiral in contact with Seven and the crew of the USS Enterprise-G, sending them on important diplomatic missions in the changing world of Star Trek 's 25th century.

These 11 characters only scratch the surface of what could be achieved should Star Trek: Legacy ever get commissioned. Terry Matalas has promised that the show will continue the story of the last generation while focusing on the next. This creates all manner of exciting possibilities for characters from across the entire Star Trek franchise to interact with each other in thrilling new adventures that follow Gene Roddenberry's original remit to reflect the political and cultural complexities of the real world.

• Star Trek: Picard (2020)

Star Trek Is "In Great Shape": Jonathan Frakes Discusses Trek's Future, Including Legacy

• Frakes anticipates a bright future for Star Trek with upcoming projects like Starfleet Academy and Section 31.
• Legacy spinoff still a possibility, but new showrunner Matalas working on Marvel's Vision could delay it.
• Frakes highlights success of existing series and movies as catalyst for future of Star Trek franchise.

Director Jonathan Frakes touts the "great shape" Star Trek is in as he looks to the franchise's future of new TV series and streaming movies, including the possibility of Star Trek: Picard' s much-desired spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy. Frakes portrayed Captain William Riker in Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks , but he is also one of the most prolific and beloved directors of the Star Trek on Paramount+ streaming franchise. Frakes has helmed numerous episodes of Sta r Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard , and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

IndieWire spoke to Jonathan Frakes about his most recent directing success, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 9, "Lagrange Point". Turning to the future of Star Trek , Frakes offered his optimistic take on Star Trek 's upcoming projec ts, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Star Trek: Section 31 , and the possibility of Star Trek: Legacy still happening down the road. Read his quote here:

I certainly have hopes and thoughts. Updates? I dont have, but I do know that the franchise is in great shape. I do know that this Starfleet Academy series is going to be an entirely different animal, and I think that the success of what Im imagining, the success of Section 31, Michelle Yeohs movie, is only going to catapult us further into the future. And my hope, obviously, is that well find a place then to continue the Legacy story.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas was recently named as the new showrunner of Marvel Studios' Vision TV series on Disney+, which could further hamper Star Trek: Legacy happening in the near future.

Every Upcoming Star Trek Movie & TV Show

Star Trek is ending series like Discovery and Lower Decks but renewed Strange New Worlds while setting up new streaming and theatrical movies.

What Is Jonathan Frakes' Star Trek Future?

Frakes is sticking with his home franchise.

Jonathan Frakes is in demand as a director (and he still occasionally acts, taking a role in the 2023 Hallmark Channel film A Biltmore Christmas ), but Star Trek will continue to benefit from Frakes' talent behind the camera. Jonathan directed an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 , following up his smash hit comedic crossover between Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Frakes told Screen Rant his further plans to direct for Star Trek :

Im gonna keep going on Strange [New Worlds]. I was asked to come and do Starfleet Academy, but the [episode directing] slot conflicted with my son's wedding. So I'll come back, hopefully, for the second season [of] Academy.

Jonathan Frakes plans to return behind the camera for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 , which is greenlit by Paramount+ for a planned Spring 2025 production start. Frakes also hopes to direct Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in season 2. In the meantime, Frakes was announced as a director of the sci-fi series Deathlands, although there has been no further update about that project. As for what else Star Trek 's future holds, thankfully, Jonathan Frakes has no plans to exit the final frontier.

Source: IndieWire

Cast Orla Brady, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Jeri Ryan, Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Marina Sirtis, Amanda Plummer, Whoopi Goldberg, Gates McFadden, Todd Stashwick, Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd, John de Lancie, Ed Speleers

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon

Directors Terry Matalas, Jonathan Frakes

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Where To Watch Paramount+

After starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons and various other Star Trek projects, Patrick Stewart is back as Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek: Picard focuses on a retired Picard who is living on his family vineyard as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus. But before too long, Picard is pulled back into the action. The series also brings back fan-favorite characters from the Star Trek franchise, such as Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Worf (Michael Dorn), and William Riker (Jonathan Frakes).

Inside the ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Series Finale: The Last-Minute Coda, the Surprise Easter Eggs, and What Season 6 Would Have Been About (EXCLUSIVE)

SPOILER WARNING: This story includes descriptions of major plot developments on the series finale of “ Star Trek : Discovery,” currently streaming on Paramount+ .

Watching the fifth and final season of “ Star Trek: Discovery ” has been an exercise in the uncanny. Paramount+ didn’t announce that the show was ending until after the Season 5 finale had wrapped filming — no one involved with the show knew it would be its concluding voyage when they were making it. And yet, the season has unfolded with a pervasive feeling of culmination. 

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“I think there’s more to it than just, ‘Oh, it was a coinkydink!’” the actor says with a laugh, before explaining that she’s thinking more about subtext than direct intent. “I’ve gotta give Michelle her flowers. She has always asked the deeper questions of this story and these characters. Those questions of meaning and purpose led to questions of origin and legacy, and, yes, that is quite culminating.”

Martin-Green and Paradise spoke exclusively with Variety about filming the finale and the coda, including the surprising revelation about the origins of one of “Discovery’s” most memorable characters and what Paradise’s plans for Season 6 would have been.

“It’s the Most Complicated Thing I’ve Ever Seen”

Once the “Discovery” writers’ room decided the season would be organized around a search for the Progenitor’s technology, they also knew that, eventually, Burnham would find it. So then they had to figure out what it would be.

“That was a discussion that evolved over the course of weeks and months,” Paradise says. Rather than focus on communicating the intricate details of how the technology works, they turned their attention to delivering a visual experience commensurate with the enormity and complexity of something that could seed life across the entire galaxy.

“We wanted a sense of a smaller exterior and an infinite interior to help with that sense of power greater than us,” Paradise says. Inspired in part by a drawing by MC Escher, the production created an environment surrounded by towering windows into a seemingly endless procession of alien planets, in which it’s just as easy to walk on the walls as on the floor. That made for a daunting challenge for the show’s producing director, Olatunde “Tunde” Osunsanmi: As Burnham battles with the season’s main antagonist, Mol (Eve Harlow), inside this volume, they fall through different windows into another world, and the laws of gravity keep shifting between their feet.

“It’s the most complicated thing I’ve ever seen, directorially,” Paradise says. “Tunde had a map, in terms of: What did the background look like? And when the cameras this way, what’s over there? It was it was incredibly complex to design and shoot.”

Two of those planets — one in perpetual darkness and rainstorms, another consumed by constant fire — were shot on different parking areas on the Pinewood Toronto studio lot.

“The fire planet was so bright that the fire department got called from someone who had seen the fire,” Paradise says. “It should not be possible to pull those kinds of things off in a television show, even on a bigger budget show, with the time limitations that you have. And yet, every episode of every season, we’re still coming in on time and on budget. The rain planet and the fire planet we shot, I believe, one day after the other.”

Martin-Green jumps in: “Michelle, I think that was actually the same day!”

“It Felt Lifted”

The last time a “Star Trek” captain talked to a being that could be (erroneously) considered God, it was William Shatner’s James T. Kirk in 1989’s “Star Trek: The Final Frontier.” The encounter did not go well.

“I had my own journey with the central storyline of Season 5, just as a believer,” Martin-Green says. “I felt a similar way that Burnham did. They’re in this sort of liminal mind space, and it almost felt that way to me. It felt lifted. It really did feel like she and I were the only two people in this moment.”

It’s in this conversation that Burnham learns that while the Progenitors did create all “humanoid” alien species in the galaxy in their image, they did not create the technology that allowed them to do so. They found it, fully formed, created by beings utterly unknown to them. The revelation was something that Martin-Green discussed with Paradise early on in the planning of Season 5, allowing “Discovery” to leave perhaps the most profound question one could ask — what, or who, came first in the cosmos? — unanswered.

“The progenitor is not be the be all end all of it,” Paradise says. “We’re not saying this is God with a capital ‘G.’”

“There’s Just This Air of Mystery About Him”

Starting on Season 3 of “Discovery,” renowned filmmaker David Cronenberg began moonlighting in a recurring role as Dr. Kovich, a shadowy Federation operative whose backstory has been heretofore undisclosed on the show.

“I love the way he plays Kovich,” Paradise says of Cronenberg. “There’s just this air of mystery about him. We’ve always wanted to know more.” When planning Season 5, one of the writers pitched revealing Kovich’s true identity in the (then-season) finale by harkening back to the “Star Trek” show that preceded “Discovery”: “Enterprise,” which ran on UPN from 2001 to 2005.

In the final episode, when Burnham debriefs her experiences with Kovich, she presses him to tell her who he really is. He reintroduces himself as Agent Daniels, a character first introduced on “Enterprise” as a young man (played by Matt Winston) and a Federation operative in the temporal cold war. 

This is, to be sure, a deep cut even for “Star Trek” fans. (Neither Cronenberg nor Martin-Green, for example, understood the reference.) But Paradise says they were laying the groundwork for the reveal from the beginning of the season. “If you watch Season 5 with that in mind, you can see the a little things that we’ve played with along the way,” she says, including Kovich/Daniels’ penchant for anachonistic throwbacks like real paper and neckties.

“I didn’t know that that was going be there,” Martin-Green says. “My whole childhood came back to me.”

“We Always Knew That We Wanted to Somehow Tie That Back Up”

Originally, Season 5 of “Discovery” ends with Burnham and Book talking on the beach outside the wedding of Saru (Doug Jones) and T’Rina (Tara Rosling) before transporting away to their next adventure. But Paradise understood that the episode needed something more conclusive once it became the series finale. The question was what.

There were some significant guardrails around what they could accomplish. The production team had only eight weeks from when Paramout+ and CBS Studios signed off on the epilogue to when they had to shoot it. Fortunately, the bridge set hadn’t been struck yet (though several standing sets already had been). And the budget allowed only for three days of production.

Then there was “Calypso.” 

To fill up the long stretches between the first three seasons of “Discovery,” CBS Studios and Paramount+ greenlit a series of 10 stand-alone episodes, dubbed “Short Treks,” that covered a wide variety of storylines and topics. The second “Short Trek” — titled “Calypso” and co-written by novelist Michael Chabon — first streamed between Season 1 and 2 in November 2018. It focuses on a single character named Craft (Aldis Hodge), who is rescued by the USS Discovery after the starship — and its now-sentient computer system, Zora (Annabelle Wallis) — has sat totally vacant for 1,000 years in the same fixed point in space. How the Discovery got there, and why it was empty for so long, were left to the viewer’s imagination. 

Still, for a show that had only just started its run, “Calypso” had already made a bold promise for “Discovery’s” endgame — one the producers had every intention of keeping.

“We always knew that we wanted to somehow tie that back up,” says Paradise, who joined the writers’ room in Season 2, and became showrunner starting with Season 3. “We never wanted ‘Calypso’ to be the dangling Chad.”

So much so, in fact, that, as the show began winding down production on Season 5, Paradise had started planning to make “Calypso” the central narrative engine for Season 6. 

“The story, nascent as it was, was eventually going to be tying that thread up and connecting ‘Discovery’ back with ‘Calypso,’” she says.

Once having a sixth season was no longer an option, Paradise knew that resolving the “Calypso” question was non-negotiable. “OK, well, we’re not going to have a season to do that,” she says. “So how do we do that elegantly in this very short period of time?”

“I Feel Like It Ends the Way It Needed to End”

Resolving “Calypso” provided the storytelling foundation for the epilogue, but everything else was about giving its characters one final goodbye.

“We want to know what’s happening to Burnham, first and foremost,” Paradise says. “And we knew we wanted to see the cast again.”

For the latter, Paradise and Jarrow devised a conceit that an older Burnham, seated in the captain’s chair on Discovery, imagines herself surrounded by her crew 30 years prior, so she (and the audience) could connect with them one final time. For the former, the makeup team designed prosthetics to age up Martin-Green and Ajala by 30 years — “I think they were tested as they were running on to the set,” Paradise says with a laugh — to illustrate Burnham and Book’s long and happy marriage together.

Most crucially, Paradise cut a few lines of Burnham’s dialogue with Book from the original Season 5 finale and moved it to a conversation she has with her son in the coda. The scene — which evokes the episode’s title, “Life Itself” — serves as both a culminating statement of purpose for “Discovery” and the overarching compassion and humanity of “Star Trek” as a whole.

To reassure her son about his first command of a starship, Burnham recalls when the ancient Progenitor asked what was most meaningful to her. “Do you know how you would answer that question now?” he asks.

“Yeah, just being here,” Burnham replies. “You know, sometimes life itself is meaning enough, how we choose to spend the time that we have, who we spend it with: You, Book, and the family I found in Starfleet, on Discovery.”

Martin-Green relished the opportunity to revisit the character she’s played for seven years when she’s reached the pinnacle of her life and career. “You just get to see this manifestation of legacy in this beautiful way,” she says. “I will also say that I look a lot like my mom, and that was that was also a gift, to be able to see her.”

Shooting the goodbye with the rest of her cast was emotional, unsurprisingly, but it led Martin-Green to an unexpected understanding. “It actually was so charged that it was probably easier that it was only those three days that we knew it was the end, and not the entirety of season,” she says.

Similarly, Paradise says she’s “not sure” what more she would’ve done had there been more time to shoot the coda. “I truly don’t feel like we missed out on something by not having one more day,” she says. “I feel like it ends the way it needed to end.”

Still, getting everything done in just three days was no small feat, either. “I mean, we worked ’round the clock,” Martin-Green says with a deep laugh. “We were delirious by the end — but man, what a way to end it.”

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'Star Trek: Discovery' ends as an underappreciated TV pioneer

Eric Deggans

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham. Michael Gibson/Paramount+ hide caption

First, an admission: Though this column will offer a lot of discussion and defense of Star Trek: Discovery as a pivotal show, it won’t spend much time talking up the series’ current, final season or its finale episode, “Life, Itself,” dropping Thursday on Paramount+.

That’s because, for this critic, the last few seasons of Discovery have been a bit bogged down by the stuff that has always made it a tough sell as a Trek series: overly ambitious, serialized storylines that aren’t compelling; new characters and environments that don’t impress; plot twists which can be maddening in their lack of logic; big storytelling swings which can be confusing and predictable at once.

'Star Trek: Picard' soars by embracing the legacy of 'The Next Generation'

The show’s finale features the culmination of a sprawling scavenger hunt which found the crew of the starship Discovery bounding all over the place, searching for clues leading to a powerful technology pioneered by an alien race which created humanoid life throughout the galaxy. Their goal was to grab the technology before another race, ruthless and aggressive, could beat them to it, laying waste to everything.

It's no spoiler to reveal that Discovery ’s heroes avoid that nightmarish scenario, wrapping its fifth and final season with a conclusion centered on Sonequa Martin-Green’s ever-resourceful Capt. Michael Burnham and fond resolutions for a multitude of supporting characters (there’s even a space wedding!)

Still, this good-enough ending belies Discovery ’s status as a pioneering show which helped Paramount+ build a new vision for Star Trek in modern television – breaking ground that more creatively successful series like Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would follow years later.

And it all began with a singular character: Michael Burnham.

A take on Star Trek for modern TV

Discovery debuted in 2017 on CBS All Access — the streaming service which would become Paramount+ — facing a serious challenge.

As the first new Trek series in a dozen years, it had to chart a path which offered a new vision of the franchise without going too far — carving out a new corner in the universe of Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock not long after the release of Star Trek Beyond , the third feature film produced by J. J. Abrams featuring rebooted versions of those classic characters.

Producers set Discovery ’s story 10 years before the days of Kirk and Spock (originally depicted on NBC for three seasons starting way back in 1966). The new series wouldn’t be centered on a starship captain, but its second in command: Burnham, a Black woman who also happened to be the hitherto unknown adopted daughter of Vulcan ambassador Sarek, Spock’s father (she would get promoted to captain of Discovery much later).

A Black human woman who was raised among the emotionally controlling, super-intellectual Vulcans? Who Trek fans had never heard of over nearly 60 years? Before I actually saw any episodes, my own feelings ranged from cautiously intrigued to cynically pessimistic.

But then I saw the first episode, which had an amazing early scene: Martin-Green as Burnham and Michelle Yeoh as Discovery Capt. Philippa Georgiou walking across an alien planet – two women of color marking the first step forward for Star Trek on a new platform.

People once sidelined in typical science fiction stories were now centerstage — a thrilling, historic moment.

Michelle Yeoh as Captain Philippa Georgiou and Sonequa Martin-Green as First Officer Michael Burnham in the very first episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Jan Thijs/CBS hide caption

And it got better from there. Back in the day, Trek writers often felt hamstrung by creator Gene Roddenberry’s insistence that, in the future depicted by the show, humans were beyond social ills like greed, prejudice, sexism, war, money and personal friction. The writers chafed, wondering: How in the world do you build compelling stories on a starship where interpersonal human conflict doesn’t exist?

But Discovery found a workaround, putting Burnham in a position where logic led her to mutiny against her captain, attempting a strategy which ultimately failed — leaving humans in open combat with the legendarily warlike Klingons. Discovery also featured a long storyline which played out over an entire season, unlike many earlier Trek shows which tried to offer a new adventure every week.

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The show’s first season had plenty of action, with Harry Potter alum Jason Isaacs emerging as a compelling and unique starship captain (saying more would be a spoiler; log onto Paramount+ and check out the first season). Fans saw a new vision for Trek technology, leveraging sleek, visceral special effects and action sequences worthy of a big budget movie, with design elements cribbed from several of the franchise’s films.

Later in its run, Discovery would debut Ethan Peck as Spock and Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, classic Trek characters who eventually got their own acclaimed series in Strange New Worlds . So far, five other Trek series have emerged on Paramount+ from ideas initially incubated on Discovery – including a critically acclaimed season of Picard which reunited the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Not bad for a series one TV critic eventually called among “the worst in the [ Trek ] franchise’s history.”

Discovery’s unappreciated legacy

Unfortunately, Discovery has taken some turns which didn’t work out quite so well. At the end of Discovery ’s second season, the starship jumped ahead in time nine centuries – perhaps to remove it from Strange New World ’s timeline? – placing it in an environment only distantly connected to classic Trek .

And while Discovery initially seemed cautious about referencing classic Trek in its stories, later series like Strange New Worlds and Picard learned the value of diving into the near-60-year-old franchise’s legacy – regularly tapping the show’s longtime appeal, rather than twisting into knots to avoid it.

There are likely fans of Discovery who would disagree with this analysis. But I think it helps explain why the series has never quite gotten its due in the world of Star Trek , initially shaded by skeptical fans and later overshadowed by more beloved products.

Now is the perfect time to pay tribute to a show which actually accomplished quite a lot – helping prove that Roddenberry’s brainchild still has a lot of narrative juice left in the 21st Century.

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Interview: Doug Jones On ‘Space Command,’ And Saru’s Legacy After ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Series Finale

| May 29, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 5 comments so far

This has been a big month for actor Doug Jones. Tomorrow, the series finale of Star Trek: Discovery arrives, coming just a few weeks after the long-awaited debut of Space Command: Redemption , a crowdfunded sci-fi project he shot a decade ago. TrekMovie had a chance to talk to Doug about playing the android Dor Neven on Space Command , as well as the final season for Saru and Discovery .

Starting off with Space Command , and for you going back a decade, at that time you were coming off the Hellboy movies and heading into the Falling Skies series and eventually Shape of Water , so what drew you to this somewhat offbeat crowdfunded sci-fi project with Marc Scott Zicree?

I met Marc at the Saturn Awards, back… a long time ago [laughs]. He complimented the long Victorian coat that I had on the red carpet. After the show, he came to me and presented me with Space Command and Dor Neven, who was an android, which I had never played before. It would be my real face with a metal helmet on and that interested me because anything where my face shows I’m more interested in, now. I read the script and it was like Shakespeare in space. It was really beautifully written with some poetic dialogue so I was interested indeed, so I just took a chance. I had been in things with big production value before like you were saying, but when this came I really liked how it was written and it had a cast of good actors I could play with, including Robert Picardo, who I was opposite for most of my scenes. So it was a kind of a win-win.

Playing an android, did you draw any inspiration from other characters, maybe even from Star Trek?

I tried not to, I didn’t want to be copying anybody else’s performance. Because he was such an advanced android, called a “synth,” short for synthetic, so I didn’t I didn’t want to go to Anthony Daniels route like C-3PO. He had more humanity to him and as the story of Space Command lays out, I am a synth, but I grow my own heart and soul and intention that were never programmed into me. So with that extra bit of humanity, I played him a bit more fluidly than a robotic machine.

You were paired up with Picardo; he, too, played an AI character that grew a heart. I don’t suppose that was an on-set discussion for you guys?

Oh, sure, yeah. Robert, we are such delightful friends now. And yes, that discussion does come up. As the hologram Doctor on Voyager, he became so human to all of us watching him, didn’t he? So yeah, we totally understand each other.

I know he is also a jokester, so I assume he helped keep it light on set.

Yeah, we were doing heavy material on camera, so off-camera we were laughing an awful lot. He is such a jokester and a Vaudevillian prankster. I loved working with him, that lightened the mood, totally. But we did an incredible amount of material in a very short amount of time. Everything you saw of me in Space Command: Redemption was shot in just three days, pages and pages of poetic dialog.

There is something very spiritual about Dor and there was a lot of discussion about faith with Picardo’s character. Was this exploration of faith, which I know is important to you, part of what drew you to Space Command ?

Yeah, of course, always exploring what else is what else is out there besides this earthly experience. So the fact that Dor Neven is on a journey to find his humanity, what comes with that would be some spirituality, yes.

Doug Jones with Robert Picardo in Space Command

That’s a good place to switch to Discovery and season 5, which is asking big questions as well. Do you feel that this is a more spiritual season?  

Oh, sure. When you’re dealing with creation, and how did it happen, absolutely. [laughs] It’s a journey to find out where we come from and who we came from. I think that’s a question so many of us humans on Earth have when our TV is not on. What else is out there? This is quite a complex world that was created and so how did that all happen and come about? I find that season 5 is exploring that in a bit more detail.

And you feel that the season landed that plane in the end, without getting into spoilers for the finale?

I think so. The question of the riddle we are trying to solve this season, I believe we will end up with an answer. What we do with it, that’s the question you will have to watch and see.

Looking back at season 5 and the series as a whole, are you satisfied with how things ended for Saru or do you wish there was something else you had a chance to explore with the character?

No. In earlier seasons when I was asked what would I like to see for Saru, I always brought up romance. I always wanted to see a relationship for Saru. And then when T’Rina came along in season 3 I was like, “Okay, I hope that turns into something,”  because that works for me. And Tara Rosling, who plays T’Rina, she thought the same thing. So, in season 5 we are engaged to be married. I’m not going to give away the end of the series but yeah, that relationship is the most satisfying thing to me. When it comes to the science fiction part of it that is exciting and fun, but for me personally, romance will always win me over, every time.

This may be a hard question to answer, but what do you see as your and Saru’s legacy in the franchise?

Oh, golly. Yeah, it is difficult for me to over-talk myself. I approached Saru with all the humility in the world. I feel very, very fortunate to have been able to play him. The writers have been very wonderful to me and to the character. I was told at the beginning of the series, that I would be the Spock of this show. Not a Vulcan of course, but in that sort of position within the cast and the crew of the Discovery. I would be the funny-looking one on the bridge, but with more emotion than Spock, of course, but also a calming influence, very intelligent influence, a mentorship-type of influence with the younger Discovery crew members. So I think I would like to leave that legacy.

And what I’ve already seen in the fandom out there is a relatability to Saru, coming from his anxieties and fears and what he was living in as a Kelpien on his home planet Kaminar with the Ba’ul being a predator species that was controlling the Kelpiens. So the liberation of Saru that he realized when he was on the ship by himself away from the Ba’ul’s rule. He went through Vahar’ai and figured out, I am going to live past this with no fear now, that was just my adolescence. I think that was liberating for a lot of people who deal with anxiety and fear in their real lives. To watch Saru certainly has been for me, because I have lived through my own anxiety over the years. Fear of the unknown, I have dealt with it my whole life. Saru has gone through a lot of personal growth and change. And the world around him hasn’t changed so much, but his reaction to it has. I think that’s a lesson that we can all take away. And I hope that’s the legacy I want to leave, it’s that our attitude and our reaction to our surroundings, we have control of that. We don’t have control of what comes at us, but we do [in] how we respond to it.

When we spoke earlier this year at the Saturn Awards you said would be happy to appear in the new Starfleet Academy series. So Professor Saru? What would be his subject?

Well, remember the series started with Saru as a science officer on the starship Shenzhou. So I think it would be in the sciences somewhere. He speaks 94 languages, if I remember the number right. And there is also his problem-solving and diplomacy, getting through conflict with a diplomatic and peaceful resolve. So, science, language, problem-solving, and diplomacy. Those are his strong suits.

Doug Jones as Saru in “Lagrange Point”

More from Doug coming up

Check back later in the week here on TrekMovie and on the All Access Star Trek podcast on Friday, after the Discovery season finale. We have more from Doug Jones talking about the season 5 finale episode, and the additional “epilogue” shot later to turn it into a series finale.

You can watch “Space Command: Redemption” now  for free on the ad-supported streaming service Tubi . You can also  rent or buy it at Amazon  and  Google Play . There is also a DVD and Blu-ray release with special features and director’s commentary available at the official site  spacecommand-theseries.com .

The fifth and final season of Discovery debuted with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on Paramount+  in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria.  Discovery also premiered on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season is available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuted on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Note: The interview has  been edited for brevity and clarity.  

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We were so lucky to have Doug Jones for these 5 seasons. He’s a terrific actor and seems like a good guy all around. Saru has been my favorite character in Discovery since day one.

I agree completely. He’s a fabulous actor and also seems like a good human being, which not all fabulous actors are. Star Trek is lucky to have such a person bring to life the best of the new Discovery characters.

Not necessarily my favourite character but I love Doug’s performance and he had a great chracter arc. I don’t think I have a favourite character. They were mostly great.. Jet Reno is my favourite side character. Too bad she wasn’t around that much.

the legacy is that the horrible writers ruined his character after he lost his ganglia. It was strongly implied (by Ba’ul and by Saru’s behavior in that episode) that he would be more volatile and aggressive in the long-term. Instead he was reduced to one of the blandest main characters in franchise history. And don’t get me started on Michael’s unearned arc that saw her jettison most of her Vulcaness in season 3. I love both actors, though.

I appreciated Michael changing after a year on her own/with Book. It was good to see her so liberated. I actually thought she was suddenly too buttoned up again the second she got back in that uniform.

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