star trek next generation mordock

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Oct 2, 2018

John Putch: TNG's Mordock, Mendon & More

startrek.com

John Putch holds a most-unusual distinction within the Star Trek universe. He played Mordock , a Benzite , in first- season The Next Generation episode “ Coming of Age ” – which aired 30 years ago today, March 14 -- and then another Benzite, Mendon , in the season two’s “ A Matter of Honor ,” thus becoming the first TNG actor to play two different characters of the same species. He also turned up several years later as an unnamed journalist on the Enterprise bridge in Generations . Putch’s Trek work is truly a footnote in a fascinating career. He’s the son of actress Jean Stapleton, beloved as Edith Bunker on All in the Family , and William Putch, a respected theater director. After amassing dozens of acting credits, Putch realized his dream of directing. He started off with low-budget B-movies, but since the early 2000s, Putch has helmed numerous episodes of such series as Grounded for Life, Scrubs, Cougar Town and Black-ish . StarTrek.com recently chatted with Putch about all of the above…

What are you working on at the moment?

My current show, that I’m directing, is American Housewife . This is my second season with the show. I’m doing six episodes, including the season finale. I also did Alex, Inc . this season, which Zach Braff is the star of. We did Scrubs together years ago.

You leveraged acting into the chance to direct, right?

Yes. I grew up as a young actor on stage. My parents were in the biz. My father was a director of theater. My mom was an actress. I always thought I was going to be an actor and I was throughout my 20s, 30s and early 40s. But all along I'd been a filmmaker and was always making movies, and so I used to use all my acting revenue to make Super 8 or 16-mm films. I always wanted to make films or, actually, direct television. I started focusing on that and got into it in the mid-90s professionally. It took me 10 years to break into television. I was doing non-union TV and B-movies for years in the 90s. It wasn't until 2000 I got a break and directed Grounded for Life . It was Donal Logue, Megyn Price, and Kevin Corrigan. So, I started my directing career with that and just built from there. Once you get in and don't screw it up, I've learned, they ask you back.

Did you ever direct your dad or your mom?

I did. My dad was in a lot of my Super 8 movies, so no one will ever see those, but he was always game and hilarious for me when I needed him. Mom was also in some of the Super 8s, but I directed her in a film in 2001. It was called Pursuit of Happiness , spelled the correct way, with Frank Whaley and Annabeth Gish. Mom played Frank's boss, and she had a cute, funny role. She was very proud of that day when she came to the set because that movie cost $1.5 million, and it was definitely a direct-to-video, an independent, but we had all the bells and whistles. She was very impressed by that and proud because she actually had a dressing room and all that stuff she didn't expect.

Do you miss acting?

I'm glad I'm not an actor anymore because I'm way better behind the camera. When I look back at some of the stuff I did, it's horrible. It's over the top and out of control. I credit that to my upbringing as a theater actor, where you have to play to the back of the house. You have to sell the same emotion to the 26th row that you do the first row. But in movies and TV, you only have to convince the person right across from you. No one ever told me that. I had to learn that on my own, through trial and error, by watching my performances back. I don't know how I ever got hired. But there’s an interesting Star Trek connection to all of this. I met Junie Lowry, the casting directing of TNG , when I was an actor in the Gambler movies, which her brother, Dick, directed. I’d also done a movie with my mom called Angel Dusted , where I was the troubled PCP-smoking kid. Dick directed it and Junie was Dick's assistant. I made a great friendship with her and then, over the years, as she became a casting director, she’d have me in all the time on almost everything she got. She’s responsible for me getting TNG .

You played Mordock and then Mendon…

Once I did Mordock, then Mendon made sense for everybody. Of course, I didn't realize that then. I just thought they liked me.

What do you remember of “Coming of Age”? How was that as an experience?

I worked with Wil (Wheaton) and this girl, Tasia (Valenza), who played a female Vulcan, who was also vying for a spot. The thing I most remember was working with Wil. We had a great time. What a sweet guy. Mike Vejar, the director, and I did a pilot for Disney called Double Agent , with Michael McKean. It was just a regular old secret agent spoof. He was cool. I also remember my makeup. I had four to five hours of makeup every day, and my call for a 7:00am or 7:30am on set would be like 3:30am. I got a lot of overtime because I was called in so early.

Gerald Quist and Michael Westmore did the makeup, correct?

Yes. They created a cast and the appliances first. You'd get a part as alien of the week, and you'd go in at least two weeks ahead of time, and they’d cast your head and sculpt something, and then you come back in and try the crap on. They’d get it down to whatever it was by the time you shot. Every day I was in there at 3:30. You'd be asleep in the chair and they'd just put it on you and then you couldn't eat all day. At least I couldn't because it’d break the stuff around my mouth. The edges of your lips would ... They were constantly fixing that. It was tough because no one knew what I looked like. They’d greet me and I was John underneath, but hardly anybody saw me prior and after because I was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. What else about “Coming of Age”? It was really cool being on that stage and that set because I was a big original Trek fan from childhood.

You then got a call to come back, to play a different Benzite…

I was pleased because you always want to be asked back. I thought, "Oh, they liked me so much they want me to play the same species." Now that I'm a filmmaker and I know exactly what's what, it was a no-brainer. “Get the same guy. He'll fit in the outfit and he'll fit in the blue-headed stuff.” They didn't have to make a new cast. Saved them a lot of money. But they did give me a ton more to say, which was challenging. I had to mutter a lot of technical mumbo jumbo on the bridge. I liked that one because I got to annoy people. I was the blue-headed guy who walked around and was spot-checking everybody in their job and then tattling on them. It was fun being told off by Patrick Stewart. "Come into my chambers," and I was yelled at by Captain Picard.

We liked the inside joke where Wesley thinks you are the other character…

That was great. Very meta. Who directed that one? [Rob] Bowman, of course. I love that guy. Boy, he did all right with his career.

I also liked Michael Dorn. It's funny, Dorn worked years later at the B-movie house I did a lot of my first features at. It was called Royal Oaks, and we made stock footage, direct-to-video movies. Michael came through after TNG was over and did a few of those action movies. I saw him a couple times. I didn't direct him.

You also were memorialized as an action figure…

I know. How amazing is that? I have one signed by Michael Westmore. He gave me one and signed it to me. I still have it. Once in a while, I'll get a request for a signature from someone on eBay. It's pretty neat to be an action figure and a trading card and a game piece. I also am happy to be in the Trek encyclopedia as the only guy or the first guy that played different characters from the same species.

You were in Generations as well. Did Junie just ring you up again?

Yes. That was cool because when Generations came, it was a huge deal, obviously, because it was the first TNG movie. This is what I was told…. They went through all the show’s guest cast and wanted to put as many people as they could from the series in these smaller roles, of which there were many. So, you saw a lot of people in Generations , not just me, but other people playing different parts who’d been guest stars along the way. That was a concentrated effort on Junie's part or David Carson's part or Rick Berman's part. I don't know. But I’d imagine it was Junie's idea. That was an amazing experience, and I’ve got some great Shatner stories I’ll tell you over a beer sometime.

That camera device you had on your head reminds me of Google Glass.

Totally agree with that. It was kind of ahead of its time. I thought that was always very cool.

How scary is it that it's 30 years ago today that your first episode aired?

That was 88? Good God. I was so young. I had a full head of hair and a 30" waist.

Get Updates By Email

Trek Untold

"Trek Untold" is the Star Trek podcast that goes beyond the stars! This show features guests, including character actors, stunt performers, directors, writers, VFX artists, and the behind-the-scenes people who make the Star Trek universe boldly go where no sci-fi franchise has gone before.

The Trek Untold podcast is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise

45: John Putch, Mendon & Mordock from Star Trek TNG & Reporter from “Generations”

The Benzites are one of my favorite aliens in Star Trek, and on this episode of “Trek Untold,” we speak with the man behind the makeup of the very first one ever seen onscreen, John Putch.

Putch was in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” twice, first as Mordock in the first season episode “Coming of Age” and returned as Mendon in “A Matter of Honor” in season two. We learn about the makeup process and origins of this alien and what it was like working with Wil Wheaton, Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and others from TNG.

John was also in the opening scenes of the “Star Trek: Generations” movie as a journalist with a video camera running on his head. He was there for when William Shatner, James Doohan, and Walter Koenig boarded the Enterprise-B with Alan Ruck, and he has A LOT of Shatner stories to tell you about!

Plus, stories of his mother Jean Stapleton AKA Edith Bunker from “All in The Family” and growing up around Norman Lear, Bea Arthur, Sherman Hemsley, Bill Macy, and others, being on the original “One Day At A Time,” “Jaws 3-D”, his work today as a director for many well-known films and television shows, including tips on how to be a micro-budget filmmaker.

• Check out some of John’s work on his official website – Putchfilms.com
• Learn more about the Route 30 series of films here – Route30trilogy.com
• Check out the award-winning “Father and The Bear” – Fatherandthebear.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show and leave a rating if you like us!

Support Trek Untold by checking out our merchandise at https://teespring.com/stores/trekuntold or become a Patreon at Patreon.com/TrekUntold.

Trek Untold is sponsored by Triple-Fiction Productions, a US-based company that 3-D prints Trek-inspired prop replicas for fan films and cosplayers, as well as accessories and playsets for all iterations of Trek figures through the years. Visit them at Triple-Fictionproductions.net .

The views expressed on air during Trek Untold do not represent the views of the RAGE Works staff, partners, or affiliates.

Follow Trek Untold on Social Media

• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/trekuntold
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/trekuntold
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trekuntold

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

Recent comments.

Screen Rant

7 aliens introduced in star trek: tng season 1 (& who was important).

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast & Character Guide

Ronald d. moore's first star trek episode foreshadowed his ds9 & battlestar galactica future, star trek: tng forgot about worf's other "brother".

• Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 introduced 7 new alien species, including the Bynars, Benzites, and Travelers.
• These aliens brought fascinating and important contributions to the Trek universe, with some making major appearances in subsequent series.
• The season also introduced iconic characters like Q and established the Ferengi as comic relief after initial attempts to make them primary antagonists failed.

Star Trek: The Next Generation boldly ushered in a new era of Star Trek , and introduced 7 new aliens to the franchise. TNG season 1 may have had some less-than-stellar episodes, but it also marked the first appearance of many of Star Trek's most beloved characters and important new alien species. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG not only introduced Star Trek fans to an entirely new Enterprise crew but also to new alien life and new civilizations.

From Betazoids to Bolians to Bynars, some truly fascinating and important species made their debut in TNG season 1 . Aliens have always been a big part of Star Trek , and TNG did a great job of building on the species introduced in TOS , as well as contributing new aliens to the Trek universe. Some of these aliens would only appear once or twice after their introduction, while others became major players in the world of Trek . Either way, without Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, we never would have been introduced to these 7 alien species.

Star Trek: The Next Generation has one of the most beloved cast of characters in all of science fiction. Here are the major characters of the classic.

7 The Bynars

The Bynars first appeared in TNG season 1, episode 15, "11001001," and it remains their only live-action appearance. The Bynars were inextricably linked to a computer on their home planet of Bynaus, and they communicated with one another using a language very close to binary code. Because of their connection to a computer, they could share and process information incredibly quickly. Bynars were genderless, and always lived in pairs. In "11001001," the Bynars were brought onto the USS Enterprise to upgrade the ship's computer. Although the species has been mentioned a few times in other Star Trek projects, they did not make another appearance until Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 7, "A Few Badgeys More," when a Bynar ship was destroyed by a mysterious new enemy .

6 The Benzites

In TNG season 1, episode 19, "Coming of Age," Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) meets a Bolian named Mordock (John Putch) when the two take the Starfleet Academy Entrance Exam together. After Mordock wins the competition to attend the Academy, he becomes the first Benzite to join Starfleet. Because they were unable to breathe oxygen, Benzites required a breathing apparatus on most Federation planets and ships. The Benzites soon began an officer exchange program with the Federation, and more Benzites began entering Starfleet. In addition to two episodes of TNG , members of the Benzite species have appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek: Lower Decks .

5 The Traveler

Not much is known about the mysterious species simply referred to as the Travelers, but they can manipulate time and space with thought. In TNG season 1, episode 6, "Where No One Has Gone Before," the Traveler (Eric Menyuk) arrives on the Enterprise as the assistant to a Starfleet propulsion expert. The Traveler then inadvertently propels the Enterprise billions of lightyears from Earth to the very edges of the universe. While aboard the Enterprise, the Traveler perceives something profound in the young Wesley Crusher. Years later, the Traveler returns to Wesley and offers him a chance to journey with the Travelers, which Wes gladly accepts. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Wesley has the full powers of a Traveler .

4 The Bolians

Typically with blueish skin and a ridge running down their foreheads, the Bolians were introduced in TNG season 1, episode 25, "Conspiracy." Bolians were native to the planet Bolarus IX, and they often served in Starfleet, with several Bolians holding high-ranking positions within Starfleet by the 24th century. One of the most memorable Bolians was a civilian named Mot (Ken Thorley) who served as the barber on the Enterprise-D. He would often offer advice while trimming the hair of Enterprise crew members like Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) , whether they had asked for that advice or not. Bolians have appeared across several Star Trek series in addition to TNG , including DS9, Voyager, Lower Decks , Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Prodigy , and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

Since his introduction in TNG's premiere episode, "Encounter at Farpoint," John de Lancie's Q has become one of Star Trek's best recurring guest stars. As a member of the extremely powerful Q Continuum, Q has god-like powers and can manipulate time and space, making him an important figure in several significant Star Trek stories. In his first appearance, Q put Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise on trial for crimes against humanity, and he has been periodically checking up on humanity ever since.

Although he developed a certain fondness for Picard, Q also appeared on DS9 and Voyager before returning to visit Jean-Luc again in Star Trek: Picard . In the finale of Picard season 3, Q visits Picard's son, Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) to tell him that, while his father's trial may be over, the young Crusher's trial is only just beginning. The proposed Picard spin-off, Star Trek: Legacy will hopefully continue this plot thread if it gets picked up.

Introduced in TNG season 1, episode 5, "The Last Outpost," the Ferengi were originally meant to be the primary antagonists for Captain Picard and the Enterprise-D. However, after their first couple of appearances failed to inspire fear, the Ferengi became mostly comic relief. One of the first actors to portray a Ferengi , Armin Shimerman , has personally shouldered some of the blame for the initial failure of the Ferengi, but he more than redeemed himself as Quark in DS9 .

Thanks largely to Quark and the other Ferengi in DS9 , the species became one of the most important aliens to be introduced in TNG season 1. With their hundreds of Rules of Acquisition, the Ferengi value prophet above all else and are always on the lookout for new ways to make Latinum. Ferengi society is very misogynistic, but this had begun to change by the late 24th century thanks to Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn) and his successor, Grand Nagus Rom (Max Grodénchik) .

1 Betazoids

As one of the main characters on TNG, Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) helped make the Betazoids one of the most important species introduced in TNG . Betazoids are telepathic and indistinguishable from humans aside from their black irises. As she is only half Betazoid, Counselor Troi feels the emotions of those around her, but can only read the thoughts of other telepaths. From her very first appearance in "Encounter at Farpoint," Deanna Troi proved to be an invaluable part of the Enterprise crew, often helping to determine the motives of various aliens the ship encountered.

Because they could read one another's thoughts, Betazoids were extremely honest, sometimes to a fault. When Deanna's mother, Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) visited the Enterprise, for example, she had no qualms about speaking her mind to Captain Picard and anyone else who would listen. Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 introduced the Betazoids and several other alien species who would go on to become important players in the Star Trek universe.

• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Den of Geek

Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Coming Of Age

Wesley and the Starfleet Academy take centre stage in this week's Star Trek TNG look-back...

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

This review contains spoilers.

1.19 Coming Of Age

Well, the day’s finally here. Wesley is taking his Starfleet Academy entrance exam. Yes, he’s saved the Enterprise and its crew multiple times, yes, he’s been flying the ship for weeks, but he was still pretty much on work experience. All he has to do is beat three other people and he’s in. What could go wrong?

With the Enterprise in orbit around Relva VII, Picard welcomes his old friend Admiral Quinn aboard. Quinn has bought an instantly-dislikeable stooge, Lieutenant Commander Remmick, with him, and suddenly things turn all-business. He calls a meeting with Picard immediately. Alone! Some kind of one-to-one target setting, presumably. While this is going on, Wesley is meeting his fellow candidates: Mordock, a Benzite, T’Shanik, a token Vulcan, and Oliana, a human. And they’re all as irritatingly precocious as he is.

Ad – content continues below

Quinn has asked Remmick to observe the crew, which naturally makes everyone very uncomfortable. They’re all feeling a bit put out, especially Riker, because no-one will explain what’s wrong and why they’re being investigated. Remmick is given permission to interrogate every member of the Enterprise crew, but mercifully we only see him interviewing the bridge staff – mainly asking questions that make the previous episodes sound twice as insane as when we were watching them.

“So you’re saying the Captain merged his consciousness with an alien energy being and transported his mind into a space cloud, but you managed saved his life when he put a ‘P’ on your control panels to indicate that he had successfully hidden in the computer?””Oh sure, it sounds crazy when you say it like that.”

After struggling through his first set of exams, Wesley goes and stands in an empty holodeck until Worf walks in on him. He’s worried about the psych test, which confronts you with your greatest fear! Whatever that is. Worf gives Wesley a pep talk, Klingon-style, before ending with the very unhelpful revelation that he was has not yet overcome the enemy within. Er, great. Really useful advice.

On the bridge, Yar detects an unauthorised shuttle launch. It’s Wesley’s friend, Jake, who we learnt missed out on his Starfleet Academy exam earlier in the episode. He plans to run away and join the circus or something, but about three seconds after launching he manages to cripple the shuttle’s propulsion and enter a freefall towards the planet. (On balance, they were probably right not to let him try the exam.) Apparently he’s out of tractor beam AND transporter range, so Picard talks him through a dangerous manoeuvre. Which succeeds! Everyone is impressed, even Remmick.

Back on the planet, Wesley demonstrates his brilliance multiple times – defusing a potentially difficult situation between him, Mordock and an alien crewman using his superior knowledge of alien cultures, helping out Mordock during a difficult test and acing a psych test after seeing Mordock left a quivering wreck by his. It’s only right, then, that Mordock is declared the victor. Everyone else, including Wesley, is invited to reapply next year.

Finally, Picard goes to Quinn and asks for an explanation. Quinn avoids giving anything away until Remmick gives a report that declares the Enterprise Best Starship to Serve On 2364. Satisfied by this, Quinn explains that “something is rotten” in Starfleet, and that the purpose of the test was to make sure they hadn’t gotten to Picard. He needs friends around him, and wants Picard to take over the academy.

Picard considers his options, but ultimately declines, promising Quinn he’ll be available if he’s needed. On the way to deliver this news, he bumps into Wesley, who is feeling like a failure. Picard tells him not to worry – he failed the test first time too. He gives Wesley the old “As long as you tried your best” speech, and then they do one of those painfully schmaltzy endings that end with everyone grinning while they fly off into the distance. Audience throws up. Roll credits.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

TNG WTF: Leaving aside the question of what the examiners saw in Mordock the Terrible at Everything (to give him his full title), the biggest WTF moment in this episode is the idea that everyone in Starfleet has to go through this process. Picard did it, Worf did it, Tasha Yar somehow must have done it, despite spending her childhood living in a war-torn wasteland (maybe there’s a scholarship for disadvantaged youths?) and even Data must have done it. Good luck to anyone else in that group. “Yeah, I almost got into Starfleet, but I ended up in the same exam group as an emotionless robot with no fears, super-reflexes and a supercomputer for a brain. What chance did any of us have?”

Oh, and we have to mention: Jake? Out of transporter range? I severely doubt that, given that he’s just left the Enterprise and is flying TOWARDS the planet. You know, the planet they beam people to and from later on. I get the reasoning for ruling out the Transporter, but come on, come up with a better excuse than that!

TNG LOL: Irony sensors to maximum: After shouting abuse at a Zaldan he bumps into, Wesley explains to Mordock that he did it because Zaldans hate politeness – they consider it dishonest to cover up your true feelings. So, just to recap, in order to avoid offending the alien that doesn’t like false pretences, Wesley had to pretend he was angrier than he really was. Well, as long as the Zaldans are happy…

Mistakes & Minutiae: Wesley’s “worst fear” is, appropriately enough, found in Room 101. Presumably indicating that he’s afraid of mediocre BBC1 panel show formats (that’s one for our UK readers.)

Time Until Meeting: 4:10. Straight in there, with Quinn telling Picard that they’re going to be doing some snooping around.

Captain’s Log: You know what this was? A very good episode. Despite being Wesley-heavy (yet again) his scenes were well done, and it was presumably something of a surprise that he didn’t succeed, the first time around anyway. The scene of him facing his fear – having to leave a crew member to die – was also a well-executed set-piece, even if it was reasonably clear what was going on.

The way the guest characters Remmick and Quinn were written meant that the audience felt the same outrage as the crew (“Who are these people and why are they trying to make the Enterprise personnel out to be the bad guys!?”) and their interrogations were nice and tense. This also includes two fantastic sequences – Remmick’s meetings with the crew, which are seamlessly cut together as if they’re one meeting, and Picard saving Jake. If only all TNG episodes could come up with ideas as inventive and original.

Watch or Skip? Absolutely watch. The first episode this series that feels like it even approaches the standards of the modern TV. And, of course, it sets up Conspiracy  a few episodes down the line…

Read James’ l ook-back at the previous episode, Home Soil, here .

Follow our  Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here . And be our  Facebook chum here .

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
• Memory Beta articles sourced from games
• Characters of unspecified species
• Starfleet personnel
• Starfleet personnel (23rd century)
• Starfleet communications personnel
• Modern era births
• View history

Mordock was the Starfleet communications officer of the simulated Federation starship USS Horizon during Cadet James T. Kirk 's successful third attempt at the Kobayashi Maru scenario . ( TOS - Strange New Worlds VII short story : " A Test of Character ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances and references [ ].

• Last Unicorn RPG module : Star Trek: The Next Generation Players' Guide
• TOS - Strange New Worlds VII short story : " A Test of Character "

• Show Spoilers
• Night Vision
• Sticky Header
• Highlight Links

Follow TV Tropes

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E18ComingOfAge

Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S1E18 "Coming of Age"

Edit locked.

Original air date: March 14, 1988

An old friend of Picard's, Admiral Gregory Quinn, arrives on the ship along with his aide, Lt. Commander Dexter Remmick. Quinn tells Picard that Remnick is there to perform a thorough investigation of the Enterprise and her crew. Remnick quickly earns the ire of the other officers by questioning Picard's recent actions from previous episodes, seemingly determined to interpret them in the worst possible light. The crew steadfastly stand by their captain.

Meanwhile, Wesley is off to take the entrance exam to Starfleet Academy. There he meets Mordock, a famous Benzite scientist who is also applying. Only one of the four applicants will be allowed to pass, but Mordock and Wesley don't let that get in the way of being friendly. Wesley excels in the tests, but Mordock is stiff competition. For his final test, Wesley is sent to Room 101 to await a psychological exam, where he will confront his greatest fear. As he's waiting, a disaster occurs just outside. Wesley rushes to help and finds two casualties, an injured man who cannot walk and a trapped man who is paralyzed by fear. Unable to help the trapped man, Wesley helps drag the wounded man out of the area. Of course, this was the actual psych exam , confronting his fear that his father's death would make him unable to make hard choices on who to save in a crisis.

Back on the Enterprise , Wesley's buddy Jake is so upset at having been passed over for the chance to apply for Starfleet Academy that he steals a shuttlecraft and tries to run away rather than confront his father. He quickly runs into trouble, requiring Picard to talk him through a dangerous maneuver to regain control of the craft. Jake is ultimately able to return to the ship, where he is given a stern punishment as well as a pep talk by Picard.

Remnick concludes his investigation and states that he has been completely unable to find any wrongdoing in Picard's service history. He concludes that Picard is a superlative captain under whom any officer would be lucky to serve. Quinn reveals that the test was part of a vetting process to promote Picard to oversee Starfleet Academy. Quinn states that he believes dark forces are at work within Starfleet, so he requires trustworthy men like Picard at his side. Picard mulls it over but ultimately cannot give up his life as an explorer.

Tropes in this episode:

• A bit zig-zagged. Wesley may have been the wunderkind of the Enterprise , but ultimately Mordock defeats him to get into Starfleeet Academy. However, Wesley generally seems to outclass Mordock throughout the tests (with the exception being one where Wesley intentionally stopped to help Mordock). Ultimately, Wesley is left feeling like he's let everyone down by not getting in, while Mordock is left feeling like Wesley should have gotten in instead of him.
• Jake Kurland found himself only narrowly defeated by Wesley himself and is so disappointed that he steals a shuttle to try and leave the Enterprise rather than face his father.
• Call-Back : During his Interrogation Montage , Remmick brings up the incidents with an accidental contaminant , the Ferengi , the Traveler , and the Edo as examples of Picard's questionable decisions.
• Characterization Marches On : This episode highlights the quick change in Picard's character through season one, from cold and sharp to supportive and wise.
• Crash Course Landing : After Jake steals the shuttle, his inexperience at the controls causes him to fall into the planet's gravity well. Picard talks him through how to "bounce" off the planet's atmosphere to avoid burning up.
• Declining Promotion : Quinn offers to promote Picard to Admiral and make him commandant of Starfleet Academy. Picard declines, saying he'll serve better on the Enterprise .
• Deliberate Values Dissonance : Zaldans hate courtesy, believing that it covers up true emotions. Luckily, Wesley knows this when he bumps into one and responds with Brutal Honesty .
• Early-Installment Weirdness : It's stated repeatedly that only one candidate on the planet will be admitted to the Academy, implying that Starfleet training is so highly rigorous that even among the best of the best, they're still not all good enough for the exacting requirements of Starfleet training. Considering some of the later graduates of Starfleet Academy we meet, such as Lieutenant Barclay or Ensign Harry Kim , and the size of the fleets assembled after the Battle of Wolf 359 and especially during the Dominion War , Starfleet simply can't be this discriminating in their admissions.
• Education Papa : Hinted at with Jake's father. It's part of why he's so desperate in the second half of the episode.
• Face Your Fears : The whole point of the psych test. In Wesley's case, it's the fear that if he sees two people in trouble and can only save one, he won't be able to choose. He passes quite well.
• Failure Is the Only Option : Wesley couldn't possibly depart for Starfleet Academy this early in the series.
• Famed In-Story : Mordock is already a famous scientist when he takes the Starfleet entrance exam. Wesley is surprised that he hadn't already joined.
• Foreshadowing : Admiral Quinn suspects that there's a conspiracy in Starfleet. We see that he's right later this season in the appropriately-titled episode " Conspiracy ".
• A Father to His Men : Remmick outright calls the Enterprise staff behaving like a family.
• Interrogation Montage : Conducted by Remmick. Nobody he talks to is particularly cooperative. Especially if it means speaking ill of Picard. Or the Enterprise .
• Jerkass : Dexter Remmick while interrogating Picard's staff. Turns out he was Just Following Orders and keeping up a jerkass front. Remmick: You don't like me, do you Lieutenant? Worf: Is it required, sir ?
• Permission to Speak Freely : Riker asks this of Picard before venting his frustrations over Remmick. Picard doesn't exactly disagree.
• Pet the Dog : Despite being on the verge of being openly antagonistic towards the Enterprise crew, Remmick reveals that he's a good guy at heart when he gives an enthusiastic fist pump after Picard helps Jake escape a fiery end. He immediately returns to his antagonistic demeanor afterwards because that's his job .
• Punch-Clock Villain : Remmick aggressively pursues even the faintest whiff of misjudgment about Picard, but it's just his job. He eventually concludes that the Enterprise is faultless, and he himself would like to serve on it.
• Reasonable Authority Figure : Admiral Quinn, especially after he reveals that Remmick's investigation was to ensure Picard was still someone he could trust to help protect the Federation against whatever was working to undermine it.
• An "incident" with a brusque alien Starfleet NCO tests Wesley's knowledge of other cultures.
• Before Wesley can start his exam, an accident occurs and there's only enough time to save one of the two endangered men. Wesley picks the one who's more badly injured, and then it naturally turns out this was the exam—according to Wesley's psych profile, his greatest fear was that he wouldn't be able to make such a decision. Wesley mentions that this was the same decision that "another Starfleet officer" (Picard) made that led to his father's death.
• The entire investigation of the Enterprise is one for Picard and his officers; Admiral Quinn wants to confirm that he can be trusted before offering him a promotion, because of a suspected conspiracy in Starfleet.
• Shout-Out : The psych test takes place in room 101, in reference to Nineteen Eighty-Four , where Room 101 was used to psychologically break the subjects by torturing them with their greatest fears.
• So Proud of You : Wesley thinks that he let everyone down by not getting into the Academy. Picard admits that he also failed the exam the first time, that Wesley did his best, and that he will try again next year. Picard also tells him that he shouldn't seek validation from others, only himself.
• Stock Lateral Thinking Puzzle : One of the questions in the Academy exam asks applicants what the proper matter/antimatter ratio would be for a starship at a particular location to reach the nearest starbase at maximum warp. One of the applicants treats this as a standard warp theory question and runs out of time to answer while running calculations. Wesley gets it right after thinking about it—no matter what, the proper matter/antimatter ratio for a warp drive is always 1:1 and none of the other math matters.
• Think Nothing of It : After giving Jake a rather gentle pep talk about his recent difficulties, Picard reacts quite sternly when Jake thanks him for saving his life: " That's my job , young man!" he almost snaps.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are : Picard gives a speech like this to Wesley after Wesley fails his Starfleet Entrance exam, going so far as to confide in Wesley that even he didn't pass the first time. More than likely, this conversation went a long way towards convincing him to reapply.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S1E17 "Home Soil"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S1E19 "Heart of Glory"

Important Links

• Action Adventure
• Commercials
• Crime & Punishment
• Professional Wrestling
• Speculative Fiction
• Sports Story
• Animation (Western)
• Music And Sound Effects
• Print Media
• Sequential Art
• Tabletop Games
• Applied Phlebotinum
• Characterization
• Characters As Device
• Narrative Devices
• British Telly
• The Contributors
• Creator Speak
• Derivative Works
• Laws And Formulas
• Show Business
• Split Personality
• Truth And Lies
• Truth In Television
• Fate And Prophecy
• New Articles
• Edit Reasons
• Isolated Pages
• Images List
• Recent Videos
• Crowner Activity
• Un-typed Pages
• Recent Page Type Changes
• Trope Entry
• Character Sheet
• Playing With
• Creating New Redirects
• Cross Wicking
• Tips for Editing
• Text Formatting Rules
• Handling Spoilers
• Administrivia
• Trope Repair Shop
• Image Pickin'

Advertisement:

• Make sure URL has a space on both sides of it, or is on its own line.
• Do not use HTML or BBCode tags.
• To find a picture's URL on a website, in most browsers, you can right-click the image and select "Copy image URL".
• From Imgur, copy the link from the url when you are viewing it, or click their Copy button if you are uploading a new image.
• Posting links or pictures is only allowed in certain areas of Figure Realm.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Patrick Stewart
• Brent Spiner
• Jonathan Frakes
• 321 User reviews
• 162 Critic reviews
• 39 wins & 61 nominations total

Episodes 176

Photos 3429

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard …

• Lieutenant Commander Data …

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker …

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge …

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Worf …

• Doctor Beverly Crusher …

• Enterprise Computer …

• Wesley Crusher …

• Chief Miles O'Brien …
• Youngblood …

• Lieutenant Natasha 'Tasha' Yar …

• Doctor Katherine Pulaski …

• Nurse Alyssa Ogawa …

• Ansata Terrorist …

• Ensign Ro Laren …

• Keiko O'Brien …
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Stellar Photos From the "Star Trek" TV Universe

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Almost everyone in the cast became life-long friends. At LeVar Burton 's 1992 wedding, Brent Spiner served as best man, and Sir Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , and Michael Dorn all served as ushers. Man of the People (1992) (#6.3) aired on that day.
• Goofs It is claimed that Data can't use contractions (Can't, Isn't, Don't, etc) yet there are several instances throughout the series where he does. One of the first such examples is heard in Encounter at Farpoint (1987) , where Data uses the word "Can't" while the Enterprise is being chased by Q's "ship".

[repeated line]

Capt. Picard : Engage!

• Crazy credits The model of the Enterprise used in the opening credits is so detailed, a tiny figure can be seen walking past a window just before the vessel jumps to warp speed.
• Alternate versions The first and last episodes were originally broadcast as two-hour TV movies, and were later re-edited into two one-hour episodes each. Both edits involved removing some scenes from each episode.
• Connections Edited into Reading Rainbow: The Bionic Bunny Show (1988)

User reviews 321

• Dec 7, 2002
• How many seasons does Star Trek: The Next Generation have? Powered by Alexa
• Who is the captain of the USS Enterprise?
• Did any cast members of the original Star Trek series appear in The Next Generation?
• September 26, 1987 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official site
• Star Trek: TNG
• Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA (location)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Stereo

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

• Скидки дня
• Справка и помощь
• Адрес доставки Идет загрузка... Ошибка: повторите попытку ОК
• Продажи
• Список отслеживания Развернуть список отслеживаемых товаров Идет загрузка... Войдите в систему , чтобы просмотреть свои сведения о пользователе
• Краткий обзор
• Недавно просмотренные
• Ставки/предложения
• Список отслеживания
• История покупок
• Купить опять
• Объявления о товарах
• Сохраненные запросы поиска
• Сохраненные продавцы
• Сообщения
• Уведомление
• Развернуть корзину Идет загрузка... Произошла ошибка. Чтобы узнать подробнее, посмотрите корзину.

Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.

Refresh your browser window to try again.

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Mendon was played by guest actor John Putch in his second of three Star Trek appearances. Putch previously played the identical-looking Mordock in " Coming of Age ", awarding him the honor of being the first Star Trek: The Next Generation guest star to play two separate characters from the same species. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 75)

Of returning to play Mendon, Putch recalled; " I was all very impressed by that. I thought, 'Ah, they love me, they love me.' What they really loved was that it was me, because they'd spent all that money on making that blue head and it was form fitted to me... I don't fault them for that. I would have done the same thing, but it's funny how you are naive about these things when you're just an actor. " [1]

The makeup department originally created (for Mordock) one major appliance that covered most of actor John Putch's head and additional pieces that covered his upper lip, chin, and eyelids, both of which were an unusual configuration of "puffy eyes" with lids that "folded back on themselves like Venetian blinds." The mouth area and earlobes possessed a set of catfish "feelers" while the overall headpiece was painted blue with oranges and yellows worked in to make the skin color look more lifelike. ( Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts , p. 110)

The script for "A Matter Of Honor" describes Mendon as " a large, blue-skinned officer from the planet Benzar. He breathes through a special device at his chest which converts the oxygen level to his use. He is young, alert, quick moving and as the nature of Benzites, he is always ready to please and demonstrate his abilities. " [2]

External links [ ]

• Mendon at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)