Contagion
- Episode aired Mar 18, 1989
- TV-PG
- 46m
Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird.Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird.Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird.
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Youngblood
- (uncredited)
- Lt. Baji
- (uncredited)
- Operations Division Officer
- (uncredited)
- Ensign Bennett
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first time that Picard orders "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." from the replicator. Due to ship-wide malfunctions, that order is unsuccessful.
- GoofsDoctor Pulaski has to explain the concept of a splint to a fellow doctor when the Enterprise's computers start malfunctioning. Given that Starfleet Academy requires its cadets to learn how to survive in a wilderness with minimal technology, it seems odd that Starfleet Medical wouldn't require its medical students to learn low-technology medical techniques.
- Quotes
[the Enterprise goes through a series of system failures while facing a Romulan battle cruiser]
Wesley Crusher: Sir, the shields are back up.
Commander William T. Riker: Impeccable timing!
Wesley Crusher: Sir, the shields are back down.
Ensign Williams: Phaser banks are down.
Wesley Crusher: Shields are back up.
Counselor Deanna Troi: In another time and place, this could be funny.
Commander William T. Riker: Status of torpedo banks?
Ensign Williams: They're down too.
Commander William T. Riker: [frustrated] If it should become necessary to fight, could you arrange to find me some rocks to throw at them?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Enemy (1989)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Anyways, we get star cameo heaven from Thalmus Rasulala (who plays captain Donald Varley), of "Cool Breeze," who plays the captain of the Yamato. The scene we see of his logs, and the initial encounter they have with him is somewhat comical as the transmission between Picard and Varley, as the viewscreen keeps getting interrupted. The way it happens plus Varley's calm nation, makes it funny and the interruption happens as though flies are all over. Making this hilarious UPN material right from the UPN handbook (some crude humor as flies are gross). Basically something destroys his ship and its gets frightening. And being they're near the neutral zone, it makes sense to assume the worst - the Romulans are starting the trouble. This is one of their episodes where they're lethal, and not comic relief. Being try-hards like in "The Mind's Eye". Essentially a Romulan Warbird ascends, and Romulan female commander (played by the same English actress who plays the commander in "Face of the Enemy") is furious, mad that the Federation is challenging her plan to claim a planet for Romulus. She prepares to fire at the Enterprise. And the crew are scared of what's gonna happen becuase their shields are not operating. But once the plan goes, there's a brief few seconds where we really see the tone as though the Romulans are downright the threat that the Cardassians are. They are a lethal match. But Romulans are shrouded in mystery. We never explicitly see the Federation fight the Romulans ever, directly (we do see the Romulans attack the D in "The Defector" but that's it). A cloaking device is not indicative of weapons strength (which the Cardassians are far more advanced in, plus the Cardassians are first-rate scientists, and "DS9" really retconned them badly). They do not come off as threatening to the D in this episode, proving the Cardassians are more advanced than the major 3. Now they're not bumbling but they don't. It turns out that the same problem affecting the Enterprise's shields is also affect the Warbird. Teh mechanics of the episode are interesting as Geordi tries to investigate and a very interesting paradox plays out. Without giving it out, basically everything the crew believes has to be done is only worsening the problem. Basically, as a hint, some natural star force is causing the problems on the ship and rewriting the software and hardware of the ship. They're doing it too on the Romulan Warbird. It's a great episode that, in NY, aired on WWOR. See it to believe it!
- robert-macc
- May 27, 2024
Details
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1