Up the Long Ladder
- Episode aired May 20, 1989
- TV-PG
- 45m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.
Wil Wheaton
- Wesley Crusher
- (credit only)
Jon DeVries
- Prime Minister Granger
- (as Jon de Vries)
Majel Barrett
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Dexter Clay
- Operations Division Officer
- (uncredited)
Tim McCormack
- Ensign Bennett
- (uncredited)
Richard Sarstedt
- Command Division Officer
- (uncredited)
Lainie Sims
- Bringloidi Colonist
- (uncredited)
Michael Stanhope
- Bringloidi Colonist
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile filming the scene where Picard, Riker and Worf investigate the fire in the cargo bay set by the Irish settlers so they could cook, Patrick Stewart found the dialogue so hilarious that he started laughing uncontrollably, and forced himself to turn his back to the camera to continue. With cameras still rolling, Jonathan Frakes approached him in-character as Riker, and Stewart, still laughing, turned back around and improvised the line about bowing to the absurd.
- GoofsIf the Bringloidi have a primitive agrarian culture complete with spinning wheels and domesticated animals, they would appear not to be able to send a distress call to Earth; however, this is a way of life by choice. As their ancestors launched from Earth in 2123, together with the technologically versed Mariposan colonists, it stands to reason that they would at least have had or borrowed a distress beacon for the event of an emergency.
- Quotes
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Sometimes, Number One... you just have to... bow to the absurd.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Shades of Gray (1989)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Featured review
Mostly bad but thoroughly entertaining
Enterprise receives a distress call from a group of colonists.
This is a guilty-pleasure episode for me that I admit to admit to enjoying, despite how dodgy some elements of it are such as the plot and characterisation.
The story is contrived and a little bit random at times, but I do love all the sci-fi detail that goes along with the cloning plot. Once we figure out what's happening with the cloners, the plot resolution is painfully obvious, however it's fun watching the implausible shenanigans that lead up to Picard's lightbulb moment.
Some random scenes of interest include the exchanges between Worf and Dr Pulaski, which are genuinely very good. These only make me wish they'd kept her character on board in the future seasons. The Irish scenes are funny to me because of the juxtaposition between the colonists and the straight laced Enterprise crew. However, I see how the Irish stereotyping might highly annoy and offend people, because it is hideously bad.
Riker's love scenes are cringe-inducing but entertaining in a sense that they are so bad it's impossible not to have a chuckle, unless you take this type of thing very seriously.
The visuals are fairly good, especially in the cloning labs and the costumes/props for the Irish.
Most performances are good, particularly Diana Muldaur, Michael Dorn, Rosalyn Landor, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes (in parts).
This is a guilty-pleasure episode for me that I admit to admit to enjoying, despite how dodgy some elements of it are such as the plot and characterisation.
The story is contrived and a little bit random at times, but I do love all the sci-fi detail that goes along with the cloning plot. Once we figure out what's happening with the cloners, the plot resolution is painfully obvious, however it's fun watching the implausible shenanigans that lead up to Picard's lightbulb moment.
Some random scenes of interest include the exchanges between Worf and Dr Pulaski, which are genuinely very good. These only make me wish they'd kept her character on board in the future seasons. The Irish scenes are funny to me because of the juxtaposition between the colonists and the straight laced Enterprise crew. However, I see how the Irish stereotyping might highly annoy and offend people, because it is hideously bad.
Riker's love scenes are cringe-inducing but entertaining in a sense that they are so bad it's impossible not to have a chuckle, unless you take this type of thing very seriously.
The visuals are fairly good, especially in the cloning labs and the costumes/props for the Irish.
Most performances are good, particularly Diana Muldaur, Michael Dorn, Rosalyn Landor, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes (in parts).
helpful•111
- snoozejonc
- Jun 8, 2021
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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