Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 5)

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Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 5)
Star Trek TNG S5 Blu Ray.jpg
Region A/1 Blu-ray cover art
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes26
Release
Original networkBroadcast syndication
Original releaseSeptember 23, 1991 (1991-09-23) –
June 15, 1992 (1992-06-15)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 4
Next →
Season 6
List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

The fifth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on September 23, 1991, and concluded on June 15, 1992, after airing 26 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise-D. This season is notable among Star Trek fans as the season when Gene Roddenberry died of cardiac arrest on October 24, 1991. Production on the episode "Hero Worship", directed by Patrick Stewart, was halted when news reached the set.

The premiere episode resolves the cliffhanger from the previous season, revealing the mysterious Romulan commander to be the daughter of the Lt. Tasha Yar from the alternate universe created in the third season episode "Yesterday's Enterprise".

This season sees Picard have some of the more memorable experiences of the series, such as learning to communicate with the heretofore unintelligible Tamarians ("Darmok"), overcoming his dislike of children when he is trapped along with three children after the Enterprise-D is struck by a quantum filament ("Disaster"), and meeting with Ambassador Spock on Romulus in "Unification". Most notably, in "The Inner Light", he experiences 40 or so years of life as an iron weaver on an extinct alien world after an encounter with a probe launched before the destruction of that world.

Michelle Forbes joined the cast as Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran officer who was initially conceived to be one of the main characters in the upcoming spin-off Deep Space Nine. Wesley also makes a few appearances in this season when he saves the Enterprise from an alien game which was actually a mind-control device ("The Game"), and later at Starfleet Academy when he participates in a coverup of the circumstances surrounding the death of one of his classmates ("The First Duty").

The season ends with the discovery of Data's head in a cave under San Francisco which had been sealed for 500 years, and eventually with Data, Picard, La Forge, Troi, Riker, and Doctor Crusher trapped in 19th century Earth ("Time's Arrow").

The logo as seen in the opening credits has a minor change this season only, as it has rear shadows.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Recurring characters[edit | edit source]

Episodes[edit | edit source]

In the following table, episodes are listed by the order in which they aired.

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleStardateDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
1011"Redemption, Part II"45021.3David CarsonRonald D. MooreSeptember 23, 1991 (1991-09-23)N/A[1]
The Klingon Civil War comes to a conclusion.
1022"Darmok"45047.2Winrich KolbeStory by : Philip LaZebnik and Joe Menosky
Teleplay by : Joe Menosky
September 30, 1991 (1991-09-30)N/A[1]
Picard must learn to communicate with an alien captain who speaks in metaphors before a dangerous beast kills them both. Guest star Paul Winfield as Dathon.
1033"Ensign Ro"45076.3Les LandauStory by : Rick Berman & Michael Piller
Teleplay by : Michael Piller
October 7, 1991 (1991-10-07)11.6[1]
After an attack on a Federation outpost, Picard is sent to locate a Bajoran terrorist with the help of Ensign Ro Laren.
1044"Silicon Avatar"45122.3Cliff BoleStory by : Lawrence V. Conley
Teleplay by : Jeri Taylor
October 14, 1991 (1991-10-14)12.0[1]
With the help of a scientist whose son lived on Data's homeworld, the crew attempt to communicate with the Crystalline Entity.
1055"Disaster"45156.1Gabrielle BeaumontStory by : Ron Jarvis & Philip A. Scorza
Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore
October 21, 1991 (1991-10-21)12.3[1]
The Enterprise is without power, trapping Picard in a turbolift with three children and others in various locations. Command of the bridge falls to Counselor Troi who feels ill-prepared.
1066"The Game"45208.2Corey AllenStory by : Susan Sackett & Fred Bronson and Brannon Braga
Teleplay by : Brannon Braga
October 28, 1991 (1991-10-28)13.4[1]
Wesley visits the Enterprise and finds the crew addicted to a mind-altering computer game. Guest star Ashley Judd as Robin Lefler.
1077"Unification, Part I"45233.1Les LandauStory by : Rick Berman and Michael Piller
Teleplay by : Jeri Taylor
November 4, 1991 (1991-11-04)15.4[1]
Spock is reported to have defected to the Romulans. Picard and Data travel to Romulus in a cloaked Klingon vessel to investigate.
1088"Unification, Part II"45245.8Cliff BoleStory by : Rick Berman and Michael Piller
Teleplay by : Michael Piller
November 11, 1991 (1991-11-11)15.4[1]
Spock attempts to unify the Vulcans and Romulans in peace but falls into a Romulan trap.
1099"A Matter of Time"45349.1Paul LynchRick BermanNovember 18, 1991 (1991-11-18)13.9[1]
An apparent historian from the 26th century visits the Enterprise while they help a planet prevent a nuclear winter. Guest star Matt Frewer as Berlinghoff Rasmussen.
11010"New Ground"45376.3Robert ScheererStory by : Sara Charno and Stuart Charno
Teleplay by : Grant Rosenberg
January 6, 1992 (1992-01-06)11.9[1]
Worf tries to be a father to his son, Alexander, while the Enterprise helps to test a new propulsion technology.
11111"Hero Worship"45397.3Patrick StewartStory by : Hilary J. Bader
Teleplay by : Joe Menosky
January 27, 1992 (1992-01-27)12.7[1]
Data saves the life of an orphaned boy who begins to emulate him.
11212"Violations"45429.3Robert WiemerStory by : Shari Goodhartz and T. Michael and Pamela Gray
Teleplay by : Pamela Gray and Jeri Taylor
February 3, 1992 (1992-02-03)12.1[1]
An alien traveling aboard the Enterprise telepathically molests Troi and invades the minds of Beverly Crusher and William Riker.
11313"The Masterpiece Society"45470.1Winrich KolbeStory by : James Kahn and Adam Belanoff
Teleplay by : Adam Belanoff and Michael Piller
February 10, 1992 (1992-02-10)12.0[1]
The Enterprise helps a far-flung eugenic human colony avoid destruction but upsets its delicate balance by ending 200 years of isolation.
11414"Conundrum"45494.2Les LandauStory by : Paul Schiffer
Teleplay by : Barry Schkolnick
February 17, 1992 (1992-02-17)12.2[1]
The crew's memories are mysteriously erased. They soon discover that they are being manipulated into taking part in a war.
11515"Power Play"45571.2David LivingstonStory by : Paul Ruben and Maurice Hurley
Teleplay by : René Balcer and Herbert Wright & Brannon Braga
February 24, 1992 (1992-02-24)13.2[1]
Troi, O'Brien, and Data are possessed by entities who want control of the ship.
11616"Ethics"45587.3Chip ChalmersStory by : Sara Charno & Stuart Charno
Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore
March 2, 1992 (1992-03-02)12.6[1]
Worf becomes paralyzed and suicidal, asking Riker to do the Hedmar ceremony. Dr. Crusher consults a risk-taking researcher to save his life.
11717"The Outcast"45614.6Robert ScheererJeri TaylorMarch 16, 1992 (1992-03-16)12.3[1]
Riker falls in love with an androgynous alien during their efforts to rescue others of the same race who were trapped in "null space".
11818"Cause and Effect"45652.1Jonathan FrakesBrannon BragaMarch 23, 1992 (1992-03-23)13.0[1]
The Enterprise becomes stuck in a time loop but the crew retain some memory of previous instances. Guest star Kelsey Grammer as Morgan Bateson.
11919"The First Duty"45703.9Paul LynchRonald D. Moore & Naren ShankarMarch 30, 1992 (1992-03-30)12.1[1]
Wesley is questioned over a Starfleet Academy flight training accident. Guest star Ray Walston as Boothby.
12020"Cost of Living"45733.6Winrich KolbePeter Allan FieldsApril 20, 1992 (1992-04-20)11.7[1]
Deanna's mother, Lwaxana, arrives to marry a man she has never met. Worf has difficulty rearing Alexander, which is exacerbated when Lwaxana takes the boy under her wing.
12121"The Perfect Mate"45761.3Cliff BoleStory by : René Echevarria and Gary Perconte
Teleplay by : Gary Perconte and Michael Piller
April 27, 1992 (1992-04-27)10.8[1]
Picard forces himself to resist the charms of a female empathic metamorph who is sent to marry an alien leader as a peace offering. Guest star Famke Janssen as Kamala.
12222"Imaginary Friend"45852.1Gabrielle BeaumontStory by : Jean Louise Matthias & Ronald Wilkerson and Richard Fliegel
Teleplay by : Edithe Swensen and Brannon Braga
May 4, 1992 (1992-05-04)12.1[1]
A child's imaginary playmate takes on a physical form and threatens the well-being of the Enterprise.
12323"I, Borg"45854.2Robert LedermanRené EchevarriaMay 11, 1992 (1992-05-11)12.8[1]
The Enterprise rescues a Borg survivor, whom Geordi names 'Hugh'. Picard plans to upload a destructive computer virus to Hugh so the virus will spread throughout the collective when Hugh is sent back.
12424"The Next Phase"45892.4David CarsonRonald D. MooreMay 18, 1992 (1992-05-18)11.7[1]
A transporter accident traps Geordi and Ensign Ro out of phase with normal space. While the others plan their funeral, Geordi and Ro must find a way to reverse the process and save the Enterprise from destruction.
12525"The Inner Light"45944.1Peter LauritsonStory by : Morgan Gendel
Teleplay by : Morgan Gendel and Peter Allan Fields
June 1, 1992 (1992-06-01)11.1[1]
A space probe creates a telepathic tether to Picard and causes him to experience, in twenty-five minutes, a lifetime as a married man on a world that was destroyed a millennium ago.
12626"Time's Arrow, Part I"45959.1Les LandauStory by : Joe Menosky
Teleplay by : Joe Menosky and Michael Piller
June 15, 1992 (1992-06-15)11.8[1]
A 500-year-old artifact is uncovered on Earth: Data's severed head. The Enterprise investigates alien involvement in Earth's past and Data fulfills his destiny.

Reception[edit | edit source]

In 2019, CBR rated Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation as the 3rd best season of all Star Trek seasons up to that time, and the most highly ranked season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.[2]

Footnotes[edit | edit source]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "Star Trek: The Next Generation Nielsen Ratings – Seasons 5–6". TrekNation. Archived from the original on October 5, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2013. 
  2. ^ [1]

External links[edit | edit source]