Night Terrors (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Last updated

"Night Terrors"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 17
Directed by Les Landau
Story byShari Goodhartz
Teleplay byPamela Douglas
Jeri Taylor
Featured music Ron Jones
Production code191
Original air dateMarch 18, 1991 (1991-03-18)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Galaxy's Child"		Next →
"Identity Crisis"
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4
List of episodes

"Night Terrors" is the 91st episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation ; [1] the 17th episode of the fourth season. [2] [3]

Contents

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, the Enterprise investigates a derelict starship while Deanna Troi has strange dreams, and the crew begins to behave erratically.

This episode was aired on television on March 18, 1991. [3] The episode guest stars John Vickery as Hagan. [4]

Plot

The Enterprise is searching a binary star system in an effort to find the USS Brattain, a Federation science vessel which went missing a month earlier. The crew locates the ship but the Brattain is derelict, and all the crew are dead save one: the ship's Betazoid science adviser, Andrus Hagan, who is discovered hiding in a room just off the bridge. Hagan has somehow survived, but he has been shaken by the experience and is in a profound catatonic state. Counselor Deanna Troi tries to use her telepathy to contact Hagan. Meanwhile, Geordi La Forge and Data set to work repairing the Brattain but discover that although everything is in working order, the ship still fails to move. Dr. Beverly Crusher determines that all of the Brattain's crew died at each other's hands. That night onward, Troi has trouble sleeping, encountering the same dream in which she levitates and drifts in the direction of a mysterious voice repeating, "Eyes in the dark, one moon circles".

Four days later, with the investigation stalled, Captain Picard decides that the time has come to move on, but the crew find the ship also stalled like the Brattain. Data discovers that both ships are trapped in a spatial phenomenon known as a "Tyken's Rift", and they can only escape through the force of a tremendous explosion. However, as they work at determining how to create this explosion, the crew starts becoming irritable and experiences hallucinations. Dr. Crusher realizes that everyone but Troi has failed to achieve R.E.M. sleep since entering the rift, leading to their current state. As violence begins to erupt around the ship, Picard assigns Data, who does not sleep or dream and is therefore unaffected, as acting Captain.

Data eventually attempts to use a pulse from the deflector aimed at the center of the rift to create the explosion, but this fails to produce any effect. Meanwhile, as Troi listens to Hagen, she hears him mention "eyes in the dark" and realizes that he has been having the same dream she has. This leads her to realize that it is not a dream, but a message. As Data looks for other solutions with Troi, they realize that "eyes in the dark" may refer to the nearby binary star system, and "one moon circling" may be a description of a hydrogen atom. Data and Troi work out that there must be another ship from a psychic race trapped on the other side of the rift who is aware of their presence but looking for hydrogen to create an explosion. Troi goes to sleep to contact the other species through the dream, while Data vents hydrogen into the rift. An explosion soon occurs, and both the Enterprise and the alien ship are freed. As the crew recovers, Data returns the ship to Picard, but not before ordering everyone to get some sleep.

Production

The episode's story was devised by Shari Goodhartz, with the script by Pamela Douglas and Jeri Taylor. [4]

The episode made use of hydrogen as a plot device. Protium.svg
The episode made use of hydrogen as a plot device.

The episode was intended as a vehicle for Marina Sirtis; however she disliked it due to her fear of heights and the requirement that she be strapped into a flying harness. [6] [7] [3]

The model used for the USS Brattain is the same as was used for the USS Reliant in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . The ship is occasionally referred to as the USS Brittain due to a spelling error on the exterior of the model. [1]

Reception

TechRepublic placed the episode in its list of "The five worst Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes ever". [8]

Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club noted that the episode "...lacked that mild twist at the end to make it memorable" but also that "This kind of episode is really the meat-and-potatoes of this sort of show, so it's impressive to realize that TNG has gotten to the point where delivering the expected is no longer entirely satisfactory". [2] According to James Hunt of Den of Geek "It’s not completely incompetent, but it’s hard to imagine anyone loving this episode". [9]

In 2015, Den of Geek felt the episode was "weird" and was critical of the Troi dream sequences and outfits. [5] They remark about Troi's sleep attire, "..a sleeveless halter neck with a choker-style collar? Did she just get back from clubbing..?" [5]

Jonathan Frakes referred to the episode as "a yawner". [6] [3] In 2017 this episode was noted as one featuring scary Star Trek content. [10]

In 2018, TheGamer ranked this one of the top 25 creepiest episodes of all Star Trek series. [11] They note a number of scenes with frightening imagery, depicted in hallucinations or dreams. [11]

In 2020, Den of Geek ranked this episode the 22nd most scary episode of all Star Trek series up to that time. [12]

In 2020, ScreenRant ranked this the most frightening episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, elaborating, "it's unsettling to say the least" as the crew, unable to REM sleep, contend with paranoia, exhaustion, and fear. [13] In 2021, ScreenRant ranked "Night Terrors" the 4th scariest episode of all Star Trek franchise episodes. [14] In particular they praised the creepiness of Dr. Crusher's hallucination on the Enterprise 1701D, when a morgue full of corpses come alive in unison, giving a macabre surprise. [14]

Home video

This episode was released in the United States on September 3, 2002, as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation season four DVD box set. [15]

DVD

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deanna Troi</span> Fictional character from Star Trek

Deanna Troi is a main character in the science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and related TV series and films, portrayed by actress Marina Sirtis. Troi is half-human, half-Betazoid, and has the psionic ability to sense emotions. She serves as the ship's counsellor on USS Enterprise-D. Throughout most of the series, she holds the rank of lieutenant commander. In the seventh season, Troi takes the bridge officer's examination and is promoted to the rank of commander, but continues as counsellor.

Guinan is a recurring character in the Star Trek franchise, portrayed by American actress Whoopi Goldberg. The character first appeared in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and went on to appear in Star Trek: Picard and the films Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: Nemesis. She was also played as a child by Isis Carmen Jones in the episode "Rascals" and a younger version of the character by Ito Aghayere in Picard.

"Cause and Effect" is the 18th episode of the fifth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 118th overall. It was originally released on March 23, 1992, in broadcast syndication. It was written by Brannon Braga, who sought to write an unusual type of time travel related plot, and directed by cast member Jonathan Frakes.

"Future Imperfect" is the 82nd episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is the eighth episode of the fourth season.

"Conundrum" is the 14th episode of the fifth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 114th episode overall. It aired in syndication starting February 10, 1992.

"Sins of the Father" is the 65th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 17th episode of the third season.

"The Naked Now" is the third episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired on October 5, 1987, in broadcast syndication in the United States. Directed by Paul Lynch, the episode was written by D. C. Fontana, under the pseudonym of "J. Michael Bingham", based on an unfinished teleplay by Gene Roddenberry. It is a sequel to the original series Star Trek episode "The Naked Time" (1966), and that episode's writer John D. F. Black also received a writing credit on this episode for his role in devising the plot's origins.

"Haven" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired on November 30, 1987, in broadcast syndication in the United States. Directed by Richard Compton, the story was originally created by Lan O'Kun, and developed into the final script by Tracy Tormé.

"Manhunt" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 45th episode overall, originally broadcast on June 19, 1989.

"The Emissary" is the twentieth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 46th episode overall, first airing on June 26, 1989.

"Schisms" is the 131st episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the fifth of the sixth season. It was originally aired on October 19, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Silence Has Lease</span> 2nd episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Where Silence Has Lease" is the second episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 28th episode overall. It was originally released on November 28, 1988, in broadcast syndication. Directed by Winrich Kolbe, it was written by Jack B. Sowards.

"Genesis" is the 171st episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 19th episode of the seventh season. It was directed by series cast member Gates McFadden, her only directing credit to date.

"Phantasms" is the 158th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The sixth episode of the seventh season.

"Reunion" is the 81st episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is the seventh episode of the fourth season.

"Data's Day" is the 85th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 11th episode of the fourth season. This episode introduces both Keiko O'Brien and Data's pet cat, Spot.

"Galaxy's Child " is the 90th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 16th episode of the fourth season. It was originally released on March 11, 1991, in broadcast syndication.

"The Loss" is the 84th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the tenth episode of the fourth season. It originally aired on December 31, 1990.

"Frame of Mind" is the 147th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 21st episode of the sixth season. Written by Brannon Braga and directed by James L. Conway, it first aired on May 3, 1993 and focuses on First Officer Riker as he grapples with conflicting realities. The episode incorporates elements of the Tom Stoppard play Every Good Boy Deserves Favour which had recently been performed by members of the cast.

References

  1. 1 2 Okuda, Michael; Okuda, Denise; Mirek, Debbie (May 17, 2011). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9781451646887.
  2. 1 2 Handlen, Zack (January 6, 2011). "Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Galaxy's Child"/"Night Terrors"". The AV Club. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 DeCandido, Keith (April 17, 2012). "Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch: "Night Terrors"". Tor.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Okuda, Michael; Okuda, Denise; Mirek, Debbie (May 17, 2011). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4516-4688-7.
  5. 1 2 3 "Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Night Terrors". Den of Geek. October 2, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Clark, Mark (June 1, 2013). Star Trek FAQ 2.0 (Unofficial and Unauthorized): Everything Left to Know About the Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9781480355002.
  7. ↑ Nemecek, Larry (September 25, 2012). The Next Generation Companion: Star Trek The Next Generation. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9781471106798.
  8. ↑ "The five worst Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes EVER!". TechRepublic. September 23, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  9. ↑ Hunt, James. "Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Night Terrors". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  10. ↑ "18 eerie, disturbing and downright scary Star Trek episodes". H&I. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "25 Creepy Star Trek Scenes That Set Phasers To Stun". TheGamer. April 16, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  12. ↑ "The Scariest Star Trek Episodes". Den of Geek. October 12, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Star Trek TNG: The 10 Most Frightening Episodes Of The Entire Show". ScreenRant. December 23, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  14. 1 2 "10 Scariest Episodes Of Star Trek, Ranked". ScreenRant. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  15. ↑ Ordway, Holly E. (September 9, 2002). "Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4". DVD Talk. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.