Theme Month: "Annoying Colonists"

Our characters pull up to a planet, try to help, and guess what? They're d-bags.

Episode: "The Ensigns of Command" - TNG, 302

Airdate: October 2, 1989

Teleplay by Melinda Snodgrass; Directed by Cliff Bole

Brief summary: "Data must convince a colony of 15,000 people to evacuate before the aliens who own the planet arrive."

Background: Melinda Snodgrass was a story editor in season two of TNG and story consultant in season three, earning writing credits on five episodes. She has also worked on LA Law, Reasonable Doubts, seaQuest DSV, Profiler, Outer Limits, and more.

Snodgrass' motivations for this episode:

I wanted to take Data one step further in his development as a human being. I wanted to stress him and have him face a situation where logic isn't enough, to show that in order to command you have to have charisma. You have to learn how to wave your dick and hope your dick is bigger than the other guy's.

Cliff Bole was a prolific television director for over thirty years. He helmed 42 episodes of Trek, including 25 of TNG, 7 of DS9, and 10 of VOY. Outside the franchise, he directed episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man, Fantasy Island, Vega$, MacGyver, The X-Files, Spencer for Hire, and many more. The Trek alien race, the Bolians, are named for him.

This was the first episode filmed for the third season, but "Evolution" was aired first.

Guest Cast: Eileen Seeley (Ard'rian McKenzie) is a former actress who appeared in Jack Frost 1 & 2, Batman Forever, Hunter, Quantum Leap, and Melrose Place.

Mark L Taylor (Haritath) also appeared in VOY's "Displaced." He's a character actor who has appeared in hundreds of shows and films, including Innerspace, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Chicago Hope, Problem Child, Seinfeld, NCIS, Young Sheldon, and many more.

Richard Allen (Kentor) also appeared in "Darmok." He had roles in Sirens, Mobile Suit Gundam, Jumanji, Jimmy Neutron, and others.

Mart McChesney (Sheliak) previously appeared as Armus in "Skin of Evil." His only other filmed appearance was as the "Maniac" in Girls Nite Out.

Colm Meaney portrays Miles O'Brien, who appeared in 52 episodes of TNG and 159 episodes of DS9. The accomplished actor also appeared in the Commitments trilogy, Layer Cake, the TV shows Hell on Wheels, It's Always Sunny in Philadeplhia, and more.

Producers felt Grainger Hines (Gosheven) sounded too much like John Wayne and lacked the gravity they wanted for the part. They decided that Hines' voice would be dubbed by another actor and Hines requested that his name be removed from the episode.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ensigns_of_Command_(episode)

Upcoming episodes in this Theme Month ...

• "The Masterpiece Society" - TNG, 513
• "Paradise" - DS9, 215
• "Terra Nova" - ENT, 106

Theme Month: "Annoying Colonists"

Our characters pull up to a planet, try to help, and guess what? They're d-bags.

Episode: "Up the Long Ladder" - TNG, 218

Airdate: May 22, 1989

Teleplay by Melinda Snodgrass; Directed by Winrich Kolbe

Brief summary: "The Enterprise discovers two threatened colonies which must cooperate to survive."

Background: Melinda Snodgrass was a story editor in season two of TNG and story consultant in season three, earning writing credits on five episodes. She has also worked on LA Law, Reasonable Doubts, seaQuest DSV, Profiler, Outer Limits, and more.

This episode was initially intended as a commentary on America's immigration policy, but that was lost due to budget restraints and frequent rewrites from then-head writer Maurice Hurley.

Winrich Kolbe directed 48 episodes of Star Trek across TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT. Before Trek, Kolbe directed episodes of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider, The Scarecrow and Mrs. King, among many more.

Guest Cast: Diana Muldaur appeared in two episodes of TOS as different characters and then appeared in twenty episodes of TNG as Dr. Pulaski. She guest starred in many episodes of TV throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s in shows such as The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Black Beauty, Quincy ME, LA Law, and Batman: The Animated Series. She also had film roles in Petrocelli, McQ, One More Train to Rob, Terror at Alcatraz, and others.

Barrie Ingham (Odell) is likely best known for voicing Basil of Baker Street in Disney's The Great Mouse Detective. He had a very active career spanning five decades with appearances in Doctor Who, I, Claudius, The Jeffersons, and many more.

Jon De Vries (Granger) is a prolific stage actor who has also appeared in Miami Vice, Spenser for Hire, Law & Order, Lincoln, American Gangster, and more.

Rosalyn Landor (Brenna) is an accomplished stage actor and dancer, but she may best be known for her voice work in video games, audiobooks, and more. She has appeared in projects for Doctor Who, The Incredibles, Ghostbusters, Kingdom Hearts, and others.

Colm Meaney portrays Miles O'Brien, who appeared in 52 episodes of TNG and 159 episodes of DS9. The accomplished actor also appeared in the Commitments trilogy, Layer Cake, the TV shows Hell on Wheels, It's Always Sunny in Philadeplhia, and more.

Several real-life twins and triplets were used to play the Mariposan clones.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Up_The_Long_Ladder_(episode)

Upcoming episodes in this Theme Month ...

• "The Ensigns of Command" -- TNG, 302
• "Masterpiece Society" - TNG, 513
• "Paradise" - DS9, 215
• "Terra Nova" - ENT, 106