"Star Trek: The Next Generation" A Matter of Time (1991)

Director:

Paul Lynch

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Rick Berman (writer)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

16 November 1991 (Season 5, Episode 9)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Reaching Panthera IV after an asteroid wreaks havoc of catastrophic proportions, the Enterprise crew deals with trying to save the planet as well as deal with someone who claims to be a historian from the future.

Plot Keywords:

Time Traveler | 24th Century | Captain | Starbase | Investigation

Cast

Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Stefan Gierasch	...	Dr. Hal Moseley
Matt Frewer	...	Berlinghoff Rasmussen
Sheila Franklin	...	Ensign
Shay Garner	...	Scientist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Braveheart	...	Crewman Martinez (uncredited)
Cameron	...	Ensign Kellogg (uncredited)
Tracee Cocco	...	Ensign Jae (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Lynch

Writing credits
Gene Roddenberry		(creator)
Rick Berman		(writer)

Produced by
Rick Berman	....	executive producer
Peter Lauritson	....	co-producer
David Livingston	....	producer
Joe Menosky	....	co-producer
Ronald D. Moore	....	co-producer
Wendy Neuss	....	associate producer
Michael Piller	....	executive producer
Gene Roddenberry	....	executive producer
Jeri Taylor	....	supervising producer

Original Music by
Jay Chattaway

Cinematography by
Marvin V. Rush		(director of photography) (as Marvin Rush)

Film Editing by
J.P. Farrell

Casting by
Junie Lowry-Johnson
Ron Surma

Production Design by
Richard D. James

Set Decoration by
Jim Mees

Costume Design by
Robert Blackman
William Ware Theiss		(original costumes)

Makeup Department
Susan Carol Schwary	....	hair designer
Gus Le Pre	....	hair stylist
Gerald Quist	....	makeup artist
June Westmore	....	makeup artist (as June Abston Haymore)
Michael Westmore	....	makeup designer
Michael Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Merri D. Howard	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adele Simmons	....	second assistant director (as Adele G. Simmons)
Brad Yacobian	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Joe Longo	....	property master
Andrew Neskoromny	....	assistant art director (as Andy Neskoromny)
Michael Okuda	....	scenic art supervisor
Al Smutko	....	construction coordinator
Gary Speckman	....	set designer
Rick Sternbach	....	senior illustrator
Cari Thomas	....	scenic artist
Herman F. Zimmerman	....	original set designer (as Herman Zimmerman)
Ed Miarecki	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alan Bernard	....	sound mixer
Wilson Dyer	....	sound editor
Alfred T. Ferrante	....	adr mixer
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Bill Wistrom	....	supervising sound editor
James Wolvington	....	sound editor
Dan Yale	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Dick Brownfield	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Dan Curry	....	visual effects supervisor
Ronald B. Moore	....	visual effects coordinator (as Ron Moore)
David Takemura	....	visual effects associate
Syd Dutton	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Adam Howard	....	visual effects animator (uncredited)
Gregory Jein	....	model maker (uncredited)
Don Lee	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Erik Nash	....	motion control photographer (uncredited)
Peter Sternlicht	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Robert Stromberg	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Tracee Cocco	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Chess	....	camera operator: "a" camera
William L. Peets	....	chief lighting technician (as William Peets)
Robert Sordal	....	first company grip (as Bob Sordal)
Joey Genitempo	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Helen Mossler	....	casting executive

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amanda Chamberlin	....	key costumer
Carol Kunz	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kimberley J. Thompson	....	key costumer (as Kimberley Thompson)

Editorial Department
Heidi Julian	....	post-production associate
Wendy Knoller	....	post-production coordinator (as Wendy Rosenfeld)
Terri Martinez	....	post-production associate

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	composer: main title theme
Jerry Goldsmith	....	composer: main title theme
Gerry Sackman	....	music editor

Other crew
Richard Arnold	....	research consultant
Cosmo Genovese	....	script supervisor
Michael Okuda	....	technical consultant
Diane Overdiek	....	production coordinator
Susan Sackett	....	production associate
Rick Sternbach	....	technical consultant
Eric A. Stillwell	....	pre-production associate
Brannon Braga	....	show staff writer (uncredited)
Dennis Tracy	....	stand-in: Patrick Stewart (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gene Roddenberry		creator

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist
R. Christopher Biggs	....	special makeup effects artist
Dean Jones	....	makeup artist
Michael R. Jones	....	makeup artist
Nina Kent	....	makeup artist
Michael Key	....	makeup artist
Mike Smithson	....	makeup artist
Rick Stratton	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ron Dempsey	....	dga trainee
Bruce Sears	....	dga trainee
Richard 'Dub' Wright	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lloyd A. Buswell	....	construction foreman (seasons 1-7)
Sharon Davis	....	graphics assistant
Dragon Dronet	....	weapons, specialty props and miniatures
Jim Dultz	....	assistant art director
Gregory A. Weimerskirch	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Marty Church	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Edward J. Franklin	....	special effects
John Palmer	....	special effects coordinator
Robert Cole	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Les Bernstien	....	motion control
C.W. Fallin	....	motion control operator
Simon Holden	....	digital compositor
Bruce Jones	....	visual effects producer
Gray Marshall	....	motion control operator
Karl J. Martin	....	digital artist
Chris B. Schnitzer	....	motion control technician (seasons 6 and 7)
Steven J. Scott	....	digital compositor
Ken Stranahan	....	visual effects
Greg Stuhl	....	miniatures: Greg Jein, Inc.
Peter Webb	....	digital compositor
Peter W. Moyer	....	visual effects compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunts
LaFaye Baker	....	stunts
Chuck Borden	....	stunts
Ericka Bryce	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Anthony Cecere	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Alex Daniels	....	stunt creatures
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts
Terry James	....	stunts
Maria R. Kelly	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Dan Koko	....	stunt double: Jonathan Frakes (1987-1991)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
John Nowak	....	stunt double
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Michael J. Sarna	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Block	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian S. Cooper	....	electrician
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
Frederick Iannone	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera

Editorial Department
Alan Chudnow	....	assistant editor
Tim Tommasino	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Scott Cochran	....	scoring mixer: advertising music
John Debney	....	conductor

Other crew
Gregory Benford	....	scientific consultant
Hala Gabriel	....	production accountant
Dolores Hundley-Arce	....	assistant accountant
Suzie Shimizu	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Paramount Television

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1987) (USA) (TV)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Robin Williams, a long time "Star Trek" (1966) fan, had to opt out of the role of Prof. Rasmussen to play Peter Pan in Steven Spielberg's Hook (1991).

Goofs:

Plot holes: The Professor claims to be an historian from the future, and Picard seems to accept this, saying in the crew briefing that the Professor's credentials seem to be in order. It would arguably be rather difficult to verify the credentials of someone from the future, whose 'credentials' don't exist yet.

Quotes:

Lt. Commander Data:I assume your hand print will open this door, whether you are conscious or not.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek: The Next Generation: Datalore (#1.12)" (1988)

timeline inconsistency

As far as I know this is one of the first episodes written by Rick Berman himself. With all the mistakes you think he would have known better. It is after the death of Gene Roddenberry that Berman is now at the helm of Star Trek, and there are some obvious growing pains.

When the time traveller historian known as Rasmussen(Max Headroom/Lawnmower Man 2) claims to be from the 26th century( That's 2500-ish) he creates a plot hole. The Star Trek Timeline which was established off of an episode in the 2nd season I believe should put us circa 2367-9. somewhere in there. He claims to have come back nearly 300 years, yet the maximum would be 230 years which is nowhere near 300 years. Apparently math in the distant future is shaky.

I realize that back when this was aired there was less common knowledge about volcanism, asteroids, and global warming, but when the Captain has to ask Geordi why volcanic eruptions are bad on Panthera IV it's taking it a little far. Picard should know a hell of a lot more than that about the situation. He does spend his time mapping class M planets after all. How they save the planet is all theoretical and based on technology that doesn't exist(yet) so I cannot say whether that would work or not, but it seems like the work of a terraformer, not a flagship.

Furthermore even the slightest change in the past can have the colossal impact on the future. Say Beverly needed that Neural Stimulator in a coming injury, and because she had to have another replicated someone influential dies prematurely. The best course of action for time travelers is to never travel in time in the first place. It's just too risky - they would not, could not interact with such a person or accept them with open arms. Death is the only option.

When Rasmussen takes Data into his ship there is a major problem here. Why would the captain allow him to enter a vessel he doesn't fully understand. He would lose control of the situation. They would escort Rasmussen to the brig or some sort of quarters and strip search him with the aid of a tricorder. While inside, rambling on about his plans like any cliché villain he supposedly holds Data under guard of a phazer yet he takes his thumb off the trigger several times, looks away, messes with his ship...all ample opportunities for an android to move with inhuman speed and disarm/disable the guy. The way they disable the devices was a little too convenient.

Besides, if he WAS from the past how could he have known ANYTHING about Picard or the crew such as their names or anything at all? Or even that Data was an android? In the 21st century there was no warp coil as they knew it. 2063 is the year Cochrane made his first flight in the Phoenix and made first contact with the Vulcans. In the rest of the 21st century nothing more than a warp probe is launched. In fact during half of this century Earth is wracked in World War III and nuclear winter. Soldiers were addicted to enhancement drugs as is detailed the first time the crew encountered Q, it was a barbaric time. There was no way to tell what the future held. There was no way he could have conducted any sort of travel in space without knowledge of it, no would there be any reason for him to suddenly appear light years from the surface of earth in dead space 300 km from the Starfleet Flagship either. Wouldn't he just be in the future on Earth? A simple quiz about the 22nd century would have proved this guy a fake in 5 seconds. Name 10 alien races that were known in this century. GO. How about questions about the Enterprise. What is the fastest warp factor we can achieve safely, GO! No answer? Shoot him! What if because he never made it back to his time he didn't invent the things that could have theoretically resulted in the invention of starships and therefore damaged the present? What happens to the time machine when it goes back in time, adrift, a derelict for any to find and wreak havoc with.

Since there was no record of his existence why didn't they just vaporize him or blow him out of an airlock just for fun? Lock him in a holodeck medieval torture program indefinitely.

This whole episode is utter trash that should have never been put into production. It's just another filler episode on the way to bigger better things. There are simply too many of these filler episodes. Rick Berman needs to stick to production because as a writer he is a noob. I realize that at this point he is all alone, and new at it, but he should have planned for Gene's eventual departure at his advanced age long before this. They should have had the entire series written by this point like we do today. Sometimes it feels like the seat-of-the-pants, fly-by-night kind of pulp fiction writings detailed in a certain episode of DS9. :)

One more thing ILM makes me mad. The atmosphere of most planets is over 600 miles above the surface granted re-entry isn't noticeable until around 75 miles, the atmosphere is still there! The Enterprise according to ILM just sits right next to solid spheroid planets devoid of topography or water half the time, mere dozens of miles above the surface, and yet denies the natural orbit that is stable and easy to achieve around 250 miles above a planet of Earth's size. The Bussard Ramscoop collectors do collect Deuterium fuel for free at warp speeds, but you would tend to want to save wherever possible. It's called efficiency. Another thing, battles in space happen in 3 dimensions not 2.