Force of Nature (13 Nov. 1993)

While searching for a missing Federation medical transport, the Enterprise is accosted by two scientists from a nearby planet who claim that cumulative exposure to warp energy is weakening the fabric of space.

Director:

Robert Lederman

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Naren Shankar

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode cast overview:
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
Michael Corbett	...	Dr. Rabal
Margaret Reed	...	Dr. Serova
Lee Arenberg	...	DaiMon Prak
Majel Barrett	...	Enterprise Computer (voice)

Storyline

The Enterprise investigates the medical transport Fleming's, disappearance perhaps hijacked for its valuable gel cargo in the Hacares corridor, a region uniquely dense in tetreon interference which complicates navigation. DaiMon Prak's large Ferengi ship, the prime suspect, is stranded. He denies having attacked first, but helps with the search in exchange for engineering repairs. Geordi tries to boost the sensors as a matter of rivalry with his former teacher, and gets Data to try to 'train' cat Spot, who is of course too smart to be manipulated. The Enterprise runs into an immobilizing field, then gets boarded by Hacarian sibling doctors Rabal and Serova, who claim warp fields have fatal effects for their planetary population. They admit to having immobilized ships by buoys to make the Federation sit up, a theory Data can't verify for sure. Serova hijacks the Fleming to prove her theory at the ultimate price.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | environmentalism | 24th century

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Release Date:

13 November 1993 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first mention of bio-mimetic gel. An extremely valuable substance we learn in the next two Star Trek series. The USS Voyager's computers are regulated by bio-neural gel packs. Bio-mimetic gel was a term coined by the show's science consultant André Bormanis. He based it on news that Cambridge researchers had developed material that could create small tubules that mimic certain cellular-level biological activities and structures.

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Goofs

Data's cat, Spot, is a male throughout the history of the show, but is female in episodes #7.9, "Force of Nature, and "#7.19, "Genesis".

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Quotes

[Spot has messed up Geordi's quarters and smashed a few items along the way]
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Training - definitely!

User Reviews

Same acting school or what?

Michael Corbett as the Dr. Rabal character sure seems to be a dead ringer for Christian Bale. Is it possible he has a twin brother? Either that or he assumes this persona for TV work. Watch it and see what I mean. OK, I just found the episode on a popular video sharing site. That's Christian Bale with some clay glommed on his forehead. I am certain. Check out the voice and the mannerisms. It could be right out of American Psycho. Has anybody seen both these actors in the same place? If somebody can show me that I will alter my opinion. I can't say this strongly enough. Really, if they were ever in the same movie I would not be able to tell them apart.