Future Imperfect (10 Nov. 1990)

Riker has to quit his birthday party during a so far uneventful patrol voyage at the Neutral Zone to head an away team when a Romulan secret base is found on a planet which was believed ... See full summary »

Director:

Les Landau

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), J. Larry Carroll,

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
Wil Wheaton	...	Ensign Wesley Crusher (credit only)
Andreas Katsulas	...	Commander Tomalak
Chris Demetral	...	Jean-Luc Riker / Ethan
Carolyn McCormick	...	Minuet
Patti Yasutake	...	Nurse Alyssa Ogawa
Todd Merrill	...	Gleason
April Grace	...	Transporter Technician Hubbell
George O'Hanlon Jr.	...	Transporter Chief

Storyline

Riker has to quit his birthday party during a so far uneventful patrol voyage at the Neutral Zone to head an away team when a Romulan secret base is found on a planet which was believed uninhabited. He awakes 16 years later, as widowed captain of the Enterprise, just cured after 9 years of viral amnesia, with a son Jean-Luc. Even Picard, now an admiral who came to conduct with Riker, given his forgotten dealing with them, historical peace negotiations with the Romulans, loses all authority over him when he finally finds his late wife's image on the strangely slow-responsive computer...

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Plot Keywords:

24th century

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1990 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the future, Picard mentions that Riker's loss of sixteen years is "almost beyond belief". Jonathan Frakes went on to host Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

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Goofs

When Riker and Ethan are hiding, Ethan shows off his plans of the base, which are on transparent plastic. In a close-up shot, however, the plans have changed into onionskin paper.

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Quotes

Commander William T. Riker: Deanna, back off!

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Connections

References Lost in Space (1965)

User Reviews

Beware Romulans . . .

ST:TNG:82 - "Future Imperfect" (Stardate: 44286.5) - this is the 8th episode of the 4th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In this Riker episode, when he leads an away team to investigate a suspected Romulan base near the Neuteral Zone, he and the others are overcome by a poisonous gas. When he wakes up, he finds out it is 16 years later with no memory of those years! 16 years into the future, he is now Captain of the Enterprise, with Picard now an Ambassador. Geordi now has no visor, Troi is no longer counselor of the Enterprise and now wears a blue commander uniform (which foreshadows her wearing it in the latter seasons), peace is about to be made with the Romulans (through Ambassador Tomalak - played again by the late Andreas Katsulas) and there is a Ferengi at the Enterprise helm! However, things are not what they seem to be as Riker finds out slowly but surely.

Trivia note: Patti Yasutake makes her first of many appearances as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa. We see Riker play the trombone (not too perfectly) at his birthday party. And Carolyn McCormick returns as Minuet.

Also, it's interesting to note that 12 years after this episode (which takes place in our 1990), the Enterprise helped a Romulan vessel in its distress, which paved the way for the peace talks now. The same thing happened in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) when the Enterprise and the Romulans worked together to stop Shinzon - exactly 12 years since this 1990 episode!