"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Realm of Fear (1992)

Director:

Cliff Bole

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Brannon Braga (writer)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

26 September 1992 (Season 6, Episode 2)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Overcoming his fear of transporter, Lt. Barclay joins an away team, only to find something in the beam with him.

Plot Keywords:

Captain | Ferengi | Andorian | Space | Klingon

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
Colm Meaney	...	Chief Miles O'Brien
Patti Yasutake	...	Nurse Alyssa Ogawa
Dwight Schultz	...	Barclay
Renata Scott	...	Admiral
Thomas K. Belgrey	...	Crewmember (as Thomas Belgrey)
Majel Barrett	...	Enterprise Computer (voice)

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Star Trek producer Brannon Braga really enjoyed writing this episode. He remarked: "Certainly it was one of my most personal episodes. People around here say I'm Barclay. I hate flying and that's where the idea came from. If I lived in the 24th Century, I'd be afraid to transport so I enjoyed exploring some of the deeper neuroses that Barclay had."

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Microphone visible for a few seconds above Data and Geordi setting up the plasma experiment in engineering.

Quotes:

Barclay: The idea of being... deconstructed molecule by molecule, it's more than I can stand. Even when I was... a child, I always had a dreadful fear that, if ever I was dematerialized, that I would... never come back again whole. I know, sounds crazy, but...
Counselor Deanna Troi: It's not crazy at all. You *are* being taken apart molecule by molecule.

Overcoming one's fears.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

ST:TNG:128 - "Realm Of Fear" (Stardate: 46041.1) - this is the 2nd episode of the 6th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In another episode involving Dwight Schultz as Lt. Reginald 'Reg' Barclay III, this one deals with his fear of the transporter. At first he is reluctant to go on an Away Team mission, but when he transports, a mysterious creature appears in the matter stream and touches his arm. Then, back on the Enterprise, his arm starts to radiate with light where the creature touched him! What is causing this? Is Barclay going delusional? Find out in the first of many exciting 6th season episodes (this season in my opinion is second best only to the 3rd season).

Trivia note: we finally get to see a person's POV as they are transported. Patti Yasutake makes another appearance as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa. We also hear O'Brien regale Barclay with his arachnophobia and how he overcame his fear of spiders - thus, introducing him to his pet tarantula!

And, O'Brien mentions the "Heisenberg Compensators" used in the transporter, mentions there hasn't been a case of transporter psychosis in 50 years, and O'Brien has held the transporter chief position for 22 years).