"Star Trek: The Next Generation" The Royale (1989)

Director:

Cliff Bole

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
Tracy Tormé (writer)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

25 March 1989 (Season 2, Episode 12)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Enterprise discovers debris from a mid 21st century NASA spacecraft around a inhospitable planet...

Plot Keywords:

Casino Royale | Captain | Ferengi | Andorian | Space

Cast

Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher
Diana Muldaur	...	Doctor Pulaski
Noble Willingham	...	Texas
Sam Anderson	...	Assistant Manager
Jill Jacobson	...	Vanessa
Leo Garcia	...	Bellboy
Colm Meaney	...	Chief Miles O'Brien
Greg Beecroft	...	Mickey D (as Gregory Beecroft)

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Picard states here that Fermat's Last Theorem had gone unsolved for 800 years. It was actually solved a few years after this episode aired by Princeton University Professor Andrew Wiles.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Riker is supposedly the best poker player on the ship, which would imply a more than passing interest in gambling. Therefore, Data should not have to explain the rules of craps to him.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Commander William T. Riker: None of it makes any sense.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Like Fermat's theorem, it's a puzzle we may never solve.

Movie Connections:

References "Climax!: Casino Royale (#1.3)" (1954)

Recommended Royale

The Royale is one of the best episodes from season 2.I actually watched it on sky one way back on the 5th of June 2005 and I'm only getting round to writing my review now.

Upon discovering debris from a 21st century NASA spaceship near a strange planet.Entering the planet Data,Riker and Worf come across a hotel style casino from the 1980's.Investigating further they find a book written by a NASA astronaut called Hotel Royale.It then dawns on them they are in a living version of the book.Having seen out the conclusion of the book the officers are able to return to the enterprise.

This episode stands out as it was refreshing to see a realistic version of Earth and the plot involving the characters living out the novel was pretty creative on the part of the writing team.Also the supporting cast have a sizeable part and played it well.