Star Trek: The Next Generation
(1987–1994)
Deanna is impregnated by a unknown alien life-form, and Dr. Katherine Pulaski joins the Enterprise as the ship's new Chief Medical Officer.
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Title: The Child (21 Nov 1988)
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Cast
| Episode complete credited cast: | |||
| Patrick Stewart | ... | Capt. Jean-Luc Picard | |
| Jonathan Frakes | ... | Cmdr. William Riker | |
| LeVar Burton | ... | Lt. Geordi La Forge | |
| Michael Dorn | ... | Lt. Worf | |
| Marina Sirtis | ... | Counselor Deanna Troi | |
| Brent Spiner | ... | Lt. Cmdr. Data | |
| Wil Wheaton | ... | Wesley Crusher | |
| Diana Muldaur | ... | Doctor Pulaski | |
| Seymour Cassel | ... | Lt. Cmdr. Hester Dealt | |
| Whoopi Goldberg | ... | Guinan | |
| R.J. Williams | ... | Ian Andrew Troi | |
| Colm Meaney | ... | Transporter Chief | |
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Dawn Arnemann | ... | Ms. Gladstone |
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Zachary Benjamin | ... | Young Ian Andrew Troi |
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Dore Keller | ... | Crewman |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
The ship has a new chief medical officer, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, now that Beverley Crusher has been made head of Starfleet Medical. The Enterprise is on an emergency mission to collect plague samples for analysis but Counselor Troi unexpectedly finds herself pregnant. She also finds her pregnancy advancing very quickly with conception to birth expected to take no more than 48 hours. Once born the child, whom Troi names Ian Andrew after her father, grows at a rapid rate proceeding through childhood in a matter of hours. Meanwhile Guinan, who tends the bar in Ten Forward, a crew lounge, gives Wesley Crusher some advice. Written by garykmcd
Plot Keywords:
immaculate conception | impregnation | season premiere | hangar bay | shuttlecraft bay |Parents Guide:
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Guinan: What about a cup of nectar, direct from Prometheus?
Wesley Crusher: No, nothing! That's the third time you've asked me.
Guinan: It's what I'm expected to do. Don't you always do what's expected?
Wesley Crusher: I try.
Guinan: Even if it's not what you really want?
Wesley Crusher: Sometimes. Sometimes it's more important to consider others before yourself.
Guinan: Yes. But sometimes the game is to know when to consider yourself before others. Give yourself permission to be selfish.
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Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This 'exterior' impregnation story could be linked to Medieval France where once a woman successfully defended herself of adultery by stating that she was indeed impregnated thru the air during her sleep. And due to the level of knowledge at the time, she was believed. See more »Goofs
When the alien life form first enters the ship, it encounters 2 male crew members. Neither crew member has pips on his uniform. As they are wearing Starfleet uniforms even non-ranked crew members have some form of rank aboard the ship. See more »Quotes
[during a conversation, Guinan suggests to Wesley several times to have a drink]Guinan: What about a cup of nectar, direct from Prometheus?
Wesley Crusher: No, nothing! That's the third time you've asked me.
Guinan: It's what I'm expected to do. Don't you always do what's expected?
Wesley Crusher: I try.
Guinan: Even if it's not what you really want?
Wesley Crusher: Sometimes. Sometimes it's more important to consider others before yourself.
Guinan: Yes. But sometimes the game is to know when to consider yourself before others. Give yourself permission to be selfish.
See more »
Soundtracks
Star Trek: The Next Generation Main TitleComposed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
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I just watched this episode for probably the third time in my life. As others have written, it is forgettable, and I remembered only bits and pieces of it as I watched it.
I understand why Marina Sirtis hated it. The story is ridiculous, and it lacks real, genuine tension. It's also implausible, even for a futuristic science fiction setting.
This episode also marks the introduction of Diana Muldaur as Doctor Pulaski. Almost every Trek fan hated her because she replaced the sexy and talented Gates McFaddden then whined about her experience on the show years later.
I'm going to rank it 3 stars only because Sirtis's acting is believable despite the fact that she knew that her character's situation was ridiculous, which makes her performance even more impressive.