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Star Trek: The Next Generation
S2.E18
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IMDbPro

Up the Long Ladder

  • Episode aired May 20, 1989
  • TV-PG
  • 45m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Rosalyn Landor in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
ActionAdventureSci-Fi

An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.An antiquated distress signal leads to two lost 22nd century Earth colonies, each facing doom in different ways, one by fire, the other by prolonged cloning.

  • Director
    • Winrich Kolbe
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Melinda M. Snodgrass
  • Stars
    • Patrick Stewart
    • Jonathan Frakes
    • LeVar Burton
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    3.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Winrich Kolbe
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Melinda M. Snodgrass
    • Stars
      • Patrick Stewart
      • Jonathan Frakes
      • LeVar Burton
    • 35User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos11

    Rosalyn Landor in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Patrick Stewart and Jon DeVries in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Patrick Stewart, Jon DeVries, Barrie Ingham, and Diana Muldaur in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Marina Sirtis, Patrick Stewart, and Diana Muldaur in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, and Diana Muldaur in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Jonathan Frakes and Rosalyn Landor in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Michael Dorn and Diana Muldaur in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Colm Meaney in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Captain Jean-Luc Picard
    Jonathan Frakes
    Jonathan Frakes
    • Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker
    LeVar Burton
    LeVar Burton
    • Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
    Michael Dorn
    Michael Dorn
    • Lieutenant Worf
    Marina Sirtis
    Marina Sirtis
    • Counselor Deanna Troi
    Brent Spiner
    Brent Spiner
    • Lieutenant Commander Data
    Wil Wheaton
    Wil Wheaton
    • Wesley Crusher
    • (credit only)
    Diana Muldaur
    Diana Muldaur
    • Doctor Katherine Pulaski
    Barrie Ingham
    Barrie Ingham
    • Danilo Odell
    Jon DeVries
    • Prime Minister Granger
    • (as Jon de Vries)
    Rosalyn Landor
    Rosalyn Landor
    • Brenna Odell
    Colm Meaney
    Colm Meaney
    • Chief Miles O'Brien
    Majel Barrett
    Majel Barrett
    • Enterprise Computer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Dexter Clay
    • Operations Division Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Tim McCormack
    • Ensign Bennett
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Sarstedt
    Richard Sarstedt
    • Command Division Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Lainie Sims
    • Bringloidi Colonist
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Stanhope
    • Bringloidi Colonist
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Winrich Kolbe
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Melinda M. Snodgrass
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      While filming the scene where Picard, Riker and Worf investigate the fire in the cargo bay set by the Irish settlers so they could cook, Patrick Stewart found the dialogue so hilarious that he started laughing uncontrollably, and forced himself to turn his back to the camera to continue. With cameras still rolling, Jonathan Frakes approached him in-character as Riker, and Stewart, still laughing, turned back around and improvised the line about bowing to the absurd.
    • Goofs
      When transporting several Bringloidi and their animals and livestock from the planet surface, they appear on the transporter pad on the Enterprise standing atop a layer of hay. This is clearly a goof, in that when crew members transport up from the surface of a planet, they do not bring with them dirt, grass or the like that they were standing on during the transporter process.
    • Quotes

      Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Sometimes, Number One... you just have to... bow to the absurd.

    • Connections
      Featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Shades of Gray (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
      Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

    User reviews35

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    3/10
    The Irish among us...this one seems a bit silly and insulting.
    It's funny that one of the most politically correct shows of its day would make VERY broad and probably insulting stereotypes in one of its episodes-- but that's what occurs in "Up the Long Ladder".

    The Enterprise finds something they do not expect--an Earth colony where no one thought there was one. However, when the crew reads through the ship's manifest which brought the people to the planet, some of the things don't fit--as if there were two totally different colonies. And, it turns out there are two. The first is made up of a group of very uncouth Irish people--seemingly straight off the set of "The Quiet Man" or a Lucky Charms commercial. I am pretty sure Irish folks seeing this show would NOT be pleased that they are shown as a bunch of drunken slobs...but that's is how they behave. As for the other group on a nearby planet, they are scientific and much more advanced...but they are also dying as a race. What's next? A love connection...

    This was a rather poor episode. First, it didn't really make any sense why a group of ignorant boobs would go on such a long space voyage. Second, there is really no subtlety or finesse about the show--it is VERY broadly written and rather stupid.
    helpful•32
    22
    • planktonrules
    • Nov 14, 2014

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    FAQ1

    • As Pulaski heads towards the meeting with Prime Minister Granger, she stops as she passes a statue, and even initiates a scan with a hand-held device. The frame shows the statue for 1 or maybe 2 seconds. Freeze it, and it appears to be Eddie Murphy. So if not, any idea who it actually is, and/or why, since it does not appear to be a statue of any of the 5 survivors who constitute the entire clone colony.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 20, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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