Where Silence Has Lease 

The Enterprise encounters a mysterious void in space and when they move in closer to investigate further, it envelops them and they can't get out.

Director:

Winrich Kolbe

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Jack B. Sowards

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

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. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher
Diana Muldaur	...	Doctor Pulaski
Earl Boen	...	Nagilum (voice)
Charles Douglass	...	Haskell
Colm Meaney	...	Transporter Chief

Storyline

While en route to the Mogana quadrant, the Enterprise comes comes across a unique phenomena for the first time. It appears as a black void, with no matter or energy readings of any kind. As the Enterprise approaches the entity, it envelops the ship completely. They find however that they are unable to leave and when a Romulan vessel suddenly appears, Picard and the crew realize that something is amiss. Unable to move or leave and facing a lifetime as a prisoner of Nagilum, who wishes to experiment on them, Captain Picard decides there can be only one solution to set them free.

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Plot Keywords:

female physician | outer space | half human half alien | starfleet captain | federation starship | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 1988 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Enterprise encounters another Starfleet vessel known as the Yamato, likely named after the lead ship of the Yamato class of Imperial Japanese Navy World War II battleships. This ship also shares the same name as the protagonist's ship on Star Blazers.

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Goofs

If there was "nothing", "no energy" in the hole, it would be impossible to see anything on the main viewer, such as the blue formations constantly shown. Seeing is the perception of light by the human eye.

However, since Nagilum has demonstrated throughout the episode that he can make ship sensors and the eyes and ears of the crew itself to detect things that are not there, the entire phenomenon could have been an illusion. Wesley even lampshades this when he asks "If that's a hole, then shouldn't we be able to see what's behind it?"

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Quotes

[first lines]
Counselor Deanna Troi: You're worried.
Capt. Picard: With reason.
Counselor Deanna Troi: About Worf or Commander Riker?
Capt. Picard: Both. I think it is perhaps best to be ignorant of certain elements of Klingon psyche.

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Connections

Referenced in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Contagion (1989)

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Soundtracks

Gymnopedie No. 1
(uncredited)
by Erik Satie
Performed by Mike Lang

User Reviews

Man does not lose his cool

This TNG episode has the Enterprise venturing into a void in space and they immediately lose all navigational bearings. Fortunately they are commanded by Jean Luc Picard who does not lose his cool easily. Imagine had Worf been in charge and we see it almost happen when he and Riker are put into a maze like situation.

Which is what Patrick Stewart grasps soon enough. It seems as though the Enterprise has ventured into the realm of some god-like creature, but one who has not done any creating. So Nagillum as it calls itself is looking to find out about these creatures who have entered his domain.

A thought provoking story, not one of the better ones though.