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Star Trek: The Next Generation
S2.E2
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IMDbPro

Where Silence Has Lease

  • Episode aired Nov 28, 1988
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 45m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Sci-Fi
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Winrich Kolbe
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Jack B. Sowards
  • Stars
    • Patrick Stewart
    • Jonathan Frakes
    • LeVar Burton
Top credits
  • Director
    • Winrich Kolbe
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Jack B. Sowards
  • Stars
    • Patrick Stewart
    • Jonathan Frakes
    • LeVar Burton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 15User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos15

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Jonathan Frakes and Diana Muldaur in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Earl Boen in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Marina Sirtis in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Michael Dorn and LeVar Burton in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Jonathan Frakes in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Capt. Jean-Luc Picardas Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
    Jonathan Frakes
    Jonathan Frakes
    • Cmdr. William Rikeras Cmdr. William Riker
    LeVar Burton
    LeVar Burton
    • Lt. Geordi La Forgeas Lt. Geordi La Forge
    Michael Dorn
    Michael Dorn
    • Lt. Worfas Lt. Worf
    Marina Sirtis
    Marina Sirtis
    • Counselor Deanna Troias Counselor Deanna Troi
    Brent Spiner
    Brent Spiner
    • Lt. Cmdr. Dataas Lt. Cmdr. Data
    Wil Wheaton
    Wil Wheaton
    • Wesley Crusheras Wesley Crusher
    Diana Muldaur
    Diana Muldaur
    • Doctor Pulaskias Doctor Pulaski
    Earl Boen
    Earl Boen
    • Nagilumas Nagilum
    • (voice)
    Charles Douglass
    • Haskellas Haskell
    Colm Meaney
    Colm Meaney
    • Transporter Chiefas Transporter Chief
    Majel Barrett
    Majel Barrett
    • Enterprise Computeras Enterprise Computer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    James G. Becker
    • Youngbloodas Youngblood
    • (uncredited)
    Dexter Clay
    • Operations Division Officeras Operations Division Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Steve Kelso
    • Insectoid Opponentas Insectoid Opponent
    • (uncredited)
    Tim McCormack
    • Ensign Bennettas Ensign Bennett
    • (uncredited)
    Jan Michael Shultz
    • Skull-faced Opponentas Skull-faced Opponent
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Winrich Kolbe
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Jack B. Sowards
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Nagilum was originally supposed to have been played by Richard Mulligan. That's how the character's name was developed.
    • Goofs
      SPOILER: Wesley Crusher disappears from the bridge with no explanation. He is at his station as the Captain sends Riker and Worf to the Yamato, but in the very next shot of the bridge, shortly after Riker and Worf, on the Yamato and try to contact the Enterprise again, Wesley is gone and in his place is Haskell. The reason becomes obvious a short time later when Nagilum kills Haskell, which is why he had to be there instead of Wesley.

      Although it is peculiar that Wesley is no longer at the helm, it is not unheard of. Bridge crew are constantly leaving the bridge and having others replace them, so Wesley could have been called to another station or had another unknown reason for leaving (Troi, for example, also leaves the bridge between scenes--she is present when the Enterprise first encounters the "hole in space", but she is gone without explanation before Worf launches the first probe, and does not return again until after Riker and Worf return from the false Yamato). Wesley is also not an official member of Starfleet, so Capt. Picard may have replaced him because of the danger of the situation.

      Alternatively, Wesley's replacement could have been effected by the being experimenting on the Enterprise.
    • Quotes

      Lt. Cmdr. Data: [of the "hole" in space] Sir, our sensors are showing this to be the absence of everything. It is a void without matter or energy of any kind.

      Commander William T. Riker: Yet this hole has a form, Data; it has height, width...

      Lt. Cmdr. Data: Perhaps. Perhaps not, sir.

      Capt. Picard: That's hardly a scientific observation, Commander.

      Lt. Cmdr. Data: Captain, the most elementary and valuable statement in science, the beginning of wisdom, is, "I do not know". I do not know what that is, sir.

    • Connections
      Featured in Star Trek: First Contact Review (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
      Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

    User reviews15

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Was This More Dumb Luck or a Truly Clever Play?
    The whole setup for this episode is quite good. We have a mysterious void in space where the Enterprise finds itself buried. Since there is nothing on the sensors, there is no escaping it. Add to this, the illusions of a Romulan battle cruiser that actually fires on the ship and a federation starship which has no crew. It is obvious something is toying with the crew. Soon a sort of cat-like face appears on the screen. It is the chosen representation of an alien force that sees the Enterprise as a mere curiosity. It has no respect or concern for the crew. It even kills a bridge officer to watch him die. It is hard to enjoy an episode when the forces working against the crew are so unfathomable that there is no strategy to counteract them. The best Picard can do is to destroy the ship. He and Riker initiate the destruct sequence. The crew gets twenty minutes to get its affairs in order. The entity continues to toy with them. I guess saying enough is enough is the last resort for Picard. Still, the universe is so complex and the villains are around every corner (are there corners?). This episode is clever and dramatic and does keep our attention. Perhaps that's all we can ask for.
    helpful•16
    2
    • Hitchcoc
    • Aug 4, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 28, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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

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