Evolution

TrekToday · March 7 2008, 10:48 PM

Plot Summary: Scientist Paul Stubbs is being ferried by the Enterprise to a binary star that erupts in a fiery explosion every 196 years. He has designed a large research unit to study the phenomenon, but just as the ship approaches the system, the Enterprise suffers a series of major malfunctions ranging from sensor ghosts to navigational errors to music blasting on the bridge. Yet the computer claims that all systems are working normally. Wesley Crusher is forced to admit that a science experiment of his may be the source of the problems; he was allowing two nanites to interact but fell asleep before they had finished, allowing them to reproduce and infiltrate the ship's systems. Stubbs is irate and attempts to destroy the nanites, killing many in the ship's core and alerting the nanites' emerging consciousness of his hostile intentions. Picard, who believes the nanites are a new life form, is furious and confines Stubbs to his quarters, where the nanites use the ship's electrical systems to attack him. To facilitate communication, Data allows the nanites to enter his neural network and use his verbal programs to communicate with the crew. Picard negotiates a cease-fire, insisting that Stubbs apologize for trying to kill them. Stubbs agrees to help find a new home for the nanites on an uninhabited planet, and the nanites repair the ship's computer so that Stubbs can complete his stellar experiments.

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AntonyF · March 7 2008, 11:09 PM

A great episode. I can't help but feel this was when TNG really kicked off. It felt fresher, and more modern, than season two. Almost as if it jumped a couple of seasons in one go. I loved Pulaksi, but it was sweet to have Beverly back. Cool story, along with Dr Kelso. And the start of the Michael Piller era.

Yup, it just felt TNG started here.

DorkBoy [TM] · March 7 2008, 11:12 PM

Finally. Season 3 rocked!

Jack Bauer · March 8 2008, 08:17 AM

I like this episode but hate the fact that they revealed baseball died out. That just plain flat out sucked ass.

Pioneer · March 8 2008, 05:38 PM

Jack Bauer wrote:

I like this episode but hate the fact that they revealed baseball died out. That just plain flat out sucked ass.

It seems to me that baseball didn't die out if Benjamin Sisko's interest is any indication. Remember the London Kings? "Buck" Bakai?

P.S. To any administrator: The usual backgrounds and formatting are missing on these pages now. Any CSS gurus out there?

DorkBoy [TM] · March 9 2008, 01:25 AM

Yep. But they also talk about how the game died off - the Kings won the world series and hardly anyone came, during the waning days of Major League Baseball. If I remember right, he said no one had any time for the game anymore.

Of course, the Siskos are still big fans. And on the Federation colony world of Cestus III, the game is still played.

Michael Piller is a huge baseball fan, he's the one responsible for the baseball references in both this episode (which he wrote) and in DS9 (which he co-created).

Personally, I always thought baseball was a little slow for my tastes. So I always thought it was interesting how they talk about how baseball was too slow for people's changing, faster-paced tastes. (Shorter attention spans?) DS9 always makes me nostalgic for the sport, and I don't even like it!