"the entire ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"" series. Technically, it was chosen as second-worst, but Empire decided that """"—its initial choice for worst episode—didn't count, because ""Shades"" was a flashback 'clip' episode. Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation) ""Masks"" is the seventeenth episode of the of the American science fiction television series """", the 169th episode overall. An alien archive, like an alien Library of Alexandria, initially appearing as a rogue comet because of accumulated matter, transforms the ""Enterprise"" as well as adapting Lieutenant Commander Data for a re-enactment of its culture's mythology, including the creation of two masks which"
"Series"" and ""The Next Generation"" due to ongoing low ratings. It was not originally planned to include an ancestor of Noonien Soong in the episode, with executive producer Manny Coto instead planning for the character to be Colonel Phillip Green from """" episode ""The Savage Curtain"". The character was to be a straightforward villain, but after discussion with """" Spiner, the character was re-written to become Arik Soong, described as a ""misunderstood genius"". It was Spiner's first ""Star Trek"" role since the film ""Star Trek Nemesis"" in 2002, having previously played Arik Soong's descendant Noonien Soong and his creations Data"
"Generation"". Eric Menyuk was cast as the Traveler. The actor had previously been runner-up for the role of Data several weeks earlier (the role went to Brent Spiner). He was a ""Star Trek"" fan since age six, and would later return as the Traveler twice more: in """" and """". Menyuk's return in ""Journey's End"" would also mark the last on-screen appearance of Wesley Crusher. Biff Yeager made his ""Next Generation"" debut in ""Where No One Has Gone Before"" as Chief Engineer Argyle, who would become the most-frequently-appearing chief engineer of the first season (appearing twice). Geordi La Forge took"
"of the set of ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"", which included an opportunity by Hawking to sit in the captain's chair. Freedman told the show's executive producer, Rick Berman, that Hawking would appear on the show if asked. Hawking accepted the ensuing offer, marking the first time a guest star played himself on an episode of any ""Star Trek"" series. After he was sent the script, he made some modifications to it, including improving a humorous line of dialogue to make it funnier, which Berman called ""delightful"". Later, when actor Brent Spiner, who appeared in the scene with Hawking, first"
"of several actors who were in contention for the role, also including Mark Lindsay Chapman, Kevin Peter Hall and Kelvin Han Yee. Brent Spiner was eventually chosen for the role over Menyuk. He was subsequently cast in the role of the Traveler, first appearing in the in the episode ""Where No One Has Gone Before"" and returning in the episode """" and """". In order to portray the character, he had to undergo a three-hour make-up process on each day of shooting, including prosthetics applied to his face and to both hands in order to reduce the number of fingers"
"episode """" as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, when the character is changed into a pre-adolescent child by the transporter. The characters of Robert and René were later mentioned in the film ""Star Trek Generations"", as they were killed off-screen in a fire. Doug Wert portrayed Jack Crusher, and later returned as the character in the fifth-season episode """". The episode was also the only episode of ""The Next Generation"" in which Brent Spiner did not appear as Data. ""Family"" aired in broadcast syndication during the week commencing October 1, 1990. It received Nielsen ratings of 9.6, reflecting the percentage of all"
"films. As a main character, he appeared in all but one of the series' 178 episodes; he was not in the episode """". He reprised his role in the spin-off films ""Star Trek Generations"" (1994), """" (1996), """" (1998), and """" (2002). Although billed as the final ""Trek"" movie for the ""TNG"" cast, the ambiguous ending of """" suggested a possible avenue for the return of Data. However, Spiner opined that he was too old to continue playing the part, as Data does not age, whereas Spiner had already aged considerably during the years in which he played the role."
"brief cameos as a fellow airline passenger with Frasier Crane's ex-wife, Lilith Sternin. In March 2008, Spiner performed alongside Maude Maggart in a radio show/musical, ""Dreamland"", which was released as a CD album. In 2008, Spiner played Dr. Strom in the feature film parody ""Superhero Movie"". In February 2009, he played William Quint in ""The Juror #6 Job"", an episode of the drama series ""Leverage"" directed by his ""Next Generation"" co-star Jonathan Frakes. That same year, he voiced himself in the ""Family Guy"" episode ""Not All Dogs Go to Heaven"". In 2010, Spiner and fellow ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"""
"by Braga on Twitter as Archer from the future. Brent Spiner returned to the ""Star Trek"" franchise, having previously played the character of Data in """". In ""Enterprise"" he played the role of Dr. Arik Soong, an ancestor of Data's creator. Coto compared the character to Hannibal Lecter and talked about the fear that he inspired in the human authorities during the time of ""Enterprise"" due to Soong's actions involving illegal genetics. The storyline involved several references to ""The Original Series"", such as the genetic supermen in the vein of Khan Noonien Singh as first seen in the episode ""Space"
"including some soft reboot elements with an all new cast. Some episodes connected to ""TNG"" directly including guest stars by Brent Spiner and connections to the events in ""TNG""'s fictional universe. The three-episode story arc consisting of """", ""Cold Station 12"", and ""The Augments"", with a Soong ancestor portrayed by ""The Next Generation"" regular Brent Spiner provides some backstory to Data's origins. Also, the ""Enterprise"" episode """" also helps explain the smooth-headed Klingons that sometimes appeared, a retcon that helped explain this varying presentation between ""TOS"", ""TNG"", and the films. ""Star Trek"" would not return to television as a show"
"the relationship, which did happen and was extremely pleasant."" Stewart received a producer's credit on the film. Jonathan Frakes appeared as Commander William Riker, and as with ""First Contact"" he directed the project. Brent Spiner starred as Lieutenant Commander Data. Spiner had asked for his character to be killed off in ""Insurrection"" because he was concerned that he was getting too old to play the role. His copy of the script came with a note from the production team saying, ""Sorry, kill you later"". The underwater scene required Spiner to wear more make-up than usual because it needed to be"
"viewers' resentment for taking over Carter's former position. Browder noted a lack of Mitchell-centric episodes and insufficient interaction between Mitchell and the other main characters. For his portrayal of Cameron Mitchell, Ben Browder was nominated for a Saturn Award in the category ""Best Supporting Actor on Television"" in 2006. Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell is the son of Frank and Wendy Mitchell, long-time residents of Auburn, Kansas. Mitchell occasionally mentions his Bible-thumping grandmother in comparison and contrast to the Ori religion. As shown in """", Mitchell's grandfather was the captain of the ship that transported the Alpha Gate from Egypt to"
"Borderland (Star Trek: Enterprise) ""Borderland"" is the fourth episode of the of the science fiction television series """". It originally aired on October 29, 2004, on UPN. The script was written by Ken LaZebnik, and was directed by David Livingston. The episode featured the first appearance of """" actor Brent Spiner in ""Enterprise"", and the last appearance of J. G. Hertzler in the ""Star Trek"" franchise. It also featured guest appearances by Bobbi Sue Luther and WWE wrestler Big Show. The series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship ""Enterprise"", registration NX-01. In this episode, genetically engineered humans called"
"Mike Vejar, who had directed several earlier episodes of ""Star Trek"", most recently """". It was written by Consulting Producer Alan Brennert, his first writing credit in the franchise. There was some specific work required by the make-up department on Brent Spiner as during those flashbacks he was made to look younger which the team created by dying his hair darker and applying more youthful make-up. Also, the team added several different appliances to Kris Iyer to show his character go through a series of levels of infection of a number of diseases at the hands of Soong. These included"
"States. The Blu-ray edition was released on April 1, 2014. Borderland (Star Trek: Enterprise) ""Borderland"" is the fourth episode of the of the science fiction television series """". It originally aired on October 29, 2004, on UPN. The script was written by Ken LaZebnik, and was directed by David Livingston. The episode featured the first appearance of """" actor Brent Spiner in ""Enterprise"", and the last appearance of J. G. Hertzler in the ""Star Trek"" franchise. It also featured guest appearances by Bobbi Sue Luther and WWE wrestler Big Show. The series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship"
"on I was afraid it was going to be flat. We talked about what we could do and, ultimately, the obvious thing was that we bring Lore back. ..I knew from the moment we came up with it that Brent Spiner in three roles was going to make for an unforgettable episode and I think it was. Brothers (Star Trek: The Next Generation) ""Brothers"" is the 77th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series """", the third episode of the . Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship"
"Beverly Crusher Beverly Crusher (born Beverly Cheryl Howard) is a character in the fictional ""Star Trek"" franchise. She appears in the television series """" (""TNG"") and the feature films ""Star Trek Generations"" (1994), """" (1996), """" (1998), and """" (2002). She was a regular character in the series for all but the second of its seven seasons. Crusher is portrayed by actor Gates McFadden. She was the chief medical officer of both the ""Enterprise""-D and ""Enterprise""-E. Gates McFadden was reluctant to accept the role of Dr. Crusher because of her commitment to appear in the play ""The Matchmaker"" at the"
"after Hurley departed the show's writing staff. Beverly Crusher Beverly Crusher (born Beverly Cheryl Howard) is a character in the fictional ""Star Trek"" franchise. She appears in the television series """" (""TNG"") and the feature films ""Star Trek Generations"" (1994), """" (1996), """" (1998), and """" (2002). She was a regular character in the series for all but the second of its seven seasons. Crusher is portrayed by actor Gates McFadden. She was the chief medical officer of both the ""Enterprise""-D and ""Enterprise""-E. Gates McFadden was reluctant to accept the role of Dr. Crusher because of her commitment to appear"
"G. Hertzler voiced Chancellor Martok. Several other voice actors who had been previously unaffiliated with ""Star Trek"" also voiced characters in the game, among them was Richard Penn. ""Star Trek: Armada II"" was set in the ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"" era of the Star Trek universe. """" (1999) included voice acting by Brent Spiner as Data and Patrick Stewart as Picard, and was a follow-up from the ninth ""Star Trek"" film """". Four films feature the characters of the series: ""Star Trek Generations"" (1994), """" (1996), """" (1998), and """" (2002). An ancestor of Worf, also played by Dorn,"
"acted in the movies ""The Aviator"", ""Dude, Where's My Car?"", ""I Am Sam"", ""Independence Day"", """", ""The Master of Disguise"", ""Out to Sea"", ""Phenomenon"", ""The Ponder Heart"" and """". His television-movie appearances during this period include the 2000 musical ""Geppetto"" and the role of Dorothy Dandridge's manager and confidant, Earl Mills, in the HBO production ""Introducing Dorothy Dandridge"". In 2004, Spiner returned to ""Star Trek"" when he appeared as Dr. Arik Soong, an ancestor of Data's creator Dr. Noonien Soong, whom he also played, in a three-episode story arc of """": """", ""Cold Station 12"", and ""The Augments"". He also"
"of law involving children's education rights. He was admitted to the State Bar of California on July 12, 1998. He earned his undergraduate degree from Vassar College in 1981. Eric Menyuk Eric Menyuk (born November 5, 1959) is an American attorney and former actor. He gained renown for his brief appearances in the television series """" as ""The Traveler"". He was originally considered for the role of the android Data which was eventually given to Brent Spiner. After retiring from his acting career, he retrained to become an attorney and represents children with disabilities and specializes in children's education rights."
"spend the day with them. Meanwhile, Meg becomes a born-again Christian and tries to convert the atheist Brian to Christianity. The episode garnered mixed reviews from critics and received a 4.8/7 Nielsen rating. ""Star Trek: The Next Generation""s Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, Wil Wheaton, Denise Crosby, and Marina Sirtis all guest starred as themselves, and Adam West and Rob Lowe appear at the end of the episode in a live-action scene. Meg catches the mumps when the Griffins attend Quahog's annual ""Star Trek"" convention, because Peter forced her to stand next to"
"first premiered on UPN in the United States on October 29, 2004. The episode received mixed reviews from television critics. Robert Bianco highlighted the episode as one to watch in his preview column for ""USA Today"". Maureen Ryan for the ""Chicago Tribune"" praised the return of Brent Spiner to ""Star Trek"", saying ""Surprise, fear, elation, self-control; they're all given masterful life by Spiner in the space of a few seconds."" The reviewer at IGN thought that the episode was a return to the quality of """", and praised the abilities of Spiner. The teaser trailer was compared to that of"
"became close friends with her co-stars Jonathan Frakes (who played her on-again/off-again lover Commander Riker), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf, also an on-screen love interest), and Brent Spiner (who played Lieutenant Commander Data). Cast members Spiner and Dorn were groomsmen at her wedding. She wore black-coloured contact lenses during ""Star Trek: The Next Generation""s seven-year run and the subsequent films because her character had black eyes. Her own eyes are light brown. She usually wore hairpieces for her role as Troi. Sirtis' real hair was slightly shorter, and although curly, was not as bouffant as her character's. However, Sirtis' real hair"
"then purchased, and Bailey, Bischoff and White were informed that it was due to go into production a week later. Harry Groener made his first appearance in ""Star Trek"" as the Betazoid Tam Elbrun, the first male of the species seen on screen. Michael Cavanaugh also appeared as Captain Robert DeSoto of the USS ""Hood"". DeSoto had first been mentioned in the pilot of ""The Next Generation"", ""Encounter at Farpoint"", as Commander William Riker's former commanding officer. In a deleted scene, it would have been mentioned that DeSoto and Picard had served together as lieutenants previously. The character would go"
"Next Generation"" Pocket Books series. Beverly and Jean-Luc have married, but still serve together on the ""Enterprise""-E. They have a son named René Jacques Robert Francois Picard, named after Picard's older brother (Robert) and nephew (René). Dr. Crusher was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the Federation starship ""Enterprise""-D in 2364, and joined the ship at Farpoint Station with Wesley, reporting on board on stardate 41154. (TNG: ""Encounter at Farpoint"") Picard initially had reservations about her presence, but she assured him that the past would have no effect on her duties and she had no problem serving under his command, as"
"his auditions. LeVar Burton had worked with Justman on another pilot for a series called ""Emergency Room"" and was suggested to apply for the role of La Forge. For US audiences he was the most well-known actor in the cast, due to his role in ""Roots"". Gates McFadden and Brent Spiner gained the parts of Beverly Crusher and Data respectively through the normal audition processes. Eric Menyuk had also been considered for the part of Data, and would later be cast as the recurring character of the Traveller in three subsequent episodes. Justman later said that he was the only"
"serious accusation that he attempted to molest one."" Zachary Quinto Zachary John Quinto (; born June 2, 1977) is an American actor and film producer. He is best known for his roles as Sylar on the science fiction drama series ""Heroes"" (2006–2010), Spock in the reboot ""Star Trek"" (2009) and its sequels ""Star Trek Into Darkness"" (2013) and ""Star Trek Beyond"" (2016), as well as his Emmy nominated performance in """". His other film roles include ""Margin Call"", ""What's Your Number?"", """", ""Snowden"", and ""Hotel Artemis"". He also appeared in smaller roles on television series such as ""So NoTORIous"", ""The"
"on the planet, and a Starfleet outpost has been set up to monitor the situation. Son'a construction uncovers ancient ruins and Captain Jean-Luc Picard is sent to investigate. The player plays the character of Ensign Sovok, who becomes embroiled in a plot to harness the destructive powers of a coveted genetic seed. The player must engage alien forces and outwit foes in a series of missions, to prevent the Federation from falling victim to the Romulans. The game features the voice talents of two of """"'s main cast, Brent Spiner (as Data) and Patrick Stewart (as Picard), as well as"
"intended to appear earlier in the season in the episode """" but the episode was instead re-written to feature Arik Soong after ""The Next Generation"" actor Brent Spiner became available; Green's appearance was one of several included in season four which linked ""Enterprise"" to ""The Original Series"", which included the Mirror Universe and Gorn in ""In a Mirror, Darkly"", Organians in ""Observer Effect"" and the Orions in ""Borderland"" and """". Peter Weller was cast in the role of John Frederick Paxton. Weller had previously appeared in other science fiction productions, including as the main character in the film ""RoboCop"" (1987)."
"star LeVar Burton appeared on TWiT.tv's coverage of the Consumer Electronics Show. In April 2011, Spiner began starring in ""Fresh Hell"", a comic webseries in which he plays a version of himself, attempting to put his career back together after falling out of the limelight. He appeared as Dr. Kern in the September 12, 2011, episode of the Syfy channel program ""Alphas"" entitled ""Blind Spot"". In October 2011, he appeared as himself in the episode ""The Russian Rocket Reaction"" of ""The Big Bang Theory"". The day after his guest appearance, it was announced that Spiner would guest-star in the ""Young"
"him to undergo three hours of makeup each day, but he said that ""I had such a good time that I would love to do another ""Star Trek"""". He would go on to be cast in a recurring role on """" as Admiral Owen Paris, the father of Tom Paris. Brent Spiner plays two roles in this episode - that of his main character, Data, and his creator, Dr. Noonien Soong. ""Birthright, Part I"" is a crossover episode featuring some of the characters from """". ""Birthright, Part II"" was the only episode directed by visual effects supervisor Dan Curry. The"
"UK and the European Union. Stewart and his first wife, Sheila Falconer, divorced in 1990 after 24 years of marriage. They have two children, son Daniel and daughter Sophia. Daniel is a television actor, and has appeared alongside his father in the 1993 made-for-television film ""Death Train"", and in the 1992 ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"" episode """", playing his son. In 1997, Stewart became engaged to Wendy Neuss, one of the producers of ""Star Trek: The Next Generation"". They married on 25 August 2000, and divorced three years later. Four months before his divorce from Neuss, Stewart played opposite"