Many memorable episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series are turning 50 this year, but they're not the only hours we'll be celebrating in the coming weeks and months here at StarTrek.com. Some of Star Trek: The Next Generation's best installments will turn 25 years old this year. Case in point, "Darmok," which debuted on September 30, 1991 and which tends to always land in the top 10, or often the top 5, of TNG Best-of lists.
Some facts, figures and anecdotes about "Darmok."
"Darmok" was the second episode of TNG's fifth season. Winrich Kolbe directed it based on a script by Joe Menosky and a story by Menosky and Philip LeZebnik.
According to Memory Alpha, "'Darmok" was filmed between Thursday July 18, 1991 and Friday July 26, 1991 on Paramount Stage 8, 9 and 16, as well as on location at Bronson Canyon."
"Shaka, when the walls fell," spoken by both Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dathon (Paul Winfield), rates as one of the most-memorable lines in all of Star Trek.
We also loved Picard's reply to Riker, when the latter asked, "New friends, captain?" Picard answered, "I can't say, Number One. But at least they're not new enemies."
What did you think of the new captain's uniform, which made its debut in this episode?
Winfield was no stranger to Star Trek, as he'd played Captain Terrell in The Wrath of Khan. The actor, an Oscar nominee and Emmy winner, died of a heart attack in 2002.
Ashley Judd, in "Darmok," made the first of her two appearances as Ensign Robin Lefler. She also played the character in "The Game."
According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, producer Michael Piller deemed "Darmok" to have had the longest gestation period of any episode made during his tenure: two years.
Blooper time: phaser fire comes out of the forward photon torpedo launcher.
