Where Silence Has Lease
- Episode aired Nov 28, 1988
- TV-PG
- 45m
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.
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Youngblood
- (uncredited)
- Operations Division Officer
- (uncredited)
- Command Division Officer
- (uncredited)
- Insectoid Opponent
- (uncredited)
- Ensign Bennett
- (uncredited)
- Skull-faced Opponent
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe music that plays in the background while Picard is in his quarters near the end is Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie #1".
- GoofsWhen Worf and Riker are on the bridge of the Yamato, the dedication plaque is still that of the Enterprise. In the remastered HD version, the name on the plaque has been digitally removed.
- 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.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek: First Contact Review (2009)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
This is a difficult episode to review as it's hard to know if the writers are taking it seriously or not. I will take the assumption that it's meant to be serious and consider it an entertaining episode for being so bad it's good.
The story is another God-like being v Enterprise and contains a lot of comically bad scenes of dialogue, visuals and performance.
Everything from the fantastic 'hole' related dialogue near the start to the final scene is hilariously entertaining. The abuse directed from Pulaski to Data feels ridiculously forced, then we have a break with long periods of the bridge crew slowly pondering and speculating about the 'nothing' appearing on the visual screen. I do not recall seeing actors standing still and observing blank space for so long.
That especially bad scene with Riker and Worf on the Yamoto is comical. "Is this the same bridge? Or did we step from one bridge..... to another bridge?" Worf is one of the best characters in the franchise, but this episode presents poor characterisation.
Then we have more bad dialogue and body language back on Enterprise. Picard's response to Dr Pulaski's suggestion they are in some kind of laboratory is as bad as Pulaski's reaction to Nagilum.
The death related discussion towards the end is bizarrely philosophical for something that up until that point is so random. I maybe overthinking it, but the whole episode struck me as some kind of strange meditation on the meaning of existence and the nature of reality.
The visuals are mostly forgettable, particularly the Nagilum effects which resemble a sort of creepy, dark version of the Teletubbie sun. Although considering the amount of bridge time the camera moves effectively enough to prevent it from feeling totally static, which is good work by the director.
Most of the actors are good, however the physical aspects of the performances I do not think are particularly well directed.
- snoozejonc
- May 27, 2021
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1