• Now Playing
  • Airing Today
  • Popular People
  • Discussions
  • Leaderboard
  • Alternative Titles
  • Cast & Crew
  • Release Dates
  • Translations
  • Backdrops 16
  • Content Issues 1

Star Trek: First Contact

Now Streaming

Star trek: first contact (1996).

Login to use TMDB's new rating system.

Welcome to Vibes, TMDB's new rating system! For more information, visit the contribution bible .

  • Play Trailer

Resistance is futile.

The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from changing Federation history and assimilating the galaxy.

Brannon Braga

Screenplay, Story

Ronald D. Moore

Jonathan Frakes

Rick Berman

Top Billed Cast

Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Commander William T. Riker

Brent Spiner

Brent Spiner

Lieutenant Commander Data

LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Michael Dorn

Lieutenant Commander Worf

Gates McFadden

Gates McFadden

Commander Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

Marina Sirtis

Counselor Deanna Troi

James Cromwell

James Cromwell

Dr. Zefram Cochrane

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard

Lily Sloane

Full Cast & Crew

  • Discussions 3

JPV852

A review by JPV852

Written by jpv852 on april 9, 2023.

Really solid and suspense-filled Star Trek film. Seen this one once before and still holds up along with the visual effects which were decent for its time. This is also the first complete TNG feature and unlike Generations, did feel like a movie rather than two-part episode. 4.0/5

Read All Reviews

  • Most Popular

Star Trek: First Contact

Status Released

Original Language English

Budget $46,000,000.00

Revenue $150,000,000.00

  • enterprise-e
  • teleportation
  • time travel
  • speed of light
  • business start-up
  • space opera
  • first contact
  • outer space
  • traumatized man

Content Score 

Yes! Looking good!

Looks like we're missing the following data in en-US or en-US ...

Top Contributors

51 TMDB-Bot

16 sirhosty

kappa-papa

11 kappa-papa

View Edit History

Popularity Trend

Login to edit

Keyboard Shortcuts

Login to report an issue

You need to be logged in to continue. Click here to login or here to sign up.

Can't find a movie or TV show? Login to create it.

On media pages

On tv season pages, on tv episode pages, on all image pages, on all edit pages, on discussion pages.

Want to rate or add this item to a list?

Not a member?

Sign up and join the community

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

  • TV Listings
  • Cast & Crew

Star Trek: First Contact - Full Cast & Crew

  • 1 hr 51 mins
  • Drama, Suspense, Action & Adventure, Kids, Science Fiction
  • Watchlist Where to Watch

Captain Jean Luc Picard and the Enterprise crew are propelled into action when the Borg hatch a plan to travel back in time to a period when Planet Earth was recovering from its devastating Third World War.

Sound Effects

Screenwriter, executive producer, cinematographer.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Rotten Tomatoes Newsletter

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

  • Upcoming Movies and TV shows
  • Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
  • Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

  • What's the Tomatometer®?
  • Login/signup

star trek the first contact cast

Movies in theaters

  • Opening this week
  • Top box office
  • Coming soon to theaters
  • Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

  • Fandango at Home
  • Netflix streaming
  • Prime Video
  • Most popular streaming movies
  • What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

  • Challengers Link to Challengers
  • I Saw the TV Glow Link to I Saw the TV Glow
  • Música Link to Música

New TV Tonight

  • The Veil: Season 1
  • Hacks: Season 3
  • The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Season 1
  • A Man in Full: Season 1
  • Acapulco: Season 3
  • Welcome to Wrexham: Season 3
  • John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA: Season 1
  • Star Wars: Tales of the Empire: Season 1
  • My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Season 4.2
  • Shardlake: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

  • Baby Reindeer: Season 1
  • Fallout: Season 1
  • Shōgun: Season 1
  • Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
  • Velma: Season 2
  • Them: Season 2
  • Ripley: Season 1
  • Under the Bridge: Season 1
  • 3 Body Problem: Season 1
  • We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
  • Best TV Shows
  • Most Popular TV
  • TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

  • Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1 Link to Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
  • All-Time Lists
  • Binge Guide
  • Comics on TV
  • Five Favorite Films
  • Video Interviews
  • Weekend Box Office
  • Weekly Ketchup
  • What to Watch

All Zendaya Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024

  • Trending on RT
  • Most Anticipated TV of May
  • Seen on Screen
  • Zendaya Movies
  • Play Movie Trivia

Star Trek: First Contact

Where to watch.

Watch Star Trek: First Contact with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

While fans of the series will surely appreciate it, First Contact is exciting, engaging, and visually appealing enough to entertain Star Trek novices.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Jonathan Frakes

Patrick Stewart

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Commander William Thomas Riker

Brent Spiner

Lieutenant Commander Data

LeVar Burton

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Lieutenant Commander Worf

Movie Clips

More like this, movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

Star Trek home

  • More to Explore
  • Series & Movies

Header image for Star Trek VIII: First Contact showing Data face-to-face with the Borg Queen

Star Trek: First Contact

Poster art for Star Trek: First Contact featuring Jean-Luc Picard, Data and the Borg Queen

1996 • PG-13

Picard orders the Enterprise to follow the Borg back in time to stop them from destroying the Phoenix , Earth's first warp-speed vessel.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘star trek’: the story of the ‘next generation’ crew’s greatest movie.

Jonathan Frakes, Brannon Braga, and more look back at 'Star Trek: First Contact' 20 years after the groundbreaking 1996 hit took 'Trek to new heights.

By Aaron Couch

Aaron Couch

pmc-editorial-manager

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Flipboard
  • Share this article on Email
  • Show additional share options
  • Share this article on Linkedin
  • Share this article on Pinit
  • Share this article on Reddit
  • Share this article on Tumblr
  • Share this article on Whatsapp
  • Share this article on Print
  • Share this article on Comment

'Star Trek: First Contact': The Story Behind The 1996 Classic

In 1996, Star Trek was at its apex.

On the small screen, Deep Space Nine and Voyager were carrying the Trek  legacy — and on the big screen, the Next Generation crew was still in its prime, having delivered a hit movie with 1994’s Generations after ending a seven-season run at the height of its popularity.

But the Trek creative team longed for more. Longtime writers Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga weren’t completely satisfied with Generations — a film they wrote but that was saddled with mandates that saw Picard (Patrick Stewart) share top billing with original series captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner ). For their next project, the pair were determined to do right by the Next Generation crew, pitting them against their greatest nemesis , The Borg — a collective consciousness bent on assimilating all life in the galaxy — and creating of a time-travel narrative that examined the origins of Star Trek itself. 

Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker ) had proven himself to be a top-notch director on Next Generation , and was tapped to lead the crew of the Enterprise behind the camera for his debut feature. It proved to be a wise choice, with Frakes commanding respect and affection from the cast and crew and utilizing his TV director’s ability to make the budget look much bigger than it was.

When  Star Trek: First Contact hit theaters 20 years ago on Nov. 22, 1996, it went on to earn $146 million worldwide against a $45 million budget — making it at the time the second-highest-grossing Trek film ever. It also would be considered a high point in Trek lore, with many fans arguing only Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan can top it.

“WE WANTED TO REDEEM OURSELVES”

1994’s Star Trek: Generations is still in theaters and screenwriters Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga are approached by producer Rick Berman about crafting a follow-up. The pair immediately agree — eager to get right what they feel they got wrong with the previous film.

Brannon Braga , screenwriter : When Generations came out, Kirk and Picard were on the cover of Time magazine and it’s like, “OK, how much bigger does it get?” But at the same time, Ron and I felt that we had made some missteps with Generations and we wanted to redeem ourselves and make a really great movie.

Ronald D. Moore, screenwriter : The big difference between First Contact and Generations was right at the start, there really wasn’t a list of things to do. There was no mandate. When we did  Generations , there was literally a list of things that the movie had to accomplish. It had to be a transition from one cast to the other. You could only have the original series cast in the first 10 minutes. It had to have the Klingons in it, it had to have a big villain, it had to have time travel in it. It was all this stuff. With First Contact , it was really just, “OK, what do you want to do?” So the three of us worked on the story together, and I think Rick was interested in doing time travel and Brannon was interested in doing the Borg.

Braga : The first draft had Riker fighting the Borg on the ship and Picard down on the planet and everything was just backwards. Patrick Stewart, who had read that first draft, said, “Why am I not on the ship? I’m the one who got raped by this species.” We were like, “OK. Obviously he is correct.” 

Moore : There were a lot of budgetary constraints. Even though the budget was obviously much bigger than your average episode was, it was still astonishing how quickly that got chewed up by visual effects budgets of the day. Paramount didn’t really spend a lot on those movies. We were reusing the sets and reusing old stuff. At the beginning, when the Enterprise comes in and the Borg are attacking Earth and there’s a huge fleet battle, that got way cut back. Likewise, a lot of the action that took place on board the Enterprise, you’ll note that we are still down to counting phaser bolts, which was such a pain in the ass, where we’re budgeting, “Well how many shots can the security guys take?” “Oh, it’s $10,000 a shot” and you’re negotiating with the production people.   

Braga : There were a few “aha” moments. Definitely when we conceptualized the Borg Queen, because at an early stage we were realizing the Borg are zombies but they don’t talk and we wanted some depth. We wanted these villains to want to be understood. And the other “aha” moment for me was the idea that the hero to all of the people on the Enterprise, Zefram Cochrane, was a drunk asshole who is creating warp drive for all the wrong reasons and him realizing why he needs to do it because it’s going to change the world and I thought, if you could go back in time and meet one of your great heroes from history and they’re a jerk, it’s very shocking.

Jonathan Frakes , director and Commander Riker : Sherry Lansing, who ran Paramount at the time, said to Rick Berman, “I’ll leave this in your hands because you know this franchise.” First Contact was Star Trek 8 . Ridley Scott was not going to direct this movie. Spielberg was not going to direct this movie. The big action guys certainly were not interested in doing the eighth version of a Star Trek movie. So I threw my hat in the ring with the rest of them and I was blessed to get arguably the best job of my life.

“ GODMOMMY , I’M GOING TO DIRECT FIRST CONTACT “

The crew of the Enterprise welcomes three new additions — Alice Krige as the Borg Queen; James Cromwell as warp drive inventor Zefram Cochrane; and Alfre Woodard as Lily Sloan, Cochrane’s assistant — who would challenge Picard in ways no other character ever did.

Alfre Woodard, Lily Sloane:  We are the same age, but I’m Jonathan Frakes ‘ godmommy . We were all young actors to Hollywood. We are like 22, and we would sit around and pool our money for chicken and beer and other things. It was a big gang of us and we would just crash at each other’s apartments. Besides silly and bawdy conversations with Jonathan, we also had poignant conversations, and I was talking about what my godmother meant to me. His eyes were moist and he said, “I don’t have a godmother.” I said, “Are you kidding?” Then he looked at me and said, “Will you be my godmommy ?”  

Frakes : I think she’s one of our finest actresses, and Rick shares that feeling. When he found out I had a relationship with her, we just offered her the part. We had met with a number of movie stars and then it became clear that casting Alfre in that part, not only is she a great actor, she isn’t who you think of in an action-adventure-horror movie. She added a gravitas and she also could go head-to-head with Patrick. At the core of what makes the movie work is that wonderful scene in the conference room where she says, “You broke your little ships.” It’s brilliant.

Woodard : I got a call, and it might have been Jonathan saying “ Godmommy , I’m going to direct First Contact. ” I said, “Yes!” My godson was going to direct me. “Hell yeah.” Then I thought, I don’t know anything about this. I remember that first day on set, Jonathan said, “You’re from a different time anyway, so you won’t even know half the things — it will work, it will work.” That first day, I had to come through a Jefferies tube and I said, “Jonathan, who’s Jeffrey?” And he looked at me and he said, “Oh my god, what have I done?”

Frakes : Cromwell was also unlikely casting. That was the year he was up for Babe [for an Oscar nomination]. He was an actor that Rick and I had discussed because we thought it was quirky, interesting. He was appealing, he was absurd and he seemed intelligent. He felt like he could be a mad scientist.

Alice Krige , the Borg Queen : I just got sent three scenes by my agent and I said, “I’ll go in on this, but I need to see the script if they want to meet me.” She said, “No, you don’t understand. No one sees the script.” I had never seen an episode of Star Trek . So I ran over to a friend’s house, who had a whole lot of Star Trek episodes on tape. And I watched the Borg episodes. I did the audition for Jonathan and Rick and [casting director] Junie Lowry. In the course of doing those scenes for them, I suddenly kind of got her. I suddenly experienced the Borg Queen. I came out and I thought I had completely blown it. So I ran off the lot and found a payphone at a gas station and I called my agent and said, “I really, really messed that up. But I really, really want to do it. Would you ask them if I could come in again?” She phoned them and we didn’t hear anything for three weeks. I thought, “Oh well. Another one bites the dust.” And three weeks later they called and said, “Would you come in again please?” I went in and met the three of them again and, as I remember, as I left they made the offer.   

star trek the first contact cast

Scott Wheeler, makeup artist : That character would not have worked without Alice playing the role. They were talking about Cher playing the role. And no offense to Cher, she’s had some great moments, but it would have been so gimmicky and I doubt she would have been willing to sit through the 4 1/2-hour makeup we were putting on Alice.

“THE BORG QUEEN WAS BORN”

The painstaking work of hundreds of movie artisans brings the film to life in an era when practical effects still ruled and CG was just coming on the scene. The Borg Queen is among the film’s crowning achievements under a team led by legendary makeup artist Michael Westmore .

Wheeler:  Jake Garber and I basically redesigned the original TV version of the Borg. I always thought of them as this metaphor for technology destroying humanity, like Communism over free will, the collective being prioritized over the individual. It started to represent technology almost raping humanity and biology. The whole basis of the actual paint scheme was based on cadavers to represent death.

Frakes :  All the Borg were on a different clock. There was an entirely different crew that showed up at 2:30 in the morning, their own set of ADs , their own set of and makeup artists, and Alice was part of that. So by the time we showed up at 6 or 6:30, they had already been there for four hours getting Borgified .

Jacob Garber, special makeup effects artist: We were the first ones there and the last ones gone. I don’t recall anything less than a 14-hour day. I ended up sneaking in a bunch of hidden messages in the Borg head pieces. I think I got about every makeup artist’s name in there somewhere. I snuck one in there that was Westmore’s House of Barbeque, I put me and a girl I was dating at the time in there. 

star trek the first contact cast

Scott G.G. Haller , sound effects editor:  It was a fun moment to be walking to lunch on the Paramount lot and seeing an extra in full Borg costume sitting on a chair outside of a sound stage, smoking a cigarette and reading a newspaper.

Wheeler: With the Borg Queen, the script had one simple description: hauntingly beautiful. I thought, “OK, why is she hauntingly beautiful?” Maybe the Borg needs a certain appeal. Maybe she’s hauntingly beautiful, because she’s sort of the seductress of the ideals that the Borg are supposed to represent. There was this beautiful face that is basically stretched over a biomechanical form. In the very front is a façade of beauty, and as you go further back and look at her, more and more you see the horror and the rot and the decay.

Krige :  By the time it was all on and all done, quite simply, I felt like the Borg Queen. It was as if I had gone through a type of time warp or portal. By the time they put in the lenses, it was not me anymore. That was phenomenally helpful. And I always think of it as a collaborative performance, because you can’t think of the character separate from what she looked like.

Related Stories

'star trek': 100 greatest episodes.

Wheeler: We did some tests and the film dailies came back without them being properly timed. They were way too contrasty and too saturated. Rick didn’t really quite understand that was the situation. Rick felt it was way too dark and he asked me to lighten it up. His first note was just make it off white. “Don’t have any of the discolorations or the rotting.” I said, “No, I’m not going to make her into a giant egg head.” I wanted to keep the paint scheme the same. I said, “Let me lighten it up and I’ll show you.” So what I actually did was I painted another head exactly the same way I painted the first one, and then I took the original and I darkened it. I took those up to him and said, “Here’s the original, the one you don’t like that’s too dark, and here’s the new painted version, are you OK with it?” He goes, “Yeah, yeah, that’s much better.” So I got to keep the paint scheme the way I wanted it.

Todd Masters, designing supervisor, the Borg : We actually made a special suit for Alice that we didn’t put on the budget, because she was so awesome that we really wanted her performance to work. We initially made a suit that was a little too dense, a little too hard, and she was having trouble with it, so over the weekend, we made her a new one, which was not easy to do. The all-nighters were definitely a fact.

Wheeler :   We did the initial makeup test, and it was one of those things where we didn’t know how these elements were going to come together. We put her in the costume and we were in this special trailer just for her to do her makeup and wardrobe. Frakes was there, Mike Westmore was there and Rick Berman was just walking in while the lens technician was putting in the metallic contact lenses. When the lenses went in, Alice looked in the mirror and you could see how the look all of a sudden informed her about the character. She changed her posture and her presence. She turned around — and when she turned around, I kid you not, everyone gasped and stepped back. It was that moment when we went, “OK. It works.” The Borg Queen was born.

Masters : The whole part of the Queen coming down from the rafters when the head and shoulders are plugged into her body — that was unexpected at that time, the manner we approached it. Practical effects were still the rock star of the set, but CG was coming in. And we were one of the first groups to start integrating the two. So the whole thing with Alice coming down from the rafters and plugging in — most of the production didn’t believe we could pull it off.

star trek the first contact cast

Tracee Lee Cocco , the Borg Queen’s stand-in : They had me go up in a hoist on a flat kind of board and they turned the mechanism to make me turn over. And I’m so high and I’m afraid of heights anyway. Stand-ins have to do exactly what the actors do in every scene to get the lighting right.

Masters:  I didn’t think it would have worked as well if it was shot in two different parts, if we shot Data in month one and three months later we’re shooting Alice on a blue screen. I really argued for shooting it all on one stage and no one knew what the hell I was talking about it. It was like, “Well how do we do that?” She doesn’t have a body. We came up with this whole, bizarre system of old technology meets new — and it worked beautifully and ILM composited this thing together like gangbusters. And it’s still shocking today. I have visual effects supervisors coming to me today asking how we did that shot.

star trek the first contact cast

A NEW ENTERPRISE

After saying goodbye to the Enterprise-D in Generations , a new ship needs to be constructed. To add to the pressure at Industrial Light & Magic, a key piece of equipment broke just before they began work on the Enterprise-E, which would end up being the final model Enterprise used for a film or television show. It takes around 35 people months to complete.

John Eaves, illustrator:  The Enterprise-D in Next Generation was a much shorter Enterprise from what you had previously seen. They wanted to be able to show a ship that would fit on TV screens all at once as opposed to being way far away to show the whole ship. For the Enterprise-E, I went back to the old, original Matt Jefferies Enterprise, which was longer and used an Excelsior that Bill George at ILM created. It was a mix of the two and being able to make that length again added a nice balance to the whole ship.

John Goodson , model project supervisor : The model was 10 feet long. They really wanted to be able to look in the windows and see into the rooms. In the past, all those types of models, you wouldn’t see anything inside the room, you’d just see a light. We tried a bunch of different solutions and we just couldn’t get it to work. Eventually we cut little 16th  of an inch window frames for each window on the ship out of plexiglass . We put a piece of 32-inch plexiglass in the window frame and in the back of it we mounted a piece of plexiglass that was a quarter of an inch thick. We took photographs from a technical manual that’d been done on CD-ROM for Next Generation and we photographed a bunch of the rooms, just taking a camera and shooting it off the monitor. We put the slides in the windows. Later we had to change the dish, because halfway through the show, they added the whole thing where they fight the Borg on the dish and they built a live-action set.

Frakes :  [Production designer] Herman Zimmerman built the saucer on half of one of the sound stages. We storyboarded that sequence so we could tell the story that they were upside-down but shoot them right-side-up. I wasn’t as thrilled with that scene in retrospect when I watch the movie again. That scene in one of J.J.’s [Abrams] budgets would have been visually more amazing. I think we would have seen more shots of them in medium-wide shots where you would feel like they were actually doing this in space. There were a lot of close-ups in ours. There were practical close-ups of the boots on the set and the people against a blue screen and there weren’t a lot of medium- wides where you saw the whole dish and you felt it. But I look back at what we did for what we had and I’m very, very proud.  

“WE KEPT THAT LILY AND PICARD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAKES”

Alfre Woodard’s character Lily is at the heart of the film. Lily and Picard share a special chemistry, which culminates with a now-classic scene in which she challenges him to admit that he has embarked on an Ahab-like quest against the Borg.   

Woodard: That one and the luscious day I spent in Picard’s quarters with Patrick — that’s one of those days you don’t want to end. You have them occasionally with an actor and this is what we do. We’re in the middle of the music right now.

Frakes : I remember like it was yesterday, sitting under the camera and looking up at these two heavyweights duking it out and just getting a couple of different sizes and let the acting tell the story.

Woodard:  All three of us are from the theater, so we knew what the scene was. We worked the same way. We know about finding your intention and all that. The words will come. The words are the writers’ direction to get you to the plot, but the real activity happens between what is said. What is said is not as important as what you mean, what you’re not saying. Jonathan said, “Where would you be moving naturally?” And then one of us would say, “OK I think by this point …” and he said, “This is all I need you to do — be over here by the ships.”

Frakes :  Sometimes you tell the story with the camera, but this was just capturing and letting the actors tell the story.

Woodard : One of the things I was nervous about was the candy glass. When those kinds of things are set up, Patrick has got to hit exactly where it is, but you don’t want to be thinking about it. Patrick I were great friends, but for that whole morning and afternoon, we kept that Lily and Picard relationship in between takes. You know you have a partner. But even though you focus and you are in your character and you are seeing from your character’s reality, there is somewhere in the back of you, where you know that you are an Olympian running with a teammate passing that baton back and forth.

star trek the first contact cast

Moore: The relationship between Patrick and Alfre’s character was really strong. It was more of a romance in the earlier drafts and I think there was more to the kiss [at the end of the movie] and it was shot to have a more romantic element to it. I think what happened was, it wasn’t quite playing as well on screen and that got kind of cut back through post and through the editing process. It wasn’t an overt romance, it was never scripted that he falls in love with her, but there was definitely more of a chemistry between the two of them. The chemistry onscreen between the two of them was interesting, but it was a little more adversarial and they were challenging to each other on an intellectual level. It wasn’t sort of sparking off romantic sparks the way we thought it would initially.

Krige : The day I got cast, they went off to the Angeles Forest for the Zefram Cochrane scenes, so it was more or less [Data actor] Brent [ Spiner ] and me back in L.A. So I spent some time with him on the lot and he was incredibly helpful. I was under the impression that it was all about the Borg Queen and Picard. Brent kind of put me right. He said, “No, no, no. It’s all about the Borg Queen and Data.” And of course he was right. She’d been there, done that in respect of Picard.

Moore : Once we were dealing with Data having an emotion chip, then you really started to have to face the question, “What would he do with the chip? How human could he be? What would he be seduced by emotionally?” For a while, we weren’t quite sure what to do with Data. I think it was more of a comedic line for a little while, and then once we were developing the Borg Queen, I remember us early on saying, “Well you know, Data is an android. She’s a cybernetic being, perhaps she can find a way to seduce him in a way that no one else really can, because she sort of understands his side of the equation as well.”

Krige : In Data she meets her match. Whoever trumped the Borg Queen? But he manages to. I don’t know where the sensuality or sexuality or visceral physicality came from, but it’s kind of who she was, because she kind of does a similar thing with Seven of Nine with  Voyager . It’s just part of who she is. It’s one of the things she does to draw people in. She uses it with Data, but she kind of gets hoisted on her own petard.  

James MacKinnon , prosthetics makeup artist: Michael Westmore asked me to work on Data’s arm. It’s a little flap of skin. We’re gluing wires from one side to the other and I’m squeezing the bottle of two ounces of super glue and it’s not coming out. All of a sudden I squeeze hard and the whole bottle explodes on my arm. The super glue sets quick. My arm is attached to my chest. It’s kind of smoking because it makes super glue go faster. Now my arm’s burning. I finished my makeup with one hand and it takes me two hours to get out of the super glue.  

Masters : The back office didn’t like what we were doing, because we didn’t have a budget. We kind of kept going until they told us to stop. Things like the Locutus suit. They told us to stop. They said, “We don’t have the budget for the Locutus suit! We’re going to use the Locutus suit from the television show.” I put my foot down and I said, “There’s a big difference between what we’re doing here and what was done from the TV show.” That was black long Johns with Battleship parts. It had phone cords wrapped around. No disrespect to the people who made that stuff, but it was made for a small screen. Our stuff had to be projected on these huge, 300-foot wide screens. I finally convinced the producer to bring in Picard’s double, so we put the television suit on the double to prove to them. Still, they said, “We don’t have the budget.” My team somehow cobbled together a suit for Locutus out of Borg parts. So we didn’t use the TV suit. We actually made it. I think the top is part of the Queen’s suit and part of one the male Borg suits. It actually didn’t close in the back, so you never see Locutus from the back.

“HEY, THAT WAS A REAL SUPERSONIC MISSILE”

First Contact was the rare Trek outing for the Next Generation cast away from the studio lot. They shot the Earth scenes in Angeles National Forrest and the Titan Missile Museum, south of Tucson, Ariz. The old missile silo doubled for Cochrane’s lab and featured an actual (unarmed) Titan II missile.

Dennis Tracy, Picard’s longtime stand-in: The Titan Missile Silo was closed down in the early ’80s and officers who had been stationed there resigned their commissions and they got permission after many years from Washington, D.C., to keep it as a museum of missiles. They had to go through a lot of red tape. I remember one night we were shooting late and I wasn’t needed, and I left the silo and I’m walking around in the desert with 50 trucks, motor homes, all this stuff in the middle of the desert, just humming, making this marvelous movie in the middle of the desert and the rest of the world is sound asleep and here is this little creative community at 11 at night, just humming in this missile silo, of all places.

Doug Drexler, designer/scenic artist: Star Trek fans can be picky. I had one guy come at me about the missile that was in the silo, that it was supposed to be a supersonic, but it had rivets on it. How could we make such a foolish mistake? I got to say, “Hey! That was a real supersonic missile. We just put a nose cone on it.”

Frakes : It wasn’t glamorous, but it was nice to get out of the studio. We were shooting at night in the woods. I think it was a couple weeks of nights. A lot of us ended up staying in hotels up there close to the Angeles Crest so we could sleep during the day and just roll into work.

Eaves : For Zefram’s ship, the script read beautifully: They had built it out of a missile. They were using crude materials. We went back to the Apollo style of the big thruster cones and all of that. But we figured only the capsule came back to Earth. We hadn’t read that in the script, and we’re watching the movie and they are on this missile silo looking at it and Picard goes “Yeah, I’ve seen this in the Smithsonian many times,” and I’m going, “What?! The whole thing comes back!” It was never designed to do that.

star trek the first contact cast

David Takemura, visual effects supervisor : For the Vulcan ship, the actual landing was a computer graphic model. The art department built the landing foot, which was one of the landing legs on the ship, and the Vulcan ambassadors walk out of that. That was an actual set piece they walked out of. Then we had some additional shots where we blended the computer graphic Vulcan ship you see in some of the wider shots in back of the landing leg.

Braga: I think the most important plot aspect of the movie and what gave it its title was that Vulcan encounter at the end. This is what Star Trek is and this is where it all began. And you want it to happen. It’s what’s at stake —  Star Trek itself — and that to me gives the movie such a strong core.

POST-PRODUCTION BEGINS

The film was perfect balance between practical effects and CG. After shooting wraps, there’s more work to be done.

Takemura: We did Geordi’s eyeball. There’s a little gag where you see his now-bionic eyes. His bionic pupils rotating. In this high-tech, visual effects world that we live in, that was decidedly low-tech. It was actually a crystal faucet shower handle that I found at Home Depot. I just took some still photographs of it and I worked with one of the compositing artists at Pacific Ocean Post. It was just rotating that crystal shower faucet handle and doing some expansions of his iris to make it look mechanical.  

Adam Howard, visual effects supervisor: I had one shot that I worked on where Patrick Stewart is in a night club and he pulls out a Tommy gun and fires it. There were two takes, apparently — and one of them had him reacting fully with the gun and the second take had him reacting much less. They chose the second take for us to work on to put the Tommy gun muzzle flashes into, but then they realized there wasn’t enough kick in his arms or a real reaction in his body from the power of the gun. I literally cut his body apart digitally and I adjusted the kickback in his arms and added a very slight jiggle to the skin in his face and we put very slight blinks in his eyes so there were reactions to muzzle flashes going off in front of him. 

Haller : I also was tasked with cutting a little buzz every time a light blinked on a Borg costume — and there were a lot. I ended up crafting Borg-ified tribbles with blinking LEDs as gifts to my supervisors.

IT’S A HIT

The film opens on Nov. 22, 1996, to acclaim from critics and fans. It’s the biggest smash in Star Trek history at the time, only trailing the beloved 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Moore: Opening weekend, we rented a limo and Brannon and I, we drove around and went theater to theater, stood in the back, watched various crowds watching the different sections of the movie, then we’d drive off to the next theater. It was really fun and it was just a great night. You could just feel the energy in the house, when you were there and they were watching the sequences. Cheers and laughter and gasps and you just knew it was working.

Braga : When First Contact was released and did as well as it did, both critically and financially, I really felt — at least from my personal perspective — I never reached that height again. I would have great experiences on Voyager and became showrunner for it and all that stuff, but there was just something about going out on Friday night to go pop into audiences and see that theaters were packed and people were cheering. It was a fun time.

Frakes : Opening weekend, my wife and I went to stay with friends in Berkshires in Western Massachusetts and we stayed in a barn and I put my head down and one of my fondest memories from the entire weekend was I got a phone call from [original series star] Deforest Kelley, who I had only met briefly at Rick Berman’s house. He was a neighbor of Rick’s. And I guess he had seen the movie and he contacted Rick and asked Rick how to get in touch with me. And he called to congratulate me on how wonderful the movie is and on the success. And I carry that with me to this day.

Moore:  It was still in theaters, and again, Rick said, “Hey, this comes from Sherry Lansing. They want to start working on the next one.” Brannon and I — this time we didn’t jump at it. This time, we said, “Let’s think about this. Do we really want to do it?” There was a sense of get out on a high note. We just had a gut instinct that we didn’t want to now risk it. We had just achieved what we wanted to achieve, we had bettered Generations . We felt like we had scored that. This was a big movie. Everyone liked it. Let’s not push our luck. Rick was disappointed and Paramount was disappointed. Rick really pressed us for a while, because I think he was disappointed, but he understood ultimately and we just bowed out. We just walked off stage. This was it.

'Star Trek': The Story of the Most Daring Cliffhanger in 'Next Generation' History

Thr newsletters.

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Mike leigh to receive inaugural career honor from malta’s mediterrane film festival, lily gladstone, omar sy, eva green on cannes competition jury, ‘deadpool & wolverine’ director shawn levy says film requires no “prior research” of marvel cinematic universe, nicole kidman says despite producing success, she doesn’t want to direct: “i would be a terrible director”, meryl streep says she was “traumatized” watching nicole kidman in ‘big little lies’ at afi life achievement gala, ray chan, art director and production designer for marvel films, dies at 56.

Quantcast

Star Trek: First Contact

MPAA Rating

Produced by, star trek: first contact (1996), directed by jonathan frakes / peter lauritson.

  • AllMovie Rating 6
  • User Ratings ( 0 )
  • Your Rating
  • Overview ↓
  • AllMovie Review Review ↓
  • User Reviews ↓
  • Cast & Crew ↓
  • Awards ↓
  • Releases ↓
  • Related ↓

Synopsis by Karl Williams

Characteristics, related movies.

Independence Day

Cast of Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact cast

Patrick Stewart portrays Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the wise and courageous leader of the starship Enterprise.

ActorImage

Jonathan Frakes plays Commander William T. Riker, the strong and strategic second-in-command.

ActorImage

Brent Spiner embodies the curious and intelligent android, Lieutenant Commander Data.

ActorImage

LeVar Burton takes on the role of Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, the skilled chief engineer known for his VISOR.

ActorImage

Michael Dorn portrays the honorable Klingon officer, Lieutenant Commander Worf, adding depth to the crew.

ActorImage

Gates McFadden plays Commander Beverly Crusher, the caring and capable ship's doctor.

ActorImage

Marina Sirtis steps into the role of Counselor Deanna Troi, using her empathic abilities to aid the crew emotionally.

ActorImage

James Cromwell portrays Dr. Zefram Cochrane, the visionary scientist who invents warp drive technology.

ActorImage

Alfre Woodard plays Lily Sloane, a strong-willed woman who finds herself unexpectedly involved in a crucial moment in Earth's history.

ActorImage

Alice Krige brings a chilling presence to the character of the Borg Queen, a powerful and enigmatic leader of the cybernetic race.

ActorImage

Neal McDonough takes on the role of Lieutenant Hawk, a dedicated officer serving aboard the Enterprise during a critical mission.

ActorImage

Dwight Schultz portrays Lieutenant Barclay, a nervous but capable technician who plays an important role in the crew's efforts.

ActorImage

Our free email delivers the daily top 10 TV shows and top 10 movies directly to your inbox. Stay ahead of the trends. Sign up below.

star trek the first contact cast

VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCER John Knoll

CO-PRODUCER Peter Lauritson

COSTUME DESIGNER Deborah Everton

FILM EDITOR John W. Wheeler, A.C.E.

PRODUCTION DESIGNER Herman Zimmerman

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Matthew F. Leonetti, ASC

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Martin Hornstein

BASED UPON "STAR TREK" CREATED BY Gene Roddenberry

STORY Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore

SCREENPLAY Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore PRODUCER Rick Berman

DIRECTED BY Jonathan Frakes

To view the end credits, click here .

star trek the first contact cast

star trek the first contact cast

How ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ Cast James Cromwell as Zefram Cochrane

T he search for the perfect Zefram Cochrane in “Star Trek: First Contact” initially involved discussions about potential dream actors for the role. One notable mention was Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, known for his stellar performances in “Philadelphia” and “Forrest Gump.” Producer Ron D. Moore expressed his admiration but acknowledged the reality:

“It never got that far. […] At that point in the process, there are lots of names on a wishlist for many, many reasons. I’m sure his name was floated in some capacity, but it was never really on the table.” 

While Hanks’ involvement remained a distant dream, James Cromwell’s name was identified early on as the preferred choice. Cromwell had already established a rapport with the Star Trek franchise through his roles in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” His sudden Oscar nomination for “Babe” in 1995 worried producer Rick Berman, who feared losing Cromwell due to his rising fame. Berman reveals:

“When we were creating the character, we always had Jamie in our head. And then ‘Babe’ came along and all of a sudden he was nominated for an Academy Award and we thought, ‘Oh my God, we’re not gonna get him! He’s too big for us now.’ But because we had worked with him on a number of occasions, we were delighted that he did in fact take the role.” 

Fortunately, Cromwell accepted the role of Cochrane, and his contributions to the Star Trek universe continued, including an appearance in “Star Trek: Enterprise” and a holographic version in “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” Cromwell’s portrayal affirmed his enduring relationship with the franchise.

FAQ Section

Who was initially considered for the role of Zefram Cochrane in “Star Trek: First Contact”?

Tom Hanks was one of the dream actors initially floated for the role of Zefram Cochrane.

Why didn’t Tom Hanks play the role of Cochrane?

Tom Hanks was never seriously considered due to factors like availability and cost, as his star power was very high at the time.

What made James Cromwell the preferred choice for the filmmakers?

James Cromwell was the preferred choice from the beginning because of his previous work on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the fact that the creators had him in mind while creating the character.

How did James Cromwell’s Oscar nomination for “Babe” influence his casting in “First Contact”?

His nomination made producer Rick Berman concerned that Cromwell might become too high-profile to accept the role, but Cromwell did ultimately agree to take on the character.

Did James Cromwell ever reprise his role as Zefram Cochrane?

Yes, Cromwell reprised his role in an episode of “Star Trek: Enterprise” and as a hologram in “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”

Despite initial aspirations to have Tom Hanks play Zefram Cochrane in “Star Trek: First Contact,” it was James Cromwell who ultimately accepted and defined the iconic role. Cromwell’s history with the Star Trek series and affection for the character overcame the brief hesitation caused by his “Babe” nomination success. His portrayal of Cochrane is remembered fondly by Star Trek fans, and his participation across different series solidifies his place in the Star Trek legacy.

l intro 1713464640

  • Coming Soon Theaters • Online
  • Advanced Search
  • Collections Top 500
  • Recommendations Movies • TV Shows
  • Search by Name
  • Popular Top 500
  • My TV Shows
  • My Calendar
  • Coming Soon Premieres

Watching

Movie's ratings

  • Kinorium 7.0 500+
  • IMDb 7.6 131 901
  • Critics 93% 68

Cast & Crew

  • Screenshots
  • Technical Data

Star Trek: First Contact — Cast & Crew

Jonathan frakes.

Jonathan Frakes — Director «Star Trek: First Contact»

Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart — Picard

Brent Spiner

Brent Spiner — Data

LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton — Geordi

Michael Dorn

Michael Dorn — Worf

Gates McFadden

Gates McFadden — Beverly

Marina Sirtis

Marina Sirtis — Troi

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard — Lily

James Cromwell

James Cromwell — Zefram Cochrane

Alice Krige

Alice Krige — Borg Queen

Michael Horton

Michael Horton — Lt. Daniels

Neal McDonough

Neal McDonough — Lt. Hawk

Marnie McPhail

Marnie McPhail — Eiger

Robert Picardo

Robert Picardo — Holographic Doctor

Dwight Schultz

Dwight Schultz — Lt. Barclay

Jack Shearer

Jack Shearer — Admiral Hayes

Eric Steinberg

Eric Steinberg — Porter

Scott Strozier

Patti yasutake.

Patti Yasutake — Nurse Ogawa

Victor Bevine

Victor Bevine — Guard

David Cowgill

David Cowgill — Guard

Scott Haven

Scott Haven — Guard

Annette Helde

Annette Helde — Guard

Majel Barrett

Majel Barrett — Computer, voice

Hillary Hayes

Julie morgan, ronnie rondell jr..

Don Stark — Nicky the Nose

Cully Fredricksen

Cully Fredricksen — Vulcan

Tamara Krinsky

Tamara Krinsky — Townsperson

Don Fischer

Don Fischer — Bolian Borg

J.R. Horsting

Heinrich james, andrew palmer, jon david casey.

Jon David Casey — Borg

Robert Zachar

Robert Zachar — Borg

Jeff Coopwood

Jeff Coopwood — The Borg, uncredited, voice

David Keith Anderson

Patrick barnitt.

Patrick Barnitt — Borg, uncredited

Renna Bogdanowicz

Mike Boss — Holodeck Nightclub Patron, uncredited

Harry Boykoff

Brannon braga.

Brannon Braga — Man Sitting on Table in Holodeck Nightclub, uncredited

Michael Braveheart

Michael Braveheart — Crewman Martinez, uncredited

Tracee Cocco

Tracee Cocco — Ensign Jae, uncredited

Steve DeRellian

Steve DeRellian — Borg, uncredited

Heather Ferguson

Noelle hannibal.

Noelle Hannibal — Vulcan Officer, uncredited

Jennifer Diane Hanson

Thomas robinson harper.

Thomas Robinson Harper — Borg, uncredited

Jon Horback

Randy james.

Wayne King — Klingon Borg, uncredited

James Mapes

James Mapes — Holographic Drunk, uncredited

Ronald D. Moore

Ronald D. Moore — Holodeck Nightclub Patron, uncredited

Louis Ortiz

Ethan phillips.

Ethan Phillips — Holodeck Nightclub Maitre d', uncredited

Larry Polson

Linwood porter, aric rogokos, shepard ross, michael satterfield, sandy e. scott.

Sandy E. Scott — Borg, uncredited

Gregory Sweeney

Chris tedesco.

Chris Tedesco — Holodeck Nightclub Trumpet Player, uncredited

D. Danny Warhol

Michael zaslow.

Michael Zaslow — Eddie, uncredited

John Copage

Sylvester foster, bob mcgovern.

Bob McGovern — Borg Drone, uncredited

Gene Roddenberry

Gene Roddenberry — (television series Star Trek)

Rick Berman

Rick Berman — (story)

Peter Lauritson

Marty hornstein, matthew f. leonetti.

Matthew F. Leonetti — Camera «Star Trek: First Contact»

Jerry Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith — Composer «Star Trek: First Contact»

Thomas Causey

Cameron frankley, anthony milch, steve pederson.

Steve Pederson — re-recording mixer

Brad Sherman

James wolvington, ron wilkinson, herman f. zimmerman, john m. dwyer.

John M. Dwyer — Designers «Star Trek: First Contact»

Deborah Everton

John w. wheeler, sequels/prequels chronology: 18.

Star Trek

Related Movies

Galaxy Quest

Trending Movies

Land of Bad

The best website for movie search and thoughts sharing with friends

  • Browser extension
  • American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Summary Picard orders the Enterprise to follow the Borg back in time to stop them from destroying the Phoenix, Earth's first warp-speed vessel. (Paramount Pictures)

Directed By : Jonathan Frakes

Written By : Gene Roddenberry, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore

Star Trek: First Contact

Where to watch.

star trek the first contact cast

Patrick Stewart

star trek the first contact cast

Jonathan Frakes

star trek the first contact cast

Brent Spiner

star trek the first contact cast

LeVar Burton

star trek the first contact cast

Michael Dorn

star trek the first contact cast

Gates McFadden

star trek the first contact cast

Marina Sirtis

star trek the first contact cast

Alfre Woodard

star trek the first contact cast

James Cromwell

Zefram cochrane.

star trek the first contact cast

Alice Krige

Michael horton, lt. daniels.

star trek the first contact cast

Neal McDonough

Marnie mcphail.

star trek the first contact cast

Robert Picardo

Holographic doctor, dwight schultz, lt. barclay.

star trek the first contact cast

Defiant Conn Officer

Jack shearer, admiral hayes, eric steinberg, scott strozier, security officer.

star trek the first contact cast

Patti Yasutake

Nurse ogawa, critic reviews.

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

Related movies.

star trek the first contact cast

Seven Samurai

star trek the first contact cast

The Wild Bunch

star trek the first contact cast

North by Northwest

star trek the first contact cast

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

star trek the first contact cast

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

star trek the first contact cast

The French Connection

star trek the first contact cast

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

star trek the first contact cast

Mad Max: Fury Road

star trek the first contact cast

The Incredibles

star trek the first contact cast

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

star trek the first contact cast

House of Flying Daggers

star trek the first contact cast

Assault on Precinct 13

star trek the first contact cast

The Hidden Fortress

star trek the first contact cast

Gangs of Wasseypur

star trek the first contact cast

Captain Blood

Related news.

2024 Movie Release Calendar

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Jason dietz.

Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

April Movie Preview (2024)

April Movie Preview (2024)

Keith kimbell.

The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order.

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

Memory Alpha

First Contact (episode)

  • View history

An injury to Commander Riker during a reconnaissance mission threatens the prospects for first contact with a culture on the verge of warp travel.

  • 1.2 Act One
  • 1.3 Act Two
  • 1.4 Act Three
  • 1.5 Act Four
  • 1.6 Act Five
  • 2 Memorable quotes
  • 3.1 Production history
  • 3.2 Story and script
  • 3.3 Production
  • 3.4 Cast and characters
  • 3.5 Continuity
  • 3.6 Reception
  • 3.7 Video and DVD releases
  • 4.1 Starring
  • 4.2 Also starring
  • 4.3 Guest stars
  • 4.4 Uncredited co-stars
  • 4.5 Stunt doubles
  • 4.6 Stand-ins
  • 4.7.1 Script references
  • 4.8 External links

Summary [ ]

Riker is injured, and being treated at a hospital on an alien planet . The doctors, while trying to assess Riker's injuries, notice various peculiarities in his physiology – the cardial organ in the wrong place, missing costal struts , and digits on his terminus . His face had been surgically altered to help him blend in, but not his entire body.

Act One [ ]

Riker is posing as Rivas Jakara , a tourist from the Marta community on the southern continent . When he awakens, he explains to Dr. Berel that his abnormalities are genetic , and that his own physician, Dr. Crusher is familiar with them – but she's currently on sabbatical. The doctors and hospital officials of the Sikla Medical Facility are not convinced. Dr. Berel wonders why, of all the medical facilities on the planet, did the alien have to show up here. He decides to keep it quiet until they thoroughly check out his claims, but with a guard posted at his door "29 hours a day".

Picard and Troi make first contact

Picard and Troi make first contact with Mirasta Yale

The Malcorians are on the verge of possessing warp capabilities. Mirasta Yale , an eager scientist , presents her plans for a warp drive to Chancellor Avel Durken to get approval for funding, amid objections from the minister of security , Krola , who states that the people are frightened and confused by new technology. Ultimately, the chancellor agrees to fund the warp drive program, stating that his people should be looking to the future, not the past.

Later, Picard and Troi beam into Mirasta's lab as she is working, startling her. After introducing themselves, they inform her that they have been monitoring her progress with warp drive and now feel it is appropriate to initiate first contact with the Malcorians. In response to her natural skepticism, Picard offers to provide her with proof. Mirasta accepts, and they beam her back to the USS Enterprise -D with them.

Act Two [ ]

Mirasta Yale walks into Ten Forward with Picard and Troi. After seeing her homeworld from space through the lounge's large viewports , she begins to reminisce about her times in the planetarium when she was a nine-year-old. She had always wanted to know about other worlds and cultures. Captain Picard and Deanna Troi explain to Yale that they had been monitoring her planet for years, analyzing their popular culture, broadcast signals, and entertainment. Picard explains how the Federation also sends down observation teams to blend in with the culture. He reveals to Yale that the undercover observation teams have been gathering information on her species for years. Picard then tells Yale that Riker was sent down undercover to coordinate with the observation teams in final preparations for first contact. He is now missing on the planet somewhere near the capital city . Yale agrees to do whatever she can to find him.

Rike being questioned by berel

"Jakara" is questioned by Doctor Berel

Yale states that the Malcorians' culture holds the belief of being superior in the galaxy and that it may be difficult to change that belief. Yale asks Picard not to discuss the missing Riker in front of Chancellor Durken and Krola, for fear that Krola will use him as a scapegoat in calling the warp project as a great threat to their culture and race.

Back in the hospital, there is quite a stir. Doctor Berel is annoyed over the attention, but the nurse Tava says that it will ultimately be very difficult to hold back the interest. Riker (Jakara) is being questioned in his room. Doctor Berel tells him that there is no Doctor Crusher on the planet. He accuses Riker of being a member of an alien species . Riker continues to deny the accusations; however, the doctor advises that he believes Riker is hiding something and that he cannot stay in hiding forever.

Meanwhile, a busy Chancellor Durken reluctantly receives Yale to his office with Picard following behind. Durken is shocked over what he sees, and Yale suggests that Durken clear his afternoon schedule.

Act Three [ ]

Durken and Picard drink wine

Picard and Durken share a glass of wine

Chancellor Durken is given a tour of the Enterprise and is brought to the bridge by Picard with Yale. Chancellor Durken and Yale both meet Commander Data as well, in awe of the android , a "constructed being" as Yale puts it. Data replies that "artificial lifeform" would be the more accurate term. After the captain and the chancellor leave them to speak privately to one another, Data informs Yale that there is still no word from Commander Riker. They have continued to scan the capital city for him without success.

In Captain Picard's ready room , Picard offers Durken wine from his brother 's vineyard . Picard proposes a toast to the new friendship between the Federation and the Malcorians. Durken does not completely trust Picard's overtures of friendship, and he perceives it as a prelude to attack from an interstellar conqueror. Durken asks what Picard will do if the chancellor asks them never to return to his planet. Picard says that they will respect his wishes and stay away.

Picard explains the Prime Directive after Durken asks why the Federation would not offer their superior technology to his people. Picard says that such an act would be irresponsible and destructive. Durken agrees and goes back to his family on the planet, deciding to tell his children that he had a good day.

Riker and Lanel

" There are differences in the way that my people make love. " " I can't wait to learn. "

Back in the hospital, Riker is attempting to escape by smashing out a window with a metal bench where he encounters a nurse named Lanel , who tells him he cannot escape due to the guards outside. Lanel asks if Riker is an alien. When he says no, she does not believe him. Lanel offers to let Riker escape to his spaceship in space, but only if he would make love to her. Riker says no, but Lanel insists, eager to learn how Humans make love. " I can't wait to learn ", she eagerly says.

Lanel fulfills her part of the bargain, distracting a guard by saying she thinks Riker is dead. Lanel asks if she will ever see Riker again. Riker says " I'll call you the next time I pass through your star system. " He runs into several people who stop his escape and begin to beat him. The beating exacerbates the injury to his kidney and he begins bleeding internally . Doctor Berel, growing tired of the escalation in violence, instructs his staff to contact central security and to escort Riker back to his room for surgery.

Act Four [ ]

Durkens staff meet to discuss first contact

Durken and his staff meet to discuss first contact with the Federation

Krola, Yale, Chancellor Durken, and a member of their staff are having a meeting regarding what to do in regard to first contact with the Federation. Krola believes that Yale and Chancellor Durken are being naive and that the reforms Yale and Durken are making are destroying the Malcorian culture. After they state that Krola is overreacting and that Captain Picard has no intention of conquering the planet, Krola says that they do not have to since Durken and Yale are willing to give over their planet with open arms. In order to further drive home his point, Krola says that he has captured a spy – Commander Riker. Yale then explains how the captured man is Captain Picard's first officer, and that she instructed Picard not to discuss Riker with Durken. Durken then angrily demands all the information that Yale was keeping from him.

Krola arrives at the Sikla Medical Facility to interrogate Commander Riker. Yale pleads to contact the Enterprise to help Riker. Krola asks Doctor Berel to revive Commander Riker using drugs that would increase his heart rate and vascular pressure, but Berel refuses, citing an analog to the Hippocratic Oath that he will "do no harm". Krola then promptly says that he will find someone else to replace Berel.

At their next meeting, a deeply concerned Chancellor Durken confronts Captain Picard with Commander Riker's discovery on the planet when Picard arrives in Durken's office. Picard explains that when Starfleet met with the Klingons , contact was "disastrous" and decades of war resulted. After that, the Federation decided that surveillance of this nature was necessary. He assures Durken that in time, full disclosure of the surveillance would have been made. Picard had hoped that his crew would have found Commander Riker before the Malcorians did, because the Malcorians most likely would have reacted negatively to the Federation's arrival. Durken is pleased with Picard's forthrightness, and comforted by the fact that he makes mistakes. Durken informs Picard that he will make a decision later regarding Riker.

Back in the medical facility, Krola relieves Berel as medical director and locates Dr. Nilrem , who agrees to revive Riker.

Act Five [ ]

Once Riker is revived, Krola asks to be left alone with him. Krola agrees to bring Riker's people to the hospital, but only after he answers his questions.

Worf and crusher see to riker

Doctor Crusher and Lieutenant Worf see to Commander Riker

Chancellor Durken is furious with Yale, stating that he would have asked for her resignation if it weren't for her vast expertise in space travel. Durken says that he is prepared to release Riker to Picard once he has been questioned, but Yale states that Riker condition is extremely grave, and he might not survive interrogation.

Krola demands to know why a race of peaceful people would have a need for such lethal weapons, while holding Riker's phaser . Riker explains that the weapon is only used for defense, but Krola does not believe him. Krola says that he must force Durken to keep him from forging an accord with the Federation. Krola then places the phaser in Riker's hands and fires it into his own chest, hoping to die as a martyr. Riker passes out again as Nilrem and Tava enter the room; they believe that Riker has shot Krola and that the security minister is going to die.

Doctor Crusher, Worf , and Martinez materialize in the hospital room at this point to rescue Riker. She reports Krola's condition and that she will need to beam him up as well. Picard, who is in Durken's office, receives word of this and says that he will meet them on the Enterprise . Durken accompanies him. Crusher reports that Riker was stabilized and that they saved him just in time. Krola is fine as well, because the phaser was only set on stun, but Dr. Crusher is able to ascertain that his injury was self-inflicted, answers the Chancellor's speculation that the two struggled for the weapon by explaining that Commander Riker was in no position to offer any struggle. Upon regaining consciousness, he weakly begs Durken once more not to trust the aliens nor pursue relations with them.

In Captain Picard's ready room, Chancellor Durken regretfully declines Picard's offer for first contact. He intends to delay the development of warp technology to allow the Malcorians more time to prepare themselves in regards to their society and culture. Picard agrees, though he regrets that he will not be able to learn more about Malcorian society. He asks Durken how they will keep the alien contact a secret. Durken says that even though stories of a government conspiracy will circulate for many years, they will pass in time as people deem them untrue conspiracy theories.

As a final request, Yale requests that Picard take her with him. Picard warns that the Federation may not return to Malcor III for many years, but Yale insists that space travel has been her dream since childhood. Picard summons Worf to escort Chancellor Durken to the transporter room and to assign quarters to Yale. Picard bids Durken farewell, hoping that they will meet again someday to continue their friendship.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" I can't find his cardial organ. (searching in new area) There it is. Up here. " " In his digestive tract? "

" What are you? "

" Mirasta Yale? " " Yes? " " Please, don't be alarmed at our appearance. " " My name is Jean-Luc Picard. This is my associate, Deanna Troi. "

" It's everything I ever dreamed of. "

" … will you help me [get out of here]? " " If you make love to me. " " … What? " " I've always wanted to make love with an alien. " " … It's not that easy, there are differences in the way that my people make love. " " I can't wait to learn. "

" Chancellor, I think… you might want to clear your afternoon schedule for this. "

" Will I ever see you again? " " I'll call you the next time I pass through your star system. "

" It's far more likely that I'm a weather balloon than an alien. "

" … he is a living, intelligent being. I don't care if the chancellor himself calls down here. I have sworn an oath to do no harm, and I will not! "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

  • Final draft script: 28 November 1990 [1]
  • Filmed: 30 November 1990 – 11 December 1990
  • Insert shot filmed: 30 January 1991
  • Premiere airdate: 18 February 1991
  • First UK airdate: 28 September 1994

Story and script [ ]

  • "First Contact" derived from a story that Marc Scott Zicree had pitched in the third season . Zicree recalled, " It's very hard to sell to Star Trek . They've gone months without buying any stories. I had done up something like 50 or 60 stories in pitching to the show. Usually I sell on the first or second story. I must have run fifteen stories by them before we hit 'First Contact.' Piller liked the stuff so he kept saying keep going. At one point Ira Behr was joking and said this guy is an idea machine, we should just lock him in a room and have him slip paper out from under the door. It was the day before Thanksgiving in 1989, and the meeting was at 5:00 in the morning. Everyone was sick of being there and wanted to go home, and it was a hard pitch for a while. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216)
  • Piller found the concept irresistible – to show for the first time how first contacts are dealt with in the Federation. The idea went through various permutations, including versions by " Tin Man " writers Dennis Russell Bailey and David Bischoff , as well as one by Ronald D. Moore and Joe Menosky which took the point of view of the Enterprise crew. At one point the story was considered for the season cliffhanger, and in another called "Graduation" it was to have been Wesley's final episode, in which he was to remain on the planet following the cultural contact mission. According to Zicree, one version had the planet discovering the Federation by taking in a crippled Enterprise shuttlecraft, while in another the members of the away team became celebrities. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 156))
  • For Piller, what held the episode back was not the idea itself. He recalled, " Our rules told us we never have open shows, and we wrote the first two drafts from our point of view and I realized it wasn't working. The thing that was holding us back was a rule, and I'm very much a supporter of the rules of Gene 's universe, but I also love to break them if they're in the interest of the show. I went to Rick and said that even though I know he doesn't like to break format, this could be a special show if he would let me write it from the alien point of view. He did, as long as I let everyone know that we weren't going to ever break this rule again. No other show in the history of Star Trek has taken the alien perspective of our characters, and I think that makes it very special and very unique. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216) This format ended up being revisited for Star Trek: Voyager 's " Distant Origin ".
  • The basic plot was seen as a homage to the classic science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still (directed by Robert Wise ). Piller remarked, " I said it was a '50s space movie except we're the aliens and that's really the way I tried to write it. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216)

Production [ ]

  • David Livingston noted, " It's the first episode where we really broke the mold. From a visual standpoint, we tried to create sets, wardrobe and medical instruments that looked evocative of our culture today, but were different, and add enough that they didn't say we just rented a gurney from Central Props. We took a lot of pains in terms of talking about the props and the set dressing, so that it looked a little bit odd. I think this we were pretty successful. It was very hard, but I think the audience identified with these people. It was how I would feel at first contact. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216)
  • "First Contact" was filmed between Friday 30 November 1990 and Tuesday 11 December 1990 on Paramount Stage 8 , 9 , and 16 . On the first day, 30 November, the previous episode " Clues " was completed and only a short scene between Patrick Stewart and George Coe in the ready room was filmed. An additional scene in Riker's hospital room was filmed as an insert shot on Wednesday 30 January 1991 on Paramount Stage 8 during the production of the episode " The Nth Degree ".
  • Several scenes which were planned were either dropped or cut from the episode. These are scene 17 and 18 in an extended version including several background actors like Joycelyn Robinson and Gerard David and scenes 8, 15, and 16 set in the transporter room when Mirasta Yale and Chancellor Durkin were beamed aboard, went through a corridor and visited engineering. According to the call sheet of Tuesday 4 December 1990 there were also many more background performers scheduled to appear in Ten Forward.

Cast and characters [ ]

  • This episode marks the first instance of an actor ( Bebe Neuwirth ) from the acclaimed sitcoms Cheers and Frasier , also distributed by Paramount, guest-starring on TNG. Neuwirth's scene was written in late with her in mind for the role. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 156)) The next was in the fifth season episode " Cause And Effect ", with Kelsey Grammer appearing as the captain of the time-trapped USS Bozeman . The two had starred together on both Frasier and Cheers as husband and wife, and later ex-husband and wife. The entire principal cast of Frasier , except for Kelsey Grammer, later did a skit with Kate Mulgrew spoofing Star Trek: Voyager for the Star Trek 30th anniversary special.
  • Carolyn Seymour previously appeared as a Romulan , Sub-commander Taris , in the second season episode " Contagion " and later played a different Romulan, Commander Toreth , in the sixth season episode " Face Of The Enemy ". She went on to play Mrs. Templeton in VOY : " Cathexis " and " Persistence of Vision ".
  • LeVar Burton ( Geordi La Forge ) does not appear in this episode.

Continuity [ ]

  • Marc Scott Zicree later wrote the story for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " Far Beyond the Stars ".
  • "First Contact" was later used for the title of the second Next Generation film , and the eighth film overall.
  • When offering a glass of wine to Chancellor Durken, Picard says that the wine was given to him by his brother Robert. He is referring to the events of the episode " Family ". In that episode, Robert asks him not to drink it alone, and Picard grants his brother's wish here.
  • This marks the third of four times the Captain shows a native female her home planet from orbit. This also happens with Rivan in " Justice ", Nuria in " Who Watches The Watchers " and Lily in Star Trek: First Contact . This approach clearly has meaning to the Captain as he tells Anij in Star Trek: Insurrection , seeing his home planet from space for the first time was a moment where time stood still.
  • This is one of only five TNG episodes that don't have a stardate. The others are " Symbiosis ", " Tapestry ", " Liaisons ", and " Sub Rosa ".

Reception [ ]

  • Entertainment Weekly ranked this episode number eight on their list of "The Top Ten Episodes" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation . [2]
  • Jonathan Frakes remarked, " I'm not sure that the writing in that episode was as good as it could have been. I really liked the story idea, [but] it had loopholes. It was loaded with great actors; George Coe and George Hearn and Bebe, who was a delight. What a funny woman. I loved that scene. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216)
  • Marina Sirtis commented, " I thought it was one of the most interesting episodes of the season. It was something so obvious that we hadn't addressed and an issue that hadn't been brought up in 150 episodes of Star Trek . Of course there are going to be people who are going to get warp power and are going out into space. How do we deal with this? I thought it was a really good episode and Patrick agreed that we were exactly the right two people to go down to the planet and say hi. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 216)
  • Director Cliff Bole comments, " Originally, when I read it, my challenge was how to handle all the talking, because it was a very talky show. Real talky, and sometimes between just two people. I think we came out all right with it. I don't know how it stands in the [fan] rating. I would like to do a first contact story that results in a nice big conflict. I think that can be an issue show. Look at what's happening in Europe. I think they should make contact and really step into it. Picard actually made references to that in dialogue. He said something about that happening with the Klingons, that the first contact with them became a 100-year war. " ("Cliff Bole – Of Redemption & Unification", The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 17 , p. 34)
  • A mission report for this episode, by John Sayers, was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 16 , pp. 26-29.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

  • Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 45, 6 April 1992
  • UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 4.5, 16 July 2001
  • As part of the TNG Season 4 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

  • Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
  • Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

  • Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
  • Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
  • Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
  • Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars [ ]

  • George Coe as Avel Durken
  • Carolyn Seymour as Mirasta Yale
  • George Hearn as Berel
  • Michael Ensign as Krola
  • Steven Anderson as Nilrem
  • Sachi Parker as Tava
  • Bebe Neuwirth as Lanel

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

  • Anthony as Ten Forward waiter
  • Thomas J. Booth as operations division officer
  • Michael Braveheart as Martinez
  • Carter as Malcorian nurse
  • Gilbert Combs as Malcorian med tech
  • Davis as Malcorian doctor
  • Chris Doyle as Malcorian guard
  • Elliot Durant III as operations division ensign
  • Keppler as Malcorian nurse
  • Bruce Koski as Malcorian med tech
  • Manicone as Malcorian med tech
  • McConnell as Malcorian minister
  • Tim McCormack as Bennett
  • Michael Moorehead as civilian
  • Pastor as Malcorian doctor
  • Perez as Malcorian minister
  • Randy Pflug as Jones
  • James Washington as Malcorian doctor
  • Bolian ensign
  • Female Malcorian hospital com voice
  • Female operations division ensign
  • Malcorian assistant (voice)
  • Male Malcorian hospital com voice
  • Two civilian women

Stunt doubles [ ]

  • Dan Koko as stunt double for Jonathan Frakes
  • Frank Orsatti as stunt double for Steven Anderson

Stand-ins [ ]

  • Michael Braveheart – utility stand-in
  • Bill Craig – stand-in for George Hearn
  • Jeremy Doyle – utility stand-in
  • Margaret Flores – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
  • Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis , Sachi Parker , Bebe Neuwirth , and Carolyn Seymour
  • Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner , Steven Anderson , George Coe , and Michael Ensign
  • Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden and Carolyn Seymour
  • Randy Pflug – stand-in for George Hearn
  • Keith Rayve – utility stand-in
  • John Rice – utility stand-in
  • Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes , Michael Ensign , and George Coe
  • Dennis Tracy – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
  • James Washington – stand-in for Michael Dorn

References [ ]

" a lot "; accord ; acting ; address ; adrulmine ; alien ; " all right "; android ; angle ; arrival ; artificial lifeform ; " as well "; associate ; assumption ; " at home "; " at least "; attention ; Betazed ; birth defect ; Bolian ; brain activity ; broadcast signal ; capital city ; capture ; cardial organ ; cardial rate ; case ; " catch their breath "; Central Security (Malcor III) ; century ; chance ; chancellor ; Chateau La Barre ; chest ; chorus ; circulation ; circulation pattern ; Code Blue ; code 3 drill ; community ; confrontation ; confusion ; conqueror ; consciousness ; conspiracy ; cosmetic surgery ; costal strut ; cranial damage ; cranial lobe ; crisis room ; daily broadcast ; danger ; dark ages ; day ; death ; decade ; deep space ; del-scan series ; device ; diagnostic bed ; digestive tract ; digit ; diplomacy ; disappearance ; dissent ; distraction ; door ; drug ; Durken's family ; Earth ; eating establishment ; economics ; education ; Engineering station ; entertainment ; Environmental station ; era ; error : evening meal ; evidence ; experience ; expertise ; family ; fear ; federation (government); fiction ; first contact ; " for instance "; friend ; friendship ; fruit ; Garth system ; genetic mutation ; genetic trait ; goal ; grapes ; guard ; " had no business "; hallway ; hand ; high frequency E-M charge unit ; history ; home ; hour ; humor ; hundred ; idea ; idealist ; ideology ; imagination ; implant ; " in a manner of speaking "; information ; inherited genetic trait ; injury ; innocence ; instinct ; instructor ; internal bleeding ; Internal Security ; interrogation ( questioning ); Jakara, Rivas ; Jakara's father ; Jakara's neighbors ; jewelry ; joke ; journalism ; Klingon Empire ; lab ; language ; " last thing "; launch ; leader ; life ; lifeform ; light ; light barrier ; light year ; logic ; location ; " lost your mind "; Lupo ; lying ; machine ; " make love "; Malcor III ; Malcor III capital city ; Malcor III primary ; Malcor III system ; Malcorians ; Malcorian civilians ; Malcorian language ; Malcorian warp ship ; Marta community restaurant cook ; Marta community ; martyr ; medical aid ; medical facility ( hospital ); medical journal ; medical library ; medical technology ; metal ; Minister ; Minister of Security ; minute ; mission ; Mission operations station ; mistake ; mob ; month ; music ; name ; Nessor ; night ; oath ; observation team ; octare ; " of course "; office ; " on file "; " open your eyes "; opponent ; opportunity ; " out of control "; outer space ( space ); panic ; path ; patient ; peace ; permission ; philosophy ; physician ; pin ; Picard, Robert ; planet ; planetarium ; police ; policy ; political agenda ; popular music ; present ; Prime Directive ; prisoner ; privilege ; problem ; production unit ; progress ; prototype ; quadroline ; question ; reality ; recovery ; relationship ; renal organ ; resignation ; resource ; riot ; room ; rumor ; sabbatical ; schedule ; science station ; scientific community ; scientist ; search ; second officer ; secret ; security ; service exit ; Sikla Medical Facility ; sitting ; sky ; social development ; social reform ; society ; southern continent of Malcor III ; Space Administrator ; Space Bureau ; space traveler ; spaceflight ( space travel ); spaceship ; specialist ; species ; spy ; station 12 ; story ( tale ); surface ; surface reconnaissance ; surgery ; surgical cube ; surrender ; surveillance ; surveillance team ; telencephalon ; term ; terminus ; thing ; threat ; time ; " to be honest "; toast ; tourist ; toy ; tradition ; transport coordinates ; transporter room ; trauma ; trust ; truth ; understanding ; universe ; vascular pressure ; vice-chancellor ; vital buffer ; voice ; warp drive capability ; warp engine ; warp field generator ; warp program ; warp travel ; way of life ; weather balloon ; wine ; wing ; witness ; word ; Yale's parents ; year

Script references [ ]

armament ; aspiration drill ; calmative ; Central Province ; children ; conference ; cranial bone ; delegate ; demonstration ; diagnostic center ; disguise ; dreamer ; Federation ; first contact transport ; four planets ; ichor ; invasion ; journalist ; judgment ; knee ; medical officer ; realist ; resource allocation ; room ; security chief ; speed of light ; theory ; thousand ; training ; violence ; wall ; warp drive ; warship

External links [ ]

  • " First Contact " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • " First Contact " at Wikipedia
  • "First Contact" at StarTrek.com
  • " First Contact " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
  • "First Contact" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
  • " First Contact " at the Internet Movie Database
  • 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews

First Contact

  • Episode aired Feb 16, 1991

Patrick Stewart, George Coe, and Carolyn Seymour in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Disguised as an alien prior to First Contact, Will's life becomes imperiled when incurred injuries reveal his foreign internal structure to a xenophobic alien population. Disguised as an alien prior to First Contact, Will's life becomes imperiled when incurred injuries reveal his foreign internal structure to a xenophobic alien population. Disguised as an alien prior to First Contact, Will's life becomes imperiled when incurred injuries reveal his foreign internal structure to a xenophobic alien population.

  • Gene Roddenberry
  • Dennis Bailey
  • David Bischoff
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Jonathan Frakes
  • LeVar Burton
  • 25 User reviews
  • 11 Critic reviews

George Coe and Carolyn Seymour in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

  • Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

  • Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

LeVar Burton

  • Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
  • (credit only)

Michael Dorn

  • Lieutenant Worf

Gates McFadden

  • Doctor Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

  • Counselor Deanna Troi

Brent Spiner

  • Lieutenant Commander Data

George Coe

  • Chancellor Durken

Carolyn Seymour

  • Mirasta Yale

George Hearn

  • Minister Krola

Steven Anderson

  • Enterprise-D Ops Officer
  • (uncredited)
  • Crewman Martinez

Gilbert B. Combs

  • Malcorian Med-Tech

Christopher Doyle

  • Malcorian Guard
  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

  • Trivia Bebe Neuwirth was working on Cheers (1982) at the same time. In order to dovetail her schedule, it was sometimes necessary for her to go through makeup with TNG, then skip across the lot to rehearse with Cheers (in alien makeup), then return to TNG to finish makeup and shoot. She reported that the Cheers cast appreciated the humorous distraction (glued to her face).
  • Goofs Both Yale and Picard could have beamed directly to the privacy of Chancellor Durken's office instead of presenting themselves to his secretary at the hall, causing shock and panic to the secretary and any witnessing staff at Picard's presence, thus ruining the plans for first contact.

Chancellor Durken : I go home each night to a loving wife, two beautiful daughters. We eat the evening meal together as a family. I think that's important, and they always ask me if I've had a good day.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : And how will you answer them tonight, Chancellor?

Chancellor Durken : I will have to say: This morning, I was the leader of the universe as I know it. This afternoon, I'm only a voice in a chorus - but I think it was a good day.

  • Connections Featured in re:View: More Rich and Mike's Top Ten TNG Episodes (2020)
  • Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 25

  • Nov 20, 2021
  • February 16, 1991 (United States)
  • United States
  • Official site
  • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
  • Paramount Television
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

  • Runtime 46 minutes
  • Dolby Digital

Related news

Contribute to this page.

  • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
  • Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Production art

Recently viewed

Screen Rant

Star trek’s 10 most evil mirror universe characters.

Star Trek's Mirror Universe is home to the most evil versions of our favorite Starfleet heroes, but which ones are the best of the worst?

  • The Mirror Universe boasts evil versions of beloved Star Trek characters — Mirror Spock, Mirror Sulu, Regent Worf, & more stand out.
  • Evil Mirror Universe variants like Mirror Kirk and Intendant Kira showcase the dark side of well-loved Star Trek characters in a compelling way.
  • Mirror Universe characters like Emperor Georgiou, Captain Killy, and Dr. Phlox display extreme evil actions, making them the "worst of the worst."

Star Trek 's Mirror Universe is home to the most evil versions of some of the franchise's most beloved heroes, but which ones are the best of the worst? First introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 10, "Mirror, Mirror", the Mirror Universe is the Federation's darkest timeline, where humanity embraced brutal fascism over peace, love and understanding. Although the Mirror Universe only appeared in one episode of TOS , bearded Mirror Spock (Leonard Nimoy) left a huge impression on popular culture, leading to multiple returns to the dark timeline and its evil alternates in later Star Trek TV shows .

Arguably, the most evil Mirror Universe character was Mirror Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell), who met the visiting Vulcan delegation with a shotgun blast . Cochrane's murderous first contact established how the Terran Empire would go on to subjugate countless species in Star Trek 's Mirror Universe. However, it was just the human Star Trek heroes that had evil Mirror Universe variants , the franchise's best-loved Bajoran, Klingon, and Cardassian characters also had their dark opposites. In a whole universe of evil Star Trek characters, it can be hard to narrow down exactly which ones are the best at being the worst.

Star Trek: Voyager & DS9 Crossed Over In The Mirror Universe

10 mirror hikaru sulu (george takei), "you will also appear to have killed him after a fierce battle. regrettable, but it will leave me in command.".

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) was thrown into the complicated power dynamics of the Mirror Universe when he and his away team were stranded there in "Mirror, Mirror". After preventing Mirror Chekov (Walter Koenig) from assassinating him, Prime Kirk then had to contend with an attempt on his life from Mirror Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). Sulu versus Kirk was the climax of "Mirror, Mirror", as the ISS Enterprise's lieutenant tried to murder his way to the center seat.

Star Trek: The Original Series

*Availability in US

Not available

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Mirror Sulu was, predictably, a more cruel and bitter version of his Prime Universe counterpart. Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichele Nichols) got a sense of Mirror Sulu's harsher side when she had to play on his infatuation with her Terran counterpart. Although he wasn't the worst of the worst of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe characters, Mirror Sulu is a great example of the dark side of some of the franchise's best loved characters . However, despite being cruel, conniving, and a stone-cold killer, Sulu was bested by Prime Kirk in a final showdown.

9 Regent Worf (Michael Dorn)

"this time, i will deal with the rebels myself.".

Regent Worf (Michael Dorn) was the ruler of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe during the 24th century, so he was obviously an evil guy. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed that the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance enslaved all Terrans and Vulcans in various regions of their territory. As the Regent, Worf oversaw the violent oppression of these slaves throughout his reign . The Regent relied on his Intendants to keep the Terrans under his heel, and was enraged by the loss of the Terok Nor space station .

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Worf doled out cruel and degrading punishments to those that failed him, including Mirror Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) who was forced to wear a dog collar for losing Terok Nor to the rebels. However, as evil as Regent Worf may have been, he was presented as a fairly ineffective leader whose empire was crumbling around him . He suffered two embarassing losses in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , at the hands of Prime Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and the ISS Defiant, and then even got duped by Prime Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodenchik) who installed a faulty cloaking device aboard his flagship.

Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi Worf Kills In Star Trek: Picard [UPDATED]

8 mirror dr. phlox (john billingsley), "will you kindly die".

The Mirror Universe version of the avuncular Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) was a sadist who specialized in torture . Phlox conducted horrific experiments on living beings in pursuit of medical advancement, and served as the chief medical officer aboard the ISS Enterprise NX-01. Phlox specialized in concocting new means of torture to punish the enemies of the Terran Empire, leading to the creation of the Agony booth. This technology conducted a synaptic scan of any humanoid, so that it could stimulate every available pain center, keeping its victims in a state of constant agony.

The Agony booth or "Agonizer" was used across the Terran Empire, having been seen in Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror", and the Mirror Universe episodes of Star Trek: Discovery .

Despite being an evil sadist, Dr. Phlox was eventually convinced to join the attempt to stop Mirror Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) from using the USS Defiant to become Terran Emperor. However, as ever in Star Trek 's Mirror Universe, Phlox's actions were driven by self-interest more than moral duty. Phlox only agreed to stop Archer because he believed that, by saving the life of the incumbent Terran Emperor, he would be rewarded with multiple concubines and an impressive new medical facility .

7 Mirror Commander Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula)

"more like a federation of fools".

In Star Trek: Enterprise 's Mirror Universe, Jonathan Archer was still a Commander, serving alongside Captain Maximillian Forrest (one of Vaughn Armstrong's multiple Star Trek roles ). Archer's feelings of inadequacy compared to Forrester led him to commit some reckless and evil acts. After stealing the USS Defiant, Archer wanted to gain the respect of his crew, and so launched an assault on a Gorn foreman that had remained aboard the ship. Archer's attack on the Gorn resulted in many of his MACO troopers being killed, and also left Major Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating) seriously injured.

Mirror Archer is the earliest Star Trek captain to face a Gorn in any timeline.

Mirror Archer was insane, taunted by an illusion of his superior Prime Counterpart, who drove him to more and more reckless actions. Archer murdered Admiral Black (Gregory Itzin) and assumed command of the USS Defiant, with which he intended to stage a military coup. Archer became increasingly unhinged, and ordered the deaths of the Defiant's alien crew members, except for Dr. Phlox. Archer was eventually stopped from assuming control of the Terran Emperor, putting an end to further evil acts from the Enterprise captain.

Enterprise’s Mirror Universe Episodes Marked The Sad End Of The Star Trek Prequel

6 emperor philippa georgiou (michelle yeoh), "i'm extremely wicked, even for a terran.".

Star Trek: Discovery 's Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) has certainly gone some way to redeeming her actions in the Mirror Universe. However, it might take a lot more than ending the Federation-Klingon War to wash away the sins of Georgiou from her reign as Terran Emperor. Georgiou rendered the Klingon home world Qo'noS uninhabitable, subjugated the Betazoids and destroyed Mintaka III. Emperor Georgiou also launched a bombardment against the Talosians for trying to trick her with their mental projections .

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Georgiou was less xenophobic than her predecessors, happily accepting the native titles of the Vulcans, Andorians and Klingons that she ruled over. It was perhaps this openness with "lesser" species that made her opponents see Emperor Georgiou as a weak leader. The failed coup against Emperor Georgiou led to her traveling to the Prime Universe, where she now lives as a Section 31 operative. It's said that the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie will see Georgiou confront the sins of her past, continuing the redemptive journey she began in Star Trek: Discovery season 2 .

5 Captain Sylvia "Killy" (Mary Wiseman)

"i'm gonna have nightmares about myself now.".

Captain Sylvia "Killy" (Mary Wiseman) was the captain of the ISS Discovery, and a close colleague of Emperor Philippa Georgiou . Tilly rose to her position by murdering the previous captain while they were recovering from an illness, which is one of the most ruthless in a long list of Mirror Universe murders. As captain of the ISS Discovery, the Mirror Universe version of Tilly was just as responsible for the subjugation of the Betazoids and devastation of Mintaka III. However, unlike Georgiou, Mirror Tilly, who had earned the nickname "Killy" never got a chance to redeem herself later in Star Trek: Discovery , nor would she likely want one .

Mary Wiseman's character, Lt. Sylvia Tilly was named after the niece of Star Trek: Discovery producer Gretchen J. Berg.

The Mirror Universe Tilly was terrifying to her Prime Universe counterpart, who worried that she'd have nightmares about herself. With such nicknames as "The Slayer of Sorna Prime" and "The Witch of Wurna Prime", it's no wonder that Tilly was so unnerved by her Mirror Universe counterpart. "Killy" was the darker, more ambitious version of Star Trek: Discovery 's Tilly, and she had an impressive, if terrifying list of accolades;

  • Medal of Valor
  • Master of Poisons Medal
  • 50 Kills Medal

Star Trek: Discovery Proves Starfleet Academy Show Doesn’t Make Sense Without Tilly

4 empress hoshi sato (linda park), "you're speaking with empress sato. prepare to receive instructions.".

The Mirror Universe version of Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) from Star Trek: Enterprise was an incredibly smart woman who knew which powerful man to throw in her lot with. Effectively playing off Mirror Archer and Mirror Forrest against each other, Hoshi placed herself in a position where she could use the USS Defiant to hold Earth to ransom. Staying close to Archer as his lover during his plot to steal the technologically superior USS Defiant from the Tholians, she waited until the time was right to depose the ambitious leader.

Mirror Archer ordered that any information about the Federation held on the USS Defiant's systems be erased so as not to inspire a rebellion against the Terran Empire, a reference to Mirror Spock being inspired by Prime Kirk's tales of the Federation.

Hoshi seduced Mirror Archer's personal security officer, Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery) to help her with a poisoning plot. Killing Archer with poisoned champagne, Hoshi became commanding officer of the USS Defiant. She then holds the entire planet Earth to ransom with the USS Defiant in a hostile takeover of the entire Terran Empire. Hoshi's military coup was one of the boldest moves achieved by any of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe variants .

3 Intendant Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

"i have no taste for violence. i regret using it even when it seems necessary.".

Intendant Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) is the only character to feature in all five of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Mirror Universe episodes . Mirror Kira was a fascinating character who ruled Terok Nor at the behest of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Although she was very clearly evil, Intendant Kira Nerys was less brutal than some of her Mirror Universe contemporaries, preferring instead to use manipulation and her sexuality to get what she wanted. That being said, the Intendant regularly veered from ordering the execution of Terran Rebels to subjugating others as her personal slaves to her every whim.

Nana Visitor once described Intendant Kira as such: " I t's very much me. I mean, I hope I don't send people to their deaths or anything like that, but yeah, that is more of who I am ."

The Intendant was so vain that she was even attracted to Major Kira from the prime Star Trek timeline . As with many Mirror Universe variants, Intendant Kira Nerys was adept at self-preservation, and she would easily stab her allies in the back if it saved her life. For example, Intendant Kira murders the Mirror Universe's Nog (Aron Eisenberg) even though the young Ferengi had freed her from prison. In her final Star Trek: Deep Space Nine appearance, the Intendant orchestrates the sabotage of Regent Worf's flagship, leaving behind the ruler of the Mirror Universe to face the punishment of the Terran Rebellion .

Major Kira's Best Star Trek DS9 Episodes

2 mirror captain james t. kirk (william shatner), "has the whole galaxy gone crazy".

The majority of Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 20, "Mirror, Mirror" has Prime Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) fill in for his Terran counterpart. This means that it's hard to get a handle on how truly evil Mirror Universe Kirk actually was. However, there is a staggering list of crimes attributed to the Terran Empire's Captain James T. Kirk in "Mirror, Mirror". As well as murdering Captain Christopher Pike to assume command of the ISS Enterprise, he used stolen alien technology, the Tantalus field, to vaporize his enemies.

William Shatner had pitched the return of Mirror Kirk to Rick Berman as a potential episode of Star Trek: Enterprise season 4.

Mirror Kirk is also said to have executed 5000 colonists on Vega IX, and also destroyed the home planet of the Gorlans' . None of these genocidal actions are depicted on-screen in Star Trek: The Original Series , as the real Mirror Kirk is largely confined to a cell aboard the Prime Universe's USS Enterprise. However, there's no question that the Mirror Universe's Captain Kirk was one of the very worst of the worst of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe characters.

1 Mirror Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs)

"i have been to another universe and back. you think i'd come all this way without a plan".

Budding Terran Emperor, Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) is the greatest Star Trek: Discovery villain and the most evil of Mirror Universe characters. Following his unsuccessful coup against Emperor Philippa Georgiou, Lorca fled to the Prime Universe, where he assumed the identity of his counterpart. This was one of Lorca's most evil moves, as he infiltrated his Prime Counterpart's life and career, including his romantic relationship with Admiral Katrina Cornwall (Jayne Brook). Not only did Mirror Lorca embark on a sexual relationship on false pretenses, he " groomed " Mirror Michael Burnham, proving that he was a sexual deviant as well as a brutal oppressor .

Jason Isaacs originally wanted to turn down the role of Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery out of respect for Star Trek: The Original Series .

As well as his sexual crimes, Lorca was responsible for killing his entire crew by destroying the USS Buran on arrival in the Prime Universe. While Lorca claimed he was saving them from the brutal treatment they'd receive as prisoners of the Klingon Empire, his actions elsewhere suggest he was simply removing an obstacle to his goals . By inveigling his way into Starfleet and the USS Discovery, Lorca then goes back to the Mirror Universe to launch another attempt to seize the throne of the Terran Empire. Lorca's wholesale murder of his Mirror Universe crew, his manipulation of the women in his life, and the betrayal of the USS Discovery crew make him the Star Trek character with the blackest of black hearts.

All episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek: Discovery are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek Discovery’s L’ak Actor Told Us About Learning His Character's Most Exciting Details At A Point When He Couldn't Immediately Freak Out

I would be losing my mind too.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors." Watch the episode with a Paramount+ subscription before hopping in!

Star Trek: Discovery snuck in a significant reveal in its latest episode, and it answered a question that many fans have wondered for decades. We finally know what the Breen look like, and it turns out we've been looking at one almost the entire season. L'ak has the honor of being the first Breen face for fans to see, and actor Elias Toufexis had a great story of geeking out when he first learned about it.

For those who follow him on X , Toufexis is a massive Star Trek fan, but he didn't find out how significant his role as L'ak in the final season was until he was in a spot where, understandably, wild reactions and jerky movements are discouraged. The actor shared the details of when he first found out he was going to be a Breen and how he felt about it:

When I went to the makeup test I had, I had to go put on the whole plaster where you sit there for 20 minutes and try not to pass out, try not to freak out. But I said, ‘Can I look at what I'm going to look like?’ And they showed me some concept art and I said, ‘What is he?’ And they said, ‘Oh, he's, he's gonna be a Breen.’ And I was like, ‘Breen don't take their helmets off.’ That was the first thing I said, that's a much of a nerd I am. And I'm like, ‘Are you telling me I'm gonna be the first Breen that takes his helmet off?’ …The makeup guys are geeks too. So it's like, ‘Yeah, it's gonna be cool. It's gonna be the first time in Star Trek!’ And so that really got me excited.

I can't express how much I love it when a big fan of Star Trek finds themselves in a role for the franchise. Being the first unmasked Breen may not mean a ton to every actor who would get the honor, but I know Elias Toufexis was as enthusiastic as he stated in the quote above. At the same time, what awful timing to figure it out when you're in the makeup chair and have to contain your excitement physically for a set period of time!

The Breen were first mentioned Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990, and then six years later, the species would make its debut in the Deep Space Nine episode "Indiscretion" but remained unseen until just recently. According to a quote from showrunner Ira Steven Behr from the Deep Space Nine Companion , Breen were originally fully covered up because he "wasn't in the mood" to design a new alien race.

Fast forward to now, we've seen an unmasked Breen on the run from his species with his lover, Moll (who is nothing like Ahsoka 's Shin Hati ). The couriers are searching for the Progenitors' device in hopes they can exchange it with the Breen for freedom and no longer have to live as fugitives.

David Ajala as Booker in Star Trek: Discovery

I'm getting really excited about this.

Michael Burnham, being the inspiring captain that she is , offered to protect L'ak and Moll from the Breen, but her offer was rejected. The two made their escape, are off to continue to search for more clues and, hopefully, evade the Breen capture.

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

It is cool to see Star Trek still surprising fans with reveals decades later, and I wonder if we'll see more unmasked Breen in upcoming Star Trek projects going forward. Perhaps whatever comes out of this conflict with the Breen will play a part in the story of the upcoming Starfleet Academy series , which is also set in the 32nd century. I can imagine we'll see at least one or two members of the Discovery cast there, though Mary Wiseman wouldn't spill the beans when I asked. Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying!

Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. We're officially at the midpoint in the final season, so now would be a good time to remember what we've learned so far and gear up for the final episodes.

Mick Joest

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

That Time Sandra Oh Took Over Our Sympathizer Interview So She Could Learn Even More About Robert Downey Jr. Playing Four Characters At Once

David Ajala Explains Star Trek: Discovery Seemingly Ending Cleveland Booker's Story In Season 4, And Why He’s Glad He Returned For Season 5

10 Billie Eilish Red Carpet Looks That Challenged Norms For Women’s Fashion

Most Popular

  • 2 After 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After Showed A Challenging Moment In Kobe And Emily's Story, I Kinda Felt Proud Of Them
  • 3 That Time Sandra Oh Took Over Our Sympathizer Interview So She Could Learn Even More About Robert Downey Jr. Playing Four Characters At Once
  • 4 David Ajala Explains Star Trek: Discovery Seemingly Ending Cleveland Booker's Story In Season 4, And Why He’s Glad He Returned For Season 5
  • 5 'There Has Been No Justice': Britney Spears Takes Aim At Parents With Salty Posts After Settling Lawsuit With Jamie Spears

star trek the first contact cast

'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 4 uses time travel to remember the past 5 seasons

It's pretty obvious watching this episode that the cast and crew, at the very least, strongly suspected that this was going to be the last season of "Discovery" when it was written.

 You're not seeing double…well, actually you are, as 23rd century Burnham must fight her-32nd-century-self.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5, episode 4

With the news that "Star Trek: Lower Decks" is ending after its current season, that really only leaves "Strange New Worlds" as the last remaining Nu-Trek series currently airing on television. 

And, a word to the wise: If you're a die-hard fan of " Discovery ," make sure you have your own physical media, 'cause no one likes being at the mercy of whatever an overpaid television executive thinks. You're welcome. Moreover, after this final season of "Discovery," we're going to have until wait until next year for the next season of " Strange New Worlds ." It's all starting to feel a bit like "Game of Thrones" all over again.

Episode four, entitled "Face the Strange," is without a doubt the best entry so far in the fifth season, and one can't help but wonder after watching exactly when the cast and production crew were first informed that this would be the last season, because it was definitely before this episode was actually written. The reason? It is, for all intents and purposes, a 60-minute, time-travel-powered, postscript-style reminiscence of all elements of all five seasons — or as much as you can cram into an hour — and what a rollercoaster ride it's been.

So when Alex Kurtzman or Michelle Paradise or whoever it is that actually has authority in the writer's room entered said room, put down their grande iced sugar-free vanilla half-double decaffeinated half-caff latte with soy milk and a twist of lemon in their Paramount-branded 40oz Stanley Clean Slate Quencher H2.0 Flowstate™ Tumbler and announced, "Wouldn't it be great to revisit chapters from seasons one, two, three and four?" no doubt everyone cheered. "And how will this be possible?" asked Kurtzman, to which an eager-beaver intern no doubt excitedly thrust their hand up into the air and exclaimed, "Why, time travel , of course!"

Related: ' Star Trek:' History & effect on space technology

Watch Star Trek on Paramount Plus:

Watch Star Trek on Paramount Plus: Get a one month free trial  

Get all the Star Trek content you can possibly handle with this free trial of Paramount Plus. Watch new shows like Star Trek: Discovery and all the classic Trek movies and TV shows too. Plans start from $4.99/month after the trial ends.

closeup of a humanoid cyborg from a star trek tv show.

"Quite right," replied Kurtzman (in our imaginations, at least), adding, "But it can be for one episode, so it has to be an isolated, self-contained form of time travel." Thus was conceived the "Time Bug," and with it came a ton of technobabble to precisely explain its parameters. Although quite why Zora didn't detect it was not addressed. Also, you know, transporters. 

Get the Space.com Newsletter

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

But this clever Time Bug, which can manipulate time in just about any way that's convenient for the writers to overcome any potential chronological complications — like life-changing paradoxes — came onboard the USS Discovery by way of that shifty Malinne "Moll" Ravel (Eve Harlow), who managed to infiltrate the Trill homeworld undetected, as we saw last week .

As a result, we get reminder glimpses of Michael Burnham's first coming aboard the USS Discovery way, way, way back in season one, complete with appropriate uniforms and everything. We get a fleeting reminder of the Red Angel and the battle with Control , naturally The Burn gets a mention, and there's even a not-very-subtle nod to the short-Trek " Calypso ." It's all a little bit like a Greatest Hits album that doesn't include any of the tracks that you actually liked, being played at 45 instead of 33. Remember vinyl?

Since it's now obvious that this season was written after the cancellation announcement had been made to the cast and crew, the single most important question is, Will the show benefit from that, or will it suffer? Are the remaining six episodes going to be a drawn-out epilogue, tied loosely together with a mostly lame plot? Or, will advance knowledge of the show's future actually serve the writers well, allowing them to produce something above and beyond the normal level of writing? 

There's even a very entertaining scene, in which 23rd-century Burnham must fight her 32nd-century self. Of course, the illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator fitted to the space bug prevents any changes from affecting the timeline, so you know, phew . 

Most of the original Discovery bridge reappear, as close to how they looked seven years ago as possible, and even Lt. Cmdr. Airiam (played by Sara Mitich in the first season and Hannah Cheesman in the second) makes a cameo, so that's nice. Also, we can really see as Sonequa Martin-Green flips between her two Burnhams just how effective that dreadlock hair piece that she wears through this season actually is. Half the show's budget probably went to that. 

scene from a

 —   Watch the bittersweet trailer for 'Star Trek: Discovery's final season (video)

— Star Trek streaming guide: Where to watch the Star Trek movies and TV shows online

—  Star Trek's Seven of Nine returns in new novel 'Picard: Firewall' (exclusive)

It's a fun filler episode, and, even if it doesn't advance the plot an inch, it does allow character development to take place, particularly between Burnham and Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie). Arguably the biggest surprise was that the writers were able to resist putting Captain Pike (Anson Mount) into this episode. 

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery," and every other episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the U.S., while "Prodigy" has found a new home on Netflix.  

Internationally, the shows are available on  Paramount Plus  in Australia, Latin America, the U.K. and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on  Paramount Plus  in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Scott Snowden

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

Everything we know about James Gunn's Superman

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 108 — Starliner: Better Late Than Never?

Highly precise atomic clocks could soon get even better. Here's how

  • EFH Dreadlock hair piece? Really? Before you publish, please do your research. Those are not dreadlocs. She is wearing braids. Yikes and cringe. I'm embarrassed for you. Reply
  • View All 1 Comment

Most Popular

  • 2 Mars exploration, new rockets and more: Interview with ESA chief Josef Aschbacher
  • 3 Everything we know about James Gunn's Superman
  • 4 Sneak peek: Browncoats grab victory in Boom! Studios' upcoming 'Firefly: 'Verses' comic (exclusive)
  • 5 SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida

star trek the first contact cast

IMAGES

  1. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    star trek the first contact cast

  2. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    star trek the first contact cast

  3. Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Movie Trailer

    star trek the first contact cast

  4. Star Trek: First Contact

    star trek the first contact cast

  5. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    star trek the first contact cast

  6. Why Star Trek: First Contact's Zefram Cochrane Is a Great Performance

    star trek the first contact cast

VIDEO

  1. The First Contact Fleet

  2. Star Trek: First Contact

  3. ABC Star Trek: First Contact

  4. STAR TREK FIRST CONTACT (1996)

  5. Playmates STAR TREK First Contact PHOENIX WARP DRIVE SHIP (1996)

  6. Star Trek: Why Were The Next Generation Movies Such A Mixed Bag?

COMMENTS

  1. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    Star Trek: First Contact (1996) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. Movies. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. TV Shows.

  2. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    Star Trek: First Contact: Directed by Jonathan Frakes. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton. The Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed.

  3. Star Trek: First Contact

    Star Trek: First Contact is a 1996 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes in his feature film debut. It is the eighth movie of the Star Trek franchise, and the second starring the cast of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.In the film, the crew of the starship USS Enterprise-E travel back in time from the 24th century to the 21st century to stop the ...

  4. Star Trek: First Contact

    Star Trek: First Contact - Full Cast & Crew. 71 Metascore; 1996; 2 hr 0 mins Drama, Suspense, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction PG13 Watchlist. Where to Watch. ...

  5. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from changing Federation history and assimilating the galaxy.

  6. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    Ronald D. Moore. Screenplay, Story. Jonathan Frakes. Director. Rick Berman. Story. The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from changing ...

  7. Star Trek: First Contact

    Learn more about the full cast of Star Trek: First Contact with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide

  8. Star Trek: First Contact

    Rated: 3.5/4 • Apr 8, 2023. The Enterprise and its crew follow a Borg ship through a time warp to prevent the Borg from taking over the Earth in a past era. Stuck in the past, Geordi La Forge ...

  9. Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Cast and Crew

    Meet the talented cast and crew behind 'Star Trek: First Contact' on Moviefone. Explore detailed bios, filmographies, and the creative team's insights. Dive into the heart of this movie through ...

  10. Star Trek: First Contact

    Synopsis. 1996 • PG-13. Picard orders the Enterprise to follow the Borg back in time to stop them from destroying the Phoenix, Earth's first warp-speed vessel. Picard orders the Enterprise to follow the Borg back in time to stop them from destroying the Phoenix, Earth's first warp-speed vessel.

  11. Star Trek: First Contact

    Star Trek: First Contact premiered in American cinemas on 22 November 1996, number one at the box office. With a budget of around US$45,000,000, it opened nationwide on 2,812 screens at US$30,716,131 and went on to eventually garner US$146,027,888 worldwide. ... Star Trek Generations, this is the only movie starring The Next Generation cast ...

  12. 'Star Trek: First Contact': The Story Behind The 1996 Classic

    Jonathan Frakes, Brannon Braga, and more look back at 'Star Trek: First Contact' 20 years after the groundbreaking 1996 hit took 'Trek to new heights. In 1996, Star Trek was at its apex. On the ...

  13. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

    Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for Star Trek: First Contact (1996) - Jonathan Frakes, Peter Lauritson on AllMovie - The first "Trek" film to feature the cast of the…

  14. Star Trek: First Contact (Movie) Cast

    The cast of Star Trek: First Contact includes the main characters from the beloved TV series. Led by Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the crew, consisting of Commander William T. Riker, Lieutenant Commander Data, and other familiar faces, embarks on a mission to save Earth.

  15. "Star Trek: First Contact" : Cast and Credits

    TREKCORE > MOVIES > STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT > Cast and Credits CAST Patrick Stewart as: Captain Jean-Luc Picard Jonathan Frakes as: Commander William T. Riker Brent Spiner as: Lieutenant Commander Data LeVar Burton as: Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge Michael Dorn as: Lieutenant Commander Worf Gates McFadden as: Dr. Beverly Crusher Marina Sirtis as: Counselor Deanna Troi

  16. How 'Star Trek: First Contact' Cast James Cromwell as Zefram ...

    The search for the perfect Zefram Cochrane in "Star Trek: First Contact" initially involved discussions about potential dream actors for the role. One notable mention was Oscar-winning actor ...

  17. Celebrating 25 Years of STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT

    by Eric Diaz. Nov 22 2021 • 2:00 PM. Twenty-five years ago, on November 22, 1996, Star Trek: First Contact premiered in theaters. The film was the second one to feature the crew from Star Trek ...

  18. Cast

    Cast and crew of «Star Trek: First Contact» (1996). Roles and the main characters. Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner

  19. Star Trek: First Contact

    The dread is so serious. The Borg are a force that cannot be reasoned with and wont stop until you destroy them. Furthermore they will assimilate everything you have and use it against you (people, resources and technology). Then there is the legendary first contact. It is the starting point for the Federation.

  20. First Contact (episode)

    An injury to Commander Riker during a reconnaissance mission threatens the prospects for first contact with a culture on the verge of warp travel. Riker is injured, and being treated at a hospital on an alien planet. The doctors, while trying to assess Riker's injuries, notice various peculiarities in his physiology - the cardial organ in the wrong place, missing costal struts, and digits on ...

  21. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" First Contact (TV Episode 1991)

    First Contact: Directed by Cliff Bole. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn. Disguised as an alien prior to First Contact, Will's life becomes imperiled when incurred injuries reveal his foreign internal structure to a xenophobic alien population.

  22. List of Star Trek: The Original Series cast members

    Leonard Nimoy as Spock, first officer and science officer. George Takei as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman. "The Cage" cast. Jeffrey Hunter as Christopher Pike, commanding officer of the USS Enterprise in 2254. Majel Barrett as Number One, first officer in 2254. Peter Duryea as José Tyler, navigator in 2254. Laurel Goodwin as J. M. Colt, Captain's ...

  23. First Contact (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation. ) " First Contact " is the 15th episode of the fourth season (and the 89th episode overall) of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation . Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D.

  24. Star Trek's 10 Most Evil Mirror Universe Characters

    Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life.

  25. Star Trek Discovery's L'ak Actor Told Us About Learning His Character's

    The Breen were first mentioned Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990, and then six years later, the species would make its debut in the Deep Space Nine episode "Indiscretion" but remained unseen ...

  26. Star Trek Origin Story Movie Slated for 2025, Starts Filming This Year

    The next theatrical Star Trek movie is a prequel to 2009's reboot. The next theatrically-released Star Trek movie is set to begin filming this fall, with plans to debut in 2025. Paramount Pictures ...

  27. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 (2025) Cast, Spoilers, Plot

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds takes place in an era when Capt. Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount) manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. With his Number One, Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn) and ...

  28. 'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 4 uses time travel to remember

    Space Movies & Shows. 'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 4 uses time travel to remember the past 5 seasons. News. By Scott Snowden. published 18 April 2024. It's pretty obvious watching this ...