Звездный путь: Следующее поколение The Arsenal of Freedom (1987–1994) Online

1987–1994 Patrick Stewart Jonathan Frakes LeVar Burton Les Landau

Original Title :: The Arsenal of Freedom
Genre :: TV Episode / Action / Adventure / Mystery / Sci-Fi
Year :: 1987–1994
Directror :: Les Landau
Cast :: Patrick Stewart,Jonathan Frakes,LeVar Burton
Writer :: Gene Roddenberry,Richard Manning
Type :: TV Episode
Time :: 1h
Rating :: 7.2/10

Звездный путь: Следующее поколение The Arsenal of Freedom (1987–1994) Online

The Enterprise encounters a message from a planet offering to sell them arms. The messenger, essentially a holographic image, invites them to the planet below. There, the away team led by Commander Riker comes under attack from a myriad of weapons leading Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher to also beam down to the planet. They too are attacked and Dr. Crusher is seriously wounded. Aboard the Enterprise, Lt. Laforge is left in command for the first time in a crisis situation. He not only has to deal with being under attack from these unknown weapons systems, but also deal with a colleague who feels he should be given command of the ship.

Episode complete credited cast:
	Patrick Stewart	-	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
	Jonathan Frakes	-	Commander William T. Riker
	LeVar Burton	-	Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
	Denise Crosby	-	Lieutenant Tasha Yar
	Michael Dorn	-	Lt. Worf
	Gates McFadden	-	Dr. Beverly Crusher
	Marina Sirtis	-	Counselor Deanna Troi
	Brent Spiner	-	Lt. Commander Data
	Wil Wheaton	-	Wesley Crusher (credit only)
	Vincent Schiavelli	-	The Peddler
	Marco Rodríguez	-	Captain Paul Rice
	Vyto Ruginis	-	Chief Engineer Logan
	Julia Nickson	-	Ensign Lian T'Su
	George De La Pena	-	Lt. Orfil Solis

The sand in the cavern was infested with fleas, which made the shoot an utterly miserable experience for Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden, who were under constant attack by the minute bloodthirsty creatures.

The miniature of the Echo Papa 607 was built by visual effects supervisor Dan Curry, using an old L'Eggs pantyhose container and a discarded shampoo bottle.

An Echo Papa 607 drone, holographically masquerading as Paul Rice, stated the USS Drake had a maximum speed of Warp 3, which would make it the slowest known starship in Starfleet in the 24th century.

This is the first episode of the series to show Worf at the Enterprise-D's tactical station, a position he would be officially stationed at starting with Star Trek: The Next Generation: Skin of Evil (1988) and would remain there for the rest of the series and Star Trek: Generations (1994).

This is the second time the saucer separation sequence is used for the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. The saucer does not get separated again until Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Best of Both Worlds: Part II (1990).

When questioned by the hologram of Captain Rice, Commander Riker answers that his ship is called the Lollipop, claiming that it is "a good ship." This is a reference to the Shirley Temple song 'On the Good Ship Lollipop'.

Robert Lewin had originally meant the episode to develop the implied romantic relationship between Picard and Crusher. Gene Roddenberry, however, nixed the idea, and Lewin cited Roddenberry's lack of interest in character development as his reason for leaving the show. Other sources have suggested that Lewin's departure may also have been stimulated by friction with Maurice Hurley, who adapted Lewin's story and wrote the episode's teleplay.

The big emotional scene, with Picard and Crusher trapped in a cavern, was conveniently interrupted by a handy plot development before it could go beyond anything but the vaguest of hints. Originally, Crusher was going to reveal her true feelings to the gravely wounded Picard, but matters were switched so that Crusher was the injured party. This change worked, but the failure of the scene to make its intended point was frustrating not only to Lewin but to director Les Landau and to most viewers.

This episode marks the third appearance of one of the Enterprise-D's chief engineers, after Sarah MacDougal (TNG: Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Naked Now (1987)) and Argyle (Star Trek: The Next Generation: Where No One Has Gone Before (1987), Star Trek: The Next Generation: Datalore (1988)). In this case, it is Logan.

This episode marks the first Star Trek episode of John Nowak, Patrick Stewart's stunt double. Nowak later doubled Stewart in twenty more episodes and in Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He also doubled Mark Margolis in Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Matter of Perspective (1990) and Robert Picardo in several episodes of Star Trek: Voyager (1995).

Director Les Landau, whose first assignment as director was this episode, remembered, "...the episode..., was in creative turmoil and going through a massive, last-minute rewrite. In five years, that was the only time the company had to shut down because there was no shooting script to be shot. I was familiar with the sets, cast and crew, so although the script was late in appearing, I had all the knowledge and background to go ahead and do my job. To this day, 'Arsenal' still stands out as one of the better shows, certainly one of the shows with the most production value of any we've ever done. Fortunately, all the elements fell together on that first day. I had the total support of the cast, crew and company to go ahead and do the best job possible. The cast was, and has always been, totally supportive of working with and for me, and I can't say enough about their cooperation."

The saucer separation was created completely by using stock footage from Star Trek: The Next Generation: Encounter at Farpoint (1987).

Marco Rodríguez later played Glinn Telle in Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Wounded (1991) and Julia Nickson played Cassandra in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Paradise (1994).

This takes place in 2364.

After Star Trek: The Next Generation: Angel One (1988), this is the second and final episode to show La Forge in command.

The title is based upon "The Arsenal of Democracy," one of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt fireside chats where he proposes to help countries threatened in World War II and keep American neutrality. "We must be the great arsenal of democracy."

The prop for the big surface cannon that had been used to melt tritanium, speculated by Riker for being a demonstration model for a potential buyer, was a prop rented from Modern Props. It was later on seen again in _Demons_ as a 22nd century mining laser used on Luna.

The closed captioning for this episode replaces the term "Ersalrope wars" with "Romulan wars."

Wil Wheaton does not appear in this episode.

Footage of Jonathan Frakes from the scene with Rice was later used in the series finale Star Trek: The Next Generation: All Good Things... (1994) so he could appear younger and beardless.

User reviews

Rocksmith

"Arsenal of Freedom" is a very simple episode--good but with a simple plot. The Enterprise is looking for what's left of another ship, the Drake. The trail leads to a dead planet...and yet the planet makes contact with them! It seems to be an automated message by some arms merchants who own the planet--and it IS a dead planet indeed. But when the away team lands, the planet becomes VERY hostile and begins attacking. Why then the Captain and Doctor beam down, I have no idea. Soon, all five crew members are in a life or death struggle and they cannot beam back aboard. In the meantime, Laforge is in command and this offers him a huge challenge, as the planet soon begins attacking the ship as well. Basically it's a tale of survival as well as of growth for Laforge. Very simple, very direct and yet very enjoyable. Worth seeing.

Pameala

This episode is the best of a uneven but fairly good first year of the show. It's also one of the few episodes which has it all. Danger, romance, mystery planet, space battle and all. The fish out of water situation in space with Geordi was superb, with an almost insubordinate engineer to deal with too! Picard out of his depth with Beverly's medical situation was also great viewing. Some small glimpses into Beverly's past were interesting. No shortcuts taken here with a viewer pleasing saucer separation too! The final solution to the attacker in space was superb and set Geordi up for a much bigger part to come later in the show.

Olwado

ST:TNG:21 - "The Arsenal Of Freedom" (Stardate: 41798.2) - in this episode, we see one of the few times Captain Picard has gone onto an Away Team mission (because Riker was incapacitated in the initial landing team). The main question this episode poses is what is the cost of war? This episode is most notable for the guest starring of the late Vincent Schiavelli as the Minosian Peddler. Trivia: we get to hear how Riker was offered the command of the U.S.S. Drake but turned it down to become second in command of the Enterprise. Also, we see Geordi LaForge in command once more (because both Picard and Riker are down on the planet) as he comes up against Chief Engineer Logan (a position he will hold very soon) and makes the tough decision to separate the ship (one of the few times it happens in the series).

Lahorns Gods

This episode creates challenges for the entire crew. A hologram character, speaking like a used car salesman, draws the Enterprise to a planet. Upon arrival, the away team is confronted by a hostile force. Weapons that float in the air are able to fire on the crew and surround Will in a kind of electronic cocoon. Jean Luc and Beverly beam down to help out but while trying to outrun the hostile forces they fall into a pit where Dr. Crusher is badly injured. This allows these to characters to show the love they have for each other as Picard cares for her, trying to keep her alive. The others are left to their own survival. Meanwhile, the planetary force goes after the Enterprise and Geordi is put in charge, there being no one else that can do the job. He is shown to be green, lacking in confidence. This is a very personal episode and while he conclusion a little weak, it is a very nicely done effort.

Ballazan

Enterprise arrives at a plant, Minos, to investigate the disappearance of the USS Drake. The crew receives an automated message from a defense system salesman, but he won't answer any questions on the disappearance of the Drake, so the crew beams down to take a closer look.

"The Arsenal of Freedom" (04/11/88, Season 1, stardate: 41798.2) has an imaginative premise: Minos has a planetary defense system to sell, the weapons systems learn on their own, and things go out of control. The away team triggers a lethal weapons demonstration. It's intended to get them to buy, but instead it attacks them without any sort of safety protocol.

I wish the episode would spend more time on the details, or at least give us some additional made up gobbledygook verbiage!

I didn't understand how the weapon system drones could transform into human holograms and back to their hover-craft form. Are they pure energy? Do the machines go invisible while they project a hologram?

I was lost at the beginning and I thought the ending was a bit too easy. It has some imaginative SF elements and is well worth watching, but I thought it could have been better thought out.

**Spoilers Probable Past Here**

Picard and Dr. Crusher join the away team when Riker is caught in a field of energy. While Picard is away, he leaves Geordi in command. Geordi must make difficult decisions, encourage youthful crew members, and show leadership in the face of a skeptical and fretful (higher ranking) engineer.

Picard and Dr. Crusher bond after Crusher falls and injuries herself. We find out some background history of Crusher and that her mother taught her herbal remedies. Data shows more of his great ability by jumping many feet down to rescue Picard/Crusher.

The defense system has many parts, which appear somewhat disconnected and somewhat networked. It sends out a small hover craft that shoots phaser blasts. The hover craft either transforms or projects a hologram intelligence gatherer (it could project a hologram if it has invisibility like its orbital model). The defense system has another invisible craft in space to fight off any ships in orbit. And it has an underground computer and manufacturing center that tracks enemy activities and constructs new hover craft models.

Picard discovers the defense system controls and its hologram salesman. The finale seemed a bit easy and forced. I was left wondering why the defense system got so out of control when it was seemingly so easy to turn off. Did Picard just get lucky?

And, why oh why, doesn't the orbital defense system disable after the buy is made? Is it too far away to receive the message to disable?

I thought the ending was a bit too easy and it didn't answer any of my questions.

Windworker

"Arsenal of Freedom" is pure awesomeness. Lt. Geordi LaForge gets to sit in the hotseat as Picard, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, and Security Officer Yar are on a planet with a history of supplying weapons for war. No human lifeforms, just advanced weaponry the Enterprise crew has never encountered left to contend with. Both the Enterprise and those on the ground have to deal with superior weaponry, and how to get out of dodge will be top priority for all involved. Picard and Crusher fall into a hole while flying machines fire laser blasts towards the away team. Each machine they destroy, the next is improved; Riker and company know that they cannot continue to do battle with them because eventually their phasers will have no effect. Meanwhile, LaForge must tolerate an officer from Engineering challenging his authority while having to deal with a weapon with cloaking capabilities, slowly deteriorating the Enterprise's shields the longer they remain in orbit of the planet. This episode really exhilarates me because it such a refreshing change of pace; Picard goes down to the planet, Crusher (who suffers lacerations, bruises, and broken bones thanks to the fall; how Picard survived unscathed is anybody's guess) is the one who needs tending to, and Geordi decides to separate the saucer driving the battle section back to the planet, keeping the 1000 people from certain doom if the Enterprise were to remain in orbit. The solution to the entire ordeal is a hoot because it is so ridiculously simple and a nearly unconscious Crusher comes up with it out of the blue! Vincent Schiavelli (Ghost) is hilarious as a "projected salesman", a "peddler program" used by the now extinct Minos people to sell weaponry, killed off by the very machine they built. He actually helps Picard figure out the machine's weaknesses and understand how it works. This is Geordi's finest moment (and he had some good ones in the coming seasons as Chief Engineer, but this was his turn to shine; I would be shocked if this wasn't Levar Burton's favorite episode, or at least one of his favorites), getting to command, sit in the Captain's chair, and what he is saddled with is quite a responsibility/burden. Seeing young con personnel and a game Worf going to battle with Geordi (okay, granted, it is against a similar machine that you see on the ground of the planet, but its cloak and dagger routine is quite difficult for even the most seasoned Captains, appearing, disappearing, and reappearing) is really a thrill. You don't see the saucer separating very much but when it does, the episode really needs to deliver something of note and this one does feature Geordi, taking solid advice from the wisdom of Troi, leading the nervous officers with confidence and level-headedness. Just a great episode altogether, with lots of action, survival strategies, and difficult challenges for all of the principle characters. There is a bit of mourning for me inside because this is really a fine example of why Denise Crosby's decision to leave the show (just two episodes later, Skin of Evil would feature the Yar character's demise) was the wrong one because she is right in the thick of it on the ground, helping to dictate the next move against those pesky laser machines.

Binar

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Roddenberry's second creation of an elite group exploring space through humanity is a remarkable milestone for not only television but the sci-fi genre itself. As it quips repetitively, it dares go where no one has been before, and analyzes the good and bad of the nature. And it's that wide range of nature that is touched down, in all its hokum that it calls for, the answers are overwhelming to all the questions thrown out to it. Unlike the previous series, it has much more characters to handle which is a double edge sword. On the pro section, it helps writers jump in on diverse categories through them and swoop in as much as material possible through their individual perspective and still keep it all inside a definite and familiar circle.

On the other hand, it also is challenging to fiddle around these many characters on screen, especially the amount of new contents and eerie ideas each episode comes up with, it increases the possibility to lean towards flaws. And yes, it has its own limitation, but in its own gullible range and potential, it just simply works. Plus, what's fascinating is despite of being brimmed with these many personas floating about in the space, they haven't allotted any stereotypical specific characteristics to the characters, their species and nature may definitely vary, but a cheesy note is strictly prohibited in Enterprise-D.

The infamous Capt. Jean-Luc Picard played by Stewart who is mostly known by this role from his career, is exceptionally well crafted character that is simply nothing but a good leader and add Stewart's performance to that, the outcome is your iconic character that survives decades easily. Sirtis as the consciously enhanced counselor fits perfectly in the ship and the makers makes sure either they keep her up front to notify the shady part of the plot or distracts her wisely to advance the plot.

Frakes, once again, a competent leader and warrior that is more explored into love affairs while Dorn as a hot head and Burton as the most adapting and willful learner on the ship helps make the environment more engaging and realistic. Spiner as the android, Lt. Commander Data, who means nothing but business, unfortunately, is the guy that means the least amount of business, often relied upon for the humor, he might be explored thoroughly but is rarely projected with sincerity.

Personally, I prefer Stewart's mellow equation with Wheaten who looks up to him as a father figure and adds the right amount of emotion to it, McFadden's friendly relation too helps on spicing up this dish. The guest cast coming in- often playing the antagonist- invests equally and perpetually to this scoreboard. Advancing further than the previous series did, this journey also brings in rich traditional rituals and their own quirky references to the table. Star Trek: The Next Generation is your typical space ride, floating without any control it grabs everything like a child, and in its innocence and honesty it is one breathtaking ride.

Season 01

A promising start for the series, where cases may come and go, but the chemistry among the cast is what amps up the charge, with background still kept under the shades and just skimming off the surface of their equations, the makers have managed to tease us and hook us from the first adventure itself.

Arsenal Of Freedom

Cornering our heroes from all the sides, this surviving nature script is exhilarating on physical action sequences and also in its maturity of settling the scores by negotiation and schemes and blazing guns in space.

Qusserel

Answering a distress call on a planet long considered devoid of intelligent life, the Enterprise discovers it has triggered some kind of alarm system where a humanoid played by Vincent Schiavelli appears and offers the Enterprise all kinds of weaponry.

Schiavelli is just a hologram, but he does get some interesting lines in. It seems as though way back when this planet had a war of annihilation and his people sold both sides the weapons that did the job.

A few close calls for some TNG regulars as Patrick Stewart looks to get away from this place without triggering off weapons that are for sale like in a department store.

Some thought provoking ideas in this TNG story.

Agantrius

This is one of the most subtlety frightening episodes of TNG. The lower score is because I find the drones and the jungle setting to be somewhat cartoony when they shouldn't be. This episode is ultimately about an entire planet that was slaughtered by its own creation, as a warning about the dangers of putting too much trust in weapons, this is good. I'm sort of neutral to this episode.

Fek

I've always enjoyed this episode and when I watched it again (on Blu-Ray) I was surprised how it really holds up. Sure the effects mostly stink, but this works as a great character episode. la Forge especially gets a few great moments here as he is given command of the Enterprise while basically the rest of the bridge crew (what no red shirts) heads down to a planet where nothing is working for them. It's been a while since I watched the series and I don't recall liking Geordi until later in the series. Boy was I wrong. He's professional yet so unsure (much like everyone on board save for Picard, Riker and Troi) of his capabilities but he's a great example of watching a man work on his feet. Oh and then tries that awkward scene down on that cave with Picard and Crusher. It should've been more of a development scene, but it ends up bringing up more questions than answers.

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Звездный путь: Следующее поколение The Arsenal of Freedom (1987–1994) Online

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