Pen Pals
- Episode aired Apr 29, 1989
- TV-PG
- 45m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Data befriends an alien girl in distress, breaking the Prime Directive, while Wesley commands his first team.Data befriends an alien girl in distress, breaking the Prime Directive, while Wesley commands his first team.Data befriends an alien girl in distress, breaking the Prime Directive, while Wesley commands his first team.
Ann Gillespie
- Ensign Hildebrant
- (as Ann H. Gillespie)
Majel Barrett
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
James G. Becker
- Youngblood
- (uncredited)
Jeffrey Deacon
- Command Division Officer
- (uncredited)
Randy James
- Ten Forward Waiter
- (uncredited)
Tim McCormack
- Ensign Bennett
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is the first episode where Picard actually drinks Earl Grey tea. He had previously ordered a cup of Earl Grey from the replicator in Contagion (1989), but because of a computer malfunction he instead received a small potted plant.
- GoofsThe entire crew act as if they have never seen an alien before, after Data brings his friend on board, and refer to her as "that".
- Quotes
[Data is about to beam down to the planet]
Commander William T. Riker: O'Brien, take a nap. You didn't see any of this, you're not involved.
Chief Miles O'Brien: Right, sir, I'll just be standing over here dozing off.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Mr. Plinkett's Star Trek 2009 Review (2010)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Featured review
A Senior Trekker writes................
The Second Season of Star Trek the Next Generation has often been downplayed due to multiple production and writing staff problems, and several major cast changes. Although of mixed quality, it does contain some outstanding and brilliant episodes. Senior Trekker is extremely grateful to all those people who worked so hard under difficult circumstances to keep it on our screens.
Wesley's leadership test is a well-realised segment about the challenges faced by an inexperienced young officer leading an away team for the first time. He doubts himself when challenged by an older team member (and just about everyone on the Enterprise is older than Wesley) but sticks to his original plan and makes a success of it. Considering how much Will Wheaton's character was disliked by now (apparently some viewers competed to think up the worst possible end he could come to), it is quite a satisfactory attempt to make him more relatable.
Data, on the other hand, REALLY screws the pooch. He falls for the cute kid's "only you can help me" line, breaks the Prime Directive and endangers the ship all because it felt like a good idea at the time. Captain Picard's decision not to discipline him (or better still disassemble him) is totally inadequately explained. Senior Trekker would like to have been a fly on the wall in the writers' room when this idea was mooted.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)
Wesley's leadership test is a well-realised segment about the challenges faced by an inexperienced young officer leading an away team for the first time. He doubts himself when challenged by an older team member (and just about everyone on the Enterprise is older than Wesley) but sticks to his original plan and makes a success of it. Considering how much Will Wheaton's character was disliked by now (apparently some viewers competed to think up the worst possible end he could come to), it is quite a satisfactory attempt to make him more relatable.
Data, on the other hand, REALLY screws the pooch. He falls for the cute kid's "only you can help me" line, breaks the Prime Directive and endangers the ship all because it felt like a good idea at the time. Captain Picard's decision not to discipline him (or better still disassemble him) is totally inadequately explained. Senior Trekker would like to have been a fly on the wall in the writers' room when this idea was mooted.
(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)
helpful•123
- celineduchain
- Jan 3, 2022
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Filming locations
- Thousand Oaks, California, USA(outdoor ranch in holodeck scene)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content