Unnatural Selection
- Episode aired Jan 28, 1989
- TV-PG
- 45m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Enhanced DNA developments trigger an epidemic of rapid aging. Caught among its victims - Dr. Pulaski.Enhanced DNA developments trigger an epidemic of rapid aging. Caught among its victims - Dr. Pulaski.Enhanced DNA developments trigger an epidemic of rapid aging. Caught among its victims - Dr. Pulaski.
Majel Barrett
- Enterprise Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
George Baxter-Holder
- Darwin 'Child'
- (uncredited)
James G. Becker
- Youngblood
- (uncredited)
Michael Braveheart
- Crewman Martinez
- (uncredited)
Cibby Danyla
- Medical Staff
- (uncredited)
Larry Guthrie
- Darwin Scientist
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaChief O'Brien was a last-minute addition to the teleplay. Originally, the story featured a young engineering genius named Rina, whose beauty caused male colleagues to repeatedly experience pratfalls, which led to a romantic subplot with La Forge. Showrunner Maurice Hurley found the character obnoxious and deleted her when he rewrote the teleplay, replacing her with Colm Meaney's until-then nameless character, who was finally named and his personality expanded upon.
- GoofsThe Darwin Station crew are experimenting with genetic engineering, which violates Federation laws that were enacted due to the lesson of the Eugenics Wars. This issue is a recurring theme in Trek, yet is never once addressed in this case.
Although the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) episode Ad Astra Per Aspera (2023) might give a possible explanation for this. In the episode, it is said that the law that forbids genetic manipulation within Starfleet is going to be altered to allow genetically altered species to exist within the federation. It is very well possible that the law was further lifted by the 24th century to allow for genetic manipulation when certain conditions are met.
- Quotes
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: And, Doctor, God knows I'm not one to discourage input, but I would appreciate it if you'd let me finish my sentences once in a while.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Shades of Gray (1989)
- SoundtracksStar Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage
Featured review
An interesting idea...too bad that so much of the episode seems overly familiar.
Much of "Unnatural Selection" is quite good. It's sad, then, that the show starts off with a serious deficit because so much of the show seems like a remake of one of the original "Star Trek" shows, "The Deadly Years".
The Enterprise receives a distress signal from a Federation ship. But, by the time they arrive to help, the entire crew is dead-- killed by some disease that turned young and healthy people into old folks who died from 'natural causes' due to age. This certainly isn't good but is worse because it looks identical to the earlier show (and I hate repetition).
Fortunately, what follows is still an interesting episode. HOW the virus occurred and how they come up with a solution is all very fascinating. My only other complaint, though, is that the scientists at the Gagarin Station seemed amazingly stupid and unscientific in their thinking...and this didn't make a lot of sense. Flawed but worth seeing.
The Enterprise receives a distress signal from a Federation ship. But, by the time they arrive to help, the entire crew is dead-- killed by some disease that turned young and healthy people into old folks who died from 'natural causes' due to age. This certainly isn't good but is worse because it looks identical to the earlier show (and I hate repetition).
Fortunately, what follows is still an interesting episode. HOW the virus occurred and how they come up with a solution is all very fascinating. My only other complaint, though, is that the scientists at the Gagarin Station seemed amazingly stupid and unscientific in their thinking...and this didn't make a lot of sense. Flawed but worth seeing.
helpful•73
- planktonrules
- Nov 13, 2014
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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