This TNG episode was supposed to be four -dorrter

Summary

• The “best of the two worlds” has almost become a four -part saga, which increased the development of the characters and the emotional depth.

• Rick Berman's preference for episodic, independent stories led to the rejection of the widespread idea of ​​the arch.

• The proposed longer story would transform the arches of Picard and Riker and prepare a stage for a more serialized narrative in TNG.

Star Trek: Another generationAccording to the 1990 production memorandum, which recently discovered, the “legendary two-pole”, which recently appeared, has almost happened. The high clearance of the episode, on the edge of the seat between Borg and the Enterprise-D crew was originally supposed to be Saga with four episodes.

Long assessed as one of the most famous stories of all TNG“The best of both worlds” broadcast as a two -part final and premiere between seasons 3 and 4. TNGIt is an inheritance, but it has also helped to define a modern cliff. However, thanks to the fascinating behind-the-scenes nugget exposed trek, we now know that the creative team once considered an even greater scale for the story-tap that, if it happened, could change the trajectory as a trajectory Star Trek Narration forever.

Performance Next generationSvarta with four part

In 1990 the TNG Production staff: one from showrunner Michael Piller and the other by writer Ronald D. Moore. Piller built a greater vision for a multi -part action and Moore agreed with all over the heart. Piller's proposal was for a four -paper arc that plunged deep into the consequences of Borg's invasion. Moore supported this idea, even suggested that Borg should be thoroughly defeated and left Riker (Jonathan Frakes) to prove himself by pulling back together and delaying their arrival in the battle with Wolf 359.

“I'm tight for part three and four to the story.”

The story they imagined could look like that:

• Part I: The threat appears: This episode would follow the same events leading to the cliff from the existing part I, including Riker's growing tension, and the crew attempt to capture the Borg cube. Borg reveals Picard (Patrick Stewart) like Locutus and Riker gives a fatal order to fire.
• Part II: Picard becomes Locutus: Worf (Michael Dorn) fires on Borg – but he expects move and escapes the cube. Locutus (Picard) comes from the company and reveals his knowledge of the star fleet and Riker himself, even ridiculed him “number one”. Between Riker and Locutus there is a brain battle: Mentor vs. Student.
• Part III: counterattack: The crew launches a number of unsuccessful attempts to deactivate the Borg cube, with multiple missions led by Riker, Data (Brent Spiner) and worf. The tension between the crew escalates. Riker is pushing to rely on Shelby, who earns respect as a acting first officer, while the stellar fleet suffers from a devastating defeat on Wolf 359 and arrives too late to prevent the bloodshed. The foundations of the federation fall. The star fleet is on the brink of collapse.
• Part IV: redemption and consequences: The company, strictly damaged, is recovering with the application of Riker. The crew fights the Borg War, with the company closely leaked destruction by overcoming Borg and using their regenerative sequence. Like the real part of the “best of the two worlds”, part 2 escapes when the cube explodes above the ground, and Picard begins to recover when his Borg's implants deactivate.

Instead, we got similar and still epic, but much more condensed. The two -piece version brings Essentials: Riker's dilemma command, introduction of Locutus, dramatic reefs and any self -destruction of the Borg cube. Several ambitious fibers – such as the wider federation reaction, widespread crew development and Picard's slow recovery – were largely omitted or postponed to later episodes such as the “family”.

Why Star Trek: TNG Mega episode did not happen

In the end, the four -pointer never became a reality, mainly because of the executive producer Rick Berman. Berman had a strong preference for independent episodes, especially those that could work, as the bottle shows-stories that have usually returned to the current state by the end. This was part of a wider production philosophy that had a goal TNG Episodes more accessible to syndication, where serialized narration was still considered a risky bet.

Michael Piller originally floated the idea of ​​a trilogy, but Berman, along with the creator of the series Gene Roddenberry, leaned towards a scientific story that would mostly remain a shipping and episodic nature. They were careful to let go too far in a serialized area, especially with an opponent as Borg.

There were probably other factors. The budget limit was significant – sophisticated sets, prosthetics and visual effects needed to convince Borg's war would shift the limits TNGResources. Another problem was time pressures. With a complete slate episode, it is possible that the team simply did not have the bandwidth to commit to three or four -hour mega episode.

Despite these obstacles, Pill and Moore playgrounds, the final product clearly influenced. Although it has shrunk back, the ambition of the proposed story reversed in an emotional weight and the tension of high bets, which made the “best of the two worlds” unforgettable.

What could be: Divine arches for Riker and Picard

The proposed four-part episode would not try a scale-form it would have emotional and developmental arches TNG to occupy a meaningful way. Extension of the story of Borg across four parts would give the characters more space to develop and respond to the most serious threat of federation. Ronald D. Moore saw an arc as a chance to stretch the characters and to get a new life in a series:

“Watching us, as we take the first hits, fall, regroup and eventually push Borg back will be an exciting series of stories.”

Captain Picard would have a longer and more harder psychological path as Locutus. Rather than rapid transformation and recovery, viewers could see Picard with real -time identity. His trauma would not be a footnote – it would be front and center.

The commander Riker would also grow extremely. A longer command arc would give him a chance to truly enter the captain's chair not as an unwilling substitute symbol, but as a decisive leader during the war. Moore believed that this extended scenario would help to define Riker's character more clearly, which would allow viewers to see him command against adversity, rebuild the ship and make decisions on high betting that would become ripple into later seasons. Piller and Moore considered it an opportunity to “take a show to a new territory”. The four -part saga would make Season 4 feel like a bold new chapter, and even prepared a stage for a more serialized narrative in the franchise.

“The best of both worlds” is still Star Trek Gold

But as a two-tarter, “the best of both worlds” released one of the most dramatic moments on sci-fi television. Riker's “Mr. Worf, Fire” Cliffhanger is legendary. The frightening peace of Locutus cooled the spine. And the visual effects were before their time. In fact, the impact was so deep that it still became a template for the future Star Trek Series and countless other TV shows. Without the “best of both worlds” could exist Deep Space Nine A war arc of Dominion and not Voyager A year hell.

More than three decades later, the episode is still a scale. A newer series as Star Trek: Picard Here they first touched on identity, trauma and resistance. And many fans think that TNG The storyline is where we first really saw the human side of Stoic Jean-Luc Picard. Old notes that describe in detail the “best of both worlds” as a four -carter Star Trek: TNG Maybe it would happen if it accepted a longer form. It is a convincing reminder that even roads that have not accepted can inspire fans and creators decades later.