Suddenly Human
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 15 October 1990
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- 44143.7
- DIRECTED BY
- Gabrielle Beaumont
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 176
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by John Whelpley & Jeri Taylor; story by Ralph Phillips
The Enterprise rescues teenagers from a stricken Talarian ship and finds a human boy among them, raised as a Talarian. Picard is asked to help him rediscover the family he has forgotten.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Answering a distress call, the Enterprise rescues the young crew of a damaged Talarian ship. One of them, Jono, is human. He turns out to be Jeremiah Rossa, grandson of a Starfleet admiral, taken in by Captain Endar after Talarians killed his parents years earlier. Endar demands his son back. Dr Crusher finds old injuries that suggest abuse, and Picard is asked to reconnect Jono with his human roots, despite his discomfort with children. The two slowly bond, but Jono is torn between two worlds and cannot bear to betray Endar. Unable to resolve the conflict, he stabs the sleeping Picard, who survives. Picard realises that he has been imposing his own wishes on the boy. With Endar's warship ready to fight, he lets Jono return home to the father he chooses.
- 01The first on-screen appearance of the Talarians, who had been mentioned in “Heart of Glory”.
- 02Jeri Taylor's first script for the series after joining the writing staff.
- 03Sherman Howard was playing Lex Luthor on “Superboy” at the time. He later appeared on Deep Space Nine and Voyager.