First Contact
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 18 February 1991
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- None given
- DIRECTED BY
- Cliff Bole
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 189
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Dennis Russell Bailey & David Bischoff and Joe Menosky & Ronald D. Moore and Michael Piller; story by Marc Scott Zicree
Riker is injured while secretly observing a world on the edge of warp flight, and as doctors discover he is not one of them, Picard must make first contact sooner than planned.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Disguised as a local, Riker is studying the Malcorians, a people about to develop warp drive, when an accident lands him in hospital. Doctors quickly realise his body is alien, and word spreads. Picard and Troi decide to make contact early. They reveal themselves to Mirasta Yale, the planet's science minister, who is thrilled, and to Chancellor Durken, who is wary but willing to listen. The security minister, Krola, sees an invasion coming. A nurse, Lanel, will help Riker escape only in exchange for a night with him, and his attempt fails. Krola then fires Riker's phaser at himself to fake an attack, but it is set to stun. The crew recovers both men. Durken concludes that his people are not ready and asks the Federation to stay away. Mirasta chooses to leave with the Enterprise.
- 01Five writers share the teleplay credit, from a story by Marc Scott Zicree.
- 02Picard toasts Durken with the bottle of Château Picard his brother Robert gave him at the end of “Family”.
- 03Picard mentions humanity's disastrous first contact with the Klingons, later dramatised in the Enterprise pilot “Broken Bow”.