The Captive Tower

Amazing Spider-Man (1970s series)Peter Parker is present to take pictures at the grand opening ceremony of an advanced (and expensive) new skyscraper with computerized climate control and other ultra-modern luxuries…and J. Jonah Jameson happens to be an invited “honored guest”, so as unimportant as the assignment may be, Peter has no choice to attend. But this means that when terrorists try to take over the building and hold all of the attending guests hostage with the threat of releasing deadly nerve gas into the building’s air conditioning system, Spider-Man is already on the scene.

teleplay by Gregory S. Dinallo
story by Bruce Kalish and Philip John Taylor
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dana Kaproff

Amazing Spider-ManCast: Nicholas Hammond (Peter Parker / Spider-Man), Robert F. Simon (J. Jonah Jameson), Chip Fields (Rita Conway), Ellen Bry (Julie Masters), David Sheiner (E.W. Foster), Todd Susman (Farnum), Warren Vanders (Hama), Fred Lerner (Duke), William Mims (Deputy Mayor Newgent), Michael Bond (Spokesman), Edward Sancho-Bonet (Lt. Ramirez), Norman Rice (Sgt. Bulker), Barry Cutler (Window Washer), Bill Dearth (Shechter), Harry Pugh (Detective)

Amazing Spider-ManNotes: This was an early TV role for Ellen Bry, who would later join the cast of St. Elsewhere and, in a 1992 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, would play a character who creates a race of sentient machines whose rights she tried to deny. It’s also an early career entry for director Cliff Bole (1937-2014), who had already helmed numerous episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man, and would go on to direct Supertrain, V, and would become one of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s most prolific directors. “The Amazing” portion of “The Amazing Spider-Man” is missing from the second season’s opening titles.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Green Girl

SupertrainHarry is less than enthusiastic about a televised, high-stakes international poker tournament to be held aboard Supertrain, but he’s at least relieved that Wayne is the one who has to keep the high-rollers happy. With a $100,000 buy-in, only the five best poker players in the world can even afford to ante up…and one of them doesn’t make it to the station in time to meet the train, replaced instead by a woman who claims to have won that player’s invitation by beating him at poker. Wayne is immediately smitten with the unexpected substitute player, but his personal feelings become a liability when it’s discovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars in the game’s pot of cash has been swapped out with counterfeit bills, leaving the unexpected new arrival at the poker table as the only real suspect.

written by Stephen Kandel
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Bob Cobert

SupertrainCast: Edward Andrews (Harry Flood), Ilene Graff (Penny Whitaker), Harrison Page (George Boone), Robert Alda (Dr. Lewis), Joey Aresco (Wayne Randall), Rebecca Balding (Ellen Bradford), David Huddleston (Duke Burnside), Henry Jones (James Malinson), Clyde Kusatsu (Shimaju Fukuda), Cleavon Little (Preacher Ross), Roddy McDowall (Talcott), Chip Fields (Preacher’s Lady), Maggie Jean Smith (Talcott’s Entourage), Laura Grayson (Talcott’s Entourage), Leigh Walsh (Talcott’s Entourage), Ross Bickell (Milburn)

SupertrainNotes: Wayne says that conductor Harry Flood has ascended to the position of CEO of Supertrain (apparently he’s taken over from Winfield Root sometime since episode one); Boone worked at a bank for three years prior to his stint on Supertrain. This episode is another smorgasbord of ’70s TV royalty, with Chip Fields (from The Amazing Spider-Man) scouting out Supertrain ahead of her Spider-Man co-star Nicholas Hammond’s appearance the following week, and no less than Roddy McDowall (Planet Of The Apes, The Fantastic Journey) putting in a guest shot. (Since Robert Alda is already a regular, this series is a John Saxon guest shot away from peak ’70s TV.) Director Cliff Bole (1937–2014) was early in his very busy career here, having already helmed 11 episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man, one episode of The Amazing Spider-Man, and numerous installments of Charlie’s Angels, Baretta, and BJ And The Bear. He would go on to rack up two dozen directing credits on Fantasy Island, as well as episodes of V, T.J. Hooker, MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation (including the fan-favorite two-parter The Best Of Both Worlds), Star Trek spinoffs Deep Space Nine and Voyager, The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Millennium, Harsh Realm, and Supernatural. And, of course, Supertrain!

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Lonely Among Us

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 41249.3: The crew of the Enterprise is faced with more threats than they realize while transporting two parties of rival alien races to a peace summit which they seem too busy trying to kill each other to prepare for, but the greater danger lies in a consciousness which, after being swept into the sensor arrays of the ship, is trying to escape the ship to return to its home. In its final attempt, it beams off the Enterprise, taking Picard with it.

Order the DVDsteleplay by D.C. Fontana
story by Michael Halperin
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Star Trek: The Next GenerationGuest Cast: John Durbin (Antican Delegate), Colm Meaney (Security Guard), Kavi Raz (Singh)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Hide And Q

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 41590.5: Q returns, this time to tempt Commander Riker with the taste of godlike powers, through trials in which Riker’s crew are forced to play a game whose rules change with Q’s mood, and then Riker’s willpower is tested when Picard orders him to avoid using the power of Q.

Order the DVDsteleplay by C.J. Holland (a.k.a. Maurice Hurley) and Gene Roddenberry
story by C.J. Holland
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: John de Lancie (Q), Elaine Nalee (Female Survivor), William A. Wallace (Wesley Crusher, age 25)

Notes: Maurice Hurley used a pen-name on this script, claiming Gene Roddenberry had changed the original story so much that it bore no resemblance to its original draft.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Conspiracy

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 41775.5: Picard is taken into the confidence of his good friend Captain Walker Keel, who warns that Starfleet is slowly being taken over by a conspiracy that plans to use the resources of Starfleet for conquest. After the shocking destruction of Keel’s ship and a series of grisly discoveries about the High Admirals of Starfleet, Picard learns that Earth is the home of the queen of an alien swarm…

Order the DVDsteleplay by Tracy Tormè
story by Robert Sabaroff
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Henry Darrow (Admiral Savaar), Ward Costello (Admiral Quinn), Robert Schenkkan (Commander Remmick), Ray Reinhardt (Admiral Aaron), Jonathan Farwell (Captain Walker Keel), Michael Berryman (Captain Rixx), Ursaline Bryant (Captain Tryla Scott)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Royale

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 42625.4: Riker, Worf and Data transport to the surface of what should be a poison-shrouded world after finding debris of a NASA space vessel, and discover a structure containing a reproduction of the literary Hotel and Casino Royale. Within the hotel lies the remains of the astronaut whose last possession was the cheap novel upon which the Royale was based. The Away Team’s only help is from the book itself as they read their lines – and between their lines.

Order the DVDswritten by Keith Mills (a.k.a. Tracy Torme)
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Star Trek: TNGCast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Diana Muldaur (Dr. Pulaski), Sam Anderson (The Assistant Manager), Jill Jacobson (Vanessa), Leo Garcia (The Bellboy), Noble Willingham (Texas), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Gregory Beecroft (“Mickey D”)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Emissary

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 42901.3: The Enterprise becomes the temporary home of a priority-one emissary from the Federation who has been sent to deal with a dire emergency – a crew of 23rd century Klingons in suspended animation is about to be awakened by their ship’s “alarm clock” to wage war against the former enemies of the Klingons – the Federation.

Order the DVDstelevision story & teleplay by Richard Manning and Hans Beimler
based on an unpublished story by Thomas H. Calder
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Diana Muldaur (Dr. Pulaski), Suzie Plakson (K’Ehleyr), Lance Le Gault (Captain K’Temoc), Georgann Johnson (Admiral Gromek), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Anne Elizabeth Ramsey (Ensign Clancy), Dietrich Bader (Tactics Officer)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Ensigns Of Command

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate not given: Data attempts to convince the stubborn leader of an endangered colony that his people must evacuate the planet or face certain extinction at the hands of a race of ruthless aliens also seeking a planet to colonize.

Order the DVDswritten by Melinda M. Snodgrass
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Eileen Seeley (Ard’rian MacKenzie), Granger Hines (Gosheven), Mark L. Taylor (Haritath), Richard Allen (Kentor), Colm Meaney (Chief O’ Brien), Mart McChesney (Sheliak)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Hunted

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43489.2: The Enterprise, sworn by Federation treaty to defend the inhabitants of a once war-torn world, is faced with a destructive challenge in the form of a biologically altered war veteran whose mind allows no mercy in the face of danger, but all he and his fellow soldiers want is their home and their freedom.

Order the DVDswritten by Robin Bernheim
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Jeff McCarthy (Roga Danar), James Cromwell (Prime Minister Nayrok), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), J. Michael Flynn (Zayner), Andrew Bicknell (Wagnor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

A Matter Of Perspective

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43610.4: Commander Riker is accused of murder after the apparent sabotage and destruction of a science station, and the evidence seems almost certain to doom the First Officer’s career, but Picard and Troi gamble on using the Holodeck to recreate testimonies from all the surviving parties and discover that the prosecution’s case can be viewed from any number of entirely different points of view.

Order the DVDswritten by Ed Zuckerman
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Craig Richard Nelson (Chief Investigator Krag), Gina Hecht (Mrs. Apgar), Mark Margolis (Dr. Apgar), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Juli Donald (Tayna)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Hollow Pursuits

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43807.4: Engineering Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, a new member of Geordi’s staff, shirks his duties in favor of spending time on the holodeck, where he has constructed intricate programs simulating members of the bridge crew as he sees them: Picard, Data and Geordi as the Three Musketeers, Dr. Crusher as a sort of fair maiden with Wesley as an asinine blueberry pie-eating Blue Boy – and Counselor Troi as a seductive goddess. When the real crew learns of Barclay’s holo-addiction, all hell breaks loose.

Order the DVDswritten by Sally Caves (a.k.a. Sarah Higley)
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Dwight Schultz (Lt. Barclay), Charley Lang (Lt. Duffy), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Best Of Both Worlds

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43989.1: Lt. Commander Shelby, a tactical advisor from Starfleet with her eye on promotion to a first officer – perhaps of the Enterprise – joins the crew as they investigate the latest planet victimized by the Borg. After another Federation planet is attacked, the Enterprise sets off in pursuit of the Borg. During the flight, Riker learns of Shelby’s impetuousity and the possibility that he himself is long overdue to command a starship of his own. The Borg intercepts the Enterprise and does critical damage, and the Enterprise enters a nebula to evade capture. When some repairs are made, the Enterprise tries to escape but is captured by the Borg. They board the Enterprise, kidnap Captain Picard, and warp toward Earth.

The Enterprise follows the Borg through Federation space until Geordi can’t keep the warp engines up to speed. Shelby leads an away team to the Borg vessel where she, Worf, Data and Dr. Crusher sabotage the Borg’s internal power network. They are attacked and hold off their attackers until the Borg adapt to generate their own shields against the crew’s hand phasers. And Captain Picard is found – no longer human, modified into a Borg. The away team returns to the Enterprise, leaving Riker with a momentous decision – he must use a variation of the Enterprise’s deflectors to disrupt the Borg and possibly kill Picard.

Order the DVDswritten by Michael Piller
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby), George Murdock (Admiral Hanson), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Best Of Both Worlds Part II

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44001.4: The main deflector dish has no effect on the Borg because, having assimilated Picard and converted him into their spokesman, Locutus, the Borg know now every strategy and contingency that Picard had been informed of before his kidnapping. Riker is promoted to Captain by Admiral Hanson, who then leads a fleet of 40 starships to Wolf 359 to confront the Borg, but the fleet’s efforts are in vain – every starship is annihilated. Riker orders a cunning attack consisting of awkward strategies that Picard would never have carried out or expected, and an away team kidnaps Locutus and returns him to the Enterprise. Data then links up to Locutus to access the Borg communication network, and every approach he takes to disarm the Borg down fails until the Borg arrive at Earth to begin their domination of the Federation. Data triggers the Borg regeneration process, putting every Borg to “sleep,” but this also triggers the self-destruction of the Borg ship. Picard is freed from the Borg, Shelby returns to Starfleet to rebuild the fleet, and Riker remains on the Enterprise to continue serving as first officer. However, staring out the window of his ready room, Picard’s face indicates that all is not well…

Season 4 Regular Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher)

Click here to watch a video previewOrder the DVDswritten by Michael Piller
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby), George Murdock (Admiral Hanson), Colm Meaney (O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), Todd Merrill (Gleason)

Notes: Of course, it was not even thought of at the time of this episode’s production, but one of the very few survivors of the Borg attack at Wolf 359 later turns up in his own series: Commander Sisko of Deep Space Nine, the premiere episode of which features scenes of the battle between the Borg and the Federation that was mentioned in this episode.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Remember Me

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44161.2: Dr. Crusher’s old friend, Dr. Dalen Quaice, is leaving his former home on a sStarbase to retire after the recent death of his wife. He mentions his slowly deteriorating memory, a thought which remains on Dr. Crusher’s mind when she visits engineering to watch Wesley finish a warp field experiment. But when the Enterprise becomes ready to leave the starbase, Wes hastily finishes his experiment, but his mother completely disappears. She, however, is on the Enterprise – so she thinks – and she helplessly watches the entire crew disappear one by one. She is, in fact, inside a warp bubble, and the real crew on the real Enterprise must enlist the help of the mysterious alien known as the Traveler to pull Dr. Crusher back into reality before her warp bubble shrinks into nothingness.

Order the DVDswritten by Lee Sheldon
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Eric Menyuk (The Traveler), Bill Erwin (Dr. Dalen Quaice), Colm Meaney (O’Brien)

Notes: Originally considered as a shipboard B-plot for the episode Family, this story was given its own episode so as not to distract attention from the earlier episode’s central theme.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

First Contact

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate not given: Riker, having undergone facial surgery to look like a Malcorian and beamed down to Malcor III to coordinate other surgically disguised cultural observers from Starfleet, is injured in a riot and taken to a hospital, where his true nature is slowly deduced by Malcorian doctors while Riker remains out of touch with the Enterprise. Picard and Troi try to find open-minded individuals among that planet’s leaders and scientific minds, but discover that, like on late 20th century Earth, such people are few and far between.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Dennis Russell Bailey, David Bischoff, Joe Menosky, Ronald D. Moore and Michael Piller
story by Mark Scott Zicree
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: George Coe (Chancellor Durken), Carolyn Seymour (Mirasta Yale), George Hearn (Berel), Michael Ensign (Krola), Steven Anderson (Nilrem), Sachi Parker (Nurse), Bebe Neuwirth (Lanel)

LogBook entry by Earl Green