User Reviews

In "Where Silence Has Lease" the Enterprise encounters a section of space devoid of anything, matter and energy included. When they get near it to investigate this further, the ship is enveloped by the complete blackness and unable to escape no matter what speed they put the Enterprise at. After fighting an illusionary Romulans vessel, the Enterprise encounters its sister ship, the USS Yamato. Worf and Riker beam aboard and find it to be abandoned and not the true Yamato. There are multiple bridges and other weird happenings. Worf loses his cool and the lair beam back.

Right about now is when Picard discover this nothingness has a name: Nagilum. This being wants to study humanity and our concept of death. It kills a red shirt and said it plans on killing more in its studies. To prevent this, Picard and Riker set the Enterprise to self-destruct and not give Nagilum the satisfaction or power to finish its lab experiment. Nagilum tries to trick Picard into canceling the order by taking the forms of Data and Troi but Picard doesn't fall for it and Nagilum allows the Enterprise to leave. They cancel the self-destruct sequence at the last second and head off for a new adventure.

This episode is a bit on the slower side but this script is a step in the right direction for the show at large. We get some real exploration here and a solid since of direction from Winrich Kolbe. The all-powerful god-like figure is really played out by this point but at least in this instance Nagilum doesn't show up until the episode is practically over. The void is the thing here that takes center stage, that and the trip to the Yamato.

It's not the greatest TNG episode ever but after some of the Season 1 episodes and the first ep of Season 2, this one feels like a breath of fresh air.

I agree with several of the other reviews here and won't be repeating all the good/bad points. My criticism is for the weak writing points. At the beginning, Troi is on the bridge as they approach the void and tells Picard she senses nothing. Then, after the commercial break, as they arrive at the void (only 12 minutes later to the crew) she's gone with no explanation, not appearing again until the towards end. Considering her empathic abilities, why would she leave the bridge under these circumstances? The writers could've at least had a throwaway line explaining why she just up and disappeared; maybe a scheduled counseling session with a crew member? The same can be said for the disappearance and reappearance of Wesley Crusher. First he's there on the bridge, then he disappears for no reason (except to put a non-regular character on the bridge for Nagilum to kill before Wesley then appears again). Maybe another quick line explaining why he leaves, like a scheduled class he was required to attend? Just a couple of lines, ANYTHING, to explain why these two characters just disappear and reappear during a major situation/mystery? Other than that, I did enjoy the situation, even the claustrophobic feeling brought on by being unable to exit the boud.

ST:TNG:28 - "Where Silence Has Lease" (Stardate: 42193.6) - this is an interesting episode - the Enterprise encounters an entity that is devoid of matter or energy - essentially it is nothing. Once the Enterprise is pulled into the entity so it can learn about Picard and crew, about death, they decide to do the unthinkable - self-destruction. As a trivia note, originally the producers wanted Richard Mulligan (of the series "Empty Nest") but he wasn't available - but as an homage, they named the entity in this episode as Nagilum (Muligan backwards!). We also see another Galaxy class starship, the Yamato, as well as an homage to Jerry Goldsmith's Klingon Theme at the beginning of the episode when Worf shares his Klingon calisthenics program with Riker – you get to see Worf's Klingon instincts (such as anger) again here.

"Why do I get the feeling this was not the right time to join this ship?"

I have mixed feelings about "Where Silence Has Lease". I think the episode, before the threat's "face" is revealed, is absolutely fascinating. The Enterprise crew encounter a mysterious void, absent dimension and has no readings on Data or Wesley's monitor--it seems to exist, yet doesn't provide any readings to prove that it is a "lifeform". Worf mentions the Klingon myth of a space creature that devours starships and could not be too far from the truth. Anyway, the Enterprise decides to "take a closer look" with the void "enveloping" the ship! So the next thirty minutes has Picard strategizing as to what the void is. The appearance of a Romulan vessel, instantly attacking (and destroyed after return torpedo way too easily), the presence of the USS Yamato (replicated but not exactly the same ship, not operated by a crew, as Riker and Work board it noticing that the bridge and other locations are "off"), and the inability to exit the void despite warp speed to the max, each incident further perplexes Picard and crew, growing more concerned until the void finally shows its face (eyes, nose, and mouth, looking like a cartoon character, not menacing at all) and speaks perfect English. Deanna Troi and Dr. Pulaski feel that the Enterprise crew is like a rat in a maze, a laboratory experiment, their lives inconsequential to the Nagilum (that is what this void calls itself). When a member of the crew is killed by the Nagilum, interested in seeing death first hand, coldly/clinically determining that it will experiment with murder for over 50% of the Enterprise, Picard will decide to self destruct the starship instead of watching as the creature slaughters his crew. How will Picard get his people out of this situation?

To be honest, once I saw the Nagilum for the first time, I was taken right out of the episode. It looks too silly for serious science fiction, something a child doodles on paper out of boredom during math in the third grade elementary. The idea of a void, a kind of "hole in space", simply engulfing sensor probes sent into it instantly, with the ability to duplicate ships, containing a degree of superior intelligence, not known through any historical text, Data unable to define what it is, offers a really fascinating story, yet with one visible image of the void's face totally diminishing the results of such a compelling developing plot. That said, I was gripped by this episode for a good duration. The Nagilum wanting to learn about the Enterprise crew, seeing what they would do when faced with a number of tests, disappointed with its findings, even using the likeness of Troi and Data, at one point, to ask Picard about the meaning of death, "Where Silence Has Lease" definitely has an alien entity perfectly identifiable in the Trek universe. Aliens have shown up during the many Trek series wanting to learn about us, often using experimentation as a means to gain knowledge about how humans handle a crisis or difficult, perilous ordeal. I don't imagine this episode, however, will be viewed by Trek TNG fans as a particularly memorable episode, which is a shame because it initially had a lot of potential. Funny, many might remember the hologram program where Worf introduces Riker to a battle program (he calls it "calisthenics"!) he spends time in during his off-hours! This is significant in that Riker and Worf board the replica Yamato and we again see how the latter responds under duress, with his Klingon half surfacing possibly to his detriment (during the hologram exercise, Worf, so worked up, almost attacks Riker!).

The Enterprise encounters a huge space cloud. So, they go in for a closer look and get stuck within. The laws of physics simply stop applying and the ship's movement results in no change in heading. Later, other ships appear and all seem to be 'phantom ships'--with no crew. When Riker and Worf beam over to one, the ship completely defies all physical laws--having multiple bridges and it all ends up being like a hall of mirrors with no exit. And, when exits appear in the cloud, they quickly seal up! None of this makes any sense and the cloud is behaving as if it's alive and jerking them around! What gives? Will they be stuck there forever?

After a long and fruitless search for a real way out, suddenly a giant face appears in the cloud and begins talking to them--asking questions about a wide variety of things. Then, it begins treating the crew much like lab rats--and even kills one. In fact, it announces that it's going to kill many more--at which point the Captain decides that it's best to self-destruct than put up with this. What's next?

While this episode is interesting, it's also a bit claustrophobic-- with the crew being stuck mostly on the bridge for the entire episode. This limits its value as entertainment just a bit...though it is still worth seeing if you are a fan of the series.

I was expecting something different following the opening sequence in which Worf (Michael Dorn) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) almost came to blows in the holodeck simulation. It felt like Worf was going to revert back to some of his Klingon heritage to cause havoc on the Enterprise. Instead, the starship encounters a monstrous black void in space, totally bereft of matter and energy, which eventually envelops the ship in its grip. Once again, Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) demonstrates her dismissal of Data (Brent Spiner) before catching herself. And wasn't it curious how crewman Haskell replaced Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) right at the time Nagilum made his presence known? Otherwise, it would have been Wesley who the entity executed.

I don't know if I totally agree with Captain Picard's (Patrick Stewart) decision to destroy the Enterprise if the Nagilum attempted to carry out a threat to examine the concept of death by killing off up to half of the crew. Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) had the better reaction, as taking a chance on that outcome would have been better than killing everyone aboard for certain. And once again, I was surprised as in the first season episode '11001001' how easy it was for Picard and Riker to initiate the destruct sequence on the Enterprise. You would think there would be more to it, involving multiple layers of security and physical identification of the officers.

In any event, Picard smokes out the imposter Riker and Pulaski, which convinces Nagilum to slink away without taking anyone else's life in his temporary bid to learn about humans. Why Picard waited until about a second left to stop the destruct sequence was a little tense, if not downright foolish, but did anyone think the Enterprise would have been destroyed in the first place?

There is a lot more going on in this episode than I originally thought. First off, we get to see Worf's calisthenics program for the first time. Then we get to see another "hole in space" similar to "the immunity syndrome" from Star Trek the original series.

And of course the Enterprise D gets sucked up into this new hole. But instead of finding a huge solar system sized single celled organism, we find that first nothing.

And then it seems like the enterprise can't do anything but move around in circles even though they are moving in a straight line, it seems they have found a hole in space where nothing exists and they can't get out because there are no directions, turns, referents. No up, down, sideways, and no matter or energy.

Except: A Romulan ship which is too easy to blow up, a representation of the enterprise sister-ship Yamato, which is not really there.

And suddenly there is a new helm officer sitting where Wesley was sitting, a red-shirt named "Haskell": I want to ask anybody who has seen this many times, did anybody notice that Wesley was suddenly missing and Haskell came from nowhere?

Because Haskell appears when something new appears: an entity named "Nigilum"- Who offers immediately that he had trouble making his appearance seem human.

But any entity that could re-create a Romulan Warbird, or the Enterprise sister-ship is probably better at putting on faces then he/it would claim, he even seems to understand what gender is, even though he wants Dr. Polasky to demonstrate with Worf.

This entity was never really explained in this episode, or ever referred to again and any next generation, Deep Space 9, or Voyager story.

But if we consider the original series episode "immunity syndrome", there was a single celled organism in a similar hole in space. Is it too far of a stretch to consider that Nigilum, is a descendant of that original single celled organism? If it was as large as it was in the original series, and if it existed in a pocket of non-space, then it probably could also go through several billion years of evolution from the time that the original enterprise "Ran into it", to the time of this encounter.

The one thing I realize and I apologize for having to make this a spoiler, is that Haskell was probably just another illusion of Nigilum's, he appears suddenly on the bridge, gets "killed" by Nigilum, and then just as suddenly disappears: you will note that nobody mentions Haskell ever again in this episode or at any other time. And, as soon as Haskell is dead, Wesley appears sitting at his station, as if he were there through the whole incident. They never show him getting up to leave, why would Wesley leave, unless it was a shift-change? So then, why would Wesley suddenly be back at the helm, a different officer would probably have been assigned instead.

So that makes me feel better- nobody really died in this episode. Nigilum already knew what existence was, he just wanted to did hear what Picard had to say about it. So he sends his replicas of Troy and Data into Picards' waiting room, to hear what was one of the most profound monologues about existence from Picard I have ever heard.

But my theory, this theory: this was the original entity that the original enterprise blew up in the original series. But, it survived, evolved, and this is its revenge on the Federation for almost blowing it up. He was just screwing with the enterprise crew. Because nobody realized in the original series think they could've just left that thing alone, it wasn't really in the same space time continuum him as our galaxy is.

We get to see Worf's exercise programs on the Holodeck for the first time in this and it is an interesting method the Klingon uses to vent his anger. Commander Riker is quite surprised at the intensity of the program! After the two succeed in defeating their Holodeck adversaries, Riker is shocked when Worf turns to challenge him, wishing to continue fighting! The Enterprise later investigates an unusual anomaly in space and end up being drawn into a wicked plan by a malevolent entity who wishes to toy with the lives of the Enterprise crew. Picard is aghast when the being, now identified as Nagilum kills a crew member to see someone dying as it is an experience unknown to it. As a show of defiance by Picard, he decides to destroy Enterprise rather than let Nagilum kill the crew to satisfy it's own curiosity. After this Nagilum departs as it's needs cannot be satisfied. Picard deactivates the auto destruct and the bridge crew breath a sigh of relief. Picard later faces Nagilum on his monitor in his Ready Room and tells it plainly if the Enterprise encounters it again it will be in space and under his terms. The Yamato was seen in this, identified as NCC 1305 E but production decided this number was somehow out of order and was changed to NCC 71807 when the ship was seen again in 'Contagion'.

The Enterprise encounters a void in space.

One of my very favourite second season episodes as it has a nice story mostly set on the bridge and we get some wonderful lines of dialogue from the Captain, the ship's Doctor (Diana Muldaur) and the mysterious creature.

I know I am in the minority around here, but I actually think that Muldaur is the best TNG Doctor as she gets some wonderful put-down lines to Data...even calling him "it" at one point.

Where Silence Has Lease really feels like an original series episode done in 1988, complete with a "red shirt" being killed.

This TNG episode has the Enterprise venturing into a void in space and they immediately lose all navigational bearings. Fortunately they are commanded by Jean Luc Picard who does not lose his cool easily. Imagine had Worf been in charge and we see it almost happen when he and Riker are put into a maze like situation.

Which is what Patrick Stewart grasps soon enough. It seems as though the Enterprise has ventured into the realm of some god-like creature, but one who has not done any creating. So Nagillum as it calls itself is looking to find out about these creatures who have entered his domain.

A thought provoking story, not one of the better ones though.

Nagilum conducts a little lab experience with the enterprise.

I just didn't feel this episode despite the execution being competently done. I believe they were going for a feeling of suspense in this one.

The alien god creature using the enterprise crew as an experiment has been done before but more effectively because the god like creature was either present or revealed in a clever manner.

Not my cup of tea. I did enjoy Worf fighting skeletor with thano's infinity gauntlet. I'd fight warrior insects and skeletons with Worf in a heartbeat.

This one was a test of endurance for me.

Oh man, this TNG episode takes me back to my TOS re-watch when I would consistently be bored to the point of tears.

I swear the scene of the enterprise attempting to figure out the empty space situation took 7 hours to work through. I fully expected a scene with someone in a shuttle or spacesuit to further pad out this episode to it's 45 minute run time.

The jerk god-alien plot was beaten to death by tos and it feels uninspired in this episode. I suppose I like the solution of Picard just threatening to destroy the ship instead of being this jerk aliens plaything.

I did enjoy the scene of Picard explaining the various concepts of death. I couldn't help but picture a 1970's era Gene Roddenberry with long hair and a bandanna, high on various drugs wearing beads cross legged on the floor attempting to commune with the universe itself. "It's like the universe is us --- we are the universe man --- we are the universe trying to understand itself..."

A real struggle to engage with this one.