Changes: Haven (episode)

Revision as of 06:33, 15 June 2010

Template:Realworld

Tension mounts on the Enterprise as Counselor Troi's arranged marriage nears, and her mother takes a liking for Captain Picard. Meanwhile, a plague ship threatens the planet where they are meeting.

Summary

The USS Enterprise-D arrives at the planet Haven where Deanna Troi encounters her mother Lwaxana Troi and is compelled to submit to her late father's marriage arrangement. When she was a child, she was promised as wife to Wyatt Miller, who is now a handsome young medic. Deanna decides to fulfill this promise, although Commander Riker is very reluctant to this due to his feelings towards her. In the meantime, Deanna's mother, Lwaxana and the Miller family arrive on the Enterprise to make the necessary arrangements for the wedding. However, Lwaxana's eccentric behavior causes friction as she demands the Betazoid marriage ceremony, during which all participants are expected to be nude, be respected. Additionally, Lwaxana has the gift of annoying almost everyone, including the calm and peaceful Captain Picard.

As Deanna finally decides to embrace her future life with Wyatt Miller, the latter is less inclined towards this perspective. Ever since he was a child, Wyatt had dreams about a mysterious young woman, whom he believes will be his future wife. Because he knew about his bonding with a Betazoid girl, he had always thought it was Deanna who telepathically projected those images into his mind. Naturally, he is a bit disappointed to see Deanna that was not the woman from his dreams, which she instantly senses and confronts him about. He is afraid that Deanna would always know what he thinks, and she admits that sometimes this would indeed be the case. Nonetheless, he accepts the commitment. Even Lwaxana and the Millers reach a compromise, consenting the wedding be half-Human, half-Betazoid and only Lwaxana and Wyatt's father will go naked. So, everyone is happy except Riker who realizes this will mean unbinding his ties to Deanna.

In the midst of the wedding arrangements, an unknown vessel enters the Haven system. Picard recognizes the ship: a Tarellian ship, a surprising find, since the entire Tarellian civilization was wiped out decades ago by a devastating plague. All of the surviving Tarellians had tried to flee, carrying with them the infection which affected every planet they visited. It was very likely that this ship was carrying a plagued crew... and was heading directly towards Haven, probably due to the fact this planet was believed to have curative properties. The Enterprise holds the Tarellian vessel with a tractor beam and Picard attempts to negotiate with the crew. Its captain replies that the eight people remaining on his ship wish to live their last days on an isolated beach. However, Wyatt is surprised to find out the woman from his dreams was aboard that vessel. Without any hesitation, he beams aboard the Tarellian vessel without authorization and decides to remain there, to try to cure the Tarellians. Everyone is shocked but they respect his decision.

In the end, as Lwaxana is about leave, she embarrasses Picard by suggesting he was interested in her. Her man-servant also speaks for once.

Log Entries

Memorable Quotes

"Look at your father, Wyatt. He just can't wait to rip off his clothes for that barbaric ceremony!

- Victoria Miller

"Your mother relented. And I just caught my father practicing naked in front of his mirror."

- Wyatt Miller, on how a compromise on the traditional Betazoid nude wedding was structured

"Actually, Bill was concerned that you might be upset that I care deeply for him, too."

- Deanna Troi, referring to Commander Riker as "Bill" when explaining the Commander's outburst on the holodeck

"Thank you for the drinks."

- Homn, to Picard, his only spoken line in the entire series

"Stop this petty bickering, all of you! Especially you, mother!"
"Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing."

- Deanna Troi and Data

"That was meant as a joke, captain."
"I was not amused."

- Deanna Troi and Picard

Background Information

Michael Dorn (Worf) and Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) do not appear in this episode. The final script draft contained several lines for the characters that were either cut or reassigned to other characters.
This marks the first appearance of Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi.
Armin Shimerman's appearance as the Betazoid Gift Box marks his only non-Ferengi role on Star Trek (except the DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars") and his first role in the show, because "Haven" was filmed before "The Last Outpost".
Director Richard Compton, in addition to appearing twice in Star Trek: The Original Series, later went on to produce and direct Sliders, which was co-created by the writer of this story, Tracy Tormé.
This is the third and last time in which Commander Riker is referred to as "Bill." He was previously called "Bill" in "Encounter at Farpoint" and "The Naked Now".
This is the one and only time that Homn speaks.
The MSD in engineering is replaced with a wall and a fake cargo bay-type door in this episode, to give the illusion of a corridor lounge.
Curtains made of pearl strings, as seen in Lwaxana Troi's quarters, only appear in this episode.
At the beginning of Act Five, composer Dennis McCarthy reuses part of the opening cue from "Encounter at Farpoint".

Production history

Revised final draft script: 13 July 1987
Second revised final draft script: 15 July 1987
Premiere airdate: 30 November 1987
UK premiere (BBC2): 14 November 1990

Awards

This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series (Richard Sabre).

Video and DVD releases

Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 6, catalogue number VHR 2397, 1 October 1990.
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 1.4, catalogue number VHR 4645, 15 June 1998.
As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection.

Links and References

Starring

Also starring

LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar
Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest Stars

Co-Stars

Uncredited Co-Stars

Nora Leonhardt as a science division ensign
Armin Shimerman as Betazoid Gift Box
Unknown performers as
- Tarellians Survivors
- Holographic harps

References

2356; Alcyone; Beta Cassius; Beta Cassius system; Betazoid; Betazoid chime; Betazoid wedding; chameleon rose; First Electorine; Haven; Holy Rings of Betazed; hypospray; imzadi; medical doctor; Sacred Chalice of Rixx; sign language; stargate; Tarella; Tarellian; Tarellian Civil War; Tarellian starship; Transporter Room 1; Troi, Ian Andrew; Xelo

Previous episode:
"Hide and Q"

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 1

Next episode:
"The Big Goodbye"

@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 * [[Armin Shimerman]]'s appearance as the [[Betazoid Gift Box]] marks his only non-[[Ferengi]] role on ''[[Star Trek]]'' (except the [[DS9]] episode {{e|Far Beyond the Stars}}) and his first role in the show, because "Haven" was filmed before {{e|The Last Outpost}}.
 * Director [[Richard Compton]], in addition to appearing twice in ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', later went on to produce and direct ''Sliders'', which was co-created by the writer of this story, [[Tracy Tormé]].
-* This is the third and last time in which Commander Riker is referred to as "Bill." He was previously called "Bill" in {{e|Encounter at Farpoint}} and {{e|The Naked Now}}.  Riker would later be refered to as "Billy-boy" in {{e|Tin Man}}.
+* This is the third and last time in which Commander Riker is referred to as "Bill." He was previously called "Bill" in {{e|Encounter at Farpoint}} and {{e|The Naked Now}}.
 * This is the one and only time that [[Homn]] speaks.
 * The [[MSD]] in [[engineering]] is replaced with a wall and a fake [[cargo bay]]-type door in this episode, to give the illusion of a corridor lounge.