When The Bough Breaks (episode)

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The children of the Enterprise-D are kidnapped by a dying race that has mysteriously become infertile en masse.

Summary

While investigating the Epsilon Mynos system, the crew of the USS Enterprise-D are witness to the revealing of the legendary planet Aldea. Radue, leader of the Aldeans, contacts the ship and asks to meet with them. Suddenly, Radue and Rashella appear on the bridge, startling everyone, notably Dr. Crusher, as they did not undergo decontamination procedures, but they quickly explain that the Enterprise's transporters won't work because of the planet's shields. They also show visible signs of discomfort, which they justify by not being used to bright lights and soon afterwards they beam back on the planet.

Commander Riker, Deanna Troi, and Dr. Crusher are transported to the surface of Aldea, and they're quickly welcomed into their small community. However, the Aldean's motives are quickly revealed, as Radue explains that he wishes to acquire some of the Enterprise's children, in exchange for technology. This outrages both Riker and Crusher, and Troi explains that Human children are prized above all else in their society; other species might be able to contribute. Then Radue explains that the Aldean society is dying out, and they've become infertile. Riker expresses his sympathy, but declines their trade offer and they are all returned to the ship. Meanwhile, strange beams of light come from the planet, scanning everyone on board but focused on the children, human children.

Suddenly, disappearances of some of the children are reported, including Wesley Crusher. The Captain is infuriated, and contacts Radue, demanding to have their children back. Radue appears on the viewscreen and informs Picard that the children will be well looked after, and that they'll want for nothing. Picard and Doctor Crusher are transported to the planet to negotiate for "compensation" for the children.

On Aldea, Wesley and the children get to meet their foster parents, and are quickly enticed by the skill-enhancing instruments that are offered to them. Wesley, however, is not impressed by the Aldeans and wants to know more about the computer system known as the Custodian, which takes care of the Aldeans. With Duana, Wesley interacts with the Custodian and learns the controls. He also asks whats behind one of the doors, and Duana responds that she doesn't know.

Doctor Crusher demands to see Wesley, and while with him, she coordinates a covert scan of Duana. Still not satisfied with the agreement, negotiations break down and the away team are sent back to the ship.

Picard insists the children be returned, Radue is adamant that the children will remain on Aldea, and he displays the planet's power by blasting the ship three days away from the planet (at warp 9.) Radue contacts them again, and claims that he could very easily push the Enterprise so far away that by the time they returned their children would be grandparents.

During the return trip, Dr. Crusher analyzes the covert scan and discovers that Duana is suffering from acute radiation poisoning, which is the reason why their society has become infertile.

Meanwhile, Wesley convinces the other children to go on hunger strike, in an attempt to make the Aldeans return them to the ship.

Upon the Enterprise's return, Radue, angered by the children's actions, contacts Picard again, and demands that he makes the children co-operate. While they are being beamed down, Riker and Data make it through the shield and begin disabling the Custodian. Doctor Crusher tries to convince Radue that the cause of their infertility is the planetary shield and cloaking device affecting their ozone layer. Eventually, even the children will become affected. Radue insists that their scientists would've known but she retorts that they have been so reliant on their technology, they have lost track; if they discontinue use of the shield and cloak, the radiation effects should be reversible. Just then, Picard arrives with the children, saying they are going home. Radue attempts to beam him away but his commands to the Custodian are not responding; Riker and Data have disabled it. Picard has Enterprise to beam up the children. When they are gone, Radue curses that Picard has destroyed them. The captain says they are doing the exact opposite.

The Aldeans, lead by the Starfleet personnel, go to the mysterious door, and find what Data identifies as a huge power source, which has been powering their community, but which has also been slowly killing them. Radue muses that they all need to relearn how to look after themselves. The Enterprise leaves Aldea, with all the children safely back on board. Alexandra, one of the children, comes to the bridge to thank and hug Picard. When she leaves, everyone on the bridge giggles behind the captain's back as Alexandra's plush toy was stuck to his back.

Log Entries

Memorable Quotes

"Data, find a way to defeat that shield."
"That may be impossible, sir."
"Things are only impossible until they're not."
"Yes, sir."

- Picard and Data

"It's Aldea, Captain. It has to be."

- Riker, to Picard after the fabled planet suddenly appears in front of the Enterprise

"We need some of your children."

- Radue

"Our children are not for sale at any price."

- Beverly Crusher, to Radue

"What's your hurry, Harry?"

- William Riker, to Harry Bernard after he runs into him

"Captain, we will continue these discussions when you have calmed down."

- Radue, to Picard after kidnapping children from the Enterprise-D

"Captain, I am not aware of regulation 6.57."
"No Data, neither am I."
"I see sir. (Pause, understands) Oh, I see sir!'"

- Data and Picard

Background Information

Custodian studio model — The studio model of the Custodian's power engine.

This marks Jerry Hardin's first appearance on Star Trek. He later reappeared as Samuel Clemens in TNG: "Time's Arrow", and Dr. Neria in VOY: "Emanations".
The title of this episode takes its name from the children's lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby" ("...when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall..."). The Doctor would later adapt the lullaby for B'Elanna Torres's baby and sing it to Seven of Nine in VOY: "Human Error".
"Aldea" is Spanish for "village."
"Aldea" was not the originally scripted name for the planet. In the teaser, when Riker is telling everyone about Aldea, you can see Jonathan Frakes mouthing some other word (and you can clearly hear that all his lines containing "Aldea" were subsequently looped).
The visual effect of the Enterprise-D being blasted far away from Aldea is reused in "Q Who" and "Tin Man".
The Enterprise-D being blasted away from Aldea is similar to the original Enterprise being hurled 990.7 light years away from the Kalandin outpost (minus the earthquake effect) in TOS: "That Which Survives".
Wil Wheaton's brother and sister both appear in this episode, although they are uncredited as well as Michael Westmore's daughter.
The melody that Katie plays for Melian is the same piece of music used as "The Traveler's theme" in TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before", both of which were scored by Ron Jones.
The large dome window in the Aldean's meeting room was later put on top of a building in Paradise City on Nimbus III in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
The Aldean's planetary shield and cloaking device was not a full scale set piece but rather a three foot long studio model as was revealed in the Reading Rainbow's episode "The Bionic Bunny Show". Effects Supervisor Robert Legato explained that it was kit-bashed out of parts from model-kits of aircraft carriers, tanks and cars.
The episode's score, composed and conducted by Ron Jones, was recorded on 5 February 1988 at Paramount Stage M. (Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Ron Jones Project liner notes [1]) The complete episode score, totalling 27 minutes 30 seconds, appears on Disc Three of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Ron Jones Project collection.

Production history

Second revised final draft script: 11 December 1987
Filmed: 15 December 1987 – 23 December 1987
Premiere airdate: 15 February 1988

Video and DVD releases

Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 9, catalogue number VHR 2438, 4 February 1991.
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 1.6, catalogue number VHR 4647, 10 August 1998.
As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection.
As part of the TNG Season 1 Blu-ray collection.

Links and references

Starring

Also starring

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

Guest stars

Co-stars

Stand-ins

James G. Becker - stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
Darrell Burris - stand-in for LeVar Burton
Dexter Clay - stand-in for Michael Dorn
Jeffrey Deacon - stand-in for Patrick Stewart
Susan Duchow - stand-in for Denise Crosby
Nora Leonhardt - stand-in for Marina Sirtis
Tim McCormack - stand-in for Brent Spiner
Lorine Mendell - stand-in for Gates McFadden
Guy Vardaman - stand-in for Wil Wheaton

References

14th century; 21st century; Aldea; Aldean; Aran; Atlantis; calcium; calculus; chromosome; cloaking device; Custodian; dolphin; Earth; Epsilon Mynos system; First Appointee; fish; gamma ray; gravity; industrial waste byproducts; medical doctor; magnetic field; medical tricorder; Milky Way Galaxy; musician; Neinman; neutrino; nuclear radiation; oceanography; ozone layer; passive resistance; planetary defense system; potassium; Progenitor; radiation poisoning; repulsor beam; Romulans; sculptor; sculpture; shields; solar field; Starfleet Regulations; three-dimensional chess; trace elements; ultraviolet radiation; unit; Xerxes VII; Xerxes system; Zadar IV; Zadar system; Zena

External links

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"Too Short a Season"

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 1

Next episode:
"Home Soil"