Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 6: Where No One Has Gone Before [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great episode that introduces an interesting character that is called the traveler. The traveler has special ablilities, like the ablitiy to case a starship fly faster than warp 10. As a result the Enteprise finds its self at the galactic barrier, and with the traveler fallen ill it seems no way to get home, at least not in their lifetime. Watch and find out how they manage to get home without turning the enterprise into a colony ship.

This is avery good season one episode.It was made when star trek The Next Generation was only six episodes old so the special effects and the way the actors play the characters is still a little shaky. That is the reason why I did not give it a five. Despite the things that I have just mentioned above this is a very good episode! I reccomend it to anyone who likes science fiction and appreciates good story telling. The acting is good in this episode but not as good as in other first season episodes like Heart of Glory or The Big Goodbye.However, those episodes are outstanding for the entire 177 episode run of the series.All in all it is worth getting due to the exitment and interest that the script brings to the viewer. This is a good episode to buy.

The Enterprise is to be the subject of an experiment. An arrogant Starfleet propulsion expert comes on board with his alien assistant, claiming to be able to boost the output of the ship's engines. Even though his formulas appear to be nonsense, Picard rather tartly consents to the test, over the objections of his crew. They certainly get more than they expected, being propelled millions of light years beyond their goal. Everyone puts it down to a malfunction, but only Wesley Crusher understands that it was somehow the result of the actions of the expert's assistant.
That assistant is the only one who can return them, but in the first attempt, they enter a nether region where thoughts can become reality and the assistant, who is actually a "Traveler", grows sick and is on the verge of dying. Nevertheless, by marshalling all their thoughts, the crew of the Enterprise provides enough assistance to the Traveler so that they are able to return to their own galaxy.
This is the episode where Wesley Crusher makes the transition from "the boy" to Ensign Crusher. At the start, Picard and Riker refer to him as the boy, to the point where he has to remind them that his name is Wesley. Picard is also much more rigid in this episode than in others, until the end when he "promotes" Wesley, he is unwilling to accept dissent, cutting off all who try to explain circumstances to him.
Like some of the other early episodes, the principals are rigid and overly authoritative in their behavior. In my opinion, one of the primary reasons why the quality improves in later episodes is that the main characters become much less rigid in their actions, no doubt due in part to the actors adjusting to their roles. This episode is not one of the best, I rank it right in the middle of the group. It is most memorable for the fact that Wesley becomes a full member of the crew, opening up many plot possibilities for future episodes.

Certainly the most interesting development in Wesley Crusher's (Wil Wheaton) character during the first season was his initial meeting with the Traveler (Eric Menyuk) in "Where No One Has Gone Before." Not only was the Traveler the most interesting alien introduced in the early going of the series but the special bond he would form with Wesley would be integral to the evolution of the latter in future episodes.

Specialist Kosinski (Stanley Kamel) boards the Enterprise-D with boastful claims that he can magically improve the efficiency of the ship's warp engines. Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frankes) and Chief Engineer Argyle (Biff Yeager) are skeptical of their visitor but they allow him to continue with his upgrades. Wesley becomes intrigued with Kosinki's assistant, an alien called the Traveler, who turns out to be the secret behind Kosinki's past success. The truth behind the charade is exposed after the Traveler accidentally hurls the Enterprise into another dimension.

"Where No One Has Gone Before" starkly illustrates another difference the new Star Trek series would have from its predecessor. The special effects that depict the Enterprise's journey into the unknown are of feature film quality and easily outdoes anything seen on the original series. The guest stars are strong also with Menyuk turning in a very memorable performance as Wesley's future mentor. It is no surprise that the producers decided to make him a recurring character after his work in this episode. In sum, "Where No One Has Gone Before" was a welcome outing that broke a run of average episodes.

First Appearance of the Traveler

In this Next Generation classic; an engineering quack by the name of "Kosinski" claims he can upgrade the warp engine efficiency. The information turns out to be nonsense. It's the assistant; "The Traveler" who is behind the discovery. It turns out this alien can bend space and time. After a warp experiment, the Enterprise speeds to a dimension where "none have gone before". It's too bad they didn't see what species lived in this strange place. The Traveler notices Wesley Crusher. He tells Wes that he has a talent for bending dimensional reality as he does. It can be developed; if only he allows himself to.

This episode marks the first time the Enterprise journeys to somewhere other than conventional "space." There is a terrific special effects sequence. When the big E travels beyond space and time; via the Traveler, and not because of Kosinski's "Genius." The scenes between Wesley and the alien make this one a standout from the rest.

The Enterprise meet with the USS Fearless, a ship that recently had its Warp drive performance improved significantly by a supposed propulsion expert and consultant named Kosinski (Stanley Kamel). Kosinski is a pompous ass from the get-go and he rubs everyone the wrong way. He comes with his assistant who is from Tau Alpha-C, a world on the far reaches of the Milky Way. He has a name that is not pronouncable by humans, but refers to himself simply as Kosinski's assistant, and later as a "Traveler."

The Chief Engineer and Riker look over Kosinski's specs for intermix changes and surmise that his calculations are utter gibberish - that they will have absolutely no affect on the engines and absolutely won't improve them.

While Kosinski is working in main Engineering with Riker and the Chief over his shoulder, the Traveler is huddled away at another work station. Kosinski says his assistant will enter in other calculations much faster than a human can - but this is laughable when you see that he only has 3 fat fingers on each hand and you never see him move even half as fast as a human - he's like a humanoid sloth, actually.

Wesley, who was already in Engineering as part of a school project, quickly befriends the Traveler and the Traveler takes an instant interest in Wesley when he realizes that Wesley understands much more than what he should at his tender age. He realizes that when it comes to space-time and travel, Wesley is the equivalent of an idiot savant - a freakin' genius, but he is still just a boy. Poor Wesley - he is made out to be such a geek and one has to wonder why the wardrobe department thought he would look like a normal teenage boy wearing what looks like his mom's cable-knit sweater - geeky-uncool.

The Traveler gets distracted by Wesley and all of a sudden the warp engines go into overdrive - and that's a major understatement. Before they know it, they are nearly 3 million light years from where they were - they have travelled not only past their own galaxy, but through 2 more when they finally answer all-stop.

At maximum warp, it will take them 300 years to get back home and their computer registers that they have only been travelling at warp 1.5 the whole time, but travelled to galaxy M-33 in about 3 minutes. Kosinski claims he made a mistake, but "a wonderful mistake" and now claims that he has changed the way starships will travel. The Chief Engineer tries to keep from wetting himself, because the premise is laughable, since all Kosinski was doing was entering in calculations and they couldn't have been responsible for what has happened - but in the absence of another explaination, they decide to let Kosinski try to do the same thing, but in reverse so they can get home.

Wesley was the only one who noticed that the Traveler "phased" during the whacky ride and he tries to tell Riker twice, but Riker keeps saying, "not now, Wesley!" and shrugs him off like an annoying insect.

During the attempt to go home, things go even wrong-er! All of a sudden they are over a BILLION light years from home and really weird crap starts happening all over the ship. Worf sees his pet targ on the bridge, then it vanishes, then Tasha sees her pet kitty from when she was being chased by rape gangs on her homeworld and Picard sees his grandmother "Maman" down a corridor, followed by an ensign that starts doing a ballet in the cargo bay.

The Traveler is near death - exhausted and Dr. Crusher doesn't even know how to treat him because of his unusual physiology. During the second trip to the outer rim of the universe, Riker sees the Traveler phase and now regrets he didn't listen to Wesley the first time. It is now clear that Kosinski was indeed typing in gibberish and that the improvements to other Starfleet engines were work of the Traveler.

Picard is in a pickle - they will be travelling at Warp 9.9 for about a million years to get home - and a high speed like that can't even be maintained for long. Their only hope is to have the Traveler's help. The Traveler, almost too weak to walk, apologizes for putting them in this situation and promises he will try to get them back home. Before they head back to engineering, the Traveler shares some interesting information with Picard about Wesley - a foreshadowing of things to come in 2 future episodes, one in which Dr. Crusher gets stuck in a static warp bubble and another one in which Wesley manages to start a war with Cardassia and leaves his career.

An important episode on many fronts and the beginning of Wesley's career as he is made acting-Ensign. Cheesy in many areas, but still a solid episode.

Where No One Has Gone Before is a dazzling episode with amazing special effects and a great story of a travler from far away coming as a assistant with a "expert" warp field consultant, then accidently sending the Enterprise hearlding through galaxies and systems at an unchartable speed. And the expert taking the credit. But it was really the travler's doing and now he's dying. He is the only one how can get them home. This was a episode that was very exciting and wonderful. A gem in a other wise, weak first season.

Original air date: October 26, 1988
Stardate: 41263.2

The U.S.S. Enterprise and crew bring aboard a cocky warp engines mechanic and his assistant to do tests on the starships new warp engines and even more.

The U.S.S. Enterprise has intercepted the U.S.S. Fearless and brings aboard a cocky warp engines mechanic named Kosinski and his assistant on board the Enterprise.

They head to Engineering and begin the first test, with the Enterprise going at warp 1.5. The assistant does a mistake and begins to dematerialize in the engine room. After that, the Enterprise goes into super-warp, going past warp 10. On the viewscreen, quasars and pulsars go flying past the Enterprise. Picard orders the starship to come to a full stop. The starship Enterprise ends up in a different galaxy than their own. La Forge calculates that the Enterprise has ended up on the far side of the Triangulum Galaxy, also known as M-33 and they left their own galaxy and passed two other ones. Picard asks Data how far they have traveled. Data says that the Enterprise has gone 2,700,000 light-years from their former position. Thats impossible! La Forge calculates that it will take the starship three centuries even at their fastest speed. Kosinski explains what happened to the Enterprise when they were in warp.

Picard asks Kosinski to do the same thing as before to get back to the galaxy they live in, and Kosinski agrees and heads back to the Engine Room. They do it again and the assistant begins dematerializing again and this time Riker sees what is happening to the ship. The Enterprise goes into super-warp and suddenly, disappears from the Triangulum Galaxy. The starship starts to shake violently. They stop again, and they arent in their galaxy but in another strange one. Picard asks what the place is called. Data says for his friend, Where none have gone before. The U.S.S. Enterprises present position is at least over a billion light-years from their own galaxy. Picard heads to the Engine Room and sees the alien dying. Later, in Sickbay, the alien calls himself a traveler. The reason the Enterprise is in this galaxy because the warp formula had thought in it. He also tells him that Wesley is special and must get the best attention like Mozart, the famous composer of the 17th and 18th centuries. As Picard tries to get to the Bridge, a crewman is thinking of fire and is trapped. Picard tells the crewman to put it out in his thoughts. It works, and he continues his duties. Picard talks to the crew to think of the Traveler or his or her duty, it might be enough to get the crew back to the Milky Way Galaxy.

Picard puts the starship on Red Alert and gets ready to go back to the Milky Way Galaxy. Counselor Troi and Lt. Yar tell Picard that there will be stress and general fear by the crew. Picard orders La Forge to set a retroactive course to get back to the Milky Way Galaxy, and The Enterprise goes to warp speed. They are getting faster and it is not enough yet. Whats worse, is that the alien is trying to dematerialize again. It was enough, and the alien disappears. Whats also great, is that the Enterprise is back in the Alpha Quadrant and back in their galaxy.

La Forge calls this trip through the universe a sleigh ride. Captain Picard summons Wesley and has been commissioned Acting Ensign Until Starfleet Academy can accept him. He is greatly pleased and accepts the offer.

This is my favourite TNG first season episode.