Television Review: Parallels (Star Trek: The Next Generation, S7x11, 1993)

Parallels (S07E11)

Airdate: 29 November 1993

Written by: Brannon Braga
Directed by: Robert Widmer

Running Time: 46 minutes

Parallel universes have long served as one of the most cherished and versatile tropes within the Star Trek canon, allowing writers to explore the infinite possibilities of "what might have been." This narrative device does more than simply offer a change of scenery; it fundamentally alters the fabric of reality, transforming the most banal storylines and character developments into fascinating, high-stakes scenarios. The third-season entry Yesterday’s Enterprise, which has been elevated to near-mythical status as one of the finest installments of the "Golden Age," demonstrated that temporal displacement could yield profound character drama and ethical complexity. However, as Star Trek: The Next Generation approached its seventh and final season, the creative team often struggled to maintain that level of narrative finesse. Season 7 was frequently criticised for being somewhat "clunky," with plots that felt repetitive or underwhelming. Yet, within this uneven season, the parallel universe concept was successfully redeployed, serving as a vehicle for both high-concept entertainment and a satisfying dose of fan service. Parallels is an interesting and entertaining example of such efforts, blending quantum physics with character dynamics in a way that, despite its occasional silliness, remains a memorable entry in the series' catalogue.

The episode opens with a deceptively mundane scenario that serves as the perfect normalisation for the chaos to come. Worf returns to the USS Enterprise-D having won the bat’l’eth tournament, an event that coincides with his birthday. Despite Riker’s assurances that no surprise party is planned, the crew stages one—an act of camaraderie that highlights Worf’s integration into the family unit. However, this moment of warmth is immediately undercut by Worf’s onset of dizziness, signalling that something is fundamentally wrong with his equilibrium and, by extension, the ship’s reality. This physical symptom coincides with the Enterprise’s investigation of the Argus Array, which has inexplicably malfunctioned, leading Picard and the crew to suspect Cardassian sabotage. What follows is a grand example of escalating surrealism, as Worf begins to experience terrifying phenomena that correspond with the array’s erratic behaviour. Details of the Enterprise’s rooms, Worf’s own clothing and rank, and even the nature of the crew begin to shift unpredictably. The reality stabilises only to shift again, revealing a ship commanded by Captain Riker, where Troi is no longer Worf’s friend but his wife and the mother of two children. Worf gradually realises that he is not merely hallucinating; he is somehow travelling between various alternative universes, a phenomenon that brings the multiverse concept to the forefront of Trek storytelling.

The episode’s scientific framework is handled with the assistance of Data, who analyses Worf’s RNA and discovers distinct quantum signatures that correspond to Worf’s original universe. He hypothesises that Worf passed through a fissure created by the shuttle’s engines and Geordi La Forge’s VISOR. The solution to the problem is to identify this specific fissure and pass through it deliberately. When the fissure is eventually located, it becomes destabilised, resulting in a visual spectacle of biblical proportions where numerous alternate versions of the Enterprise appear near it. Data estimates that there are 285,000 versions in the surrounding space before he is able to pinpoint the correct one. Worf travels to the correct ship, only to be intercepted by the Enterprise commanded by an alternate version of Riker. This alternate Riker has gone insane, having experienced the devastating aftermath of the Borg attack—a trauma directly reminiscent of the cliffhanger in The Best of Both Worlds—and he refuses to return to his universe. The alternate ship is nevertheless destroyed, and Worf succeds in returning to his proper universe. At the conclusion of the episode, the narrative arc closes softly, with Worf discussing a dinner date with Troi, a subtle nod to the romantic tension that has been simmering throughout the series.

While the motive of parallel universes is not exactly new in Star Trek, dating back to the classic Mirror, Mirror episode that established the Mirror Universe, Parallels brings the concept to an extreme and gives it a quasi-scientific explanation through the lens of quantum physics. The screenwriter, Brannon Braga—one of the most accomplished authors in the franchise’s history—uses this scientific concept in a way that is most entertaining to audiences, particularly the most loyal of fans. Near the end of the series, these fans are granted reminders of the series’ most important moments, from the camaraderie of the crew to the existential threats they have faced. This is achieved through seemingly small details that show even more radical departures from the "regular" timeline as the episode goes on. We see different insignias, different colour of Data’s eyes, and different ranks for the crew members. These details escalate near the end when the universe is being filled by countless versions of Enterprise, and the insane version of Riker serves as a grim reminder that many of those universes came from realities that are indescribably worse. It is a visual feast that rewards long-time viewers with familiar faces and settings, even as it subverts them.

However, the most fascinating aspect of this multiverse is its indulgence of "trekkie" shippers, notably those who believed that Worf and Troi, whose close friendship was established in Season 5’s Ethics, should be an item. This romantic possibility was explored soon after the episode Attached, which had already explored the potential for a Picard/Crusher romance. However, fan reaction was mixed, with some fans—perhaps even the majority—disliking the Worf/Troi pairing. This sentiment was reflected in the cast itself; Jonathan Frakes, who played Riker, publicly stated that the Worf/Troi romance didn't make any sense. In the end, Frakes and the Riker/Troi shippers largely got their way, as Riker eventually won Troi's heart, but Worf, in the end, got his regular romantic partner later as a character in Deep Space Nine. Parallels capitalises on this lingering desire among the fanbase, presenting a world where their fantasy is realised. It is a bold move that acknowledges the power of fan fiction and internet discourse, even if it complicates the romantic history of the characters.

The episode is also notable for a cameo appearance by Will Wheaton, repeating the role of Wesley Crusher. Here, Wesley is presented as a Starfleet officer, but without any fanfare or special treatment, showing that another parallel universe treats something that should have been something special in regular universes as a banality. This speaks to the narrative conceit that if a universe is "wrong" enough, even anomalies become the norm. The producers originally wanted to give a similar treatment to Tasha Yar, but chose not to, largely because it felt like a repeat of her reappearance in Yesterday’s Enterprise, which had already exhausted that particular emotional well. This decision shows a sophisticated understanding of continuity and fan fatigue.

Parallels is, despite some controversies regarding its scientific plausibility and its heavy reliance on fan service, a very good episode. It shows that TNG had still a lot of potential even near its end, proving that the franchise could still deliver visual spectacle and character growth when it leaned into its most popular tropes. By bringing together elements of quantum mechanics, the Borg trauma of The Best of Both Worlds, and the character dynamics of the main cast, it creates a self-contained adventure that is exciting, if occasionally overwhelming. It shows the creativity of the writing staff in their final year, reminding viewers why the series remained so beloved even as it prepared to say goodbye.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

IMDb link

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