From 1920s gangsters to space hippies,Star Trekhas never been above a good gimmick, and thisStar Trek: The Next Generationepisode uses an absurd gimmick surprisingly well. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise-D,TNGushered in a new era fortheStar Trekfranchise. LikeStar Trek: The Original Series,TNGfound unique ways to tell classic sci-fi stories that made excellent use of the show’s beloved characters.
After five twenty-plus-episode seasons,Star Trek: The Next Generationwas able to keep the hits coming, impressively.TNGseason 6 gave us the iconic (and brutal) “Chain of Command” two-parter, the compelling “Face of the Enemy,” and thegenuinely unsettling “Frame of Mind.“TNGseason 6 also delivered the incredibly fun “Rascals,“which finds Captain Picard and three of his crew transformed into children while Ferengi take over the Enterprise. This doesn’t sound like a particularly great premise, but “Rascals” somehow makes it work.
TNG Season 6, Episode 7 “Rascals” Has Many Fun Moments
“Rascals” centers on Picard, Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), and Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao) after a transporter accident turns them into children. The plotline also involves a group of Ferengi taking over the Enterprise.Captain Picard (David Tristan Birkin) struggles to command authority as a 12-year-old,promptingCommander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes)to take command. One of the episode’s most iconic moments comes when Picard slips up in front of the Ferengi and refers to Riker as Number One. Picard quickly corrects himself, clarifying that Riker is his"number one Dad.”
With a screenplay written by Alison Hock, based on a story by Ward Botsford, Diana Dru Botsford, and Michael Piller, “Rascals” was the directorial debut of Adam Nimoy, the son of Leonard Nimoy.
Meanwhile, Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meany) isn’t quite sure how to react to his wife Keiko’s (Caroline Junko King) transformation, and their daughter, Molly (Hana Hatae), doesn’t even recognize her own mother. Guinan (Isis Carmen Jones) embraces her temporary adolescence and encourages Ro (Megan Parlen) to experience a childhood she never had. All four child actors deliver solid performances, and the episode combines humor and heart to offer some surprising insight into its characters.Ferengi themselves are not very bright, but “Rascals” mostly works despite its ridiculous premise.
Young Picard & Guinan Have Other Star Trek Connections
In Different Ways, Young Picard & Young Guinan Appeared In Other Trek Episodes
Actor David Tristan Birkin, who portrayed the young Jean-Luc, had previously appeared inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 4, episode 2, “Family,” asPicard’s nephew, René. With a small role, Birkin did not make much of an impression in “Family,” but he’s great as a young Picard. He nicely channels his inner Patrick Stewart and does a good job portraying Picard’s frustration at not being taken seriously.It’s not hard to imagine Birkin really is a young version of the Enterprise-D captain,and this holds true for the other child actors as well.
This Great TNG Episode Always Makes Me Mad That Star Trek Killed Off Picard’s Family
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4’s “Family” is a classic, and Star Trek Generations killing Jean-Luc’s family off-screen never sits right.
The young Guinan, Isis Carmen Jones, had previously played a young Whoopi Goldberg in 1992’sSister Act, andshe does great work here as a particularly playful Guinan.A young adult version of Guinan (portrayed by Ito Aghayere) appeared inStar Trek: Picardseason 2, offering insight into Guinan’s life in the 21st century. She was considering leaving Earth and humanity behind for good but ultimately decided to stick around after meeting Jean-Luc Picard. With its fascinating combination of characters,Star Trek: The Next Generation’s"Rascals” took a ridiculous premise and pulled it off surprisingly well.
