"When the Bough Breaks" was the 18th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the show's first season, first aired during the week of 15 February 1988. The episode was written by Hannah Louise ShearerMA and directed by Kim MannersMA.
Description[]
- TNG Magazine
- The Aldeans, a mythical race rumored to hide their entire planet behind an immense cloaking device, make their presence known to the crew of the Enterprise. Highly advanced technologically, the Aldeans wish to trade. It seems the price of their anonymity has been too high...
References[]
Characters[]
- Accolan • Alexandra • Bennett • Harry Bernard • Harry Bernard, Sr. • Beverly Crusher • Wesley Crusher • Data • Duana • Diana Giddings • Katie • Geordi La Forge • Leda • Mason • Mason's father • Mason's mother • Melian • Jean-Luc Picard • Radue • Rashella • William T. Riker • Rose • Tara • Toya • Deanna Troi • Darien Wallace • Worf, son of Mogh • Natasha Yar • Youngblood
- Referenced only
- Aran • Zena
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- Aldea • Atlantis • Earth • Epsilon Mynos • Xerxes VII • Zadar IV
Races and cultures[]
- Referenced only
- Neinman • Romulan
States and organizations[]
Other[]
- 14th century • 21st century • calcium • calculus • chromosome • cloaking device • Custodian • dolphin • First Appointee • fish • gamma ray • gravity • magnetic field • medical tricorder • musician • neutrino • nuclear radiation • oceanography • ozone layer • planetary defense system • potassium • radiation poisoning • repulsor beam • shield • solar field • Starfleet Regulations • ultraviolet radiation • unit
Appendices[]
Related stories[]
- Before the USS Enterprise-D's discovery of Aldea in this episode, the existence of Aldea was believed to be a myth. While teaching archaeology at the University of Alpha Centauri in the 2350s, Jean-Luc Picard asked his students to name ancient civilizations, and one student jokingly referred to the Aldeans.
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous episode: Home Soil |
TNG episode produced | Next episode: Coming of Age |
| Previous episode: Too Short a Season |
TNG episode aired | Next episode: Home Soil |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Home Soil |
Next Adventure: Coming of Age | |
External links[]
- "When the Bough Breaks" article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- When the Bough Breaks (Star Trek: The Next Generation) article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.