TNG 'Banned' Episode To Be Shown

[Deleted User]

Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation may not be aware that a third season episode of the hit series, has never been shown on terrestrial television, and until May 2006, airings on Sky One were edited.

The episode was never shown as a scene from the episode, in which Picard (Patrick Stewart) is talking to Data (Brent Spiner), when Data mentions how terrorism has worked over the centuries, he mentions the reunification of Ireland in 2024.

In the episode 'The High Ground', Dr Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), while helping the wounded victims of a terrorist attack on "a non-aligned planet" is taken hostage.

Now this year's 'Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival' in Belfast is to show the episode in full - a first for most fans who attend the screening. Sean Kelly, director of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, hopes its screening will attract "die hard Trekkies, and people of every political persuasion and none ... It's hard to believe that but both the BBC and RTE refused to show it and it still hasn't been shown on terrestrial TV in the UK or Ireland."

If you wish to attend the screening of the episode:

Venue: The Black Box Café, Hill Street, Belfast.
Date: Monday 7th May
Time: 20.00

Tickets are free and can be reserved online (Click on the Book Tickets link near the top of the page) or phone the box office on 028 90 246 609.

Source: UFPst.co.uk

bizmark

im pritty sure i seen an unedited version of that on sky one not long ago at all

DublinWriter

I've seen that episode on terrestrial TV a couple of times.

Kewl....only 17 years to go then!

Woden

I had thought that that the line in the episode which refered to reunification was modified to just not include the line. /shrug

jhegarty

Dataisgod wrote:

I had thought that that the line in the episode which refered to reunification was modified to just not include the line. /shrug

It was never show on the terrestrial (aka bbc, rte not having the rights to show)... it was always editied on sky...

bizmark

Data's still around 0o

(play eve online)

Kojak

bizmark wrote:

im pritty sure i seen an unedited version of that on sky one not long ago at all

So I am, maybe no more than 2 months ago

_Kaiser_

Yep it was on about 2 weeks ago - unedited - on Sky

Stark

They used to show that episode years ago. It was always preceded by "And now, we're going to shown a rarely-aired episode". I'm pretty sure one of the showings had Data's comment about Irish reunification too.

Tar.Aldarion

I saw this yearts ago, as a child. Even remembered the date.

bizmark

Its not a bad episode hardly worth being banned for 1 trow away line

Reptileboy

The High Ground is a very good episode. And I was very surprised as a kid to learn of the controversy considering that it is a very off hand remark by Data.

Not sure if it is a really big deal whether or not it is shown considering I have seen it numerous times. Have no idea whether it was actually shown on either RTE or BBC recent. Certainly not RTE, but with the amount of times the BBC and Sky have show Star Trek: The Next Generation, I would not be surprised if this special showing was not slighty out of date.

I do recall, when I originally watched the episode feeling slightly jarred by it. I'm used to Star Trek being preachy, but the remark hit way too close to home. I was a little pissed that some American who probably read an article in TIME magazine had formed an opinion on something that was deeply divisive to two cultures.

Looking at it now, it barely registers, but it overwhelmed the episode for me when I watched a long time as I sat waiting for it. Now, I like to see the episode as more interesting in the light of 9/11. Perhaps it is more relevant to an American audience than it is to an Irish and British audience today.

Johnny Storm

Mediocre ep IMHO. Was it ever really "banned" anywhere?

robnubis

Ive seen this episode and that line from US tv.

Stabshauptmann

jhegarty wrote:

It was never show on the terrestrial (aka bbc, rte not having the rights to show)... it was always editied on sky...

Ive seen it on sky unedited, and remember talking about it on two seperate occasions in the pub with diff people.

Yakuza

Was on Channel 6 about a month ago (at 7am). I recorded the latter half of it (cos I woke up at 7:20!) , which included Data's remark about the reunification of Ireland.

Orion

I've seen it too. Years ago - on Sky. I remember it because I was so suprised at the line.

Michael Collins

Yep, remember seeing this episode and that line in it a good few years ago. Something like "continuied terrorist acts by the IRA let to the Irish Renunifcation in 2024", then Picard says "yes, I'm familiar with [terroist sucesses]" or something to that effect.

Not a very sucessful banning so...

Stark

Data failed to mention the EU superstate making the success redundant

Sad Professor

I remember reading about that line being removed years ago, didn't realise the whole episode was "banned" though. Excellent episode imo, I particularly like some of the dialogue between Crusher and Finn, here's an excerpt from the script:

BEVERLY
How can you have such a casual
attitude toward killing?

FINN
(without humor)
I take my killing very seriously,
Doctor.

She shakes her head, unable to understand this man.

FINN
(shrugs her off)
You are an idealist...

BEVERLY
I live in an ideal culture...
there is no need for your kind
of violence... we've proven that.

He looks at her, grunts.

FINN
Your origins on Earth are from
the American continent, are they
not?

BEVERLY
North America.

FINN
I have read your history books.
This is a war for independence.
I am no different than your own
George Washington...

BEVERLY
Washington was a military general.
He was not a terrorist.

FINN
Doctor, the difference between
a general and terrorist is only
the difference between winners
and losers. You win, you're
called a general. You lose...

BEVERLY
You are killing innocent people...
Can't you see the immorality of
what you're doing... or have you
killed so often, you've become
blind to it?

Finn looks at her, shakes his head at her naivete.

FINN
How much innocent blood has been
spilled for the cause of freedom
in the history of your Federation,
Doctor? How many good and noble
societies have bombed civilians
in war? Wiped out whole cities.
And now that you enjoy the comfort
that has come from their battles,
their killing... you frown on my
immorality... ? Doctor, I am
willing to die for my freedom.
And, in the finest tradition of
your own great civilization, I'm
willing to kill for it too.

Great writing imo. TNG in it's prime

Michael Collins

Sad Professor wrote:

Great writing imo. TNG in it's prime

Exactly. It was a philosophy show, with some Sci-Fi. Not the other way 'round. Something which the Voyager and Enterprise series' lacked. DS9 was decent enough at it, and TOS too.

Pride Fighter

Yes it was on Sky unedited for years. I would always laugh at that line with my bro. It could happen though. It would not be the result of a terrorist campaign though. Lets all get involved in politics and bring about a re-unification referendum north and south of the border for 2024.lol.