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Star Trek: The Next Generationis one of the most beloved and influential series of the space adventure genre. First premiering in 1987, the series ran for seven successful seasons before finally ending in 1994. Having given a new lease of life to the original saga, the characters then went on to star in several movies as well.
However, it was truly the series that truly honored Gene Roddenberry’s original vision of space exploration. And one episode, in particular, stands out from the rest, for embracing the science behind the series and concepts like time loop, which left the viewers confused and bewildered.
Star Trek: The Next GenerationEpisode Which Shocked The World
Star Trek: The Next Generationexpanded theStar Trekuniverse,delving deeper and deeperinto the intricate world that so often reflected real-world dilemmas. While characters like Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard obviously stood out from the rest, actors likeJonathan Frakes, who starred as First Officer Commander William Riker, revolutionized the series by contributing significantly behind the camera.
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Back on June 27, 2025,The Next Generation’s18th episode of the fifth season premiered and left all fans and audiences shocked. Titled,Cause and Effect, it featured the destruction of the Enterprise, which leads to a space-time continuum for the crew and the ship. Caught in the time-loop, the same events of the ship being destroyed and killing everyone went on and on.
Directed by Frakes himself, the episode showed the crew trapped and experiencing the same events over and over again. Although if one were to pay heed, the repeated events were all shot in slightly different manners, the repetitive scenes and variations were a bold narrative choice that gave the series yet another extra edge.
Fans Were Confused by Jonathan Frakes’sCause and Effect
It has been more than 30 years sinceCause and Effectfirst premiered. Since then it has become one of the most iconic and fan-favorite episodes ofThe Next Generationfor introducing the time loop. Its execution and writing were so intricate that many of the viewers were left utterly confused back in the day.
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In an interview, years after the episode’s premiere,SYFY WIREsat down with Brannon Braga, writer ofCause and Effect, to discuss the aftermath of the episode’s premiere. Braga described how the actors initially were left confused, thinking they had been handed the wrong script. While the actors got the hang of it later on, the episode’s premiere on TV caused a flood of calls from fans.
This was back when people would call into TV stations, I guess, they would call a lot of affiliates. The show was syndicated, as you know, and the affiliates were getting phone calls during the broadcast [saying] something was wrong with the broadcast.
Despite being unconventional and completely out of the left field, the episode became a hit among fans, who could not get enough of the bold narrative. Thanks to Braga’s leap of faith and Frakes’ willingness to take risks,Cause and Effectnow remains a testament to the bold enduring legacy ofThe Next Generation.
Star Trek: The Next Generationcan be streamed on Netflix.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
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