Star Trek: The Pegasus

Episode: "The Pegasus"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 7, Episode 12

Original Air Date: January 10, 1994

via Memory Alpha

A Starfleet Intelligence operative comes aboard the Enterprise and he's an old friend of Commander Riker's.  Erik Pressman was Will's first commanding officer.  Their old ship, the USS Pegasus, was thought lost but it would seem the Romulans have found it and Pressman wants to get to it before they do.  The missing ship holds a secret and only Riker and Pressman know about it.

"The Pegasus" is a good Riker story, one of the best so far .  From the beginning, we've known that Captain Picard values Will for his willingness to stand up to his superiors.  "The Pegasus" provides a backstory on how he found that gumption.  Riker tests Picard's trust as never before in this story, ultimately revealing a great deal about their loyalty to each other  - and to the truth.

"The Pegasus" is, in fact, the strongest episode so far in what has been a relatively weak season.  

Acting Notes

via Lostpedia

Terry O'Quinn (Pressman) was born Terrance Quinn, July 15, 1952 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.  He was one of eleven children.  He attended Central Michigan University and the University of Iowa.  During his time at CMU, he wrote and directed a musical called Orchestrina.  Jeff Bridges played the lead in the production.

O'Quinn's best-known film role is the titular character in the Stepfather movies.  Other big screen credits include Tombstone, Young Guns and The Rocketeer.  He won an Emmy for the role of John Locke on the mega-hit TV series, Lost.  Other television gigs include The West Wing, Millenium and Mysteries of the Missing.