Star Trek: Genesis

Episode: "Genesis"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 7, Episode 19

Original Air Date: March 21, 1994

via Memory Alpha

Due to a snafu in sickbay (it's Barclay's fault, naturally), the Enterprise crew de-evolves.  Nurse Ogawa reverts to a more primitive ape form.  Counselor Troi develops gills.  Worf becomes a ravenous, pre-historic Klingon beast.  Barclay goes arachnid.  Even the pets are not spared.  Data's cat Spot becomes an iguana.

Naturally, Data is unaffected, a key plot point in all "every organic creature is doomed" narratives on NextGen.  He's the Scarecrow in the poppy field.  Picard and Data are off-ship when the disaster strikes so the effect on the captain is also delayed.  

I'm not a huge fan of the horror-trending stories but "Genesis" has humorous moments, too.  The episode was nominated for three Emmys: Sound Editing, Makeup and winning for Sound Mixing.  Other evaluators have been less charitable.  Star Trek 101 gave "Genesis" the Spock's Brain Award as the worst of the series.  I can think of at least two that I like less: "Code of Honor" and "Masks."

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Carlos Ferro played the role of Ensign Dern, a conn officer.  He was born in San Francisco.  He worked as a DJ before turning to acting.  

Most of Ferro's credits are in voice acting.  On television, he has voiced characters in Justice League and Spawn.  Video game work includes the Assassin's Creed and Gears of War franchises.