Star Trek: The Next Phase

Episode: "The Next Phase"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 5, Episode 24

Original Air Date: May 18, 1992

via Memory Alpha

Our heroes come to the rescue of a Romulan ship.  In a transporter snafu, La Forge and Ro are lost, believed dead.  In reality, they're stuck out of phase.  They wander the Enterprise watching their friends deal with the presumed loss while also struggling to communicate with them about how to fix the problem.

At first blush, I'm not a huge fan of the concept for this one.  However, as the story progresses, discussions about how we deal with death, both culturally and individually, grow deeply interesting.  The wrinkle of a Romulan officer being stuck out of phase with our friends adds excitement to the mix, too.

Though intended as a cost-saving bottle story, "The Next Phase" turned out to be the most expensive episode of the season due to the special effects required for the phasing.  But there was a payoff.  "The Next Phase" won an Emmy for Sound Mixing.

Acting Notes

via The West Wing Wiki

Thomas Kopache played the role of Mirok, the science officer aboard the Romulan ship.  This is Kapache's first of five Star Trek appearances.  He was born October 17, 1945 in Manchester, New Hampshire.  He has also had guest appearances on Babylon 5, The West Wing and Malcolm in the Middle.  The big screen resume is relatively modest, though he did appear as a shoe salesman in No Country for Old Men.