The Outrageous Okona (Episode)
Series | Star Trek: The Next Generation |
Season | 2 |
Episode | 4 |
Production Number | 130 |
Release Date | 12 Dec 1988 |
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Stardate 42402.7: The roguish Okona charms the crew
Near the twin planets of the Madena system, the Enterprise picks up a young trader, Thaduin Okona, while helping him repair his small ship. The roguish charmer quickly makes friends, especially among the female crew members. Intrigued by Okona's wisecracks, Data lets Guinan talk him into a stint on the holodeck as a stand-up comedian. He conjures up a twentieth-century comedy club and a stand-up comic of the day to coach him.
Meanwhile, Picard faces a confrontation that's more of a headache than a crisis: the two hot-headed leaders of Madena's twin worlds are demanding Okona's hide. Straleb's ruler accuses him of stealing their sacred Jewel of Thesia, while Atlec's ruler raves that Okona impregnated his daughter. With the exasperating prospect of the two tiny vessels actually opening fire on the Enterprise or one another, Wesley Crusher persuades the trader to come clean with the truth.
Okona baits the Straleb leader's son into admitting everything: the two fearful children used Okona as a go-between for their romance and used the jewel as a nuptial gift. With the two planets now bound for an unexpected union, a Data despondent over his troubles with humor unintentionally makes a joke that lands with the bridge crew.
Director
Robert Becker
Story
Les Menchen & Lance Dickson & David Landsberg
Teleplay
Burton Armus
Starring
Patrick Stewart … Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes … Commander Will Riker
Brent Spiner … Lieutenant Commander Data
Marina Sirtis … Counselor Deanna Troi
LeVar Burton … Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn … Lieutenant Worf
Wil Wheaton … Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher
Guest Starring
Diana Muldaur … Dr. Kate Pulaski
William O. Campbell … Captain Thaduin Okona
Douglas Rowe … Debin
Albert Stratton … Kushell
Rosalind Ingledew … Yanar
Kieran Mulroney … Benzan
Teri Hatcher … Lieutenant B.G. Robinson
Joe Piscopo … The Comic
Whoopi Goldberg … Guinan