Future Imperfect

Season 4, Episode 8, Aired

Episode Summary

EDIT
go
Netflix
Subscription
Amazon Prime
Free Trial / Subscription
8.3
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Great
195 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate Now!
Stardate: 44286.5 On an away mission, Riker passes out from some toxic gas, and when he awakens he is 16 years in the future. As the captain of the Enterprise he is about to sign a peace treaty with the Romulans, but he has no memories of the 16 years since that away mission. However, he soon senses that things are not as they seem.moreless
WRITE A REVIEW

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Watch Online

Netflix
Subscription
Amazon Prime
Free Trial / Sub...

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

See All

  • Riker's a Dad, and his kid's more annoying than Wesley

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Celedorian, Dec 28, 2011
    The premise of this episode alone makes this one a must see, and the writers use this unique idea to let their hair down and have a bit of fun even including a twist. (The writers also introduce elements that really would be explored in the future of Star Trek: a Ferengi ensign, a female Klingon, and peace talks with the Romulans.) And while the episode is fun to watch in its own right, it's especially interesting watch "Future Imperfect" after seeing TNG age naturally through its remaining seasons and motion pictures allowing us to compare a future which could be with a future that is.moreless

  • This is a great episode that will keep you guessing throughout-and provides a great finish.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By dalepremier, Sep 12, 2010
    An away team, led by Riker, beams down to a planet, and things quickly start getting weird for Riker. It would be a shame to write a review riddled with details, as you would then read it, and that would take away from what makes this episode so great-the drama-the guessing-the suspense. The funny thing is you quickly become comfortable with Riker's new surroundings. Riker also seems to accept them as well. The events of the story do lead up to a conclusion that is extremely surprising, but satisfying. I believe that this was one of the best TNG episodes ever written.moreless

  • A clever story, with two twists at the end.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By pharoahsdance, May 20, 2010
    The basics of this plot have been used many times before an individual wakes up from a coma to discover that what he considered to be "reality" has changed in some fundamental, unsettling and "wrong" way. Done well, it's always a winning theme. In this case, Commander Riker wakes up 17 years in the future to discover that he is now Captain and in charge of completing peace negotiations with the Federation's former foes, the Romulans.

    The show had done a nice job of setting up the Romulans as the key villains on TNG during the 3rd season (they were more interesting than the Borg, in my opinion), which provides the perfect launching pad for a story like this. Given the way the episode is set up, it's pretty clear to most viewers from the outset that Riker is caught in some sort of cunning, devious Romulan plot. Riker, despite initial suspicions, begins to acclimatize himself to the new reality just before himself catching onto the Romulans' machinations.

    But that's not the final wrinkle in this tale, which I won't spoil. Let's just say that while the twist at the end isn't bad, and that some sort of twist was absolutely necessary, I can't help thinking that the writers could have come up with something even better. Nevertheless, one of the better episodes from the 4th season.moreless

  • Riker suffers an accident that erases 16 years of his memory, and learns that the accident 16 years ago wasn't an accident.

    9.9
    "Superb"
    By nuclearbandito, Feb 20, 2007
    I really like the episodes that answer that "What if?" questions. This one, 'Parallels', 'Yesterday's Enterprise', and 'All Good Things...' are four great episodes in the series. This episode answers the question, "What if Riker was in command and had a family?" and they answer it pretty well. It's not perfect, but definitely fantastic.

    One of my favorite moments, if not my favorite, is when Riker loses it and starts berating the bridge crew, which reveals what's really going on.

    They also brought out the alternate universe com badges, which are my personal favorite. The rank insignia behind the starfleet logo was a great idea and I wish Paramount had introduced that in a later series.moreless

  • Riker awakens to a future he doesn't remember, including being promoted to the Captain's Chair of the Enterprise-D and starting a family. Until he realizes that his future is a sham.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By bdllbo, Dec 21, 2006
    This is one of the episodes that makes this incarnation of Star Trek the best one ever. Good writing and clever plotting lead to an episode that has us guessing to the end and shows us the depths of Riker's soul. Riker shows us his desire for family, his detective work, humor, and cool under pressure that make for a great candidate for captaincy. Plus it gives us trekkers a glimpse into a possible future for characters on the show as well. Perhaps the weirdest thing for me was seeing Data with a red shirt-- that was perhaps the most out of character element in the show.moreless
WRITE A REVIEW
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (6)

    ADD TRIVIA

    • When Wil Riker is told he was in a coma for 10 days, he doesn't find it curious that he is he still in uniform, and that after 10 days in a coma, his hair is perfect.

    • When Captain Riker first goes to his quarters and meets his son, Jean-Luc says simply, "Hi Dad." However, Dr Crusher revealed at the beginning of the episode that Riker had been in a coma for 10 days. Seeing his father is okay after coming out of a coma, Riker wouldn't expect Jean-Luc's reaction to be so nonchalant, even in an illusion.

    • Trivia: In the simulation, the Enterprise has a Ferengi helm officer, and at least one Klingon officer in addition to Worf. This is one of two instances in Star Trek in which a simulation features a Ferengi officer in Starfleet. The other is in Voyager's Season 5 episode "In The Flesh."

    • This is the second episode in which Worf replaces Data as Operations officer. In this episode it's because Data had been promoted to first officer. In Season 3's "The Most Toys," it is because Data was presumed dead.

    • The computer's delay is originally explained as a problem with a "processing attenuator" - later, Riker yells at the simulated Geordi about a "processing accelerator."

    • Apparently there are bugs in space (or at least on the set). When Riker, Picard, and Troi are in one of the conference room scenes, and the camera is on Picard as he is talking, some kind of bug flies past Picard's face in the shot.

  • QUOTES (1)

    ADD QUOTES

    • Picard: I think it would be best if we were to.. Riker: Shut up! Picard: I beg your pardon!? Riker: I said shut up! As in close your mouth and stop talking!

  • NOTES (4)

    ADD NOTES

  • ALLUSIONS (0)

    ADD ALLUSIONS

Star Trek: The Next Generation Forums


Add a Topic See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 4 Episodes

See All
Ep 26
Redemption (1)
Ep 25
In Theory
Ep 24
The Mind's Eye
Ep 23
The Host
Ep 22
Half A Life
Ep 21
The Drumhead
Ep 20
Qpid
Ep 19
The Nth Degree
Ep 18
Identity Crisis
Ep 17
Night Terrors
Ep 16
Galaxy's Child
Ep 15
First Contact
Ep 14
Clues
Ep 13
Devil's Due
Ep 12
The Wounded
Ep 11
Data's Day
Ep 10
The Loss
Ep 9
Final Mission
Ep 8
Future Imperfect
Ep 7
Reunion
Ep 6
Legacy
Ep 5
Remember Me
Ep 4
Suddenly Human
Ep 3
Brothers
Ep 2
Family
Ep 1
The Best Of Both Worlds (2)

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
TV.com Properties | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use