Published Mar 2, 2016
"Ethics" Debuted 24 Years Ago
"Ethics" Debuted 24 Years Ago
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Ethics" aired on March 2, 1992... or 24 years ago today. "Ethics" ranked as one of TNG's more controversial episodes, tackling the issue of suicide, as a badly injured, paralyzed Worf asks Riker to help him commit ritual suicide in order to avoid the pity of others.
As you contemplate the fact that it's 24 years since "Ethics" debuted, check out these factoids about the episode...
- Fans learned that Worf has not just a backup synaptic system, but also two livers, 23 ribs, a doubled-lined neural pia matter and an eight-chambered heart.
- "Ethics" was one of thre TNG episodes co-written by the then husband-and-wife tandem of Sara Charno and Stuart Charno. They also wrote "New Ground" and "The Wounded."
- Geordi has a... beard!!
- Michael Dorn's photo double, Al Foster, played Worf throughout most of the surgery sequence.
- "Ethics" was the final episode shot in 1991.
- Carolina Kava, who played Dr. Toby Russell, had previously guest starred on Quantum Leap as Mrs. Thelma Beckett, the mother of Scott Bakula's character, Sam Beckett.
- "Ethics" marked the fourth and final TNG hour directed by Chip Chalmers, who'd worked his way up the ladder from assistant director. He also directed two fan-favorite episodes of Deep Space Nine, "The Magnificent Ferengi" and "Take Me Out to the Holosuite."
