Menage a Troi 25 Years Later

Ready to feel REALLY old? The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Menage a Troi" aired on May 28, 1990... or 25 years ago today. The episode followed the travails of Troi, Riker and Lwaxana Troi upon being kidnapped by DaiMon Tog. To celebrate the occasion, StarTrek.com is pleased to share some facts and anecdotes about "Menage a Troi."The Ferengi torture chair was actually... a dental chair.

Susan Sackett co-wrote this episode. Sackett was Gene Roddenberry's longtime personal executive assistant and served as a production associate on TNG. She also co-wrote the story for "The Game." Roddenberry also had a hand in the story's evolution.

General Colin Powell visited the set during production of this episode and was present when Roddenberry bestowed upon Wil Wheaton the second lieutenant bars he'd received while serving in the Army Air Corps. As fans know, this was also the episode in which Wesley Crusher was promoted to full ensign.

Dr. Farek was played by future Voyagerco-star Ethan Phillips.

The Betazed scenes were filmed at... the Huntington Library Botanical Gardens out in Pasadena, California.

Oo-mox, the Ferengi sexual practice, made its debut here, as did the Ferengi hand phaser.

Frank G. Corsentino, who played Tog, also played Bok in the TNG hour "The Battle" and Gegis in Voyager's "Inside Man." All three characters were Ferengi. Corsentino passed away in 2007 at the age of 65. "Inside Man" turned out to be Corsentino's final screen appearance.

Patrick Stewart, no stranger to Shakespeare, quoted the Bard several times during this episode. Among the verses he uttered: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate..."

"Menage a Troi" marked the directorial debut of Emmy Award-winning TNG special effects artist/supervisor Robert Legato. He later called the shots on "The Nth Degree," a TNG episode, and "If Wishes Were Horses," a FX-heavy episode of Deep Space Nine.  Legato went on to work on such films as Armageddon, The Departed, Avatar, Hugo and the upcoming The Jungle Book, winning a couple of Oscars along the way.