History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E18CauseAndEffect

The next morning, Crusher and [=LaForge=] fill the others in on what they think is going on: a NegativeSpaceWedgie is going to entrap the Enterprise in a GroundhogDayLoop. They listen to parts of the recording which suggest the severity of the encounter's outcome, while trying to think of a way out. The problem is (unlike most instances of this trope) that if/when the Loop "loops", they all lose their memories of the previous loop, except for feelings of deja vu. [=LaForge=] suggests re-wiring Data's AppliedPhlebotinum to mirror the previously established TechnoBabble so that, if/when the Loop "loops", he can send a message into the next loop -- albeit an extremely short one, one word at most, which will show up only as a sort of post-hypnotic suggestion so Data won't know initially what it means. The plan is carried out, and no one feels like they've tried this before, which is a good sign. Red Alert! NegativeSpaceWedgie! Ship on collision course! The tractor beam doesn't work! Enterprise explodes! Only this time Data manages to activate the TechnoBabble message at the last second.

* StartsWithTheirFuneral: The episode starts with the Enterprise getting blown up, then seemingly cuts back to show the events leading up to the explosion. It's a subversion: the Enterprise is caught in a time loop, and the crew is actually reliving the events, with slight variations each time, until they find a way out.

* InSpiteOfANail: Doctor's Crusher's water glass is destined to die no matter what.

* CreatorsPet: The ''Bozeman'' is Brannon Braga's pet starship, since he's from Bozeman, Montana.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Kelsey Grammar as Captain Morgan Bateson.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The production team had hoped to get Creator/KirstieAlley to reprise her role as Lt. Saavik from ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' for a cameo appearance behind Kelsey Grammar (doubling as a CastingGag due to both having had main character roles in ''Series/{{Cheers}}'') but could not due to scheduling conflicts.
** The Emmy Awards [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6iI1iSdXGM would feature]] the cast of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' as members of ''Voyager''.

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As before, the ship is without power and unable to move as another ship emerges from the Wedgie. Riker (standing at Data's side for no apparent reason) suggests decompressing the shuttlebay but Data counter-suggests using the tractor beam to push the other ship clear. Picard sides with Data, but Data suddenly has a EurekaMoment and goes with Riker's plan instead; the main shuttlebay decompresses, pushing the Enterprise clear and allowing the other ship to pass safely. The NegativeSpaceWedgie vanishes, power is restored and the Enterprise crew greet the crew of the U.S.S. Bozeman (commanded by none other than Captain [[Series/{{Frasier}} Frasier]] [[Series/{{Cheers}} Crane]]), which was either stuck in the Loop for some 90 years or got teleported by the rift 90 years into the future. Data explains his EurekaMoment: glancing at Riker, Data noted the number of rank pins on his collar (3) and deduced that the various phantom 3s referred to Riker, indicating that Riker's plan would be the successful one.

Crusher reports her experiences to the rest of the senior staff, but is interrupted when sensors detect a NegativeSpaceWedgie nearby. As the bridge crew attempt to deal with the situation, the ship begins losing power and is unable to move -- just as a starship emerges from the Space Wedgie on a direct collision course. With no power to the engines, Riker (standing at Data's side for no apparent reason) suggests decompressing the main shuttlebay to provide the necessary thrust to get out of the way, while Data counter-suggests using the tractor beam to push the other ship aside. Picard goes with Data's plan, which is not entirely successful; the other ship smashes the Enterprise's warp nacelle, and the events of the teaser play out before us again and the Enterprise is destroyed.

Crusher reports her experiences to the rest of the senior staff, but is interrupted when sensors detect a NegativeSpaceWedgie nearby. As the bridge crew attempt to deal with the situation, the ship begins losing power and is unable to move -- just as a starship emerges from the Space Wedgie on a direct collision course. With no power to the engines, Riker (standing at Data's side for no apparent reason) suggests decompressing the main shuttlebay to provide the necessary thrust to get out of the way, while Data counter-suggests using the tractor beam to push the other ship aside. Picard goes with Data's plan, which is not entirely successful; the other ship smashes the Enterprise's engine pod, and the events of the teaser play out before us again and the Enterprise is destroyed.

The next morning Crusher reports her experience, relating that others aboard ship have also heard the voices. But before they can investigate, sensors detect a NegativeSpaceWedgie nearby. As the bridge crew attempt to deal with the situation, a starship emerges from the Wedgie on a direct collision course. As before, Riker stands at Data's station and suggests decompressing the shuttlebay while Data votes for a tractor beam. Picard sides with Data, the collission occurs and the Enterprise blows up real good.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The production team had hoped to get KirstieAlley to reprise her role as Lt. Saavik from ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' for a cameo appearance behind Kelsey Grammar (doubling as a CastingGag due to both having had main character roles in ''Series/{{Cheers}}'') but could not due to scheduling conflicts.

As before, the ship is without power and unable to move as another ship emerges from the Wedgie. Riker (standing at Data's side for no apparent reason) suggests decompressing the shuttlebay but Data counter-suggests using the tractor beam to push the other ship clear. Picard sides with Data, but Data suddenly has a EurekaMoment and goes with Riker's plan instead; the main shuttlebay decompresses, pushing the Enterprise clear and allowing the other ship to pass safely. The NegativeSpaceWedgie vanishes, power is restored and the Enterprise crew greet the crew of the U.S.S. Bozeman (commanded by none other than Captain [[{{Frasier}} Frasier]] [[{{Cheers}} Crane]]), which was either stuck in the Loop for some 90 years or got teleported by the rift 90 years into the future. Data explains his EurekaMoment: glancing at Riker, Data noted the number of rank pins on his collar (3) and deduced that the various phantom 3s referred to Riker, indicating that Riker's plan would be the successful one.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The production team had hoped to get KirstieAlley to reprise her role as Lt. Saavik from ''StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' for a cameo appearance behind Kelsey Grammar (doubling as a CastingGag due to both having had main character roles in ''Series/{{Cheers}}'') but could not due to scheduling conflicts.
** The Emmy Awards [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6iI1iSdXGM would feature]] the cast of ''{{Frasier}}'' as members of ''Voyager''.

* GroundhogDayLoop

* OlderThanTheyThink: No, this episode wasn't inspired by ''GroundhogDay'', it predated it.
* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The production crew took the trouble to build a crude model of the ''Enterprise'' and blow it up rather than just play an explosion over the top of the ship. The result is that the explosion counts as SceneryGorn.

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: No, this episode wasn't inspired by ''GroundhogDay'', it predated it.

As before, the ship is without power and unable to move as another ship emerges from the Wedgie. Riker (standing at Data's side for no apparent reason) suggests decompressing the shuttlebay but Data counter-suggests using the tractor beam to push the other ship clear. Picard sides with Data, but Data suddenly has a EurekaMoment and goes with Riker's plan instead; the main shuttlebay decompresses, pushing the Enterprise clear and allowing the other ship to pass safely. The NegativeSpaceWedgie vanishes, power is restored and the Enterprise crew greet the crew of the U.S.S. Bozeman (commanded by none other than Captain [[{{Frasier}} Frasier]] [[{{Cheers}} Crane]]), stuck in the Loop for some 90 years. Data explains his EurekaMoment: glancing at Riker, Data noted the number of rank pins on his collar (3) and deduced that the various phantom 3s referred to Riker, indicating that Riker's plan would be the successful one.

Back in that unexplored sector, back to the poker game. Worf experiences deja vu and Crusher attempts to predict the hand that Data is about to deal. Instead, he deals all 3s; then, three of a kind to each. Crusher is called to sickbay to help [=LaForge=] deal with a dizzy spell; she inspects his VISOR on a hunch and finds that it is being affected by TechnoBabble. In Engineering, Data runs a diagnostic on ship's systems, and the results come up all 3s. They get a call from Crusher, telling them she's just recorded a mass of disembodied voices in her quarters -- and they hear a glass shatter.

Later that night, Crusher is ready for the disembodied voices; when they occur, she records them (she also moves the glass away from the light switch so she won't knock it over) and calls down to [=LaForge=] that she has something to report. He in turn tells her that another instance of that same TechnoBabble just happened. As she rushes out to meet him, she knocks the glass off the table, breaking it yet again. In Engineering, [=LaForge=] and Data analyze Crusher's recording and discover that the voices belong to the crew of the Enterprise.

Series: Main/StarTrekTheNextGeneration\\

-->'''Data:''' "This is [[{{Understatement}} highly improbable]]."