Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)

The Enterprise crew rescue a "roguish" freighter captain whose ship is malfunctioning, but his presence drags them into an interplanetary feud.



Okona on viewscreen

"Is that a woman's voice I hear?"

"Captain's Log, Stardate 42402.7. We are traveling in the Omega Sagitta system, traversing between the twin planets that form the Coalition of Madena. Both worlds are populated by a humanoid race which colonized the planets two centuries ago and which now coexist under a precarious but successful treaty."

The USS Enterprise-D, while traveling in the Omega Sagitta system between two twin planets inhabited by Humans who have created a pact called the Madena Coalition, stumbles upon a Class 9 starship with one humanoid inside. The ship is the cargo freighter Erstwhile commanded by Captain Thadiun Okona, who has problems with the guidance system. The Enterprise offers Captain Okona help repairing his faulty guidance system. Deanna Troi establishes that he displays rogue-like characteristics, making him a suspicious character who should not be taken lightly.

Act One

Okona meets Data

"You don't know what a joke is?"

Upon entry to the ship, Okona meets Riker, Data, Worf and Crusher and also the transporter chief, Lieutenant Robinson, and begins to display characteristics of a scoundrel and a rake, charming Robinson. While the others observe this, Okona soon leaves the transporter room and he accompanies Data and Wesley to main engineering to observe the repairs to his guidance system. Okona questions Data's ability to comprehend humor and other Human characteristics, apparently finding the concept of an emotionless android fascinating. He then goes to spend time with Robinson.

Act Two

Jerry Lewis impersonation

"That is considered to be funny?"

Data is inspired by Okona's questions and insights about humor, and goes to Ten Forward to seek counsel from Guinan regarding his difficulty grasping the concept. Data then travels to the holodeck to view a comedy show by a holographic comedian. Data inquires about a series of comedic acts and performances to further his understanding of comedy. They begin a series of improvisations which include 20th century Jerry Lewis, and continue to examples of stand-up comedy, which Data views at maximum speed. Data then returns to Guinan to try out his new comedy material, but his first attempt fails miserably. His second attempt is abruptly interrupted by a call to the bridge: an unidentified ship is approaching the Enterprise.

Act Three

Splitscreen argument

"I'll have Okona now!"

Debin, the captain of the ship, warns the Enterprise that they are entering their territory. Debin establishes that Okona is, in fact, a rogue who committed crimes on the planet Atlec. While the entire confrontation is occurring, another ship of similar classification is approaching. This ship is commanded by Captain Kushell from the planet Straleb, who also states similar issues relating to Okona.

Jean-Luc Picard calls Okona up to the bridge to understand what crimes he has committed. After brief deliberation, Okona hedges his response, stating that he isn't aware that he committed any crime on either world. A skeptical Picard asks Debin what crimes has been committed. Debin, infuriated, explains that Okona had impregnated Debin's daughter, Yanar.

Act Four

Okona and Wesley

"I seem to have a way of using up a place."

"Captain's Log, supplemental. Some of the mystery surrounding this ancient morality play we've been dragged into has been revealed. One of Captain Okona's pursuers is an outraged father with a heartfelt, if archaic, sense of righteousness."

Kushell has claimed that Okona stole the national treasure, the Jewel of Thesia. Picard and Okona discuss the matter at hand. If Okona is handed to Debin, the Thesians will use the slight to declare war, while if Picard gives him to the Thesians, the same result will occur. Picard and Okona agree that the only way to resolve the situation is to let Okona continue on the Erstwhile and find a place of refuge.

After a long talk with Wesley Crusher in engineering, in which it's revealed that Okona has become tired of living the nomadic lifestyle and just wants the entire mess surrounding Yanar and the Jewel to be settled, he has made a decision to "take a stand."

Act Five

Okona crisis averted

Family crisis averted

Okona tells Picard he decided to voluntarily turn himself in. This choice allows Picard to use the Enterprise as a neutral meeting place for both parties to settle their claims. The two families are antagonistic towards each other, both claiming that Okona has infringed their laws and both expressing an equally valid claim on the wayward freighter captain.

The story unfolds when they discover that Kushell's son Benzan has actually impregnated Yanar, rather than Okona, and that Okona was the go-between for Yanar and Benzan's courtship (which was disapproved by both families). The jewel was stolen to be used in the wedding between Yanar and Benzan, who agree to marriage, and their fathers continue their quarrels in a more light-hearted manner (this time about the details of the wedding) as Picard invokes the Prime Directive as an excuse to make a discreet exit from what has now officially become an internal matter of the respective families' governments.

Data as a comic

"Being able to make people laugh, or being able to laugh, is not the end all and be all of being Human."

Data and Guinan participate in a comedy show with the holo-comedian. They resolve the issues of Data's ability to deliver a joke by giving Data an audience. Unfortunately, Data discovers that the holographic audience is programmed to laugh at anything he says or does, regardless of whether or not it's actually humorous, and that his delivery is still flawed. Data asks the computer to erase the audience as well as the comic. Guinan assures Data that being able to laugh or to make people laugh is not the final result to becoming Human. Data agrees, but notes that there is nothing more "uniquely Human."

Later, on the bridge, the crew sees Okona off. Data inadvertently delivers a joke that causes the bridge crew to break into laughter, but later the crew gets annoyed after Data begins to make bad joke after bad joke, and Okona (having resolved his differences with the Thesians and Yanar's father) continues on his way.

Log entries

Memorable quotes

"You spoiled the joke. It could have been your timing."
"My timing is digital."

- Guinan and Data

"You're a droid and I'm a 'noid."

- Guinan, telling a joke to Data

"A Klingon security officer?"
"No wars available, eh?"

- Okona and Worf

"Wesley, Wesley Crusher."
"Nice to meet you, Acting Ensign Wesley Wesley Crusher."

- Wesley Crusher introducing himself to Thadiun Okona

"You have the majestic carriage and loveliness that could surely be traced back to the noblest of families."

- Okona, to B.G. Robinson, the Enterprise's female transporter chief

"Say goodbye, Data."
"Goodbye Data."

- Wesley Crusher and Data

"Now, that's sex appeal!"

- Okona

"Captain, they are now locking lasers on us."
"Yes, sir."
"Lasers can't even penetrate our navigation shields. Don't they know that?"
"Regulations do call for yellow alert."
"Hmm, a very old regulation. Well, make it so Number One. And, reduce speed… drop main shields, as well."
"May I ask why, sir?"
"In case we decide to surrender to them, Number One… "

- Worf, Riker, and Picard

"So… if you put funny teeth in your mouth and jump around like an idiot, that is considered funny!"

- Data

"Guy walks into the doctor's office. The doctor tells him you need an operation. Guy says "I want a second opinion." Doc tells him "Okay you're ugly too". Badoom Boom!

- Data, telling his first joke to Guinan

"Life is like loading twice your cargo weight on to your spacecraft. If it's canaries and you can keep half of them flying all the time, you're all right."

- Okona, making a joke to Data

"Take my Worf… please!"

- Data, making a bad joke

Background information

Cast and characters

Piscopo, Goldberg, Spiner

Joe Piscopo, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brent Spiner

Sets and props

Roddenberry during Outrageous Okona

Gene Roddenberry visits the set during filming

  • The holodeck terminal lists the name of the comic as Ronald B. Moore, a reference to Visual Effects Supervisor Ronald B. Moore, who helped assemble the graphic. (Star Trek Encyclopedia (1st ed., p. 54)) He is not to be confused with writer and producer Ronald D. Moore, who had not yet joined the staff.
  • The window or display "frame" behind Debin while speaking on the Enterprise viewscreen is a slightly modified re-use of the battle bridge viewscreen of the Enterprise-D.


  • When Okona asks Data if he's ever been drunk, Data claims "not from alcohol," a reference to TNG: "The Naked Now", in which the polywater intoxication acted on his programming like alcohol would on a Human brain.


Video and DVD releases

Links and references


Also starring

Guest stars

Special guest stars


Uncredited co-stars



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Other references

Log entries

External links

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Star Trek: The Next Generation
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