Entertainment
The Man Who Saved Star Trek Hated The Episode That Got Him Hired
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
As a writer who specializes in Star Trek, I spend a fair amount of time delving into the production details of my favorite episodes. I’ll often discover cool, behind-the-scenes trivia that makes me enjoy these stories that much more. Every now and then, though, I’ll discover something shocking. Namely, that my favorite creators really despise what I consider their best work.
A perfect example of this is the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Evolution,” which was written by Michael Piller. The episode is so good that it helped him land the gig as TNG showrunner, and he almost single-handedly ushered in the Golden Age of the franchise. Because of this, I always assumed Piller must be proud of the story he crafted. In reality, though, he hated “Evolution,” the episode that helped him land the most important gig of his entire career.
Boy (Genius), Interrupted
In case you don’t have perfect android memory, here’s a recap. “Evolution” was about the Enterprise helping an eccentric genius study an interstellar explosion that occurs every 196 years, the cosmic equivalent of Old Faithful. Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher is conducting a science experiment and accidentally unleashes some nanites on the ship. They evolve and cause mayhem, but after a few wacky hijinks, Picard reaches a diplomatic solution, getting the nanites their own planet just in time to help the visiting scientist complete the research he spent a lifetime working on.
It’s a really great episode, one that most fans think writer Michael Piller should be proud of. However, the future TNG showrunner didn’t agree with this assessment. As recorded in Captain’s Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Voyages, he later said that “Evolution” was ultimately “a B-episode.” His primary concern (one shared by Michael Wagner, who helped develop the overall story) was that “I didn’t have an ending for it.” While there were “some character scenes” he was “very proud of,” he ultimately worried that the episode “didn’t quite come off.”
The Ghost Of Cranky Yet To Come
Interestingly, episode director Winrich Kolbe shared some of Piller’s concerns with “Evolution.” The director enjoyed the plot about a scientist “who tried to push an issue and then suddenly found out there were ramifications he hadn’t thought of, which is the lack of control of the nanites.” He felt that this was “a very serious issue” that “wasn’t dealt with properly” because it was a Wesley-centric episode and “everyone considered it a child’s show, even the writers.”
That last bit was directed at Piller, who primarily saw the episode as a chance to (ahem) evolve Wesley Crusher’s character. He intended cranky visiting scientist Paul Stubbs to be a cautionary vision of what Wesley could grow up to be if he continued to focus only on his studies. “Evolution” is very successful in that regard, and it’s the perfect episode to show friends who hate Star Trek’s resident teen genius. But Kolbe felt the episode spent too much time on Wesley and not enough on the nanites, who were at the heart of the episode’s moral dilemma: namely, whether to put them down as dangerous pests or acknowledge them as a new (albeit unconventional) form of life.
Michael Piller might not have been the biggest fan of “Evolution,” but this opinion was not shared by Star Trek producer Rick Berman. Piller’s script (complete with a baseball speech that impressed Berman, a huge fan of the sport) helped him land the job as showrunner of The Next Generation. After he transformed this show into must-see TV, he went on to create Deep Space Nine and Voyager, solidifying this era as the Golden Age of Star Trek. Ultimately, none of that would have happened without “Evolution,” a killer episode that everyone but its writer absolutely loved.
Entertainment
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, walk away with an extra $200 — how to claim this free offer
TL;DR: Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB, unlocked) for $1,199.99 at Amazon and a free $200 gift card bundled in — no trade-in required.
Samsung didn’t ease into its Unpacked event — phones, watches, and smartglasses were all unveiled in one go, which means there’s a lot to sort through if you’re trying to find the one deal that’s actually worth your money.
And here’s one worth grabbing: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a free $200 gift card — no trade-in, no discount code, just the phone at $1,199.99 with a $200 gift card to use later.
The whole point of a flip phone is the cover screen, and Samsung’s built around that here — FlexWindow lets you handle a range of AI tasks without opening the phone, so quick checks don’t require unfolding it. When you’re shooting photos, you can go hands-free for creative angles, or hold it steady and rely on Super Steady Video to keep the footage smooth.
The Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip powering the Fold8, which means gaming and multitasking should hold up even on this smaller form factor.
Battery life is built to last through a full day, and when it runs low, Super Fast Charging gets you back up quickly. If you’re switching from an iPhone, Samsung’s made that transfer easier, too — your photos, contacts, alarms, and passwords come with you, and your messages stay encrypted the whole way.
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The gift card isn’t an instant perk, though — Samsung sends an email once it’s ready to claim, and that only happens after the phone ships. The offer ends Aug. 6, so the earlier you pre-order, the safer you are before that window shuts.
Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 before Aug. 6, and the $200 gift card is on its way to you.
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Samsung
Samsung Unpacked
Entertainment
Owalas Back-to-School Sale is live — 20% off bottles, bags, accessories, and more
SAVE 20%: From Aug. 2-8, Owala’s Back-to-School Sale takes 20% off sitewide, including bottles, bags, and accessories.
20% off bottles, bags, and accessories until Aug. 8
Owala’s Back-to-School Sale isn’t just about the bottles you already own — the whole lineup is included, so it’s worth looking beyond the FreeSip.
The sale covers everything from hydration essentials like water bottles and tumblers to insulated bags, totes, and crossbodies, plus accessories like lids, straws, and other add-ons. The original FreeSip is still the bestseller for a reason, and the FreeSip Sway is a solid pick if you want something more cupholder-friendly for the car. If coffee’s more your thing, the SmoothSip Slider is built specifically for hot drinks on the go.
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Mashable Deals
And if you need something bigger than a bottle, the Sun-Day Tote is a collapsible bag that packs flat yet holds a lot, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag during the actual back-to-school rush. They’ve also got a few small essentials — a Bottle Boot, cleaning accessories, stickers, and matching pet bowls.
With 20% off sitewide, this is a good time to stock up across categories rather than just grabbing one bottle — especially if you’ve got a household that goes through water bottles, lunch bags, or travel mugs regularly.
Shop Owala’s Back-to-School Sale until Aug. 8 — stock is bound to run out.
Entertainment
Final days to lock in your favorite Microsoft Office apps for life for just $33
TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $32.97 through Aug. 9 and enjoy Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, and Teams with a one-time purchase.
$32.97
$219.99
Save $187.02
This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Through Aug. 9, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.
We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.
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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.
No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.
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Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) until Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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