Editing Future Imperfect

{{for|the Hulk storyline|The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| image =
| caption =
| series = [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]
| season = 4
| episode = 8
| production = 182
| airdate = {{Start date|1990|11|12}}
| writer = J. Larry Carroll<br />David Bennett Carren
| director = [[Les Landau]]
| music = [[Dennis McCarthy (composer)|Dennis McCarthy]]
| guests = 
* [[Andreas Katsulas]] – Tomalak
* [[Chris Demetral]] – Jean-Luc/Ethan
* [[Carolyn McCormick]] – Minuet
* [[Patti Yasutake]] – [[Alyssa Ogawa]]
* Todd Merrill – Gleason
* April Grace – Hubbell
* George O'Hanlon Jr. - Transporter Chief
* Dana Tjowander – Barash
| prev = [[Reunion (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Reunion]]
| next = [[Final Mission]]
| episode_list = List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes
| season_article = Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4
}}

"'''Future Imperfect'''" is the 82nd episode of the American [[science fiction]] [[television series]] ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''. It is the eighth episode of the [[Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4|fourth season]].<ref>{{cite web |title="Star Trek: The Next Generation" Future Imperfect |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0708719/ |website=IMDb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref>

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the [[Starfleet]] crew of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|Federation starship Enterprise-D]]. In this episode, during an away mission, [[William Riker|Riker]] falls unconscious and awakens to discover that sixteen years have passed, and he is now captain of the ''[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|Enterprise]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=James |title=Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Future Imperfect |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/revisiting-star-trek-tng-future-imperfect/ |website=denofgeek.com |date=March 6, 2015 |publisher=Den of Geek |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref> Having no memory whatsoever of the time that has passed, he begins to suspect that the future he finds himself in may not be real.

==Plot==
[[Commander]] [[William Riker|Riker]]'s birthday celebration is interrupted as he, [[Geordi La Forge]], and [[Worf]] are sent down to a huge cavern on Alpha Onias III, an uninhabited [[Class M planet]], to investigate unusual readings. After their arrival, the cavern suddenly fills with toxic gases, and the three officers [[unconsciousness|fall unconscious]].

Riker awakens in [[sick bay]] to find that sixteen years have passed. He is now [[Starfleet ranks and insignia#Captain|Captain]] of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|''Enterprise'']] with [[Data (Star Trek)|Data]] as his [[Executive officer#Military|first officer]], and [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]] has been promoted to [[Admiral]], with [[Deanna Troi]] serving as his aide. Riker cannot remember any event after the Alpha Onias III mission, which [[Beverly Crusher|Doctor Crusher]] explains is a side effect of a viral infection he contracted on the planet, and his memories of the intervening events may or may not return.

Riker learns that he was married, is now widowed, and has a son ([[Chris Demetral]]) named Jean-Luc (named after Picard). He is further startled when [[Tomalak]] — a [[Romulan]] commander who was formerly an archenemy of the ''Enterprise'', now an [[ambassador]] — beams onto the ship to negotiate a peace treaty with the [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]]. Despite Picard's reassurances, Riker is hesitant to reveal sensitive Starfleet information in negotiating the treaty.

As Riker struggles to adjust to his new life, numerous inconsistencies arise. The ''Enterprise'' computer is uncharacteristically slow, numerous systems experience minor technical [[glitches]], and Geordi is unable to correct the problems. Finally, Riker discovers that his late wife "Min" is Minuet, a fictional [[holodeck]] character he once met. Riker realizes that the entire "future" he has been experiencing is a charade and confronts Picard and Tomalak on the ''Enterprise'' bridge, with more inconsistencies arising as he does so, proving his suspicions. Suddenly, the false future fades away, revealing a Romulan holodeck. Commander Tomalak is revealed to be behind the simulation, the object of which was to trick Riker into giving away the location of a key Federation outpost. The Romulans, Tomalak explains, were fooled by the intensity of Riker's memories of Minuet and had incorporated her into their fantasy on the assumption that she was real.

Riker is put in a holding area, where he meets the boy whose image the Romulans had used to create his "son". The boy identifies himself as "Ethan". Together, they manage to escape and briefly elude their Romulan guards. However, as the two are hiding from their pursuers, Ethan inadvertently refers to Tomalak as "Ambassador", instead of "Commander". Riker realizes that he is still in a simulation; confronting Ethan over it, he demands that the game end immediately and that he be allowed to leave.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=James |title=Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Future Imperfect |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/revisiting-star-trek-tng-future-imperfect/ |website=denofgeek.com |date=March 6, 2015 |publisher=Den of Geek |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref>

Everything disappears once more, leaving only Riker and Ethan back in the cavern on Alpha Onias III. Riker is then able to contact the ship and learns that Worf and La Forge had [[Transporter (Star Trek)|beamed up]] without incident, but the ''Enterprise'' was unable to locate him.  After Riker advises the captain that he will presently report back after learning more about his situation, Ethan confesses that he had created the simulations, using sophisticated scanners to read his mind and create the "[[virtual reality|reality]]" they experienced. Ethan's planet had been attacked and his people killed; his mother had hidden him in the cavern for his own safety, with all the simulation equipment, before she died; and Ethan, all alone, had been yearning for real companionship. Realizing Ethan's intentions were not hostile, Riker offers him refuge on the ''Enterprise''.  Ethan accepts Riker's offer and after Ethan reveals his true form as a [[grey alien]] named Barash, the two beam onto the ship.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=James |title=Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Future Imperfect |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/revisiting-star-trek-tng-future-imperfect/ |website=denofgeek.com |date=March 6, 2015 |publisher=Den of Geek |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref>

==Reception==
Zach Handlen of [[The A.V. Club]] gave the episode a grade A−.<ref>{{cite web |title=Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Future Imperfect"/"Final Mission" |url=https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-the-next-generation-future-imperfect-fin-1798166755 |website=The A.V. Club |date=December 9, 2010 }}</ref>

In 2017, ''[[Popular Mechanics]]'' said that "Future Imperfect" was one of the top ten 'most fun' episodes of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''.<ref>[https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/tv/g3205/most-fun-star-trek-next-generation/ popularmechanics.com]</ref> In 2019, [[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] rated "Future Imperfect" the 5th best '[[holodeck]]' episode of the ''Star Trek'' franchise.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-best-holodeck-episodes-ranked/ |title=Star Trek: Ranking the 20 Best Holodeck Episodes |date=January 4, 2019 |website=CBR  |access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Empire (film magazine)|''Empire'']] ranked this the 26th best out of the top 50 episodes of all the 700 plus Star Trek television episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-star-trek-episodes/|title=The 50 best Star Trek episodes ever|date=July 27, 2016|website=Empire |access-date=June 29, 2019}}</ref>

In 2020, [[Tom's Guide]] listed this as one of the best episodes for Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tomsguide.com/reference/next-generation-characters-star-trek-picard|title=A guide to Star Trek: Picard's Next Generation characters|last=Honorof|first=Marshall|website=Tom's Guide |date=February 8, 2020 |access-date=February 12, 2020}}</ref>

==Continuity==
The character Minuet was previously introduced in "[[11001001]]" (S1E15, aired February 1, 1988).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunt |first1=James |title=Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Future Imperfect |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/revisiting-star-trek-tng-future-imperfect/ |website=denofgeek.com |date=March 6, 2015 |publisher=Den of Geek |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref>

== Releases ==
"Future Imperfect" was released in the United States on September 3, 2002, as part of the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' season four [[DVD]] box set.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ordway|first=Holly E.|date=September 9, 2002|title=Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4|newspaper=DVD Talk|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/4560/star-trek-the-next-generation-season-4/|access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>
* [[Star Trek The Next Generation DVD]] set, volume 4, disc 2, selection 4.

==External links==
{{wikiquote|Star Trek: The Next Generation#Future Imperfect .5B4.8.5D|Future Imperfect}}
* {{IMDb episode}}
* "[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/03/star-trek-the-next-generation-rewatch-qfuture-imperfectq Future Imperfect]" rewatch by [[Keith R.A. DeCandido|Keith R. A. DeCandido]]
* {{Memory Alpha|Future Imperfect (episode)|Future Imperfect}}

{{Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes|4}}
{{Star Trek holodeck stories}}

[[Category:Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4 episodes]]
[[Category:1990 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Holography in television]]
[[Category:Television episodes about amnesia]]
[[Category:Television episodes about birthdays]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by Les Landau]]