Unusual New Worlds Scene Echoes One Of TNG’s Most Amusing Subplots

Originally of the “Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds” episode “Marriage ceremony Bell Blues,” the crew of the usS. Enterprise is gearing up for a grand gala to have a good time the centennial of the formation of the Federation. The Enterprise has been below restore for the last few months after a conflagration with the Gorn, so everybody has had time to loosen up. Spock (Ethan Peck), nonetheless, finds himself apprehensive; though he’s a Vulcan dedicated to emotionlessness, he finds that he’s nonetheless harboring emotions for Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush), presently away from the Enterprise on trip. Chapel is because of return any day now, although, and Spock, maybe illogically, is nervous. 

To distract himself, he decides to arrange for the gala by studying to bop. Fortunately, his co-worker, chief of safety Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), has in depth dance coaching, and is greater than prepared to offer him classes. Spock is an open-minded pupil however, maybe predictably, is simply too stiff to bop. La’an has to show him to unclench his entire physique. Vulcans do not sometimes dance, you see. However then, neither does La’an. This can be a aspect of her that followers have not but seen. It appears that evidently La’an retains her dancing expertise well-hidden more often than not. 

For Trekkies, Spock’s dance lesson will instantly evoke the “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” episode “Information’s Day” (January 7, 1991). In that episode, Information (Brent Spiner) has been invited to the marriage of Chief O’Brien (Colm Meany) and his fiancée Keiko (Rosalind Chao). Information is aware of little about weddings, however has realized that dancing is required. The android seeks dance classes from his co-worker Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden). Like La’an, Dr. Crusher hasn’t let many individuals know that she has had in depth dance coaching. She did not wish to be often known as “the dancing physician.” 

It is clear that the makers of “Marriage ceremony Bell Blues” had seen “Information’s Day,” and had been joyful to pay homage. It most likely helped that each “Unusual New Worlds” and “Subsequent Technology” occurred to have two skilled dancers on their respective casts. 

To remind readers, Gates McFadden, early in her profession, was a dancer, motion coach, and choreographer. She studied motion with Jacques Lecoq, and was a part of an all-female clown troupe in New York referred to as Commedia Del Pinky. McFadden additionally labored with the Muppets, serving as a choreographer on each “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Labyrinth.” If one seems to be carefully on the “Labyrinth” behind-the-scenes footage included on the movie’s home-video releases, one can see McFadden giving instruction. (Again then, she was credited as Cheryl McFadden, going by her actual first identify.)

McFadden wasn’t requested to do loads of dancing as Dr. Crusher, so “Information’s Day” appeared like a favor to the actress. The writers of “Subsequent Technology” discovered an natural method to let McFadden dance on digital camera. It was just for the one episode — Dr. Crusher by no means acquired to bop once more — however Trekkies all over the place now knew that McFadden was a gifted dancer along with being an actress. 

Christina Chong, likewise, has a background in dance, however one which she does not usually get to make the most of whereas engaged on “Star Trek.” Chong attended dance faculty as a youngster, and performing arts school thereafter. She aimed to be a dancer full-time, and solely turned to taking performing classes after an harm briefly halted her dancing ambitions. By 2008, she was accepting skilled performing gigs (she was in a horror movie referred to as “Freakdog,” a supernatural spin on “I Know What You Did Final Summer time”). She was quickly accepting higher-profile jobs in films like “W.E.,” “Johnny English Reborn,” and even “Star Wars: The Power Awakens,” though her scenes from the latter had been minimize. She was additionally in TV reveals like “Physician Who,” “Black Mirror,” and “24.” “Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds” was one other feather in her cap. 

However, after all, she did not get to bop a lot … till now. La’an instructing Spock to bop not solely evoked “Information’s Day,” however served the identical perform behind the scenes. Each dance sequences allowed skilled dancers to point out off somewhat.