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A Matter of Perspective

"A Matter of Perspective"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 14
Directed by Cliff Bole
Written by Ed Zuckerman
Featured music Ron Jones
Cinematography by Marvin Rush
Production code 162
Original air date February 12, 1990 (1990-02-12)
Guest appearance(s)
Episode chronology
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List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

"A Matter of Perspective" is the 14th episode of the third season of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 62nd episode of the series overall.

In this episode, Commander Riker is accused of murdering a scientist and faces an extradition hearing aboard the Enterprise where everyone's version of what transpired is re-created in the holodeck.

With a routine planetary survey ahead, the Federation starship Enterprise drops Commander Riker and Chief Engineer La Forge at the Botanica Four research space station orbiting Tanuga Four to check on the progress of the work of Dr. Nel Apgar, a Tanugan who has been working towards a new promised energy source for the Federation being called Krieger waves. When the Enterprise returns, Picard is told that Riker stayed behind to have a private meeting with Apgar, and moments after Riker starts being transported back to the ship, the station explodes, killing Apgar, and almost killing Riker due to the explosion disrupting the transporter process. Tanugan investigator Krag comes aboard to accuse Riker of murder; under Tanugan law, Riker is guilty until proven innocent, and Krag demands Riker's extradition. Captain Picard requests that they hold a hearing aboard the Enterprise to determine Riker's guilt. This involves the use of a holodeck, recreating the events on the station from data logs and testimony from Riker, Dr. Apgar's wife Manua, and his research assistant, Tayna.

In the holodeck recreation, Krag demonstrates that a directed energy beam from where Riker was standing before transport struck the Krieger wave converter, destroying it and the station, but his theory is that Riker fired a phaser just as he was being transported. Riker presents his case first, with his simulation showing Apgar highly agitated with a Federation presence before he is ready for them, and Manua openly flirting with Riker. Manua then makes aggressive passes at Riker in the guest quarters when Apgar walks in on them, attempts to attack Riker, but Riker subdues him. Apgar leaves with Manua giving Riker a veiled threat. Riker's simulation concludes with his final confrontation with Apgar where Apgar tells Riker that he will lodge a formal complaint about Riker's behavior and accuses Riker of potentially damaging the project with baseless information in Riker's progress report.


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