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Observations in TNG: "Devil's Due"

A joint project with TrekCore, by Jörg Hillebrand and Bernd Schneider

Here are some observations about sets, props and visual effects in TNG: "Devil's Due" without a specific theme, and a comparison of the original TV release (TNG) with the remastered episode (TNG-R).

"Devil's Due" HD Screencaps @ TrekCore

Description TNG		Other caps	Comparison TNG to TNG-R	Description TNG-R
A shot of the USS Enterprise-D approaching the camera. Enterprise Flybys in TNG and TNG-R				The shot is very blurry in the remastered version of the episode. The original shot could not be located, and so a similar shot of the 4-foot model flying into the opposite direction was mirror-inverted.
Marley's ghost from A Christmas Carol, recreated on the holodeck.				The contours of the ghost are not blurred but clearly defined in HD, only with an "aura".


The PADD, held by the crew member passing Picard and Data in the corridor, displays a star map also seen in "Unnatural Selection" and "The Measure of a Man". The same map also appeared in "Future Imperfect".	"Unnatural Selection"	"Future Imperfect"		An HD close-up of the PADD.
	"The Measure of a Man"
Ventax II was previously seen as the Starbase 6 planet in "The Schizoid Man" and as Acamar III in "The Vengeance Factor". It will be seen once more, as Krios in "The Mind's Eye". Re-Used Planets in TNG				A new planet was created for the remastered episode. Note the slightly purplish hue.
A rare close-up of one of the consoles built into Picard's Captain's chair.				A close look at the armchair console in HD.
After more than three years, Picard's fish Livingston is finally seen up close. In this episode, Livingston is a radial firefish. When the fish tank is next seen up close, in "I, Borg", the fish has changed species and is a red lionfish until the end of the series. Spot the Difference	"I, Borg"	"Rascals"		Livingston in HD.
The replicator in Picard's ready room was last seen up close in "Contagion".		"Contagion"		No changes
The surface of Ventax II is depicted using a matte painting in combination with live action footage of the panicking population.				The matte painting is still the same in HD. It was brightened up considerably.
The Ventaxian logo appears in several different forms in this episode. Here, it is featured as a mosaic on the floor on the meeting hall.				A good look at the Ventaxian logo in HD.
The vase seen at the right hand side of the screenshot here later appears in Worf's quarters in "Rightful Heir".		"Rightful Heir"		An HD close-up of the vase.
The Ventaxian tapestry, featuring the logo of the planet, was later re-used and appeared on Romulus in "Unification II" and on the Mari homeworld in "Random Thoughts". It was also integrated into a larger Vulcan tapestry and appeared on P'Jem in ENT: "The Andorian Incident" and on Dekendi III in "Stigma". The Thieves of the Delta Quadrant	"Unification II"	"The Andorian Incident"		The tapestries in full HD glory.
	VOY: "Random Thoughts"	ENT: "Stigma"
The materialization effect used by the Ardra impostor.				The transporter effect was faithfully recreated for TNG-R.

Fek'lhr, roughly the equivalent of a Klingon devil. Notice the Ventaxian logo appearing as a window in the second screenshot. Cultural Inconsistencies				Fek'lhr in HD.

The Ventaxian logo appears as a different kind of window in the Atheneum Vaults in this scene.				No changes
A candleholder can be seen in the right half of this shot. The candleholder appeared in several later episodes. It was seen in DS9: "Sons and Daughters" as a Klingon candleholder and in ENT: "Stigma" as a Vulcan candleholder. It was turned upside down and acts as a stand for a Bajoran orb in DS9: "The Circle". A similar candleholder even appeared in the TOS episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".	"The Trouble with Tribbles"	DS9: "The Circle"		The candleholder in HD.
	DS9: "Sons and Daughters"	ENT: "Stigma"
A rare look at this section of the bridge. The door to the right leads to the observation lounge corridor, while the door on the left leads to the bridge head.				No changes
Ventax II appears on the main viewscreen of the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D.				The new planet was inserted into these scenes too.
Another shot of the USS Enterprise-D in orbit of Ventax II.
Picard's bed is decorated with several exotic flowers.				No changes
The d'k tahg (in its sheath) given to Picard in "Sins of the Father" can be nicely seen in this shot. In "Suddenly Human", Jono used the same d'k tahg to stab Picard.	"Sins of the Father"	"Suddenly Human"		An HD close-up of the dagger.
The large yellow radar screen last appeared in the terraforming lab on Velara III in "Home Soil". For this episode, black and white Starfleet arrowheads were added to the radar screen.		"Home Soil"		The console in HD.
A shuttlepod was last seen in the shuttlebay in "Transfigurations".				An HD close-up of the shuttle.
The shot of the USS Enterprise-D was newly filmed for this episode.				The scene in TNG-R.
The interior of the shuttlepod had already been modified for "The Most Toys", most likely to create more space for the aft (cargo) section of the shuttle. Here, the new back wall of the cockpit can be seen much better. It was moved a few centimeters to the front and is covered with simple blue carpet now. Comparison caps from "The Price" and "The Ensigns of Command" show what the back wall of the cockpit looked like before. Variations of the Type-15 Shuttle	"The Most Toys"	"The Price"		No changes
		"The Price"
	"The Ensigns of Command"	"The Price"
		"The Price"
The reflection of the USS Enterprise-D in the shuttlepod window disappears halfway through this scene.				No changes

Another new shot of the USS Enterprise-D filmed especially for this episode. Note the protruding small structures above the shuttlebays 2 and 3. These can't be found on the 6ft model and could be tractor beam emitters.				The great shot in HD.


The Ventaxians have noticeably calmed down as can be seen in another appearance of the Ventax II matte painting.				This shot of the planet surface was brightened up too.
The three smaller terrain graphics underneath the large map of Ventax II were originally created for "Who Watches the Watchers", depicting the surface of Mintaka III in that episode.		"Who Watches the Watchers"		HD close-ups of the graphics.
		"Who Watches the Watchers"

The console behind Data also displays a terrain map originally created for "Who Watches the Watchers". The console itself first appeared in Dr. Graves's office in "The Schizoid Man" and has appeared in several later TNG episodes since then, including "Booby Trap" and "Pen Pals".	"The Schizoid Man"	"Booby Trap"		No changes
		"Pen Pals"
One of several alien gavels can be seen next to Data. While the Ventaxian gavel is cylindrical, a Bajoran gavel (seen in DS9: "Dax") is spherical. Klingon gavels (as in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" and ENT: "Judgment") consist of a metallic glove holding a sphere as well.	"Star Trek VI"	DS9. "Dax"		No changes
	ENT: "Judgment"
The three black chairs in the Ventaxian courtroom (named "Argyle") were designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1897.				No changes
Ardra transforms into the human devil.				The devil in HD.

A good look at the large map of Ventax II.				The display is still the same in TNG-R.
The console Geordi is working on was seen in several earlier Star Trek episodes and films. It first appeared on the Regula I station in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and was also seen in Noonien Soong's lab in "Datalore" and on the Tanuga IV research station in "A Matter of Perspective". Notice how in this shot the two small screens are simply blue.	"Star Trek II"	"A Matter of Perspective"		We can recognize many more details of the console in HD. The left graphic displayed on the console behind Geordi was newly created for the remastering of the episode.
A close-up of Geordi working at the console. Now the two small screens suddenly display LCARS displays. The display on the right was originally created for "The Best of Both Worlds II". Geordi is using an old fashioned clipboard-PADD in this shot. This clipboard, rented from Modern Props, also appeared on Tau Cygna V in "The Ensigns of Command".	"The Ensigns of Command"	"The Best of Both Worlds II"
The animated graphic of Ventax II was inserted into the large map of the planet in post production.				The display in HD.

Picard also transforms into the Klingon equivalent of a devil, Fek'lhr.				No changes
The Ventaxian judgment seat must have been removed for this final shot of the courtroom, to allow another clear look at the Ventaxian logo on the ground, as a previous screenshot reveals that the seat would otherwise have blocked this shot.		Earlier in this episode		No changes

Credits

Thanks to Jaime Donoso for the hint about the possible tractor beam emitters.

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