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Observations in TNG: "The Offspring"

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

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

"The Offspring" HD Screencaps @ TrekCore

Description TNG		Other caps	Comparison TNG to TNG-R	Description TNG-R
The cybernetics lab of the Enterprise-D is not directly connected to the main corridor set. The corridor wall behind the door to the lab is just a fake wall, similar to the one seen behind the brig double doors.				No changes
				No changes
The cybernetics lab set was last seen as the bridge of the USS Enterprise-C in "Yesterday's Enterprise". It appears as a very basic set in "The Offspring", similar to when it was used as the Starbase 173 courtroom in "The Measure of a Man". The octagonal ceiling structure at the center of the lab makes its debut here. It will be seen as part of the ceiling of several different rooms seen in later episodes, including the USS Sutherland and USS Brattain bridges and the medical room on Malcor III. The cybernetics lab (featuring the octagonal ceiling structure) will show up in some later episodes, namely "The Best of Both Worlds II", "I, Borg", "Time's Arrow II" and "Interface". A different set will used in those episodes, though. "The Offspring" is the only episode in which the old set (which originally was the bridge of the USS Enterprise in the first four Star Trek films) was converted into the cybernetics lab. Re-Used Starship Interiors The lift, like many TNG consoles, will end up as debris on the Amargosa station in "Star Trek Generations".	"The Measure of a Man"	"Yesterday's Enterprise"		A better look at the lab (and Lal's "raw" make-up) in HD.
	"First Contact"	"Night Terrors"
	"Redemption II"	"I, Borg"
	"Interface"	"Generations"
The console featuring an LCARS display of the USS Enterprise-D originally appeared in drafting room 5 in "Booby Trap", and also in the brig in "The Hunted" and "Déjà Q". The LCARS display hasn't changed since the first appearance of the console.	"Booby Trap"	"The Hunted"
A tripod is briefly visible, tucked away in the alcove in front of the turbolift door. Note that the turbolift button is missing, which was still present in "The Hunted". It will not return until mid-season 4.		"The Hunted"		The tripod is still visible in TNG-R.
As Lal is choosing their appearance on the holodeck in "The Offspring", the two small LCARS displays on the arch are turned off. In earlier episodes they were usually on.		"Elementary, Dear Data"		No changes
This is one of only two appearances of an Andorian in classic 24th century Star Trek, the second being in "Captain's Holiday". An Andorian was last seen in the Federation Council chambers in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home". The appearance of the Andorian female is noticeably different from earlier and later appearances. Her skin color appears to be more green than blue in this episode and her antennae are longer than regular Andorian antennae. For all we know the make-up applied for the episode is brownish and appears in a false green color here. Lal's other choices, a human male, a human female and a Klingon male, appear in natural colors. Races with Changing Faces - Major Races		"Captain's Holiday"		The color of the Andorian woman is pale green in the remastered episode as well, although the originally filmed skin color must have been brown and Andorians should be blue.
		"The Offspring" make-up
The "head statue" seen briefly in Data's quarters also appeared in his quarters in "The Measure of a Man". Furthermore, it was seen on Rubicun III in "Justice", on Aldea in "When the Bough Breaks", in crew quarters in "The Outrageous Okona", on Gravesworld in "The Schizoid Man" and on Delta Rana IV in "The Survivors".	"The Measure of a Man"	"Justice"		No changes
	"When the Bough Breaks"	"The Survivors"		No changes
This is only the second appearance of the junior officers' quarters in season 3 after Worf's quarters were briefly seen in "The Bonding". The part of the set seen in the screenshot has not changed since it was last dressed as Data's quarters in "Peak Performance".		"Peak Performance"		No changes
A copy of the colorful painting "Tableau I with Red, Black, Blue and Yellow" by Piet Mondriaan is first seen in Data's quarters in this episode. It is visible in nearly every later appearance of his quarters until "Star Trek Generations".		"Generations"		No changes
This part of Data's quarters was previously only seen during dark poker games. The metallic wall decoration was part of the set since the beginning of season 2. The wall ribbing was added between "The Measure of a Man" and "The Emissary" at around the same time as the office part of the quarters was similarly modified.	"The Measure of a Man"	"The Emissary"		No changes
An artwork by C. Jeré, called "Kinetic Ribbon Sculpture", appears for the first time in Data's quarters. It could be seen once before on Star Trek, in the guest quarters in "The Price".		"The Price"		No changes
Data and Wesley test Lal's reflexes in a corridor lounge, which is a redress of main engineering. The doors to the left and right of the MSD are rarely seen when the set appears as main engineering.		"Elementary, Dear Data"		No changes
		"The Hunted"		No changes
The graphics and text viewed by Lal on a desktop monitor in Data's quarters were all re-used from earlier episodes. The first screen originally appeared in "Contagion". It is a graphic of the USS Yamato.		"Contagion"		We can read the text in HD. The heading "The Ethics - Spinoza (1632-1677)" and an according text appears on the screen that previously showed the Treaty of Armens.
The text on the second screen was originally seen in "The Ensigns of Command" and is a page from the Treaty of Armens.		"The Ensigns of Command"
The graphic of the planet originally appeared on the main viewscreen in "Pen Pals" and depicts Drema IV.		"Pen Pals"
The graphic of the USS Enterprise-D behind the desk in Data's quarters was last seen in "Peak Performance". Originally, the display featured a large cross-section of the USS Enterprise-D, similar to the MSD in main engineering. For "Pen Pals", the graphic was reduced in size to make space for a monitor used to display live video feed. The smaller version is seen in the shot from "Peak Performance". For "The Offspring", the graphic was enlarged again. This new cross-section is different from the one seen in the first and second seasons (pre-"Pen Pals"), though.	"The Measure of a Man"	"Peak Performance"		No changes
The main door to the cybernetics lab shows some similarities with the battle bridge ready room door, which was removed from the set at the beginning of the third season to make room for the large double door used to enter drafting room 5 in "Booby Trap". The wall with the smaller door is a little wider than the original ready room wall and extends a little further into the room. The same door also appeared in the geophysical lab in "Pen Pals".	"The Arsenal of Freedom"	"Pen Pals"		No changes
Another good look at the cybernetics lab lift with its circular railing. It also appears in the cybernetics lab in later episodes, like "The Best of Both Worlds II", "I, Borg", "Time's Arrow II" and "Interface".	"The Best of Both Worlds II"	"I, Borg"		A better look at the lab in HD.
	"Time's Arrow II"	"Interface"		A better look at the lab in HD.
Only a small section of the teacher's office could be briefly seen in "The Bonding". The set later appeared in "Reunion", "Hero Worship", "Imaginary Friend", "Rascals" and "Masks". The teacher's chair was previously seen in the sickbay office. Dr. Crusher has a new chair since season 3, so her old one was free to re-use. The painting behind Lt.Ballard in the teacher's room appeared in only one other episode, namely in "Hero Worship", again in the teacher's room. It was painted by Rick Sternbach and is called "In the Rings of Saturn". Space Art in Star Trek: The Next Generation	"We'll Always Have Paris"	"The Bonding"		We can see the painting, the evolutionary table and the consoles better in HD.
	"The Bonding"	"Hero Worship"
The classroom (with attached teacher's office) is a redress of the children's play area seen in "The Child". This is the second appearance of a classroom after a different set was seen in "When the Bough Breaks". The yellow classroom as in in "The Offspring" will appear a couple more times. Actually, it was not built for this episode but for a deleted scene in "The Bonding", in which Jeremy Aster would have been informed about his mother's death. The consoles in the connected sets appeared in some previous episodes like "The Emissary" and "Evolution". The slanted console with the U-shaped cross-section from "The Emissary" was built into a table for "Booby Trap" and for "The Vengeance Factor". In "The Offspring", it is free-standing again but appears only in the very background of the scene. The bulky school computer was originally created for the classroom seen in "When the Bough Breaks". Consoles Built for Star Trek The large LCARS display with an evolutionary table of alien aquatic lifeforms was already part of the set in "The Child", as was the lit "window" with toys/plants on shelves. The LCARS display will appear in several more TNG episodes and will also show up on DS9 once.	"The Bonding" (deleted)	"Hero Worship"
	"The Emissary"	"Evolution"
	"When the Bough Breaks"	"The Child"
The four oil-filled cylinders in the sickbay office originally appeared in the terraforming lab on Velara III in "Home Soil".		"Home Soil"		A closer look at the cylinders.
Picard sleeps on the same kind of 1980's-style pillow as prominently seen in Troi's quarters in "The Child". In "The Perfect Mate", Picard says of himself "I'm really quite dull. I fall asleep each night with an old book in my hands." "The Offspring" offers proof for this, two years earlier already, as he's seen asleep surrounded by two open books. :-)		"The Child"		No changes
The monitor in Picard's ready room was previously seen in "Conspiracy". It was turned upside down for the re-use in this episode.		"Conspiracy"		No changes
The smooth hull of the 6-foot model of the USS Enterprise-D is never more evident than in this shot. The newer 4-foot model, first seen in "The Defector", has much more noticeable hull plating. The Saucer Rim on the Galaxy Class		"Yesterday's Enterprise"		The 6-foot saucer hull in HD.
The doorway on the other side of the cybernetics lab is briefly seen in this shot. It is either standing open or doesn't have the regular double sliding doors.				The set in HD.
The shape of the device Data uses for the neural net seems to be based on the neural calipers seen during Picard's heart surgery in "Samaritan Snare". The former features a very big green LED and is much thicker, perhaps to hold the batteries.	Later in the episode	"Samaritan Snare"		No changes
One of the Ten Forward replicators (first seen in use in "Ménage à Troi") can be clearly seen behind Guinan in "The Offspring". The triangular decorative element is actually an acoustic tile (CONTOUR® Spectrum), cut in half. Acoustic Panels as Wall Coverings in TNG				No changes
This shot is remarkable in two ways. First, a Vulcan is briefly seen in the background of Ten Forward. Second, Guinan is seen removing the Pair Match game from a Ten Forward table and taking it behind the bar. This is one of the rare cases when the prop is actually in use and not just standing on a Ten Forward table. We still don't know what purpose it is actually supposed to serve, though.				A close-up of the Vulcan and the game pyramid.
The door opposite the port Ten Forward door was never really finished. It doesn't feature a door sign or small door buttons next to it and was never painted orange, like the rest of the corridor set doors. This doesn't stop Data from walking right up to the door and waiting in front of it as if he wants to use them, as the Ten Forward doors close.				No changes
				No changes
The door to the ready room replicator alcove is closed, like on a few other occasions. Maybe this was done to hide the unfinished state of the room as seen in "The Ensigns of Command".		"The Ensigns of Command"		No changes
Another large sculpture in Data's quarters. This piece of art was also seen in Lwaxana Troi's quarters in "Haven", on Gravesworld in "The Schizoid Man" (maybe Data inherited this and the head statue from his "grandpa" Ira Graves?) and on Delta Rana IV in "The Survivors". It will even appear in Odo's quarters in DS9: "The Abandoned".	"Haven"	"The Survivors"		No changes
	"The Schizoid Man"	"The Abandoned"		No changes
The scene of the USS Enterprise-D flying next to an unnamed Excelsior class vessel was originally created for "The Child" where the Excelsior class vessel was the USS Repulse.		"The Child"		The two starships as they appear in TNG-R.
The Shakespeare tome in Picard's ready room can never be seen as well as in this shot. The book is The Annotated Shakespeare, Volume I. The page shows Titania and Nick Bottom, transformed into a donkey, and is an illustration for A Midsummer Night's Dream created by Henry Fuselli. Picard's Shakespeare Books				We can recognize the page even better in HD.
Haftel wears a new admiral's uniform created for season 3. This uniform was introduced in "The Defector", but Admiral Haden appeared only on Picard's monitor in that episode.		"The Defector"		The new uniform in HD.
This is the so far best look at the yellowish port observation lounge corridor. Don't forget, in season 1, when the lounge was still a redress of sickbay, it was directly connected to the regular corridor set.		"The Last Outpost"		No changes
A PADD is lying on the observation lounge table in front of Admiral Haftel. Just a frame later, he is seen holding the PADD in his hand. The PADD was originally created for "The Ensigns of Command", where Picard uses it to quote from the Treaty of Armens to the Sheliak.		"The Ensigns of Command"		The HD version reveals that the text on the PADD display is still the same.
		"The Ensigns of Command"
The observation lounge was first seen from the inside of the short starboard corridor leading to the room in "The Price". Here, the set is seen from the interior of the port corridor for the first time.		"The Price"		No changes
Season 3 is when the lights in the side wall corners in crew quarters started to vary. There was no lighting in these places in Troi's quarters in season 1 and still in "The Survivors". In "The Child", we could see white corners. In "The Price", they were partially blue and partially purple.	"The Child"	"The Price"		No changes.
The same pastel painting already appeared above the desk in Troi's quarters in "The Survivors" and "The Price".		"The Price"		The painting in HD.
The shot of the USS Enterprise-D next to the Excelsior-class ship (a re-use from "The Child") is continued in this scene. The unnamed star seen here was identified as Alvacorn Major in "The Child".		"The Child"		The two starships as they appear in TNG-R.
Some time between "The Defector" and "The Offspring", the LCARS buttons on both sides of the observation lounge wall monitor were removed.		"The Defector"		No changes
The console in front of the central cybernetics lab lift was created for this episode. It appeared whenever the set was re-used in later episodes and was also seen as a Cardassian console in "Chain of Command I" and a Borg console in "Descent II".	"Chain of Command I"	"Descent II"		A better look at the console in HD.
The circuitry in Lal's head is exposed in this shot. It was created to look similar as Data's (seen only recently in "Déjà Q").		"Déjà Q"		We can see the details better in HD, including the 20th century LEDs.
The outside of the cybernetics lab is seen in this shot when Admiral Haftel is leaving the lab. The corridor wall was especially created for this scene. Though similar in appearance, it doesn't match any wall or door of the recently extended large corridor set.		Earlier in this episode		No changes
		Earlier in this episode		No changes
When Data relieves the unnamed conn officer towards the end of the episode, the turbolift opposite the ready room door can briefly be seen. It is standing open and the turbolift is not lit. Apparently the door was not meant to be seen in the shot. Also note the black cardboard square above the Enterprise-D graphic. One of the last in the series?				This is still the same in TNG-R.

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