The Outrageous Okona (episode)

The Enterprise crew rescue a "roguish" freighter captain whose ship is malfunctioning, but his presence drags them into an interplanetary feud.
== Summary ==
=== Teaser ===
:"Captain's Log, stardate 42402.7. We are traveling in the Omega Sagitta system, traversing between the twin planets that form the Coalition of Madena. Both worlds are populated by a humanoid race which colonized the planets two centuries ago and which now coexist under a precarious but successful treaty."
The , while traveling in the Omega Sagitta system between two twin planets inhabited by humanoids who have created a pact called the Madena Coalition, stumbles upon a Class 9 starship with one humanoid detected inside. The ship is the cargo carrier Erstwhile commanded by Captain Thadiun Okona, who has problems with the guidance system. The Enterprise offers Captain Okona help repairing his faulty guidance system. Deanna Troi establishes that he displays rogue-like characteristics, making him a suspicious character who should not be taken lightly.
=== Act One ===
Upon materializing in the transporter room of the Enterprise, Okona meets Riker, Data, Worf, and Crusher and also the transporter chief, Lieutenant Robinson, and begins to display characteristics of a scoundrel and a , charming Robinson. While the others observe this, Okona soon leaves the transporter room, and he accompanies Data and Wesley to main engineering to observe the repairs to his guidance system.
In engineering, Okona observes while Lieutenant Geordi La Forge inspects the damage to the guidance system. The system's zelebium contacts are fused so La Forge will be replacing it with tricellite. Okona informs La Forge that there is absolutely no tricellite located in the system, but La Forge assures him that he will not have to replace it anytime in the near future. La Forge also asks Okona why he pushes his vessel so hard, as stress tests have indicated that he has put his ship far past its operational capabilities. Okona tells La Forge that he is often forced to add zeal and flamboyishness to the doldrums of his life.
Later, while walking with Data in a corridor, Okona questions his ability to comprehend humor and other Human characteristics, apparently finding the concept of an emotionless android fascinating. He then goes to spend time with Robinson in her quarters. Data sees the two of them begin to get intimate and then the door to Robinson's quarters closes.
===Act Two=== 
In engineering, Riker asks La Forge how the repairs to Okona's guidance system are going. La Forge tells him they are still working on it. Wesley Crusher asks Riker while working at the master systems display table what he thinks about Okona. Riker explains to the young man that Okona is an interesting individual who knows how to operate his ship about as well as he knows how to operate people. He further explains that Okona is a man who lives his life by his own rules and does what he does by his own choice. Riker tells Wesley he will one day make his own and the acting ensign tells Riker that he already has.
Data is inspired by Okona's questions and insights about humor and goes to Ten Forward to seek counsel from Guinan regarding his difficulty grasping the concept. Data then travels to the holodeck to view a comedy show by a holographic comedian. Data inquires about a series of comedic acts and performances to further his understanding of comedy. They begin a series of improvisations which include 20th century Jerry Lewis, and continue to list examples of stand-up comedy, which Data views at maximum speed. Data then returns to Guinan to try out his new comedy material, but his first attempt fails miserably. His second attempt is abruptly interrupted by a call to the bridge: an unidentified ship is approaching the Enterprise.
=== Act Three ===
Debin, the captain of the ship, warns the Enterprise that they are entering their territory. He orders the ship to heave to and prepare to be boarded. Debin establishes that Okona is, in fact, a rogue who committed crimes on the planet Atlec. While the entire confrontation is occurring, another ship of similar classification is approaching. This ship is commanded by Captain Kushell from the planet Straleb, who also states similar issues relating to Okona.
Jean-Luc Picard calls Okona up to the bridge to understand what crimes he has committed. After brief deliberation, Okona hedges his response, stating that he isn't aware that he committed any crime on either world. A skeptical Picard asks Debin what crimes has been committed. Debin, infuriated, explains that Okona had impregnated his daughter, Yanar.
=== Act Four ===
:"Captain's Log, supplemental. Some of the mystery surrounding this ancient morality play we've been dragged into has been revealed. One of Captain Okona's pursuers is an outraged father with a heartfelt, if archaic, sense of righteousness."
Kushell has claimed that Okona stole the national treasure, the Jewel of Thesia. Picard and Okona discuss the matter at hand. If Okona is handed to Debin, Straleb will use the slight to declare war, while if Picard gives him to Kushell, the same result will occur. Picard and Okona agree that the only way to resolve the situation is to let Okona continue on the Erstwhile and find a place of refuge.
After a long talk with Wesley in engineering, in which it's revealed that Okona has become tired of living the nomadic lifestyle and just wants the entire mess surrounding Yanar and the Jewel to be settled, he has made a decision to "take a stand."
=== Act Five ===
Okona tells Picard he decided to voluntarily turn himself in. This choice allows Picard to use the Enterprise as a neutral meeting place for both parties to settle their claims. The two families are antagonistic towards each other, both claiming that Okona has infringed their laws and both expressing an equally valid claim on the wayward freighter captain.
The story unfolds when they discover that Kushell's son Benzan has actually impregnated Yanar, rather than Okona, and that Okona was the go-between for Yanar and Benzan's courtship (which was disapproved by both families). The jewel was stolen to be used in the wedding between Yanar and Benzan, who agree to marriage, and their fathers continue their quarrels in a more lighthearted manner (this time about the details of the wedding) as Picard invokes the Prime Directive as an excuse to make a discreet exit from what has now officially become an internal matter of the respective families' governments.
Data and Guinan participate in a comedy show with the holo-comedian. They resolve the issues of Data's ability to deliver a joke by giving Data an audience. Unfortunately, Data discovers that the holographic audience is programmed to laugh at anything he says or does, regardless of whether or not it's actually humorous, and that his comedic delivery is still very much flawed. Data asks the computer to erase the audience as well as the comic. Guinan assures Data that being able to laugh or to make people laugh is not the final result to becoming Human. Data agrees, but notes that there is nothing more "uniquely Human."
Later, on the bridge, the crew sees Okona off. Data inadvertently delivers a joke that causes the bridge crew to break into laughter, but later the crew gets annoyed after Data begins to make bad joke after bad joke, and Okona (having resolved his differences with the fathers of Benzan and Yanar) continues on his way.
=== Log entries ===
* Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365
== Memorable quotes ==
"You spoiled the joke. It could have been your timing."
"My timing is digital."
:- Guinan and Data
"You're a droid and I'm a 'noid."
:- Guinan, telling a joke to Data
"A Klingon security officer?"
"Yes."
"No wars available, eh?"
:- Okona and Worf
"Wesley, Wesley Crusher."
"Nice to meet you, Acting Ensign Wesley Wesley Crusher."
:- Wesley Crusher, introducing himself to Thadiun Okona
"You have the majestic carriage and loveliness that could surely be traced back to the noblest of families."
:- Okona, to B.G. Robinson, the Enterprises female transporter chief
"Say goodbye, Data."
"Goodbye Data."
:- Wesley Crusher and Data
"Now, that's sex appeal!"
:- Okona
"Captain, they are now locking lasers on us."
"Lasers?"
"Yes, sir."
"Lasers can't even penetrate our navigation shields. Don't they know that?"
"Regulations do call for yellow alert."
"Hmm, a very old regulation. Well, make it so Number One. And, reduce speed… drop main shields, as well."
"May I ask why, sir?"
"In case we decide to surrender to them, Number One… "
:- Worf, Riker, and Picard
"So… if you put funny teeth in your mouth and jump around like an idiot, that is considered funny!"
:- Data
"Guy walks into the doctor's office. The doctor tells him you need an operation. Guy says, "I want a second opinion." Doc tells him "Okay you're ugly too". Badoom Boom!
:- Data, telling his first joke to Guinan
"Life is like loading twice your cargo weight on to your spacecraft. If it's canaries and you can keep half of them flying all the time, you're all right."
:- Okona, making a joke to Data
"Take my Worf… please!"
:- Data, making a bad joke
== Background information ==
* Final draft script: 
* Final day of production: . ("Lost & Found", )
* Premiere airdate: 
* First UK airdate: 
=== Cast and characters ===
* According to Joe Piscopo, he was allowed to improvise much of his own jokes and dialogue as the holographic comic, including the Jerry Lewis impersonation. 
* himself was approached to play the comic, but there was a scheduling conflict caused by Lewis' guest role on . ()
* This is the first of two second-season episodes in which Dr. Pulaski doesn't appear. The other is .
* Teri Hatcher asked for her name to be removed from the credits, as many of her scenes were cut. 
=== Sets and props ===
* The holodeck terminal lists the name of the comic as , a reference to Visual Effects Supervisor Ronald B. Moore, who helped assemble the graphic. () He is not to be confused with writer and producer Ronald D. Moore, who had not yet joined the staff.
* The window or display "frame" behind Debin while speaking on the Enterprise viewscreen is a slightly modified re-use of the battle bridge viewscreen of the Enterprise-D.
* Okona's freighter is the Talarian freighter model reused from , which itself was cobbled together from models used in the V miniseries and .
* The Atlec vessel is a reuse of the Merchantman spaceship model from .
=== Continuity ===
* When Okona asks Data if he's ever been drunk, Data claims "not from alcohol," a reference to , in which the polywater intoxication acted on his programming like alcohol would on a Human brain.
=== Reception ===
* A mission report for this episode, by John Sayers, was published in .
* The damaged prop guidance system from the Erstwhile was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. 
=== Video and DVD releases ===
* Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 15, catalog number VHR 2468, 
* US VHS release: 
* UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 2.2, catalog number VHR 4738, 
* As part of the TNG Season 2 DVD collection
* As part of the TNG Season 2 Blu-ray collection
== Links and references ==
=== Starring ===
* Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
* Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker
=== Also starring ===
* LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
* Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
* Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
* Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
* Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher
=== Guest stars ===
* William O. Campbell as Thadiun Okona
* Douglas Rowe as Debin
* Albert Stratton as Kushell
* Rosalind Ingledew as Yanar
* Kieran Mulroney as Benzan
=== Special guest stars ===
* Joe Piscopo as the Comic
;And
* Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan
=== Uncredited co-stars ===
* Arratia as Alfonse Pacelli
* Majel Barrett as computer voice
* James G. Becker as Youngblood
* Juliet Cesario as science division officer
* Dexter Clay as operations division officer
* Jeffrey Deacon as command division officer
* Teri Hatcher as B.G. Robinson
* Tim McCormack as 
* Lorine Mendell as Diana Giddings
* Randy Pflug as Ten Forward waiter
* Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
* Unknown performers as
** Charnock's Comedy Cabaret audience
** Female science division officer
** Atlec officer 1 and 2
** Straleb officer 1 and 2
** Vulcan science division officer
=== Stand-ins ===
* James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
* Darrell Burris – stand-in for LeVar Burton
* Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
* Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
* Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
* Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
* Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton
=== References ===
20th century; 1932; 2165; 23rd century; 2364; accusation; acting ensign; advice; alcohol; ; amphibian; android; anger; annoyance; arbitration; arm; Atlec; Atlec vessel; audience; audio; authority; bar; bastard; bird call; bon mot; bowling; bow tie; brazen; briefcase; brother; "brought the house down"; burnout; ; buzz; cad; call sign; canary; car; cargo; cargo carrier; cargo hold; cargo ship; case; channel; charm; Charnock's Comedy Cabaret; choice; cigar; Class 7 vessel; Class 9 cargo vessel; clone; colloquialism; comedian; complaint; Coalition of Madena; Coalition of Madena species; computer; conference room; context; conversation; course; craftsman; crew complement; crew quarters; crime; criminal; custody; danger; daughter; Denkir II; dictionary; dilemma; ; doctor's office; dog; dress; Earth; embarrassment; emergency assistance; emotion; engine; Erstwhile; evening; existence; exploration; family; farmhouse; Federation; feeling; Ferengi; fired; fish; fraction; French language; friend; funny; ; Galaxy class decks; gender; gesture; glob fly; godfather; grandson; Greek; guest; ; Gulliver's Travels; hailing frequency; heir; "hello"; heritage; hired; holodeck; home; homeland; honor; Human; Human cannonball; humanoid; humor; idiot; inertial guidance system; innocence; instruction; intercept course; investigation; Irish; Jew; Jewel of Thesia; jewelry; joke; judge; juggling; juxtaposition; kidney; Klingon; knave; language; laser weapons; laughing; legal right; legation; Legation of Unity; ; liar; libido; life sign; lion; love; main shield; main viewer; malevolence; marriage; mercy killing; message; microphone; Milky Way Galaxy; minute; mister; ; month; morality; mosquito; mouth; mystery; name; navigation shield; neck; nephew; New York City; night; nudist colony; number one; ; obligation; office; Omega Sagitta system; operation; operator; opinion; order; owner; parrot; performer; phaser; pilot; place; plan; planet; ; politician; pork chop; prestige; procreation; problem; programming; prop; quantum mechanics; quarrel; race; ; rascal; reason; repairs; reputation; ; road; rogue; robot; room; Roxy Theatre; rule; Saint Peter; seat; second opinion; ; sector; security officer; sensor; sentence; sex appeal; sexual attraction; shopkeeper; show; size; sound; spacecraft; speed; Starfleet Regulations; sector; shame; smuggling; son; star; status; stealing; sting; store; Straleb; Straleb security vessel; stress test; subject; surrender; talent; Teaneck; teeth; thief; thing; tone; tool; towing; town; tractor beam; transporter chief; transporter room; traveling salesman; treasure; treaty; tricellite; truth; valise; victimization; villain; vision; voice; war; warmth; weapon; "whoa"; wife; wild element; witticism; word; year; yellow alert; zelebium; ZIP code
==== Other references ====
* Erstwhile graphic: fusion propulsion; gross vehicle mass; megawatt; metric ton; tritanium
* Holodeck programming simulations (original version): ; ; ; ; Farouk El-Baz; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 
* Holodeck programming simulations (remastered version): ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 
=== Log entries ===
* Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365
=== External links ===
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cs:The Outrageous Okona
de:Der unmögliche Captain Okona
es:The Outrageous Okona
fr:The Outrageous Okona (épisode)
it:Okona l'immorale (episodio)
ja:無法者オコーナ（エピソード）
nl:The Outrageous Okona
pl:The Outrageous Okona