Abstract
Problem: Tim Cain co-wrote a Star Trek: The Next Generation screenplay with a grad school friend — what was the plot, and why was it rejected?
Approach: Tim recounts the full story from memory, covering the genesis of the collaboration, the complete plot outline, and the aftermath of submission.
Findings: The script featured a reclusive alien race whose overuse of replicator technology was destroying their planet's core, with Robin Williams envisioned as a manic alien scientist. The script was rejected because the season was already full, but a note revealed Robin Williams had already been cast for another role — the time-traveling con man in "A Matter of Time," ultimately played by Matt Frewer.
Key insight: The rejection came with genuine praise ("they really thought we nailed the TNG vibe"), and the Robin Williams connection to "A Matter of Time" reveals how close the casting came to reality — the show genuinely wanted Williams, just for a different episode.
The Collaboration
Tim wrote the screenplay in the late 1980s or early 1990s with a grad school friend named Don. Don had already earned his PhD (in AI) but was still around doing postdoctoral work while pursuing standup comedy and comedy writing. Don approached Tim because Tim was a huge fan of TNG, and Don had a rough idea for an episode but needed help with the plot structure, character involvement, and ending. The intention was to write a funny episode — but funny in the Star Trek way, not just absurdly comedic.
The Plot
The Alien Race
The story centered on a very reclusive alien race that had been contacted once by the Federation and refused to join. All communication was text-only — no face-to-face contact. The Federation considered them low-tech, though they obviously had warp drive and FTL communication. Other races tended to avoid them, but nobody would explain why.
The Distress Call
One day a text-only distress call goes out from the alien system. The Enterprise, being the closest ship, responds. The aliens explain they have a serious problem and will send someone up to discuss it — but they warn the crew: "We consider most of you to be very dry and dull people. Our race, by your standards, is over-the-top funny. So we're going to send up the most boring, dull scientist we have."
Robin Williams Beams Aboard
The "boring scientist" who beams up is envisioned as Robin Williams in full-on manic improv mode — talking fifty miles an hour, joking constantly, talking over people, making references to Federation history and events on his own planet that nobody understands. He takes an immediate liking to Data, calling him "the ultimate straight guy," and it's through working with Data that the actual problem gets communicated.
The Real Problem: Replicator Overconsumption
The alien race has had replicator technology for centuries — far longer than the Federation. They're actually quite technologically advanced. But because replicators rearrange matter, and they use them for absolutely everything (ships, vehicles, homes, food), they've been drawing matter from the core of their planet. After centuries of this, the core has become unstable. They're experiencing earthquakes, tectonic plate collapses, and sinkholes.
Data analyzes their research data and determines the only solution is to stop using replicator technology entirely. The Robin Williams character objects — they have nothing to fall back on. They don't even farm anymore. They don't know how to make food.
The Duplicate Enterprise
When the Enterprise prepares to leave (unable to help further), the aliens use their replicator technology to duplicate the entire Enterprise — creating an identical ship so one can leave and one can stay to help. Both ships are perfect copies, and neither crew knows which is the original. When they try to communicate, both bridges hail each other simultaneously, and every crew member talks over their duplicate at the exact same time.
Data Solves It
There's a subtle detail: the only character NOT talking over himself is Data. Both Datas observe silently, looking between their crew and the viewscreen. Eventually one Data speaks up: "You may notice that we're not — me and the other Data aren't talking over each other. We know which one's the duplicate and which one's not." When asked how, he simply says: "I know what happened. I'm a copy, and I know I'm a copy."
The duplicate Enterprise is dematerialized — which Tim acknowledges is "kind of horrific" since they just destroyed an entire crew of living duplicates. He draws parallels to the Riker duplicate and the Tuvix situation on Voyager.
Resolution
The dematerialization restores some matter to the planet's core, but only brings them back to where they were. The Federation offers to help them find alternative matter sources, like mining their own asteroid belt. The Robin Williams character debates leaving with the Enterprise, but Data gently discourages him: "There's no one else out there like me. Except maybe the Vulcans. You'd either get along really well with the Vulcans, or the Vulcans would refuse to host you. But I don't know which one would happen."
The Rejection
Tim and Don submitted the script and waited a long time — they'd been told to expect an answer within about two months. The rejection letter said the season had already been filled, along with the next one they were accepting submissions for. However, the letter praised the script, saying "they really thought we nailed the TNG vibe" and encouraged them to try again.
The Robin Williams Connection
One crucial detail: on the returned script, someone had circled Robin Williams' name and written "already cast for something else." Tim and Don didn't know what that meant at the time. A year or two later, the episode "A Matter of Time" aired — featuring a charismatic time traveler who boards the Enterprise claiming to be from the future (but is actually from the past, stealing technology). That role was played by Matt Frewer, but it was originally intended for Robin Williams, who wasn't available. Tim believes this is what the note referred to.
Aftermath
Tim and Don never collaborated again and never resubmitted. Tim believes Don kept the script since he wrote most of it. Tim doesn't know if Don ever submitted anything else to the show on his own.
References
- Tim Cain. YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6SlmvboQaU