Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation) the entire "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series. Technically, it was chosen as second-worst, but Empire decided that ""—its initial choice for worst episode—didn't count, because "Shades" was a flashback 'clip' episode. Masks (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "Masks" is the seventeenth episode of the of the American science fiction television series "", the 169th episode overall. An alien archive, like an alien Library of Alexandria, initially appearing as a rogue comet because of accumulated matter, transforms the "Enterprise" as well as adapting Lieutenant Commander Data for a re-enactment of its culture's mythology, including the creation of two masks which
Star Trek: The Next Generation unknown actors would be more profitable than paying the films' actors' large salaries. Roddenberry initially declined to be involved, but came on board as creator after being unhappy with early conceptual work. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was announced on October 10, 1986, and its cast in May 1987. Paramount executive Rick Berman was assigned to the series at Roddenberry's request. Roddenberry hired a number of "Star Trek" veterans, including Bob Justman, D. C. Fontana, Eddie Milkis and David Gerrold. Early proposals for the series included one in which some of the original series cast might appear as "elder statesmen",