Info Starships Fleet Yards Treknology

Episodes Database Fandom Community

Observations in TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris"

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

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

"We'll Always Have Paris" HD Screencaps @ TrekCore

Description TNG		Other caps	Comparison TNG to TNG-R	Description TNG-R
When Picard is seen again fencing in the gymnasium, the display showing the fencing scores looks different. It is also curious that the shadows always remain behind the two fencing people as the camera follows them (obviously because the lighting equipment was affixed to the camera).		"I, Borg"		No changes
The gymnasium is a redress of the cargo bay set.				No changes
This shot is strangely static. The foreground (Geordi and Data) seems to be a freeze frame, as both are not moving their hands and the lights on their consoles do not blink. The lights underneath the viewscreen, however, are flashing. The same shot is seen again later in the episode, this time with Vandor IV on the viewscreen.				No changes
Like in "Datalore", this shot of the USS Enterprise (the 2-foot model) going to warp is mirror inverted.				The Enterprise is still inverted in TNG-R.
The turbolift door close to the holodeck entrance is not properly labeled. The door should normally only feature the deck number and the text "turbolift".				The door label reads "Tursiops crew facility" (the "i" may be missing). This alludes to the possibility of cetacean crew members, as also mentioned in the TNG Technical Manual. We have to wonder why there is apparently a turbolift that leads exclusively to their facility and what the captain was doing there. The bottlenose dolphins themselves arguably wouldn't use that turbolift.

The short turbolift corridor is again similar to how it appeared in "The Big Goodbye". In "11001001", the holodeck door had been moved to the right of the small door, here it is back to the left of the turbolift. The holodeck controls have been moved to the right of the holodeck door and the door itself is further away from the turbolift door, however.	"The Big Goodbye"	"11001001"		No changes
The transparent communications interface was achieved in a similar way as the three Vulcan computer screens Spock uses during his memory test at the beginning of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and the Ferengi interface in "The Battle". In the text commentary to the fourth Star Trek film, Mike Okuda explains how this effect was created: "Spock's 'transparent' computer screens were ingeniously created with ordinary video monitors that faced upward. Carefully positioned clear plastic sheets reflected the images, making them appear to be magically projected onto transparent computer screens."		"Star Trek IV"		The shot in HD.
The large scenic backdrop of Paris appeared two more times on Star Trek. It was seen again in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" behind the windows of the Federation President's office. Between 1988 and 1991, the matte painting was modified slightly. Some of the large buildings were removed and the tubes on the bridge crossing the Seine and underneath the Eiffel Tower were removed. A few years later, the backdrop was seen again in DS9: "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost", again behind the windows of the then current Federation President's office. Some of the buildings were again changed but the bridge and the Tower were not changed this time around. A separate smaller matte painting was additionally created for "Paradise Lost", this matte painting shows Paris and the Eiffel Tower from a different perspective, however. Mike Okuda: "The scenic backing of Paris was a rental. It showed contemporary/historic Paris. Herman designed the futuristic buildings that were added for the episode. He had the new building painted onto removable material, so the scenic backing could be restored to its original form."		"Star Trek VI"		No changes to the matte depicting Paris. In HD we can see the two shuttles flying past the Eiffel Tower much better. The models seem to be new and are never seen again after this shot.
		"Homefront"
		"Paradise Lost"
Different cuts to Riker in the scene when Picard has just returned from the holodeck.				This close-up of Riker was remastered in true HD based on the original film.
				The original footage of the last close-up of Riker could not be retrieved and was upconverted. We can clearly recognize the lower sharpness and increased noise in comparison with the above screen cap.
The same stationary image of Geordi and Data in front of the bridge viewscreen with moving lights appears in this scene (see earlier screen capture).		Earlier in this episode		The asteroid was completely rebuilt for TNG-R.
Many years later, Jenice Manheim's dress is seen again in a clothes shop on DS9's promenade in "Sanctuary".		"Sanctuary"		Jenice Manheim's dress looks blue instead of gray now and hence a bit less ugly.
This unusually wide shot of Doctor Crusher's sickbay office reveals the door that leads from her office to the medical lab. The brownish painting seen in Dr. Crusher's office in season 1 (and in several crew quarters in season 2) is, according to Rick Sternbach, "an actual photo of Mars, probably from the Viking missions."				The set in HD.
The four transparent cylinders, connected by two metallic plates, one under the cylinders and one on top of them, on the desk under the large display screen originally appeared in the terraforming station on Velara III. From now on, they are often seen in Doctor Crusher's office.				A close look at the cylinders in HD.
A properly labeled turbolift door is seen in this shot.				No changes
A nice close-up of Livingston's fish tank. Spot the Difference				No changes
The octagonal cargo containers were often seen in V - The Miniseries, while the dark ones have also shown up in Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers.	V - The Final Battle	Buck Rogers		No changes
This biobed monitor is slightly different from the way the monitor normally looks. To underline Dr. Manheim's critical status, moving red bars have been added. The monitor normally appears much more static.		"The Naked Now"		No changes
The PADD used by Doctor Crusher in this episode was originally part of the holographic arch where it was used to control the holodeck functions. A PADD like this appeared many later in "Borderland" where it is used by bidders at an Orion auction.	"11001001"	ENT: "Borderland"		A close-up of the PADD in HD.
A fossil ammonite is seen on a small shelf behind Doctor Crusher. This ammonite was also seen in her office in "11001001" and "Lonely Among Us". Crusher's ammonite began appearing in Picard's ready room in "The Best of Both Worlds II", replacing a different ammonite seen in the first three seasons. Crusher's ammonite could be seen in Picard's ready room until the end of the series.		"The Best of Both Worlds II"		A close-up of the ammonite in HD.
The large consoles in Doctor Manheim's lab were originally built as school computer consoles for "When the Bough Breaks" and "Coming of Age". They would be seen in many more TNG episodes and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" until they were destroyed in "New Ground". For the appearance in this episode, the consoles were painted blue.		"Coming of Age"		No changes
This type of computer console first showed up in "11001001" on Starbase 74. They were also seen in the Velara III terraforming station in "Home Soil".		"Home Soil"		No changes
Blinking wall consoles like the one behind Data also appeared in "Datalore" and "Home Soil".	"Datalore"	"Home Soil"		No changes
Similar LCARS displays of the Manheim distortion are seen on a display in drafting room 5 in "Booby Trap" and in the USS Enterprise-D's classroom in "Reunion".	"Booby Trap"	"Reunion"		Thanks to HD, the text is readable now. One of the graphics is labeled "Interpolated temporal parameters".
	"Booby Trap"	"Reunion"		The label next to the door can now be read as well. It says "Caution - Subspace flux hazard".
The gripper Data uses to hold the antimatter containers appears again, lying on a trolley in the DS9 episode "Invasive Procedures".		"Invasive Procedures"		No changes
The round window behind the distortion was previously seen on the Tarellian ship in "Haven" and on Aldea in "When the Bough Breaks".	"Haven"	"When the Bough Breaks"		The effect was recreated to look just as in the original version.
The round base on top of which the distortion formed was originally seen aboard the Batris in "Heart of Glory" where it formed part of the ceiling of the Talarian warp core.		"Heart of Glory"		No changes
Similar diamond-shaped shelves were also seen in the Farpoint Station mall in "Encounter at Farpoint", in Deanna Troi's quarters in "The Naked Now" and in Captain Kirk's apartment in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock". Re-Used Props - Furniture		"Star Trek II"		No changes
Tables with an octagonal tabletop also appeared in the formal dining area/lounge of the USS Enterprise-D in "Haven" and "Where No One Has Gone Before".		"Where No One Has Gone Before"		A better look at the tabletop in HD.

Credits

Thanks to Benjamin, Colin and Dwight for the bottlenose dolphin reference and to Norman for reminding us of the upscaled two seconds.

Back to Observations index

Top

View as gallery