Star Trek: 10 Greatest Filler Episodes

9. The Royale

Star Trek The Next Generation The Royale Data Worf Riker
CBS Media Ventures

The Royale has Data in a stetson, blowing on dice, and Worf looking as though he just hasn't got a clue. It's a lot of fun, even if it normally ranks a little lower on rewatch lists for The Next Generation's second season.

It's light fare. The Enterprise-D discovers NASA wreckage in space, leading them to a planet that contains a recreation of the eponymous hotel, based on a novel a long-dead astronaut carried with them into space. That, in a nutshell, is the episode. 

This was a chance for The Next Generation to play with comedy again, something they had rushed when it came to earlier episodes like The Naked Now. The audience knew the characters far better, so seeing them taken out of their serious roles wasn't anything too jarring.

It's a simple episode, it's enjoyable, and it was almost never discussed again, save for one copy of the book turning up in Hauze's collection in Kayshon, His Eyes Open.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"