Star Trek: 10 Starfleet Crews That Totally LOST IT
4. The Next Generation: Genesis
The crew of the Enterprise-D became experts in the art of losing it. Not only is this their second entry on the list, but it won't be their last.
Genesis is another episode that's probably responsible for a lot of sleepless nights. A virus sweeps the ship while Picard and Data are away, leaving the crew struggling in concerning ways. Riker is stumped by basic protocols, Barclay is operating at superspeed, and Worf and Troi are locked in a war over the temperature controls (a familiar battleground for anyone who has worked in an office).
When Picard and Data return to the Enterprise, they find themselves trapped in a body-horror nightmare. Riker has de-evolved into a deadly proto-Human, Barclay is a hideous spider-man (not the friendly kind), Troi is living in her bath as some kind of amphibian, and Worf is spitting acid and scuttling through Jefferies tubes. Even Picard becomes infected, and Data tries his best not to look fascinated as he tells him he will de-evolve into some kind of primate.
With his survival instincts dialled up to eleven, Picard still manages to lure the now monstrous Mr. Worf away, allowing Data time to create a cure. In good body-horror tradition, medical science is both the villain and the hero of the story, providing both the catalyst and cure. It makes for a horror episode that fits seamlessly into the sci-fi setting.
Our only regret is that we never get to see Picard as a cute fluffy pygmy marmoset.