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Patrick Stewart

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

LeVar Burton

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Lieutenant Worf

Gates McFadden

Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

Counselor Deanna Troi

Brent Spiner

Lieutenant Commander Data

Richard Allen

Tamarian First Officer

Colm Meaney

Chief Miles O'Brien

Paul Winfield

Capt. Dathon

Ashley Judd

Ensign Robin Lefler

Majel Barrett

Enterprise Computer
(voice)

Cameron

Ensign Kellogg
(uncredited)

Tracee Cocco

Ensign Jae
(uncredited)

Gerard David Jr.

Operations Division Officer
(uncredited)

Jeremy Doyle

Enterprise-D Ensign
(uncredited)

Norman Hunte

Tamarian Officer
(uncredited)

Teri Noel

Tamarian Officer
(uncredited)

Did you know

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Trivia
Tenagra Observatories, an internet-based network of telescopes sharing information on stellar phenomena, took its name from this episode. The Tenagra project links observatories located in Arizona, USA, Perth, W. Australia and Oslo, Norway.

Goofs
When the Enterprise fires on the Tamarian vessel, the phasers are fired from photon torpedo launch bays, not from the phaser banks on the saucer section. It is admitted to be a post-production mistake in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion. Rick Berman said the producers received hundreds of letters from fans pointing it out. This was corrected for the Blu-Ray disc release by replacing the shot with a close up of the phaser array from "The Best of Both Worlds".

Quotes
Captain Dathon: Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.

Connections
Featured in The Chronic Rift: Organized Religion in Science Fiction (1992)

Soundtracks
Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

Another winner from "Next Generation's" landmark fifth season

Paul Winfield makes his second appearance in a Trek production (the first being the theatrical "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan") as "Captain Dathan," the leader of an alien species never encountered before by the crew of the Enterprise.

He and Capt. Picard find themselves allies on a planet, facing a malevolent and invisible presence. Adding to their situation is the fact that neither is able to communicate with the other, for Dathan's language is based solely on symbolism, making it almost impossible for the captain to make his wishes or strategies known. However, the two finally are able to "talk" to each other and the subsequent communication becomes a lesson in diplomacy and the importance of understanding language in forming relationships, political or otherwise.

"Darmok" is one of my top ten all-time favorite "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episodes.