hands hands twentieth final episode season american science fiction television series star trek deep space written directed episode originally aired broadcast syndication june set 24th century series follows adventures deep space space station located near stable alpha gamma episode friction arrives station finds teaching children gods aliens story originally proposed crossover episode star trek generation idea abandoned favor ending season religious theme initially raised series premiere hands introduces audience politics religion highlights happens values beliefs culture imposed episode features appearance million people viewed episode broadcast lowest run episode season critical reception episode positive receiving praise performance plot chief miles brien walks wife school teaches students station discuss culture topic miles learned assistant school teaches class science aliens live inside scientific view different religious approach taken believe legendary inhabited worship gods class interrupted spiritual leaders questions doesn teach religion classroom reports incident commander asks dispute says consequences refuses teach religion miles discovers important engineering tool missing distracted discover remains starfleet ensign outside school group protest teaching methods offers solution simply stop teaching refuses accept proposal leads parents children school visits advice problem opposes views support attempting leader religion returns asks help major refuses help doctor finish investigating remains starfleet ensign miles found earlier discover ensign murdered aware security controls later explosion occurs inside school destroying confronts blaming actions increasing risk violence station meets revealing working informs escape plan longer work tells continue plan means sacrifice arrives station help time miles discover hidden sub program station computer created program controls timed delay running alert nearby begin address crowd searches crowd time raising tackles ground saves life suggests assassination attempt planned secure position new insists working later agrees earlier sentiment actions production prior scripting hands crossover episode considered crew enterprise star trek generation idea dropped favor episode end season religious note similar series premiere writing episode executive producer concerned going good previous episode duet credited setting challenge writing team improved episode gave mill duet provided great punch end season recalled episode marked debut recurring characters rest series best known playing role flew nest received motion picture drama bafta award best actress leading role recognition work read role familiar star trek series heritage accepting role makes appearance episode second time appearing previous episode duet hands episode directed budget larger season episodes extras allowed create larger crowd scenes location shoot took place sanctuary scene filmed location park los_angeles found difficult shoot scene density foliage access location previously appeared scenes encounter pilot episode generation filmed scale school explosion interior set protect fire physical effects supervisor oversaw explosion destruction surprised cast optical effects series costume designer created costumes crew members suggested based hats form sydney opera house denied design deliberate themes hands episode series examine conflict elements religion starfleet writer says episode maintains consistency vision star trek argument having belief christianity islam judaism buddhism objection people trying impose values people episode right force believe things believe beautiful things vision infinite diversity infinite combinations things wanted hammer home impose values determined impose values episode showed accept position religious figure culture theme explored pilot series ongoing theme politics religion began hands ran rest series raised catholic attributes religious theme episode influence interest history compares religious intrigue story history catholicism 15th 16th century time members families power pope asked describe character said think pope space like ancient pope old days ruthless powerful exerted powers fought wars kinds naughty things said writers examined politics religion planting pious open minded like orthodox majority represented willing bomb schools attempt political rivals stay power zack_handlen review compared actions episode ideological battles fought appropriate classroom united_states reception home media release hands aired broadcast syndication june received nielsen ratings million placing fifth place timeslot viewed episode season initial broadcast rating slight decrease previous week episode duet received rating million reviewers watched episode end series zack_handlen reviewed episode noting episode wasn subtle good job expanding world playing themes built season described unsettling enemies true believer faith doesn prevent manipulation handlen described character terrific analysis episode said thought episode pretty fantastic originally watched watching years later thought improved green described episode holds barred story religious leaders influenced trial contemporary politicians described favourite actresses thought portrayed older sister flew nest writing reviews said great deal plot cover episode strands successfully came singled praise thought number stand performances cast gave episode score thought demonstrated direction series intended review episode praised performance called evil thought gave better performances speech end episode particularly hands released episode vhs cassette alongside duet united_kingdom january single episode release followed united_states canada july released dvd season box set june
In the Hands of the Prophets