Changes: Imaginary Friend (episode)

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As the Enterprise explores a nebula, a little girl's imaginary friend becomes terrifyingly real.

Summary

"Captain's log, Stardate 45852.1. The Enterprise has arrived at FGC 47, a nebula which has formed around a neutron star. We are eager to investigate this unique formation."

Clara, a young girl who just moved to the USS Enterprise-D with her father, Ensign Daniel Sutter, talks to Counselor Deanna Troi, discussing the nature of her imaginary friend named Isabella. Troi believes that Clara imagined Isabella as she moves from ship to ship often due to her father's career, and hasn't had the opportunity to sustain a friendship. While the Enterprise explores the nebula, a small sphere of energy enters the Enterprise and roams about the corridors, sickbay and finally the arboretum, where Clara is assisting Keiko O'Brien in planting Nasturtium seeds. While there talking to the invisible Isabella, to her surprise, the imaginary friend appears to Clara in the arboretum seemingly in the flesh.

Isabella suggests to Clara that they explore the Enterprise together, despite the fact that Clara thinks she should inform her father. But Isabella insists that they go anyway and they leave the arboretum. The two spend all their time together. Increasingly, Isabella gets Clara into trouble by having her do things she knows are wrong, and leading her into off-limit places, including main engineering, where Data, Geordi La Forge, and her father Daniel were discussing potential names for the nebula. After his superior officer La Forge expresses his annoyance at Clara's presence in engineering, Daniel orders that Clara return to their quarters.

Generally others on the ship cannot see Isabella although Worf sees her when Clara and Isabella run into him in a corridor when they aren't paying attention. Worf too orders the young Sutter back to her quarters but after he enters a turbolift, Clara and Isabella return to running down the corridor. While talking to La Forge in engineering, Ensign Sutter asks him if he had parents serving in Starfleet when he was a child. La Forge says yes, his father was an exozoologist and his mother served on an outpost near the Neutral Zone. Ensign Sutter remarks that the experience must have been unpleasant for him, having to always be on the move. La Forge says that children are pretty resilient and as long as they know their parents love them, they can usually handle anything life throws at them.

Later on, Clara enters Ten Forward. Children on the Enterprise are usually prohibited from entering Ten Forward without an adult but Guinan allows it, taking on Clara as her personal guest. She has Clara sit up on the bar and serves her and Isabella papalla juice. Isabella is invisible during this time, but Guinan pretends, thinking Clara is pretending, too. She tells Clara that when she was her age, her best imaginary friend was a Tarcassian razor beast that put her to sleep every night. Counselor Troi then enters and escorts Clara out of Ten Forward.

Eventually, Troi sees that Isabella is getting Clara into enough trouble that Clara has to be with other children her age. Troi insists that Clara leave her friend alone to go play with others, such as Worf's son Alexander by creating some clay sculptures. After an invisible Isabella ruins a Klingon-style cup Alexander was creating for his father, and he believes Clara caused it. An upset Clara goes to the arboretum, crying. When Isabella returns, she is very angry and says, "When the others come, you can die along with everyone else."

Counselor Troi is called to the Sutters' quarters by Ensign Sutter when Clara is having trouble going to sleep because Isabella has been threatening her. When they search her room for Isabella, she suddenly appears and attacks Troi, who is knocked unconscious. Afterwards, while Troi is being treated in sickbay by Dr. Crusher, Clara is brought in by Nurse Ogawa. Clara talks to her father and then talks to Captain Picard. The crew learns that Isabella is actually an energy-based lifeform whose home is the nebula outside the ship. Picard appeals to Isabella to show herself in the arboretum. Suddenly, Isabella makes herself visible to everyone. He begins to talk to her about Human parenting. Isabella argues that the adults were cruel to Clara, and Picard explains that rules are for her protection, and even Clara will make some rules for her children when she eventually grows up. Isabella is convinced, and allows the ship to pass safely through the nebula. Isabella appears one last time to Clara in her bedroom and apologizes for frightening her. She tells Clara she never had a friend before and hopes she will return to the nebula someday. The Enterprise departs FGC 47 for open space.

Memorable quotes

"So, what are we gonna call this nebula? FGC 47 just doesn't have the proper ring to it."
"Why don't we call it Sutter's Cloud?"
"No, I was thinking about something more along the lines of the La Forge Nebula. It has sort of a majestic sound, don't you think?"
"Given the selections, I prefer FGC 47."

- Geordi La Forge, Daniel Sutter, and Data, debating potential names for the nebula

"It's just, I've never seen you before, not for real."
"Well, now you can see me for real. Doesn't that make you happy?"

- Clara Sutter sees her imaginary friend Isabella appear in the flesh

"It is interesting that people try to find meaningful patterns in things that are essentially random. I have noticed that the images they perceive can sometimes suggest what they are thinking about at that particular moment. Besides, it is clearly a bunny rabbit."

- Data, to Guinan as they stare at the nebula clouds

"I was going to protect you, Clara. I liked you. Now, I don't care. Now, when the others come, you can die along with everyone else!"

- Isabella

"Sounds scary!"
"Oh it was! Especially when he smiled."

- Clara and Guinan, talking about Guinan's imaginary Tarcassian razor beast

"Can you only communicate by threatening a small child?"

- Picard, appealing to Isabella to show herself

Background information

Story and script

Rick Berman was an early supporter of this episode's premise. He commented, "Where else but in science fiction could you do an idea about an imaginary friend who turns out not to be imaginary? It's a story about an alien who takes the form of a little girl's imaginary friend and begins to perceive our world through the eyes of a child." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 245)
The script for "Imaginary Friend" passed through several freelancers' hands before the final rewrite was given to Brannon Braga. While Isabella was a curious and friendly alien in earlier drafts, Braga took the character in a darker direction. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion 2nd ed., p. 201) Braga recalled, "It wasn't quite working in its original guise and Jeri Taylor and Peter Fields and I broke the story and tried to make the imaginary friend more of a bad seed. Before, it was more like Puff the Magic Dragon and it was that the alien was simply curious and didn't have an evil intent. It just kind of laid there and was playful fluff. We decided to make the alien malevolent, where it's mean to the kid." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 245)
A working title for this episode was "Invisible Friend". ("The Perfect Mate" call sheet, [1])
Earlier scripts did not have Guinan appearing in this episode at all. When Whoopi Goldberg became available, her character was written in only days before shooting began. The cloud-watching scene with Data was originally written for Crusher and Troi, and later Guinan and Troi. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion 2nd ed., p. 201)

Production

Filming Imaginary Friend — Noley Thornton, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brent Spiner relax between takes

"Imaginary Friend" was filmed between Wednesday 26 February 1992 and Thursday 5 March 1992 on Paramount Stage 8, 9, and 16. Special effects inserts were filmed on Friday 6 March 1992 on Paramount Stage 16.
Larry Hankin filmed his scenes as wind dancer for the episode "Cost of Living" during principal photography of this episode on Friday 28 February 1992 at "Image G". ("Imaginary Friend" call sheet)
The production meeting for this episode took place on Monday 24 February 1992 at 2:00 p.m. ("The Perfect Mate" call sheet)
Several contest winners visited the sets on Wednesday 26 February 1992 and Friday 28 February 1992. On Thursday 27 February 1992 several licensing and merchandising people from Andrea Hein / Neil Newman visited the set between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and the winner of the Viewers for Quality Television auction Tony Riccardi visited the sets on Monday 2 March 1992 at 9:00 a.m. On the last day of filming, Thursday 5 March 1992, guests from Warner Bros. visited the set as well as personal guests of Leonard Nimoy, namely Irving and Barbara Ostrov and Sybil Nimoy. ("Imaginary Friend" call sheets)
On the Season 5 DVDs and Blu Ray, you can see the orange special effects screen in front of the ship's viewport rather than the nebula that should be outside. The screen is visible through the doors to Ten Forward during the scene immediately following Clara's conversation with Guinan when Clara and Troi leave Ten Forward, as the doors close behind the two.
First UK airdate: 17 May 1995
During the school scene where Clara is working on some clay, the plates and utensils next to her are knocked over for story's sake. Though it is meant to be done by an invisible force, a hand can clearly be seen very briefly.

Cast

Noley Thornton later appears in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as Taya in the episode "Shadowplay".
This episode marks the final appearance of Sheila Franklin's Ensign Felton who previously appeared in four episodes of the fifth season.
This episode is the first Trek role of Jeff Allin who later plays Gedrin in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Dragon's Teeth" and Ralph Furlong in the video game Star Trek: Borg.
Stuntwoman Christine Anne Baur filmed a scene as stunt double for Marina Sirtis (her fall into the closet) on Friday 28 February 1992 on Paramount Stage 9. This scene, however, was not part of the final episode. ("Imaginary Friend" call sheet)

Reception

Brannon Braga named this episode's script as the most gratifying he had written in the fifth season. He credited this for the chance to write a show in which children played a large role. He commented, "I've taken to calling it Romper Room: The Next Generation. Kid stories appeal by their very nature. There's an innocence to kids and kids can have conflict. The funny thing about kid shows in the Star Trek universe is you can get conflict with kids because they're not developed yet like our perfect adults. In a strange kind of way, kids can have more problems and conflict than our regulars. They can still be imperfect. It is a fun episode and hopefully people won't be so sick of seeing children on the show." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 245)
Rick Berman was pleased with the final episode. "I think it turned out quite nicely, and we got two great performances. It's very difficult to work with kids because they're not as experienced and you only get them for a few hours a day [...] I would not rank this as one of my favorites for the season, but it was a lot of fun."
Herbert J. Wright was fond of neither the premise nor the finished episode. He remarked, "It's not a show that dealt with our regulars and not a show that needed to be on Star Trek. I think Michael [Piller] was trying to do E.T., but what made that film work is hard to do on Star Trek aboard the Enterprise. E.T. was an alien in a suburban neighborhood trying to get home. It was like the lost pet that turns out to be a genius alien. But 'Invisible Friend's' problem was how do you have, in effect, an adolescent alien?" Wright was also displeased with the shift in story direction exemplified by this episode. He opined, "I think the problem is that when you narrow your focus to what kind of show you want to do to the point where you're doing 90 percent personal stories and you're trying to do them in outer space on a 24th century starship, you're going to run into a brick wall and there's only so many times you can do that." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 245)
A mission report for this episode by John Sayers was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Vol. 21, pp. 37-39.

Video and DVD releases

Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 61, 15 March 1993
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 5.7, 2 December 2002
As part of the TNG Season 5 DVD collection

Links and references

Starring

Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring

LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars

Previous episode:
"The Perfect Mate"

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 5

Next episode:
"I Borg"

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 == Summary ==
-:"''[[Captain's log]], [[Stardate]] 45852.1. The ''[[NCC-1701-D|Enterprise]]'' has arrived at [[FGC 47]], a [[nebula]] which has formed around a [[neutron star]]. We are eager to investigate this unique formation."''
+:"''[[Captain's log]], [[Stardate]] 45852.1. The ''Enterprise'' has arrived at [[FGC 47]], a [[nebula]] which has formed around a [[neutron star]]. We are eager to investigate this unique formation."''
-[[Clara Sutter|Clara]], a little girl who just moved to the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} with her father, who is stationed there, is lonely and creates an imaginary friend named [[Isabella]] to keep her company. One day, to her surprise, her imaginary friend becomes real.
+[[Clara Sutter|Clara]], a young girl who just moved to the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} with her father, [[Ensign]] [[Daniel Sutter]], talks to [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi]], discussing the nature of her imaginary friend named [[Isabella]]. Troi believes that Clara imagined Isabella as she moves from ship to ship often due to her father's career, and hasn't had the opportunity to sustain a friendship. While the ''Enterprise'' explores the nebula, a small sphere of energy enters the ''Enterprise'' and roams about the [[corridor]]s, [[sickbay]] and finally the [[arboretum]], where Clara is assisting [[Keiko O'Brien]] in planting [[Nasturtium]] seeds. While there talking to the invisible Isabella, to her surprise, the imaginary friend appears to Clara in the arboretum seemingly in the flesh.
+Isabella suggests to Clara that they explore the ''Enterprise'' together, despite the fact that Clara thinks she should inform her father. But Isabella insists that they go anyway and they leave the arboretum. The two spend all their time together. Increasingly, Isabella gets Clara into trouble by having her do things she knows are wrong, and leading her into off-limit places, including main engineering, where [[Data]], [[Geordi La Forge]], and her father Daniel were discussing potential names for the nebula. After his superior officer La Forge expresses his annoyance at Clara's presence in engineering, Daniel orders that Clara return to their quarters.
-Clara and Isabella spend all their time together. Increasingly, Isabella gets Clara into trouble by leading her into off-limits places and by having her do things she knows are wrong. Generally others on the ship cannot see Isabella although [[Worf]] sees her when Clara and Isabella run into him in a corridor when they aren't paying attention. Eventually Isabella gets Clara into enough trouble that Clara leaves her friend alone to go play with others, such as Worf's son [[Alexander Rozhenko|Alexander]]. When she returns, Isabella is angry and says, "''When the others come, you can die along with everyone else.''"
+Generally others on the ship cannot see Isabella although [[Worf]] sees her when Clara and Isabella run into him in a [[corridor]] when they aren't paying attention. Worf too orders the young Sutter back to her quarters but after he enters a [[turbolift]], Clara and Isabella return to running down the corridor. While talking to La Forge in engineering, Ensign Sutter asks him if he had parents serving in Starfleet when he was a child. La Forge says yes, [[Edward M. La Forge|his father]] was an [[exozoologist]] and [[Silva La Forge|his mother]] served on an [[outpost]] near the [[Romulan Neutral Zone|Neutral Zone]]. Ensign Sutter remarks that the experience must have been unpleasant for him, having to always be on the move. La Forge says that children are pretty resilient and as long as they know their parents love them, they can usually handle anything life throws at them.
-Clara works up the courage to talk to her father, who then talks to the [[Jean-Luc Picard|captain]]. The crew learns that Isabella is actually an [[energy]]-based [[FGC 47 lifeform|lifeform]] whose home is the [[nebula]] outside the ship. Picard finds Isabella in the [[arboretum]] and talks to her about [[Human]] parenting. Isabella argues that the adults were cruel to Clara, and Picard explains that rules are for her protection, and even Clara will make some rules for her children when she grows up. Isabella is convinced, and allows the ship to pass safely through the nebula.
+Later on, Clara enters [[Ten Forward]]. Children on the ''Enterprise'' are usually prohibited from entering Ten Forward without an adult but [[Guinan]] allows it, taking on Clara as her personal guest. She has Clara sit up on the bar and serves her and Isabella [[papalla juice]]. Isabella is invisible during this time, but Guinan pretends, thinking Clara is pretending, too. She tells Clara that when she was her age, her best imaginary friend was a [[Tarcassian razor beast]] that put her to sleep every night. Counselor Troi then enters and escorts Clara out of Ten Forward.
-== Memorable Quotes ==
+Eventually, Troi sees that Isabella is getting Clara into enough trouble that Clara has to be with other children her age. Troi insists that Clara leave her friend alone to go play with others, such as Worf's son [[Alexander Rozhenko|Alexander]] by creating some clay sculptures. After an invisible Isabella ruins a [[Klingon]]-style cup Alexander was creating for his father, and he believes Clara caused it. An upset Clara goes to the arboretum, crying. When Isabella returns, she is very angry and says, "''When the others come, you can die along with everyone else.''"
+Counselor Troi is called to the Sutters' quarters by Ensign Sutter when Clara is having trouble going to sleep because Isabella has been threatening her. When they search her room for Isabella, she suddenly appears and attacks Troi, who is knocked unconscious. Afterwards, while Troi is being treated in sickbay by [[Doctor|Dr.]] [[Beverly Crusher|Crusher]], Clara is brought in by [[Nurse]] [[Alyssa Ogawa|Ogawa]]. Clara talks to her father and then talks to [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]]. The crew learns that Isabella is actually an [[energy]]-based [[FGC 47 lifeform|lifeform]] whose home is the nebula outside the ship. Picard appeals to Isabella to show herself in the arboretum. Suddenly, Isabella makes herself visible to everyone. He begins to talk to her about [[Human]] parenting. Isabella argues that the adults were cruel to Clara, and Picard explains that rules are for her protection, and even Clara will make some rules for her children when she eventually grows up. Isabella is convinced, and allows the ship to pass safely through the nebula. Isabella appears one last time to Clara in her bedroom and apologizes for frightening her. She tells Clara she never had a friend before and hopes she will return to the nebula someday. The ''Enterprise'' departs FGC 47 for open space.
+== Memorable quotes ==
 "''So, what are we gonna call this nebula? FGC [[47]] just doesn't have the proper ring to it.''"<br />
 "''Why don't we call it Sutter's Cloud?''"<br />
 "''No, I was thinking about something more along the lines of the La Forge Nebula. It has sort of a majestic sound, don't you think?''"<br />
 "''Given the selections, I prefer FGC 47.''"
-: - '''Geordi La Forge''', '''Daniel Sutter''' and '''Data''' debating over naming a nebula
+: - '''Geordi La Forge''', '''Daniel Sutter''', and '''Data''', debating potential names for the nebula
-"''Its just, I've never seen you before, not for real.''"<br />
+"''It's just, I've never seen you before, not for real.''"<br />
 "''Well, now you can see me for real. Doesn't that make you happy?''"
 : - '''Clara Sutter''' sees her imaginary friend '''Isabella''' appear in the flesh
@@ Line 71: / Line 77: @@
 : - '''Picard''', appealing to Isabella to show herself
-== Background Information ==
+== Background information ==
 === Story and script ===
 * [[Rick Berman]] was an early supporter of this episode's premise. He commented, "''Where else but in science fiction could you do an idea about an imaginary friend who turns out not to be imaginary? It's a story about an alien who takes the form of a little girl's imaginary friend and begins to perceive our world through the eyes of a child.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 245)
 * The script for "Imaginary Friend" passed through several freelancers' hands before the final rewrite was given to [[Brannon Braga]]. While Isabella was a curious and friendly alien in earlier drafts, Braga took the character in a darker direction. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'' 2nd ed., p. 201) Braga recalled, "''It wasn't quite working in its original guise and [[Jeri Taylor]] and [[Peter Allan Fields|Peter Fields]] and I broke the story and tried to make the imaginary friend more of a bad seed. Before, it was more like {{w|Puff the Magic Dragon}} and it was that the alien was simply curious and didn't have an evil intent. It just kind of laid there and was playful fluff. We decided to make the alien malevolent, where it's mean to the kid.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 245)
-* A working title for this episode was "Invisible Friend". (''"The Perfect Mate" call sheet'', [http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/literature329/222.txt])
+* A working title for this episode was "Invisible Friend". (''"The Perfect Mate" call sheet'', {{st-minutiae|resources/scripts/222.txt}})
 * Earlier scripts did not have Guinan appearing in this episode at all. When [[Whoopi Goldberg]] became available, her character was written in only days before shooting began. The cloud-watching scene with Data was originally written for Crusher and Troi, and later Guinan and Troi. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'' 2nd ed., p. 201)
@@ Line 84: / Line 90: @@
 * The production meeting for this episode took place on Monday {{d|24|February|1992}} at 2:00 p.m. (''"The Perfect Mate" call sheet'')
 * Several contest winners visited the sets on Wednesday {{d|26|February|1992}} and Friday {{d|28|February|1992}}. On Thursday {{d|27|February|1992}} several licensing and merchandising people from Andrea Hein / Neil Newman visited the set between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and the winner of the Viewers for Quality Television auction Tony Riccardi visited the sets on Monday {{d|2|March|1992}} at 9:00 a.m. On the last day of filming, Thursday {{d|5|March|1992}}, guests from Warner Bros. visited the set as well as personal guests of [[Leonard Nimoy]], namely Irving and Barbara Ostrov and Sybil Nimoy. (''"Imaginary Friend" call sheets'')
+* On the Season 5 DVDs and Blu Ray, you can see the orange special effects screen in front of the ship's viewport rather than the nebula that should be outside. The screen is visible through the doors to Ten Forward <span>during the scene immediately following Clara's conversation with Guinan when Clara and Troi leave Ten Forward, as the doors close behind the two</span>.
 * First UK airdate: 17 May 1995
+* During the school scene where Clara is working on some clay, the plates and utensils next to her are knocked over for story's sake. Though it is meant to be done by an invisible force, a hand can clearly be seen very briefly.
 === Cast ===
@@ Line 95: / Line 103: @@
 * Brannon Braga named this episode's script as the most gratifying he had written in the [[TNG Season 5|fifth season]]. He credited this for the chance to write a show in which children played a large role. He commented, "''I've taken to calling it ''Romper Room: The Next Generation''. Kid stories appeal by their very nature. There's an innocence to kids and kids can have conflict. The funny thing about kid shows in the ''Star Trek'' universe is you can get conflict with kids because they're not developed yet like our perfect adults. In a strange kind of way, kids can have more problems and conflict than our regulars. They can still be imperfect. It is a fun episode and hopefully people won't be so sick of seeing children on the show.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 245)
 * Rick Berman was pleased with the final episode. "''I think it turned out quite nicely, and we got two great performances. It's very difficult to work with kids because they're not as experienced and you only get them for a few hours a day [...] I would not rank this as one of my favorites for the season, but it was a lot of fun.''"
-* [[Herbert J. Wright]] was fond of neither the premise nor the finished episode. He remarked, "''It's not a show that dealt with our regulars and not a show that needed to be on ''Star Trek''. I think [[Michael Piller|Michael [Piller]]] was trying to do ''{{w|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T.}}'', but what made that film work is hard to do on ''Star Trek'' aboard the ''Enterprise''. E.T. was an alien in a suburban neighborhood trying to get home. It was like the lost pet that turns out to be a genius alien. But 'Invisible Friend's' problem was how do you have, in effect, an adolescent alien?''" Wright was also displeased with the shift in story direction exemplified by this episode. He opined, "''I think the problem is that when you narrow your focus to what kind of  show you want to do to the point where you're doing 90 percent personal stories and you're trying to do them in outer space on a 24th century starship, you're going to run into a brick wall and there's only so many times you can do that.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 245)
+* [[Herbert J. Wright]] was fond of neither the premise nor the finished episode. He remarked, "''It's not a show that dealt with our regulars and not a show that needed to be on ''Star Trek''. I think [[Michael Piller|Michael [Piller]]] was trying to do {{wt|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T.}}, but what made that film work is hard to do on ''Star Trek'' aboard the ''Enterprise''. E.T. was an alien in a suburban neighborhood trying to get home. It was like the lost pet that turns out to be a genius alien. But 'Invisible Friend's' problem was how do you have, in effect, an adolescent alien?''" Wright was also displeased with the shift in story direction exemplified by this episode. He opined, "''I think the problem is that when you narrow your focus to what kind of  show you want to do to the point where you're doing 90 percent personal stories and you're trying to do them in outer space on a 24th century starship, you're going to run into a brick wall and there's only so many times you can do that.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 245)
 * A mission report for this episode by John Sayers was published in ''[[The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine]]'' Vol. 21, pp. 37-39.
 === Video and DVD releases ===
-* Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): Volume 61, <!--catalogue number x, -->{{d|15|March|1993}}.
+* Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): Volume 61, <!--catalog number x, -->{{d|15|March|1993}}
-* UK re-release (three-episode tapes, [[Paramount Home Entertainment]]): Volume 5.7, {{d|2|December|2002}}.
+* UK re-release (three-episode tapes, [[Paramount Home Entertainment]]): Volume 5.7, {{d|2|December|2002}}
-* As part of the [[TNG Season 5 DVD]] collection.
+* As part of the [[TNG Season 5 DVD]] collection
 == Links and references ==
@@ Line 127: / Line 135: @@
 === Uncredited co-stars ===
-* [[Rachen Assapiomonwait]] as [[Nelson (Starfleet)|Nelson]]
+* [[Rachen Assapiomonwait]] as {{dis|Nelson|Starfleet}}
 * [[Bjork (actor)|Bjork]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#School children (late 2368)|child]]
 * [[Bjork (actress)|Bjork]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#School children (late 2368)|child]]
@@ Line 134: / Line 142: @@
 * [[Cooper]] as [[Reel]]
 * [[John Copage]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#Elderly science / command division officer|gardener]]
-* [[Tony Cruz]] as [[Lopez (Ensign)|Lopez]]
+* [[Tony Cruz]] as {{dis|Lopez|Ensign}}
 * [[Dickinson]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#Vulcan boy (2368)|Vulcan boy]]
 * [[Lanier Edwards]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Command division lieutenant (2368)|command division lieutenant]]
@@ Line 141: / Line 149: @@
 * [[Hawthorne]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Female science division officer (2367)|science division officer/teacher]]
 * [[Christie Haydon]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Flight controller (2369)|command division ensign]]
+* [[Gary Hunter]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Male science division officer|science division officer]]
 * [[Kai (actress)|Kai]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Female medical officer (2367)|science division officer]]
 * [[Jacob (actor)|Jacob]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#School children (late 2368)|child]]
@@ Line 156: / Line 165: @@
 * [[Victor Sein]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Command division officer|command division officer]]
 * [[Théyard]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Away team science officer|civilian]]
+* [[Mikki Val]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Female engineer (2367-2370)|operations division officer]]
 * [[Dru Wagner]] as [[Daniels (Chief)|Daniels]]
 * [[Watts (child actor)|Watts]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#School children (late 2368)|child]]
 * [[Christina Wegler Miles]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Flight controller (2368)|command division ensign]]
+* [[Unknown performers]] as
+** [[Ten Forward personnel#Ten Forward staff (2368)|Ten Forward waiter]]
+** [[Ten Forward personnel#Ten Forward staff (2368)|Ten Forward waiter]]
 === Stunt double ===
 * [[Christine Anne Baur]] as [[stunt double]] for [[Marina Sirtis]] ([[deleted scene]])
-=== Stand-ins & photo double ===
+=== Stand-ins and photo doubles ===
 * [[David Keith Anderson]] - [[stand-in]] for [[LeVar Burton]]
 * [[Candace Crump]] - stand-in for [[Whoopi Goldberg]]
-* [[Johnny Hayden]] - stand-in for [[Noley Thornton]] & [[Brian Bonsall]]
+* [[Johnny Hayden]] - stand-in for [[Noley Thornton]] and [[Brian Bonsall]]
 * [[Joshua Henson]] - [[photo double]] for [[Brian Bonsall]]
 * [[Mark Lentry]] - stand-in for [[Jeff Allin]]
 * [[Nora Leonhardt]] - stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]
-* [[Tim McCormack]] - stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]] & [[Jeff Allin]]
+* [[Tim McCormack]] - stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]] and [[Jeff Allin]]
-* [[Lorine Mendell]] - stand-in for [[Sheila Franklin]] & [[Gates McFadden]]
+* [[Lorine Mendell]] - stand-in for [[Sheila Franklin]] and [[Gates McFadden]]
 * [[Richard Sarstedt]] - stand-in for [[Jonathan Frakes]]
 * [[Dennis Tracy]] - stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]
-* [[Tuesday (stand-in)|Tuesday]] - stand-in for [[Shay Astar]] & [[Noley Thornton]]
+* {{dis|Tuesday|stand-in}} - stand-in for [[Shay Astar]] and [[Noley Thornton]]
 * [[James Washington]] - stand-in for [[Michael Dorn]]
 === References ===
-[[arboretum]]; [[Brentalia]]; [[Champs Elysees]]; [[exozoologist]]; [[FGC 47]]; [[FGC 47 lifeform]]; [[grape juice]]; [[graviton field]]; [[hot chocolate]]; [[invertebrate]]; [[Jokri River]]; [[Kryonian tiger]]; [[Edward M. La Forge|La Forge, Edward M.]]; [[Silva La Forge|La Forge, Silva]]; [[Maschinenmensch]]; [[McClukidge]]; [[Mintonian sailing ship]]; [[Modean system]]; [[nasturtium]]; [[neutron star]]; [[Keiko O'Brien|O'Brien, Keiko]]; [[Paris]]; [[pancake]]; [[papalla juice]]; [[purple omelet]]; [[rabbit]]; [[red alert]]; [[Risa]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Samarian coral fish]]; [[Tavela Minor]]; [[Tarcassian razor beast]]; [[Ten Forward]]; [[thermal interferometry scanner]]; [[trionium]]; [[turbolift]]
+[[arboretum]]; [[Gabrielle Beaumont (Starfleet)|Beaumont, Gabrielle]]; [[Brannon Braga (Commander)|Braga, Brannon]]; [[Brentalia]]; [[Champs Elysees]]; [[closet]]; [[drawing]]; [[egg]]s; [[exozoologist]]; [[FGC 47]]; [[FGC 47 lifeform]]; [[fin (anatomy)|fin]]; [[grape juice]]; [[graviton field]]; [[June Haymore (Starfleet)|Haymore, June]]; [[hot chocolate]]; [[imaginary friend]]; [[invertebrate]]; [[Jokri River]]; [[Kryonian tiger]]; [[Edward M. La Forge|La Forge, Edward M.]]; [[Silva La Forge|La Forge, Silva]]; [[Maschinenmensch]]; [[Chris McBee (Starfleet)|McBee, Chris]]; [[McClukidge]]; [[Mintonian sailing ship]]; [[Modean system]]; [[nasturtium]]; [[neutron star]]; [[Number one]]; [[Keiko O'Brien|O'Brien, Keiko]]; [[Patricia Miller (Lieutenant)|Miller, Patricia]]; [[Paris]]; [[pancake]]; [[papalla juice]]; [[Personal appointment log]]; [[purple omelet]]; [[purr]]; [[puzzle]]; [[Gerald Quist (Starfleet)|Quist, Gerald]]; [[rabbit]]; [[red alert]]; [[Risa]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Samarian coral fish]]; [[Tavela Minor]]; [[Tarcassian razor beast]]; [[Ten Forward]]; [[thermal interferometry scanner]]; [[trionium]]; [[turbolift]]; [[Elaina Vescio (Lieutenant)|Vescio, Elaina]]; [[Lazard Ward (Starfleet)|Ward, Lazard]]; [[yogurt and raisin salad]]; [[Joy Zapata (Starfleet)|Zapata, Joy]]
 {{TNG nav|season=5|last={{e|The Perfect Mate}}|next={{e|I Borg}}}}
@@ Line 184: / Line 197: @@
 [[de:Die imaginäre Freundin]]
 [[es:Imaginary Friend]]
-[[fr:Imaginary Friend]]
+[[fr:Imaginary Friend (épisode)]]
 [[it:Un'amica immaginaria (episodio)]]
-[[ja:TNG:イマジナリィ・フレンド]]
+[[ja:イマジナリィ・フレンド（エピソード）]]
 [[nl:Imaginary Friend]]
 [[pl:Imaginary Friend]]