Reading Rainbow - Star Trek TNG

[Antira19]

@Riddler95, he had very limited vision due to the visor, but learned to compensate.

[akalaynee]

I remember this episode of Reading Rainbow completely confused me. I could not understand how he could be in two shows at the same time. It was like him saying he had multiple personality disorder and trying to explain it to seven year old me.

[mhz23]

@akalaynee Hahaha! Totally.

[Riddler95]

I wonder if LeVar Burton was able to see anything through the Visors he wore throughout the filming of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[StupidVideosDotComCo]

@Riddler95 of course he can, why would they build visors he couldn't see out of?

[reachingsumwhere]

"Step aside...I take large steps." One of those completely random phrases I remember from childhood.

[vp21ct]

I never saw this episode as a kid. I feel like a kid again watching it though...

[jeremyowens81]

SAY IT AINT SO! ITS REAL ITS REAL!

[HindsightPOV]

4:28

Geordi looks like he's wearing a banana clip over his eyes. It's kinda hilarious looking at it up close.

[rl1712]

LeVar should do a new version of this since hes been visiting CBS a lot to watch them do work on the Blu-Ray remastered version.

[areoborg]

6:30 Oh great... he just wrecked the parts of The Outrageous Okona that didn't horribly suck by holding the film like that.

[artuno1207]

I remember seeing this as a 7 year old, and then I was curious to see what star trek was like. Two episodes later, and I was watching the original star trek. I was a very weird child...

[fearlessturk]

part 2?

[TheHeretic28]

The illusion is broken.

[After25]

Rock & Roll. & for those of you who don't know, LeVar Burton also played the

voice of Kwame from "Captain Planet & The Planeteers."

[wheresmyhouse1]

@After25 Also, he was Tob-erm... Kunta-Kinte from Roots.

[snorlax42]

I didn't actually know that Jordi was played by Levar Burton until, like, a month ago. Now I can't help but hear the Reading Rainbow "Kids Talk About Books" sound whenever Jordi talks for a long time.

[TannerTeddybear]

0:27 wait WTF, Geordi La Forge is the Chief Engineer not the Navigator.

[TheSunmanho]

@TannerTeddybear

he was promoted later

[damienmetalwind]

@TannerTeddybear Yeah, you're right and he's wrong. What does LeVar know...he only played the fucking role. I think you need to re-watch season one, son.

[Bridgeisnumber1]

"Stand aside. I take large steps. "

[kdsns]

What? the Enterprise...it...it isn't real?!?!?!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[DaftStrings]

@ 7:37, is that Rick Berman?

[wheresmyhouse1]

@DaftStrings No.

[DevilMaster]

OMG, analog editing! What a chore it must've been!

[MrDrSmithJr]

Always liked that A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum reference

[rfresa]

As a kid, I was only allowed to watch PBS. I loved Reading Rainbow, but I must have missed this episode. Having grown up and watched all the old episodes of Star Trek: TNG, it's great to see how Levar integrated his two most awesome shows.

[berboma]

0:31 extreme dissapointment haha no viewer screen:/

[TheChuckNorris1997]

I wonder if anyone realizes this is the old spice guy...

[VariablePenguin]

Thumbs up if you got here from GeekTyrant.

[VariablePenguin]

Thumbs up if you got here from GeekTyrant.

[cockroachafro]

LeVar seems like such a nice bloke

[hereverydayadventure]

Best. Crossover. Ever!

[thisissoexciting]

@tonytigeer - he was navigator for the first season, then got promoted.

[shadowfox1383]

Stand aside, I take large steps for I AM WEASLE!

[kellygw1]

SET PHASERS TO LOVE ME.

[kmg4]

The two shows did not have an overlapping audience. RR was probably for kids age 4-9. TNG had frequent deaths on screen, etc.

[kmg4]

The two shows did not have an overlapping audience. RR was probably for kids age 4-9.

[C3POmeetsData]

when my parents were watching star trek, I remember thinking to my self, "That guy with the thing on his eyes looks a lot like the guy from Reading Rainbow."

Yep. Nothing gets passed me.

[tonytigeer]

Levar, Jordi is not a navigator but the Chief Engineer.

[hertensteine]

@tonytigeer Sorry, but you must have skipped season one of TNG; Geordi was the helmsman for the first season and then became chief engineer. Levar knows what he's talking about

[NuggetPumpkin]

Love seeing Data in casual wear on the bridge!!

[YesWeCantaloupe]

Michael Dorn is funny here. BTW does anyone else think the TNG effects were better than the remastered effects from the original series 20 years later?

[givebeesachance]

Lavarr Burton is terrifying. Note the incongruity between he soft voice and his forceful handshake. Inside him lurks a terrible evil.

[Sanimangas]

Woah wasn't Bionic Bunny from Authur!!?

[funrizwan]

electronic editing house? Now it's just a final cut...

Why is the content not better?

[torak3131]

when the kids saw worf they had a heart attack

[OH6Cayuse]

I've always wondered if LeVar Burton could see while acting with the visor on...

[acidsprinkels2]

@OH6Cayuse but thats what its for...

[OhManTFE]

Navigator? I thought he was the Engineer!!!

[DarkeningSkies1]

@OhManTFE For the vast majority of the seven year run, he was. But in the first season he was indeed the navigator, opposite Data at ops. The producers liked the irony of a blind man piloting the Enterprise.

[shadowfox1383]

@OhManTFE Actually, he was navigator in the first season. After Tasha Yar dies at the end of season one, Worf and Geordi get promoted. Hench from navigator to Engineer.

[ArrestedDeveloper]

I was watching some TNG since Netflix just put it up on streaming and Counselor Troy was smoking hot season 1.

[sphelps31]

Thanks for posting this. I'm so old I remember watching this when it first came on way back when.

[spaijkull]

Levar has never been a splendid actor, but I find it funny he is worse in "real life" when he's visiting the editing place. Thanks for posting this, an old gem :-) 

[mrsiepel1]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa......whoa....hold the fuck up. Wait, hold on now...wait, ok, just a sec, back it up.

You're gonna sit there with a straight face and tell me all that Star Trek shit is made up? >:-(

LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEESSSSSSS­S!!!

[JDGlassProductions]

Bionic Bunny Show...Arthur maybe?

[trimi38]

This is depressing to watch :(

[sillygrl23]

Does anyone have the episode where he talks about parents in prison and the children that deal with it? Seriously?

[aeopmusic]

Best upload I've seen all year!

[prowresler]

report number one why arent u responding number one 

[Shellgaja]

Fuck the bionic commando, I wanna play the bionic bunny fuck yeah!

[eeroth42]

OMG HE CAN SEE?!?!?!!?

[simpsonfan1995]

the like bar is the size of Wesley's ego

[NJpanther05]

the bbest episode

[g0ldbuG]

Two of my fav. shows together? Reading Rainbow + ST:TNG = :^)

[thespacebat]

LeVar how many times do we have to go over this, you have to wear your viser you blind!

[AsaphProject]

These are a few of my favorite things.

[UnknownUserdha]

Star Trek isnt real, so it is OUR job to make it real.

[Zoidberg312]

I miss both Star Trek TNG AND Reading Rainbow. Both were great!

[youtubasoarus]

This show should have been on forever.

[AsaphProject]

The Bionic Bunny Show and TNG

[SimuLord]

"...on the bridge, as the ship's navigator". Season 1!

[IVthHorseman]

Michael Dorn has always been a favorite, but hearing him off-the-cuff quote Gen. Gloriosus gives him an extra gold star :)

[ValorUnlimited]

I remember this breaking all of my childhood dreams into pieces and pieces.

[travkeyes]

@ValorUnlimited nonono omg i just remembered this is what made me want to be an actor! i loved star trek so much and when i saw this i thought wow i want to do that~! i can be anything i want i can be a capt or a superhero or what ever!

[materialgirl8707]

Levar looks really hot in that shirt, especially when he's dressed like Geordi La Forge! ;) Relax star trek is real!! By the way, Geordi, Riker, and Data are the hottest guys on star trek! ;)

[materialgirl8707]

Levar looks really hot in that shirt, especially when he's dressed like Geordi La Forge! ;) Relax star trek is real!!

[Talamare2]

WTF HES LYING!!! STAR TREK IS REAL

[UCKABAH]

STOP IT LEVAR!

IT'S STILL REAL TO ME, DAMMIT!

[stuckers1]

Oh wow! I haven't seen this since it was first on TV. 

[junkculturestudios]

ahhh he's breakig the forth wall

[boycrazed1234]

you cant show me this!!! my entire childhood was based on those shows! (my dad was a fan, always on!)

[Medde3]

No!! Not even the doors opened and closed automatically :'(

[PhantomJerad]

Star trek episode is this?

[zev007]

Wat is this for real! LOL

[557011]

sir where detacting sum unknown crewmebers allong with the ship

[alexasiandude]

Gotta love the classic synthesizers bgm

[trekeee]

what episode of star trek is that?

[Stahi]

@trekeee Symbiosis

[trekeee]

@Stahi thanks

[LPCrusader1025]

@trekeee season 1 episode 22 "Symbiosis"

[bashbizznet]

Damnit Geordi, you killed Star Trek!

[timberwolf84]

Was this episode made after Gene roddenberry's death?

[HenrikRyosaMusic]

@timberwolf84 that episode was first season.. he died in the fifth.

[vulcan280]

9 people still believe star trek is real

[phantomphan28]

@vulcan280 well,so do I, but I actually LIKE this video (unlike those nine little killjoys over there)

[CAPa1c]

LIES ITS ALL LIES STAR TREK IS REAL!!!

[JakeT7]

boy oh boy. i recall seeing this program when i was a lad ! And boy oh boy this episode on Star Trek hosted byLaForge in REAL life was SO neat to me! SUperb! :) Doo doo doot!

[Tekkenfreek234]

IT'S STILL REAL TO ME, DAMMIT!

[mbenzsl2000]

im surprised he didnt spend the entire time in picards chair ,lol

hes like "FINALLY"

two great shows

[vladdt]

haha , I remember this - classic.

[yaahyak]

That 80s synthesizer music....*shudders*

[Yasuda9000]

I remember seeing this episode when I was little it was pretty good.

[livetolovesome182]

one of my fave episodes

[TheCooltrix]

i always wondered but, is michael dorn black or white???

[Dubstun]

@TheCooltrix He's a Black Actor.

[chalkboardwarrior]

way to break the magic jordy :) lol

[gunblade64]

Cool stuff !

I bet "Geordi" knew what every single button meant in the digital editor house.

[thewewguy8t88]

could u imagine if they showed the bloopers where they swear lol.

[fullclip16117]

LOL, this is awesome.

[trekfanful]

Levar Burton is just an awsome dude.anyone who promotes education gets a thumbs up in my book.

[Scotty047]

i don't like this,cause all who watch this movie and like, believe in this,but this video shows that all we've seen in Star Trek is false,just regular "movie",but Star Trek is more than just a movie 4 all of us,even if we know,that it's fantasy. that's my opinion...

[skaternaz]

@Scotty047 If it' means so much to you, could'nt you tell that this star trek is particular is a show and not a movie? :S

[Scotty047]

@skaternaz i just keen on fantasy and believe that everything ,that we call science fiction,will appear in the future,and of course i know that it's a show ;)

[toms1266]

Can't see shit captain

[ryno123321]

Lots of work !!!

[startrekkin1701]

LeVar Burton has the most expressive eyes ever. Maybe it's just because for 7 years they were all covered up, but I love watching his eyes without his visor. (:

[VeryAngryCamel]

back n your box geordi

[greendayfan234]

Lol does it mean i have no life if i recognise that the episode they are filming is symbiosis from season 1.

[KraeganWolf]

@2:18 THE DOME MUST BE POLISHED!

[AMDfreak27]

you people are morons, laForge was a red shirt in 1st season meaning he was bridge crew. he was only a Lt, he got promoted to Lt Commander and chief engineer. Traded in his red shirt for a gold one, technical and engineering crew. So when LeVar said navigator at the time he was right.

[allen77allen]

I remember watching this at my grandpa's house! Good times...

[missbluekoi]

Sweet Geebus this is AWESOME!

[parasiticproductions]

What? Star Trek isn't real? FML

[masterful921]

its weird seeing his eyes...

[Seigg]

@masterful921 He doesn't really have eyes. They added it in post for effect.

[ModstRob]

What about writers?

[0871Atta]

This was always my favorite episode of Reading Rainbow. <3 <3 <3

[harrydnet]

Just for the record this was the production of "Symbiosis", Denise Crosby's (Tasha Yar) final episode.

[XLSaga]

wow, i remember this episode when i was like 9

[gothtigger92]

I say they should've shot an episode with Data wearing the jacket on

[BoiledNotScrambled]

@gothtigger92 Picard got a badass jacket for a while, why doesn't Data get one?

[gothtigger92]

How did I miss this clip? I used to be a Reading Rainbow addict

[isestrex]

Awwww we don't get to see the bionic bunny show!?!? :(

[mbenzsl2000]

he doesnt know yet that he will be promoted to chief engineer.....

and later captain in an alternate future....

[Meresankh]

To think all that computer junk could today fit into a laptop.

[iknowwhatkillsme]

This is the best thing ever for many reasons. The old editing! The editors hair! I wish I saw this as a kid. Thank you so much for posting this.

[MazeleyFanClub]

What the devil... Get all these cameras off the bridge! Who the hell are you people? Show yourself Q!! I know you're behind this!

[557011]

@MazeleyFanClub "Temper, temper mon capitan'' Q

[TheWinMacLinTechie]

@MazeleyFanClub LOL I can hear Picard saying this in my head as I read this.

[aeopmusic]

@MazeleyFanClub Wahahaa

[xsailor85]

@MazeleyFanClub Mr. Worf, get a security team to the bridge.

[MrHoppers002]

it would've been funny to see what star trek would've been like if it was improv like reno 911. lol

[translucentorb]

LeVar Burton: My favorite Black dude.

[StarryMan82]

HQ my eye! :-(

[notanon666]

6:14 DEAR GOD MAN YOU ARE RUINING THE FILM

[notanon666]

Some men just want to see the world learn.

[kniggas]

this nigga was so fucking annoying to me and still is

[LonghornPhysicist]

Navigator? HE IS THE CHIEF ENGINEER!

[TheChoujinVirus]

@LonghornPhysicist

this was based on Season 1

later seasons he becomes chief engineer

[homebuiltindoorplane]

Jordy only THINKS this is real! Dr. Soren put these memories in his head when he was messing with his visor!! Leave the mans bling alone you evil sun destroying monster! :)

[Nubira109]

...vital finishing touches? 4:09

[BenjaminWirtz]

Best RR episode

[AcoustiksDrumnBass]

I'm so thankful for miniDV. Now cards are becoming the new medium. Man have we got it easy now.

[MrDoucette1]

i feel like a little boy again watching this!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shift4g]

TNG had the best ship interiors of all the series, which is weird because the clothes of the 90's were so bad.

[TheSecretdahlia]

haha ruining children's ideas of reality... TV ISN'T REAL... BBWWAAAHHHH?!

[woollybully100]

I remember seeing this when i was like 6, this was the coolest episode back then!

[LalalalalaLauren75]

I feel so nerdy watching this.

[zensorship]

It's from Star Trek TNG "Symbiosis", season 1, episode 22. If you like to watch the scene, go to

watch?v=Qr3YCqNyw-E

and then minute 6:24

Or, if you like to watch the entire episode from the start, go to

watch?v=ewl0FDGzKw8

It's the episode with the Wicked Heroin Dealers from Outer Space!

[C3P0meetsData]

When I saw this for the first time, my parents were more interested in it then I was.

[amaxamon]

It's amazing to think of the patience kids used to have compared to now. This is paced glacially even by modern adult standards. Sad how everything's become dumbed down.

[lgman83]

ohh man imagine all that film before the introduction of digital media?

[zazenzach]

i love you levar :D

[sporks811]

"Those amazing special effects." Haha.

Lieutenant Yar's in this one!

[Jmsadv]

I used to direct episodes for TNG, oh wait I'm full of shit. Why does anyone post on here that they worked for the show, who's going to believe that?

[zensorship]

@Jmsadv

To tell you the truth, when I created Heaven and Earth, I of course foresaw that. I foresaw Star Trek The Next Generation, and I foresaw Youtube and the comments on it. And I found it was good so.

[blenderpanzi]

Unbelievable how cumbersome analogue film is (was) to handle.

[darrellkaiser11285]

This was my favorite day in class when we watched the video of this. I was the only Star Trek fan in my 3rd grade class.

[YellowLineInc]

Gotta love Michael - "Stand aside, I take large steps."

[tkegal]

I loved Reading Rainbow!

[Colt2571]

lol, i used to work at The Post Group, but long after this episode aired

[goodatlinerider]

My mind just got blown, I saw the other side of the set where the cameras and lights are!

[Strome88]

Sir!! Scans indicated a Bionic Bunny warship decloaking! - Ready all photon torpedos!

[WAK47]

HAPPY NATIONAL READING RAINBOW APPRECIATION DAY!

[Clay3613]

Oh man, this is how they ruined the footage...all on VHS, you don't fucking edit the original film!