History Trivia / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E21TheDrumhead

** The episode was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it, as they were very firmly determined to never, ''ever'' do another one after the abysmal reception of [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E22ShadesOfGray their previous attempt at one]]. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* RoleEndingMisdemeanor: A variation with Composer Ron Jones, as "The Drumhead" ended up being his very last score for TNG before getting fired by Rick Berman. However, it wasn't his work on this specific episode that got him canned. Rather, "The Drumhead" coincided with the point where creative and professional tensions between Jones and Berman that had been building since Berman's elevation to Executive Producer the previous Season finally reached critical mass.

* YouLookFamiliar: Patricia Tallman, stunt performer and background player in many episodes of TNG - and later of Series/BabylonFive fame - appears here as Nellen, Satie's secretary.

** There were some disagreements among the writers as to Simon Tarses' final fate -- some wanting to reveal that he had been forced to resign from Starfleet in order to show that {{Witch Hunt}}s such as Satie's can ruin innocent lives, others wanting to do the exact opposite and make it clear that he would suffer no consequences other than a WhatWereYouThinking speech from Picard -- leading to it being decided to leave his fate ambiguous. The ExpandedUniverse novels would go with the latter, receiving a reprimand from Starfleet, but continuing with his career.

** Creator/MichaelDorn named this as one of his favourite episodes.

** The episode was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it, as they were very firmly determined to never, ''ever'' do another clip show after the abysmal reception of [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E22ShadesOfGray their previous attempt at one]]. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* DeletedScene: A scene which was filmed on Friday 22 February 1991 was deleted from the final episode. According to the call sheet, the scene took place in sickbay and featured Creator/GatesMcFadden, Creator/MichaelDorn, Creator/SpencerGarrett and regular background performers Michael Braveheart and Bowman.

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/JeanSimmons was a lifelong ''Star Trek'' fan and begged the producers for a part in the series.

** The episode was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* DeletedScene: A scene which was filmed on Friday 22 February 1991 was deleted from the final episode. According to the call sheet, the scene took place in sickbay and featured Creator/GatesMcFadden, Creator/MichaelDorn, Spencer Garrett and regular background performers Michael Braveheart and Bowman.

* PromotedFanboy: Jean Simmons was a lifelong ''Star Trek'' fan and begged the producers for a part in the series.

** There were some disagreements among the writers as to Simon Tarses' final fate -- some wanting to reveal that he had been forced to resign from Starfleet in order to show that {{Witch Hunt}}s such as Satie's can ruin innocent lives, others wanting to do the exact opposite and make it clear that he would suffer no consequences other than a WhatWereYouThinking speech from Picard -- leading to it being decided to leave his fate ambiguous.

** There were some disagreements among the writers as to Simon Tarses' final fate -- some wanting to reveal that he had been forced to resign from Starfleet in order to show that {{Witch Hunt}}s such as Satie's can ruin innocent lives, others wanting to do the exact opposite and make it clear that he would suffer no consequences other than a WhatWereYouThinkingSpeech from Picard -- leading to it being decided to leave his fate ambiguous.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The episode was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* CreatorsFavoriteEpisode: Creator/MichaelDorn named this as one of his favourite episodes.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The episode was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* DirectedByCastMember: By Jonathan Frakes. Which explains Riker's absence from much of the episode.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: "The Drumhead" was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it. Instead they created one of TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: "The Drumhead" was originally envisioned as a budget-saving ClipShow, but the writers rebelled against it. Instead they created one TNG's most compelling episodes... and still brought it in under budget.