The Nth Degree

TNG Season 4 Episode 19
Air Date: April 1st, 1991

The Argus Array is a giant telescope and radio antennae in deep space. The Enterprise is investigating why it had shutdown. La Forge and Barclay take a shuttle craft to investigate when they discover an alien probe that knocks out Barclay. Barclay then starts exhibiting unusually behaviour, for Barclay. His intelligence starts skyrocketing and he comes out with a way to fix the Argus Array more quickly. When things start going wrong, Barclay creates a neural interface in the holodeck and replaces the ships computer with his own consciousness.

He even invents a new propulsion system and is able to take the Enterprise to the center of the galaxy where they meet the alien race that created the probe. They use the probe to give others the ability to come visit them. They explore the galaxy by bringing the galaxy to them instead of going out into the galaxy. Afterwards they revert Barclay to his old self.

Quotes

"We could confine him to his quarters." - Cmdr. Riker
"How can we do that? What's he done? I mean, we're talking about locking a man up for being too smart." - Lt. Cmdr. La Forge

"I couldn't even guess at your IQ level now." - Doctor Crusher
"Probably somewhere between 1200 and 1450." - Lt. Barclay

"Computer, begin new program. Create as follows: workstation chair. Now, create a standard alphanumeric console, positioned for the left hand. Now an iconic display console, positioned for the right hand. Tie both consoles into the Enterprise main computer core, utilizing neural-scan interface." - Lt. Barclay
"There is no such device on file." - Computer
"No problem. Here's how you build it." - Lt. Barclay