Brian Bonsall

This low-rent Disney comedy mines the Home Alone territory for labored laughs. Brian Bonsall stars as the eleven-year-old Preston Waters, who is low-kid on the family totem pole -- his father Fred (James Rebhorn) lectures him on saving his money, while his older brothers, Ralph (Michael Faustino) and Damian (Chris Demetral), are pushy bullies. The final insult arrives when Preston is invited to a friend's birthday party -- held at an amusement park -- and Preston doesn't have enough money to go on any of the good rides. Preston wishes to the gods in heaven that he had his own money. At that point, on-the-lam criminal Quigley (Miguel Ferrer) takes his cue and runs over Preston's bike with his car. Eager to leave the scene before the cops arrive, Quigley hurriedly gives Preston a half-written check and vamooses. Preston looks down at the check and notices that the amount has not been filled in, so he obligingly completes the transaction by adding six zeroes and a one -- for a million dollars in cold cash. This amount, by a strange coincidence, happens to be the exact amount that Quigley has deposited in a money-laundering bank run by his partner-in-crime Biderman (Michael Lerner). Preston goes to the bank, cashes the check, and purchases a neighborhood mansion with all the toys he has ever dreamed of owning. But Quigley and his gang want the money back, and they are on their way to Preston's new home for a housewarming he will never forget. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This family-oriented holiday drama takes place in Alabama in 1957 and centers upon the heartwarming relationship between a lonely white boy and his black nanny. When she returns South to be with her family for Christmas, her young charge follows her, creating all kinds of complications. Singer Natalie Cole makes her feature-film debut as the nanny. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

After several weeks of reruns, Next Generation resumed its first-run manifest on January 4, 1992, with this poignant episode. Resigned to the fact that he has a son named Alexander (Brian Bonsall), Worf reluctantly allows the boy to live with him on the Enterprise. Worf's parenting skills, which even in the best of times are hardly salutary, are put to a grueling test when Alexander begins exhibiting some markedly un-Klingonlike behavior. The inevitable climax is a showdown between father and son (described by one publicity blurb as "Fatherhood: The Final Frontier"). "New Ground" was scripted by Grant Rosenberg from a story by Sara Charno and Stuart Charno. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Like so many lonely children before her, Starfleet brat Clara Sutter (Noley Thorton) creates an imaginary friend. Imagine her delight when her invisible companion Isabella suddenly comes to life! And imagine the crew's dismay when Isabella turns out to be a deadly and destructive alien energy form. Effectively juxtaposing the innocence of childhood with the horror of alien hostility, "Imaginary Friend} was scripted by Edith Swensen and Brannon Braga," from a story by Jean Louise Matthias, Ronald Wilderson and Richard Fleigel. The episode was originally telecast May 9, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Whenever Deanna Troi's freewheeling mother Lwaxana (Majel Barrett) pays a visit, she's always certain to leave a lot of emotional turmoil her wake. This instance is no exception, as Lwaxana takes Worf's contentious son Alexander (Brian Bonsall) under her wing. As both Worf and Deanna bristle at Lwaxana's well-meaning maternal advice, the rest of the crew must contend with a nasty species of parasites which has attached themselves to the Enterprise. Written by Peter Allan Fields, the Emmy-nominated "Cost of Living" originally aired April 25, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The phrase "second childhood" takes a bizarre turn in this episode, which first aired November 7, 1992. As a result of a freak transformer mishap, Picard, Ro, Guinan, and Keiko are transformed into 12-year-old children. The youngsters' dilemma may prove beneficial in the long run when the Enterprise is captured by Ferengi raiders. The child actors chosen to portray the younger Picard and his associates so closely resemble their older counterparts that the effect is downright uncanny. Scripted by Alison Hock from a story by Ward Dru Botsford, Diana Dru Botsford, and Michael Piller, "Rascals" was directed by Adam Nimoy, son of Leonard Nimoy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though based on fact, the two-part TV movie False Arrest plays more like one of those Linda Blair "babes in prison" flicks. Donna Mills plays Joyce Lukezic, a well-off Phoenix businesswoman/homemaker accused of murder. She knows, and we know, that she didn't do it. The double homicide was the handiwork of her sleazy husband Robert Wagner, who works diligently behind the scenes to make certain his wife is convicted. And with the "guilty as charged" verdict, he leaves Joyce high and dry at the end of part one. Part two of False Arrest was telecast three days later, with Joyce fending off hostile and sexually abusive inmates, courting a nervous breakdown, and battling to have her conviction overturned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An all-star cast is included on this children's adventure that follows a search for Mother Goose by her son (Dan Gilroy) and Little Bo Peep (Shelley Duvall). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Based on the autobiographical book by Chris Oyler, the made-for-TV Go Toward the Light is a sometimes wrenching, ofttimes inspirational AIDS drama. Claire and Greg Madison (Linda Hamilton and Richard Thomas) discover to their horror that their hemophiliac son Ben (Joshua Harris) has contracted the deadly virus through a tainted transfusion. Faced with the likelihood that Ben will not live out the year, the grief-stricken Madisons vow to make every day of that year count and to see to it that their son will not have to endure his agony alone. The excellence of the performances are matched by the script (by Susan Nanus and Beth Polson) and direction (Mike Robe). Go Toward the Light debuted November 1, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide