What was the best Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode, in your opinion?

[coloradodem2005]

For me, it is a tie between "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "The Best of Both Worlds" two parter.

[WildClarySage]

1. Any one in which

Data didn't contemplate his lack of humanity, the holodeck didn't malfunction and nobody took over (or tried to take over) the ship. All the ones with fresh and interesting plots, which was, thankfully, most of the episodes.

[BluePatriot]

2. "The Inner Light" (n/t)

[petronius]

3. Any episode where something bad happened to Wesley...

...I particularly liked the Q episode where Q was tempting Riker with Q-like power and Wes ended up getting a bayonet throught the chest from those ape-like critters in the French Revolution uniforms.

[physioex]

4. By far the Borg.....It's what made the show..

And Q :evilgrin:

[Deja Q]

19. Except Q's episodes were all watchable...

Post season 3 Borg stories were crap...

Sadly, Q became watered down in that tacky spinoff "Voyager"...

I could care less at this point if they do bring back Q for "Enterprise"... Well, I want to see how cutie John DeLancie has aged, but otherwise I couldn't care less...

[donco6]

31. He's on Stargate lately - at least in reruns.

He must have a thing for sci-fi.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

32. He's aged quite well...

A month ago, I saw him at a Breugger's Bagel shop in downtown St. Paul. I didn't recognize him at first, but when he asked them to heat his bagels again, I instantly recognized the voice. Didn't talk to him, mainly because I'm sure that Mr. De Lancie has better things to do than to talk to a fan on monday morning in a bagel shop in Minnesota.

[King Of Paperboys]

35. Is it un-PC to note that he's not gay?

I mean, he SEEMS gay. He deliberately played Q gay. (No flames, please, he has discussed this.) But his own son played Q's son on Voyager, and did a quite creditable job.

So, for the record: John deLancie? Not gay.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

37. He's just a rather good actor.

He always seemed more of someone who enjoyed playing parts like that.
I think he'd make an excellent Professor Hill in "The Music Man. That is, if he can sing. Anyone know if he can sing?
He was in town to do a speaking part for the final performaces of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra's season. I missed it, though.

[King Of Paperboys]

39. IMDb doesn't say anything about singing.

Which is odd. I used to be an actor, and we ALL claimed we could sing. Whether we could or not. But there's no reference to musical talent.

However, IMDb does have credits for him from over 30 years ago (!) and the website says he's 6'4"!

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

41. That's why I didn't recognize him at first.

I saw this man towering over me, (I'm six foot even, but still...) and thought "he looks familiar, but I can't place him...".
Then he spoke. And I realized it was Mr. deLancie.

All knowing, all seeing...all consuming (of bagels).

[TrogL]

5. The one where Warf sings Klignon opera

and Reiker knows the piece.

[blackcat77]

6. Best of Both Worlds -- amazing episode... nt

[Nomad559]

7. Tin Man

Tin Man :)

[SPQR]

8. I don't remember the name of it

(to be honest, I don't remember any of the episode's names) but it was the one where the space probe caused Picard to live a whole life on a doomed planet. The simplicity of the ending, the sound of the flute, was beautiful.

[coloradodem2005]

9. That was "The Inner Light". n/t

[SPQR]

10. Thanks!

I thought it might have been.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

34. That was one of those rare episodes where TV is sublime. I also

liked very much the one where Picard got the choice, via Q, to relieve the pool hall barfight event from his youth where he was almost killed (the alien guys who looked like KISS), where a different choice would have led him to become some mediocre junior officer leading a tedious existence. Even though I generally don't like the Q oriented episodes, the character is just annoying.

Also the one where Wes and his academy buds were on trial over their flight stunt was very good.

[Endangered Specie]

59. Those episodes were: Tapestry, and First Duty, respectively

And the 'KISS' aliens are nausicans.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. I don't know if it's the 'best' episode

but one that I really like, that I don't hear people mention much, is 'Lower Decks'.

[ArmchairActivist]

12. Best? dunno....

Favorite? Darmok...

"Darmok and Jilad at Tanagra... the beast at Tanagra"

This one is my all time favorite. Somehow despite the fact that logically, it really doesn't work at all, (how could a race that can only communicate through literary allusions do enough science to make a starship capable of holding off the Enterprise... C'mon) it's still powerful and emotional. Love it...

"Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk..."

[traco]

46. I love the Darmok episode

I also liked the one with Laforge and the ensign turned invisible, everyone was planning their funerals. They forced the ship to release Varion(?) which made them reappear!

[Rabrrrrrr]

49. That was "The Next Phase"

I like that one quite a bit, too, even though it had Ro in it, a character I didn't much care for.

[traco]

51. That was her name

I forgot what her name was. She was kinda snooty on the show!

[Rabrrrrrr]

54. I liked her other character better

But it wasn't the actress' fault that Ro was such a weenie head.

And of course, right now I can't remember what the other character was she played. Damn.

[traco]

55. It wasn't 7 of nine was it?

[King Of Paperboys]

56. I do believe she played Timicin's daughter.

In "Half a Life." That was the one with David Ogden Stiers.

[Rabrrrrrr]

65. Yep, that's right

I was thinking at first it was Dr. Selar, but then remembered that was the same woman who played K'yla (however the hell it's spelled), not Ro.

yes, Timicin's daughter, which was another excellent episode, which i've always wondered had come about because of Gene's death, and have also long thought about Majel being written into that particular script.

And also with the later episode in which Lwaxanna revisits the death of her first child.

Long wondered if there was intention in doing those particular stories including Majel, and if so, I'd love to hear her talk about the experience.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

13. Best Next Generation episode

"Yesterday's Enterprise" is my favorite. The final Next Generation 2-part story from the last series is a very close second.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Inner Light, Who Watches the Watchers, Darmok

those are my favorite. :-)

I also really like the one that Troi ends up as a Romulan on a Romulan ship - "Face of the Enemy" I think it was.

[dudeness]

15. oh yes

the episode when capt kirk farts on spocks head..

[baldguy]

16. Family

Picard goes home to visit his brothers family.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Yes! Also a favorite of mine, especially Picard's breakdown

Great scene.

Also the only episode that didn't show the bridge.

[Deja Q]

18. "The Pegasus" & season 7 in general. They all have good and bad moments...

Season 1 had no direction, and as such a fair amount of otherwise decent episodes felt weak (which include "DataLore", "Too Short a Season" (a classic), "The Arsenal of Freedom", "Conspiracy", and the one with Robert Brown where they're terraforming a planet and kill the indigenous life form in the proces...)

Season 2 was mostly awesome. Great science fiction concepts is what makes this season great. So many good ones (Q Who and Contagion and Time Squared are the best) that I'll just say the clunkers: Outrageous Okona, Pen Pals, The Royale (which is odd as Tracy Torme wrote it and I highly respect his episodes of "Sliders"), and "Shades of Gray" (using a B-plot to make a one episode clip show was a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea.) "Elementary Dear Data" is highly underrated and what's wrong with "Where Silence Has Lease"? All in all, a great season.

Season 3 continues the qualitative feel. "Who Watches the Watchers" is decent but has dated badly. "Booby Trap" is outstanding, as is "The Ensigns of Command" and "The SUrvivors". Most of season 3 is great, except for "The Enemy" (great A-plot, but the B-plot where no blood-brother Vulcan can't possibly help out a Romulan with a blood transfusion yet a Klingon could is utterly cringing, it's no different than giving a human whale blood)... Best of Both Worlds pt 1 is refreshingly atmospheric... And "Hollow Pursuits" is highly watchable, with Dwight Schultz' Barclay top notch. "Yesterday's Enterprise" is another great one, though I doubt the same crew would be on the same ship given the state of the war...

Season 4 is the breakoff point. The first 8 episodes wear thin as they involve 'family matters'. "Legacy" is an awesome action piece. "First Contact" is superlative. The "Nth Degree" is great as well. "Redemption" part 1 also looks hopeful. The only clunker is the one where Data goes around being a walking diary... the other one where he's boffing Michelle Scaribelli at the end is pretty dumb too.

Season 5 is shite. "Redemption 2" is rubbish, why can't the Romulans fly AROUND the Federation's tachyon technobabble barrier? The Worf plot was solid though. Darmok was original, Ensign Ro was good, Powerplay was awesome, Silicon Avatar has dated badly, the rest is pure shite. "Ethics" is the worst offender of the lot - waaaaaaay too contrived. And the much vaunted "The Outcast" features an androgynous race which has genetic throwbacks who want to practice gross biological heterosexuality. If they're going to do an issue, they need to DO it and not hide behind something. TOS's "Let that be your last battlefield" is preachy, but at least it's WATCHABLE because THEY had the balls to speak of the issue. Even Jonathan Frakes would have preferred the episode featuring his love interest be a MALE... The season finale "Time's Arrow" wasn't TNG material (it's more like Dr Who and Sapphire and Steel and X Files combined, though it's a B+ for effort.) Oh, I Borg was a total joke and "Inner Light" is overrated. "Unifcation" is a solid romp, but far better in part 2...

Season 6: Q episodes and two Barclay episodes save the season. "True Q" is a FAR BETTER gay allegory than that crap from season 5. "Tapestry" is superlative. The Barclay episode with transporter phobia was uber-lame, but his other episode "Ship in a Bottle" is another masterpiece. I also like Rascals, so shoot me. And "Relics" is a classic. AWESOME Scotty material and the references to the past are not overdone and refer to some of TOS's better stories. :thumbsup: I did also like Timescape, but this season was generally season 5 on ritalin. Worse, as with season 5, the music is pure shit. I miss Ron Jones' uplifting style!!!!!! Dennis McCarthy watered himself down... And "Descent"?! Waste of time and effort.

Season 7 starts badly, concluding the truly awful "Descent". I gets a B+ for following up on the Borg's condition created by Picard (which was very nice) but the Lore part was badly hadled and the story had no feeling whatsoever. It felt 'blah'. Like a bunch of high school kids produced the last 2.1 seasons.

Season 7 vastly improves (the intellectual quality clearly returning to the series after 2 years of technobabble-ridden rumproast), even the music is tolerable. I mentioned "The Pegasus", that was great A+ stuff. Dark Page was a letdown and Liasons was mediocre but watchable character driven stuff. Gambit was great though I expected better effects. Sub-Rose was mediocre. And while I originally hated "Force of Nature" (the '55mph speed limit in space' episode), it's aged far better than some of season 3! Wow, Berman could display his balls once in a while... Firstborn wasn't great... Masks was highly original. Thine Own Self is VERY underrated. Parallels was a nice idea but the end makes it seem that Worf's parallel universes were also a time anomaly, so none of it ever happened. Oops. But otherwise AWESOME and it was kewl to see an Enterprise where the Borg had overtaken the Federation. Sweet stuff. I LOVED Homeworld, that was freakin' sweet. Attached seemed kinda trite though. Phantasms was way-cool too... more original stuff.

And "All Good Things", despite one little (big) plot oversight, is superlative (better than BOBW) and would have made for a far better movie than "Generations". AGT has a theatrical quality, Gen is tv fodder. (can you guess what the oversight was? :-) )

Overall seasons 2, 3, most of 4 (Berman's a dunderhead for firing Ron Jones), and enough of 7 were the series' better seasons.

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. My favorite part in "Parallels" -

Wesley saying, "Sir, we're receiving 275,000 separate hails" (or whatever the number was)

I always laugh at that one because it drives home just what a total mess the universe became with all the parelleling going on. it also drives hom just how much bandwidth the Enterprise has availale. :-)

Whats the big plot oversight you see in All Good Things?

[Deja Q]

42. Agreed! (and the answer to back up my plot hole claim...)

That was a hilarious moment, possibly unintentional, but it works either way. :-)

ATG oversight:

Prehistoric earth sess very big anomaly.

40011.1 Enterprise sees big anomaly.

47989.1 Enterprise sees big anomaly.

Okay, we get the idea that this anomaly travels backwards in time. I love big concepts, and this one is fairly original- given how it was created and the direction it travels in. I yummed it up. And the production was rock solid too. (Well, I'd have loved to have seen more of the Future Enterprise with the 3rd nacelle... I was expecting to see that in Generations, but they decided to make that half-joke of a design in "First Contact" instead... :-( )

However:

(est) 60606.0 Enterprise sees no anomaly. Spits out the beam to do a closer look for it. Still sees no anomaly. Goes back home. Comes back a few hours later. Sees big anomaly. This means the anomaly had been created in the future. Did the Future Enterprise jump a time track, unrevealed by Q? Exactly hour many hours did it take for the Future Enterprise's beam to cause the anomaly, and even then - why didn't they see it when they first arrived?

We all know it's a Q hoax so it could be said that Q conjured up everything deliberately, and therefore Picard really didn't create it.

It depends on your point of view, except the storyline says that the Future Picard definitively creates the anomaly. That is the problem. Picard clearly could not have created it, unless Q took the Future Enterprise out of its time stream and put it into another and never bothered to tell anybody (Q would have had a field day explaining what he'd done, albeit on Picard's level), but that's a little much when you consider the story tries to explain it off so simply.

But I would still give it a 4 out of 4 rating, with ease...

[Rabrrrrrr]

44. Perhaps it was actually bi-directional?

Moving out forward and backward like a parabolic cone?

But yeah, that is a loophole. And the loophole of, if it were suddenly showing up in the past times, you'd think someone in the past would have noted it, and that notation would be in the federation record banks, and people would have been working on it blah blah blah.

But, one hates to deconstruct such a cool plot line.

[BigMcLargehuge]

20. the one with the exchange program with the Klingons

Riker serves as first officer on a Klingon ship, and a Kilingon fills the same spot in the Enterprise.

My other favorite is the one where Q is kicked out of the Continuum.

[King Of Paperboys]

22. Sorry, Big

That first one is automatically ineligible due to the presence of The Tesh.

But I'll let you have the one with Naked Q... although THAT one has The Bernsen.

[BigMcLargehuge]

23. Bernsen was funny as Q too

I don't remember Tesh in the first one I mentioned, but then the last time I saw it was probably the first time it rerean in syndication back in the early 90's.

[King Of Paperboys]

24. The Tesh was a Klingon

Now that I think of it, it wasn't that ep after all... it was the one where Worf undergoes that ridiculous rite of passage... The Tesh was one of the Klingons wielding a pain-stik.

Never mind. Disregard. Nothing to see here. Move along.

[BigMcLargehuge]

25. AHA! So I resubmit my episode with the exchage program

as best

:)

[King Of Paperboys]

26. Sorry, no resubmissions.

Just because a mistake was made, doesn't mean you get a do-over. You have to just LEARN TO ACCEPT IT! WHY CAN'T YOU LIBRULS JUST LEARN TO ACCEPT IT?!?

[BigMcLargehuge]

27. if you owned a wine shop

and I handed you $10 for a bottle of Boujelais Nouvea, and you put the cash in the registers, checked the back and said "sorry, I'm all out of Boujelais Nouveau" then handed the ten bucks back. THEN as I walked towards the door you said "oh wait, I have a bottle right here" and I walked back to the counter and put my ten bucks down...

You wouldn't sell me the bottle because YOU made a mistake?

[King Of Paperboys]

29. Now you're trying to confuse me!

That won't work! I was already confused!

[coloradodem2005]

30. Actually it was a different episode with The Tesh.

I read that he was in the one where Riker's father came aboard and Worf went into the holideck to get stabbed with painsticks. One of the Klingons doing it was The Tesh.

[ldf]

28. two

"the inner light"

and the one about Hugh, the teenage borg.

both excellent.

[Endangered Specie]

60. That episodes name was "I Borg"... in case you wanted to know.

[Gothic Sponge]

33. Yesterday's Enterprise

[Ratty]

36. Q-Who

Although I liked BoBW too (and especially liked "Yesterday's Enterprise"). I just thought Q-Who--where the Enterprise first meets the Borg--had so much going for it. The Enterprise was totally alone in unexplored territory, two years journey back to Federation space. And for the first time, I think ever, they were totally outmatched, outgunned, chased by an enemy that would never give up. They hid like a frightened mouse inside a nebula while the Borg tried to flush them out with depth charges. It was an awesome episode and I never get tired of watching it.

Back then, the Borg were a real enemy. A powerful, implacable enemy. Over the course of the shows, culminating in Voyager, the Borg became real weenies. I liked Q-Who because they were absolutely terrifying.

And then I probably didn't care for BoBW so much because it had too much Riker in it, and I really loathe Riker.

[Liberal Veteran]

38. The Inner Light...only episode that made me cry.

There was something so profound about that episode.

"Seize the time, Meribor. Live now; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again" -- Picard (The Inner Light)

[Nikia]

40. I cried when I saw that one too

I was moved.

[OutOfIraqNow]

47. My favorite one was...

The one based loosely on the "Ghost and Mrs. Muir", with Dr. Crusher.

[Rabrrrrrr]

50. And the follow up "Lessons"

in which Picard starts dating the head of the astrophysics (or astro-something) lab, and she's a musician.

The scene when Picard tells her how much his flute means to him, and waht happened to him, is great stuff, and magnificently acted by Stewart and the woman playing the doctor. That episode also is quite sad, and very human. Which, in my opinion, are always the best episodes - the ones that deal with the humanity (of whatever species) of the characters, and don't rely on some technological disaster as the focus of the story.

Even the second appearance of Moriarty, which is a techno event, doesn't deal much with the techno disaster, but with the philosophy of what it means to be alive, and to want to live.

[Musashi]

43. Darmok

Q-Who, The Inner Light, Times Arrow 1&2, Cause and Effect, Timescape, The Pegasus, Yesterday's Enterprise, All Good Things, The Chase, Redemption 1&2, Unification 1&2, Datalore, and Ethics probably round out my list of favorites.

[Caution]

45. Inner Light by far. Just great television.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

48. The two-parter with Mark Twain...

(The FIRST writer to use time travel in fiction).

[Endangered Specie]

61. oh, that one was "Times Arrow" I believe.

[SaveElmer]

52. "A Matter of Honor"

I think that was the title...the one where Riker served aboard the Klingon ship. That was the first episode of TNG that I really enjoyed and proved to me it wasn't gonna be a pale imitation of the original.

[Rabrrrrrr]

53. Gagh is *best* when served live

:D

That is a great episode!

[CrownPrinceBandar]

57. "The Inner Light " still tears my heart out.............

that Picard had accepted his new identity, found love and lived out his natural life, only to return to the Enterprise with all the memories intact. I don't know if I could bear something like that.

[No2W2004]

58. BOBW pt.1

Picard as a Borg giving the "resistance is futile" speach

Riker standing up and saying "Fire"

Pretty great moment in Star Trek if you ask me...

One thing in the series that has puzzled me...Tasha & Sela.

Tasha died, but then went back in time on the E-C before she died. So if she was on the E-C and was captured by the Romulans, then she never served on the E-D and Sela couldn't have known about Picard, Unless the writers are saying that is was possible for Tasha to exist in two different time periods, probably overlaping each other.

Sheesh, I feel like such a geek now....

[Endangered Specie]

62. Some of mine were: "Unification", "Starship Mine" & "Chian of Command"...

I dont usually conform to what most fans consider favorites.

If I had to pick... Id choose the latter

[coloradodem2005]

63. Ironically...

...The ones I end up liking best are the ones that end up being favorites in the case of TNG and DS9.


I just have to note that it is interesting to get so many responses to my TNG post but only one to my DS9 post.

[Endangered Specie]

64. DS9 post? thats my favorite series...

although TNG is most popular amongst the fan base overall.