TNG Episodes That Are Better Than You Think

Although certain episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation are known to be great, many other episodes are better than you might think. Throughout its seven seasons, TNG it had far more good episodes than bad, which means that many solid episodes rarely make it onto best-of lists. Episodes like “The Best of Both Worlds” and “The Inner Light” are memorable for how great they are, and they also have significant ramifications for TNG’s characters. Even casual fans have probably heard of these episodes, but TNG There are many other good episodes that often go unnoticed.

Star Trek: The Next Generation The worst episodes, like season one’s “Code of Honor,” are also arguably memorable, for entirely different reasons.. Most TNGThe 178 episodes of However fall somewhere between great and terrible, and many get lost in conversations that focus on both extremes. These episodes may not have been revolutionary or transformative for the characters, but they still tell compelling stories. Star Trek stories. TNG’s Its biggest strength is its characters and each episode has at least a few character moments that are worth watching.

10

“Home Land”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Episode 18

Star Trek: The Next Generation The first season may be the weakest season of the series, but there are some hidden gems sprinkled throughout the season. In “Home Soil”, the USS Enterprise-D checks in to a terraforming colony on Velara III and discovers a new and unique life form. “Home Soil” looks like real science fiction, and embrace the wonder of discovering a new life. Almost every main character has something to do as they look for a way to communicate with the strange life form.

In a particularly fun scene, Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) proves why he’s an asset to the Enterprise crew by dodging a powerful laser. Data is the one who first discovers the crystalline life form, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) immediately takes the discovery seriously, calling on the terraforming team to continue their work despite the possible signs of life. The life form describes humans as “giant ugly bags containing mostly water” what Data agrees is “an accurate description of humans.” This suggests the mood that TNG will be supported in future episodes.

9

“The Real”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 12

“The Royale” proves that some Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes can simply be fun, without the need to address complex moral issues or break new ground in the franchise. When Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) leads a team to a supposedly uninhabitable alien planet, they find a strange hotel straight out of Earth’s history. Riker and Data have fun playing at the casino, as they work to determine the circumstances of your situation.

With some genuinely funny moments and a compelling mystery, “The Royale” is a solid and entertaining episode of TNG. The final reveal – that aliens created the entire scenario for a lost astronaut based on a bad romance novel he had about him – is hilarious and devastating at the same time. Throughout much of TNG’s In the first few episodes, the show took itself a little too seriously, making “The Royale” feel like a refreshing change of pace.

8

“Sins of the Father”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 Episode 17

In one of Star Trek: The Next Generation first true Klingon episodes, the Enterprise travels to the Klingon homeworld of Q’onoS so that Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn) can defend his family’s honor. Worf’s long-lost brother Kurn (Tony Todd) visits the Enterprise to inform Worf that his father, Mogh, has been considered a traitor. When Worf challenges the Klingon High Council, he quickly discovers that Klingon politics is more complicated (and less honorable) than he thought.

Star Trek: The Next Generation‘Sins of the Father’ sets up several storylines that will continue to affect Worf throughout. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The Klingon political unrest hinted at in this episode continues to simmer until it escalates into a Klingon Civil War in TNG season 4. Worf has one of Star Trek more interesting character journeys and several aspects of his story have roots in this episode.

7

“Clues”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Episode 14

When the starship Enterprise encounters a wormhole, everyone on the ship except Data loses consciousness. When they wake up, Data assures them they were only gone for thirty seconds, but clues around the ship tell a different story. As Captain Picard and the crew begin to suspect that Data may be lying. they eventually discover that a xenophobic race called the Paxans surprised the crew and explained the situation.

Picard then ordered Data to hide the truth, but the Enterprise crew left many clues behind. With a fascinating mystery, “Clues” leaves the viewer guessing until the satisfying final revelation. “Clues” not only tells a solid science fiction story, but it also highlights the intelligence and insight of the Enterprise crew. When their curiosity is piqued, they will not give up until the mystery is solved, no matter how much Data protests.

6

“The High Ground”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 Episode 12

In one of Dr. Beverly Crusher’s (Gates McFadden) strongest episodes, the Enterprise’s doctor is kidnapped by a group of terrorists. As Picard and the crew of the Enterprise work to save Beverly, she begins to sympathize with the terrorists, even though she abhors their methods. Terrorists or not, Dr. Crusher can’t stand seeing people suffering and she does her best to help them, proving why she is one of the Star Trek best doctors.

The oldest Star Trek episode written and directed by women, “The High Ground” also features compelling guest stars and a nuanced look at both sides of a conflict. Unlike many Star Trek episodes, not everything in “The High Ground” works out in the end. While the Enterprise rescues Dr. Crusher, the terrorist leader is killed in front of her, and the unrest on the planet remains unresolved.

5

“Fidelity”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 Episode 18

In “Allegiance”, Captain Picard wakes up in a cell with three strangers, while a clone of Picard takes command of the Enterprise. The real Picard immediately takes control of his situation, keeping the other prisoners calm as he works to determine who took them and why. Picard proves why he’s a great starship captain quickly assessing their situation and discovering that one of the prisoners is actually a captor in disguise.

Meanwhile, Commander Riker and the crew of the Enterprise notice the fake Picard’s strange behavior, eventually stripping him of command. Yet, the Picard lookalike’s actions reveal a lot about the real Picard, as the aliens who created him perfectly copied his memories. “Allegiance” not only acts as a character study of Jean-Luc Picard, but also constitutes a compelling mystery.

4

“Schisms”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 Episode 5

In one of Star Trek: The Next Generation In the scariest stories, several members of the Enterprise crew begin having trouble sleeping and experiencing other strange symptoms. They eventually discover that a strange alien race is kidnapping several crew members and experimenting on them. In a particularly gruesome development, Dr. Crusher even notes that Commander Riker’s arm has been completely removed and reattached.

Like several others Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes from this list, “Schisms” offers a compelling mystery and gives almost every main character something to do. Although ‘Schisms’ feels like a true horror in some ways, it also provides one of Data’s most charming moments, as he recites his poem, ‘Ode to Spot’, during the episode’s cold open. Star Trek It doesn’t dive right into horror all that often, but “Schisms” proves that the franchise can be pretty scary when it wants to be.

3

“Tin Man”

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episode 20

In TNG’s “Tin Man”, a Betazoid diplomat named Tam Elbrun (Harry Groener) arrives aboard the USS Enterprise-D to communicate with a strange new alien life form. Unlike anything the Federation has encountered before, the life form is a living ship known as the Tin Man. Unique even among the telepathic Betazoids, Elbrun hears the thoughts of everyone around him all the time, leading him to form a connection with Data, whose thoughts he cannot hear.

Not only does “Tin Man” feature a unique alien and a captivating, well-acted guest star in Tam Elbun, but the episode also marks an important step forward for Data. The android is worried that Elbun cannot hear his thoughts, but Tam assures Data that he is just different from those around him. and that there is nothing wrong with that. At the end of the episode, Data realizes that he actually belongs on the Enterprise-D, just as Tam finds a place with the alien called the Tin Man.

2

“The Enemy”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 Episode 7

Star Trek: The Next Generation There aren’t as many episodes dedicated to Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) as some of the other characters, but “The Enemy” is one of the best. When Geordi becomes stranded on a dangerous planet during a storm, he and a Romulan named Bochra (John Snyder) must rely on each other to survive. Geordi gets more personality in “The Enemy” than most TNG episodes, as he is funny, intelligent, and sarcastic in his interactions with Bochra.

“The Enemy” also humanizes the Romulans, showing Bochra as a dedicated soldier who fears death as much as anyone else. On the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher discovers that Worf is the only suitable donor for an injured Romulan, but Worf allows the man to die instead of helping him. While this makes sense for Worf as a character, it is a shocking conclusion for a Star Trek plot and makes “The Enemy” even more compelling as an episode.

1

“Pen Friends”

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episode 15

Other data-centric Star Trek: The Next Generation The episode “Pen Pals” follows the crew of the Enterprise as they must violate the Prime Directive to save a planet from certain destruction. When Data begins communicating with a young alien named Sarjenka (Nikki Cox), he inadvertently embroils Captain Picard in a complicated ethical situation. Data discovers that the planet of Sarjenka will soon be destroyed due to geological activity and asks Picard for help.

Picard finally relents after hearing Sarjenka’s plea, and the Enterprise saves the planet without any of the inhabitants knowing. Sarjenka’s relationship with Data is adorable, as she refuses to leave his side after they arrive on the Enterprise. In the end, Dr. Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) erases Sarjenka’s memories of the events, but Data can’t help but leave her a small souvenir. “Pen Pals” not only highlights Data’s very human sentimental side, but also addresses the kinds of ethical questions Star Trek: The Next Generation it does so well.