star trek tng episode rankings

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Every Episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ranked (with comments)

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TNG Ranking by Titles Only

Watching “Encounter at Farpoint” — to say nothing of slogging through the first two seasons, who would have thought that this spinoff would have, itself, created spinoffs? And yet it has… and for a significant number of fans who didn’t watch the original series when first broadcast or in syndication, this is their Trek.

That also means some serious ribbing is in order, which I will delegate to the Screen Junkies:

(Not convinced by the Screen Junkies that you need to watch the one with the space ghost? Want to skip most of the slog of the first two seasons with a binge watch? Check out the new viewing guide !)

Note: Everything below may contain spoilers and definitely contains some snark.

Jean-Luc Picard People who like to debate “Kirk vs. Picard” forget that Picard has Kirk’s zeal for truth, justice, and the Federation way. Like Kirk, he has his own particular tortured backstory. He just doesn’t have any ounce of cowboy (although Patrick Stewart does ). Also, no flying leg kicks. Still, it works.

William T. Riker Bearded or clean-shaven, Riker’s ready to step over a chair, sit down, and let you know how it’s done. And “it” could be starship operations or some sort of consensual intimacy. He’s a renaissance Riker.

Geordi La Forge You can look. It’s in a book… or technical manual. Unless it’s about romantic relationships. Sorry, Geordi, you’ll have to wait for Ensign Kim in Voyager to be more hapless in that department. In the meantime, keep speaking technobabble like a boss. I’m so glad they switched you to Engineering.

Worf Much like Spock was the quintessential Vulcan who turns out to be a very atypical Vulcan, so too is Worf the Klingon’s Klingon who… was not raised by Klingons, has a greater sense of honor than just about any other Klingon we meet, and generally only kicks ass off screen. Sigh. Hang on until DS9, Worf.

Beverly Crusher Over 30 years later, and I’m still wondering about the wisdom of naming a doctor “Crusher,” but, I mean, she’s capable, compassionate, and… we’re never going to resolve that thing between her and Picard, are we?

(Update circa 2023: Terry Matalas says “Hold my synthehol!”)

Deanna Troi One of those characters that grew on me in the rewatch. I wish they had made her de facto role of cultural/alien contact specialist and diplomat more formal from the get-go, but I guess the priority was form-fitting clothing and inconsistent sensing of emotions.

Data Not just an emotionless Vulcan stand-in, considering the number of episodes the Enterprise is saved by having this android aboard makes him kind of a “machina ex deus ex machina.”

Wesley Crusher It took waaay too long to take this character from annoying airlock fodder to intelligent, but flawed officer-in-training… and in a sense, they didn’t fully succeed on that journey. He does have some good moments though, so ease up.

168) “Code of Honor” Season 1, Episode 4 So let’s say you haven’t seen this episode since it first aired in 1987, so you feel you need to give it a fair shake. And you know that the entire cast reviles this episode as a racist piece of filth and the director was evidently a piece of work too. But you try and approach it with the same open mind you try and approach a friend’s indie film because there’s usually something good in those and then OH MY GOD: I JUST THREW UP IN MY MOUTH. Yeah, not good.

167) “Shades of Gray” Season 2, Episode 22 I really don’t want to hate this one as much as conventional fan wisdom demands because a) there’s flashbacks to episodes that don’t suck and b) we get to see Worf and Riker battle Skeletor’s cousin at the beginning. But the fact remains that clip shows are inherently unsatisfying and a clip show in the second season of anything is a singular failure which should not be rewarded. Bad Trek! No biscuit!

166) “The Last Outpost” Season 1, Episode 5 In which the new Main Bad Guys, the Ferengi, are introduced and everyone wisely decides they don’t qualify as the Main Bad Guys. Besides the Enterprise being unable to engage in combat due to Starfleet thrift, you are left with waiting for something, anything, to happen. Eventually, some actor –evidently escaping a production of the Ring Cycle– appears to disrupt the Ferengi’s weird performance art. Unless you really want to see actors who later play Ferengi play proto-Ferengi, this is an episode you can skip without any shame whatsoever.

165) “Where No One Has Gone Before” Season 1, Episode 6 Look, producer-writers, we’re not sure how much we want to deal with the Mary Sue character that is Wesley Crusher and now you want to make him Mozart of the Warp Drive? Next, the episode title is a play on “Where No Man Has Gone Before” aka one of the most action-packed episodes of the Original Series. Heck, it’s the second pilot that allowed there to be a Star Trek. Seriously, couldn’t you have done something with the Romulans or Klingons or something? Blah.

164) “The Royale” Season 2, Episode 12 Viewers used to modern television and its shortened seasons will not understand why this episode exists. But simply knowing this is here for padding a season’s episode count doesn’t excuse the plodding pseudo-holodeck story and it’s another one that’s easy to skip.

163) “The Battle” Season 1, Episode 9 Failing to present the Ferengi as any sort of physical threat, the creative team sees if they can present the Ferengi as duplicitous schemers. Still pretty weak, but at least they re-affirm the Ferengi’s love of profit over revenge (unless revenge is a dish that can be served at a considerable markup).

162) “Force of Nature” Season 7, Episode 9 Picard : We admit that we were wrong in our assumption that warp travel doesn’t damage space. We’ll make sure a better equipped vessel studies this and I will personally make sure the findings are not swept under a 24th century rug. Serova : I’m going to ignore the words you’re saying because you’re not acceding to illogical demands I haven’t even stated — and then I’m going to kill myself. [Kaboom] Picard : Rabal, your sister Serova has just ruptured space-time endangering 1,000 men, women, and children on this ship because we said we’d help her. Can you help us without going crazypants? Rabal : No captain, I’m afraid all I can contribute is my flat acting. Picard : Well, the hell with this episode then!

161) “11001001” Season 1, Episode 15 The few pluses of this episode, like the idea of a computer-dependent civilization, a massive starbase, and Catherine McCormack, are more than erased by glacial pacing typical of season one and, of couse, next to no action whatsoever — even in terms of meaty philosophical discourse. Both George Bernard Shaw and Michael Bay give this a pass and so should you.

160) “Manhunt” Season 2, Episode 19 Though not entirely objectionable, Lwaxana Troi experiencing the Betazoid version of Pon Far is not my idea of a good time. A nice twist at the end, I suppose, but meh.

159) “When the Bough Breaks” Season 1, Episode 17 The Enterprise encounters an alien race advanced enough to cloak their planet, but not advanced enough to do root cause analysis. You know, if you’re going to steal all the children and force us to watch a Wesley-centric episode, you ought to work harder. Bonus points for that cool wood-carving tool though.

158) “Justice” Season 1, Episode 8 The Enterprise tries to mix first contact with shore leave on the spa world of blonde models. It’s somewhat interesting in portraying the difficulties of the Prime Directive in the face of what amounts to unquestioning obedience to religious authoritarianism, but although it ends decently, the whole episode is inelegant.

157) “Lonely Among Us” Season 1, Episode 7 An intriguing premise and some reasonably cool-looking –if rubbery– aliens runs into early Next Generation’s tendency to awkwardly ape the Original Series as well as the beginning of Data’s Sherlock Holmes fascination. In the end, it just doesn’t gel.

156) “The Neutral Zone” Season 1, Episode 26 “We’re the Romulans. We just wanted you to know.” Oh man, you young whipper-snappers binge-watching this on Netflix probably have no idea how we waited all season to see some of the classic bad guys. “Heart of Glory” gave us a very tiny taste of the Klingons, who were no longer bad guys anyway, dangit. And then we get this? A Romulan courtesy call?!? And we have to spend the rest of the episode with 80s Uptight Banker, Nashville Doofus, and Angst-Mom. Not the worst, but absolutely not the best.

155) “Coming of Age” Season 1, Episode 19 The one incontrovertible fact we learned from both the plotlines of this episode? That whether they call it an “Inspector General’s Report” or a “Psych Eval,” Starfleet will find whatever reason they need to get all up in your yang and be dicks about it. Additional demerits to re-using the spaceport from Buck Rogers which goes one cost-cutting method too far.

154) “Man of the People” Season 6, Episode 3 The “Dorian Gray” episode. Too on the nose and simplistic to be interesting.

153) “Eye of the Beholder” Season 7, Episode 18 With a mystery fit for an empath and a guest turn by Mark Rolston, this should have been a decent if not great episode, but it just doesn’t catch fire (probably good, this close to warp plasma).

152) “Pen Pals” Season 2, Episode 15 A so-so Prime Directive episode dominated by Wesley learning Very Important Lessons about leadership blunting some of the poignancy of Data’s storyline.

151) “The Schizoid Man” Season 2, Episode 6 If you wanted to see Data be a creepy old man, here you go.

150) “Hollow Pursuits” Season 3, Episode 21 Those of you who thought, “Man, why isn’t there an epidemic of Holodeck addicts in the 24th century? I’d certainly be one,” this is the After-School special for you. Okay, it’s not that bad, but would I miss this episode at all? No, no I would not.

149) “Home Soil” Season 1, Episode 18 The premise of this episode isn’t bad and very Trek: we get to see terraformers in action, but a murder and mystery unfolds, which results in a first contact situation. The pacing is slow, as it is through much of the first two seasons, as if the writers are allergic to starting a scene as late as possible and finishing as early as possible. Also, even though we get one of the few instances of a character named Bjorn on American television, he’s pretty much a wanker covering up de facto genocide. His impressively cleft chin doesn’t make up for this. If you find the namesake and chin demerits subjective (which, frankly, you should), you can also point to some wooden acting and overly 80s costuming on the part of the terraformers. I will give points to the Velarans being entertaining, even if they do think of us as “ugly giant bags of mostly water.” Also, has anyone else noted that between LaForge and Troi, there’s two people on the Enterprise who can detect when anyone lies? Really, we need to do a Star Trek police procedural.

148) “The Naked Now” Season 1, Episode 3 I guess the braintrust thought it’d be good to start with a callback to the original series, but instead of a charming callback to the past, we get a dire forecast of the season ahead. The reek of a moralistic 80s PSA has abated somewhat, but they clearly wanted younger viewers to know Alcohol Is Bad. Also still evident, season one’s general glacial pace and clumsy characterization. And speaking of characterization, what is it with these sci-fi shows doing episodes where the characters “act weird” when we’re just getting to know them? Don’t they know they’ll be a better payoff when both we and the actors know them better? Hey, we can’t all be Farscape . Anyway, bonus points for reasonably cool stellar phenomena and starship explosions.

147) “Hide and Q” Season 1, Episode 10 A tedious episode starting with Q going all Squire of Gothos on the Enterprise crew and ending with awkward, one-dimensional wish fulfillment. Extra demerits to the writers who apparently didn’t have the budget for a thesaurus and insisted on calling humanoid creatures in Napoleonic uniforms “animal things.” Blah.

146) “Haven” Season 1, Episode 11 This is the first episode to feature Lwaxana Troi, who in general does not herald banner episodes, but this particular one about an arranged marriage is not without its charms, including an intelligent plant for a pet, Data’s investigation of petty bickering, and a plague-ridden Daryl Hannah impersonator.

145) “The Outrageous Okona” Season 2, Episode 4 Let’s be clear: Jem and the Holograms are truly outrageous. This episode is what you get when a company’s HR department wants to plan a “zany event.”

144) “Too Short a Season” Season 1, Episode 16 The premise of an aging Admiral making an essentially Faustian bargain in order to relive glory days and defeat an old foe seems the stuff of an epic two-parter or even a movie, but the execution seems rather clumsy and features the 24th century version of Viewmaster as part of the conclusion.

143) “Symbiosis” Season 1, Episode 22 Having done something of an after-school special with “The Naked Now” and the dangers of alcohol, Trek now deals with drug addiction. While the sci-fi scenario does present it in a potentially interesting light, the whole situation is too on the nose for enjoyable repeat viewing. But who doesn’t enjoy the moment when Captain Picard drops the hammer on the smug drug peddlers?

142) “The Big Goodbye” Season 1, Episode 12 Farscape has its “there’s something wrong with Moya” episodes and this is the first of what will prove to be many “there’s something wrong with the holodeck” episodes which span multiple series. At least they figure out some good concepts to explore in future episodes. Even with interesting production design and some great guest actors like Dick Miller, we’re left wanting.

141) “Samaritan Snare” Season 2, Episode 17 While the Pakleds have a marginally interesting twist, I refuse to believe the implied notion that said Pakleds were able to successfully blackmail the Romulans or the Klingons. The Pakleds ceasing to exist as a living race in the galaxy is far more likely. Also, apparently not content with ignoring Guinan’s warnings about the Borg in the previous episode, the crew ignores Troi aka Their Very Own Lie Detector. Seriously guys, what’s wrong with trusting these women? Bonus points for Picard’s confiding in Wesley, though we get a better treatment of his heart condition and youthful choices in “Tapestry.”

140) “Aquiel” Season 6, Episode 13 It’s like someone decided to do an awful version of “The Thing” and show Geordi have more romantic troubles in one episode. Why?

139) “The Game” Season 5, Episode 6 Don’t hate Ashley Judd. Hate the game.

138) “The Dauphin” Season 2, Episode 10 True, we get to see some true bug-eyed monsters and Worf face off against Gozer the Gozarian, but overall, this Wesley-centric episode isn’t too strong. Bonus points for faux flirting between Riker and Guinan plus indicating truly alien forms at the end.

137) “Datalore” Season 1, Episode 13 The lack of inventiveness doesn’t end with the title (“crystalline entity form,” anyone?). While I suppose any Star Trek character is entitled to an Evil Twin episode, certainly Brent Spiner, this one seems less than inspired — especially the way Lore posing as Data argues the aforementioned snowflake monster will be impressed by blowing up trees.

136) “Homeward” Season 7, Episode 13 Hearkening back to the bad old days of television when family relations never mentioned in years of a show suddenly pop into existence, we get Paul Sorvino as Worf’s human brother. Unsatisfying.

135) “The Child” Season 2, Episode 1 One of the re-purposed old scripts, from the canceled Star Trek: Phase II series, which Marina Sirtis gamely tries to make work, but it doesn’t quite seem to mesh.

134) “Elementary, Dear Data” Season 2, Episode 3 Yes, it’s another holodeck-centric episode, and probably worth skipping. However, if you do rewatch it for a sense of completeness, you will be rewarded by a great model of the sailing vessel HMS Victory , plus an even greater performance by veteran actor Daniel Davis as Moriarty.

133) “Ethics” Season 5, Episode 16 A laudable, but forced exploration of medical ethics is buoyed by exploring injury as seen by Klingons — and some nice moments between Worf and his son, Alexander.

132) “The Loss” Season 4, Episode 10 Some earnest attempts to explore issues of life-changing injuries and how telepaths or empaths deal with the loss of their abilities, but it’s like we only get the part of the movie where Troi is a schmuck and not the part where she learns the valuable life lessons.

131) “Emergence” Season 7, Episode 23 Sigh. I know some people really want to celebrate this episode as a meta commentary on what TNG has meant to everyone as the series draws to a close, but for me it just strikes me as one more “Holodeck-gone-wrong” episode combined with a “Oh-something’s-wrong-with-the- Enterprise ” episode — which season 7 already has in abundance. It also tells us “There’s one less episode in which you can see the crew do cool stuff.”

130) “The Arsenal of Freedom” Season 1, Episode 21 One of the better episodes of season one TNG due to a plot structure designed to build suspense and a standout performance by guest star Vincent Schiavelli who manages to both creepy and charming at the same time. La Forge’s conflict with This Week’s Chief Engineer is a bit forced, but just wait a few minutes and you’ll get Vincent Schiavelli again.

129) “Where Silence Has Lease” Season 2, Episode 2 The poetical title that hearkens to the Original Series also gives us a familiar problem: the powerful alien testing the Enterprise crew. It’s interesting to see how the Enterprise -D peeps deal with it, but it’s eclipsed by many episodes later in the series.

128) “Skin of Evil” Season 1, Episode 23 This is another early episode whose premise that, upon rewatching, I can’t help but wonder what the actors and producers would have done with in a later season. The oil-slick-as-villain Armus could have been some sort of Sci-Fi One Ring, that would tempt and torment the Enterprise crew, potentially in a lovely two-parter. As it is, everyone seems to be doing their best, but it’s still just meh.

127) “Realm of Fear” Season 6, Episode 2 Barclay’s paranoia about the transporter is put to good use. Bonus points for O’Brien getting to torment someone else for a change.

126) “Interface” Season 7, Episode 3 I was all ready to learn more about Geordi’s family and what made him tick, but this episode just doesn’t deliver.

125) “Cost of Living” Season 5, Episode 20 The sweetness of Lwaxana Troi connecting with Alexander mitigates this generally forgettable episode, but you probably forgot about that, didn’t you?

124) “The Quality of Life” Season 6, Episode 9 The episode was clearly meant to play as another meditation on artificial intelligence and what rights they might have, but instead comes across as a marketing gimmick to sell toy versions of the Exocomp.

123) “Schisms” Season 6, Episode 5 Some mysterious subspace species is experimenting on the Enterprise crew and giving them all really bad hair. Oh, and occasionally killing them.

122) “We’ll Always Have Paris” Season 1, Episode 24 I don’t mind a romance episode. Especially this late in the season where both we and the actors have warmed up to the characters. I don’t even mind them trying to have the higher ratio of romance plot to space-time danger plot even though the episode title would lead you to never guess that space-time shenanigans or fencing make an appearance. But the execution just isn’t there, so this becomes another First Season episode to get a “meh.”

121) “Journey’s End” Season 7, Episode 20 Either the tale of Wesley Crusher taking a different path or the tale of the Enterprise (and Picard) facing disturbing historic parallels in forcibly evacuating ethnic Native Americans is interesting. Sadly, neither one comes off and they really don’t work well together.

120) “Bloodlines” Season 7, Episode 22 Ha! Joke’s on you Picard. We’ve spent all this time with a son who isn’t really your son not for a Ferengi revenge plot, but to infuriate viewers who know there’s only a few episodes of this series left, and we just wasted one. Mua ha ha ha!

119) “Dark Page” Season 7, Episode 7 Another seventh season story that tries and fails to give satisfying backstory to one of the characters, in this case Troi and her mother. Oh look, Kirsten Dunst!

118) “Remember Me” Season 4, Episode 5 Dr. Crusher finds herself in something of a Twilight Zone kind of episode as her reality collapses and those of you who were wanting the reappearance of the Traveler are rewarded.

117) “Masks” Season 7, Episode 17 Brent Spiner gets to act up a storm and Patrick Stewart recalls some mask work from his theater days. Look, the anthropologist in me finds some of this fascinating, but that doesn’t make it a good episode.

116) “The Chase” Season 6, Episode 20 An oddly disjointed episode which can’t decide if it’s going to be a backstory drama (as per the confrontation with Norman Lloyd’s Galen), an archaeological adventure, or something else. At least most of the characters are as dissatisfied at the end as we are.

115) “Unnatural Selection” Season 2, Episode 7 While I was happy enough to see the return of Dr. Crusher, I also didn’t mind the brief season 2 tenure of Dr. Pulaski. Her take on a curmudgeonly yet dedicated physician seemed a clear homage to Dr. McCoy. She’s never better than in this episode, where her working relationship with Captain Picard is tested. Plus, we get to see Colm Meaney handle technobabble like the chief he is.

114) “Suddenly Human” Season 4, Episode 4 The allegory and the drama of this human raised by non-humans never quite comes together. And if you’re going to stab Picard, give us an episode like “Tapestry.”

113) “Up the Long Ladder” Season 2, Episode 18 Come for the Space Irish, stay for the evil David Byrne impersonators. Not a bad episode per se –especially for fans of impractical sweaters– but would you be better served by watching The Quiet Man and “Stop Making Sense?” Probably.

112) “Suspicions” Season 6, Episode 22 A mystery episode that would have been ten times more effective if we didn’t have alien races with unknown abilities that could easily come into play in the last act. I’m still open for Dr. Crusher solving mysteries in retirement, though. Just putting that out there.

111) “Sub Rosa” Season 7, Episode 14 You want this to be a rattling cool ghost story, but it just comes across as half-baked melodrama. Bonus points for Governor Maturin feeling kinship for Scotland and for fog on the Enterprise .

110) “Imaginary Friend” Season 5, Episode 22 When you’re spending more time looking at the cool scarlet strands entangling the Enterprise and considering how good the VFX team has gotten, it’s not the best of episodes.

109) “Angel One” Season 1, Episode 14 Yes, this is season one, which means a strong 80s vibe and sluggish pace are there. In fact, it seems like they add the virus subplot simply because not much is happening on the planet of power-shouldered matriarchs, but wait: the plotlines intersect and the virus becomes a key point in denying an easy solution. Plus, Riker strikes a blow for chest hairs everywhere.  Definite demerits for teasing us about the possibility of seeing Romulans though. (we need to wait for the rest of the season before that happens). Also, there’s an inherent plot issue of the Enterprise not extricating Federation citizens to prevent an interstellar incident simply because they’re not in Starfleet. I guess some legal precedents were set by the time we got around to the Maquis.

108) “The Icarus Factor” Season 2, Episode 14 In retrospect, it’s actually not a bad reflective/soap opera episode, although some of the dialogue gets a bit on-the-nose at times. Still, Anbo-jyutsu looks pretty cool, obnoxious exposition about it notwithstanding. Definite demerits for never revisiting it or Papa Riker in the TV series.

107) “The Host” Season 4, Episode 23 This exploration about identity and, more importantly, how to love when someone you love changes drastically is intriguing and very worth a sci-fi treatment. It’s also nice to see Dr. Crusher explore a relationship. However, Odan has systematically lied for at least 30 years to the Federation and others about his true nature (the alternative is to buy his claim that he didn’t understand just about every other sentient race he met and negotiated with wasn’t paired with a symbiote). A pity, as other moments are quite nuanced

106) “Hero Worship” Season 5, Episode 11 Your patience with this episode is proportional to how much you like Data and can deal with kids as being the epitome of unreliable narrators.

105) “A Fistful of Datas” Season 6, Episode 8 If you’re willing to hitch your wagon to another holodeck tale that rustles up some excuses to have an infinite number of Datas, you’ll be all right, partner. Otherwise, best leave town… or, you know, watch another episode.

104) “Lessons” Season 6, Episode 19 The idea of Picard attempting a serious relationship and bumping against some of his self-imposed (and external) constraints makes sense this deep into the series. It’s well enough executed, with good performances by both Patrick Stewart and Wendy Hughes as  Lt. Cmdr. Daren. However, since TNG was still quite cautious in terms of serial storytelling, that means we have the whole love-and-loss arc within one episode. Therefore, our connection to Daren is minimal.

103) “Disaster” Season 5, Episode 5 Okay, let’s be clear: this episode is not a disaster. Putting the now familiar characters in situations they would never ordinarily want to be in is ambitious and enjoyable — with Worf delivering Keiko’s baby being a standout.

102) “Loud as a Whisper” Season 2, Episode 5 Coming off as a Very Special Episode when it first aired, it’s aged decently, though since I’m not a member of the deaf community, I may not pick up on disliked tropes or not. Still, deaf and mute actor Howie Seago gives a great performance and the thoughts on abilities, disabilities, and where we find our strength are intriguing.

101) “Genesis” Season 7, Episode 19 The kid in me wants more Harryhausen monsters and the anthropologist in me wants more scientific accuracy. Both of us are disappointed, but the episode remains pretty entertaining.

100) “Conspiracy” Season 1, Episode 25 Finally! Some action. Wait, did they just phaser that guy’s head until it exploded?!? Talk about overcompensation. Enjoyable when it first aired because something was actually happening –and who doesn’t like a good conspiracy?– it really doesn’t hold up well for the aforementioned incongruity of some gross-out special effects, the stereotypical evil aliens (“we only eat stuff that’s nasty to humans just because”), and a storyline that is completely, utterly dropped (although I understand they revisit it in some non-canon novels). Worth a curiosity watch, I suppose, but there’s better paranoia and stop-action animation elsewhere.

99) “Liaisons” Season 7, Episode 2 A comical take on diplomatic contact (well, except for poor Picard) that is uneven, but not without its moments.

98) “True Q” Season 6, Episode 6 A solid enough entry in Q’s appearances as it explores a young woman’s acceptance (or rejection) of her Q powers.

97) “Rascals” Season 6, Episode 7 I will be the first one to voice my displeasure at Worf getting overwhelmed by Ferengi, and the episode has no right to be as fun as it is, but it is . I’m not saying it’s my number one episode, but I have to admit I always enjoy rewatching it.

96) “Birthright” (Parts I & II) Season 6, Episode 16 & 17 Both Data and Worf explore their past — and while Data’s storyline is pretty “blah,” Worf’s is reasonably interesting. I’m just not sure it merits a two-parter.

95) “Inheritance” Season 7, Episode 10 Data gets to know more of his family and how telling the truth is not alway cut and dried. Solid.

94) “Identity Crisis” Season 4, Episode 18 Mystery and transmogrification is always welcome in sci-fi. Nicely done.

93) “Firstborn” Season 7, Episode 21 An important character-based wrap-up of Worf and his son Alexander. Yes, it basically gets undone by DS9, but it’s still worthwhile.

92) “The Emissary” Season 2, Episode 20 The entertaining premise of wartime Klingons waking up isn’t bad, nor is the personal drama between Worf and his paramour, though moments such as retrieving the warp probe and some of Suzie Plakson’s snark seem a bit too precious at times.

91) “Peak Performance” Season 2, Episode 21 There’s some enjoyment to be had with the whole war games scenario, but involving the Ferengi at the end just kind of sours the fun. Also Stratagema is an abstract letdown. Finally, the Dominion War called and wanted you to know that your assertion that “Starfleet is not a military organization” is absolutely adorable.

90) “Heart of Glory” Season 1, Episode 20 Ermegerd, Klingons! In reflection with the rest of the series, this is a whole lotta inconsequential nothing, but at the time, it was incredibly welcome action and world-building — because previous to this, we basically understood the Federation was at peace with the Klingon Empire solely so Worf could be hanging out on the Enterprise . Bonus points for the build-your-own-disruptor kit the Klingons had hidden in their armor.

89) “New Ground” Season 5, Episode 10 Another step Trek takes towards more realistic family issues as Worf needs to deal with the fact he’s a dad. Not a banner episode, but not awful. Bonus points for Jonathan Frakes convincingly handling puppets.

88) “Evolution” Season 3, Episode 1 Some great special effects and the welcome introduction of far less spandex in the uniforms is mitigated by Wesley giving rise to a new sentient life form and endangering the entire ship due to his pulling an all-nighter. What an irresponsible yet studious scamp!

87) “Q Who” Season 2, Episode 16 The first appearance of the totally non-Swedish Borg isn’t all bad. However, when the Enterprise just hangs out in front of the massive Borg cube that was carving it up for dinner earlier, I have to question Picard’s tactical acumen — not to mention inviting Guinan to tell them more about the race that annihilated her homeworld and then ignoring her advice.

86) “The Outcast” Season 5, Episode 17 Gender identity gets the Star Trek allegorical treatment here that also serves to build out Riker’s character more.

85) “Time Squared” Season 2, Episode 13 An intriguing episode dealing with doppelgangers, bending space-time, and the choices we make, but these ideas are much better handled in later episodes.

84) “The Bonding” Season 3, Episode 5 A thoughtful episode that explores the grief, loss, and the cost of exploration. The execution doesn’t quite measure up to the ambition.

83) “A Matter of Perspective” Season 3, Episode 14 The Next Generation does Rashomon ! It’s a fun enough conceit that adapts to science fiction quite nicely — albeit with a technobabble twist at the end.

82) “Transfigurations” Season 3, Episode 25 You may remember this as the one with the amnesiac, spandex-wearing Space Jesus or simply the one where Geordi gets his groove on. Also, you also get to see the pros and cons of having Worf as your wingman. I’m not saying skip it, but you’re probably fast forwarding a few scenes so you can get to “The Best of Both Worlds.”

81) “Allegiance” Season 3, Episode 18 Picard’s doppelganger has way too much fun on the Enterprise while actual Picard riddles out his captors designs elsewhere. Decent.

80) “A Matter of Honor” Season 2, Episode 8 After season one’s all-too-brief look at the 24th century Klingons, this was a great chance to delve deeper… and it’s great fun to see Riker adapt to life aboard a Klingon ship while being himself. Still, the Klingon commander seems paranoid to a degree unsupported by the script and the Benzite subplot on the Enterprise, while a nice thematic counterbalance of cultural misunderstandings, is rather boring.

79) “Half a Life” Season 4, Episode 22 A great allegorical treatment of mortality where Lwaxana Troi’s marrow-sucking lifestyle is a perfect match for the theme and David Ogden Stiers’ performance. Thoughtful and heartbreaking.

78) “Legacy” Season 4, Episode 6 Tasha Yar gets some backstory, we an enjoyably plotted tale, and Data gets some heartbreak as only an android can.

77) “The Perfect Mate” Season 5, Episode 21 A potentially clunky episode about arranged marriages, men and women, destiny, and duty benefits greatly from a performance by Famke Jannsen supported by the welcome appearance of Tim O’Connor (sans Dr. Theopolis ). Even the bumbling Ferengi do not derail the proceedings (though they certainly try). Picard does a formidably stoic Hornblower impression that Kirk would well understand.

76) “Booby Trap” Season 3, Episode 6 Geordi wants to make beautiful music with faux Dr. Brahms, but they have to save the ship before everyone’s irradiated.

75) “Contagion” Season 2, Episode 11 The generic and inaccurate title covers up what turns out to be an absolutely action-packed episode featuring the Space Cruiser Yamato, Carolyn Seymour as a Romulan coveting power and ancient secrets, and a long-lost interstellar empire that has secrets aplenty to covet. My only complaint is they could have cut Geordi being a bouncy ball in the turbolift so we’d have time for a good denouement to the episode. Plus, we don’t get to learn more about the Iconians for ages.

74) “Encounter at Farpoint” Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 Clunky? Yes, but pilots are often clunky. Not as good as the pilots that followed? Yes, but the pilots that followed were made because of the voyage that started with the Enterprise D here. You’ll see me be pretty tough on a lot of early TNG episodes because let’s face it: we had seen Star Trek II and Star Trek IV. We remembered how good individual episodes of the original series were. We wanted this series to boldly go. Well, it doesn’t pull it off for this first outing. Still, this episode is part of the payoff for the series finale, so even if you want to skip a lot of the first two seasons, you still ought to Vulcan up and check this out.

73) “Descent” (Parts I & II) Seasons 6 & 7, Episode 26 & 1 The return of both the Borg and Lore and the manipulation of Data and his nascent emotions sounds like the making of an epic two-parter. It has its moments, but isn’t as engaging as most of the other two-parters.

72) “Galaxy’s Child” Season 4, Episode 16 What with Star Trek already saving Earth whales in “The Voyage Home,” we knew it was only a matter of time before Star Trek did space whales and the result is pretty good. Also, Geordi is still unlucky in love, which is kind of like TNG’s “O’Brien must suffer.”

71) “Violations” Season 5, Episode 12 Yes, a modern version of this story would take the freakiness and discomfort up to 11 , but in the context of having a reasonably family-friendly syndicated broadcast TV show, this tale of intrusive telepaths is pretty darn engaging.

70) “A Matter of Time” Season 5, Episode 9 It’s really sad to see Edison Carter turn to a life of time-travel crime, but it does make for a good episode.

69) “Time’s Arrow” (Parts I & II) Season 5 & 6, Episode 26 & 1 Much like “Descent,” this two-parter has oodles of potential from Guinan’s backstory to Data causing temporal paradoxes and it’s not a bad watch — but it’s not a great watch.

68) “Conundrum” Season 5, Episode 14 This episode proves that you will watch an okay episode with great characters. Because let’s face it, the plot is preposterous. The length the villainous Satarrans need to go to in order to trick the Enterprise crew into destroying their enemy is quite absurd. If this was a season 1 story, we would all talk about this episode in the hushed tones of embarrassment we refer to “Home Soil” And yet, the episode is tremendous fun. We get a great deal of introspection and we get to see the essential nature of each and every one of the main cast come through despite losing their identities. It doesn’t advance the concept that reptilian-humanoids are people too, but hey, that’s perhaps too much to ask.

67) “The Offspring” Season 3, Episode 16 Jonathan Frakes’ directorial debut is a fitting follow-up to season two’s “The Measure of a Man” in raising some great questions.

66) “The Enemy” Season 3, Episode 7 Did you get enough of Geordi last episode? Of course you didn’t. And here he is teaching an uptight Romulan that old prejudices may be wrong. Bonus points for Worf having honest trouble moving past his prejudices and Andreas Katsulas as a great Romulan commander.

65) “Attached” Season 7, Episode 8 The increasingly paranoid aliens are fun and it’s nice to see Picard and Crusher’s relationship explored, but there’s still too much status quo at the end of the episode.

64) “Qpid” Season 4, Episode 20 Worf saying “I protest sir. I am not a merry man!” is one of the best lines in all of Trek. That said, the overall episode is just okay.

63) “The Price” Season 3, Episode 8 An okay episode focusing on negotiations, machinations, and Counselor Troi. Just do not try and be more sensitive or caring than Matt McCoy. He understands your pain at not being as much of a sensitive, new age guy as he is. He really does. He just does it so, so well. Perhaps he can get you a drink and you can tell him all about it?

62) “Brothers” Season 4, Episode 3 We get to see a single android take control of a starship, Brent Spiner have a field day in three similar, but different roles, and there’s a nice little thematic subplot that adds to the dramatic urgency to cut short Data’s unscheduled family time. If The Patty Duke Show was more like this, I’d watch.

61) “Phantasms” Season 7, Episode 6 A nice little Data-centric episode with mystery, misdirection, and some horrific images as Data explores nightmares… or not. Absolute bonus points for Freud analyzing himself in a dream within the dream. This episode deserves cake. With mint frosting!

60) “Clues” Season 4, Episode 14 A solid mystery episode with a great reveal for Data and yet another example of how Worf will like it better on Deep Space Nine, where he’ll actually be able to defeat enemies, rather than just demonstrate how powerful they are.

59) “The Mind’s Eye” Season 4, Episode 24 A suspenseful entry as you know Geordie’s up to something, but even he doesn’t know it. Plus, O’Brien doesn’t suffer, but a simulated version of him is killed, so we’re sort of warming up for DS9.

58) “I, Borg” Season 5, Episode 23 No, ME Borg! Okay, seriously, it’s not a bad episode and it sets us up for “Descent,” has good ethical quandaries, and fencing with Guinan.

57) “The Nth Degree” Season 4, Episode 19 Taking a few flowers from Algernon and many a page from tales of mind-controlling aliens and you have a not entirely unfamiliar tale with a very Trek treatment.

56) “Ménage à Troi” Season 3, Episode 24 I know what you’re thinking: it’s a TNG story with Ferengi and Lwaxana Troi, what can I honestly expect? The answer is “a light, delightful episode” that introduces “oo-mox” to Star Trek canon.

55) “Tin Man” Season 3, Episode 20 The always enjoyable Harry Groener gives a great guest appearance as a telepath tired of his powers being turned up to 11 , Data finds new meaning in his Starfleet family, and we get some wonderful strange new life. Solid.

54) “Second Chances” Season 6, Episode 24 A TNG take on the malfunctioning transporter that gives a look at the different choices that made Riker Riker.

53) “The Vengeance Factor” Season 3, Episode 9 Have we given generational blood feuds the sci-fi treatment yet? No, then let’s do it with a little doomed romance, shall we? Nicely done, with quite a lot of story covered in such a short time, but some demerits for the director’s blocking of the actors at the end.

52) “Night Terrors” Season 4, Episode 17 An inventive and occasionally creepy entry in the “lost starship” category of episodes with enough mystery and twists to deliver us to a satisfying ending.

51) “Gambit” (Parts I & II) Season 7, Episode 4 & 5 An almost too-clever-by-half plot is buoyed by decently paced action, intrigue, and the fact we’re really here for the characters at this point. Plus, the artifact is pretty damn cool.

50) “In Theory” Season 4, Episode 25 You knew we had to do an episode of an android in love at some point, and the resulting story, directed by Patrick Stewart, gives us all the comedy-drama we were expecting.

49) “The Masterpiece Society” Season 5, Episode 13 A great example of what TNG can do with both the Enterprise ensemble and a good guest ensemble while exploring the ethical boundaries of non-interference, self-determination, and so much more. Quintessential Star Trek.

48) “Relics” Season 6, Episode 4 Although the Dyson Sphere gets short shrift — or more to the point, the distinct lack of Dyson Sphere builders does — you’re here to see James Doohan give everyone’s favorite Scottish engineer a curtain call. Well done.

47) “Rightful Heir” Season 6, Episode 23 A surprisingly packed episode that starts with Worf searching for his roots and ends up with possible intergalactic ramifications as well as personal reflections on faith and being, including a great moment between Worf and Data.

46) “Captain’s Holiday” Season 3, Episode 19 Clad in vacation-wear that has launched a thousand memes, Picard manages to get his groove on whilst also dabbling in his love of archaeology and solving a time-travel mystery. I suppose it’s a prerequisite for Enterprise captains to be so overachieving.

45) “Future Imperfect” Season 4, Episode 8 You think it’s an alternate timeline episode, but really, it’s a mind warp episode — and even with that, there’s one more twist that is wonderfully Trekkish.

44) “Timescape” Season 6, Episode 25 A perfectly enjoyable “what’s happened to the Enterprise ?” mystery that also answers questions you didn’t know you had, like “Does Troi do impressions?” and “What happens if Picard doesn’t clip his nails?”

43) “Devil’s Due” Season 4, Episode 13 Another classic Trek idea given the TNG treatment that tackles myth and superstition. Sadly, Marta Dubois’ Ardra does not return (a la Harry Mudd) to torment the crew in a future episode.

42) “Ensign Ro” Season 5, Episode 3 The on-the-nose title notwithstanding, this is a good introduction to Michelle Forbes’ Ensign Ro Laren as well as Bajor, all wrapped up in a tale of intergalactic intrigue with modern Earth parallels.

41) “Déjà Q” Season 3, Episode 13 Corbin Bernsen, ice cream sundaes, and the mariachi band make this a pretty fun Q episode. Don’t tell me you don’t like mariachi bands.

40) “Family” Season 4, Episode 2 It’s important in all sorts of storytelling to give the reader or viewer a chance to slow down and breathe while still telling the story. This is that moment. That the producers of TNG realized that they should and could do this is one of the reasons why Next Generation became the excellent series it did.

39) “Who Watches the Watchers” Season 3, Episode 4 Apparently deciding to let everyone know that Season Three was officially stepping it up, this cracking good episode takes a Classic Trek notion of how the Prime Directive should be followed and gives it that thoughtful Next Generation treatment. I love the glimpse of the proto-Vulcan culture, the heartfelt performance by Ray Wise, and the look at science and superstition.

38) “The Survivors” Season 3, Episode 3 One of my favorite versions of a classic Trek idea done in the Next Generation style, definitely benefiting from guest performances by Anne Haney and John Anderson. I love so much of the dialogue, from Worf’s befuddlement to Picard’s nautical commands — and that final reveal about the Husnock has to be one of the best “Holy Nuck Futs!” moments of the whole series.

37) “Final Mission” Season 4, Episode 9 In a sense, we get Wesley Crusher’s last test before he goes to Starfleet Academy and it turns out he’s more than ready.

36) “The Next Phase” Season 5, Episode 24 An inventive and entertaining Romulan story focusing on Geordi and Ro that manages to give just about everyone some good character moments and features one spectacular chase through the Enterprise .

35) “The Most Toys” Season 3, Episode 22 An insidious villain (Saul Rubinek) and a loyal crew that will leave no android behind ably support what turns out to be an absolutely fantastic character study of Data.

34) “Lower Decks” Season 7, Episode 15 We get to see the Enterprise from a whole new vantage point of some of Enterprise ’s 1,000-member crew who aren’t on screen every week. A simple story idea, well executed.

33) “Preemptive Strike” Season 7, Episode 24 Closing up Ensign Ro’s character arc as they wind down the series is a nice touch, with some great character moments and ideas that will get explored further and deeper in DS9.

32) “Sins of the Father” Season 3, Episode 17 The debut of Tony Todd as Kurn sets us off on Worf’s multi-year odyssey to figure out that honor thing. It’s an excellent episode in terms of both theme and worldbuilding.

31) “Cause and Effect” Season 5, Episode 18 The “One where the Enterprise keeps exploding” turns out to be great fun, keeping twists throughout and with a fun cameo at the end.

30) “Frame of Mind” Season 6, Episode 21 The best of the TNG “mind warp” episodes sees Commander Riker debating whether it’s real sci-fi life, or just theater fantasy… and then there’s one twist more. My only quibble is that as a former stage tech, I wanted to see 24th century set construction and strike techniques, but that’s no reason for demerits.

29) “Thine Own Self” Season 7, Episode 16 Data will do as a Data does in this tale that should warm the cockles of any scientist’s heart. Plus, if you think that Starfleet won’t have messed-up psych tests for the ship’s counselor, think again!

28) “Power Play” Season 5, Episode 15 Terrorists trying to seize the Enterprise would make for a good episode alone, but making them body-possessing spirits levels up the whole proceeding — just don’t think about the mechanics of possessing Data too much.

27) “Parallels” Season 7, Episode 11 Worf excels in this thoroughly enjoyable alternate dimension tale with little bits of payoff for longtime viewers. Also, in a truism that I dearly want copied in other alternate dimension stories: when the cake turns from chocolate to yellow, trouble’s afoot.

26) “Data’s Day” Season 4, Episode 11 A quiet epic of an episode built around the ingenious framing device of Data narrating the events of what turns out to be a not-remotely-normal day. You get a wedding, intergalactic intrigue, and tap-dancing. What more do you need?

25) “Starship Mine” Season 6, Episode 18 It was pitched as Die Hard on a Starship , so — Data’s wonderful skills at small talk aside — get ready for a surprisingly high body count and grim humor.

24) “The Hunted” Season 3, Episode 11 A great showcase for Trek as a source of timeless, allegorical tales. In this case, it’s in the form of an action-packed episode about how societies treat veterans.

23) “The First Duty” Season 5, Episode 19 Voted “Episode Most Likely to Be Discussed in a High School Class” when it came out, it’s still a wonderful look at honor, integrity, and, yes, Wesley Crusher’s character arc. But really, you’re here for Picard being the moral rock that you know he is.

22) “The Drumhead” Season 4, Episode 21 It’s depressing how well this episode has aged, but in a sense, it was trying to speak to timeless issues around justice and abuse of power when it was written. Stellar, earnest performances all around give nuance to wonderful shades of grey, yet with a strong ethical center. It’s not a light-hearted rewatch, but an episode that deserves a rewatch every now and then.

21) “The Pegasus” Season 7, Episode 12 Loyalty, moral quandary, and really cool tech make this an episode that scratches just about all your Star Trek itches.

20) “Reunion” Season 4, Episode 7 Setting up much Worf’s “tragic hero” arc (which basically continues into DS9), we get the Duras family’s tradition of dishonor, the first appearance of Gowron, and Klingon loopholes involving duels. Sto’Vo’Kor awaits, K’Ehleyr.

19) “The Measure of a Man” Season 2, Episode 9 Oft cited by fans as one of the best episodes of The Next Generation. Your mileage may vary depending on how much trauma you endured watching the first two seasons, but there’s no denying this is classic Trek as Data’s rights as a sentient being are debated passionately on both sides. Over 30 years on –and ever closer to true artificial intelligence– this episode seems to only grow more relevant.

18) “Silicon Avatar” Season 5, Episode 4 It’s like someone in the writer’s room re-watched “Datalore” and said, “Hold my synthehol.” The crystalline entity is shown to be the danger it truly is, but Starfleet’s efforts to seek peaceful contact is also tested wonderfully… and Data has another banner episode.

17) “The Ensigns of Command” Season 3, Episode 2 While Picard and Troi face off against a rock creature gone rogue from the Jim Henson Company, Data faces off against humans who clearly need Muppets because they take themselves waaay too seriously. An altogether enjoyable episode.

16) “The High Ground” Season 3, Episode 12 I still remember seeing this episode when it was first broadcast and thinking to myself, “Now that I think about it, this season is really cooking with gas. This, this is the Star Trek I’ve been looking for in this new show.” And even though this particular episode of “the new show” is over 30 years old, its themes about armed resistance and terrorism still resonate as well-defined characters on either side try and do the best they can with an ugly, imperfect situation and the Enterprise crew is caught in the middle. Both George Bernard Shaw and Michael Bay will pull up a chair for this one (though Bay will say, “it needs a few more explosions.”)

15) “The Wounded” Season 4, Episode 12 The introduction of the Cardassians is immensely satisfying in the tradition of TOS episodes showing the Federation’s detente with the Klingons and Romulans. Plus, it’s like we see O’Brien’s destiny of being tortured on Deep Space Nine birthed in this episode.

14) “Face of the Enemy” Season 6, Episode 14 Troi is called upon to carry not only an episode, but one full of deceit and spycraft… and does so brilliantly. Bonus points for the cold open.

13) “First Contact” Season 4, Episode 15 Not as action-packed as the TNG movie of the same name, this episode is filled with moments of delight and introspection, giving us a fresh take on how the Prime Directive is handled. Both George Coe and Michael Ensign bring their character’s convictions to wonderful life.

12) “The Defector” Season 3, Episode 10 Star Trek does the Cold War, but thanks to a well-crafted script by Ronald D. Moore, this tale has a timeless quality (Shakespeare always helps in that regard, doesn’t it?). The whole cast shines in their respective parts with great guest turns from both James Sloyan and Andreas Katsulas with a great twist and a powerful denouement.

11) “Sarek” Season 3, Episode 23 The welcome return of Mark Lenard as Spock’s father heralds an emotional epic of an episode that’s spectacular Trek.

10) “Tapestry” Season 6, Episode 15 A classic “what if” story that gives us not only satisfying backstory on Picard first hinted at in season 2, but some timeless resonance in exploring the regrets and acceptance that come from choices made — and you see Q in a whole new light.

9) “Unification”  (Parts I & II) Season 5, Episode 7 & 8 Between Sela, Spock and even Stephen Root(!), this is an incredibly satisfying two-parter despite the heartbreaking end of Sarek. For that, you have our gratitude.

8) “Ship in a Bottle” Season 6, Episode 12 One of the more unexpected callbacks to an earlier season results in one of the most ingenious episodes, with Daniel Davis returning as Moriarty who turns out to be every bit the cunning villain he ought to be.

7) “Yesterday’s Enterprise” Season 3, Episode 15 A perennial mainstay on “Best of” lists in part because it scratches that “what if” itch so familiar to fans of classic Star Trek episodes like “Mirror, Mirror” and fans of science fiction in general.

6) “Redemption” (Parts I & II) Season 4 & 5, Episode 26 & 1 Oh, what a long way we’ve come from season one with Klingons… and Worf. Full of action, intrigue, and more than a little political worldbuilding, this sprawling two-parter about the Klingon Civil War is a great watch giving both Picard and Data a chance to shine.

5) “Darmok” Season 5, Episode 2 Often thought of as TNG’s answer to “Arena,” the simple conceit of the universal translator failing in an interesting way (don’t think about it too hard) gives us a great exploration of first contact and validation for mythology geeks who’ve read the Epic of Gilgamesh.

4) “All Good Things…” Season 7, Episode 25 & 26 While I know some find this series finale gave short shrift to the rest of the ensemble –it is a Picard-centric story through and through– I find that ignores what turns out to be an immensely satisfying two-parter, “what if” story, and an altogether pleasing note to end on.

3) “The Best of Both Worlds” (Parts I & II) Season 3 & 4, Episode 26 & 1 The Borg are back and they’re on a mission… which just happens to make for an absolutely riveting adventure. If the second half flags a bit, it’s only because the first half ends with one of the best cliffhangers in all of television history. Stellar all around from the performances to the story to the action.

2) “Chain of Command” (Parts I & II) Season 6, Episode 10 & 11 Not only does this tense two-parter give just about every single member of the main cast a moment to shine — it also shows us the uncomfortable truth that captains like Ronny Cox’s Jellico can be complete assholes, but are going to still be captains in Starfleet for years to come. Oh, and we have the standoff between Picard and David Warner’s Gul Madred that is one for the ages. Phenomenal.

1) “The Inner Light” Season 5, Episode 25 The best Star Trek stories are so often simply great science fiction stories with a strong central premise. Here, the idea of living a lifetime in the space of, oh, let’s say an hour with commercials, is executed so expertly that it never gets old. Thoughtful, haunting, and voted “Most likely to make you stare wistfully into the middle distance” by It’s Dusty In Here magazine.

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'Make it so': Star Trek: The Next Generation's 25 best episodes, ranked

These are the best adventures of Captain Picard's  TNG  crew.

No one expected Star Trek to last longer than the original series’ first three seasons, let alone 55 years. 

Even by 1960s standards, the classic show suffered from low-budget sets and, at times, cheesy effects. But what it lacked in spectacle it made up for with ideas; a thematically-rich exploration of heady sci-fi concepts bolstered by occasional space-based action and some of the finest TV characters ever assembled. Trek ’s legacy would endure and spawn 13 feature films and several series, most notably Star Trek: The Next Generation , which is as popular now (or more) than it has ever been, thanks to streaming. In 2021,  TNG  celebrate some significant milestones: The 30th anniversary of the Season 5 episode "Disaster,"  Trek 's take on disaster movies like  The Poseidon Adventure , the 30th of "Unification, Parts I and II, which marked Mr. Spock's return to television prior to the theatrical release of 1991's  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , and  Star Trek: First Contact  recently turned 25. 

With everyone coming up  Star Trek: The Next Generation  lately, as well as the franchise itself celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, SYFY WIRE scrolled through our databanks to rank and file the 25 greatest episodes of  TNG . 

25. “Q Who?” (Season 2)

The Borg have never been more scary than they are in “Q Who?”, their first appearance in Star Trek .

When Q is denied a spot amongst Picard’s crew, he punishes the captain’s perceived short-sightedness by snapping his fingers and sending the Enterprise to the unexplored reaches of the Delta Quadrant. There, Picard encounters — and barely escapes — the Borg and their relentless pursuit of perfection by means of assimilation. The moment their cube vessel cuts out a section of the D’s saucer as easily as one would carve a roast, the Borg instantly shot past the Klingons as Star Trek ’s most lethal adversary. Our introduction to the Borg is both bleak and dark, which gives the episode a slow burn, almost haunted house movie-type feel thanks to future X-Files director Rob Bowman’s dread-filled visual style. For the first time on Star Trek , you don’t know how or if the crew will get out of this one. The tension therein makes for one hell of an episode. 

24. “The Next Phase” (Season 5)

“The Next Phase” is further proof that, when it comes to delivering high-concept entertainment, no Trek show did it better than The Next Generation .  

With a plotline rich enough to sustain an entire feature, “Next Phase” pairs the conflict-heavy Ensign Ro (Michelle Forbes) with LeVar Burton’s Geordi LaForge on a mission to free themselves from being phased out of reality before Romulans destroy the Enterprise. Forbes and Burton’s committed performances help ground the out-there premise as the sci-fi complications build to a race-against-time conclusion that is so satisfying, you might catch yourself applauding in approval. 

23. “Ensign Ro” (Season 5)

Season Five’s “Ensign Ro” had the unenviable task of introducing the episode’s titular recurring character as means to tee up the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine spinoff. While more plot heavy than usual TNG episodes, Michael Piller’s teleplay delicately balances out the exposition with essential character development scenes between the infamous Ro Laren and her new captain, Picard.

When we first meet the Bajoran Ro, everything about her says “stay away.” Her rebellious Starfleet record precedes her when she first boards Enterprise, which leads to instant friction between her and Riker as Picard recruits Ro for a mission that concerns her people and their enemy, a Nazi-like occupational force known as the Cardassians. Ro quickly became a fan-favorite, thanks to Forbes’ sympathetic and charming performance in what would become a load-bearing episode for the franchise’s expansion in the ‘90s. 

22. “Brothers” (Season 4)

This Season 4 entry fleshes out Data’s backstory with a one-man show for Brent Spiner as he plays three different characters: Data, his very old creator, Dr. Noonien Soong, and Data’s very evil brother, Lore. 

After Data inexplicably orchestrates a fake disaster aboard the Enterprise and takes control of the ship’s computer, he confronts both the father he thought was long lost and the brother he can’t seem to lose. Soong wants to give Data an emotion chip, to finish what he started before he dies, just as Data’s family reunion jeopardizes the health of a young boy under Dr. Crusher’s care. If Data doesn’t relinquish control of the Enterprise, this kid will die and his brother will suffer from a lifelong case of survivor’s guilt. Looking past the fact that “Brothers” confusingly avoids dealing with any serious questions surrounding Data’s selfish and potentially deadly actions, the episode serves as an extended Emmy reel for Spiner. He effortlessly dons old age makeup and switches between three generations of Data’s family line in what is a definitive moment in the android’s arc. 

21. “Deja Q” (Season 3)

The second best of Q’s visits to the Enterprise, “Deja Q” is a brilliant elevator pitch — what if Q lost his powers — executed to its richest and most dramatically satisfying potential. Stripping Q of his omnipotence gives the mischievous a newfound sense of vulnerability and humility, one he only previously experienced when observing the subjects of his torments. While Q’s appreciation for what it means to be human is brief, it gives John de Lancie interesting opportunities to invest his iconic baddie with more nuance as Q goes from selfless to selfish in this entertaining (and very meme-friendly) outting. 

20. “Reunion” (Season 4)

Worf-centric episodes of TNG like “Reunion” or “Sins of the Father” are to Star Trek what the last two Captain America movies are to Marvel: World-building game changers. “Reunion” pushes major plotlines whose consequences will eventually ripple effect throughout the next three decades of Star Trek , as Worf’s personal vendetta against his rival, the Duras family, brings more intrigue to the Enterprise and tragedy to our favorite Klingon. 

It also pushes Worf into a relationship with his estranged son, Alexander, as the two must learn to live together when a conspiracy that threatens to tear the Klingon Empire apart results in the death of Alexander’s mom and Worf’s over, K'Ehleyr (the scary-talented Suzie Plakson). The mystery plot here clicks into place like safe tumblers, but “Reunion” truly excels in the moments spent with Worf as his obligations as a Starfleet officer get in the way of his code as a Klingon warrior. Especially when, during one of Trek ’s darkest moments, Worf exercises his right to avenge his one true love by straight-up murdering her dishonorable killer. 

19. “The Drumhead” (Season 5)

As bottle episodes go, they don’t get much better or more powerful than “The Drumhead.” 

It’s The Crucible on the Enterprise as Picard spars with one of the Federation’s legendary legal minds and investigators when she suspects there is a Romulan conspiracy taking root on the flagship. The circumstances surrounding her suspicions achieve Red Scare-levels of paranoia as TNG puts McCarthyism through a revealing and unyielding sci-fi lens to tell a very timely story of how far people will go to find the truth — even if it means fabricating a version of it. 

18. “Lower Decks” (Season 7)

Before the comedic adventures of the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks , Star Trek ’s first attempt to explore the lives of the rank-and-file officers aboard a starship occurred in “Lower Decks,” one of the few standout episodes from the underwhelming Season 7. 

“Lower Decks” devotes most of its screentime to a small group of pals who aspire to be on the Enterprise bridge or among the senior staff’s away missions. They soon end up in “be-careful-what-you-wish-for” territory when Picard plucks one of the young officers, the Bajoran Ensign Sito (Shannon Fill), to help him execute a dangerous mission involving the Cardassians. “Lower Decks” acts as a pseudo-sequel of sorts to “The First Duty,” where Picard first encountered Sito during a court martial that tarnished the then-cadet’s career before it started. Her chance at redemption via Picard’s mentorship gives the episode its beating heart, which ultimately breaks ours in the final moments when this earnest officer we’ve been rooting for becomes another casualty under Picard’s command. With this final dramatic twist, “Lower Decks” goes from a welcomed departure from TNG ’s usual story template to one of the show’s most effective episodes. 

17. “The First Duty” (Season 5)

Wesley Crusher continues to give Picard more headaches than anyone is worth, but at least this time it results in a standout episode of Trek . 

Ron Moore’s attempt to do A Few Good Men , Star Tre k -style, centers on Crusher and his fellow cadets. On the eve of their graduation from Starfleet Academy, they find themselves in the middle of a tribunal that intends to get to the truth behind why their friend and fellow cadet, Josh, died during a flight exercise. The lies Wesley and his friends tell to escape justice only puts them under more scrutiny when Picard goes digging around the shady circumstances surrounding Josh’s death. That search yields a show-stopping scene between Picard and Wesley, with one hell of a monologue that still gives us chills. “The First Duty” adds some much needed depth and ethical greys to Wesley’s squeaky-clean image, while also affording TNG the rare chance to challenge its “perfect” utopia by proving that even the best of us can succumb to our lesser angels. 

16. “The Defector” (Season 3)

“The Defector” is another exceptional episode from (shocker) writer Ron Moore, which puts a Romulan defector front and center with tragic consequences.

This defector, who Picard struggles to believe is just some low-level officer, risks never seeing his family again in an effort to save his people and Earth’s from what appears to be another costly war brewing between the two adversaries. In the course of vetting the defector’s statements, Picard finds more questions than answers. That investigation comes with one hell of a gut punch: Eventually, the Romulan officer realizes his people betrayed him . They used him as bait, leaking somewhat false information as a way to test his loyalty to the Empire and gleam intelligence off Starfleet’s response to their partial ruse. “The Defector” is a powerful tale of one man’s journey from brave hero to duped traitor, with a mystery plot that keeps audiences at the edge of their seats as the final scenes send them reaching for some tissues. 

15. “Disaster” (Season 5)

Designed as an homage to classic disaster movies like The Poseidon Adventure , Ron Moore’s underrated “Disaster” gives the Enterprise the Irwin Allen treatment when the starship is crippled after a collision with two quantum filaments (think space potholes). With the ship powerless and adrift, “Disaster” splits up the crew and mines their individual crises for maximum tension by putting these characters outside their comfort zone or into conflict-rich pairings. For example, an injured Picard is forced to help and work with people he normally can’t stand, children, while Counsellor Troi finds herself both in command and way over her head as her inexperience clashes with that of the better-trained Ensign Ro. “Disaster” is the rare Trek outing with no moral or lesson to learn, just good ol’ fashioned, keep-the-plates spinning tension that is just as rewatchable as the epic movies that inspired it.

14. “Relics” (Season 6)

The Next Generation thankfully loosened up on its “no classic Star Trek actors” guest star policy for Season 6’s “Relics,” a thrilling episode written by Ron Moore that brings James Doohan’s Scotty into the 24th Century. 

Prior to Scotty, only McCoy and Spock mingled with Picard’s crew, but Scotty’s episode arguably makes the best use out of revisiting these iconic characters. Here, Scotty struggles with being a man out of time and a fish out of water when he is thrust into a conflict of engineering styles with Geordi as the two must work together to free the Enterprise-D from the massive confines of a Dyson sphere. The episode spends considerable time contrasting the two engineer’s styles, giving Doohan more meaty acting moments in this one hour than any episode or movie did before. Scotty, accustomed to saving the day and with plenty of old war stories to prove it, quickly realizes he’s less of an asset on this Enterprise and more of a has-been. He begins to find his place and relevance once again by sharing a drink with Picard on the bridge of The Original Series ’ Enterprise (albeit a holodeck recreation of it).

“Relics” wisely invests Scotty with a rich exploration of what would really happen if one of the 23rd Century’s most famous heroes finds himself questioning his usefulness in the 24th Century. Moore’s script uses one Trek icon to push and challenge his TNG equivalent, giving fans one of the show’s most exciting adventures.

13. “Chain of Command, Parts I & II” (Season 6)

“Chain of Command” is arguably TNG ’s darkest hour, and one of its most thrilling. This two-parter kicks off with one of the shortest teasers in Trek history: Captain Picard loses command of the Enterprise when Starfleet re-assigns him to lead a Black Ops-esque team on a mission deep into enemy territory. That enemy? The Cardassians. Picard’s job is to find out if these baddies are creating a deadly bio-weapon and but his mission goes sideways; he is soon captured and tortured as a POW by a sadistic Cardassian (David Warner) as Riker bristles against the brash command stylings of Picard’s replacement, Captain Jellico ( RoboCop ’s Ronnie Cox.) 

The second half of this intense storyline is the strongest and most memorable for fans, as it features the infamous “There are four lights!” interrogation scene. Here, a gaunt and delirious Picard combats his captor’s psychological torture as the Cardassian gaslights Picard into submission by promising him freedom if Jean-Luc will admit he sees five lights when there are only four. This battle of wills is fraught with more tension than any space battle could muster, as “Chain of Command” provides a sobering dose of political commentary by tackling the issues of war crimes and genocide in ways only Star Trek could.

12. “The Wounded” (Season 4)

The first appearance of the villainous Cardassians (complete with their funky and quickly-abandoned head gear) is Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s sci-fi take on Coppola’s Apocalypse Now . Only instead of venturing “up river” to terminate a rogue colonel, Picard and Chief O’Brien (Colm Meany) are forced to work with “the bloody Cardys” in pursuit of O’Brien’s former captain, Maxwell ( Shawshank Redemption ’s Bob Gunton). Maxwell has seemingly gone rogue, using his starship to attack what appears to be non-military Cardassian targets.

O’Brien, having fought the Cardassians during a violent war years ago, must grapple with his hate and his duty in an episode that gives the supporting character his first real dramatic showcase. When O’Brien finally has some alone time with the cornered and defeated Maxwell, “The Wounded” earns its namesake as the two sing a melancholic song after sharing war stories of comrades lost that Maxwell’s vengeful PTSD can’t ever bring back. This haunting scene tugs on the heartstrings moments before Picard discovers that the supply ships Maxwell attacked were indeed part of Cardassian efforts to re-arm themselves. It is a revelation that validates Maxwell’s career-ending crusade while also giving the episode one of Trek ’s most bittersweet finales. 

11. “The Offspring” (Season 3)

Data’s earnest endeavors to be more human reach a turning point in “The Offspring,” an emotionally-charged episode of TNG where Data creates his daughter, Lal. 

Just as the android bonds with his child, a veteran Starfleet admiral arrives on Enterprise threatening to pull them apart when he challenges their right to be a family at all. Star Trek: TNG often finds success in exploring Data’s humanity

through the lens of the very humans who would try and take it away from him. “The Offspring” offers an excellent and tearful portrayal of that conflict as the crew comes to their friend’s aid just as Lal suffers a life-threatening issue. It’s a five-boxes-of-tissues affair when Data and the admiral work offscreen to save Lal. No matter how fast Data’s hands move, they fail to prevent Data from having to learn the hardest of humanity’s lessons: Loss. 

10. “Measure of a Man” (Season 2)

Real talk: Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s first two seasons are noble misfires. Their weekly installments have more lows than highs, but one of the few outstanding hours from the series’ early days is the Data-centric “Measure of a Man.” 

When another jerkoff Starfleet scientist comes looking to dissect Data to see what makes him tick, Picard must defend his officer’s sentience in court, and settle once and for all if this android is indeed alive or merely Federation property. The stakes couldn’t be higher — Data either gets to live on the Enterprise or under a microscope — and the drama that unfolds from this classic Star Trek premise is riveting. “Measure of a Man,” Melinda M. Sondgrass’ first writing credit for the show, is full of great dialogue and speeches that spark numerous ethical debates: Who is Starfleet to say that Data is sentient or not? Is their mission to explore new life or to play God when they find it? “Measure” never shies away from debating such topics, which have always been at the heart of Star Trek . It all builds to Picard’s passionate, climactic defense in favor of his colleague and friend — a scene that ranks near the top of Patrick Stewart’s long list of great acting achievements.

9. “Darmok” (Season 5) 

Credit: © Paramount Television/courtesy Everett Collection

Picard’s diplomatic skills are put to the test in “Darmok,” when he is taken against his will and paired with an alien commander who only communicates via metaphor. This “only-on- Star-Trek ” premise offers a potential minefield of narrative obstacles that could easily derail the drama in their execution, but Joe Menosky’s exceptional script for this Season Five episode pulls it off effortlessly. 

Picard, stranded on a mysterious planet with Dathon (Paul Winfield), quickly finds that language can be both a tool and a barrier for success, but only after failing several times in his attempt to communicate with his new alien friend. The two can hear each other's words, but not comprehend their meaning, which eventually leads to one of Picard’s finest moments: A campfire story recounting the tale of Gilgamesh. (But only after Dathon tells the mythic story of Darmok and Jalad, at Tanagra). Here, the two strangers forge a strong alliance — just in time to combat a savage threat. “Darmok” deservedly takes its time to tell a story about how similar we are despite our linguistic differences, and every rewatch of this seminal TNG episode never fails to make that point resonate as deeply as it did when it first aired. 

8. “I, Borg” (Season 5)

The value of life has been a thematic staple of many Star Trek episodes, but few have tackled it with the high-stakes drama like “I, Borg” does.

When the crew of the Enterprise finds an injured Borg drone, Picard must make a choice: Nurse it back to health or use it as a Trojan Horse that can infect the Borg Collective with a fatal virus. When Picard leans closer to condemning this Borg’s life to save millions of others, “I, Borg” thrusts the captain and his crew into a passionate moral debate that results in one of the series’ most powerful moments when Picard confronts the naive drone, one that Geordi has affectionately named “Hugh”. Up until this moment, Picard was hellbent on using Hugh to destroy the alien race that once assimilated him. But the captain has a change of heart while talking to Hugh as Locutus, Picard’s former Borg self. Here, Hugh breaks from the collective by speaking firmly from the “I” instead of “we,” which sends Picard into a wrestling match with his conscience. 

Star Trek rarely colors its heroes in such dark shades, but “I, Borg” succeeds by realistically portraying how someone like Picard isn’t wrong , per say, for wanting to kill those that turned him into a killer. For wanting to punish the Borg for crimes against humanity (and the galaxy) that they have committed and will likely commit again. But can you still be a hero if you do to your enemy what they did to you, and alter and weaponize them? “I, Borg” argues that there are no easy answers to those questions, but the discussion they spark makes for a very profound hour of television. 

7. “Tapestry” (Season 6)

Star Trek goes full It’s a Wonderful Life with “Tapestry”, which is arguably the best of the standalone Q episodes.

After a near-death experience, Picard is shown the life he could have lived had he played it more “safe” in his youth. The path not taken leads Picard away from command and into a blue uniform with a career so unremarkable, even Troi struggles to find something nice to say about it. On the road to nowhere fast, Picard turns to Q for a second chance to get back the only life he knows, even if it means dying to get it. “Tapestry,” written by the inestimable Ron Moore, takes an almost Twilight Zone -y approach in telling this story, which is full of heartfelt moments and surprisingly laugh-out-loud comedy. The lesson Picard learns here, about how rewarding taking risks can be, is a universal one — which explains why "Tapestry" often finds its way near the top of fans’ “must-watch” lists. 

6. “Family” (Season 4)

Honestly, it’s a mini miracle that “Family” got made. 

Before this exceptional episode from TNG ’s fourth season, the series largely steered clear from serialized storytelling. At the time, executive producer Rick Berman and Paramount television were strongly against “sequelizing” any TNG storylines; “no serialized stories” was an unofficial “rule” of television back then. But writer Ronald D. Moore thankfully saw an opportunity to break that rule with a story that he couldn’t pass up: How would Picard deal with the emotional fallout of his time with the Borg? 

With no phaser battles or even a trip to the Enterprise bridge (the only episode in Star Trek ’s run to never have a scene set on the command deck), “Family” pulls off an engrossing hour of television that peels back the curtain on who Picard was, and who he is struggling to be, in the the aftermath of the two-parter “Best of Both Worlds”. Mostly set on Earth, the episode introduces Picard’s family vineyard into Trek canon, as Picard confronts his estranged brother and debates whether or not to leave Starfleet. The only person who can help Picard deal with his trauma is the last person he can stand being with, his brother. Only through their constant bickering does Picard find a sense of satisfying resolution, which gives Stewart one of his most heartbreaking scenes when he finally acknowledges the emotional scars the Borg left him with. 

5. “Cause & Effect” (Season 5)

After a jarring teaser that culminates with the fiery destruction of the Enterprise, “Cause & Effect” unfolds with time loop after time loop as Picard and his crew struggle to free themselves from suffering the same terrible fate. 

Written by Brannon Braga, TNG ’s go-to scribe for high-concept stories, “Cause & Effect” pulls a Groundhog Day two years before the movie was even a thing. It breaks the show’s traditional storytelling mold by repeating the same disaster and making each loop through a new puzzle that both the audience and the crew must solve. Fans were so “in it” with their favorite characters that many called their local affiliates during the original broadcast with concern that something was wrong with the satellite feed as the episode kept repeating scenes. While audiences take the “time loop concept” for granted today, “Cause & Effect” pioneered it in a way that still registers as one of its best and most entertaining executions. 

4. “The Inner Light” (Season 5)

This surprising tearjerker ranks high for fans, thanks in large part to Patrick Stewart’s compelling performance as “The Inner Light” explores the concept of being a living witness to an extinct civilization. In this classic episode, Picard finds himself living the life of a long-deceased man named Kamin, after being zapped by a probe that is seemingly all that remains of Kamin’s civilization. 

The probe allows Picard to live a lifetime in 20 minutes, and experience all the things Picard denies himself to be — namely a husband and a father. The majority of the episode takes place on an alien world as it is slowly undone by Star Trek ’s equivalent of global warming, with Kamin trying to help save his planet from pending doom the way Jor-El tried with Krypton. And like his Superman counterpart, Kamin fails — but he succeeds in providing a glimpse into a society that, while being nothing more than a blip in the galaxy’s grand scheme, still has a legacy worth being remembered. That’s the heartfelt and poignant endnote “Inner Light” imparts on viewers, which explains why this episode still resonates decades after it first aired.

3. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (Season 3) 

When the long lost Enterprise-C travels through a (what else?) temporal anomaly that alters history, Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D find themselves in the darkest timeline and at war with the Klingons. The only way to stop this war is to send the C’s Captain Garrett back to when she came from and change history. The only catch? In order to save millions of lives, nearly everyone aboard the Enterprise-C must sacrifice theirs.  

That moral and ethical dilemma at the heart of “Yesterday’s Enterprise” makes this hour more than just a novel “What If…?” detour for the show to explore. It affords TNG a chance to give its main characters a more desperate edge as they debate the notions of fate as participants in a reality that should not exist. At the heart of this drama is Picard, who is more militant and beleaguered than ever as he debates with Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan (and her time-sensitive intuition) about whether or not to send the other Enterprise’s crew to certain death. 

The return of Denise Crosby’s Tasha Yar gives her character the proper (and heroic) sendoff she deserves, which gets complicated as Tasha falls in love with a member of the C’s crew around the same time she discovers she died in the original Enterprise-D timeline. The internal struggle over restoring the way things were meant to be, by sacrificing lives history already recorded as lost, is a classic Star Trek premise that “Yesterday’s Enterprise” explores to a very satisfying, and action-packed, conclusion. 

2. “The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I & II” (Season 3 & 4) 

Star Trek ’s first-ever season-finale cliffhanger is one of television’s greatest. More than three decades later, fans still get chills at the end of “Best of Both Worlds, Part I” when Riker gives the chilling order to “fire” on the Borgified version of his former Captain Picard. 

The wait for this iconic storyline’s resolution made the Summer of 1990 a very long and agonizing one for Trek fans, but it was worth it. “Best of Both Worlds, Part I” has TNG mining similar character drama as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan did, with Commander Riker forced to confront why he keeps passing up one promotion to Captain after another — just as his Captain is taken by the Borg in a violent attempt to turn Picard into Locutus, the public face of their campaign to assimilate Earth and all of humanity. The episode is a nail-biter, thanks to a perfect script from the late writer Michael Piller. The former TNG showrunner takes a bigger-than-usual swing with the characters to tell a story somewhat outside of the series’ comfort zone. While “Part II” falls a bit short of the dramatic highs of “Part I,” it finds great success in dramatizing the crew’s struggle to get their Captain back (even if their final solution is ultimately more convenient than inspired.)

The Enterprise crew’s second encounter with the evil cybernetic beings would have consequences throughout the next 30-plus years of Star Trek , especially in 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact . The hit movie serves as a big-screen, action packed therapy session for Picard to deal with the trauma of his assimilation into the Borg collective.

1. “All Good Things…” (Season 7)

“All Good Things…” is the best Star Trek series finale ever and The Next Generation ’s crowning achievement. 

Written by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore, “All Good Things” proved to be a better cinematic-worthy adventure than The Next Generation crew’s first movie, Star Trek: Generations . The briskly plotted, feature-length episode — and its complex storyline involving paradoxes and second chances — finds a disoriented Picard struggling to uncover why he is moving back and forth through time. He slips in and out of three key time periods: The past, just before the launch of Enterprise-D’s first mission; the present, and the future. In the future, Picard is a very retired, very old man, who runs his family’s vineyard. He also is afflicted with a debilitating neurological syndrome that makes it hard for his former shipmates to believe him when he starts pulling a Sliders across multiple timelines. Picard’s mission — which, of course, is being manipulated by the omnipotent Q — forces the captain to convince all three versions of his crew to work together in each timeline in order to stop an anomaly from unraveling existence as we know it. 

TNG gives the beloved cast and their characters a perfect final episode that brings them together as a family in ways the series left surprisingly unexplored for most of its run. As impressive as the action is in “All Good Things”, especially the scene where the futuristic Enterprise-D flies on its Z-axis while blasting newly-mounted phaser cannons, the episode’s best scenes are the quieter ones spent with these characters. The finale truly shines in its final moments, when Picard joins his crew for the first time at their regular poker game. Picard’s arrival at the poker table resonates with his crew as deeply as it does for fans, which is a testament to the finale’s commitment to giving Next Generation the emotional send off it deserves. 

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30 Best Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes Ranked

The first ever "Star Trek" spin-off, "The Next Generation," ran for seven seasons between 1987 and 1994. It defied conventional wisdom by reinventing the notion of what "Star Trek" was, introducing audiences to an entirely new ship and crew.

Living in the shadow of Kirk and Spock early on, most agree that the first two seasons disappointed , even if they showed a lot of promise (the troubled production of these initial seasons became the subject of the 2014 HBO documentary "Chaos on the Bridge"). But "The Next Generation" would become one of the best sci-fi shows ever once it found its footing and came into its own in its third year. With 178 episodes during its run, there are dozens of all-time greats, many of which just narrowly miss making this list. Episodes like "Remember Me," "The Wounded," and "Sins Of The Father" are all worthy watches, but here are the 30 that rank as the best according to IMDb.

30. Chain of Command, Pt. I

The sixth-season episode  "Chain of Command, Pt. I"  opens with Riker and the crew shocked when Starfleet removes Captain Picard from command and gives the Enterprise over to Captain Edward Jellico ("Robocop" villain Ronny Cox). But we soon learn that Picard, along with Doctor Crusher and Lieutenant Worf, is actually being sent on a covert mission inside Cardassian territory to stop a dangerous biogenic weapon, while Jellico is ordered to take the ship to the demilitarized zone to negotiate with the Cardassians. 

Even before Picard leaves, there's tension in the air. The Enterprise crew view their new captain as demanding and overbearing, while Jellico views them as soft and lazy. But though audiences may have assumed the change of command was just for a single story, the episode ends on a shocking cliffhanger that leaves the future of the entire series up in the air.

"Family"  is the direct follow-up to the beloved "Best Of Both Worlds" two-parter that saw the captain turned into the Borg villain Locutus. As part of his recovery, Picard takes a vacation to his home village in France, staying with his brother Robert and his family. The pair of siblings have a strained relationship, but Picard finally opens up to Robert about his traumatic experience with the Borg, giving fans a new insight into the soul of the Enterprise's captain.

In a B-story, Worf is visited by his human foster parents while the ship is docked above Earth. The two are concerned for Worf, who is still dealing with his exile from the Klingon Empire the previous season, and offer their support. Together, the two family-related plots form the backbone of an episode with no space action or alien contact, but with drama that is much more poignant and personal.

28. Reunion

"Reunion"  features the return of Lieutenant Worf's lover K'Ehleyr, previously seen hooking up with the Enterprise's Klingon security officer in Season 2. This time, she comes aboard with news of an impending Klingon war, and has come at the request of Chancellor K'mpec, who is on his deathbed. After he dies, he needs Picard to ferret out the man who poisoned him: one of the two men vying for the leadership of the Empire. Newcomer Gowron is one suspect, but the other is Duras, who had framed Worf's father to cover up his own family's dishonor in the Season 3 episode "Sins Of The Father."

When K'ehleyr arrives, however, she also brings a surprise: Alexander, the child she bore with Worf two seasons earlier. An important episode that changes the lives of several characters and introduces the fan-favorite Gowron , "Reunion" is also a key piece of the story of Worf's family honor that would continue throughout "The Next Generation" and into "Deep Space Nine" — his son Alexander would become a recurring character in both series.

27. The Drumhead

Retired and revered Rear Admiral Norah Satie comes to investigate the Enterprise in  "The Drumhead"  when there appears to be a saboteur onboard. After a rogue Klingon exchange officer is caught stealing information, the case is seemingly closed, but when the warp core is damaged in an apparent act of sabotage, Satie comes to believe there are others involved. What follows is a dark tale that sees the admiral peeling back layers of what she thinks is a vast conspiracy.

But after exposing a young officer who lied about his heritage to get into Starfleet, Satie threatens to drag everyone into her web of suspicion, even Captain Picard. "The Drumhead" is a fascinating look at paranoia and how fear can be used to subvert democracy, spreading like a disease, all in the name of freedom and liberty. It's a cautionary tale, and one of "Star Trek's" most timeless political parables.

26. The Next Phase

"The Next Phase"  adds a new stunning piece of advanced technology to "Star Trek" lore when the Enterprise comes to the aid of a disabled Romulan ship experimenting with a "phasing cloak." When the ship's transporter mixes up LaForge and Ensign Ro, the pair become trapped in a kind of limbo, cloaked and phased so they can pass through ordinary matter. Unable to communicate with anyone else aboard the Enterprise, the situation escalates when they overhear the Romulan commander tell his crew to rig the ship so that the Enterprise will be destroyed when they activate their warp drive.

With the clock ticking, Geordi and Ro must find a way to warn their shipmates and return to their normal state, all while being pursued by a Romulan who they find trapped out of phase with them. Fast, fun, and exciting, "The Next Phase" is one of the series' most thrilling adventures.

25. Time's Arrow Pt. I

The fifth-season cliffhanger finale  "Time's Arrow"  opens with archaeologists uncovering Data's head buried beneath San Francisco. Realizing the discovery means that at some point in the future Data will be hurled back in time to the 19th century, where he will die, Picard attempts to keep Data safe from this lethal destiny. But when an unusual signal leads the Enterprise to discover an alien race who is traveling into the past and murdering humans in 1893 to absorb their life force, the Captain realizes it may simply be Data's fate to die in the past. 

Sent back in time, Data allies himself with the 19th-century version of the Enterprise's bartender, Guinan, who turns out to be far older than anyone ever realized. At the same time, he's also brought to the attention of Mark Twain, who will become an unexpected adversary in the second half of the two-part adventure. Though not the most bombastic of episodes, it proves its worth as a classic "Trek" time travel story.

24. Unification Pt. II

After the reveal that Leonard Nimoy would be returning as Mr. Spock in the Season 5 two-parter "Unification," some fans were left disappointed when his appearance in the first part was limited to a single scene in the closing moments. But he takes center stage in  "Unification, Pt. II,"  which sees Spock on Romulus after apparently defecting from the Federation. Picard and Data — disguised as Romulans themselves — find that Spock is working with an underground sect that wants to reunify the Romulans with their Vulcan cousins.

The episode also featured the unexpected return of the  Romulan villain Commander Sela  and includes some classic moments between Spock and the "Next Generation" crew, particularly Data. Picard and Spock, meanwhile, share some of the most important and thoughtful interactions in all of the series, and in his final television performance as his Vulcan character, Nimoy delivers a momentous performance.

23. Redemption, Pt. II

Season 5 opener  "Redemption, Pt. II"  concluded the cliffhanger from the fourth-season finale, revealing the mastermind behind the Romulan alliance with the Klingon Duras family to be Commander Sela, who claims to be the daughter of long-dead Enterprise security chief Tasha Yar. As the two Klingon factions — led by Chancellor Gowron and the Duras sisters — duke it out for the fate of the Empire, Worf resigns his commission and joins the fight. Picard and the Enterprise had previously vowed to remain neutral, but now devise a plan to expose Romulan involvement.

The plan, involving a fleet of Federation starships forming a blockade around the Neutral Zone, puts Data in the captain's chair of the USS Sutherland, where he must contend with the bigoted Lieutenant Hobson. An episode filled with drama, it gives both Worf and Data some of their best, most satisfying moments in the series.

22. Redemption, Pt. I

"Redemption, Pt. I,"  the Season 4 finale, opens with Gowron requesting that Captain Picard see through his commitment to help install him as the new Klingon Chancellor. But a challenger appears in the form of a young warrior named Toral, brought forward by the Duras sisters, who themselves are the surviving kin to the man Worf killed in combat in "Reunion." Known traitors, the House of Duras cannot be trusted, but Picard — as the Klingon Arbiter of Succession — is duty-bound to consider their claim.

When Toral is dismissed as possible leader of the Empire, a Klingon civil war begins. But all is not as it seems — Worf suspects that the Duras sisters are getting help from the Romulans, and leaves Starfleet to aid in Gowron's fight against them. Full of twists and turns, it doesn't quite match the legendary Season 3 finale, but it comes close.

21. The Defector

"The Defector"  is classic "Trek" — a gripping political drama, the story of an enemy soldier who defects to the Federation, risking his life to help avert a war. Claiming to be a low-level logistics clerk, a Romulan officer named Setal insists that his people are readying for an all-out invasion, and he has deserted his homeworld to warn the Federation. Picard is skeptical, as to prove Setal's claims, the Enterprise must enter the Neutral Zone in violation of the Federation's treaty with the Romulan Empire, and at the risk of starting a war.

Stuck in this quandary, Picard and his crew must decide whether Setal is telling the truth and truly trying to help, or is in fact attempting to bait him into being an aggressor. With the stakes so high, "The Defector" is a tension-filled episode that ends in a dramatic and surprising conclusion — particularly when Setal's true identity is revealed.

20. The Offspring

An important and sometimes overlooked episode, the "The Offspring"  sees Commander Data create his own android child named Lal. Choosing her own appearance and gender identity, Lal becomes a young human woman with a naive but wide-eyed and wondrous outlook and personality. But things take a dark turn when a Starfleet admiral arrives to take Lal away, claiming that the creation of a new android life needs to be carefully overseen by Federation experts. Torn between loyalty to Data and his duty to Starfleet, Picard once again finds himself fighting for the rights of androids to make their own choices. 

A quasi-sequel to the iconic Season 2 episode "The Measure of A Man" but overshadowed by bigger episodes that sandwiched it, "The Offspring" is an intimate character piece with a classic moral dilemma and an emotional ending, and received renewed attention thanks to its importance to the plot of the first season of "Star Trek: Picard."

19. The Pegasus

Season 7's  "The Pegasus"  begins with the arrival of Admiral Erik Pressman, who happens to be Riker's old captain from the titular starship Pegasus. He comes with new orders for Picard, telling him that the Pegasus wasn't destroyed as had been previously believed, and has been found buried in an asteroid field ... and the Romulans are after it.

It's soon revealed that the Pegasus was once used to test an experimental Federation cloaking device, an act specifically prohibited in the treaty with the Romulans. Commander Riker's loyalty is questioned when he is ordered to keep the secret of the Pegasus, and he's forced to choose between his two captains when the Enterprise falls into a Romulan trap. "Lost" star Terry O'Quinn makes a memorable appearance as Pressman, while Picard and Riker get into some heated exchanges about mortality and integrity that make "The Pegasus" a nail-biter of an episode.

The only pure comedy episode on this list,  "Deja Q"  earns its place as one of the best episodes of "The Next Generation" thanks to the sharp wit and strong performance of John De Lancie, who returns once again to serve as a thorn in Picard's side. As the immortal trickster Q, he arrives on the Enterprise claiming he has lost his god-like powers and has been exiled from his people in the Q Continuum. He asks for a safe haven aboard Picard's ship, which becomes a cry for help when a race of beings shows up to get vengeance on him for tormenting them in the past.

Most of the humor of the episode comes from Q slowly learning the basics of being mortal, from nightly sleep to being hungry to crippling back pain. But "Deja Q" also includes many touching moments involving Data, who somewhat ironically attempts to show Q what it means to be human.

After featuring Spock the previous season, Season 6 dips back into the original "Star Trek" series lore with  "Relics," the episode that brings back Enterprise-A chief engineer Montgomery Scott. Having apparently survived for 75 years by storing himself within his ship's transporter, "Scotty" re-materializes aboard the Enterprise-D during an investigation of a fantastic alien Dyson Sphere and is warmly greeted, but soon begins to feel out of place in the 24th century. When the Enterprise gets trapped inside the Dyson Sphere, it's up to Scotty and his engineering successor, Geordi LaForge, to save them.

Ultimately, the return of Scotty is a touching story about aging and the need to feel useful in an ever-changing world. While the genius former engineer feels that the future has left him behind, he soon discovers that he still has plenty of life left in him, and a lot to offer the 24th century.

16. Ship In A Bottle

A sequel to one of the better Season 2 episodes, the Season 6 follow-up  "Ship In A Bottle"  ties up what might have wound up an unresolved plotline . It begins when a self-aware hologram of Professor James Moriarty — Sherlock Holmes' ultimate nemesis in the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle — appears on the holodeck demanding to see Captain Picard. After Data and Geordi unwittingly gave him sentience in "Elementary, Dear Data," Moriarty's program has been trapped in the holodeck computer for years, and now he wants to leave. But as far as Picard and crew believe, it's simply not scientifically possible.

But Moriarty has a plan and takes control of the ship, threatening to destroy it if his demands aren't met. What follows is a mind-bending "Inception"-style adventure where Moriarity and Picard — with the help of Data and the neurotic recurring character Reginald Barclay — attempt to trick each other with dueling holodeck-within-a-holodeck scenarios that will leave your head spinning.

15. Timescape

Stories that play with time have been a staple of "Star Trek" since the beginning, and time-bending episodes are often among the franchise's best.  "Timescape"  is no exception. Returning to the Enterprise from a science conference, Picard, Geordi, Data, and Troi discover the Enterprise and a Romulan warbird frozen in time, seemingly in the midst of battle. Going aboard, they find the crews frozen, as well — both ships are trapped in a strange anomaly, and any attempt to unfreeze them in time risks killing several members of the Enterprise crew, who are apparently under attack by Romulan soldiers.

When Picard becomes incapacitated, the remaining trio must figure out what's really happening, despite interference from mysterious pair of Romulans who, like them, are able to move freely about the Enterprise. With loads of fun, sci-fi time-altering shenanigans, and its far share of twists, "Timescape" is an episode full of surprises.

Among the most famous episodes of the series,  "Darmok"  may not rank in the top 10, but it comes close. The story sees Captain Picard kidnapped and brought to the surface of an unknown planet along with a ship captain from a species known as the Children of Tama, whose language has proven indecipherable despite the Federation's universal translator technology. Trapped together on the alien world and forced to work together to fight a deadly beast, Picard and his fellow captain find common ground and slowly learn to communicate.

The unusual language structure devised for the episode proved groundbreaking — it's been pointed out that the Tamarian "language" predicted Internet meme culture , and it's even been used to teach college courses . The uniqueness of this language is one of those fascinating concepts that could only be seen in science fiction, and the episode as a whole is quintessentially "Star Trek," with a universal message of friendship, tolerance, and understanding.

13. I, Borg

The compassion of Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise is on full display in the Season 5 episode  "I, Borg."  Coming upon the wreckage of a Borg ship, Doctor Crusher convinces the captain to bring the last surviving drone aboard to save his life. But while Picard's intentions are initially less selfless — he hopes to use the drone to destroy the entire collective — he comes around when he realizes that this new Borg is showing signs of personhood, even taking the name Hugh.

An example of the moral and ethical dilemmas often faced in "Star Trek," Picard ultimately abandons his plans for revenge against the Borg and allows Hugh to decide his own fate. Realizing the Borg won't stop looking for him, Hugh returns to the Collective, with the hope being that his sense of individuality will survive and spread. It proves to be one of Picard's best decisions  — Hugh would return later in "The Next Generation," and again in the first season of "Star Trek: Picard."

12. Lower Decks

The story that inspired the modern adult animated comedy of the same name,  "Lower Decks"  was a unique episode of "The Next Generation" that focused on a group of younger officers: Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, Ensign Sam Lavelle, the Vulcan Ensign Taurik, and the Bajoran Ensign Sito Jaxa, who had previously been seen getting into trouble at Starfleet Academy in the Season 5 episode "The First Duty." Now, the young officers are all up for promotions, and as their friendship is tested by their career ambitions, we see the struggles, challenges, and everyday life of the lower-ranking officers serving on the Enterprise.

Meanwhile, Jaxa is confronted by Picard about her troubled past, a prelude to her assignment to a dangerous mission to return a Cardassian defector to his people. A generally upbeat story, "Lower Decks" is a fun detour from the senior bridge crew, but it ends on a surprisingly bittersweet note.

11. Chain Of Command, Pt. II

A darker episode than most on this list,  "Chain Of Command, Pt. II"  concludes a two-part episode that saw Picard kidnapped by the Cardassians on a mission to stop a rumored doomsday weapon. At the mercy of a cunning Cardassian named Gul Madred, he resists and becomes the subject of brutal psychological torture. Over the course of the episode, it becomes clear that while Madred definitely wants to acquire Federation secrets, the thing he wants most of all is to break Picard's spirit.

Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Jellico is clashing with Commander Riker, who feels his new captain is too controlling. But Riker may also be the only man who can execute Jellico's daring plan to expose the Cardassian plot and save Captain Picard. Picard's defiant shout of "There are four lights!" puts an iconic capper on one of the better late-series episodes.

10. Parallels

Years before Marvel's "Loki," the "Next Generation" Season 7 episode  "Parallels"  put the multiverse front and center when Worf inadvertently passes through a split in the barriers between universes. Moving between them throughout the episode, Worf finds himself in new and different realities: some where Riker is captain, some where he is married to Counselor Troi, and some where the Bajorans are the Federation's greatest enemy. 

Another trippy sci-fi story, most of the fun is in the first half as Worf struggles to figure out what's happening to the world around him as events and people change before his eyes, though the episode also features a daringly ambitious climax. The various windows into what might have been are intriguing, and "Parallels" even takes the opportunity to bring back Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher. It also introduces the first spark of romance between Worf and Troi, a sub-plot that would continue through the remainder of the show's final season. 

9. Tapestry

Q has traditionally been a major pain for Picard and other Starfleet captains, but he returns in  "Tapestry"  in the surprising role of benevolent spiritual advisor. Picard is actually killed in the opening moments of the episode, only to greeted by the all-powerful trickster in the apparent afterlife, who offers Picard a chance to relive his past and change moments that he regrets.

Returning to his days as an ensign fresh out of the Academy, Picard hopes to avoid the reckless behavior that got him stabbed through the heart in a bar fight as a young man while also pursuing a romance with one-time friend Marta Batanides. In trying to bring his older wisdom to his younger self, however, he learns that life's mistakes help us to become who we are. A "Star Trek" version of "A Christmas Carol," the heartwarming message of "Tapestry" makes it one of the series' best.

8. All Good Things...

Often voted among  television's best series finales ,  "All Good Things..."  capped off the show's remarkable seven-year run with an epic feature-length episode that saw Picard revisit events in both the future and the past. Harkening back to the series' very first episode, "Encounter at Farpoint," we see Picard once again on trial before the Q Continuum, attempting to prove the value of humanity's existence by piecing together clues to a potentially world-ending mystery in three different time periods.

As Picard struggles to convince three different crews that what's happening is real, he must find answers to a puzzle that stretches back to the dawn of time to save his entire species. Full of drama, action, and emotion, it was just about everything a fan could want in a finale. While the episode would be one of the series' best on its own, it works even better as a final bookend to "The Next Generation."

7. Cause and Effect

  "Cause and Effect"  is a near-perfect science fiction riddle. Opening in the middle of the action, the Enterprise is destroyed in a shocking scene before the opening credits even roll. Coming back from the iconic "Star Trek" music and fanfare, we find the crew is trapped in an endless loop of time that inevitably leads to the ship's destruction, and worse — they have no idea it's happening. Thinking each loop is the first time through, the crew struggles to even realize what's going on, let alone collect the clues to figure out how to stop it before they all blow up yet again.

With the destruction of the Enterprise occurring just before each commercial break, it's a maddening but mind-blowing story that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very last moments. And don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for a memorable cameo from Frasier himself, Kelsey Grammer.

The fourth episode to feature Q on this list, Season 2 entry  "Q Who"  saw the more sinister aspect of the god-like being, who arrives on the Enterprise and asks to join the crew. Picard, of course, turns him down. Incensed and hoping to prove to Picard that humanity is not ready for what awaits them amongst the stars, Q flings the ship into a distant uncharted region of space. There they encounter, for the first time, the mysterious race of cybernetic beings known as the Borg. They also learn that Ten Forward bartender Guinan is already familiar with the hostile hive mind, which annihilated her home world.

An important episode in the series, and "Star Trek" as a whole, it's also one of the best — a well-paced thriller that has Picard at first hoping to prove Q wrong and attempting to make peace with the Borg, but ending with an ominous warning that foreshadows not one but two of our remaining entries.

5. The Measure Of A Man

A landmark episode that has been analyzed by  legal scholars , Season 2 standout  "The Measure Of A Man"  puts android Commander Data in the spotlight when a brilliant cyberneticist named Bruce Maddox arrives and wants to disassemble him so he can recreate his positronic brain. Data doesn't approve of the risky procedure, but Maddox states that Data is the property of Starfleet and cannot decline. Picard fights back against this notion and demands a hearing so that he can defend Data's rights. However, the hearing takes place at a poorly-staffed starbase, and Commander Riker is forced to act as prosecutor against Data, despite his personal feelings for his fellow officer.

One of the franchise's best examination of ethics and human rights, it's also one of its most important, as "The Measure of a Man" explores issues that would be revisited again in many future episodes, both in "The Next Generation" and other "Trek" spin-off series. Maddox would even return in the first season of "Star Trek: Picard" in a quasi-sequel that explores the fallout from the work of Noonian Soong, Data's creator.

4. Yesterday's Enterprise

"Yesterday's Enterprise" takes place in a darker alternate timeline created when the Enterprise-C, predecessor to the ship captained by Picard, finds itself thrust 22 years forward in time. Without its sacrifice at a crucial moment in the past, all of history was altered, and now Picard's Enterprise is a warship, with the Federation engaged in a bitter conflict with the Klingons — and on the verge of defeat.

But the arrival of the Enterprise-C adds new complications to an impending Klingon attack, and when Picard learns that the war was never supposed to happen, he struggles with the decision to send it and its crew back to their proper time to face certain death. The episode that saw the return of long-departed cast member Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar, it's an important piece of "Next Generation" lore, and possibly the best alternate reality episode in the entire franchise. 

3. The Best Of Both Worlds, Pt. II

Opening up Season 4,  "The Best Of Both Worlds, Pt. II"  is the thrilling second part of  one of television history's best cliffhangers . The previous episode had ended with Commander Riker giving the order to open fire on the Borg cube that held Locutus — the assimilated Borg drone that had once been Captain Picard. Audiences who had waited all summer for the attack tuned in to see the cube survive unharmed, and Riker and the Enterprise helpless as the Borg launch a direct assault on Earth.

After Starfleet loses a devastating battle with the Borg at Wolf 359, it's up to Riker to devise a bold last-ditch plan to rescue Picard and save Earth from assimilation. The series' most gripping season conclusion, it's an episode that "Star Trek" has still never been able to match in terms of sheer anticipation and excitement.

2. The Best Of Both Worlds, Pt. I

As a stunning season finale and the first cliff-hanger of the franchise, "The Best Of Both Worlds, Pt. 1"  could rightfully be credited as the episode that turned "The Next Generation" into a genuine pop culture phenomenon. Discovering a Federation colony decimated in the same manner as the alien civilization they found destroyed by the Borg in "Q Who," Picard alerts Starfleet that a confrontation may be near. Admiral Hanson arrives with a new officer, Lieutenant Commander Shelby, to help with the crisis. 

The ambitious Shelby adds an interesting layer in what turns out to be a Riker-focused episode, as the title refers to Riker's struggles with whether to leave the Enterprise to become a captain of a lesser ship, or stay and remain Picard's first officer. When his captain is abducted by the Borg and declared lost, Riker gets the best of both worlds — at the cost of Jean-Luc Picard.

1. The Inner Light

"The Inner Light" isn't just the best "Next Generation" episode — there's an argument to be made that it's the best "Star Trek" episode, period . The story begins when the Enterprise comes upon an alien probe that zaps Picard unconscious right off the bat. The captain awakens on an alien world, in another life. Here on the planet Kataan, in the community called Ressik, Picard is a man named Kamin, with a wife named Eline. After giving up on ever finding the Enterprise, which seems to have been just a dream, Picard settles into his new life, even having children and grandchildren, all while Kataan is slowly dying of drought.

Now an old man nearing death, Picard learns that the probe was a messenger that carried memories of a long-dead civilization, and wakes up on the Enterprise having experienced an entire lifetime over the course of a few minutes. An example of what made "The Next Generation" so special, the episode's message of love, hope, and family help it remain one of the most beloved pieces of television ever conceived.

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'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Episodes Ranked

From Best To Worst

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Best of Both Worlds: Part 1 (1990)

TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Responding to a distress call on one of the Federation's outer-most colonies, the Enterprise arrives...only to find a big hole in the ground where the town used to be, and discovers the Borg are behind the attack.

Director: Cliff Bole | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 5,788

Season 3 Episode 26

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Inner Light (1992)

Picard awakes to find himself living in a small village where he is a well-known member of the community who is suffering from a delusion of being a starship captain.

Director: Peter Lauritson | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 8,248

Season 5 Episode 25

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Measure of a Man (1989)

TV-PG | 46 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

When Data resigns his commission rather than be dismantled for examination by an inadequately skilled scientist, a formal hearing is convened to determine whether Data is considered property without rights or is a sentient being.

Director: Robert Scheerer | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 6,224

Season 2 Episode 9

4. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Yesterday's Enterprise (1990)

The Enterprise C enters the Enterprise D's time and space continuum, where they find Picard and crew in a constant state of war with the Klingons, and only Guinan knows it.

Director: David Carson | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 6,039

Season 3 Episode 15

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: All Good Things... (1994)

TV-PG | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Capt. Picard finds himself shifting continually into the past, future and present and must use that to discover a threat to humanity's existence.

Director: Winrich Kolbe | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 9,253

Season 7 Episode 25 SERIES FINALE

6. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Tapestry (1993)

When Captain Picard's artificial heart fails, he is offered the rare opportunity to go back in time and set right the mistake that led to his demise.

Director: Les Landau | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 4,289

Season 6 Episode 15

7. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Q Who (1989)

Q tries to prove that Picard needs him as part of their crew by hurling the Enterprise 7,000 light years away where they encounter the Borg for the first time.

Director: Rob Bowman | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 5,063

Season 2 Episode 16

8. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Best of Both Worlds: Part 2 (1990)

Having absorbed Captain Picard and his knowledge, the Borg head for Earth, leaving Riker and the Enterprise desperate for an unanticipated way to defeat them.

Votes: 5,419

Season 4 Episode 1

9. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: I Borg (1992)

The Enterprise finds a lone Borg drone, separated from the collective, and brings him aboard. The drone begins to reassert his individuality, but his presence causes differing levels of fear and sympathy from various crew members.

Director: Robert Lederman | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 4,315

Season 5 Episode 23

10. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Parallels (1993)

On his return from a bat'leth competition in the Klingon Empire, Worf finds himself shifting realities where events and details are in a constant state of flux and only he is aware of the changes.

Director: Robert Wiemer | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,838

Season 7 Episode 11

11. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Conspiracy (1988)

After diverting to a secret meeting with an old friend and some of Starfleet's finest commanders, Picard finds the Horatio blown to bits just hours after the meeting and he returns the Enterprise to Earth looking for answers.

Director: Cliff Bole | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 4,296

Season 1 Episode 24

12. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Offspring (1990)

After returning from a cybernetics conference to the Enterprise, Data creates his own "child," much to the chagrin of his captain, and without regards to the ramifications with Starfleet.

Director: Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 4,570

Season 3 Episode 16

13. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Cause and Effect (1992)

The Enterprise gets caught in a time loop which always has one result: total destruction of the ship, itself.

Votes: 4,754

Season 5 Episode 18

14. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Lower Decks (1994)

A mission of the Enterprise is seen through the eyes of some junior officers who are up for promotions, as questions of duty and honor arise among some of them, such as a Bajoran whom Worf has designated to be promoted to operations.

Director: Gabrielle Beaumont | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 4,151

Season 7 Episode 15

15. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Relics (1992)

The Enterprise stumbles upon a Dyson sphere, with a ship crashed on the outer surface. An away team finds some systems still powered up and the chief engineer from the old Enterprise, Montgomery Scott, locked in the transporter cycle.

Director: Alexander Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,929

Season 6 Episode 4

16. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Elementary, Dear Data (1988)

An attempt to provide Data with a challenging Sherlock Holmes holodeck program backfires when its Professor Moriarty character accidentally becomes self-aware.

Votes: 4,342

Season 2 Episode 3

17. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Next Phase (1992)

A transporter malfunction, combined with a Romulan ship under stress and a damaged cloaking device, creates the illusion that Ensign Ro and Geordi are dead, but Geordi doesn't believe it to be so, and he acts accordingly.

Votes: 3,456

Season 5 Episode 24

18. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: A Matter of Honor (1989)

Under an Officers Exchange Program, Riker serves aboard a Klingon ship, whose aging captain seeks an unwarranted bloody retaliation for suspected Enterprise treachery.

Votes: 3,971

Season 2 Episode 8

19. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Datalore (1988)

The Enterprise visits the planet where Data was created and discovers another android like him, but when he's assembled, he's not exactly like him.

Director: Rob Bowman | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 4,164

Season 1 Episode 12

20. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Defector (1990)

When a Romulan officer defects to the Federation with a warning of a impending invasion, Capt. Picard struggles to decide if he is to be believed.

Votes: 4,154

Season 3 Episode 10

21. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Where No One Has Gone Before (1987)

Everyone accurately pegs a visiting propulsion scientist as a charlatan, but only Wesley Crusher recognizes his alien assistant as the real deal.

Votes: 4,567

Season 1 Episode 5

22. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Reunion (1990)

When the leader of the Klingon High Council dies, Picard finds himself in the middle of the struggle for the now-vacant position. Meanwhile, Worf reunites with a past love, only to find he now has a son.

Votes: 3,718

Season 4 Episode 7

23. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Big Goodbye (1988)

Captain Picard and some of his crew are caught in a deadly trap in the holodeck as the result of a ship-wide scan from an alien race.

Director: Joseph L. Scanlan | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 3,986

Season 1 Episode 11

24. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Deja Q (1990)

Much to Picard's displeasure, Q reappears on the Enterprise, claiming to have been ejected from the Q Continuum, and therefore, lost his powers.

Votes: 4,274

Season 3 Episode 13

25. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Future Imperfect (1990)

Riker awakens sixteen years after an away mission where he contracted a disease which destroyed his memory back to the point of infection - or so he's told.

Votes: 3,633

Season 4 Episode 8

26. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Preemptive Strike (1994)

Following her return from Advanced Tactical Training, Bajoran Ro Laren is sent to infiltrate the Maquis and finds herself torn between her loyalty to Picard and Starfleet, and her sympathy with the Maquis fighting "the good fight".

Director: Patrick Stewart | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 2,845

Season 7 Episode 24

27. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: 11001001 (1988)

The Enterprise docks at a starbase for repairs where it is commandeered by a race of technologically-linked aliens intent on using the vessel for their own purposes.

Director: Paul Lynch | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 4,083

Season 1 Episode 14

28. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Contagion (1989)

Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird.

Director: Joseph L. Scanlan | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,556

Season 2 Episode 11

29. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Heart of Glory (1988)

The Enterprise searches for answers as to why three Klingon warriors were the only survivors aboard a freighter just inside the Neutral Zone which was seemingly attacked by a Ferengi ship.

Votes: 3,578

Season 1 Episode 19

30. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Who Watches the Watchers (1989)

A proto-Vulcan culture worships Captain Picard and prepares to offer Counselor Troi as a sacrifice.

Votes: 4,369

Season 3 Episode 4

31. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Timescape (1993)

Aboard a shuttlecraft and en route back to the Enterprise, Picard, LaForge, Data, and Troi find themselves trapped in a time trap of some sort, where the Enterprise is being taken over by ... See full summary  »

Director: Adam Nimoy | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,378

Season 6 Episode 25 150th Episode

32. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Conundrum (1992)

When an approaching alien ship wipes their memory, the crew struggles to put back together what happened.

Votes: 3,584

Season 5 Episode 14

33. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Wounded (1991)

After being fired upon by a Cardassian vessel, Picard races against time to find out the facts behind the Cardassian commander's claim that the Federation attacked one of their outposts.

Director: Chip Chalmers | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,611

Season 4 Episode 12

34. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Ship in a Bottle (1993)

Lt. Barclay mistakenly awakes Moriarty in the forgotten holodeck program, who then makes his demands clear and unforgettable.

Votes: 3,650

Season 6 Episode 12

35. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Redemption II (1991)

As Worf fights in the Klingon Civil War, Captain Picard and his crew must stop the Romulans from helping their pawns achieve victory.

Votes: 3,461

Season 5 Episode 1 100th Episode

36. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Remember Me (1990)

Dr. Crusher's fear of losing loved ones becomes real when her worries create an alternate reality.

Votes: 3,825

Season 4 Episode 5

37. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Sins of the Father (1990)

A Klingon commander comes aboard the Enterprise in an officer exchange program initiated by Starfleet, much to the chagrin of the crew.

Votes: 3,751

Season 3 Episode 17

38. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Enemy (1989)

La Forge gets left behind on a storm-plagued planet when the rest of his team encounters a Romulan warrior.

Season 3 Episode 7

39. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Hunted (1990)

Investigating a planet applying for membership into the Federation, the crew of the Enterprise finds a group of inhabitants who used to be soldiers, but now fight for their very existence.

Votes: 3,509

Season 3 Episode 11

40. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Pegasus (1994)

Riker finds out his former commander from the starship Pegasus has orders that entail more than what is revealed to Picard, who thinks the Enterprise is en route to recover the lost ship. And Riker is ordered to secrecy.

Director: LeVar Burton | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,413

Season 7 Episode 12

41. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Nth Degree (1991)

When assigned to investigate an unknown probe, Lt. Barclay is hit by an energy surge, through a shuttlecraft's computer, and he receives an inexplicable boost of confidence and a vast increase in his knowledge.

Director: Robert Legato | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,539

Season 4 Episode 19

42. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: First Contact (1991)

Disguised as an alien prior to First Contact, Will's life becomes imperiled when incurred injuries reveal his foreign internal structure to a xenophobic alien population.

Votes: 3,724

Season 4 Episode 15

43. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Hollow Pursuits (1990)

A shy member of the "Enterprise" crew becomes addicted to the holodeck, where relationships are easier than in real life, when his knowledge is needed in engineering.

Votes: 3,592

Season 3 Episode 21

44. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Redemption (1991)

Both Captain Picard and Lt. Worf must decide where their priorities lie as the Klingon Empire descends into a bitter civil war.

Votes: 3,435

Season 4 Episode 26

45. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Darmok (1991)

Picard must learn to communicate with a race that speaks in metaphor under a difficult set of circumstances.

Votes: 5,070

Season 5 Episode 2

46. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Disaster (1991)

Collision with a quantum filament leaves Troi in charge of a damaged and endangered Enterprise with emergency bulkheads cutting off sections of the ship.

Votes: 3,594

Season 5 Episode 5

47. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Skin of Evil (1988)

Counselor Troi is held captive on a deserted planet by a slick, black, oily, sentient and immortal puddle of evil.

Votes: 4,057

Season 1 Episode 22

48. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Hide and Q (1987)

The Enterprise encounters Q again, and he tempts Riker by endowing him with the powers of the Q.

Votes: 4,005

Season 1 Episode 9

49. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Time's Arrow (1992)

Captain Picard and his archaeological curiosity are called upon by scientists from Earth when they find evidence to support beliefs that aliens had visited Earth in the late 1800s.

Votes: 3,667

Season 5 Episode 26

50. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Rascals (1992)

An emergency beam out renders four crewmen down to childhood shortly before renegade Ferengi take over the Enterprise and offload the adults.

Votes: 3,270

Season 6 Episode 7

51. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Schisms (1992)

Commander Riker's inability to fall asleep begins to show in other members of the crew in other forms, putting the Enterprise on the trail of a mystery.

Votes: 3,133

Season 6 Episode 5

52. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Emissary (1989)

The Enterprise addresses the emergency of an old Klingon ship coming out of stasis and ready to fight the Federation. A half-Human/half Klingon emissary arrives to help, who once knew Worf intimately.

Votes: 3,655

Season 2 Episode 20

53. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Neutral Zone (1988)

While assigned to investigate missing outposts in the Neutral Zone, the Enterprise revives three cryogenically frozen people found aboard a wayward derelict Earth vessel.

Director: James L. Conway | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 3,866

Season 1 Episode 25

54. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Unification II (1991)

On Romulus, Picard finds Spock, as well as an underground peace movement, a double agent, a bold ulterior motive against the Federation, and a familiar adversary.

Votes: 3,505

Season 5 Episode 8

55. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Family (1990)

After defeating the Borg, the crew of the Enterprise experiences shore leave in various ways. Captain Picard's return to his family's vineyard in France has some extraordinary repercussions.

Votes: 4,376

Season 4 Episode 2

56. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Where Silence Has Lease (1988)

The Enterprise encounters a mysterious void in space and when they move in closer to investigate further, it envelops them and they can't get out.

Votes: 3,689

Season 2 Episode 2

57. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Allegiance (1990)

Picard is kidnapped and held with three different aliens and meanwhile replaced with a replica as impostor captain.

Votes: 3,425

Season 3 Episode 18

58. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Encounter at Farpoint (1987)

TV-PG | 92 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

On the maiden mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), an omnipotent being known as Q challenges the crew to discover the secret of a mysterious base in an advanced and civilized fashion.

Director: Corey Allen | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 7,323

Season 1 Episode 1 SERIES PREMIERE

59. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Second Chances (1993)

Riker's exact duplicate is discovered on Nervala IV. His first order of business: resume his relationship with Deanna. Second order: obey orders from his superior - himself.

Votes: 2,923

Season 6 Episode 24

60. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Naked Now (1987)

The crew of the Enterprise is infected with a virus that causes them to behave as though they were intoxicated.

Votes: 4,699

Season 1 Episode 2

61. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Time Squared (1989)

The Enterprise comes across its own shuttlecraft adrift in space - a duplicate - with an unconscious duplicate Capt. Picard inside.

Votes: 3,676

Season 2 Episode 13

62. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Mind's Eye (1991)

Geordi is brainwashed by the Romulans to start a war between the Klingons and the Federation.

Director: David Livingston | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,157

Season 4 Episode 24

63. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The First Duty (1992)

Wesley Crusher's team has an accident at Starfleet Academy. Picard offers to help a Starfleet investigation as to what happened, and begins to suspect they are hiding something.

Director: Paul Lynch | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,355

Season 5 Episode 19

64. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Peak Performance (1989)

The crew of the Enterprise participates in war games.

Votes: 3,576

Season 2 Episode 21

65. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Ensign Ro (1991)

Captain Picard foils a plot against the Bajorans with his new Bajoran officer, Ensign Ro.

Votes: 3,379

Season 5 Episode 3

66. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Starship Mine (1993)

When the Enterprise puts in to space dock for an energy sweep of the ship which is lethal to humans, Picard gets trapped on board with technicians who are not what they appear to be.

Votes: 3,251

Season 6 Episode 18

67. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: A Fistful of Datas (1992)

While the crew is experiencing some much needed down time, Worf and his son go on an Old West excursion in the holodeck, where they meet several versions of Data serving as the bad guy after an experiment in Engineering goes wrong.

Votes: 3,208

Season 6 Episode 8

68. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Time's Arrow, Part II (1992)

Captain Picard and crew follow Data back to the late 1800s to get him back, only to find the suspected alien visitors killing people of that time.

Votes: 3,645

Season 6 Episode 1

69. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Unification I (1991)

Picard and Data follow Spock into Romulan space on a dangerous mission.

Votes: 3,537

Season 5 Episode 7

70. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Sarek (1990)

Legendary Federation ambassador Sarek visits the Enterprise to conclude peace talks with a race called the Legarans. His arrival is accompanied with a rash of unusual emotional outbursts among the crew.

Votes: 3,821

Season 3 Episode 23

71. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Clues (1991)

Effects of passing through a wormhole give the Enterprise crew a sense that they were unconscious for more than the thirty seconds they've been led to believe.

Votes: 3,831

Season 4 Episode 14

72. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Booby Trap (1989)

The Enterprise triggers an ancient yet effective trap left by an extinct race, with a perfectly preserved derelict ship serving as cheese for Picard.

Votes: 3,568

Season 3 Episode 6

73. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Schizoid Man (1989)

A dying anti-social scientist unintentionally comes upon the perfect vessel in which to preserve his intellect and arrogant personality - Data.

Votes: 3,546

Season 2 Episode 6

74. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Symbiosis (1988)

The Enterprise encounters two neighboring cultures, one suffering from a plague, the other marketing a cure, and learns that nothing is as simple as it seems.

Director: Win Phelps | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 3,634

Season 1 Episode 21

75. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Arsenal of Freedom (1988)

The Enterprise encounters a planet long dead, but technical equipment still functions for the purpose of selling off its arsenal, along with self sufficiency.

Director: Les Landau | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 3,639

Season 1 Episode 20

76. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Brothers (1990)

After an accident aboard the Enterprise leaves one of its children in grave danger, Data commandeers the Enterprise, driven to take the ship to an unknown origin, where an interesting figure awaits.

Votes: 3,609

Season 4 Episode 3

77. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Bonding (1989)

A startling surprise awaits the crew of the Enterprise when a mission costs the life of a crew member, who left her son behind.

Votes: 3,404

Season 3 Episode 5

78. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Coming of Age (1988)

Picard finds himself facing a strenuous test of his loyalty to Starfleet, one which the other members of the crew are struggling to cope with, whilst Wesley faces an equally challenging entrance exam at Starfleet Academy.

Director: Michael Vejar | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 3,671

Season 1 Episode 18

79. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Last Outpost (1987)

The Enterprise makes a confrontational first contact with the piratical Ferengi race as their two ships are ensnared by a presumed dead planet ready to judge them.

Director: Richard A. Colla | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby

Votes: 4,159

Season 1 Episode 4

80. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Battle (1987)

Beware Ferengi bearing gifts. Capt. Picard receives the Stargazer, a ship considered lost that he once commanded.

Season 1 Episode 8

81. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Game (1991)

Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise on vacation from the Academy only to discover a mysterious alien game infiltrating and controlling the crew.

Director: Corey Allen | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,544

Season 5 Episode 6

82. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Attached (1993)

Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher discover things about one another when they are captured by an opposing alien race, due to the fact that the Enterprise has come to allow the planet's other ... See full summary  »

Votes: 2,868

Season 7 Episode 8

83. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Frame of Mind (1993)

Riker begins to question reality when he finds himself in an alien insane asylum and faces the prospect his life on the Enterprise has been a delusion.

Director: James L. Conway | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Michael Dorn

Votes: 3,410

Season 6 Episode 21

84. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Chain of Command, Part I (1992)

Picard is replaced as captain of the Enterprise so he, Lt. Worf and Dr. Crusher go on a top-secret mission into Cardassian space. Meanwhile, his replacement, Captain Jellico, meets his new command with some resistance from the crew.

Votes: 3,656

Season 6 Episode 10

85. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Drumhead (1991)

A retired admiral boards the Enterprise in an effort to determine the actions aboard the ship surrounding an act of sabotage and possible treason.

Votes: 4,186

Season 4 Episode 21

86. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Data's Day (1991)

Data tries to comprehend the complex emotions between O'Brien and Keiko, who are about to be married.

Votes: 3,812

Season 4 Episode 11

87. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Ensigns of Command (1989)

After 111 years of silence, an extremely litigious alien race asserts its agreed upon right to wipe out a Federation colony in its territory.

Votes: 3,699

Season 3 Episode 2

88. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Phantasms (1993)

Data deals with his new ability to experience nightmares as the Enterprise deals with the installation of a new warp core that won't work as expected.

Votes: 2,950

Season 7 Episode 6

89. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Perfect Mate (1992)

Ferengi machinations unleash a diplomatic gift aboard the Enterprise - the rare, empathic perfect mate, ready to bond with any male around her.

Votes: 3,354

Season 5 Episode 21

90. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Legacy (1990)

The crew of the Enterprise enters into orbit around the home planet of their former crewmate, Tasha Yar, where they encounter her sister.

Season 4 Episode 6

91. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Identity Crisis (1991)

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge and an old friend fight to defeat a parasite that is trying to transform them into another species.

Votes: 3,049

Season 4 Episode 18

92. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Thine Own Self (1994)

Data is sent to follow a probe that has drifted off course and crashed on a primitive planet, only to crash on the planet himself, with no memory of any event prior to crashing on the planet's surface.

Votes: 3,045

Season 7 Episode 16

93. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Silicon Avatar (1991)

The Crystalline Entity returns, and the Enterprise takes aboard a scientist to help track it down, but her personal agenda does not match Capt. Picard's.

Votes: 3,130

Season 5 Episode 4

94. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: A Matter of Perspective (1990)

The widow of respected scientist Dr. Nel Apgar accuses Riker of seducing her and killing her husband. Rather than turn Riker over for unfavorable trial, the Enterprise reconstructs the facts.

Votes: 3,326

Season 3 Episode 14

95. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Lonely Among Us (1987)

While distracted by two antithetical races applying for Federation membership, the Enterprise picks up a sentient entity that can alternately possess either man or machinery.

Votes: 3,786

Season 1 Episode 6

96. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Home Soil (1988)

On Velara III, Geordi and Data discover a microscopic life form responsible for the death of an engineer stationed on the base.

Votes: 3,508

Season 1 Episode 17

97. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: A Matter of Time (1991)

Reaching Penthara IV after an asteroid wreaks havoc of catastrophic proportions, the Enterprise crew deals with trying to save the planet as well as deal with someone who claims to be a historian from the future.

Votes: 3,142

Season 5 Episode 9

98. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Survivors (1989)

The Enterprise responds to a distress call from Rana IV, a Federation colony that is under attack from an unknown alien ship. When they arrive, they find the entire surface of the planet destroyed, save for a single house and two occupants.

Votes: 4,052

Season 3 Episode 3

99. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Final Mission (1990)

Before leaving for Starfleet Academy, Wesley Crusher accompanies Captain Picard on a dangerous mission.

Votes: 3,233

Season 4 Episode 9

100. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: Too Short a Season (1988)

The Enterprise transports an elderly Starfleet Admiral to negotiate a hostage crisis. When the Admiral takes a de-aging drug, he endangers both his life and the mission.

Votes: 3,608

Season 1 Episode 15

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Star Trek Ranks & Podcast

From @enterprisenxtra.

The Next Generation Episode Ranks

Based on my many interactions with fans over the years, I believe Star Trek: The Next Generation is the Star Trek of choice for most Trekkies. And that is completely understandable. It built on the found of the original series in quantity and scope in a way that no one ever thought possible.

Full disclosure: for a brief moment in time I was one of those knucklehead fans in the late 80's who said, "Star Trek without Kirk and Spock? Never! I'm not watching that." And I didn't. For about two months. Then I caught a couple of episodes at an old girlfriends house and I realized what a mistake I'd made. TNG is my second favorite series to this day, and Picard is my all-time No. 1 Star Trek character.

So what’s number one on my TNG list? Is it an obvious pick like the Best of Both Worlds  or The Inner Light ? Or a deeper cut like Lower Decks or Redemption ? Everything's in play, so scroll down and find out below.

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The best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes, ranked

Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987 to a great deal of skepticism. Throughout the run of the original series and its revival on the big screen, Star Trek had always been the story of Captain James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy, maverick space explorers portrayed by William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley. Now, with the film franchise in decline, creator Gene Roddenberry was proposing a new version of the beloved sci-fi series that would feature none of the familiar cast or characters. In an era before spin-offs and reboots ruled Hollywood, this was practically heresy. These doubts were further fueled by the unfortunate reality that, for its first two seasons, The Next Generation wasn’t very good, hampered by nonstop backstage drama .

11-9. The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I and II/Family (season 3, episode 26/season 4, episodes 1 and 2)

8 and 7. chain of command, parts i and ii (season 6, episodes 10 and 11), 6. who watches the watchers (season 3, episode 4).

• 5 and 4. All Good Things … (season 7, episodes 25 and 26)

3. Darmok (season 5, episode 2)

2. the inner light (season 5, episode 25), 1. the measure of a man (season 2, episode 9).

The show’s fortunes changed significantly with its third season and the addition of new head writer Michael Piller , who rapidly retooled The Next Generation into a more contemporary sci-fi drama that would not only live up to the legacy of Star Trek but define it for the next 30 years. Piller’s TNG would become the launchpad for the Star Trek franchise’s most prosperous and prolific period, with a string of spin-offs that continues to this day. This writers’ room was the incubator for the next wave of space sci-fi on television, where the likes of Ronald D. Moore ( Battlestar Galactica , For All Mankind ), Brannon Braga ( The Orville ), and Naren Shankar ( The Expanse ) began their careers. Far more than an attempt to recapture the magic of the classic Star Trek , The Next Generation became one of the most iconic and influential science fiction series of all time, producing many of the franchise’s greatest episodes.

After building momentum with the public throughout its redemptive third season, Star Trek: The Next Generation hooked audiences for good with a shocking cliffhanger that had fans shaking with anticipation throughout the summer hiatus. The Best of Both Worlds depicts the long-awaited return of the Borg, the unstoppable cybernetic zombies introduced in season 2’s Q Who? episode. As promised, they’ve come to conquer the Federation’s worlds and assimilate their technology, but there’s an even more sinister twist: they capture the Enterprise’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and force him to lead their invasion. Wired into the Borg’s hive mind, Picard gives the collective the benefit of his decades of experience as a Starfleet officer and every advantage they’ll need to run roughshod through Earth’s defenses. At the end of Part I, stalwart first officer Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) has no choice but to open fire on the Borg ship, potentially killing his friend and mentor.

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If the conclusion to The Best of Both Worlds was as killer as its setup, it might have very well jumped to the top of this list, but Part II is a bit of an anti-climax. (This is because Piller and Company came up with the cliffhanger without any idea of how they were going to resolve it after their spring break, a habit they maintained for all of TNG ’s season finales.) However, the uneven The Best of Both Worlds Part II is redeemed by the following episode: its informal epilogue, Family . For the first time in the series’ history, The Next Generation dedicated an entire episode to managing the fallout from the last one, and it hammers home exactly why The Best of Both Worlds and TNG as a whole have endured in the zeitgeist. Patrick Stewart’s performance as an emotionally reserved man coming to grips with the trauma of his capture is some of his finest work and provides an understanding of his character that influenced decades of stories that followed.

Another feature-length acting showcase for Patrick Stewart, Chain of Command sends Captain Picard on a covert mission to sabotage a Cardassian bio-weapon. Eventually captured and charged with terrorism, Picard engages in a fierce and cerebral battle of wills with a hardened interrogator (three-time Trek guest star David Warner). Like The Best of Both Worlds and Family ,  Chain of Command puts Picard through hell, but where those episodes explore his human frailties, Chain of Command showcases his incredible inner strength. Above all, however, Picard’s journey in this two-parter acknowledges that no amount of willpower makes you immune to the cruelty and indignity of torture.

Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Commander Riker and the rest of the crew are facing their own stubborn adversary, their new Captain Edward Jellico ( RoboCop ’s Ronny Cox). After five years of growing together as a family, Riker and company find themselves with a mean new dad who’s willing to sacrifice their old one if it means keeping the upper hand in the Federation’s negotiations with the Cardassians. Jellico is a great secondary antagonist for this episode, but as abrasive as he is, fans have spent decades debating whether Jellico is the worst Captain of the Enterprise or one of the greatest.  

We love when Star Trek is a rollicking space adventure or a riveting political thriller, but at its heart, Star Trek is a Philosophy 101 course, Bible stories for the agnostic. The crew of the Enterprise, who represent the best of humanity, arrive at a new place where they must tackle some sort of moral dilemma and spark a conversation for the viewers at home. Who Watches the Watchers is a perfect example of this classic episode format. Here, while rescuing a secret Federation survey team on a planet in its Bronze Age of development, Picard accidentally becomes a religious figure in the eyes of its inhabitants. A simple misunderstanding quickly snowballs out of control, potentially condemning an otherwise peaceful society to generations of holy war. In order to prevent a bloodbath, Picard must find a way to debunk his own godhood. But of course, there’s only one surefire way to prove your mortality …

Underneath some solid character drama, Who Watches the Watchers is a study on the nature of faith, superstition, and extremism, but also on the value of history and anthropology. The Federation studies other cultures in part to gain a better understanding of themselves, to celebrate their differences as well as the things that bind all civilizations together. But, above all, this episode is a perfect encapsulation of Star Trek’s brand of humanism. While perhaps a bit harsh on the concept of religion overall, Trek’s message is that human beings are capable of making our own miracles through science and cooperation. We are, today, the gods that our ancestors worshipped, and in the future, we may yet become that which we now idolize.

5 and 4. All Good Things … (season 7, episodes 25 and 26)

In the two-hour series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Captain Picard finds himself unstuck in time, bouncing back and forth between the show’s present, the Enterprise’s maiden voyage, and a lonely future 25 years hence. Only by finding clues in all three eras can he prevent the destruction of all life in the galaxy, not just in the present but throughout all time. It’s a climactic showdown between Picard and Q (John de Lancie), an omnipotent extra-dimensional being who has been Picard’s nemesis since the very first episode, but who is also sort of a member of the family. Their scenes together in this finale are among their best in the series.  

An antecedent to the kind of fan service that has become absolutely exhausting in the ensuing decades, All Good Things … is an emotional ride that captures the essence of the entire series, celebrating each main character’s growth while delivering a fun and exciting high-stakes adventure. Though the episode definitely plays a bit better if you’ve also seen the series premiere, Encounter at Farpoint (warning: it’s bad), the episode still stands perfectly well on its own and holds up as one of the best TV finales of the 1990s. And, despite being followed up by four feature films and a reunion season on Star Trek: Picard , All Good Things… remains the only finale The Next Generation has ever needed.

In this episode, Captain Picard finds himself trapped on a planet with the alien Captain Dathon ( Terminator ’s Paul Winfield) with whom he shares no common framework for communication. Even the Universal Translator, which usually makes any language instantly understandable, is useless because just transcribing his words isn’t enough. Dathon’s people speak only via allusions to their own mythology, all of which is Greek to Picard. While their ships butt heads up in orbit, Picard must find a way for himself and his counterpart to understand each other before they’re both killed by the planet’s indigenous wildlife.  

Some fans might be perplexed by the placement of Darmok this high on our list of The Next Generation ’s greatest episodes. After all, in many respects, it’s a very typical episode of the series, with no major impact on the Star Trek universe or deviations from the show’s established format. That, to our reckoning, is exactly why it deserves a place in our countdown: Darmok is the Platonic ideal of a Star Trek episode. Most Treks, particularly in The Next Generation , are not epic in scope or galactic in scale; They’re small but compelling dramas about peace, communication, and curiosity.

Of the 800+ episodes that have aired since 1966, there is no single, self-contained story that better represents what Star Trek is than Darmok . It’s thoughtful, it’s hopeful, and it’s also pretty silly. It’s a story about how connecting with someone different from you requires effort and patience but is one of the most important and rewarding things that a person can do. And, its value as an allegory about cultural context and the specificity with which people frame their world through language has only increased as our own civilization depends more and more on reaction GIFs and pop culture references to communicate.

As evidenced by previous entries on this list, Star Trek: The Next Generation is often at its best as a spotlight for Shakespearean actor Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Stewart lent a degree of gravitas and legitimacy to every episode, but once or twice a season, the writers gave Stewart an opportunity to really show off the depth and range of his craft and of his character. In The Inner Light , a mysterious space probe psychically tethers itself to Captain Picard, causing him to collapse on the bridge of the Enterprise. While the crew attempts to revive him, we see a parallel story in which Picard wakes up on an unfamiliar, pre-warp planet, where he is greeted by a wife and a community of friends. Unable to leave the planet or convince anyone that his life as a space explorer wasn’t a dream, Picard — or, Kamin, as he’s called here — has little choice but to make a home for himself on this new world over the course of the following decades. You read that right, we said “decades.”

Beyond the mystery of what has happened to the captain, The Inner Light offers a deep exploration of Picard as a character. Throughout the series, Picard has been depicted as an emotionally reserved loner whose unhappy upbringing dissuaded him from starting a family. He has difficulty expressing affection or building romantic attachments, he’s uncomfortable around children, and he’s always chosen his career over his personal life. Now, suddenly, that career is gone, and he has the opportunity to learn what else he could be. Who is Jean-Luc Picard, if he’s not a space explorer? The Inner Light is a beautiful, heartbreaking story about the simple and undeniable beauty of everyday life, wrapped in a digestible hour of sci-fi television.

While The Next Generation doesn’t become week-to-week great TV until its third season, there are still a few diamonds in those rough first two years, including the show’s finest hour. In The Measure of a Man , Starfleet cyberneticist Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy) proposes dismantling the android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) so that he can be studied and mass-produced. When Data refuses to participate, Maddox argues that, as a machine, Data has no legal standing and is the property of Starfleet. This escalates into a courtroom drama, with Captain Picard advocating for Data’s personhood and Commander Riker forced to serve as Maddox’s counsel. The first screen credit for attorney-turned-author Melinda M. Snodgrass, The Measure of a Man is the finest example of Star Trek as a Socratic argument, talking through the finer points of sentience and artificial intelligence in a way that has never felt more relevant.  

But, as always, the sci-fi of a great Star Trek episode isn’t really about sci-fi. The Measure of a Man does what Trek does best, using the imaginary problems of the future to recontextualize a familiar issue of our past or present. The Measure of a Man isn’t about robotics or artificial intelligence, it’s about the ease and frequency with which those in power justify the exploitation of those less powerful. Throughout history, those with the means to do so have found excuses to dismiss the rights of others for their own gain. In the real world, these atrocities take centuries to overcome, and never without bloodshed. The utopian future of Star Trek allows us to imagine that the next such tragedy can be averted by taking a hard look at our past, at each other, at ourselves, and saying “Not this time.”

All seven seasons of Star: Trek The Next Generation can be streamed on Paramount+.

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Few science fiction franchises have made as enormous a cultural impact as Star Trek. Trek’s language and visual iconography, from “warp speed” to your phone’s built-in “live long and prosper” emoji, are ubiquitous even to people who have never seen the show. It’s the original organized “geek culture” fandom, and the birthplace of fan fiction and cosplay as we know it. The stigma of Trekkies as unwashed, socially awkward outcasts has dissipated as sci-fi and comics culture has gone mainstream, but Star Trek itself can still be intimidating to outsiders due to its massive scale and dense mythology of more than 800 episodes and films. Though it’s possible to explore the Star Trek universe on your own, it is best navigated with the aid of a guide. And, if you don’t happen to have a Trekkie in your life to chart your course with you (which they absolutely love to do), we’re here to offer three options as to how to get started, depending on how you like to digest stories.

Course No. 1: The sampler platter

For as long as both entities have existed, fans of science fiction and fantasy have debated the merits of Star Trek and Star Wars. But for most of the 45 years that the two franchises have overlapped, Star Trek and Star Wars haven’t actually had much in common, apart from their cosmic setting. Star Trek is an aspirational sci-fi series set in humanity’s future, while Star Wars is a bombastic fantasy adventure that takes place in a far-off galaxy. One has primarily lived on weekly television, while the other has broken big-screen box office numbers. However, in recent years, both Star Trek and Star Wars have become tentpoles for their parent companies’ subscription streaming services, Paramount+ and Disney+, respectively, each pumping out a steady stream of content in an ever-widening array of formats. This has led them to encroach further into each other’s territory than ever before. Star Trek vs. Star Wars is no longer an apples-to-oranges comparison — they are directly competing products, sharing some of the same ambitions and struggling against the same environmental forces. We will likely never settle on which space franchise is the greatest of all time, but we can take a moment to ask: Which is better right now?

Star Trek and Star Wars have both leaned heavily into fan service

Crossovers are nothing new for the Star Trek franchise. That tradition began in 1987 when original series star DeForest Kelley reprised his role as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. But in the upcoming second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, there's a unique crossover coming between this series and the animated program Star Trek: Lower Decks. For the first time in Star Trek history, two characters from an animated series will appear in live-action, and they will be portrayed by the same performers who provide their voices. As seen in the new Strange New Worlds trailer below, Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid are reprising their respective roles as Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Season 2 Official Trailer | Paramount+

The Best Episode From Each Season of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

From new fans to old, these 'TNG' episodes are essential.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the greatest science fiction television shows of all-time, even if it took a few seasons for the series to figure out its identity. While the initial episodes of The Next Generation struggled to flesh out all of the characters, relying on absurd comedic premises or simplistic metaphors, the series would grow into a more mature, enthralling entry into the Star Trek canon as it progressed.

Those watching the series for the first time may struggle to prioritize the essential episodes to catch up on , considering the series ran for seven seasons with over 175 episodes. These are the best episodes of every Star Trek: The Next Generation season.

“Conspiracy”

Season 1, episode 24 (1988).

Season 1 is a somewhat rough one for The Next Generation ; after the solid two-part premiere episode “Encounter At Farpoint,” the season steeps into a heavy decline in quality with episodes that didn’t reflect the more serious tone in the later seasons. However, the penultimate episode, “Conspiracy” breathed new life into the series by showing the strong leadership skills that defined Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ).

RELATED: The 10 Most Underrated 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Episodes

Picard’s sense of moral justice leads him to discover a conspiracy among senior Starfleet officers who have been compromised by a parasitic alien race; it puts Picard in a position in which he must defy orders.

“The Measure of a Man”

Season 2, episode 9 (1989).

While some episodes of The Next Generation have not aged well when it came to social politics, the episode “Measure of A Man” served as an interesting exploration of personal identity. When Data’s ( Brent Spiner ) autonomy is questioned, Picard must come to his defense in a legal case that forces his right-hand man, William Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ), into the role of prosecutor.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Picard' Season 3: What Does It Mean Now That [SPOILER] Are Back?

The episode makes the argument that all lives are capable of thought and creation and should be protected under the freedoms ensured to them by Starfleet. It’s a particularly timely episode to watch now in the wake of discussion about artificial intelligence.

“Yesterday’s Enterprise”

Season 3, episode 15 (1990).

The security chief, Tasha Yar ( Denise Crosby ) , hadn’t been utilized to her fullest potential in the first season; during its early stages, The Next Generation didn’t offer a whole lot for its female characters to work with. Thankfully, the time travel episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” offered Crosby the chance to reprise her role to give Yar the sense of closure that she deserved.

Time travel didn’t always work on The Next Generation , but “Yesterday’s Enterprise” showed that with the use of creative sets, inventive writing, and solid logical reasoning, time travel could be explained in a relatively reasonable way. "Yesterday's Enterprise" not only offered a fascinating look at a darker version of the setting we know and love, but properly sent-off Crosby's character.

“The Drumhead”

Season 4, episode 21 (1991).

The fourth season is one of The Next Generation ’s best, as after Picard’s capture by the Borg in the third season’s finale, “The Beat of Both Worlds (Part 1),” the series had become must-see television. However, the villain in “The Drumhead” isn’t an alien race but the very real concept of radical political fundamentalism.

RELATED: How This 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Quote Changed the Way I Look At the World

Jean Simmons appeared in a guest role as the renowned Starfleet investigator Admiral Norah Satie, who is dead set on exposing a supposed conspiracy within the Enterprise ’s crew. Even when faced with contradictory evidence, Satie refuses to accept facts as she works towards her predetermined notion of an officer’s guilt.

“The Inner Light”

Season 5, episode 25 (1992).

It’s easy to forget that outside of his roles as Picard and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, Stewart was best known for his work in Shakespearean adaptation and classical theater. Stewart showed his dramatic range as an actor in the fifth season’s penultimate episode, “The Inner Light.”

When he’s stranded on an unfamiliar planet, Picard must communicate with a primal race of creatures in order to get back to his crew. The episode sets up a few plot points that would be paid off in both Star Trek: Generations and the new Paramount+ series Picard .

“Tapestry”

Season 6, episode 15 (1993).

Q ( John de Lancie ) is one of the most fun recurring characters on The Next Generation , and always seems to provide a good dose of humor to the series. However, Q enters a more serious storyline in "Tapestry," which sees him giving Picard the chance to relive some memories from his youth.

Although Picard often feels like the quintessential hero and leader, “Tapestry” reveals that he made mistakes that he now regrets as an older man. While Picard can’t change the past, the mistakes he made are ones that he has learned from.

“All Good Things…”

Season 7, episode 25 (1994).

Many great shows struggle to pull off the perfect finale, and The Next Generation ’s finale had the responsibility of sending off the new Enterprise crew satisfyingly that set up their upcoming adventures in the upcoming film Generations .

The two-part series finale “All Good Things…” serves as the perfect callback to “Encounter at Farpoint,” with the crew of the Enterprise forced once again to fight for the survival of humanity. The final shot, which sees the crew playing cards together and bonding, embodies the themes of equality that are represented in the best Star Trek stories.

KEEP READING: Picard and Crusher's Star Trek Love Story Taps Into Our Favorite Romance Tropes

Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best Episodes, Ranked

Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the memorable series in the entire franchise. Here are the best episodes, ranked.

These are the on-screen voyages of Star Trek , a now-massive and popular franchise with 13 movies and over 800 episodes and counting . Star Trek: The Original Series went off the air in 1969, and was followed by two decades of movies about those same characters. Yet it wasn't until the launch of the second TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation , that we got to see new characters in this universe. Aptly named, Next Generation moved into the future from the original series, exploring new technology such as holodecks, and the universe-changing replicators, which could create almost any item you wanted in an instant.

As said in an article in the New Yorker , "It is hard to overstate how much of a departure the 'Star Trek' franchise's eighties-and-nineties-straddling incarnation, 'The Next Generation,' was from the original series." The show moved the Trek universe into a utopian future of post-scarcity. In one episode, for instance, Jean-Luc Picard, the current Captain of the starship Enterprise-D, tells a twentieth-century human concerned about his old stocks that, "People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of things. We've eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions. We've grown out of our infancy."

And that is the heart of the message of this show. Many of the best episodes have a more philosophical and intellectual bend to them, exploring deep ethical questions, explorations of justice, and what it means to be human. Yet some of the most beloved episodes are personal and emotional explorations of difficult subjects such as torture, loss of a loved one, or the effects of PTSD.

The Next Generation , or TNG as fans call it, has had a profound and lasting impact on how we see the Trek universe, the Federation, and creator Gene Roddenberry's vision for the future of humanity as a whole. It won two Hugo awards over its time on air, and remains one of the most memorable Trek shows to this day.

So which episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation are the best?

10 "Encounter at Farpoint" - Season 1, Episode 1

The premier of Next Generation is a two-part episode that sets up the characters and the starship well, in spite of awkward wardrobe choices and a bit of a clunky feeling to it. But what it does best is frame the show around its central theme - exploring large philosophical questions about humanity. We also get introduced to one of the best side characters in all Star Trek , who would go on to appear in multiple different shows: the mysterious extra-dimensional being known as Q.

In this episode, Q appears on the ship and finds Captain Picard, a meeting that would begin a long and entertaining "friendship" between the two. Q takes Picard to be a representative of humanity, and puts the entire human race on trial, confronting him with the worst aspects of humanity, from the past to the present. Picard is put in the tricky and unenviable position of defending the history and present state of humanity, acknowledging the violent past, as well as fairly judging the struggle for humans to come out of that and into a better future. He ultimately succeeds, and shows us who he is, and the kind of world the Enterprise now exists in, in the process. It's philosophical Trek at its finest.

9 “Tapestry” - Season 6, Episode 15

The episodes with Q and Picard are certainly some of the best of the show, and this one is an excellent example of the ways that Q would challenge and even help Picard.

In this episode, Picard succumbs to a terrible injury, and is possibly dying. His consciousness drifts into an all-white world, where he finds Q - who immediately jokes around about him being in the afterlife. Q gives Picard an option to live, however, if he goes back to the past and makes one change in his life. The thing he has to change is to not get into a fight in a bar. It sounds simple enough, but the now-familiar "butterfly effect" sees that one change alter Picard's entire life. He wakes up in the present time and finds his life unrecognizable, and unremarkable.

The story is a profound and interesting lesson about the nature of regrets, a life well lived, and what it means to take risks. It was also the first time that writer Ronald D. Moore, one of the most prolific and exceptional writers on the show, got to write about the enigmatic Q.

Related: Star Trek: Picard Showrunner Teases Many Familiar Next Generation Faces Returning in Season 3

8 “Chain of Command” - Season 6, Episodes 10 and 11

This two-part episode may be the darkest in the entire running of Next Generation . Featuring a new and terrifying enemy in the form of the Cardassians, the episode follows Picard as he is pulled into a covert mission that ends with him captured and mercilessly tortured. Patrick Stewart's performance is intense and chilling, as we watch him struggle to maintain his spirit and not break under the ruthless physical and psychological torture of the Cardassians. The episode sets up how nefarious they are, leading nicely into the new spinoff Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where they are one of the main antagonists. It's rare to see any show, especially a 90s sci-fi show, go into such a dark topic as torture, and this episode does not shy away from it.

7 “All Good Things…” - Season 7, Episodes 25 and 26

The finale of the show was powerful, and is without a doubt the best Star Trek series finale ever, summing up the characters and the show with a loving reverence and heartwarming send-off.

The two-part episode is a complex story. It begins with Picard being bounced around in time - his consciousness slips between the past, before the Enterprise's first mission with him as captain; to the present of the show; to the future, where he is a retired old man, living on his family's vineyard in France. His disorientation is waved away as a symptom of a fatal neurological disease he is diagnosed with, but he insists that his time-jumps are real, and implores his crew to believe him. The fate of their universe, and all of their timelines, hangs in the balance.

Picard leans on the trust of his crew, asking them to have faith in him despite years apart in the future, or a lack of familiarity in the past. They come together in a moving, bittersweet ending that was both a love letter to fans, and a powerful goodbye to the cast and show, that USA Today called "picture perfect." The two-part episode also won a Hugo Award, and contributed to the show earning an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige even cited it as a model for Avengers: Infinity War. No list of the best episodes of TNG would be complete without this finale.

6 “Yesterday's Enterprise” - Season 3, Episode 15

This episode features one of the best sacrifices we see in Star Trek , as well as a proper send-off for Tasha Yar, who had been too-quickly killed off in the first season. When another Enterprise (C) appears out of a temporal rift in space, we discover a different universe, in which the Federation is at war with the Klingons, and Yar is still alive. The future is altered by this change in the past, and only Guinon realizes that the future should be different. Ever a wise advisor to Picard, Guinon tells him that the Enterprise-C must return to the past, where they will surely be killed, in order to set the future right again. Picard at first refuses to send them into such a fate.

The episode is a redemption for Yar, giving her an emotional farewell that resonated with fans who felt she had been dealt a poor hand earlier. By the time the Enterprise-D (our crew) is on the verge of defeat, the Enterprise-C travels back to the anomaly, and to their inevitable deaths - saving millions with one heartbreaking sacrifice.

5 “The Offspring” - Season 3, Episode 16

Long time fan favorite, Data is one of the most interesting and unique characters in the Trek universe . Originally playing the cool, logical role of Spock in the original series, he moved into his own space as the show explored the nature of androids, and questions about what it means to be human - something Data always longed for.

In this episode, Data experiments with creating another android based on his own model - only with improvements. He calls this creation his daughter, and names her Lal (the Hindi word for "beloved"). This episode starts off innocent and sweet, and soon becomes one of the biggest tear-jerkers of the entire show. It's also the directorial debut of Jonathan Frakes (who played Will Riker), and it's impressive that he manages to capture such heartbreak so well. Next Generation explores Data's humanity in this episode, especially as he confronts one of the deep and tragic aspects of being human, in the form of loss. In one of the most touching and wise scenes of the entire show, Lal asks Data why he continues to try to be human, even though he never will be. He replies, "I have asked myself that many times, as I have struggled to be more human. Until I realized, it is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are, Lal. It does not matter that we will never reach our ultimate goal. The effort yields its own rewards."

4 “Family” - Season 4, Episode 2

Captain Picard is the central figure of Next Generation , and one of the most influential characters in the Trek universe - he even has his own honorary day . His life, his greatest achievements and worst failures, are all a large part of the show and what it explores. And perhaps the deepest we go into Picard's psychology is in the aftermath of his capture and conversion into the hive-mind of the relentless and terrifying Borg.

This episode takes place right after these events, continuing the storyline - something TNG almost never did. Struggling with whether or not to leave Starfleet, Picard goes back to Earth, to his family's vineyard, to try and come to terms with what happened to him and find grounding in his life and his past - his identity. He clashes with his brother, until they physically fight, and he ends up breaking down and admitting how broken he truly feels. The episode did not receive high praise at the time, and the concept itself was hated by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, but it is now cited as one of the best episodes in the entire series, being both a moving and deeply personal window into the character of Picard and his psychological state. Like many of the episodes on this list, it was written by the exceptionally talented Ronald D. Moore.

3 “Measure of a Man” - Season 2, Episode 9

The first two seasons of Next Generation had some misses in terms of episode quality, but this episode is one of the examples where the show excelled. And like many of the most interesting episodes in the series, it is centered around the android, Data.

The episode starts with a Starfleet scientist who arrives and insists on dissecting Data to find out how he works - seeing him as a tool or engineering marvel, not a sentient being. This culminates in a court hearing to determine if Data is "alive", and has sentience, or if he is merely a tool that should be used how the Federation sees fit. The poignant writing and fascinating intellectual problem makes the courtroom scenes utterly riveting, as the debate about what makes a being conscious and alive goes back and forth. It also features some of Picard's best lines, as he finally challenges the scientist: "Prove to the court that I am sentient." The scientist can't. This episode is one of the best examples of a unique mixture between fascinating philosophical questions, and genuine heartfelt drama.

Related: Why a Star Trek: Worf TV Series Should Happen

2 “The Best of Both Worlds" - Season 3 and 4, Episodes 26 and 1

The first episode in this two-part saga ends Season 3 on one of the best and most shocking cliffhangers of 90s television. The episode starts with the crew of the Enterprise responding to a distress call that leads them to the Borg. Along the way, we get an important glimpse of the relationship between Riker and Picard - that Riker has turned down positions as Captain on other starships, so that he can continue to work under Picard. That is how much respect and admiration he has for the Captain.

This becomes important later, when the Enterprise clashes with an ominous Borg "cube" in space. Picard is abducted, and Riker takes command of the ship. The episode ends with a horrifying image of Picard, now converted to the Borg, enslaved to the hive-mind. He calls himself Locutus, and tells the Enterprise to "prepare for assimilation." Riker orders Worf to fire upon them - and we understand the weight of this difficult decision because of the context provided earlier.

The second part of the story finds the Enterprise struggling to stay ahead of the Borg and stay alive. They manage to recapture Picard/Locutus, while the rest of the Borg head for Earth. The crew manage to use Locutus' connection to the Borg, having Data hack his way in and disable their weapons and shields. And the episode ends with Picard freed from the awful Borg implants, yet we see that he is still deeply shaken from the ordeal. The powerful episode won the show an Emmy, and has been declared by the Washington Post as the best episode in all of Star Trek , and the greatest cliffhanger in television history.

1 “The Inner Light” - Season 5, Episode 25

This second-to-last episode of Season 5 is the best from Next Generation , and is one of the only Trek episodes in the entire franchise to win a Hugo Award. It's also one of the best examples of a "bottle episode", where the events of the episode have little to do with any over-arching plot or character arcs. Yet it is consistently praised as one of the best, if not the best, in all Star Trek. It is even Patrick Stewart's favorite episode. As he said in a Reddit AMA : "It was a beautiful script, which for me was almost entirely located away from the Enterprise - and its crew! And because I was given the chance to perform what Picard would have been like if his life experience had been different." It also adds a personal touch, that Stewart's real son Daniel plays his character's son in the episode.

This touching story starts with Picard being shocked by a probe. He falls unconscious, and enters a reality where he is living the life of a man named Kamin, on a world that is slowly dying from increasing drought and radiation from the nearby sun. At first Picard seeks to find a way to contact the Enterprise, but he soon realizes he is trapped, and begins to live out his life as Kamin - even coming to have children and grandchildren. He lives almost an entire lifetime, as the planet dies around them. He tries and fails to save it, and grows old. One day he is invited to watch the launch of a rocket, and sees everyone around him looking young again. They tell him that the rocket is launching a probe into space, whose purpose is to share a brief glimpse of this world and its people with whoever finds the probe - through the eyes of Kamin. Picard realizes then, that he is the one who finds this probe, centuries later.

He wakes up back on the Enterprise, where only 25 minutes have passed - and in that 25 minutes, he lived through decades. Upon opening the probe, Picard finds the same flute he played for years as Kamin. The episode ends with Picard playing a hauntingly beautiful song on the flute with the skill and familiarity of decades of practice.

The writing of this episode is beautiful. It is based on both a Beatles song, also titled "The Inner Light", and on a verse from the ancient text, the Tao te Ching , about gaining vast knowledge and understanding without traveling anywhere. And it also shows some of the best range for Stewart's acting, pulling a wonderful and powerful performance from him. With such profound beauty that rivals that of a poem, this episode is Star Trek at its finest, and is the best episode in all of The Next Generation.

Best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes, ranked

Love Picard? Then it's time to venture into his past

There have been a raft of new Star Trek shows but we still have a massive soft spot for TNG. As you will see from this best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes guide, there are so many great episodes that it's no wonder that many fans consider it their favorite.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is considered one of the best science-fiction shows of all-time, it’s this TV series in which Picard was captain of the starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D.

But with seven seasons to choose from, where do you start? Well, all 178 episodes are worth a watch in our opinion (or a re-watch if you saw them the first time round). If you enjoyed the main themes and characters of the Picard series, then there are some key episodes you can’t miss.

We’ve collected together our favourite Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes, focusing on Picard’s career in Starfleet, his encounters with the Borg, artificial intelligence and more.

The great news is that you can now watch all episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Paramount+. The show, quite rightly, features in out best Paramount+ Shows guide.

If you have a favourite Star Trek: The Next Generation episode you don’t see here, you can add it below.

• Get another space fix with our shortlist of the best sci-fi TV shows , ranked
• Or, check out our shortlist of the best Star Trek villains

Best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

1 . The Inner Light (Season 5, episode 25)

This episode is one hell of a science-fiction story all about Jean-Luc Picard, or should we say Kamin. Picard is struck by an energy beam from an alien probe, which then causes him to experience 40 years of a new life as an alien humanoid called Kamin while he’s unconscious.

There’s a twist to why Picard experiences this other life, which we don’t want to give away. But if you’ve ever seen a GIF of Picard playing the flute, The Inner Light explains why. What’s more, the flute that plays the main theme in the Picard series is a subtle nod to the instrument he learns in this episode.

2 . The Best of Both Worlds 1 & 2 (Season 3, episode 26 / Season 4, episode 1)

One of the best storylines in the whole of Star Trek (and maybe the whole of science-fiction?), if you were wondering why one of the xB (that’s ex-Borg) called Jean-Luc “Locutus” in Star Trek: Picard, this is why.

Season 3 of Star Trek: The Next Generation ends with a huge and horrifying episode in which Picard is kidnapped and assimilated by the Borg. We may only have seen their inactive cube-shaped ship (the Artifact) in Picard, but this race of cybernetic humanoid drones pose a massive threat to the crew of The Enterprise during TNG’s run.

If you only watch two episodes from this list, ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ parts 1 and 2 are the most tense (and scary) viewing and set you up to better understand Picard’s past with the Borg.

3 . All Good Things 1 & 2 (Season 7, episode 25 and 26)

There are many things to love about the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, including another time-travelling romp which takes us 25 years into the Enterprise crew’s future.

But we’ve included it on this list, though, because of the milestone Picard’s character reaches when he finally learns to let his guard down with the people closest to him. This change is crystallised by his decision to join his senior officers’ weekly poker night. It's a heart-warming moment of togetherness which, judging by the events in Picard, helps to turn stoic starship colleagues into lifelong friends.

4 . The Measure of a Man (Season 2, episode 9)

Bruce Maddox may be elusive in Star Trek: Picard , but he plays a key role in the series – he created Soji and Dahj. But this isn’t the first time we’ve met the talented cyberneticist.

He first appears in this early TNG episode, in which all kinds of interesting questions about artificial intelligence, ethics and the rights of androids in the Star Trek universe are raised.

In this episode, Bruce Maddox arrives on the Enterprise with a request: to disassemble Data (an android) in order to learn more about his construction. This sounds like a valid request from someone who specialises in cybernetics. But there’s a catch: this would effectively ‘kill’ Data.

Data refuses and a trial follows in which Picard, speaking on Data’s behalf, argues that he’s not property of Starfleet but a self-determining being in his own right. The twist is, Picard’s first officer, William T. Riker, is called upon to argue against his captain on behalf of Maddox.

5 . Tapestry (Season 6, episode 15)

Another great Picard-focused episode, this one is orchestrated by Q, Picard’s playful omnipotent nemesis, who sends Picard back in time to a crucial moment during his time as a cadet at the Starfleet Academy. Q offers a chance to undo a past mistake, which Picard regrets. But, as we’ve learned from other time travel episodes, once you start messing with the past things in the future get complicated. Very complicated.

Apart from the joy of another John de Lancie cameo as Q, this episode offers a window into the brash, arrogant young man Jean-Luc was in his youth, offering a deeper insight into the journey his character has taken by the time we rejoin him in Picard.

6 . The Pegasus (Season 7, episode 12)

This is the episode that gave us ‘Picard Day’, a children’s celebration on board the family-friendly Enterprise, which is now commemorated every June 16th (in case you’d like to join in). The eagle-eyed among you will recognise the Picard day banner, which is strung up in Jean-Luc’s lock-up first appears in this episode, hanging proudly across the briefing room.

‘Pegasus’ shows us the strength of Picard’s relationship with his first officer, William T. Riker, when one of Will’s previous Captains (whom Lost fans will no doubt recognise) shows up to test his loyalties.

The shady goings on surrounding a lost, experimental ship also exposes a rarely seen conspiratorial aspect to the otherwise squeaky-clean bureaucracy of Starfleet. A theme which is picked back up in the new series.

7 . Family (Season 4, episode 2)

How do you follow a nail-biting two-parter that sees Picard become the cybernetic ambassador of an enemy alien race? With a restful trip back to the Picard family vineyard in rural France.

‘Family’ is an emotional change of pace that follows Jean-Luc as he recovers with family back on Earth. Picard viewers will recognise this as the chateaux from the beginning of the series. Things are fraught with his brother, culminating in a fist fight, which causes Picard to break down and share his guilt over what he did when he was part of the Borg collective.

Although this episode lacked a dramatic sci-fi thread, it was deeply moving in the way it dealt so well with Picard’s trauma – a huge testament to Patrick Stewart’s incredible acting talent.

8 . I, Borg (Season 5, episode 23)

Hugh is a key character in the Picard series, heading up the Borg Artifact Research Institute as an xB and clearly knows Picard very well. This episode in which they first meet.

In ‘I, Borg’, the Enterprise picks up on a strange signal from a nearby moon. Thinking it’s a distress call, and being such helpful citizens of space, the crew sends an away team down to the surface to see what’s going on. When they get there they find a number of dead Borg drones, as well as one who is very much alive and, you guessed it, turns out to be Hugh.

9 . Data’s Day (Season 4, episode 11)

Episodes in which Data attempts to learn more about what it means to be human, are some of the most interesting and thoughtful of the whole TNG run. That’s why ‘Data’s Day’ is one of our top episodes, in which Data records a day in his life on The Enterprise for Bruce Maddox – who he, rather surprisingly, stays in touch with after Maddox’s threat to disassemble him.

Data narrates this episode, talking Maddox through his day, and it includes the marriage of two of his friends and dealing with the complicated mess of human emotions that accompanies it. This is also the episode which introduces Data’s pet cat – Spot (which makes a surprising return in one of the later episodes of Picard).

10 . Descent 1 & 2 (Season 6, episode 26 / Season 7, episode 1)

Another two-parter that bridges the end of season six with the final season of TNG, ‘Descent’ brings together a number of the most exciting threads from the previous six seasons.

Part 1 begins with Data on the holodeck playing poker with Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and the real-life Stephen Hawking in a rare sci-fi cameo. Data is called away on a mission to answer a distress call, which sets in motion a series of events that leads the crew of the Enterprise back again to the Borg. But this time things are different. The Borg drones appear to be acting with more independence.

This two-parter sees the return of Data’s devious doppelganger brother Lore, who is in charge of the breakaway Borg community. As well as the return of Hugh, who is leading a small group of rebels against Data’s duplicitious brother.

It also introduces Data’s first experience as an android of human emotions, laying the groundwork for the highly-sophisticated synthetic beings we encounter in Picard.

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Best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

Great science fiction and standout performances make these the best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes ever.

It's time to explore strange new shows and seek out the best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes as we boldly go where no one has gone before. Well Ok, a few people have been here before, but that's not going to stop us.

It’s hard to imagine what a list of the top Star Trek episodes would look like without The Next Generation. It may not have been the first Trek show to grace televisions (or even the second!), but for a lot of fans, The Next Generation is Star Trek. 

It only lasted seven seasons, airing from 1987 - 1994, but TNG is still a fundamental part of the current Trek universe. Paramount Plus original Star Trek: Picard just kicked off its second season and the events of Discovery regularly intersect with those referenced in TNG. It’s possible the Lower Decks would exist even without the TNG episode of the same name…but we kind of doubt it. What we're saying is, Star Trek is what it is today because of The Next Generation.

To be as fair as possible and give each franchise the respect it deserves, we’re going to examine them individually. What follows, therefore, is a list of the best Star Trek The Next Generation episodes. If you want to watch through these classic TNG episodes yourself, our Star Trek streaming guide is here to help.

Whether they offer exceptional science fiction, standout performances, or classic Trek moments, each episode on this list is worth your time — even if you’re a Trek newbie. Just keep in mind that spoilers lie within, and proceed accordingly. 

If you want to see even more great Star Trek content, check out our ranking of the best Star Trek: Voyager episodes too. It's a Neelix-lite list, we promise. We've also got our guide to the Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best if you prefer your Trek on the silver screen.

10. The First Duty 

• Original air date: March 30, 1992

Ok, we all know that Wesley Crusher kind of sucks, but that’s exactly what makes The First Duty so good. In it, Wesley is caught between loyalty to his friends and the truth with not just his future at stake, but the respect of the most important male figure in his life, Captain Picard. 

Wesley and his pals, emboldened with the hubris known to virtually everyone who’s ever been young, attempt a flight maneuver that results in a fatal accident. The squad leader pressures everyone to keep quiet and lay the blame on the dead cadet, because to do otherwise would destroy their reputations and careers. Picard figures out what’s going on, putting Wesley in the position of having to choose between backing up his friends’ lies or coming clean. 

The First Duty doesn’t shy from making Wesley look like exactly what he is: a boy whose arrogance got his friend killed. The Enterprise crew is typically so virtuous they beggar belief, but Wesley’s situation is uncomfortably relatable. 

9. The Game

• Original air date: October 28, 1991

Take Invasion of the Body Snatchers and mix in a sprinkling of anti-video game propaganda and you have The Game, featuring a very young Ashley Judd as Ensign Robin Lefler. 

A playmate on Risa introduces Riker to a video game that he later brings back with him to the ship. Wesley, visiting his mom while on break from Starfleet Academy, originally suggests to Ensign Lefler that they study the appeal of the game as a kind of ultra-nerdy date activity, which is how they stumble on the fact that it’s highly addictive and leaves the player open to suggestion. 

If there’s ever an episode of the horniest Star Trek episodes, The Game will definitely be on it, not just because of the players’ gasps of orgasmic happiness when they complete a level, but also because Troi’s explanation of how to eat a hot fudge sundae.   

8. The Most Toys 

• Original air date: May 5, 1990

A collector by the name of Kivas Fajo concocts a ruse that allows him to kidnap Data while tricking the crew of the Enterprise into believing their comrade is dead. Fajo specializes in one-of-a-kind items and quickly reveals himself to be ruthless to the point of sociopathy when it comes to getting what he wants. 

The casual cruelty with which Fajo treats other living beings allows The Most Toys to explore the boundaries of Data’s humanity as he stands up to his abuser. It’s a compelling episode thanks especially to Saul Rubinek’s ice-cold turn as Fajo.

7. Cause and Effect

• Original air date: March 23, 1992

As pre-credits hooks go, it’s tough to beat Cause and Effect. The episode has barely begun before Picard is ordering all hands to abandon ship, shortly before the Enterprise explodes in glorious fashion. The rest of Cause and Effect follows the crew as they slowly realize they’re reliving events over and over, eventually deducing that they’re stuck in a time loop. 

After the ship explodes, the loop resets and their memories wipe. Every sci fi show worth its salt has a time loop episode of one kind or another, but Cause and Effect carries it off with cleverness. The eventual solution to the problem is a mix of technical wizardry and personal insight, a pleasant change for a show set in space. The final cameo is outstanding, too.

6. Yesterday’s Enterprise

• Original air date: February 19, 1990

Consider this one “It’s a Wonderful Life: Space Edition.” The Enterprise-C traverses an anomaly, triggering an alternate timeline in which the Federation is still at war with the Klingons and Tasha Yar never ran afoul of that oil slick. The only way to put things right — or at least the way they used to be — is for the Enterprise-C to return to its own timeline, but that’s a suicide mission. 

Yesterday’s Enterprise raises one of the classic sci fi questions: Who has more right to exist? Why is one possibility more true than another? In addition to exploring those questions, Yesterday’s Enterprise gives fans the opportunity to say a proper and meaningful goodbye to Tasha, whose previous exit was unsatisfying, to say the least. 

5. Lower Decks

• Original air date: February 7, 1994

The cartoon of the same name takes a comical look at the relationship between the bridge staff and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise, but this episode is no joke. Lower Decks provides a rare glimpse into the attitudes and ambitions of crewmembers who haven’t made it into the limelight yet. One of them, Sito, was involved in the scandal of The First Duty, and she assumes her placement on the Enterprise under Picard’s eye is some kind of punishment. 

On the contrary, Picard requested her to ensure she was given a fair shake after what happened. Sito learns that people still believe in her and eagerly embraces a dangerous mission into Cardassian territory where she might prove her value. When she fails to return, we see how her death impacts the senior officers who wanted to help her realize her potential, as well as the friends she left behind. Lower Decks is a sad, intimate examination of ambition, hero worship, and self-esteem.    

• Original air date: September 30, 1991

Differences cannot be overcome and alliance cannot be forged until we learn to communicate with each other, a highly Star Trek concept that Darmok takes to an extreme.  After the Tamarians’ attempts to communicate with the Federation fail, a Tamarian captain, Dathon, beams himself and Picard to the surface of a nearby planet. The Tamarian language is based entirely on references and metaphors; as Troi explains, the phrase “Juliet on her balcony” only makes sense if you know who Juliet was. 

Virtually the entire episode is Picard trying desperately to understand Dathon, a task that becomes more urgent as the duo are attacked by a predator and Dathon is severely wounded. Some Star Trek fans deride Darmok as being too boring or repetitive, but others appreciate it for how eerily it predicted the rise of online meme culture. Bernie, his hands cold. Homer, when the bushes parted.

3. Chain of Command, pt 2 

• Original air date: December 21, 1992

TNG had its fair share of impressive villains, but few were as genuinely terrifying as the Cardassian inquisitor in Chain of Command. In Part 1, Captain Picard is captured during a clandestine away mission, the victim of an elaborate ruse by the Cardassians. In Part 2, he is systematically tortured by Gul Madred, played by the exceptional David Warner. 

The prize Madred seeks is Starfleet’s plans for Minos Korva, and the bulk of the episode is him employing everything from sleep deprivation to humiliation to get Picard to crack. He shows the captain an array of four lights, insisting Picard agree that there are five. When he refuses, he is punished. 

Chain of Command is frustrating, enraging, and frightening, but few moments in Trek history are as cathartic as Picard, weak from abuse but finally rescued, turning to face Gul Madred one last time and shouting, “There are FOUR lights!”  

2. The Inner Light

• Original air date: June 1, 1992

The Inner Light is a gentle, yet profound piece of science fiction storytelling. The Enterprise encounters an unknown probe that scans the ship and hits Picard with an energy beam, knocking him unconscious. When he regains consciousness, Picard is shocked to discover that he’s no longer on the Enterprise; he’s on a planet called Kataan and everyone seems to think he’s someone called Kamin. He struggles to convince Kamin’s wife and best friend that his version of reality is true, without success. 

Years pass, and while he never stops hoping to one day be reunited with his ship, Picard embraces his life as “Kamin,” bringing what science he can to the low-tech society while also becoming a husband and father. As Picard, now old, reaches the end of his new life, The Inner Light reveals its secret. 

Doomed by a supernova, the leaders of Kataan launched a probe containing memories of its people, hoping it would someday be able to share their story. The episode is lovely and sad, no moreso than when the probe opens to reveal the flute that Picard — as Kamin — believed he spent his life on Kataan learning to master.  

1. The Best of Both Worlds, pt 1

• Original air date: June 18, 1990

There were times when TNG told better or more important stories, but for sheer nail-biting drama, it’s impossible to top the cliffhanger ending of The Best of Both Worlds, part 1. To appreciate its position atop this list, cast your mind back to the time before the internet did its best to dispel all mystery surrounding characters’ fates. 

The crew of the Enterprise had encountered the Borg before in Q-Who, but that simply laid the groundwork to establish how dangerous an enemy they were. A Borg cube attacks the Enterprise, abducting Picard in the process. An away team beams to the Borg ship to attempt a rescue, but only find their captain’s communicator and uniform. 

This leads to the most jaw-dropping season finale the series ever managed: The Borg contact the Enterprise, and an assimilated Picard — now Locutus of Borg — assures them that resistance is futile. Riker, now in command, gives the only order he can: “Fire.” Chills.  

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Susan Arendt is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant living in Burleson, TX. She's a huge sci-fi TV and movie buff, and will talk your Vulcan ears off about Star Trek. You can find more of her work at Wired, IGN, Polygon, or look for her on Twitter: @SusanArendt. Be prepared to see too many pictures of her dogs.

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The Best Episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation

In the imaginative universe of Star Trek: The Next Generation , countless episodes have made their mark, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. With a brilliant mix of engaging storytelling, memorable characters, and thought-provoking themes, the series has offered countless moments that resonate with viewers even decades after its initial run. Delving into these exceptional episodes not only entertains but also offers an insight into what makes this great sci-fi series stand apart. 

The best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation showcase the incredible creative talent behind the show, presenting stories that both entertain and challenge viewers through captivating narratives and philosophical dilemmas. By exploring themes such as morality, identity, and the human condition, these episodes remind us of what makes Star Trek: The Next Generation a groundbreaking and enduring television phenomenon. 

A few examples of extraordinary Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes include "The Best of Both Worlds," "Yesterday's Enterprise," and "The Inner Light." Each of these masterfully crafted episodes demonstrates the show's ability to craft complex narratives, create memorable characters, and tackle thought-provoking concepts. In "The Best of Both Worlds," the crew faces an unprecedented threat from the Borg, leading to a nail-biting cliffhanger. "Yesterday's Enterprise" transports viewers to an alternate timeline where they witness dramatic events unfold between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. And in "The Inner Light," Captain Picard experiences a deeply emotional and heartrending journey that profoundly impacts his perspective on life. 

Episodes like these Illuminate the brilliance of Star Trek: The Next Generation , demonstrating the power of exceptional storytelling and the transcendent themes that have made the series an enduring classic. By examining these standout episodes, it becomes evident why fans celebrate and cherish the show's legacy: inspiring generations to boldly go where no one has gone before. 

The Best of Both Worlds

The Best of Both Worlds, Part II

Cause and Effect

Yesterday's Enterprise

The Inner Light

The Measure of a Man

All Good Things...

Starship Mine

Lower Decks

Ship in a Bottle

Future Imperfect

Redemption, Part II

Chain of Command

The Defector

The Next Phase

The Offspring

The Nth Degree

Face of the Enemy

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• Adventure Entertainment
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Live long, and prosper.

The 15 Best Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes, Ranked

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If you're even remotely interested in science fiction and television, chances are pretty good that someone has recommended you watch Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Unless you've seen it and are sure you don't like it, that person was right: you should watch it!

But we don't blame you if you find it somewhat daunting—considering Star Trek: The Next Generation has hour-long episodes and lasted for seven seasons.

If you're not sure where to start, or if you're a longtime fan looking to rewatch a few excellent episodes, here are the best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes you should definitely watch.

How to Watch Star Trek: TNG

Anyone who isn't a die-hard fan of Star Trek should probably stick to streaming episodes on Amazon Prime or Hulu. The show may not always be available in the future on either platform, but if you're already subscribed, you can watch while you can.

But any die-hard fan should seriously consider getting the entire series on DVD or Blu-ray. A vintage series like this may not always be around, in which case you'll thank yourself for owning a physical copy rather than being beholden to streaming services.

1. "Measure of a Man"

The Next Generation was still finding its feet in the second season, but "Measure of a Man" was one of the first truly great episodes of the series.

This episode focuses on Lt. Commander Data, specifically his rights as an android, when a scientist who wants to dismantle him to create copies of him.

2. "Q Who?"

Q made his debut in the series debut episode "Encounter at Farpoint," but this episode is where John de Lancie really begins to shine in his role. Q tries to prove that the crew of the Enterprise needs him as an ally. How? By putting them in incredible danger.

3. "Manhunt"

Normally, episodes of The Next Generation that feature Deanna Troi's mother Lwaxana are groan-worthy—and this one is too, but in a way that works.

Lwaxana is on the prowl for a mate (hence the episode title), and Captain Picard is doing his best to avoid her. This episode also features a cameo from Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood.

4. "The Defector"

If you're a fan of the recent The Next Generation follow-up show Star Trek: Picard , this season three episode is a must see. It gives excellent background on the Romulans, and also just happens to be a great episode on its own merits.

5. "Deja Q"

Yep, another Q episode. This one is unusual, as Q spends most of the episode without his powers aside from his intellect.

After seeing him as a near-omnipotent antagonist in other episodes, seeing Q dealing with human problems is strangely satisfying, even if he does regain his powers by the end.

6. "Yesterday's Enterprise"

Whenever time travel pops up out of nowhere in a sci-fi show, you know it's probably going to be a good episode. This is especially true with "Yesterday's Enterprise," a fan and cast favorite that features a new take on the death of a character from season one.

7. "The Offspring"

This is another episode that ties well into Star Trek: Picard . It's also the first episode of the episode directed by a cast member, in this case Jonathan Frakes, whose directorial touch makes this episode (in which Data creates a daughter for himself) a favorite of numerous cast members.

8. "Captain's Holiday"

As the title implies, this episode begins with Captain Picard taking a vacation, only to be drawn into an almost Indiana Jones -style adventure. It also happens to feature time travel—which, again, almost always makes for a great episode.

9. "Best Of Both Worlds"

"Best Of Both Worlds" is more or less legally required to be on any list of the best episodes of this show. This two-parter that spans season three and season four sees Picard captured and assimilated by the Borg...

...and a cliffhanger that had fans impatiently waiting for season four to begin. This two-part episode is so good that it was released as a standalone Blu-ray disc.

10. "Brothers"

This episode isn't the first episode to feature Data's brother, Lore, but it's the best. If you're a fan of Data (is it possible to watch this show and not become one?), this is a must-watch for the background the episode gives to his character.

11. "Data's Day"

Speaking of Data, "Data's Day" is about, well, Data's day. This is one of the funnier episodes of the show, as well as essential viewing if you plan to watch Star Trek: Deep Space Nine thanks to its focus on Miles and Keiko O'Brien.

12. "I, Borg"

Here's another episode that provides great background for Picard . "I, Borg" sees the Enterprise crew find an injured Borg and initially decide to use him as a weapon against the Borg. Instead, he starts to develop free will and even takes a name: Hugh.

13. "The Inner Light"

While "Captain's Holiday" lets us see a slightly different Picard we don't normally see on the show, "The Inner Light" shows us a radically different Picard. The Captain literally lives another life while only a few minutes pass for the rest of the crew.

14. "Tapestry"

Another Q episode, but with a much different tone than normal. After Picard dies (yes, you read that right), Q gives him a chance to go back in time and change events, It's A Wonderful Life -style.

Of course, nothing goes as planned. Writer (and later Battlestar Galactic creator) Ronald D. Moore told fans this was one of the best episodes he'd written.

15. "Genesis"

It was tough not to round out this list of episodes with "All Good Things," the final episode of the show, but that's kind of a bummer.

Instead, we'll go with "Genesis," one of the weirdest episodes of the show, which sees most of the crew turned into primitive beings including a spider, a venom-spraying mega-Klingon, and cavemen.

Can't Get Enough Star Trek?

Narrowing down the entire run of Star Trek: The Next Generation to the best episodes is effectively impossible, because it means leaving out a ton of great episodes.

If you're really looking to get into the series, start from the beginning and watch it all. Yes, the first two seasons can be a little rough, but the plot points they set up will pay off seasons later.

The Top 57 Episodes of ‘Star Trek,’ Ranked From Great to Perfect

First, let’s be clear: Ranking the best “Star Trek” episodes is a silly thing to do. To date, the longest-running American TV franchise has aired a gargantuan 890 episodes and counting, starting with the original series in 1966. Since then, at least one “Star Trek” TV show has aired (or streamed) every decade, totaling 11 so far (with more on the way ). Choosing the best episodes within such a boundless, occasionally contradictory storytelling galaxy seems about as wise as cheating when playing poker with a Klingon.

On the other hand, there may be no more time-honored tradition among “Star Trek” fans than a vigorous debate over what constitutes the best of the franchise. (Best series ? Best captains ? Best starships ? Best aliens ? Best uniforms ? They’ve all been ranked multiple times !)

In that spirit — and to commemorate the 57th anniversary of “Star Trek” on Sept. 8 —  Variety ’s resident “Trek” geeks have ranked the top 57 episodes of all time, across the franchise.

Creating our list required some deep-dish nerdiness in its own right: We compiled a long list of episodes from each series that we felt deserved to be on the final ranking. Then we created our own individual rankings — and promptly realized our taste was quite divergent. To reconcile our lists, we adopted the approach of the great movie ranking podcast, Screen Drafts : We took alternating turns placing a pick from 57 to 1, and we each had two opportunities to veto the other’s pick (which in every case was to ensure it was placed higher on the list).

Other than the short-lived “Star Trek: The Animated Series” (1973-1974), this list reflects every other iteration of “Trek” on TV: “Star Trek: The Original Series” (1966-1969); “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994); “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999); “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001); “Star Trek: Enterprise” (2001-2005); “Star Trek: Discovery” (2017-2024); “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-2023); “Star Trek: Prodigy” (2021-2022); and the ongoing “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020-present) and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (2022-present).

The Way to Eden

“The Original Series” — Season 3, Episode 20

Look, this episode gets a lot of hate. But the fact is “TOS” is known (by today’s standards) for being very campy, and there is no episode campier than this one. A group of space hippies board the Enterprise on their journey to a mythical planet called Eden, where they can live happily forever. The episode memorably features Charles Napier (who would go on to a long career playing tough guys, villains, cops and the like) breaking out into song a bunch of times, including a jam session with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). —Joe Otterson Original airdate: Feb. 21, 1969

Terra Prime

“Enterprise” — Season 4, Episode 21 More than any other episode of “Enterprise,” “Terra Prime” made the most of the show’s mission to dramatize the beginnings of Starfleet, 100 years before the events of “TOS.” Just as a newfound coalition of planets begins to form on Earth (a precursor to the Federation), Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew must stop a xenophobic terrorist (played to the hilt by future “Star Trek Into Darkness” villain Peter Weller) bent on forcing all aliens to leave Earth. Subtle, it ain’t, but the story feels more relevant today than it did 20 years ago, and everyone in the cast gets a moment to shine. Alas, it came too late: “Enterprise” had been canceled before this episode even went into production. —Adam B. Vary Original airdate: May 13, 2005

“Prodigy” — Season 1, Episode 6

The animated “Prodigy” was the first “Star Trek” series geared toward kids, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t things for older “Trek” fans to enjoy. In particular, “Kobayashi” perfectly embodies what makes this show a worthy entry in “Trek” canon. Dal (Brett Gray) and Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) discover the holodeck aboard the Protostar, where they decide to go through the Kobayashi Maru, a.k.a. the “no-win scenario” that Capt. Kirk successfully beat during his time at the Academy. He gets help along the way from legendary characters like Spock, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Odo (René Auberjonois). —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 6, 2022

Stormy Weather

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 6

On a mission to discover the origins of a cataclysmic gravitational anomaly, the U.S.S. Discovery enters a subspace rift and finds itself trapped inside a lethal black void that threatens to collapse in on the ship. The result is a classic race-against-time thriller (directed by “Trek” mainstay Jonathan Frakes), but what makes “Stormy Weather” stand out amid the heavily serialized episodes of “Discovery” is its emotionally resonant use of the ship’s sentient A.I. computer, Zora (Annabelle Wallis), who has to learn how to calm her mind from overwhelming stimuli in order to guide the ship out of danger. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 23, 2021

Seventeen Seconds

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 3

“Picard” didn’t find itself until Season 3, which reunited the core cast of “The Next Generation” — and it was really Episode 3 that sealed the deal. Riker (Frakes) is forced to take command of the Titan as Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike hunt them. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Crusher get an all-time great scene together as she reveals why she never told him about their son, Jack (Ed Speleers). Worf (Michael Dorn) makes his big return. We learn the Changelings are still intent on attacking the Federation. Riker and Picard end up at odds in a way we’ve never seen before. In short, epic. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 2, 2023

The Enemy Within

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 5

The transporter — the cause of, and solution to, so many “Star Trek” problems — accidentally splits Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) into two people: Good Kirk, who is wracked with indecision, and evil Kirk, who is a histrionic asshole. Come for a meditation on the darkness that lies tucked inside everyone’s psyche, stay for some of William Shatner’s most deliciously hammy acting — and this was just the fifth episode of the series! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1966

Family Business

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episode 23

The Ferengi episodes of “DS9” are always great comic relief, with this episode giving fans their first view of the home planet of Ferenginar and Ferengi culture in general. Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik) must return home when their mother, Ishka (Andrea Martin), is accused of acquiring profit (gasp!), something Ferengi females are forbidden to do. Shimerman and Martin shine as they play out Quark and Ishka’s relationship, while Grodénchik really gets to put his comedic chops on display. This episode is also notable as the first appearance of Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) from the Ferengi Commerce Authority, as well as Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald), frequent love interest of Cmdr. Sisko (Avery Brooks). —J.O.

Original airdate: May 15, 1995

Blink of an Eye

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 12

The Voyager gets stuck in orbit around a planet where time passes far more rapidly than in the rest of space, as the episode alternates between the bemused curiosity of Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew and the awestruck preoccupation of the expeditiously progressing populace on the planet below, for whom Voyager is a sparkling, fixed constant in the night sky. At one point, the Doctor (Robert Picard) beams down to the planet to investigate, and a delay of only a few minutes on Voyager means he spends three years on its surface. He even adopts a son! One of the great, wild what if? episodes of “Star Trek.” —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 2000

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 23

Mark Lenard absolutely crushed the role of Spock’s father, Sarek, in multiple episodes across multiple “Star Trek” series and movies, but this episode is perhaps his finest performance as the character. Sarek comes to the Enterprise-D on what is meant to be his final mission, only for the crew to learn he is suffering from Bendii Syndrome. The condition leaves him prone to uncharacteristic emotional outbursts while also causing him to telepathically influence the emotions of those around him. Picard saves the day by mind melding with Sarek, allowing him to finish his mission with dignity — and provide Stewart with the chance for some powerhouse acting as he channels Sarek’s volcanic emotions. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 14, 1990

“Enterprise” — Season 3, Episode 10

“Trek” loves a moral dilemma, and this one’s a doozy: After Cmdr. Tucker (Connor Trinneer) is critically injured while the Enterprise is on a deep space mission, Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) suggests growing a “mimetic symbiote” of Trip — effectively, a clone with a built-in two-week lifespan — in order to create the brain tissue needed to save Trip’s life. But that means the Enterprise crew must endure watching Trip’s clone rapidly age from a precocious kid to an adult man (played by Trinneer with eerie self-possession), who then pleads for his own right to live. Creepy and heartbreaking in equal measure. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 19, 2003

Trials and Tribble-ations

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 5, Episode 6

This episode is a love letter to the original series, with the Defiant’s crew transported back in time to the events of “The Trouble With Tribbles.” A Klingon agent is planning to use a booby-trapped tribble to assassinate James T. Kirk. Thanks to digital editing, the crew is able to interact with the original Enterprise crew and keep the timeline intact. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 4, 1996

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 23

Mirror universe episodes of “Star Trek” are (almost) always fun, if ultimately a little silly. But this one — in which Kira (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) find themselves in an alternate reality in which Bajor, Cardassians and Klingons subjugate humans as slaves — comes closest to matching the spark of discovery in the original “TOS” episode. It’s especially fun to watch Visitor devour the role of Kira’s deliciously wicked mirror counterpart, the Intendant. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: May 16, 1994

Memento Mori

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 1, Episode 4

This episode proved “Strange New Worlds” — the newest “Star Trek” series — could be as action-packed as the very best of “Star Trek.” The Enterprise crew find themselves on the run from the Gorn, a savage enemy (first introduced on “TOS” and largely ignored in “Trek” canon) about which they know virtually nothing. They are forced to use every resource at their disposal to outwit and outrun the Gorn, including tapping into the subconscious of La’an (Christina Chong), the only crew member who has encountered the aliens and survived. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 26, 2022

Counterpoint

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 10

The main story is a tense, WWII allegory: Capt. Janeway and her crew hide telepathic refugees while passing through the space of the Devore, who have outlawed telepaths. But the real story is the relationship Janeway forms with the lead Devore inspector, Kashyk (Mark Harelik), who suddenly shows up alone and announces he’s defecting. As Kashyk aids Janeway in finding safe harbor for the refugees, she realizes how much he’s her intellectual equal, and she finds herself drawn to him — in spite of (or perhaps spurred on by) her continued suspicion of his motives. A great, subtle performance by Mulgrew captures both Janeway’s steely wits and her private yearning. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 16, 1998

The Drumhead

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 21

“Star Trek” has done a number of courtroom episodes, and this is one of the best. Rear admiral Norah Satie (Jean Simmons) is sent to investigate suspected sabotage aboard the Enterprise. The investigation quickly spirals into paranoia and accusations of treachery against a crew member who is revealed to have Romulan lineage. It is an excellent reminder of what can happen when persecution is dressed up as an attempt at greater security, with Picard using Satie’s father’s teachings to bring about her downfall. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 29, 1991

“The Next Generation” — Season 7, Episode 8

More thwarted romance! The seasons-long will-they/won’t-they between Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) gets its best showcase, when the pair are captured by isolationist aliens and given implants that allow them to read each other’s thoughts. You get the feeling Stewart and especially McFadden had been dying to play out this dynamic on the show, so they both bring years of sublimated longing to the episode. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 8, 1993

In the Hands of the Prophets

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 20

Louise Fletcher’s performance as Vedek Winn (later Kai Winn) ranks among the best “Star Trek” villains of all time. Deeply religious to the point of fanaticism, Winn protests Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao) teaching children on Deep Space Nine that the wormhole aliens are not deities, as many Bajorans believe. Winn’s words whip Bajorans on the station into a frenzy; Keiko’s school is bombed. But what Winn really desires is power, to the point she tries to get one of her followers to kill a fellow Vedek she sees as a threat. The episode sets up Winn’s role as a major antagonist throughout the series to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: June 21, 1993

The Trouble With Tribbles

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 15

If you’ve seen any episode of “TOS,” chances are it’s this one. While on shore leave at a space station, the Enterprise comes upon an adorably furry alien creature called a tribble, which are born pregnant, multiply exponentially, consume enormous quantities of food and react with alarm when in the presence of a Klingon. Fizzy and funny and, to this day, one of the best-known episodes of “Trek” ever. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 29, 1967

Balance of Terror

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 14

Introducing the Romulans alone makes this episode worthy of being on the list. But it’s also an epic cat-and-mouse game between Kirk and a Romulan commander played by none other than Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Sarek starting in Season 2. Kirk successfully lures the Romulan ship into a trap, leading to Lenard delivering the iconic line, “You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Dec. 15, 1966

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 20

John de Lancie never disappoints when he plays Q, but this episode offered a wonderful twist on his usual appearances. Following the events of “Deja Q,” Q returns to the Enterprise saying he owes Picard a debt. Picard repeatedly tells Q he wants nothing from him, but Q notices Picard has eyes for Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), the mercenary archeologist Picard first met on Risa. Being Q, he naturally transports Picard, Vash, and the bridge crew to a Robin Hood fantasy in which Picard must rescue Vash from the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Clive Frevill). Added bonus: Worf, in scarlet tights, exclaiming in protest, “I am not a merry man!” —J.O.

Original airdate: April 22, 1991

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 18

The classic “trial by combat” episode that pitted Kirk against a Gorn captain on a barren, rocky planet (i.e. the storied filming location Vasquez Rocks ). Few images from “Star Trek” have become more iconic than the original Gorn costume, which was essentially an actor dressed as a large lizard. The ending is also an all-timer, with Kirk choosing to spare the Gorn, proving to the all-powerful Metrons that set up the trial by combat that humans are capable of more than just random violence. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 1967

A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

“Lower Decks” — Season 3, Episode 7

“Star Trek’s” first pure comedy (and second animated series) often plays as a twisted love letter to the entire “Trek” franchise — like when Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), one of the sentient Exocomp robots first introduced on “The Next Generation,” abandons the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos in a time of need. This episode tracks Peanut Hamper’s journey to redemption afterwards, which involves her encountering a seemingly primitive species called the Areore. To say anything more would spoil the fun; suffice it to say, “Trek” has rarely provoked gasps of deep laughter like this episode does. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 2022

Bar Association

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 15

What better episode of “Star Trek” to talk about after Hollywood’s hot labor summer? Fed up with the unfair conditions at Quark’s bar, Rom talks the other workers into forming a union and going on strike. Max Grodénchik truly shines in this episode as the would-be union leader. Once Rom successfully gets Quark to agree to all the workers’ demands, he outright quits and goes to work as a repair technician for the station, setting up some of Rom’s best moments in the episodes to come. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1996

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 26 & Season 6, Episode 1

The Voyager swoops to the rescue of the Equinox, another Federation starship stranded in the Gamma Quadrant — only this one, led by Capt. Ransom (John Savage), is a smaller ship not meant for deep space travel. With their crew whittled down to just 12 people, Ransom has resorted to murdering alien creatures to use their bio-matter to boost the Equinox’s engines — a horrific violation of everything Starfleet stands for. The discovery pushes Janeway to her own limits, as she obsessively pursues the Equinox despite the cost to her own crew and her morality. The two-parter is one of the darkest episodes of “Star Trek,” a chilling reminder of how easily good people can find themselves slipping into disgrace. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: May 26, 1999 & Sept. 22, 1999

Who Mourns for Morn?

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 12

Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd) was a “Deep Space Nine” fixture, always at Quark’s bar, but never actually speaking onscreen. But in this episode, with Morn apparently dead in an accident, everyone reveals the offscreen times they spent with him, including the revelation that he “never shuts up.” Quark inherits all of Morn’s property, which Odo relishes revealing is ultimately nothing. But as it turns out, Morn had a much more adventurous life before his time on “DS9” than anyone knew, leading his former comrades to seek him out to get a hold of the money they believed he still possessed. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 4, 1998

Species Ten-C

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 12

Other than the Gorn, almost all of the aliens on “Star Trek” are, essentially, humans with slightly different forehead ridges. But in its most recent season, “Discovery” embraced “Trek’s” prime directive (seeking out new life, bolding going where no one’s gone, etc.) by crafting a species that is truly alien: the Ten-C. Throughout the season, the Ten-C are presented as both a total mystery and an existential threat; when Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the Discovery finally reach them — outside the barrier of the Milky Way galaxy — they are unlike anything the show has ever encountered. Rarely has “Trek” applied more intellectual and emotional rigor to what it might actually be like to attempt first contact with extra-terrestrials, and rarely has it been this compelling. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: March 10, 2022

A Man Alone

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 4

Odo is one of the best characters in “DS9” — and in the “Star Trek” universe — in general, and this is the first episode to really establish him as a standout . A known criminal returns to the station only to die shortly after, and Odo is accused of his murder. Odo’s status as an outsider, but ultimately someone to be respected, is made crystal clear in this episode, with even his archenemy Quark acknowledging that Odo is not the type to murder someone in cold blood. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 17, 1993

Mirror, Mirror

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 4

The transporter strikes again, this time accidentally zapping Kirk, Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Scotty (James Doohan) and Bones (DeForest Kelley) from their reality into a parallel universe in which the benevolent Federation has been replaced by the bloodthirsty Terran Empire, governed by brute force and fascistic exploitation — and Spock has a goatee! More silly than serious (and no less fun for it), the episode effectively spawned an entire sub-genre of parallel universe episodes of TV (from “Supernatural” to “Friends”) and gave generations of actors a chance to play wildly against type. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1967

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 2

People rave about “The Best of Both Worlds” and Picard’s assimilation by the Borg, but fewer remember this incredible follow-up episode. Picard returns to his family vineyard to put the Borg incident behind him, even briefly thinking that he will leave Starfleet. Jeremy Kemp crushes it as Picard’s brother Robert, with the two sharing a memorable (and muddy) scene in which Picard breaks down and admits how much his assimilation has shaken him. The episode is also memorable for the appearance of Worf’s adoptive parents, who come to the Enterprise to be with him following his discommendation. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 1, 1990

Living Witness

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 23

For several minutes, “Living Witness” seems like a mirror universe episode, as a ruthless Janeway, captain of the “warship” Voyager, agrees to aid the Vaskans against the insurgent Kyrians by unleashing a biological weapon upon millions and executing the Kyrian leader. But then we realize that we’ve just witnessed a recreation at a Kyrian museum 700 years in the future, at which point a copy of the Doctor enters the story and learns, to his horror, how much the Kyrians have gotten wrong. What could have been a Rashomon-style caper instead becomes fascinating meditation on how the telling of history can be weaponized, even inadvertently, to maintain old wounds rather than heal them. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 29, 1998

Unification

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 7 & 8

Spock appeared on “The Next Generation” a month before the release of 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” — but this time, at least, crass cross-promotion prompted some sublimely entertaining TV, as Picard and Data (Brent Spiner) aid Spock in his effort to reunify the Romulan and Vulcan peoples. [Stefon voice]: This two-parter has everything : Klingon warbirds, rude Ferengis, Tasha’s evil Romulan daughter Sela (Denise Crosby), Data and Spock philosophizing on their twin pursuits of logic and emotion, the death of Sarek, Worf singing Klingon opera with a four-armed bar pianist, and Picard and Spock mind-melding! —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 4 & 11, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 7, Episode 9

Gul Dukat is the best villain in “Star Trek.” Yes, you read that right. The writers and actor Marc Alaimo created an incredibly nuanced character that goes through a remarkable arc over the course of the series. This episode, near the end of “DS9’s” run, reminds fans that Dukat sees himself as a savior, but is ultimately a force for evil. He establishes a cult dedicated to the Pah wraiths on Empok Nor, luring a number of Bajorans to his side. But of course, he also sleeps with his female followers and tries to trick them into a mass suicide. Amazing stuff. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 23, 1998

The Last Generation

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 10

The cast of “TNG” infamously never got their swan song, after 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” bombed in theaters, so this series finale serves as a gift both to them and to “TNG” fans. Every character gets their spotlight, including the resurrected Enterprise-D, as Picard, Riker, Dr. Crusher, Data, Worf, LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) all help to take down the Borg once and for all. The final scene — everyone sitting around a poker table, laughing and reminiscing — is as pure and satisfying an expression of fan service as anything “Trek” has ever done. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 20, 2023

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 13

Until this episode, Q was an enjoyably malevolent force within “TNG,” an omnipotent being who’d gleefully pop up now and again to play with the lives of the Enterprise-D crew. But here, when Q suddenly appears on the bridge, he’s been stripped of all his powers (and all of his clothes) and begs Picard for safe harbor. At first, no one believes him — even after Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) stabs him with a fork — which only fuels John de Lancie’s sparkling performance, as Q confronts life as ( shudder ) a mortal human. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 3, 1990

An Embarrassment of Dooplers

“Lower Decks” — Season 2, Episode 5

The title refers to an alien called a Doopler, who duplicate themselves whenever they get embarrassed — which, naturally, becomes an issue the moment one steps foot on the Cerritos. But really, this episode is one of those deeply enjoyable “Trek” episodes that is less about story than it is about the vibes , as the characters spend their downtime winningly contending with the central premise of the show: The bittersweet contentment of life at the bottom of the ladder. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 9, 2021

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 19    

The lives of the past hosts of the Dax symbiont are a recurring plot device on “DS9,” and no episode does it better than this one. A group of Klingons who knew Curzon Dax arrive at the station and enlist Jadzia’s (Terry Ferrell) help in killing their sworn enemy, a criminal known as The Albino who killed the three Klingons’ first-born sons. Jadzia ultimately honors the blood oath, as the episode explores the meaning of honor and solidarity. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 28, 1994

Where No Man Has Gone Before

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 3

The famed second pilot episode of “Star Trek” (which introduced William Shatner as Capt. Kirk) is a strange artifact today: Bones and Uhura aren’t aboard yet, Sulu (George Takei) isn’t at the helm, the Enterprise has a psychiatrist (played by Sally Kellerman), and the uniforms and sets look a bit off. But the central story — Kirk’s best friend, Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), is zapped by an energy blast at the edge of the galaxy, and begins to exhibit extraordinary psychokinetic powers — is vintage “Trek”: Brainy, brawny, and just the right side of uncanny. And it’s fascinating now to see how well-established Kirk and Spock’s dynamic of emotion vs. logic was from the very start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 22, 1966

The Measure of a Man

“The Next Generation” — Season 2, Episode 9

Data’s quest for humanity is at the very core of “TNG,” and this stirring episode literally puts that quest on trial — and establishes the show’s voice for the rest of its run. A Starfleet scientist wants to dismantle Data in order to create more androids, but Data refuses, setting up an intense courtroom drama — is Data merely a machine and the property of Starfleet? — with Picard representing Data while Riker is forced to represent the scientist. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 13, 1989

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 26 & Season 5, Episode 1

The Klingons started on “Trek” as a not-that-thinly-veiled metaphor for the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, but over the decades, they’ve developed their own richly detailed mythology. This two-parter (which aired just before the fall of the USSR) depicts a civil war within the Klingon Empire that leads to Worf’s decision to leave the Enterprise and join the fight. For a series that was episodic by design, this is the closest “TNG” ever got to serialized storytelling, incorporating events from several previous episodes — including the shocking introduction of Tasha’s Romulan daughter, Sela. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: June 17, 1991 & Sept. 23, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 11

It is endlessly entertaining to see Quark get what he wants as he then  learns that it’s way more trouble than he realized. This episode sums that idea up nicely, while also featuring the first of many wonderful appearances by Wallace Shawn as Ferengi leader Grand Nagus Zek. Zek unexpectedly names Quark his successor, only for Zek to die shortly after. Quark is thrilled at first, before he realizes being the Nagus puts a massive target on his back. This episode also helps build the friendship between Nog (Aron Eisenbeg) and Jake (Cirroc Lofton), with Jake secretly teaching Nog how to read. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 22, 1993

Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 4

Yearning to grow past his programming, the Doctor allows himself the ability to daydream, in one of the flat-out funniest episodes of “Trek” ever. It opens with Robert Picardo singing opera as Tuvok (Tim Russ) undergoes pon farr (i.e. the madness to mate that consumes Vulcan males) and just gets wilder from there, up to the moment when the Doctor, who’d fantasized about taking over command of Voyager in an emergency, does it for real. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 13, 1999

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 1

Speaking of pon farr, this is the “TOS” episode that first establishes it — as well as the planet Vulcan, several Vulcan customs and traditions, and the now legendary Vulcan salute (honorable mention: Spock actually smiles!). Wracked with pon farr, Spock asks for leave back on his home planet, and eventually reveals that he must meet his betrothed, T’Pring (Arlene Martel). Naturally, Kirk and Spock end up in a fight to the death in one of the most iconic battles in “Star Trek” history. —J.O.

Original airdate: Sept. 15, 1967

Year of Hell

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 8 & 9

The most lasting criticism of “Voyager” is that every week, no matter what happened in the previous episode, the ship and crew emerged unscathed and ready for a new adventure. As if in response, this two-parter tracks a year in which the Voyager is ravaged to the point of near ruin by repeated encounters with an aggressive alien species called the Krenim. Unbeknownst to the crew, they’re actually the victims of a Krenim scientist, Annorax (Kurtwood Smith), who developed a technology to alter the fabric of time by erasing entire species from ever existing. This is as harrowing and merciless as “Trek’s” ever been, but it’s not quite the best episode of “Voyager” due to the irony of its ending: Janeway crashes the husk of the Voyager into Annorax’s timeship — which resets the timeline completely, as if nothing that we’d seen had ever happened. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 5 & 12, 1997

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episodes 11 & 12

“Star Trek” often addresses timely societal issues, but this episode put them firmly in a 21st century context. Sisko, Bashir, and Dax accidentally wind up in San Francisco circa 2024, where poverty and oppression of the disadvantaged are running rampant (crazy how that remains timely, huh?). When a man meant to serve an important purpose in an historic riot is accidentally killed too soon, Sisko is forced to take his place. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 2, 1995 & Jan. 9, 1995

Those Old Scientists

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 2, Episode 7

In one of the rare “Trek” crossover episodes, Ens. Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Ens. Mariner (Tawny Newsome) from “Lower Decks” find themselves zapped back to the era when Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) captained the Enterprise. Marshalled by Jonathan Frakes’ steady hand as a director , the disparate tones of “Lower Decks” and “Strange New World” somehow mesh perfectly, and hilariously, together. Packed with guffaw-worthy laughs, “Those Old Scientists” also becomes a deeply poignant expression of the impact “Trek” has had on generations of fans. Maybe it’s controversial to place one of the most recent “Trek” episodes so high on this list, but this one more than earns its spot. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: July 22, 2023

The Best of Both Worlds

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 26 & Season 4, Episode 1

This two-parter is frequently cited as the best “Next Generation” storyline of all time, mostly because it features one of the most iconic cliffhangers in all of television. The Borg attack the Federation, leading to a showdown with the Enterprise. Picard is captured and assimilated, revealing himself to his crew as Locutus of Borg. If we’re splitting Borg nano-probes, the second half doesn’t quite live up to the first, which is why, for us, it doesn’t quite rank into the Top 10. Special shoutout to this episode for setting up the incredible “Star Trek” film “First Contact.” —J.O.

Original airdate: June 18, 1990 & Sept. 24, 1990

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 19

When a Cardassian named Marritza (Harris Yulin) arrives on Deep Space Nine, Kira realizes he must have worked at one of the most notorious labor camps during Cardassia’s occupation of Bajor, and she arrests him as a war criminal. What follows is effectively a two-hander, as Kira’s interrogation of Marritza leads to a series of revelations that unmoor her hard-won fury at the atrocities inflicted upon her people. The conventional wisdom is that “DS9” didn’t get cooking until the Dominion War, but this early episode proves that this show was providing great, searing drama from the start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 14, 1993

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 22

Ricardo Montalbán makes his debut as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically superior dictator from Earth’s Eugenics Wars. Khan and his people have been in suspended animation for 200 years and are looking to dominate humanity once again. Naturally, Kirk is able to beat Khan in a riveting confrontation, but rather than send him and his people to a penal colony, he agrees to let them settle on the wild planet, Ceti Alpha V. The episode proved to be so good, it led to the 1982 film “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan,” arguably the best “Trek” movie of all time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 16, 1967

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 6

There’s something about time travel — and the twisty narrative paradoxes it can cause — that has engendered some of the best episodes of “Trek” ever made. That certainly includes this stunning “Voyager” episode, which opens with Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran), 15 years in the future, discovering the frozen husk of the Voyager buried inside a glacier on a barren ice planet. It turns out Kim made a critical mistake that caused the catastrophic accident, from which only he and Chakotay survived. Their unyielding fixation to right that wrong — and erase the previous 15 years from history — makes for a gripping nail-biter about regret and devotion. Not only did LeVar Burton direct, but he cameos as Capt. Geordi La Forge! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 18, 1998

The Defector

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 10

Did a Romulan admiral really defect to the Federation, or are the Romulans perpetrating an elaborate hoax on Picard and the Enterprise crew? This wonderful episode sees the admiral in question (played by James Sloyan) claiming the Romulans are building a secret base within the Neutral Zone, forcing Picard to consider whether or not he should investigate and thus risk starting a war. It also features the excellent opening in which Picard tries to teach Data about humanity by having him act out scenes from Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 1, 1990

Chain of Command

“The Next Generation” — Season 6, Episode 10 & 11

Lured into Cardassian territory under false pretenses, Picard is captured and systematically tortured by a ruthless interrogator, Gul Madred, in a chilling performance by David Warner. Their disturbing tête-à-tête — Picard is stripped naked and nearly broken by the end — would be enough for one of the all-time best “Trek” episodes. But this two-parter also boasts Ronny Cox as Capt. Jellico, Picard’s replacement on the Enterprise, whose prickly and demanding leadership style creates all kinds of thrilling friction among the crew. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Dec. 14 & 21, 1992

In the Pale Moonlight

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 19

In this fantastic episode, Sisko grapples with the ethics of doing whatever it takes to get the Romulans to join the Dominion War on the Federation-Klingon side. This includes falsifying evidence and freeing a known criminal from Klingon prison with the help of master spy Garak (played by the always wonderful Andrew Robinson). Sisko (while recording a personal log) delivers a series of powerful monologues direct to camera about why he did what he did, ultimately deciding it was worth it in the end. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 13, 1998

The City on the Edge of Forever

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 28

Accidentally hopped up on stimulants, a crazed Bones leaps through a time portal on an alien planet and winds up changing history so drastically that the Enterprise disappears. Kirk and Spock travel back to stop him, and land in New York City during the Great Depression, where they learn that Bones saved the life of Sister Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a pacifist whose message resonates so strongly that the U.S. stays out of WWII, allowing the Nazis to conquer Europe. Alas, Kirk falls deeply in love with Keeler, establishing a classic “Trek” moral dilemma: How does one suppress their most profound personal feelings for the greater good? An all-timer that still resonates today. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 6, 1967

Far Beyond the Stars

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 13

In this Avery Brooks-directed episode, Sisko envisions himself as a Black science fiction writer in 1950s New York named Benny Russell. Russell dreams up a story about the crew of a space station led by a Black captain, but his publisher refuses to run it. This episode is memorable for many reasons, the biggest of which being its handling of racism, but it also allows the show’s main cast gets to appear without any prosthetics or makeup, as completely different characters, to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 9, 1998

Yesterday’s Enterprise

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 15

The Enterprise-C, believed to have been destroyed over 20 years earlier, emerges from a temporal anomaly and resets history into a decades-long war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Tasha — killed off in Season 1 (after Denise Crosby wanted to leave the show) — is brought back to life, and falls for the Enterprise-C’s helmsman (Christopher McDonald), while Guinan implores Picard that something is desperately wrong with history and he must send the Enterprise-C back to certain doom. Somehow, this episode crams a movie’s worth of story into a nimble and rousing 44 minutes. Not a second is wasted. Outrageously great. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1990

The Inner Light

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 25

When the Enterprise comes upon a mysterious probe, Picard is suddenly hit with a signal that plunges him into a different man’s life on a dying planet. There, Picard experiences half a lifetime, with a wife, children and grandchildren, all in the space of 25 minutes. When Picard realizes this was all meant as a time capsule — a way to preserve the stories of the people of the planet, which was destroyed 1,000 years earlier by an exploding star — the revelation that he lived the life he’d long forsaken as a Starfleet captain, only to have it ripped away, is almost more than he can bear. But hoo boy, does it make for stunning, deeply moving television. In fact, almost no episode of “Trek” is better. Almost. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 1, 1992

The Visitor

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 2

Don’t watch this one without tissues handy. This emotionally devastating episode gets right to the heart of what made “DS9” so special — the relationship between Sisko and his son, Jake. Told in flashbacks by an elderly Jake (Tony Todd), the episode recounts how Sisko became unstuck in time, briefly revisiting Jake over the course of his life, and how Jake is determined to bring him back. In brief, fleeting moments, Sisko tells Jake not to worry about him and to live his life to the fullest. But Jake cannot bear the thought of losing his father forever, ultimately sacrificing his own life to restore the normal flow of time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 9, 1995

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Let’s Watch Star Trek

The Next Generation Episode Guide

Below is a rated list of every episode of The Next Generation, letting you know which episodes we think are worth checking out if you are new to Star Trek. **BUT** if you’d like to do a quicker watch-through, hitting only the essential episodes of the series, we’ve provided a 20 episode list to brush up on TNG in the least amount of time possible.

Season One Encounter at Farpoint Rating: 3 – Watch The Naked Now Rating: 1 – Skip Code of Honor Rating: 1 – Skip The Last Outpost Rating: 2 – Skippable Where No One Has Gone Before Rating: 2 – Skippable Lonely Among Us Rating: 2 – Skippable Justice Rating: 1 – Skip The Battle Rating: 2 – Skippable Hide and Q Rating: 2 – Skippable Haven Rating: 1 – Skip The Big Goodbye Rating: 2 – Skippable Datalore Rating: 2 – Skippable Angel One Rating: 1 – Skip 11001001 Rating: 2 – Skippable Too Short a Season Rating: 2 – Skippable When the Bough Breaks Rating: 2 – Skippable Home Soil Rating: 2 – Skippable Coming of Age Rating: 3 – Watch Heart of Glory Rating: 2 – Skippable The Arsenal of Freedom Rating: 3 – Watch Symbiosis Rating: 3 – Watch Skin of Evil Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity We’ll Always Have Paris Rating: 2 – Skippable Conspiracy Rating: 4 – Watch The Neutral Zone Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Two The Child Rating: 2 – Watch: new characters are introduced Where Silence Has Lease Rating: 2 – Skippable Elementary, Dear Data Rating: 3 – Watch The Outrageous Okona Rating: 1 – Skip Loud as a Whisper Rating: 2 – Skippable The Schizoid Man Rating: 2 – Skippable Unnatural Selection Rating: 2 – Skippable A Matter of Honor Rating: 4 – Watch The Measure of a Man Rating: 3 – Watch The Dauphin Rating: 1 – Skip Contagion Rating: 4 – Watch The Royale Rating: 2 – Skippable Time Squared Rating: 3 – Watch The Icarus Factor Rating: 2 – Skippable Pen Pals Rating: 3 – Watch Q Who Rating: 4 – Watch Samaritan Snare Rating: 2 – Skippable Up the Long Ladder Rating: 2 – Skippable Manhunt Rating: 2 – Skippable The Emissary Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity Peak Performance Rating: 4 – Watch Shades of Gray Rating: 0 – Skip

Season Three Evolution Rating: 2 – Skippable The Ensigns of Command Rating: 3 – Watch The Survivors Rating: 2 – Skippable Who Watches the Watchers Rating: 3 – Watch The Bonding Rating: 4 – Watch Booby Trap Rating: 2 – Skippable The Enemy Rating: 3 – Watch The Price Rating: 1 – Skip The Vengeance Factor Rating: 3 – Watch The Defector Rating: 5 – Watch The Hunted Rating: 3 – Watch The High Ground Rating: 3 – Watch Deja Q Rating: 3 – Watch A Matter of Perspective Rating: 3 – Watch Yesterday’s Enterprise Rating: 5 – Watch The Offspring Rating: 3 – Watch Sins of the Father Rating: 4 – Watch Allegiance Rating: 3 – Watch Captain’s Holiday Rating: 3 – Watch Tin Man Rating: 2 – Skippable Hollow Pursuits Rating: 2 – Watch: new character introduced The Most Toys Rating: 3 – Watch Sarek Rating: 2 – Skippable Menage a Troi Rating: 1 – Skip Transfigurations Rating: 2 – Skippable The Best of Both Worlds Rating: 5 – Watch

Season Four The Best of Both Worlds, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch Family Rating: 3 – Watch Brothers Rating: 3 – Watch Suddenly Human Rating: 2 – Skip Remember Me Rating: 3 – Watch Legacy Rating: 2 – Skippable Reunion Rating: 4 – Watch Future Imperfect Rating: 3 – Watch Final Mission Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity The Loss Rating: 1 – Skip Data’s Day Rating: 3 – Watch The Wounded Rating: 3 – Watch Devil’s Due Rating: 3 – Watch Clues Rating: 3 – Watch First Contact Rating: 3 – Watch Galaxy’s Child Rating: 2 – Skippable Night Terrors Rating: 2 – Skippable Identity Crisis Rating: 2 – Skippable The Nth Degree Rating: 2 – Skippable Qpid Rating: 3 – Watch The Drumhead Rating: 3 – Watch Half A Life Rating: 3 – Watch The Host Rating: 2 – Skippable The Mind’s Eye Rating: 3 – Watch In Theory Rating: 3 – Watch Redemption, Part I Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Five Redemption, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch Darmok : 3 – Watch Ensign Ro : 4 – Watch Silicon Avatar : 2 – Skippable Disaster : 4 – Watch The Game : 3 – Watch Unification I : 4 – Watch Unification II : 3 – Watch A Matter of Time : 3 – Watch New Ground : 2 – Skippable Hero Worship : 3 – Watch Violations : 1 – Skip The Masterpiece Society : 2 – Skippable Conundrum : 4 – Watch Power Play : 3 – Watch Ethics : 3 – Watch The Outcast : 2 – Skippable Cause and Effect : 3 – Watch The First Duty : 3 – Watch Cost of Living : 1 – Skip The Perfect Mate : 1 – Skip Imaginary Friend : 1 – Skip I Borg : 3 – Watch The Next Phase : 3 – Watch The Inner Light : 4 – Watch Time’s Arrow, Part I : 4 – Watch

Season Six Time’s Arrow, Part II : 3 – Watch Realm of Fear : 3 – Watch Man of the People : 1 – Skip Relics : 4 – Watch Schisms : 3 – Watch True Q : 2 – Skippable Rascals : 1 – Skip A Fistful of Datas : 2 – Skippable The Quality of Life : 2 – Skippable Chain of Command, Part I : 4 – Watch Chain of Command, Part II : 5 – Watch Ship in a Bottle : 3 – Watch Aquiel : 2 – Skippable Face of the Enemy : 3 – Watch Tapestry : 4 – Watch Birthright, Part I : 2 – Skippable Birthright, Part II : 2 – Skippable Starship Mine : 3 – Watch Lessons: 3 – Watch The Chase : 3 – Watch Frame of Mind : 2 – Skippable Suspicions : 2 – Skippable Rightful Heir : 2 – Skippable Second Chances : 2 – Skippable (Watch for DS9 context?) Timescape : 4 – Watch Descent, Part I : 2 – Watch for continuity

Season Seven Descent, Part II : 2 – Watch for continuity Liaisons : 2 – Skippable Interface : 2 – Skippable Gambit, Part I : 3 – Watch Gambit, Part II : 3 – Watch Phantasms: 3 – Watch Dark Page : 2 – Skippable Attached : 2 – Watch for continuity Force of Nature : 2 – Skippable Inheritance : 2 – Skippable Parallels : 3 – Watch The Pegasus : 4 – Watch Homeward : 3 – Watch Sub Rosa : 1 – Skip Lower Decks : 4 – Watch Thine Own Self : 4 – Watch Masks : 1 – Skip Eye of the Beholder : 2 – Skippable Genesis : 3 – Watch Journey’s End : 1 – Watch for continuity? Ugh its lame tho Firstborn : 2 – Skippable Bloodlines : 2 – Skippable Emergence : 2 – Skippable Preemptive Strike: 3 – Watch All Good Things… : 5 – Watch

Star Trek: The Next Generation ratings (TV show, 1987-1994)

Set in the twenty-fourth century and seven to eight decades after the adventures of the original crew of the starship Enterprise, this new series is the long-awaited successor to Star Trek (1966). Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the all new Enterprise NCC 1701-D travels out to distant planets to seek out new life and to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Star Trek: Every Season of The Next Generation, Ranked

Star Trek: The Next Generation became a classic equal to the original series, but how do the seven seasons stack up?

When Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987, it looked like anything but a winner. It was beset by poor scripts, departing cast members and a feeling that perhaps the final frontier had run its course. However, it turned around in short order. By the end of its seven-year run,  TNG not only changed the rules on what Star Trek could be, but it also cemented a place as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

The first three seasons were an exercise in rapid improvement, and The Next Generation had the luxury of time to find its footing. Once it hit its stride, its quality became more nuanced and seasons varied as the writers experimented with new stories and plotlines. From the worst to the best, here is every season of The Next Generation ranked.

RELATED: Star Trek: When the Vulcan Salute First Appeared (and What It Means)

TNG 's heights stand out all the more for its incredibly shaky start. Saddled with an arduous production process and storylines cribbed from 15 years of development hell, it struck wrong notes left and right. Gene Roddenberry’s rewrites often eliminated interpersonal conflicts in the name of an idealized future -- sucking the drama out of the scripts -- and his infamous coddling of Wesley Crusher left fans ice cold. Gates McFadden and Denise Crosby both left the show, and Patrick Stewart expected the entire endeavor to be over within one season.

And yet even in Season 1, flashes of better things appeared. The cast always outshined the material and worked to overcome the deeply flawed scripts. Sharp ideas could be seen, most notably John de Lancie’s Q . Plus, even misfires like the Ferengi found redemption in later seasons. The fan base proved willing to let the show work out its kinks, and its syndicated broadcast platform kept the networks from interfering. It had a way to go, but there was time to recover -- and recover it did.

RELATED: Star Trek: Why NBC Rejected the Show's ORIGINAL Pilot

Season 2 actually deserves a good deal of credit for getting The Next Generation where it needed to be, taking huge leaps forward from the disaster of Season 1. It did so under an enormous amount of pressure: a 1988 writer’s strike limited development time, leading to the season’s infamous “clip show” finale among other problems. Trek stalwart Diana Muldaur was brought in as McFadden’s replacement, and her Dr. Pulaski never quite connected with the rest of the cast.

Despite this, so much of Season 2 was much stronger than Season 1. The characters began to find their rhythm, while Whoopi Goldberg’s arrival as Guinan brought a stabilizing influence to the cast. Though still uneven, episode quality improved, with standouts like “The Measure of a Man” echoing the kind of larger questions that Star Trek excelled at pondering. There was also “Q Who?” featuring the chilling introduction to the Borg.  The Next Generation finally stepped out of the original series' shadow at that moment and set the stage for brilliant things to come.

The Next Generation’s curtain call came at just the right time. With Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine gearing up for the Dominion War, TNG turned inward with a lot of personal episodes. Strong concepts were still the order of the day, notably “Lower Decks,” which showed the ship from the POV of its rank-and-file and served as the inspiration for the recent animated series. The series finale “All Good Things…” wrapped it up in fine fashion, with a welcome return from Q and a time-spanning storyline that never lost sight of the characters.

RELATED: Star Trek: There's a Good Reason 'The Man Trap' Was the Series' First Episode

But while the season featured its share of winners, they felt few and far between, with more placeholders in evidence. The infamous “Sub Rosa,” which saw Beverly seduce the ghost of her grandmother’s lover, marked an unwelcome return to risibly bad Trek,  and the show as a whole felt like it was running out of things to say. With Star Trek:  Generations kicking off the TNG feature films, it was enough for the season to bow out with grace before the shark-jumping began in earnest.

Season 4 started out with a bang, as “The Best of Both Worlds” concluded and the Enterprise found a miraculous way to defeat the seemingly insurmountable Borg. It followed with a surprising episode, “Family,” which focused on Picard’s trauma following his assimilation. That broke with the tradition of self-contained “adventures of the week” in a big way while humanizing the ship’s captain like never before.

That kind of care became the watchword for the entire season. Epic storylines remained -- with Worf and the Klingons the biggest beneficiaries as Starfleet’s traditional foes came into their own -- but the more personal episodes truly set the season apart. The likes of “Data’s Day” and “Half a Life” showed the characters outside of crisis situations and gave the universe a new sense of reality. Suddenly Star Trek was a universe where people lived their lives, instead of just getting into adventures.

RELATED:  Untitled Star Trek Film Announced for 2023

Season 6 is best described as “workmanlike,” as the writers dutifully mined the storylines that held potential, and the cast got to kick up their heels. Deep Space Nine had premiered, and while it was finding its footing, The Next Generation held the line with a series of solid, quality episodes. Indeed, the only negatives about the season were the quiet sense of complacency that crept in: signs of a show at the top of its game and looking for new mountains to climb.

The actors got to stretch their muscles as never before, and the bulk of the season’s joys rested on their capable shoulders. Brent Spiner played a whole band of outlaws in “A Fistful of Datas,” William Riker first met his doppelganger Thomas in “Second Chances” and Deanna Troi had to brass it out as a Romulan spy in “Face of the Enemy.” Picard and Q found a strangely personal side to their rivalry in “Tapestry.” However, the season's high point was “Chain of Command,” with David Warner’s Cardassian torturer putting Picard through an Orwellian hell.

This was the year The Next Generation hit its stride, with strong episodes becoming the rule rather than the exception. The sins of Season 1 were long gone, and the show finally had the chance to realize its potential. It took advantage of the opportunity with a number of bold endeavors that threw open the gates of what Star Trek could be. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” brought Tasha Yar back in surprising fashion, topping similarly strong episodes like “The Most Toys” that grappled with the limits of the crew’s morality.

RELATED: Star Trek: The Next Generation - Why Deanna Troi Doesn't Wear a Uniform

The season was also marked by significant character development, as Data conceived of a child, Worf accepted dishonor to preserve the Klingon Empire and Picard had to prove to a planet of proto-Vulcans that he wasn’t a god. Gate McFadden returned as Dr. Crusher and suddenly felt like she never left. Reg Barclay appeared for the first time, while Mark Lenard’s cameo as Sarek launched a long line of fruitful cameos from original series cast members. Johnathan Frakes directed his first episode this season, beginning a long tradition of Trek alum behind the camera. And it all ended with the legendary “Best of Both Words, Part 1” which saw Jean-Luc Picard assimilated by the seemingly unstoppable Borg.

Everything about The Next Generation came together in Season 5 with elegant puzzle-box episodes, world-building epics and personal stories that made the characters thrive. Mr. Spock made his return in “Unification,” part of a formal farewell to the original crew that culminated with the release of Star Trek VI a few weeks later. Ensign Ro made her debut, while Tasha Yar’s half-Romulan daughter Sela found yet another way for the deceased security officer to haunt her former crewmates. “I, Borg” found the first cracks in the Collective’s armor and the introduction of the franchise's first X-B.

But more than any other single factor, Season 5 was Patrick Stewart’s to shine . A trio of showcase episodes punctuated his status as first among equals in the crew. “Darmok” and “The Perfect Mate” each gave him a terrific co-star in Paul Winfield and Famke Janssen, respectively, while the penultimate episode, “The Inner Light,” is widely cited as one of the best Trek episodes of any kind. It was a high point for an amazing season when everything Star Trek could be suddenly appeared as if by magic.

KEEP READING:  Star Trek: Every Season of The Original Series, Ranked

Exploring a Unique Dynamic: Jennifer Hetrick’s Vash in a Potential Love Triangle with Q and Picard on Star Trek TNG

T here was an intriguing concept once floated around the offices of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which involved a potential love triangle. The show’s producer, Michael Piller, reminisces about the rerun days when TV Guide, a primary source for television programming, regularly featured the show’s episodes in their Close-Ups highlight section. One episode that consistently caught the eye of TV Guide was “Qpid,” often flagged for rerun viewership.

“Every time it’s in TV Guide this episode gets a Close-Up. […] I’m not sure why. I just think we came up with the idea of a love triangle between Q, Picard, and Vash, and to bring her and Q together, which I thought was a great premise. But we couldn’t lick it. It came together in a meeting with Ira Behr, who had created Vash […]”

The concept for this love triangle was a brainteaser for the creators. Ira Stephen Behr, a producer and writer on TNG, was instrumental in developing this story. Though his contributions to TNG were significant, Behr left “Next Generation” after feeling constrained creatively. Despite this, he maintained a positive relationship with the franchise, later becoming the head showrunner for “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” where he continued his prolific contributions with 53 episode scripts.

While “Qpid” featured both Vash (played by Jennifer Hetrick) and Q, the love triangle did not fully manifest. As Piller recounts, it was Brannon Braga, a staff writer, who suggested the Sherwood Forest scenario that made it into the final script.

FAQ – Potential Love Triangle in Star Trek TNG

Which characters were supposed to be involved in the love triangle on star trek tng.

The intended love triangle was to involve Q, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and the character Vash, who was portrayed by actress Jennifer Hetrick.

Why didn’t the love triangle between Q, Picard, and Vash fully develop on the show?

According to Michael Piller, although they liked the idea of a love triangle, the creative team wasn’t able to “lick it,” meaning they couldn’t quite figure out how to make the concept work effectively within an episode.

Who came up with the concept for the Sherwood Forest scenario in the episode “Qpid”?

Staff writer Brannon Braga was the one who suggested the Robin Hood-themed Sherwood Forest angle for the episode “Qpid.”

Did Ira Behr continue to work on Star Trek after leaving the Next Generation?

Yes, Ira Behr transitioned to become the head showrunner of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” following his departure from “Next Generation.”

What was the TV Guide’s Close-Up section?

TV Guide’s Close-Up section highlighted notable TV episodes for the week and often mentioned TNG reruns, specifically the episode “Qpid.”

The notion of featuring Jennifer Hetrick’s Vash within a complicated dynamic involving Q and Captain Picard is an intriguing one that never fully came to fruition on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” These behind-the-scenes insights into vast creativity and collaboration highlight the complexities involved in producing a beloved series like TNG. While some ideas may not reach the screens, their stories resonate with fans, keeping the Star Trek universe ever-expanding and fascinating. The episode “Qpid,” although lacking the envisioned love triangle, remains a testament to the collective imagination and storytelling prowess of the show’s writers and producers.

The post Exploring a Unique Dynamic: Jennifer Hetrick’s Vash in a Potential Love Triangle with Q and Picard on Star Trek TNG appeared first on Kevin Hearld .

Screen Rant

The aunt of star trek: tng's tasha yar actress once romanced ds9's quark.

Despite leaving TNG in season 1, Denise Crosby has lasting ties to the Star Trek franchise, including her aunt, who fell in love with DS9's Quark.

The aunt of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Denise Crosby once had a brief romance with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Quark (Armin Shimerman). Denise Crosby played Lt. Tasha Yar in TNG , whose family continued to pop up in the show even after she was killed by Armus. Tasha's sister, Ishara Yar (Beth Toussaint), used the crew of the USS Enterprise-D to help her launch an invasion of the Turkana IV Alliance's territory in TNG season 4, episode 6, "Legacy". Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5 introduced Sela (Denise Crosby) Tasha Yar's half-Romulan daughter from an alternate timeline, who became a recurring villain on the show.

Tasha Yar's extended family appearing on Star Trek: The Next Generation was reflective of Denise Crosby's own family links to the wider Star Trek universe. Denise Crosby was the granddaughter of popular crooner and actor Bing Crosby, named after her father, and Bing's son, Dennis Crosby. Embarrassed by a high-profile child support case between Dennis Crosby and Denise's mother, Marilyn Miller Scott, Bing Crosby reportedly never met his granddaughter . Amid this court battle, Bing Crosby's second wife, Kathryn, gave birth to her second child, Denise's aunt and future Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest star , Mary Crosby.

Star Trek: TNG's Most Hated Episode Still Traumatizes Denise Crosby

Star trek: tng's denise crosby's aunt played quark's love interest in ds9.

Denise Crosby's aunt Mary played Professor Natima Lang in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 18, "Profit and Loss" . Mary Crosby was a prolific TV guest star in the early 1990s, appearing in shows such as Murder, She Wrote and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman before being cast as Natima in DS9 . A specialist in political ethics, Natima was a prominent member of the Cardassian dissident movement, who wanted to overthrow their government's military rulers. Natima Lang was a character who brought out Quark's romantic and heroic side, something that DS9 writer and producer Ira Steven Behr disapproved of :

" I felt we didn't need another tough, sexy, swashbuckling character on the show. We had enough of those." - Ira Steven Behr, The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion

Mary Crosby is best known for playing Kristin Shepard in the iconic soap opera Dallas between 1979 and 1981 . Kristin Shepard was the character who famously shot J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) in the soap, with the reveal becoming one of the highest-rated episodes of any TV drama. In an interesting parallel between her character in Dallas and her character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Mary Crosby also shoots Quark in "Profit and Loss", albeit accidentally. It's a fun nod to Mary Crosby's best-known TV role.

Denise Crosby's Other Star Trek Family Links

Mary Crosby isn't the only member of Denise Crosby's extended family to appear in the wider Star Trek universe. Denise Crosby's brother, Paul, is married to actress and stunt performer, Spice Williams, who has made many appearances in the Star Trek franchise . Spice Williams-Crosby played Vixis in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , the first officer on Klaa's Klingon bird of prey. As a stunt performer, Spice Williams-Crosby doubled for Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine on episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.

Denise Crosby is also a distant relation of Family Guy creator and Star Trek: Enterprise guest star, Seth MacFarlane . Ancestry details of Seth MacFarlane reveal that he was a descendant of William Brewster, an ancestor of Bing Crosby. This means that Denise Crosby and Seth MacFarlane are distant cousins, a detail which must have pleased the noted Star Trek fan. In 2011, Seth MacFarlane revealed his desire to reboot the franchise on TV, a dream he never got to realize. However, his sci-fi comedy drama The Orville is the next best thing, a loving homage to Star Trek: The Next Generation that features many of its alumni.

All episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.