RTR Blog: Matt's TNG Top Ten
Star Trek: The Next Generation was the first Star Trek series I got into back in the mid-90s. I jumped on board during the original run late in season five, and was hooked ever since. For my first blog post, I am going to countdown my TNG Top 10. Here we go:
#10: Time's Arrow
I have to admit that this one is a bit of a nostalgia pick since it was among the first handful of Star Trek episodes I ever saw in addition to being the first cliffhanger that I experienced. I also enjoyed the time travel aspect to it and I really think this is one of the better time travel episodes because everything makes sense and it is relatively easy to follow. The interactions with Samuel Clemens and the other characters from the past was really well done. I also really liked the explanation for the alien's time travel being due to the cholera outbreak of the time, allowing them to drain the life energy from victims of the disease without rousing much suspicion.
#9: Deja Q
It's hard to do a list like this without including an episode featuring the ever mischevious Q and, well, this one is my favourite. John de Lancie is brilliant playing a frustrated and powerless Q in this episdoe. The quip level is high as usual and leads to some really great scenes and lines. The episode is not without substance either as the crew is faced with a very real dilemma on Bre'el IV and wouldn't you know an off hand remark from Q leads Geordi to a solution. The final scene puts this one over for me though after Q throws a huge party on the bridge after getting his powers back, culminating in Data's epic belly laugh.
#8: Chain of Command
This was an episode that I enjoyed for the action when I was younger, but as I've grown older I've understood just how powerful of an episode it is, particularly Part II in which Picard is tortured for information by the mercilous Gul Madred. I really believe this is one of Patrick Stewart's best performances in the series. The political back story is also very intriguing and lays some of the ground work for DS9, setting up the Cardassians as a very complex culture. The conflict between Riker and Captain Jellico ratcheted the drama up another notch as they butted heads over how to run the ship. It came to a head with Riker being relieved of duty, only for Jellico to go crawling back when he needed Riker's help. It's a great episode for so many reasons.
#7: Cause and Effect
This is another time travel episode, although it is one that has a unique twist: the crew is re-living the same period of time over and over again, each time resulting in the destruction of the Enterprise. Eventually the crew begins to experience deja vu and is able to solve the mystery, saving the ship. The beauty of this episode is that they run through the same act four times, and each time they get closer to escaping the time loop and saving the ship, but the episode doesn't get stale as they go through the same thing over and over. The model effects in this episode were really well done with the depiction of the Enterprise and Bozeman colliding and they were able to capture it from multiple angles so we didn't see the exact same thing over and over again. It's a good one that I can certainly watch more than once and still enjoy.
#6: Lower Decks
I've always loved this brilliantly titled episode which offers a glimpse into life for the junior officers, something we had never really seen on Star Trek before or since. The portrayal of the stress and feelings of insecurity by this episode's guest stars was well done and seems genuine. Imagine being in your 20s and serving on a starship, worrying about what your superiors think of you and how to make that next big step in your career. It's something we can all relate to. And it's not like the main cast was absent in this episode. The secondary plot in which the crew must deal with a Cardassian defector bringing crucial information to the Federation, then having to return him to Cardassia in a risky mission was very well done. There was a bit of a darker tone to this episode (for TNG anyway) that I really liked. Case in fact, Ensign Sito doesn't make it at the end which is a bit disappointing, but I thought made the ending that much more meaningful.
#5: The Pegasus
This is an episode about loyalty that also explores Commander Riker's past, and it guest stars Locke from Lost! The premise of this episode is very simple, but the execution is excellent. The chemistry between Jonathan Frakes and Terry O'Quinn is outstanding in this episode. They start as old friends and quickly turn into adversaries as the episode unfolds. There's some interesting history here as we learn of the Treaty of Algeron and why the Federation is forbidden from developing cloaking technology. There's a dark tone to this episode as well when we learn of some secret Federation plans to develop and test a new more advanced cloaking device. Riker's internal conflict between following orders and his loyalty to Captain Picard and what Starfleet stands for manifests itself well through the course of the episode. We find out later that Riker ultimately came to his senses and did the right thing after running a holodeck simulation of the NX-01 during the founding of the Federation, but we won't talk about that.
#4: The Inner Light
Andrew, and many sci-fi fans and critics, would rank The Inner Light at number one and I can understand why: this is science fiction at its greatest. It is a great episode. Picard lives another man's life on a dying planet after being zapped by an alien probe. This is another amazing performance by Patrick Stewart living the life of Kamin as he grows old on the doomed planet. The crew tries to revive Picard as he lies on the floor of the bridge, but are unable to do so. Meanwhile, Kamin starts a family and struggles to avert the drought that is plaguing the planet. Stewart shines throughout and the episode ends with a powerful scene in which characters from the early part of Kamin's life re-appear and explain that the probe is being launched in the hopes of finding someone in the future who can tell others about the now extinct civilization. It is an incredible story that could only be told in the sci-fi realm and is a great example of what sci-fi is all about. Watching Picard live out Kamin's life all the way into old age against the backdrop of a dying alien planet was a wonderful story, Stewart making it all the much better with his superb acting.
#3: The Best of Both Worlds
There would possibly be debate as to whether or not this is the best cliffhanger in Star Trek, or possibly television, history. For me this is without question the best, and the rest of the episode is great. The Borg are one of the great adversaries in Star Trek and with TNG only dipping into that well a handful of times adds to the mystique surrounding the Borg. The tension and suspense of this episode is really top notch as the Enterprise desperately tries to not only stop a Borg ship from reaching Earth, but also to rescue Captain Picard. There are some great scenes that also show us things from the Borg perspective during Picard's assimilation and a battle with the Enterprise. I also love the backstory with Riker battling with young ambitious Lt. Cmdr. Shelby. Riker turning down another command at the beginning of the episode was a brilliant setup of the battle between them and was a nice bit of subtle foreshadowing that Riker would soon become captain of the Enterprise. While the outcome of the episode was never really in doubt, you were still held in suspense until the very later stages of the episode as the Enterprise chases down the Borg ship, catching it in orbit around Earth. A truly classic TNG episode that has everything you could possibly want.
#2: Yesterday's Enterprise
Is Yesterday's Enterprise the best use of an alternate universe? Yes ... okay, maybe second best. Is Yesterday's Enterprise the best use of time travel? Probably not, but the combination of time travel and alternate universe make this an incredibly cool episode. This episode also gives us the first look at what life would be like aboard a Federation vessel during a time of war, something we don't really see again until the Dominion War breaks out on DS9. The changes to the Enterprise sets were great and immediately imparted the change to the timeline and the higher sense of tension that one would expect when at war with the Klingons. The other subtle touches like the strategy maps, ten forward, Picard recording a military log and referring to the Enterprise as a battleship were all very well done. It was also a nice way to bring back Tasha Yar two years after her death. This is all triggered by the Enterprise-C, geniusly refered to by Picard as a "ghost from its own past", passing through a temporal anomaly at a critical juncture of galactic history, changing the timeline. Like Time's Arrow, I think this is great use of time travel because it is easy to follow and makes sense.
#1: Unification
If you listened to Episode 0 of Random Trek Review, you would already know that this episode tops my TNG list; if you didn't listen to it, you should! Everyone remembers this episode for the appearance of Leonard Nimoy as Ambassador Spock, but this episode is also a great political thriller featuring the Romulans. I've always loved the TNG Romulans, and it truly is a shame that they went to that well a bit too often early in the series and shifted focus later, leaving the Romulans largely untouched until midway through DS9. This episode features a heaping serving of Romulan treachery at all turns which is what makes this episode so intriguing to me. I also thought the backstory in which Riker and the rest of the crew investigated a missing starship which tied into the main Romulan plot was good. It all came together in the end with a very tense standoff.
There are a few interesting guest stars in this episode in addition to Leonard Nimoy. If you listen and look carefully under some makeup you will discover False Face from the Adam West-era Batman series and Milton from Office Space!
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
Genesis
This episode always creeped me out when I was younger, but as I've grown older I recognize this episode for being one of the best attempts at a horror Star Trek episode. The de-evolution of the crew was a clever premise for creating the creepy atmosphere on the ship. The action and plot were good, making this a really good creepy episode for the horror lovers among us.
The Defector
This is an early Romulan episode from the third season in which a defector crosses the Neutral Zone bringing critical information to the Federation. The Romulans are up to their old tricks, setting up Jarok to bring false information to the Federation leading them into a trap. This episode again establishes the Romulan's treacherous nature and their penchant for manipulating situations for their own gain. And of course, the end features a stand off with Tomalak. Classic Romulan episode.
Darmok
This is a brilliant episode that explores the language barrier and cleverly does so by introducing an alien race whose language is based on reference to mythological figures and events. In other words, it is out there. Picard was the perfect choice to be the main character in this episode with his interest in archaeology and mythology giving him the tools to learn the language and eventually save the day.
Disaster
I like this episode on the concept alone: the Enterprise has to survive a disaster which cripples the ship. There are some cheesy elements to this episode to be sure, but watching various members of the crew deal with being well out of their comfort zone as they get through the disaster and save the ship was a huge departure from the norm.
Face of the Enemy
Though not a direct sequel to Unification, this episode does offer a loose continuation of the dissident movement started by Spock on Romulus. This episode features an interesting plot we don't see often: a crew member being kidnapped and coerced by an adversary to complete a mission. This is another episode featuring the Romulans and as you would expect, there are lots of twists and turns, most of them of the fun and interesting variety. We also catch a glimpse of life on a Romulan warbird.
I have to admit that this one is a bit of a nostalgia pick since it was among the first handful of Star Trek episodes I ever saw in addition to being the first cliffhanger that I experienced. I also enjoyed the time travel aspect to it and I really think this is one of the better time travel episodes because everything makes sense and it is relatively easy to follow. The interactions with Samuel Clemens and the other characters from the past was really well done. I also really liked the explanation for the alien's time travel being due to the cholera outbreak of the time, allowing them to drain the life energy from victims of the disease without rousing much suspicion.
It's hard to do a list like this without including an episode featuring the ever mischevious Q and, well, this one is my favourite. John de Lancie is brilliant playing a frustrated and powerless Q in this episdoe. The quip level is high as usual and leads to some really great scenes and lines. The episode is not without substance either as the crew is faced with a very real dilemma on Bre'el IV and wouldn't you know an off hand remark from Q leads Geordi to a solution. The final scene puts this one over for me though after Q throws a huge party on the bridge after getting his powers back, culminating in Data's epic belly laugh.
This was an episode that I enjoyed for the action when I was younger, but as I've grown older I've understood just how powerful of an episode it is, particularly Part II in which Picard is tortured for information by the mercilous Gul Madred. I really believe this is one of Patrick Stewart's best performances in the series. The political back story is also very intriguing and lays some of the ground work for DS9, setting up the Cardassians as a very complex culture. The conflict between Riker and Captain Jellico ratcheted the drama up another notch as they butted heads over how to run the ship. It came to a head with Riker being relieved of duty, only for Jellico to go crawling back when he needed Riker's help. It's a great episode for so many reasons.
This is another time travel episode, although it is one that has a unique twist: the crew is re-living the same period of time over and over again, each time resulting in the destruction of the Enterprise. Eventually the crew begins to experience deja vu and is able to solve the mystery, saving the ship. The beauty of this episode is that they run through the same act four times, and each time they get closer to escaping the time loop and saving the ship, but the episode doesn't get stale as they go through the same thing over and over. The model effects in this episode were really well done with the depiction of the Enterprise and Bozeman colliding and they were able to capture it from multiple angles so we didn't see the exact same thing over and over again. It's a good one that I can certainly watch more than once and still enjoy.
I've always loved this brilliantly titled episode which offers a glimpse into life for the junior officers, something we had never really seen on Star Trek before or since. The portrayal of the stress and feelings of insecurity by this episode's guest stars was well done and seems genuine. Imagine being in your 20s and serving on a starship, worrying about what your superiors think of you and how to make that next big step in your career. It's something we can all relate to. And it's not like the main cast was absent in this episode. The secondary plot in which the crew must deal with a Cardassian defector bringing crucial information to the Federation, then having to return him to Cardassia in a risky mission was very well done. There was a bit of a darker tone to this episode (for TNG anyway) that I really liked. Case in fact, Ensign Sito doesn't make it at the end which is a bit disappointing, but I thought made the ending that much more meaningful.
This is an episode about loyalty that also explores Commander Riker's past, and it guest stars Locke from Lost! The premise of this episode is very simple, but the execution is excellent. The chemistry between Jonathan Frakes and Terry O'Quinn is outstanding in this episode. They start as old friends and quickly turn into adversaries as the episode unfolds. There's some interesting history here as we learn of the Treaty of Algeron and why the Federation is forbidden from developing cloaking technology. There's a dark tone to this episode as well when we learn of some secret Federation plans to develop and test a new more advanced cloaking device. Riker's internal conflict between following orders and his loyalty to Captain Picard and what Starfleet stands for manifests itself well through the course of the episode. We find out later that Riker ultimately came to his senses and did the right thing after running a holodeck simulation of the NX-01 during the founding of the Federation, but we won't talk about that.
Andrew, and many sci-fi fans and critics, would rank The Inner Light at number one and I can understand why: this is science fiction at its greatest. It is a great episode. Picard lives another man's life on a dying planet after being zapped by an alien probe. This is another amazing performance by Patrick Stewart living the life of Kamin as he grows old on the doomed planet. The crew tries to revive Picard as he lies on the floor of the bridge, but are unable to do so. Meanwhile, Kamin starts a family and struggles to avert the drought that is plaguing the planet. Stewart shines throughout and the episode ends with a powerful scene in which characters from the early part of Kamin's life re-appear and explain that the probe is being launched in the hopes of finding someone in the future who can tell others about the now extinct civilization. It is an incredible story that could only be told in the sci-fi realm and is a great example of what sci-fi is all about. Watching Picard live out Kamin's life all the way into old age against the backdrop of a dying alien planet was a wonderful story, Stewart making it all the much better with his superb acting.
There would possibly be debate as to whether or not this is the best cliffhanger in Star Trek, or possibly television, history. For me this is without question the best, and the rest of the episode is great. The Borg are one of the great adversaries in Star Trek and with TNG only dipping into that well a handful of times adds to the mystique surrounding the Borg. The tension and suspense of this episode is really top notch as the Enterprise desperately tries to not only stop a Borg ship from reaching Earth, but also to rescue Captain Picard. There are some great scenes that also show us things from the Borg perspective during Picard's assimilation and a battle with the Enterprise. I also love the backstory with Riker battling with young ambitious Lt. Cmdr. Shelby. Riker turning down another command at the beginning of the episode was a brilliant setup of the battle between them and was a nice bit of subtle foreshadowing that Riker would soon become captain of the Enterprise. While the outcome of the episode was never really in doubt, you were still held in suspense until the very later stages of the episode as the Enterprise chases down the Borg ship, catching it in orbit around Earth. A truly classic TNG episode that has everything you could possibly want.
Is Yesterday's Enterprise the best use of an alternate universe? Yes ... okay, maybe second best. Is Yesterday's Enterprise the best use of time travel? Probably not, but the combination of time travel and alternate universe make this an incredibly cool episode. This episode also gives us the first look at what life would be like aboard a Federation vessel during a time of war, something we don't really see again until the Dominion War breaks out on DS9. The changes to the Enterprise sets were great and immediately imparted the change to the timeline and the higher sense of tension that one would expect when at war with the Klingons. The other subtle touches like the strategy maps, ten forward, Picard recording a military log and referring to the Enterprise as a battleship were all very well done. It was also a nice way to bring back Tasha Yar two years after her death. This is all triggered by the Enterprise-C, geniusly refered to by Picard as a "ghost from its own past", passing through a temporal anomaly at a critical juncture of galactic history, changing the timeline. Like Time's Arrow, I think this is great use of time travel because it is easy to follow and makes sense.
If you listened to Episode 0 of Random Trek Review, you would already know that this episode tops my TNG list; if you didn't listen to it, you should! Everyone remembers this episode for the appearance of Leonard Nimoy as Ambassador Spock, but this episode is also a great political thriller featuring the Romulans. I've always loved the TNG Romulans, and it truly is a shame that they went to that well a bit too often early in the series and shifted focus later, leaving the Romulans largely untouched until midway through DS9. This episode features a heaping serving of Romulan treachery at all turns which is what makes this episode so intriguing to me. I also thought the backstory in which Riker and the rest of the crew investigated a missing starship which tied into the main Romulan plot was good. It all came together in the end with a very tense standoff.
There are a few interesting guest stars in this episode in addition to Leonard Nimoy. If you listen and look carefully under some makeup you will discover False Face from the Adam West-era Batman series and Milton from Office Space!
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
Genesis
This episode always creeped me out when I was younger, but as I've grown older I recognize this episode for being one of the best attempts at a horror Star Trek episode. The de-evolution of the crew was a clever premise for creating the creepy atmosphere on the ship. The action and plot were good, making this a really good creepy episode for the horror lovers among us.
The Defector
This is an early Romulan episode from the third season in which a defector crosses the Neutral Zone bringing critical information to the Federation. The Romulans are up to their old tricks, setting up Jarok to bring false information to the Federation leading them into a trap. This episode again establishes the Romulan's treacherous nature and their penchant for manipulating situations for their own gain. And of course, the end features a stand off with Tomalak. Classic Romulan episode.
Darmok
This is a brilliant episode that explores the language barrier and cleverly does so by introducing an alien race whose language is based on reference to mythological figures and events. In other words, it is out there. Picard was the perfect choice to be the main character in this episode with his interest in archaeology and mythology giving him the tools to learn the language and eventually save the day.
Disaster
I like this episode on the concept alone: the Enterprise has to survive a disaster which cripples the ship. There are some cheesy elements to this episode to be sure, but watching various members of the crew deal with being well out of their comfort zone as they get through the disaster and save the ship was a huge departure from the norm.
Face of the Enemy
Though not a direct sequel to Unification, this episode does offer a loose continuation of the dissident movement started by Spock on Romulus. This episode features an interesting plot we don't see often: a crew member being kidnapped and coerced by an adversary to complete a mission. This is another episode featuring the Romulans and as you would expect, there are lots of twists and turns, most of them of the fun and interesting variety. We also catch a glimpse of life on a Romulan warbird.
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