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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.

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 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.

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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.

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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+

Den of Geek

Star Trek: The Next Generation’s 25 must-watch episodes

Before Star Trek: Discovery, treat yourself to some Star Trek: The Next Generation classics...

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Leading the charge back to television for the Star Trek franchise (just as Star Trek: Discovery is now), and paving the way for three further series to follow (fingers crossed that happens again), Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘s 7 seasons had some very high points, and a couple of very low ones (that some would simply call “season 1….”, not that I’m one of them.)

These are the top 25 “must-watch” episodes, not necessarily the top 25 for quality, or indeed my 25 favourites, but the 25 stories that give you the best flavour of the series and its relatively unplanned story arcs. Just don’t forget that, like The Original Series , The Next Generation is a product of its time, and as such certain issues that writers wanted to bring to the screen not only necessitated allegory, but sometimes stretched it thin so as not to raise issues with censorship.

If you only ever watch 25 stories from Star Trek: The Next Generation, these are they, at least in my opinion. The only rules in place are that they have to be from the TV series (no films), and multi-part episodes count as one story (even if an episode is pretty much an epilogue.) If you get chance, try to watch the majority of all 7 seasons at some point… but by the Great Bird of the Galaxy avoid Shades Of Grey (S2). And Justice (S1)… A ‘10 episodes to avoid’ might have legs actually… But I digress.

If you are able, I would also recommend watching episodes of The Next Generation in remastered form on Blu-ray, even with the minor changes to the effects shots, as in more than one case this has corrected an actual error. As with most episodes of Star Trek TV shows, the live-action footage was captured on 35mm film, and thus the restoration work done on the negatives looks fantastic in HD.

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This list is presented in a viewing order I would suggest, and is primarily in production order as they flow better that way, rather than in a rank order.

Skin Of Evil (Season 1)

The episode is memorable for not only killing off a member of the main cast (one not even wearing a red shirt!) but also for the almost inconsequential way in which the death occurs.

The story sets up quite a bit that comes afterwards, and fortunately comes towards the end of the generally lacklustre first season. As such, it’s quite obvious things have settled down and both cast and crew are more confident in what they are doing. I warn you though, this episode has a complete lack of any light-heartedness and is very much a dramatic presentation.

Conspiracy (Season 1)

Though the themes of this episode are hinted at in Coming Of Age (season one’s nineteenth episode) this episode also works well as a stand-alone story. Though Coming Of Age isn’t a bad episode by any means, it falls way outside of the top 25. Starfleet seems to have taken a turn for the weird, and an old friend of Captain Picard summons him for a secret meeting. Data also, through the analysis of comm traffic has discovered a disturbing trend in Starfleet orders…

This is the episode where phasers appear to be a little bit tortuous and not as efficient as they should be (though to be fair in early Next Generation they do look like Dustbusters) and do an awfully good impression of the Veron-T Disruptor (see Season 5’s The Most Toys ). Overall, this is a well-written episode with some effects that look a little… well 80s now –  exploding meat-pack included.

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The Neutral Zone (Season 1)

Data finds a long-lost Earth capsule that literally has the past inside in the form of 3 easily cured cryogenically frozen patients from the early twenty-first century. The trio attempts to acclimatise to the twenty-fourth century, and the massive change in human culture. Meanwhile the Enterprise is to rendezvous with a Romulan vessel after decades without contact, only for the results of shared data about attacks along the neutral zone to usher in a serious sense of foreboding. 80s serial guest star Peter Mark Richman makes the most of his scenes, while the appearance of the Romulans in the form of Commander Tebok, played by Marc Alaimo, who would go on to be not only the first Cardassian we’d see, but then Gul Dukat in Deep Space Nine .

This may be a debatable inclusion in a pure top 25 episodes by quality alone, but the groundwork laid in this episode, for more than one foe of the Federation, is vital to the vast majority that follows in not only Next Generation , but Deep Space Nine and Voyager , too. 

The Measure Of A Man (Season 2)

From one episode that is crucial to others but considered purely on its own merits is a debatable entry on this list, to an episode that absolutely belongs in the top 2 stories – and one that rivals even Best Of Both Worlds (yes, I said it!)

Data is ordered to undergo dismantling so that Commander Maddox of the Daystrom Institute can study him. Data is not comfortable with that and refuses, only to find his final recourse to resign isn’t an option to him as he is seen by Starfleet as property. Cue the best courtroom drama episode of Star Trek ever produced including an astonishing performance from Patrick Stewart backed up by an understated but incredibly potent interaction with Whoopi Goldberg, and superb work from Jonathan Frakes, especially in the Blu-ray exclusive extended versions of the story.

Q Who (Season 2)

Q arrives, has a stand-off with Guinan and requests to join the crew of the Enterprise much to the annoyance of Commander Riker and Microbrain (aka Worf.) Captain Picard makes the mistake of stating his belief that his crew and Starfleet as a whole is ready to meet whatever is out there. So Q clicks his fingers and throws the Galaxy class Enterprise to the solar system designated J-25 to discover a planet with readings identical to those found in The Neutral Zone . Not only that… but a cube shaped ship enters orbit.

It turns out that resistance is futile and your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to that of Trek fandom, as this is one of the episodes that really will grab you – though its direct sequel is still to come.

The Emissary (Season 2)

An old flame of Worf, in the form of the half-human, half-Klingon, Ambassador K’Ehleyr, arrives on the Enterprise in a unique way. At the behest of Starfleet Security, the Ambassador is on board to warn and assist the crew of the Enterprise regarding the threat posed by a K’Tinga class Klingon Cruiser, the crew of which have been in suspended animation for 75 years. The crew of the IKS T’Ong are on a secret mission to attack the Federation, and are, of course, unaware that peace has broken out between the former enemies. 

Susie Plakson’s turn as K’Ehleyr cements her position as a go-to actress for the franchise after her superb debut as Doctor Selar earlier in the season ( The Schizoid Man ) and would go on to reprise this part and manage to take on two further alien races in roles as the female Q in Voyager and Lt. Tarah of the Andorian Imperial Guard in Enterprise , making four in total. No other actor has played a Vulcan, an Andorian, a Klingon and a Q!

Who Watches The Watchers (Season 3)

Foreshadowing Star Trek: Insurrection , a Federation research team has been revealed to the indigenous lifeforms on a planet with a (very) pre-warp civilization, causing a breach of the Prime Directive, necessitating Commander Riker and Counsellor Troi to go undercover as the Vulcan-eque Mintakans to rescue a researcher. Hilarity ensues. That is, if you find Picard being referred to as a God and having people sacrificed to him hilarious.

This one’s such a good foundation for new viewers as to quite why the Prime Directive is so important in the Star Trek universe that it was drawn upon for the opening sequence of Star Trek Into Darkness . It shows Next Generation at its thoughtful best.

Yesterday’s Enterprise (Season 3)

You know something major has occurred when the end of the pre-credit sequence involves Worf being replaced by Lt. Yar… The USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C, the Ambassador Class predecessor to the Galaxy Class Enterprise-D, turns up after going missing and being presumed destroyed for 22 years. Unfortunately Guinan’s extra-normal perception detects that the timeline has changed.

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This story sets up a few things, as well as being downright brilliant in its own right, and is every bit as much a must-watch as Best Of Both Worlds .

The Offspring (Season 3)

Jonathan Frakes graduates Paramount Academy with his directorial debut here, bringing the best out of Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner in particular, as Data struggles to understand why he has to inform the Captain of his attempts to procreate when none of the other crew have to.

A great performance from Hallie Todd as Lal which, literally, is the heart of the story, elevates this into the top 25.

Sins Of The Father (Season 3)

Mogh, father of Worf is accused of betraying the Klingons to the Romulans, and thus instigating the Khitomer massacre. Starfleet’s only Klingon officer isn’t going to just let it lie, only to find he has a brother he knew nothing about.

This is the first time Worf interacts with the Klingon High Council, at least on-screen, and comes into conflict with the Duras family for the first time – the actions in this episode would reverberate through both Next Generation , DS9 and into Star Trek: Generations.

Sarek (Season 3)

From one father, to another. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan, whose son is none other than Ambassador and formerly Captain Spock, comes aboard the Enterprise much to the delight of Captain Picard. Unfortunately it seems that Sarek is incapable of visiting the Enterprise in good health, and is suspected of being the cause of heightened tension and conflict aboard ship.

Once again Mark Lenard is outstanding, and Patrick Stewart’s performance as he grapples with Sarek’s erratic emotional state is a slightly uncomfortable highlight.

Best Of Both Worlds/Family (Seasons 3 & 4)

J-25 turns out to be a solar system not far enough from the Federation, and the readings from The Neutral Zone are forgotten as a single Borg vessel prepares to cut a swathe through Federation territory, with Captain Picard and anyone else in their way becoming little more than collateral damage.

Guest star Elizabeth Dennehy shines as Lieutenant Commander Shelby, lighting a fire under Riker. The cliff-hanger, Star Trek ‘s first as a season closer, drove fans up the wall for months, with the main story wrapped up in the first episode of season 4 and an epilogue in the second episode of the season, Family , that underlined quite what the Captain went through as Locutus, once again proving who was leading the cast in more ways than one.

Reunion (Season 4)

K’Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise with not only the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council in tow, but also her son, Alexander. It turns out that 3 to 4 year old Klingon children grow up really fast as Alexander was conceived during his mother’s last visit to the Enterprise, and he looks like he’s about 5. The episode also returns Duras to the screen and introduces Gowron. Unfortunately Alexander loses his mother, after she investigates Worf’s dishonour and the Khitomer massacre, when Duras murders her. Worf doesn’t take that lying down and ensures that the candidate for Chancellor got the point, dis-commendation or not.

This story continues Worf’s journey into Klingon culture which doesn’t really conclude until at least DS9’s What You Leave Behind… or perhaps the “canon” 2009 film prequel comic story, Countdown.

The Wounded (Season 4)

A veteran Captain of the Cardassian/Federation War, Ben Maxwell has taken it upon himself to launch his Nebula class starship, the USS Phoenix, into a one-ship war against the Cardassian Empire, believing that they are rearming to challenge the Federation once more. A Cardassian Gul (Captain) and two aides join the crew of the Enterprise to stop the Phoenix destroying further Cardassian vessels and outposts.

This is the first appearance of the Cardassians on screen with Marc Alaimo staking an early claim to the de-facto portrayal of a Cardassian commanding officer, Gul Macet, in advance of landing the regular role as Gul Dukat in Deep Space Nine . We also learn a bit about Chief O’Brien’s background in the process – giving Colm Meaney some decent room to show what he can do.

Redemption (Seasons 4 & 5)

Gowron attempts to take his place as Chancellor of the Klingon High Council but the sisters of Duras, Lursa and B’Etor reveal the deceased candidate’s son and challenge the succession. The result is a Klingon Civil War, and Worf’s loyalties are split between the Federation and his own people. It seems the Duras are also getting help, as they have done before, from another race with cloaked ships. Leave it to Captain Data to sort out the situation.

Will someone please tell me how Picard isn’t a Fleet Captain or Commodore at this point, when he’s in command of a fleet? Though the season cliff-hanger is nowhere near as compelling as that in Best Of Both Worlds ,  this two-part story serves to delve into Klingon culture and set a few things up for both Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.

Darmok (Season 5)

How do you talk to a race that appears to speak in gibberish, even with the universal translator doing its best? According to the Children Of Tamar, the best solution is to beam your Captain and that of the vessel you are trying to communicate with down to a planet with a dangerous creature, give each officer a knife and see if they can work out their differences. Paul Winfield (who also played Captain Terrell in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan ) does a superb job as the Tamarian Captain who communicates with Captain Picard by metaphor – it turns out that knowing the story of the example you’re citing helps quite a bit.

The late, great Michael Piller remarked of this episode “I just think Darmok is the prototype of what Star Trek should be.” It has also be used by Linguistic teachers as an example of how language can develop while the premise alone in the form of the billing blurb for the episode inspired Russell T Davis to write Midnight , from the fourth series of Doctor Who ‘s revival.

Unification (Season 5)

A bit of Sarek again, as Spock goes undercover on Romulus conducting cowboy diplomacy, prompting Picard and Data to pretend to be Romulans, and get transported to Romulus aboard a Klingon Bird Of Prey. There’s a reference to ear licking. There’s a discussion between Data and Spock. Tasha’s daughter, the Romulan commander, turns up. Jonathan Frakes sings the Next Generation theme tune in a blooper.

Do I really need to say any more? The great and much missed Leonard Nimoy on Next Generation is all the recommendation this one needs.

The Outcast (Season 5)

As potent today as The Original Series’ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield , this episode now appears to  tackle gender identity and uses the metaphor of a member of an androgynous race, the J’naii, who leans towards being female as a mirror for the struggle of those who are gender fluid or transgender, though it wasn’t the original intent.

Riker becomes involved romantically with the female-leaning Soren, only to find such a person is viewed as a throwback in need of therapy by their own people. It’s equally heart-breaking and brilliant. Bizarrely it appears that our wider knowledge of the human condition as a whole has caught up with this episode which was originally conceived to provide an allegory for different sexualities, and was criticised for not being awfully successful in that endeavour at the time. The horror of Soren being forced to undergo mental alteration for her perceived “criminal perversion” of being female rather than without gender, is now all too real.

I Borg (Season 5)

It’s not a person damn it, it’s a Borg ! Except it is a person, even though it’s a Borg, it transpires. A single-minded Captain Picard is determined to introduce a virus-like problem into the collective using a teenaged Borg an Enterprise away team has rescued from a crash site as the conduit. Guinan, even being one of the last remnants of a race all but wiped out by the Borg, disagrees and convinces the Captain to actually talk to “Hugh”.

This one is a wonderfully written and executed episode which lays a path for later developments – Borg can indeed become individuals again.

The Inner Light (Season 5)

Captain Picard is ensnared by an alien probe which as far as the rest of the crew is aware, forces him unconscious. They are unaware that another man’s life is being experienced by Jean-Luc, which we the viewer get to experience with him.

Patrick Stewart excels (as he often does) in a great bit of science fiction that won a Hugo award and was nominated for an Emmy. Jay Chattaway’s score for this one is also unforgettable.

Chain Of Command (Season 6)

Take one Patrick Stewart and one David Warner, put them in a torture room with 4 lights. Put Patrick in chains and make David a Cardassian who is torturing Picard for information, while Dick Jones, ahem, I mean Captain Jellico (Ronny Cox) is running the Enterprise. Some say this is Patricks Stewart’s finest performance as Captain Picard, and considering the actor actually researched with Amnesty International for this role, it’s not surprising. The bold interactions between Jonathan Frakes and Ronny Cox are great scenes.

Great as the episode is, however, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, and I am amazed the BBFC gave it a PG certificate.

Tapestry (Season 6)

Picard is dead. Q is God. The universe, fortunately, is not that badly designed. Q gives Jean-Luc the option to go back and fix what ails him (his reliance on an artificial heart) by avoiding his injury at the hands of a burley Nausicaan in the first place. Unfortunately it turns out that the result would be a very different man.

Okay, so this one is basically the Next Generation version of It’s A Wonderful Life , but it also has Q to recommend it, as well as the fact that you learn more about Jean-Luc’s youth and why he laughed when he was stabbed through the back and heart.

Frame Of Mind (Season 6)

Riker appears to find himself in an insane asylum on an alien world, with his known history as a Starfleet Commander on the Enterprise seemingly all a delusion… except he appears to be slipping between realities, or are they delusions too?

Jonthan Frakes is allowed to show his acting chops in this reality-bending tale – and he conveys Riker losing his grip on reality very well. This story does the idea better than Sucker Punch ever could, not to mention a lot earlier.

Lower Decks (Season 7)

This one provides a rare glimpse into the lives of junior officers aboard the Federation Starfleet flagship, two of whom are up for promotion. Meanwhile something is going on, involving a rescued unknown from the border with the Cardassian Empire, and the Bajoran ensign who was part of the Nova Squadron cover-up at the academy with Wesley Crusher (see season 5’s The First Duty ).

This is possibly the most popular episode of season 7 and deserves to be. It gives a different perspective on the daily lives of those aboard the Enterprise. At one point Sito Jaxa (the Bajoran ensign) was due to reappear in Deep Space Nine , and this rumour developed at one point to include Thomas Riker, but alas, it never happened.

Encounter At Farpoint/All Good Things (Seasons 1 & 7)

The trial of the human race that Q instigates in Farpoint is seemingly ongoing, and it appears that Captain Jean-Luc Picard may be the destroyer of humanity itself, in the time-jumping finale to Star Trek: The Next Generation on television.

Okay, I am cheating here a bit. Encounter At Farpoint in itself, isn’t great, but without it the splendour that is All Good Things makes no sense. Thus you have to watch the first episode of Next Generation for the last to work. However, even with all the introductions and John DeLancie being frankly fantastic as Q, Farpoint doesn’t deserve to be in the top 25 on its own merits… All Good Things really does, though, and as the conclusion to the story that Farpoint starts, forgive me the conceit of putting them together as one story here.

Of course, like any other list of this nature, everyone will have alternative selections and to be utterly fair my ‘almosts’ include some brilliant episodes such as Ensign Ro, Second Chances and The Most Toys . Then again,  Next Generation is my favourite TV show of all time, so there is very little of it I don’t enjoy or wouldn’t show to a friend.

Look out… Deep Space Nine is next in my sights.

Sven Harvey

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Star Trek: The Next Generation -- 25 GREATEST EPISODES!

The 25 greatest episodes of one the all-time greatest shows: Star Trek: The Next Generation.

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

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

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

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.

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

Votes: 4,359

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

While the humorless Captain Jellico leads the effort to prevent a Cardassian invasion, Picard is captured and tortured by a ruthless interrogator in an attempt to break him.

Votes: 3,993

3. 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: 8,218

4. 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.

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

Votes: 3,415

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

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.

Votes: 5,770

6. 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: 5,400

7. 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.

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

Votes: 3,956

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

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

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.

Votes: 5,046

9. 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.

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

Votes: 4,740

10. 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: 4,165

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: 4,279

12. 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: 3,817

13. 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: 3,829

14. 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: 9,240

15. 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: 3,036

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

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: 6,203

17. 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.

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

Votes: 3,579

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

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

Votes: 3,522

19. 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: 3,489

20. 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.

Votes: 4,273

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

The crew of the Enterprise participates in war games.

Votes: 3,563

22. 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.

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

Votes: 2,941

23. 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: 3,345

24. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) Episode: The Chase (1993)

The crew of the Enterprise must race against various rival powers to uncover an archaeological secret that explains the predominance of humanoid life forms in the galaxy.

Votes: 3,402

25. 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: 4,143

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The 10 Best Star Trek The Next Generation Episodes, Ranked

The Star Trek franchise has been a part of pop culture for over 50 years and, thanks to new entries like Star Trek: Discovery and Lower Decks, is having a bit of a renaissance. Perhaps the most famous and well-loved of the canon is Star Trek: The Next Generation. With the launch of Paramount+ on March 4th, you’ll be able to boldly go and stream the entire Star Trek library, so let’s take a look back at some of the best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes you’ll be able to beam up to your device from the new streamer.

10. Sins of the Father - Season 3, Episode 17

Worf journeys to the Klingon homeworld of Q’onoS (pronounced Kronos, naturally) to clear his long-dead father’s name of treason. Until Star Trek: The Next Generation , Klingons were the franchise’s chief villain. Known mostly for their warrior and brutish status, “Sins of the Father” starts to flesh out these fan favorite aliens with plenty of politicking and intrigue, including the first appearance of Worf’s secret brother, played by the Candyman himself, Tony Todd. Ultimately, Worf must sacrifice his honor and family name for the sake of the Klingon Empire, which would have lasting repercussions throughout all seven seasons of The Next Generation and into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

9. Data’s Day - Season 4, Episode 11

Chief O’Brien’s wedding to Keiko. Gift shopping with Worf at the replicator. Learning to dance with Dr. Crusher. This is “Data’s Day.” This Season 4 episode takes a look at a day in the life aboard a starship when the crew isn’t fending off the Borg or brushing up against the Romulans. A quasi-companion episode to “Measure of a Man,” Data records his observations for Commander Bruce Maddox. In typical Data fashion he has a childlike, inquisitive nature as events unfold around him. The B-plot of this episode is also fun, complete with a Romulan defection.

8. I, Borg - Season 5, Episode 23

The breakout villain of TNG , the Borg are a chilling cybernetic enemy with one mission, assimilation. Part of the brilliance of “I, Borg” is taking everything the audience has learned about the Borg and flipping it on its head. After finding an injured Borg drone, the crew brings it back to the Enterprise. With fresh memories of Picard’s capture and assimilation during “The Best of Both Worlds,” the crew hatches a plan to use this drone to wipe out the entire Borg species. But as the drone spends more time away from the collective, he begins to develop individuality and autonomy, even taking the name, Hugh. A stellar Season 5 episodes that explores prejudices against your enemies and the right choice vs. the easy choice. This episode is also required viewing for fans of Star Trek: Picard.

7. The Measure of A Man - Season 2, Episode 9

Early on in its run, Star Trek: The Next Generation wasn’t exactly known for quality episodes. An early diamond in the rough, however, is Season 2’s “Measure of a Man.” Commander Bruce Maddox wants to disassemble Data to study how he was created, which Picard strenuously objects. At its core a courtroom drama, Picard must defend Data’s right to life before a Starfleet hearing. This is Trek at its very best. Often known for its weighty themes, “Measure of a Man” gets to the very heart of TNG ’s most enduring themes. Humanity, sentience and right to life. What is humanity worth if someone, or something, isn’t entirely human? You may be sensing a theme, but this is another key episode for viewers of Star Trek: Picard .

6. Darmok - Season 5, Episode 2

Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , you’ve heard the phrase “Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.” Its near-ubiquity alone is a testament to the strength of this episode. After the Tamarian captain, played by Wrath of Khan’s Paul Winfield, beams himself and Picard to the surface of the nearby planet, Picard first assumes the Tamarian wants battle. In reality, Dathon has brought Picard for a bonding ritual meant to unite the two. What follows is a wonderful episode about communication and trust between two disparate cultures. Although they cannot understand each other the two captains, through common goals and shared respect, eventually overcome the threat before them. More Trek at its absolute Trekkiest.

5. Yesterday’s Enterprise - Season 3, Episode 15

Although TNG never had a traditional Mirror Universe like the original series’ “Mirror, Mirror,” this is the closest we get to one. After the never-before-seen-on-screen Enterprise-C emerges from a temporal rift, the timeline is changed. Now, the Federation has been at an unceasing war with the Klingons, the Enterprise is no longer a ship of exploration, but one of battle. Picard is now hardened by years of conflict. Riker, usually a loyal second in command, is at constant odds with his captain. Tasha Yar, unceremoniously killed off in Season 1, is once again alive in this alternate timeline. Even though this is an alternate timeline episode, there are lasting consequences that reverberate in later seasons, especially “Unification”.

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4. Chain of Command - Season 6, Episodes 10 & 11

Cardassians eventually end up being a primary protagonist in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , but they were first introduced in The Next Generation . This is the first Cardassian-centric episode to showcase how sinister they can truly be. After a secret mission turns out to be a trap, Picard is held captive and tortured by Gul Madred, a Cardassian interrogator. Famous for the meme-worthy “There are four lights!” scene, in the context of this two-parter it’s much more harrowing. David Warner is effecting as Picard’s interrogator, and Patrick Stewart knocks it out of the park as our favorite captain pushed to the breaking point of his resolve and will.

3. All Good Things… - Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26

“All Good Things…” is one of the best series finales in television history. At once a swan song as well as a victory lap, this super sized episode revisits key moments in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s 7 season run. Coming full circle, this episode brings back fan favorite character Q, who resumes his “trial against humanity”, which began in the pilot episode, “Encounter at Farpoint.” Picard finds himself passing through different moments in both his past, present and future.

Old favorites like Tasha Yar and Chief O’Brien appear for one final time. In the future, we find Beverly divorced from Picard, Worf now part of the Klingon Empire and Captain Riker of the Enterprise, hardened over the loss of Deanna Troi. A thrilling adventure through time where Picard will need to have all three Enterprises work together to save all of human existence. In a 2018 interview with EW , Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige cited this finale as a model for Avengers: Infinity War saying, “That to me is one of the best series finale ever. That wasn’t about death. Picard went and played poker with the crew, something he should have done a long time ago, right?” Who’s to argue with Kevin Feige?

2. The Inner Light - Season 5, Episode 25

One of TNG’s most beloved episodes, “The Inner Light” finds Picard living a life not lived. After a mysterious alien probe puts him into a coma, Picard wakes up off of the Enterprise and the strangers around him are all calling him Kamin. Over the course of the episode, years pass and Kamin sees his kids grow up while he grows old. We eventually come to learn that the colony has built a probe with the intention of sending it into space to share their heritage and history with anyone who might stumble upon it. After a flash of white light, Picard wakes up back on the Enterprise and, while he has lived a full life as Kamin is his mind, mere minutes have passed on the ship. Patrick Stewart turns in a wonderful performance playing a gentler family man than we are used to seeing in Picard. This episode fundamentally changes Picard, with ramifications that follow through in “Lessons” and into Star Trek: Generations.

1. The Best of Both Worlds - Season 3, Episode 26 and Season 4, Episode 1

As if any other episode could land the top spot on a Star Trek: The Next Generation best episodes list. Sure, this is the Borg episode where Picard is assimilated and turned into the mouthpiece of the Alpha Quadrant’s greatest threat. The real secret to this episode, though, is that it’s actually all about Riker. It turns out, unbeknownst to Picard, Riker has turned down three promotions to Captain, and it’s beginning to hurt his career. Enter Commander Shelby, played by Brian Dennehy’s daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy, a rising star who is sent to help strategize about the Borg threat. A hot shot who constantly butts heads with Riker, her arrival starts to make the Commander question what he’s even still doing on the Enterprise.

Jonathan Frakes is firing on all cylinders in this two-parter, leading up to the iconic cliffhanger. As the now assimilated Picard appears on the view screen with a threat, the music swells, the camera whips around and acting-Captain Riker utters three words, “Mr Worf. Fire,” and the “to be continued” card appears. The cliffhanger of cliffhangers, this moment is sure to give any TV viewer goosebumps.

The beauty of Star Trek is there’s certainly no shortage of episodes to watch. If you’re looking to binge some on your own, Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming just about everywhere, including Netflix , Hulu , Amazon Prime and starting March 4th on Paramount+ .

Never not rewatching Mad Men. Lover of comic books and all things related. I spend most of my free time giving medicine to my geriatric cat.

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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. 

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The Best Episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6

Every episode of star trek: the next generation season 6 ranked from best to worst. discover the best episodes of star trek: the next generation season 6.

Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.

Season 6 Highlight

The best episode of " Star Trek: The Next Generation " season 6 is " Time's Arrow (2) " , rated 8.2 /10 from 3673 user votes. It was directed by Les Landau and written by Jeri Taylor . " Time's Arrow (2) " aired on 9/21/1992 and is rated 1.0 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, " Realm of Fear " .

# 1 - Time's Arrow (2)

Season 6 episode 1 - aired 1992-09-21.

Stardate: 46001.3. The away team's investigations are hampered by a nosy Samuel Clemens. Picard discovers that he originally met Guinan in the 1890s on Earth.

Director: Les Landau

Writer: Jeri Taylor

# 2 - Realm of Fear

Season 6 episode 2 - aired 1992-09-28.

Stardate: 46041.1. Lt. Barclay's fear of using transporters is eerily justified when he sees bizarre aliens within the transporter beam.

Director: Cliff Bole

Writer: Brannon Braga

# 3 - Man of the People

Season 6 episode 3 - aired 1992-10-05.

Stardate: 46071.6. Deanna becomes attracted to an alien ambassador. Shortly thereafter, she starts ageing rapidly and starts becoming violent.

Director: Cliff Bole , Winrich Kolbe

Writer: Brannon Braga , Frank Abatemarco

# 4 - Relics

Season 6 episode 4 - aired 1992-10-12.

Stardate: 46125.3. Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott is discovered suspended in a transporter beam 75 years after he disappeared. After the Enterprise crew re-materialise him, he has a hard time adjusting to the new society.

Director: Alexander Singer

Writer: Ronald D. Moore

# 5 - Schisms

Season 6 episode 5 - aired 1992-10-19.

Stardate: 46154.2. Members of the crew are secretly abducted from the Enterprise to be used in bizarre experiments where they are dismembered and re-assembled without anyone's knowledge - including their own. The only signs that anything is wrong is a strange form of tiredness and no recollection of having slept well the night before.

Director: Robert Wiemer

# 6 - True Q

Season 6 episode 6 - aired 1992-10-26.

Stardate: 46192.3. A young intern visiting the Enterprise captures the interest of Q when she starts displaying Q-like powers.

Director: Robert Scheerer

Writer: René Echevarria

# 7 - Rascals

Season 6 episode 7 - aired 1992-11-02.

Stardate: 46235.7. A transporter accident transforms Picard, Ro Laren, Guinan and Keiko O'Brien into small children who appear to be about 12 years old. Matters are complicated when the Ferengi seize the Enterprise.

Director: Adam Nimoy

Writer: Michael Piller

# 8 - A Fistful of Datas

Season 6 episode 8 - aired 1992-11-09.

Stardate: 46271.5. Worf and his son, Alexander, become trapped in the holodeck when their Wild West program malfunctions. However, they must find a way to defeat the holographic bandits who have Data's appearance and abilities.

Director: Patrick Stewart

Writer: Robert Hewitt Wolfe , Brannon Braga

# 9 - The Quality of Life

Season 6 episode 9 - aired 1992-11-16.

Stardate: 46315.2. Data discovers that the maintenance robots built by Dr. Farallon may have become sentient.

Director: Jonathan Frakes

Writer: Naren Shankar

# 10 - Chain of Command (1)

Season 6 episode 10 - aired 1992-12-14.

Stardate: 46357.4. Picard resigns as Captain of the Enterprise to lead a top-secret espionage mission into Cardassia with Worf and Dr. Crusher.

# 11 - Chain of Command (2)

Season 6 episode 11 - aired 1992-12-21.

Stardate: 46360.8. Picard is captured and tortured by the Cardassians, while Riker tries to prevent a Federation attack on Cardassia.

Writer: Frank Abatemarco

# 12 - Ship in a Bottle

Season 6 episode 12 - aired 1993-01-25.

Stardate: 46424.1. While performing holodeck maintenance, Barclay accesses the stored hologram of Professor Moriarty, who wreaks havoc on board the Enterprise.

# 13 - Aquiel

Season 6 episode 13 - aired 1993-02-01.

Stardate: 46461.3. Geordie falls in love with a lieutenant who is the prime suspect in a murder case.

Writer: Jeri Taylor , Brannon Braga , Ronald D. Moore

# 14 - Face of the Enemy

Season 6 episode 14 - aired 1993-02-08.

Stardate: 46519.1. Troi is abducted and surgically altered by the Romulans as part of a ploy to smuggle intelligence operatives into the Federation.

Director: Gabrielle Beaumont

Writer: René Echevarria , Naren Shankar

# 15 - Tapestry

Season 6 episode 15 - aired 1993-02-15.

Stardate: Unknown. A mortally wounded Picard is forced into re-living a time of his life when he was back in Starfleet Academy, with the intervention of Q.

# 16 - Birthright (1)

Season 6 episode 16 - aired 1993-02-22.

Stardate: 46578.4. While visiting Deep Space Nine, Worf learns that his father is still alive and being held captive in a secret Romulan prison camp.

Director: Winrich Kolbe , Les Landau

Writer: Brannon Braga , Ronald D. Moore

# 17 - Birthright (2)

Season 6 episode 17 - aired 1993-03-01.

Stardate: 46759.2. Worf is captured by the Romulans where he learns why the other captives did not attempt an escape years before.

Director: N/A

# 18 - Starship Mine

Season 6 episode 18 - aired 1993-03-29.

Stardate: 46682.4. The crew evacuates the Enterprise when the ship needs to be cleaned of particles that have built up over the ship's hull. However, Picard accidentally stumbles over a terrorist group who plan on destroying the ship. He only has a short time to stop their attempts before the ship is swept by a beam of radiation to remove the particles that is lethal to all forms of life.

Writer: Morgan Gendel

# 19 - Lessons

Season 6 episode 19 - aired 1993-04-05.

Stardate: 46693.1. Picard must choose between love and command when he must make a decision that could place the woman he loves in a potentially deadly and high-risk mission.

Writer: Ron Wilkerson , Jean Louise Matthias

# 20 - The Chase

Season 6 episode 20 - aired 1993-04-26.

Stardate: 46731.5. Picard's old archaeology professor is found murdered, the crew try to complete his research. Soon, the crew must compete with Romulans and Klingons and Cardassians to uncover the truth behind his discoveries.

Writer: Joe Menosky , Ronald D. Moore

# 21 - Frame of Mind

Season 6 episode 21 - aired 1993-05-03.

Stardate: 46778.1. Riker questions his sanity when his reality seems to shift between an alien psychiatric hospital and a play he is performing with other members of the crew.

Director: James L. Conway

# 22 - Suspicions

Season 6 episode 22 - aired 1993-05-10.

Stardate: 46830.1. Dr. Crusher puts her career on the line when she tries to clear the name of a murdered scientist whose invention could allow starships to pass through a sun's corona.

Writer: Naren Shankar , Joe Menosky

# 23 - Rightful Heir

Season 6 episode 23 - aired 1993-05-17.

Stardate: 46852.2. While on a quest to summon a vision of Kahless, Worf questions his faith when the real Kahless rises from the dead to lead the Empire.

Director: Winrich Kolbe

# 24 - Second Chances

Season 6 episode 24 - aired 1993-05-24.

Stardate: 46915.2. Riker discovers that eight years ago, an exact clone of him was created when he beamed through a planet's surface while returning to his starship. This clone, named Thomas Riker, has secretly remained on the planet for the past eight years, and still has romantic feelings for Troi.

Director: LeVar Burton

# 25 - Timescape

Season 6 episode 25 - aired 1993-06-14.

Stardate: 46944.2. Picard, Geordi, Troi and Data return from a Federation conference to find the Enterprise frozen in time and under attack from a frozen Romulan Warbird.

Best Episodes

10 Best Episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 2

Calling all Trekkies! If you're a fan of sci-fi and space exploration, then you're in for a treat with "Star Trek: The Next Generation." This iconic TV show takes you on intergalactic adventures with Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D. Since its first airing in 1987, this beloved series has captured the hearts of millions of viewers with its captivating storytelling and groundbreaking special effects. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newbie to the Star Trek universe, get ready to be transported to new worlds and encounter fascinating alien species.

With a whopping eight seasons under its belt, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has no shortage of incredible episodes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From thrilling space battles to thought-provoking moral dilemmas, each episode offers a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether you prefer action-packed adventures or philosophical explorations, there's something for everyone in this groundbreaking series. So grab your favorite Star Trek mug, settle onto the couch, and prepare to embark on an epic journey through the cosmos.

Thanks to syndication, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is easily accessible for fans old and new. Whether you're binge-watching from the comfort of your living room or catching an episode during your lunch break, you'll find yourself immersed in the rich universe created by Gene Roddenberry. So dust off your tricorder and set your phasers to stun, because "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is ready to transport you to new frontiers and leave you eagerly anticipating the next episode.

Written by Sophie and last updated on nov 30, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

#15 - The Child (Season 2 - Episode 1)

Stardate: 42073.1 Troi undergoes a mysterious pregnancy when the Enterprise tries to escape from a system that has recently fallen victim to a deadly plague.

The episode was rated 7.21 from 599 votes.

#14 - Up the Long Ladder (Season 2 - Episode 18)

Stardate: 42823.2 Picard must convince two dying civilizations that they must co-exist on the same planet to survive, however, they have other plans to ensure their survival: in the form of clones of the Enterprise crew.

The episode was rated 7.24 from 487 votes.

#13 - Loud as a Whisper (Season 2 - Episode 5)

Stardate: 42477.2 A deaf-mute mediator meets with disaster while being escorted by the Enterprise.

The episode was rated 7.27 from 517 votes.

#12 - The Outrageous Okona (Season 2 - Episode 4)

Stardate: 42402.7 The Enterprise is placed in a compromising situation when the captain of a disabled starship places the crew in the middle of a love triangle.

The episode was rated 7.31 from 541 votes.

#11 - The Schizoid Man (Season 2 - Episode 6)

Stardate: 42437.5 Data is possessed by the consciousness of a brilliant scientist. However, it has a disturbing impact on Data's personality.

The episode was rated 7.42 from 521 votes.

#10 - Unnatural Selection (Season 2 - Episode 7)

Stardate: 42494.8 A mysterious hyper-ageing sickness kills the crew of a Federation cargo ship, and Dr. Pulaski must race against time to find a cure.

The episode was rated 7.44 from 535 votes.

#9 - Where Silence Has Lease (Season 2 - Episode 2)

Stardate: 42193.6 A mysterious life form known as the 'Nagilum' threatens the life of the crew in his attempt to understand humanity.

The episode was rated 7.46 from 563 votes.

#8 - Time Squared (Season 2 - Episode 13)

Stardate: 42679.2 Picard encounters his double from six hours in the future, whose Enterprise had been destroyed.

The episode was rated 7.67 from 561 votes.

#7 - The Emissary (Season 2 - Episode 20)

Stardate: 42901.3 Worf is re-united with his former lover, K'Ehleyr, while the Enterprise is ordered to intercept a Klingon ship whose crew has been in stasis for a century.

The episode was rated 7.69 from 501 votes.

#6 - Elementary, Dear Data (Season 2 - Episode 3)

Stardate: 42286.3 Data and Geordi become involved with a holodeck program about Sherlock Holmes and his investigations, when they create Sherlock's arch nemesis, Moriarty; however, modifications to the Moriarty character include the capability of out-smarting Data, which leads to some unexpected consequences.

The episode was rated 7.81 from 566 votes.

#5 - Contagion (Season 2 - Episode 11)

Stardate: 42609.1 A strange power source disables the Enterprise's computer systems, damages Data's programming and leaves the ship and crew vulnerable to a Romulan attack.

The episode was rated 7.82 from 582 votes.

#4 - A Matter of Honor (Season 2 - Episode 8)

Commander Riker participates in an officer's exchange program which lands him an assignment on a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. Meanwhile, a Bezite ensign has trouble assimilating to the routines of the Enterprise.

The episode was rated 7.90 from 556 votes.

#3 - Peak Performance (Season 2 - Episode 21)

Stardate: 42923.4 Trouble begins when a Ferengi warship stumbles over a war simulation between Riker and Picard, each on different ships, and begins attacking them.

The episode was rated 7.92 from 544 votes.

#2 - Q Who? (Season 2 - Episode 16)

Stardate: 42761.3. In the episode "Q Who?" of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q takes the Enterprise on a wild ride into the Delta Quadrant, introducing the Federation to a formidable new enemy - The Borg. This episode, which marks the debut of the half-mechanical monsters, presents an unprecedented challenge for Captain Picard and his crew. The Borg are unlike any adversary they have faced before, with a single-minded determination to strip-mine humanity for its technological resources. This encounter with The Borg forces Picard to question the very ethos of Starfleet and the Federation, as they represent the complete opposite of exploration, diversity, and individuality.

While "Q Who?" may not be the most action-packed episode, it offers insights into the characters and the larger themes of the show. We witness Q's usual mischief and his interactions with the Starfleet crew, particularly the humorous exchange with Worf. The episode also introduces Ensign Gomez and hints at Guinan's deeper backstory, adding layers to the worldbuilding. However, the heart of the episode lies in Picard's journey towards humility. Despite warnings from Guinan and the loss of eighteen crew members, Picard's curiosity and desire for knowledge compel him to confront The Borg head-on, ultimately leading him to seek help from Q. This episode serves as a reminder that the wonders of the universe come with perils and costs, and that humanity must be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

Although the first encounter with The Borg may seem underwhelming by today's standards, "Q Who?" lays the groundwork for future storylines and explores themes of risk, humility, and the price of exploration. It may not be the most thrilling standalone episode, but it sets the stage for the ongoing battle against The Borg and raises intriguing questions about the nature of humanity's journey through the stars.

The episode was rated 8.31 from 675 votes.

#1 - The Measure of a Man (Season 2 - Episode 9)

Stardate: 42523.7 When Data's rights as a sentient individual are placed under trial, Starfleet forces Riker into a position where he must prove that Data is only an Android.

The episode was rated 8.49 from 624 votes.

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This Underrated Star Trek: The Next Generation Season is Actually the Show's Best

While there are many great seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the final outing for the crew of the USS Enterprise-D might be the series' best.

• Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7 received critical acclaim and high ratings.
• The Next Generation's series finale, "All Good Things," is considered one of the best Star Trek episodes.
• Challenges faced during The Next Generation Season 7 led to character growth and excellent storytelling.

When Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted, it was a series that wasn't supposed to succeed. No sequel show ever ran longer than or surpassed the original in popularity before and is still a rarity. While fans will point to one of the middle seasons as the best of Star Trek: The Next Generation , a case can be made for Season 7, the final for the ensemble cast. The Next Generation could've gone past Season 7, but it might have had to do so without Captain Jean-Luc Picard , as Patrick Stewart was eager to move on. In fact, according to The Fifty-Year Mission by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, there was a tense period of negotiations between Stewart's representatives and the studio to get him back for Season 7.

A big part of what sold his return, apparently, was the plan for the cast to finish the show and immediately begin filming the seventh Star Trek movie that became 1994's Generations . This led to three more films and, after a break of about 20 years, Star Trek: Picard . While many of the most iconic storylines involving the crew of the USS Enterprise-D happened in The Next Generation Seasons 3, 4, 5 and 6, the seventh doesn't get enough credit. The finale, "All Good Things," is unquestionably one of the best Star Trek finales of any series, even Picard 's award-winning final episode. However, there are plenty of wonderful things throughout the season, the ill-advised romance between Troi and Worf notwithstanding.

Why Star Trek: The Next Generation Ended With Season 7

Without lucille ball, star trek would've failed before its pilot episode.

Star Trek: The Original Series only got three seasons in which to make itself an unforgettable pop culture icon. Even without the requisite 100 episodes, The Original Series became the highest-rated scripted series in syndication for two decades, supplanted only by The Next Generation . Seven seasons was a dream the producers dared not even hope for, but circumstances aligned that made it the "right" year to end the series . While fans and cast didn't understand the decision, it wasn't necessarily unwelcome. "Everybody pretty much would agree…the seventh season got off to a…rocky start," story editor Naren Shankar said in The Fifty-Year Mission , adding, "we went out of the sixth season on a real roll, and it was creatively very exhausting."

A feature in Entertainment Weekly published in 1994 quoted castmembers like Jonathan Frakes who simply didn't understand the move just the same. In the same article, executive producer Rick Berman offered up an answer. "All I can tell you is that the decision to end Next Generation after a seven-season run was made at least two years and two Paramount regimes ago," he said . With the perfection of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ending the run of the The Original Series actors, Paramount simply believed a feature film series with these characters at the height of their popularity would be more profitable.

Additionally, the budget for The Next Generation kept going up as the actors commanded higher quotes and the stories became more elaborate. The writers were also exhausted. There was no break between the final seasons. Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga were writing multiple episodes of the series and the script for Generations . Showrunner Michael Piller was overseeing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , developing Voyager with Jeri Taylor and said he felt like "an absentee landlord" when he worked on The Next Generation , in The Fifty-Year Mission . In the same book, Taylor said every "year it got harder…to find things that haven't been dealt with" on the series before. The most heavily featured actors, Stewart and Brent Spiner, were also reaching exhaustion. Yet, despite all these challenges, Season 7 was excellent.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7 Critical Scores

The highs and lows of tng season 7 were very high and not that low, 10 star trek next generation guest appearances that changed tng.

As any passionate Star Trek fan will admit, every season has some episodes that simply aren't very good. Of course, one of the ironies of this is that fans will never agree on which episodes they are. One such episode in contention for the "worst" is Season 7's "Masks," in which an ancient space-library transforms Data and the ship itself into a version of their society. Yet, while the episode is, as Moore said, "pretty out there," he also agreed the series had to "take those risks and…do something bizarre." (And it's still not as bad as Season 6's "Aquiel," where Geordi's dog is an evil shapeshifting alien.)

While the "bad" episodes were at least centered on interesting concepts, the better-received episodes were some of the series' best . "There were about five episodes in the middle of the seventh season that were as strong a group of episodes as I have ever been a part of, going from "Parallels" to "Pegasus" to "Lower Decks," which was really one of the wonderful shows of the year," Piller said in The Fifty-Year Mission . He even included "Sub Rosa" in which Beverly Crusher has an affair with a ghost. Piller is right, as these stories stuck with Star Trek fans, including Mike McMahan, creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks . They played with sci-fi concepts, like time travel, and Star Trek sacred cows, like the Prime Directive.

Another episode seen as a low point, "Force of Nature," doesn't really deserve that reputation. The writers wanted to play with the idea that warp drives were harming spacetime, creating an environmental allegory that's one of the most heavy-handed in the show. Still, the episode features great character moments like Data's training of his cat Spot. The episode even brought back the Ferengi, which were originally hated by fans , with a DaiMon character that felt like a real person and not just a sinister villain. Even exhausted, the writers, directors, cast and crew were turning in excellent work week to week.

'All Good Things' Is a Great Series Finale, and May Be TNG's Best Episode of All Time

What made worf a better klingon warrior on star trek: the next generation.

It's no accident the final scene of Star Trek: Picard evokes the final scene of The Nexte Generation's "All Good Things," with Picard and his Enterprise family playing a friendly game of poker. It was the perfect way to end those characters' stories, and after the films and the series, refocusing the final moment on their friendship was the right call. "We knew we wanted it to be special and the culmination of everything that makes Star Trek special," co-writer Brannon Braga said in The Fifty-Year Mission . While everyone loves a starship and cool alien species, what makes Gene Roddenberry's universe stand apart from others is all too human.

The series finale wasn't just a story about Picard slipping through time, but how his connections to the crew were his constant. While Picard is distant from the crew because of his position as captain, he's actually more involved in their lives than Captain Kirk ever was for Chekov, Sulu and Scotty. In "All Good Things," that dynamic changes as an increasingly angry Picard becomes more confused as he's unstuck in time. He shows the vulnerability it took Kirk three movies (and losing his son) to uncover. Meanwhile, the rest of the characters realize their potential, but in their success, it's still not as "good" as when they were all serving on the Enterprise together.

Why Star Trek: The Next Generation's Final Season May Be Its Best

How william shatner unearthed star trek: tng's early troubles.

Like any series, Star Trek: TNG struggled in early seasons , but it faced pressures no new series does. The Next Generation had to stand on its own as a worthy science fiction series, while also living up to Star Trek 's place in American culture. Perhaps because of all the hurdles in their way, the cast and producers pushed themselves to live up to both standards. Things were even more difficult in The Next Generation Season 7, and perhaps the new level of pressure "made diamonds," as Braga put it.

The journey to its final season was satisfying and full of important, wonderful Star Trek stories. However, if overseen by different executives with different priorities, The Next Generation might have joined the ranks of series like Smallville or Supernatural in terms of longevity. Season 7 delivered as many excellent episodes as previous seasons, but it also allowed characters to grow and change. Deanna Troi seeks a promotion , and she starts a committed relationship with Worf. Data continues to evolve, and Wesley Crusher goes off to become a traveler. Ro Laren defects from Starfleet.

The Next Generation never really leaned into lasting change for its characters. As a first-run syndicated series, audiences were not guaranteed to see the episodes in order. There were emotional and character arcs throughout seasons, but with the end coming, the writers made much bigger moves. Season 7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation didn't feel like a final season so much as it felt like an evolution . It promised change and bigger stories that might have been easier to deliver on television than in feature films.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, digital and streams on Paramount+ .

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

Discovery Season 5 is Taking a Huge Swing With Star Trek Canon

Get out your space history books.

Why do so many Star Trek aliens look like humans? The real-world explanation is that way back in 1964, Gene Roddenberry said the format of Star Trek would focus on stories that took place on “parallel worlds.” This didn’t mean Trek was an alternate universe-hopping show, but that allegorically, the people encountered by the Enterprise were humanoid, thus making the stories easier to write and understand (and, from a budget perspective, easier to make). But there’s an in-universe explanation for this, too.

In 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation devoted an episode to answering this big question. And now, 31 years later, Star Trek: Discovery is doubling down with a Season 5 storyline that serves as a direct sequel to that story. Here’s what this means and why it matters. Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2.

The return of Star Trek’s Progenitors

The Progenitor’s message in the Next Generation episode “The Chase.”

At the end of Discovery Season 5, Episode 1, “Red Directive,” we learn that the data the crew has been assigned to protect is connected to discoveries made by a Romulan scientist in the year 2369. Season 5 happens roughly 820 years after that date, but as Kovich (David Cronenberg) tells Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), this information has been kept hidden for centuries. Why?

Well, in “The Chase,” Picard, Crusher, and the Enterprise-D crew — along with representatives from the Cardassians, Klingons, and Romulans — discovered an ancient message coded within DNA that revealed everyone descended from the same ancient aliens. The Progenitors, as their message explains, “...seeded the primordial oceans of many worlds, where life was in its infancy. The seed codes directed your evolution toward a physical form resembling ours.”

Captain Burnham is floored by this information, which makes sense since she’s originally from the 23rd century, and her pre-time travel adventures in Starfleet predate Picard’s by about 100 years. But Burnham’s ignorance of the Progenitors isn’t because she and the Discovery crew are time travelers. There’s another reason why this has all been classified.

Discovery’s new God-mode tech

Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is racing to find the most powerful Trek tech of all time.

The fact that most humanoid-looking life in Star Trek descended from an ancient alien species isn’t a new revelation to longtime Trek fans. Even Original Series episodes “Return to Tomorrow” and “The Paradise Syndrom” hinted that several species originated thanks to some kind of organized panspermia . What is new is that the technology the Progenitors used to create life on thousands of worlds has been found.

In Discovery’s “Red Directive,” the journal left by the Romulan scientist is just the first piece of the puzzle. The larger mission is to find the technology the Progenitors developed millions of years ago, and so Discovery has revealed the most powerful technology in all of Trek canon to date. In The Wrath of Khan , we got the Genesis Device , a tech capable of instantly terraforming planets. In Voyager’s “Year of Hell,” the Kremin weapon ship pushed entire planets out of the spacetime continuum, altering history in the blink of an eye.

But those examples of super-tech were unstable. What’s interesting about the ancient Progenitor tech is that it obviously works . Discovery’s imperative to find the tech is classic Trek: if the ability to seed life on a planetary scale falls into the wrong hands, the galaxy could be changed forever. In the grand tradition of Star Trek, the biggest superweapons aren’t planet-destroying superweapons, but something that could redefine and rewrite life itself.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 airs on Paramount+.

Ryan Britt's new book on the history of Star Trek's biggest changes. From the '60s show to the movies to 'TNG,' to 'Discovery,' 'Picard,' Strange New Worlds,' and beyond!

• Science Fiction

Why ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Built Season 5 Around a Classic Episode From a Legacy Series

By Adam B. Vary

Adam B. Vary

Senior Entertainment Writer

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SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in Season 5, Episode 1 of “ Star Trek : Discovery,” now streaming on Paramount+.

By the end of the episode, however, the mission has pushed Burnham and her crew to their limits, including slamming the USS Discovery into the path of a massive landslide threatening a nearby city. Before they risk their lives any further pursuing this object, Burnham demands that Kovich at least tell her why. (MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW.)

Kovich’s explanation evokes the classic “ Star Trek: The Next Generation ” episode “The Chase” from 1993 in which Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) — along with teams of Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians — learn that all humanoid life in the galaxy was created by a single species that existed billions of years earlier, and seeded thousands of planets with the DNA to pass along their legacy. (Along with presenting a profound vision of the origins of life, the episode also provided an imaginative explanation for why almost all the aliens in “Star Trek” basically look like humans with different kinds of forehead ridges.)

Kovich tells Burnham that the Romulan scientist was part of a team sent to discover exactly how these aliens — whom they call the Progenitors — made this happen; the object they’re seeking winds up being one part of a brand new “chase,” this time in the 32nd century, to find the Progenitors’ technology before it can fall into the wrong hands. 

“I remember watching that episode and at the end of it just being blown away that there was this huge idea where we all come from,” Paradise says. “And then they’re going to have another mission the next week. I found myself wondering, ‘Well, then what? What happened? What do we do with this information? What does it mean?’”

Originally, Paradise says the “Discovery” writers’ room discussed evoking the Progenitors in Season 4, when the Discovery meets an alien species, the 10-C, who live outside of the galaxy and are as radically different from humans as one could imagine. “As we dug deeper into the season itself, we realized that it was too much to try and get in,” Paradise says.

Instead, they made the Progenitors the engine for Season 5. “Burnham and some of our other characters are on this quest for personal meaning,” Paradise says. Searching for the origins of life itself, she adds, “feels like a big thematic idea that fits right in with what we’re exploring over the course of the season, and what our characters are going through.”

That meant that Paradise finally got to help come up with the answers to the questions about “The Chase” that had preoccupied her when she was younger. “We had a lot of fun talking about what might’ve happened when [Picard] called back to headquarters and had to say, ‘Here’s what happened today,’” she says. “We just built the story out from there.”

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‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Premiere Scoop on That ‘Next Generation’ Connection

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for  Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episodes 1 “Red Directive” and 2 “Under the Twin Moons.”]

Star Trek: Discovery just set Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and the rest of the crew on quite the adventure for its final season, with a major connection to a previous series in the franchise.

The Paramount+ drama’s fifth and final season premiered on April 4 with the first two episodes, “Red Directive” and “Under the Twin Moons,” which also featured a farewell to a fan-favorite—but don’t worry, he’s not leaving the show, just the  U.S.S. Discovery —and a surprising revelation about the identity of one of the dangerous foes also after the same ancient power the crew is.

Read on for a breakdown of the major moments, plus some scoop on why the final mission is connected to The Next Generation and what’s still to come.

Discovery Expands on  TNG ‘s “The Chase”

It’s not until the end of the premiere that Kovich ( David Cronenberg ), after a lot of pressing from Burnham, reveals the details of the classified mission. A Romulan, Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman), one of the greatest scientists of his day, was present when Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) found a message left by a race of ancient beings called the Progenitors who created life as we know it. A few thousand years ago, they would’ve been called gods.

Wilson Cruz on Learning About 'Star Trek Discovery' Ending & Culber's 'Epic' Journey

Vellek found their technology, whatever they used to design life itself, and when he disappeared 800 years ago, the location was lost with him. The crew has to find it first before it falls into the wrong hands, La’k (Elias Toufexis) and Moll’s (Eve Harlow).

“‘The Chase’ was an episode that had stuck with many of us from  TNG , just for the ideas and themes that it explores in an hour, and then that’s it. And then they go on to other adventures,” executive producer Michelle Paradise tells TV Insider. “But there are these very profound questions and explorations, and it just felt like an area that was so rich for exploration and asking what happened next.”

She continues, “When we were looking at Season 5 and looking at where our characters were emotionally and where we wanted to take them this season and the things that they were going to be exploring internally and discovering about themselves internally – questions of meaning, place in the world, where am I going? Where do I fit? — it felt like that was a really wonderful launching point in terms of theme. It also gave us a really great quest, and that was something else we wanted this season was an adventure, a quest, and so the quest to find this technology becomes the thing that they’re after. And it all seemed that it worked very, very well together.”

Saru Leaves  Discovery

Saru ( Doug Jones ) leaves behind the crew that’s his family to take a diplomatic post, but before doing so, he and Burnham go on one last mission together in “Under the Twin Moons.”

“Oh, I hate goodbyes in real life and for Saru and Burnham,” admits Jones. “Saru and Burnham’s relationship has been brother-sister-like since the very beginning where we are at each other’s throats a little bit and competitive with each other, and now going through life and death situations, we have grown such a respect and admiration for each other that when this new opportunity comes for Saru, and it might be time for him to move on, is it or isn’t it? And should he or shouldn’t he? So much goes into it. His loyalty to Discovery. His loyalty to her mostly is what really is the tether that, do I stay, do I go?”

He especially loved a significant moment the two shared. “When foreheads touch in my Kelpian culture, that is not so much romance as it is family. And so my goodbye temporarily, if I have to go and seek out a new position somewhere, I couldn’t do it without a forehead touch with her because she’s family to me now,” he says.

“That episode is so beautiful, and I love the way they told that story,” Martin-Green raves. “I love what the writers gave us, and of course, it’s always such a joy to work with the brilliant, once-in-a-lifetime, Doug Jones.”

Saru leaving the  U.S.S. Discovery is key for Burnham’s journey. “Here we have her guide, her big brother in a lot of ways, her voice of reason moving on, fulfilling his own destiny. And so it’s interesting because it’s like Burnham needed that,” explains Martin-Green. “It was a graduation for her in a lot of ways. It’s like, well, now the things that he gives me— speaking as Burnham—I’m going to have to find in myself because I think now it’s time for me to give, for me to be the guide, for me to be the shepherd, for me to be the one who’s sort of in the mentor position. So I love it. I also just love what it speaks to regarding Saru and him returning to his people and realizing that that’s where his place is. I think that that speaks volumes as well.”

But while Saru and T’Rina (Tara Rosling) are going strong, there are some challenges they have to navigate politically. Jones thinks it’s harder for T’Rina to do so because “she has more at stake diplomatically and politically because of her position as president of her planet and how things will look, how will her people respond to her relationship to an outsider, which I am in her culture. And so how is that going to affect her diplomacy?”

Moll’s Connection to Book

Book ( David Ajala ) realizes that the crew’s current foe, Moll, is the daughter of his mentor, making her the closest thing to family that he has left. Once he realizes who she is, “It is such a mix of emotions because how do you quantify that the last human life form of connection to your family is also potentially your enemy?” asks Ajala.

“There’s so many questions and of course, it just heightens the level of drama. Unpacking that was always going to be a fun challenge. And throughout the season there is closure at the end, but it’s still very, very gray,” he says. “And I really admire the way the writers have approached that specific storyline because it is a tricky one to quantify.”

What did you think of the first two episodes of the final season of  Star Trek: Discovery ? Let us know in the comments section, below.

Star Trek: Discovery , Thursdays, Paramount+

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Screen Rant

Q saved star trek's federation from the borg in tng.

Q warned the Federation about the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, saving them from being caught unaware when the Borg made it to Earth.

• Q's warning about the Borg in Star Trek TNG saved the United Federation of Planets from certain destruction.
• The Borg's encounter with the Enterprise-D led to Earth's vulnerability being exposed, prompting Starfleet to better prepare.
• The Battle of Wolf 359 could have been much worse without Q's intervention, which helped slow down the Borg Cube.

By warning them about the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Q (John de Lancie) saved the United Federation of Planets - and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) - from certain destruction. Introduced in the premiere episode of TNG , Q developed a certain fondness for Captain Picard and made a habit of antagonizing the Captain of the USS Enterprise-D. While Q's initial appearance in "Encounter at Farpoint" was certainly adversarial, he grew more and more interested in humanity as TNG went on. Although the crew on the USS Enterprise-D may not agree, Q's actions often helped Picard and his crew just as much as they annoyed them.

In one of Q's best Star Trek episodes , Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 16, "Q Who," the omnipotent being sends the Enterprise hurtling thousands of lightyears across space, where they encounter the Borg for the first time. When Borg drones beam onto the Enterprise, Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) destroys one only for another to appear in its place. The Enterprise tries and fails to outrun the Borg Cube, and quickly finds itself outmatched. If the Borg had made it to Earth before the Federation learned anything about them, the Borg would have caused much more damage than they did.

Everyone In Star Trek Who Beat The Borg

Q saved the federation by introducing them to the borg in star trek: tng's "q who", q likes humanity (and picard) more than he lets on..

Soon after the USS Enterprise-D arrives seven thousand light years from their previous location in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Q Who?", they discover a planet with giant craters where the cities should be. This discovery prompts Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) to remark: "It is identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone." This line proves that the Borg already knew about Earth and humanity (which is later more firmly established when the Borg appear in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise) . Q's intervention, then, did not reveal the Federation to the Borg, but rather warned Starfleet about what was already coming.

Because of this encounter, Captain Picard then provides Starfleet with everything he learned about the Borg, allowing them to better prepare for a potential attack. If the Borg had approached Earth with no warning, the Federation would have responded as they always do when encountering new species - with peaceful curiosity. Picard responds this way in "Q Who," attempting to communicate with the Borg before using any kind of force against them. Q's actions put Starfleet on the defensive, and as Picard says, gave them "a kick in [their] complacency."

The Enterprise lost 18 crew members in its initial encounter with the Borg. These losses may have been prevented if Picard had accepted Q's help sooner, but it's clear Q doesn't place the same value on individual human lives.

The Battle Of Wolf 359 & Its Aftermath Could've Been Much Worse Without Q

Starfleet suffered a devastating loss, but it could have been wiped out entirely..

At the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Q Who," Picard remarks that Q may have done the right thing in warning them about the Borg. Q even offered his help earlier in the episode, but Picard refused (which is understandable, given their history). It will be a while before the Borg return, but when they do, they deal the Federation a devastating blow. In the excellent TNG two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds," the Borg assimilate Captain Picard and turn him into their mouthpiece, Locutus. Locutus then leads the Borg in an attack at Wolf 359, where Starfleet suffers one of its worst losses prior to the Dominion War.

After the Battle of Wolf 359, Starfleet began developing more defensive technology, including warships like the USS Defiant, which proved invaluable during the Dominion War.

However, the battle slowed the Borg Cube down, if only slightly, allowing the Enterprise-D to catch up with the Cube before it reached Earth. Data and Worf then rescue Picard from the Cube and use his Borg knowledge and connections to destroy the Borg ship. If the Enterprise had been unable to rescue Picard, not only would Earth likely have sustained significant damage, but Starfleet would have lost one of its best and most influential Captains. Whether Q's goal was to save the Federation or simply to save Picard, his actions in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Q Who" helped prepare the Federation for future conflicts with the Borg and other powerful enemies.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+