TNG mixes the old with the new. It still existed in an era where even a large effects budget could still produced bad effects. Yet despite the limitations, TNG, like it's progenitor could show many SF shows how to do it well (even if it wasn't always interesting). When it was good, it was very good and when it was bad, for the most part, it is still very watchable. It probably has the best hit ratio of modern Trek even though it had the most restriction laid down by Gene Roddenberry, even after his death. It would take a few years for fans tro accept any deviation from his doctrine and a few still haven't been able to bend to any series where NCC1701 doesn't mean anything

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A personal note about TNG that will explain several references to non-Australian readers.

Encounter at Farpoint  **
You know what? Compared to some episodes from the frist season, this isn't all that bad. It has its problems and has a big ask- to be a hit.
The characters needed some fine tuning with Picard sporting an on again, off again, US accent, Troi bursting into tears at the drop of a hat and Yar's over the top outbursts. Data, Geordi and riker are 95% and Worf is so much in the background he is almost as invisible as Colm Meaney (Yes, he has been there that long)

The Naked Now *
When you rewrite a Classic Trek that was probably overrated anyway and use the same disease, the same title almost and constantly refer to the old Enterprise it gets old. Whearas the original episode featured a virus that suppressed inhibition, this one makes them drop dead drunk. After Tasha's performance here you can imagine how she'd disgrace herself at the office Christmas Party. Sleep with Riker in a cupboard, have a catfight with Troi, dance suggestively on the conference table, replicate her boobs and throw up in a Jeffries Tube.
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Code of Honour *
I don't know if it was intentionally meant to be stereotypical or what. In this case, the only Code of Honour should have been the self-destruct codes.
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The Last Outpost **
As the season drags on, you start to notice that the episodes seem very 'small.' That is, there might be a threat to the Enterprise but it doesn't feel very threatening to the viewers. I mean, what happened at the end? Riker refused to fight and that was it. Whoopie! The scenes with Data and the Chinese finger puzzles is cute.
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Where No One Has Gone Before **
It is slow but interesting, though the explanation at the end is almost "Yeah, yeah. Magic, gotcha."
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Lonely Among Us *
This isn't very good.
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Justice *
Nor is this. The only action Wesley gets is to play stick ball with the chubby cheerleader.
This is probably a stroy that had a lot of people saying at the beginning "Oh yeah!" then when they realised Picard talked his way out not by a cunning trick but by begging, that's when sales of glass cleaner skyrocketed the next day- from thousands of Trek fans needing to clean the congealed TV dinner  off their screens.
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The Battle ***
The Ferengi don't totally suck arse in this show as much as their intial appearance giving Patrick Stewart  a good chance to play "under mental attack' Picard. Almost worthy of a season three slot.
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Hide and Q **
Not so much generation X rather Charlie X. Okay since it's a Q story.
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The Big Goodbye *
I can remember renting these stories in 1988 and each time thinking "when is this going to be good?" This wasn't it. Pity I gave up renting these before  Conspiracy came along. Was I wrong? Is this as good as its reputation? No

Haven ***
A little cliched with the whole dream thing but on the whole a good episode. Troi is still the hottest Star Trek babe of all time and seeing her lose control of her emotions whenever her mother is around makes for a fun episode.

Datalore **
Data shows, in later uyears, were alwasy though of as sure things due to talent of Brent Spiner. Not so in the early seasons when his episodes tend to have some of the most embarrassing plots. Not a classic. South Park paradies ideas like this mercilessly in the seson two Halloween show with the two Cartmans and the obvious split screen line. All that was missing here was the goatee.
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Angel One *
What did I do to deserve this?
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11001001 ***
A great first season episode. The cast is still very stiff but the story more than makes up for any shortcomings.This should have been an enjoyable cheapie instead of a hilight if the season.
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Too Short  a Season **
Actually season two was short enough. But in this case- just say No
......
When the Bough Breaks **
Awww, come'on guys...
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Home Soil *
There are some shows that you know are going to be hits because they're so good. There are others that you know are crap from day one yet are hugh successes Step by Step, nanny) despite their lack of anything special. This is terrible television, terrible Trek and just terrible.
The good thing about rabid Trekkies is that they kept watching this drivel so that a second season happened simply because

Coming of Age ***
It almost feels like a clip show but it isn't that bad. In fact some of the best bits are the Wesley scenes, even if it is always very Earth centric, Humans alwasy outnumber other races by 90:1.

Heart of Glory ***
The first Klingon story and probabluy the first episode this season that comes close to containing any satisfying action. Not a bad start for the k-boys but there's a long way to go, baby.

Symbiosis ***
This was an episode worthy of the original series but didn't feel like a rip-off for a change. You rarely see two Trek film guest stars together, unless you count Seventh Heaven).

Arsenal of Freedom ***
This has some good bits, namely the bits on the surface, though the stuff on the ship was a bit forced (David Gerrold had a point with the four most senior officers beaming down leaving a Lieutenant Junior Grade in command with yet another Chief Engineer. It also gave Jonathan Frakes another chance for his stunned mullet expression as he once again becomes incapacitated. Firstly the Onarans hold him with their energy powers, then he gets encased in a force field, what next? He get's engulfed by a giant oil slick...

Skin of Evil *
Spoke too soon. Apart from giving Worf a promotion and getting rid of the not too interesting Tasha Yar. I don't know what Denise Crosby was on about becasue she always had a lot to do but I suppose its a symptom of the Starlet syndrome. It's always the pretty girl who leaves (or wants to leave as opposed to being fired)a sci-fi show after one season (thankfully it wasn't Marina Sirtis). Nichelle Nichols wanted to go, Michelle Forbes and Denise Crosby both left TNG and led unremarkable careers afterwards (Crosby probably  regretted it more), Terry Farrell did as did Jennifer Lien. This episode really does suck and I whenever I watch this crap I wish it was me who had been written out.

We’ll Always Have Paris *
Working Title: We'll always have Gas

Conspiracy ****
For some reason this is a much maloigned episode and i don't agree with any of it. This is the sort of thing we've been waiting for 20 or so very bland hours of television. We deserve stuff like this after insulting our butts trying to to hold down our breakfasts  throughout Home Soil and Angel One, though some people couldn't hang on to their cornflakes through the last act of this show which must have some of the most over the top gore in TV. It's strange how the US has so many restrictions on what can be said on TV (See the furore over the performance of the song from the South Park Movie at the 2000 Academy Awards.) yet they can have this gore. And even now the ratings are voluntary (and mostly improper). Strange. I'd rather see a pair of breasts than someone's guts anyday.
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The Neutral Zone ***
Not boring despite the fact nothing actually happens. A  cute episode that's main function to place Star Trek in a specific year on the Gregorian calendar. Very 80's Twilight Zone.
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The Child **
I for one was glad Dr Crusher left. Not that Gates McFadden always struck me as more annoying than her son and I am a fan of Diana Muldaur's work. I liked the idea of a female Doctor who had lived a bit (half McCoy/ half Dax) and was ready to live more rather than always saying "Jean Luc, you can't do that!"
One female viewer called Troi a bitch when Pulaski says that Troi would have no physical signs she had ever been pregnant.

Where Silence Has Lease *
I'm too old for this shit! When does the lease expire so I can evict your sorry arse.
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Elementary Dear Data **
This holodeck idea was probably a big mistake as it again makes things too easy for our crew (like replicating food out of thin air. It also makes things too easy for lazy writers. And compared to JMS, Trek writers are sooooo lazy...

The Outrageous Okana ***
The first decent and fun episode of the season, despite the cliches a light year long. Did Okana tell the prgnant girl he was a Marine Biologist?

Loud as a Whisper **
The same sensibilities as Darmok and Inner Light but a year too soon before you could call it  a great vindication of Gene Roddenberry's vision.

The Schizoid Man **
More early Data crap, though thankfully this time, nothing was ever mentioned of this episode again, apart from occasional mentions of Dr Selar as a vaporware Doctor.

Unnatural Selection **
Apart from the ageing thing, this really isn't a rip off of Deadly Years but a new story that unfortunately strains credibility when a) the Transporters are the answer (magic, gotcha) and b) to stretch things out, find someone who has her Transporter profile on file. A solid show but not great

Matter of Honour ****
Heart of Glory last season wasn't bad but this story is a lot better finally giving Riker an interesting story for once (and all too rarely). The Klingons are for once fully threshed out, nothing like their sixties originals either physically or in their manner, but that's a matter to be overlooked at a later stage. It seems the rogue Klingons from Star Trek III  have been taken as how to portray all Klingons other than Worf and the occasional elder. Still, they make for better drama than just saying "they're Russians."

Measure of a Man *****
Season 2 isn't known as a good season but unless season one, it does have about half a dozen excellent episodes (five more than the debut year). Still Data is still treated as Starfleet property on several occasions such as The Offspring and Clues.

The Dauphin ***
Another nothing episode where there is no real threat to the ship. Wesley gets a girlfriend who tends out to be some hideous monster who changes her look on a whim every five seconds. We've all been there.
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Contagion ***
Not a bad idea, but the execution is a little dull and workmanlike so their is very little coherency or excitement. Interesting ideas typically thrown away in the second season. Oh well, let's just blame the writer's strike.

The Royale **
Cheap. Dull. Not interesting. Cliched. Okay, message received.
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Time Squared **
Could have been a good 'un with an interesting premise (originally meant to be linked with the events of Q Who). In the end, it ranks alongside such stagnant botttle shows like Night Terrors/ The Loss/ Clues or thousands of early Voyager episodes.

The Icarus Factor  *
Coincidence would seem to be the bastard son of drama. But Ambo Jitsu is typical late 80's sci-fi lack of imagination and the story is so cliched and done to death that this episode doesn't need to much rumination.

Pen Pals *
Oh God, somebody put me out of my misery now! Slit my throat quickly! You wouldn't have though Sarjenka (Nikki Cox) would have become such a babe. Neither did early WB veiwers.

Q Who ****
Aren't stiches wonderful? They can stop major blood loss like you wouldn't believe. Q Who was the first episode I saw of Next Generation  (I hadn't seen Conspiracy or any of this season at the time) that I thought this show was actually capable of eclipsing the quality and sheer entertainment factor of the original

Samaritan Snare **
Bilge. More stupid coincidences with the bald guy from Murder One and Pulaski. The Pakleds are also a waste of an episode. But the writers are starting to creat back stories for the regulars that don't seemed hackneyed (look at Tasha Yar's)

Up The Long Ladder ***
Apart from the Pro-Choice message rammed down your throat and the stereotypical irish tribes (Where're the god damned leprechauns)

Manhunt *
Just when you try to leave, they pull you back in. By leave, I mean depart from the crap old days. This is a return to go nowhere episodes of season one.

Emmisary ****
Finally a very good episode for Worf and for the viewers. Worf and K'eylhr are interesting but what is it with people and Worf's love's interests. They kill his mate, forget his bonding with Troi and anull his marriage when his Trill wife dies. The little plot about the Klingons is how Star Trek should explore their characters rather than having a so called A plot about Crusher feeling inadequate and an almopst entirely unrelated b plot to keep SF fans happy.

Peak Performance **
This episode looks like it should be more interesting than it is but for some reason feels a lot like a nothing show with the Ferengi bit at the end tacked on with no logic.

Shades of Grey  *
There is an episode of the Simpsons called "So It's come to this, a clip show."
Now there is an alternative title to Shades of Grey. Pulaski's last show is as close to a clunker as exists without referring to the Collected Works of Frederick Freiberger. 

Season Three
What the hell happened. This show all of a sudden seems so much better when in reality there is just a confidence about the production. Michael Piller wouldn't take over for a few episodes but somehere between the two seasons with the writer's strike out of the way. Gates McFadden is back, unfortunately. Patrick Stewart started emanating "itchy feet" vibes so much so that the early premise of Riker not letting him off the ship was mostly forgotten about.

Evolution  **
Crusher's back and the loser's are rejoicing. What is so good about her? She's slightly better looking than Pulaski but she's the most irritating, least interesting character on the ship. Wesley endangers the ship and then comes up with the solution. This is a story that could have very easily been made in the second season but although there is  a very slight change in style, it makes you feel as if this is a much better series than the one that contained episodes such as Manhunt and Homesoil (which this is quite similar to). Still, taken as part of seaosn three. It's pretty dull and uninvolving.

Ensigns of Command ***
Silly titles, good story, excellent ADR. Data has been in starfleet for over twenty years, is a Lieutenant Commander and this is his firts command (who does he command- he's on his own?)
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Survivors ***
This is touching and actually quite interesting and very well made. There are few holes in the logic such as the whole deal with Troi when the Doud can't sense the ship everytime it returns to orbit.
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Who Watches the Watchers ***
We finally get to see what Starfleet does other than go boldy, yada, yada. Even if it happend in the teaser, the exploration as a proper law rather than some mugguffin to prevent our heroes blasting everything in sight is great. The Mintakans are a bit stupid at times, but then there would be no drama, I suppose.
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The Bonding **
Stories about kids are dull. This one is probably the most interesting in that it gives us an opportunity to hear about Worf and Wesley's feelings about their parents death. The kid comes across quite well (better than say, those in sone of season fives' stories)

Booby Trap ***
For the most part this season, the Producers kept in mind that this is an SF drama. And in every episode this year, SF plays a major role in all the major plots

The Enemy ***
Enemy Mine in 42 mimutes. Still , not a bad plot to lift and this is one of the more solid season three episodes. But they all seem to have a smallness about them as if this was the real first season.

The Price **
I still think of the real legacy of this show was putting Ferengi in the Delta Quadrant so Neelix could impersonate one but that's another show and another Webpage. The first real Romance for Troi, despite  the fact she's already been engaged to one man, impregnated by a being and carried it's child and pursued by a negative Barry White.

The Vengeance Factor ***
This season showed that while they could do good action shows, they weren't so memorable as their SF premises were still the sort you would have gotten in the 60's. It's a lot more interesting than  alot of what's going on but something doesn't gel so instead of another Conspiracy or Arena, we get a Return of the Archons. Not bad but not enough reason to kill Yuta.

The Defector ***
Yes, it is Enemy Mine (and probably some WWII movie i'm not familiar with) but that was a good basis for a story. I might whinge sometimes about the more character-driven shows but when they have a cracking plot that works proberly and not in support of the emotional content, we have a good episode.

The Hunted ***
For the first time since the end of the 2nd season of the original series, we're spoilt with several good solid episodes. They may not be that spectacular nor offering us innovations aplenty but they're good Trek. Some cool action with a genuine dilemma for Picard (arkoing back to the first season buit at least it's not boring as it was then).

The High Ground **
Oh dear. A story about terrorism. We know Americans attitudes towards terrorists (without Bader-Meinhoff there would be no Die Hard), but the fence sitting in this one is two coy to be workable.

Deja Q ***
Q-Who was easily one of the best season two episodes but this first "modern" instalment is so refreshing (even though the idea itself is mouldier than last week's uneaten sandwiches). Having Guinan stab him to prove a point shows that she's probably the most interesting female regular to appear on TNG (Troi may be easy to watch but Guinan's the one you want to listen to). John De Lancie as always steals the show, and probably the last time the cast or script allows him to commit grand larceney.

Matter of Perspective *
Americans never used to know what Shag meant before Austin Powers. After episodes like this, they should also understand the meaning of "bollocks."

Yesterday’s Enterprise *****
Marvelous.  A great time continuum conundrum. I mean after false starts like "We'll Always Have Paris" and "Time Sqared" we finally have a brilliant time travel story in Next Generation that totally confounds your expectations. You don't know where this one is heading (well in hindsight, of course you do).

The Offspring ***
Fun and touching. I promised my self I wasn't going to cry. And (sniff) I won't.

Sins of the Father ****
The first in a very long saga of Worf's honour that basically spanned nearly a decade. Worf really is the Klingn equivalent of a mushroom, being kept in the dark and fed shit. He's dishonoured, got some freaky bastard son who suffers from of thos SF super growing diseases, his Klingon girlfriend is murdered in front of freakboy making him even more insane, his Betazed girlfriend dumps him off-screen, his marriage to a Trill is flattened when the slug takes a new host who's still shagalicious and whenever he visits his comrades on the Enterprise, they happen to become engulfed in events that rock the Federation. Face it, he's a jinx.

Allegiance ***
You know, this story isn't half bad. It gives Patrick Stewart to play two sides of Picard, the serious one and another fun-loving Frenchman, whom we rarely see. Later attempts to recreate this sort of atmosphere (and low budget) would fail because they ignored this episode's strengths- a good script.

Captain’s Holiday **
He even gets laid. He's been a busy lad but of course, this is shortly after Patrick Stewart intimated he wasn't happy with his lot in life.

Tin Man
An intriguing premise diluted by the fact that the regulars play next to no part in the proceedings with either Data or Troi having a chance to be a part of the action but because this is based on what was then a 10 year old short story, a complete rewrite to include the crew more prominently would have mucked around with the story's power. And yes he played Ralph in the US version of Dear John.

Hollow Pursuits ***
Barclay's original foray is a little uncomfortable for anybody predisposed towards shyness and fantasy. I loved the bits hwere he got his revenge on people who had given him a hard time on the holodeck. Face it, that's what most people would do given a holodeck (that and the things they do in the holosuites on DS9).

The Most Toys ***
The is a very good episode. Saul Rubinek (coming in after David Rappaport killed himself during production) pulls the proverbial plum out of a cow's bottom (I know some very dirty proverbs, okay?).

Sarek ***
Mark Lenard returns and Sarek is losing control. Star Trek has tackled the big issues over the years. From Racism to intolerance and now incontinence. Picard acts as a pair of Depends. Thick, absorbent and thoroughly waterproof. Patrick Stewart loves a role where he can cry and look at any work he does on non-action films where he bawls like a baby after a bris.

Menage a Troi **
This is where both Majel Barret and Lwaxana Troi's reputation takes a huge nosedive in most viewer's estimations. I know the character is supposed to be mildly annoying but she stinks up the screen and takes screen time away from Marina Sirtis. And that's a capital offense. There's Neelix as a Ferengi for the first time. Ethan Phillip's Ferengi is better than the Dai-Mon.

Transfigurations ***
This was an okay episode, just that Babylon 5 later did almost the same story one in their first season. Now that that was exciting. Another Beverly loves guy with bumpy forehead story though this tim the motor assist bands didn't help John Dow in the area that Beverly most wanted.

Best of Both Words ****
A killer game sells game consoles, a killer app makes small companies into huge conglomerates. I wasn't able to see TNG in order (in fact I saw this before I saw Conspiracy and it was the first Third season Trek I ever saw. This was the show (after Q-Who had persuaded me it was possible that TNG might just be great) that finally nailed the notion that this new version of Star Trek was lacking (see top for explanation)
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Best of Both Worlds II ****
I consider this and part one a pair and it was an excellent episode, realising part one's potential totally. Very good television and excellent Trek.

Family ***
Maybe it's not as exciting as space battles, time travel and political intrigue, but it's rare in an action series (though it had been 20 years since TV was that) to see consequences for our heroes.

Brothers ***
Funny, that's what I though the last episode was called. Although it was a showcase for both brent Spiner's abilities and the FX department's ability to combine all the elements

Suddenly Human **
Dull as dishwater and makes humans out to be PC thugs assuming every other race automatically to be monsters. Wasn't the point of Star Trek that other races aren't always the monsters. The point at the end of the episode was that it's us as well but not a happy episode and makes Crusher look more irritating than ever.

Remember Me ***
No. A good Crusher episode for a change with a great premise for the favourite Trek McGuffin of one person feeling the universe has changed. They're never going mad, everyone else is wrong (until act 4).

Legacy **
It's a good story though the whole Tasha's sister thing was pointless and added noithing but the writers have their own barrows to push and they have an emotional hook every episode. The yar thing was a pain because people hate relatives who pop up who've never been mentioned or seem to contradict established continuity

Reunion ****
This episode features hand to hand copmbat, political intrigue and sabotage aplenty and what to they call it? Reunion after K'eylhr's return. Dewpite the title, it's got everything you could want in a Worf episode from his reconcilliation with his love and finding out he has a son, despite the fact the former is killed and the latter is sent to live with his grandparents.

Future Imperfect ***
Thankfully, the vision of our heroe's futures is supposed to be flawed. It's just that it's not far off what was depicted in All Good Things and that was supposed to be how things might have ended up. Actually, the whole thing worked out well except for when the alien child reveals his true form to Riker and our sensitive ox of a COmmander says "You'll always be Jean-Luc to me." What an awful thing to do after this creature has reluctantly revealed it's true shape.

Final Mission ***
Nick Tate, one of the best and most consistent things in Space:1999 (if you think Trek continuity isn't always up to scratch, you'll tear your hair out on Moonbase Alpha). Wesley leaves but he's good in this, saving the day don'tcha know.

The Loss *
The only reason to watch this episode is because Marina Sirtis is in it. And she's a bitch in this one. But we forgive her.

Data’s Day ****
It wasn't always the case that a Data show was a guaranteed hit, but with the revamp in the third season, Brent Spiner's performance has settled on 'brilliant' and the nw stable writing staff had gottena handle on how to play Data for laughs without you feeling sorry for him.

The Wounded ***
An idea that might have been done in the 60's (hang on, it was), The Wounded is a good intro to the Cardassians but whereas elements of DS9 that began on TNG (like the Bajorans) were usually changed so radically in the spin-off series, but the Cardassians managed to escape (basically because their set-up was so good). But this is where the whole question of O'Brien's rank is flared up. I've been through it before but everytime they try to explain how an enlisted man who's outranked by anyone who went to the academy and who apparentlly can't be promoted to even a Lieutenant without graduating from the academy can become a tactical officer (he would have next to no experience as a Bridge officer). Later on in DS9 he tries to explain because they had casualties but this is one of modern Trek's continuity black holes that won't ever be resolved on-screen.

Devil’s Due ***
It may been originally written for Star Trek: Phase II in the 70's but this is still a cracking script and far more worthy of ressurrection than "The Child." Arta is as saucy as they come but the whole thing works so well.

Clues *
Shash is probably the best word I can come up with to descibe this. Geordi's preoccupation with beards (That's why our beard's didn't grow) is probably the best example of this story's  flaws. On the flip[ side, the scenes with Data and Picard are excellent and is one of Brent Spiners' best performances.

First Contact ****
How the other half live. Who Watched the Watchers must have sparked a rash of story proposals of First Contact procedures and this great episode is the result. Carolyn Seymour makes another appearance in TNG (She was the star of the first and best season of the BBC's Survivors in the mid-70's).

Galaxy’s Child ****
Nice to see Leah Brahms back (the only time I've noticed Susan Gibney was a one-shot appearance on The Larry Sanders Show as a masseuse) and the twist of her as a cold bitch who's married and the reaction of poor Geordi makes this top notch Trek. The actual "threat" with the space baby (shades of Farpoint's alien) isn't all that interesting, but then modern Trek has a habit of making the threat the "b story" which is a mistake.

Night Terrors *
The Loss was bad this was even worse and the thing that really hurts is that PC's don't have a half an asterix. The scenes of Troi dreaming are decried as poorly done. The sequence looks all right but the whole script sucks more ass than the entire Sydney Mardi Gras.

Identity Crisis ***
A Geordi Story. We don't see them all the time but they're rarely anything other solid stories and this season's got the best of the lot. Of course, this isn't as great as Galaxy's Child or Mind's Eye (there's no apostrophe in the title so that proves it).

Nth Degree ***
Reg is back in probably his best story on TNG and this is a fun story with a good idea backed up by great execution. Worf and his security look stupid, but that's their job, isn't it.

Q-Pid ***
Not as great as Deja Q or Captain's Holiday but nice to see both Q and Vash return in this take on the then current Robin Hood flood of 1991. I am not a Merry Man.  Some fans complained that Troi and Crusher only smash pots over soldier's heads rather than take part in the swordplay and I'd have to agree it sort of demeans them (it was 1991 not 1966).

The Drumhead ***
This close to a clip show but thankfully they resisted the temptation and managed to turn this into riveting television. There is a nagging doubt about why Admiral Satie turns so quickly on Picard but that's the nature of drama.

Half a Life ***
Lwaxana Troi's best story and Majel Barret's best performance with only her first stint on DS9 coming close. David Ogden Stiers's best work is not MASH and he's very good in this. Michelle Forbes appears as Timicin's daughter (rhymes with rich) and apparently got Ro on the strength of her one scene. That's how much presence she has.

The Host ***
A Beverly gets shagged story. Good for her. Pity she's such a bigot about the lesbian thing with the Trill. You might think it odd that they changed the Trill makeup for DS9 but apparently a few days of Dax with bumpy forehead were actually filmed (but Paramount though it 'disfigured' her)

Mind’s Eye ****
A Geordi Story (Le Var did well this season) and again he get's the best storylines.

In Theory ***
In contract, Data's stories have progressively lost their power as they went on this year with this one being pretty good but we know Data's character can give the fans more

Redemption ***
Worf's redemption and in this episode, he actually gets to do something. Worf always semes to have a hard time (outlined elsewhere on theses pages)
...

Redemption II ****
A big Klingon story with Worf out of the picture for most of the time? Seems to have defeated the purpose of the episode, doesn't it. But then the best storyline is the Sela exposition (slanted to a Romulan perspective, of course) and Data's command command of an unfamiliar crew that doesn't respect him (or at least, a prick of a first officer with a bug up his butt).

Darmok ****
Was this what Trek is about. Partly, at least. Seeking out new life-forms wasn't meant to be easy. The idea of the difficulty of communication between two species without the galactic rosetta stone of the universal translator is something most SF ignores. Either we understand everything an alien says or nothing. Of course, this is a touching episode and one of the few that reaches  thegoals of the writing staff, that is to have a story that explores our characters yet doesn't forget that the A plot is meant to be the SF angle.

Ensign Ro ***
Ro was a good idea. Casting <ichelle Forbes was a good idea. I think most people would agree with that. Except Michelle Forbes that is. While she's headstrong in a way that Troi certainly isn't. Still, She doesn't get much to do after this episode apart from be difficult until she caves.

Silicon Avatar **
A nothing show, really.

Disaster ****
The Poseidon Adventire: The Next Generation. A greta episode that actually manages to give everyone something interesting and different to do. Worf delivering Keiko's baby, Troi in Command, Picard in a Creche, Geordi attempting once again to flush Crusher out into space. The dismbodied Data is probably the weakest effect and the funniest scene so it balances out. Weakest of all is the jeopardy provided the quantum filament. Troi is right to compare it to a cosmic string. Look Brannon, I can make this shit up too. Galactic Floss, Stellar Twine, Universal Rope, Cable television.But the nice thing is how this episode gives everyone something meaning this is truly an ensemble show (rather like Star Trek IV), you can't have them all in the same room with everyone's character driving the action.

The Game ****
This is a SF show, but when an SF story is the A story you know there is something fundamentally wrong in the attitude of the writing staff. In fact the SF stories this year are almost all excellent and this episode is great, involving the entire cast in a way that is rarely so equal.

Unification I ***, Unification II ****
Okay, so Spock is only in the fuirst one for a few frames but it's a very interesting episode and wopuld probably have gotten a better score if Spock wasn't involved.  But he is and part two is the better for it. Some say it was disappointing but then this is TNG and I want to see the Enterprise D crew so I'm glad this worked out the way it did. Having it dovetail with Star Trek VI was a nice touch of continuity that people will appreciate more as time goes on. Part two is a good episode, not an excellent one if you take Spock out so in other words, Leonard Nimoy's worth is one asterisk.

Matter of Time ***
Matt Frewer is always a good reason to watch something and I liked the storyline, particularly how Rasmussen manages to stay one step ahead of the crew.

New Ground *
This season and kids. What is the deal? Why is it handled so badly?

Hero Worship *
Why bother? At least he's not the worst kid to appear in an SF production (Ever seen Sean Connery's son in Outland?)

Violations **
Undefined. They wanted to do a rape story but couldn't do it properly without resorting to tricks.

The Masterpiece Society ***
An interesting enough episode, if lacking much in the way of drama or jeopardy. Funnily enough, that would have made the story a little false.

Conundrum ***
I'm sorry, but as wonderful as Troi is, I can't see her beating Data at Chess. The same way the writing staff think they're experts on therapy simply because they're patients (figures- look at New Ground), they also have the unlikely premise of Troi beaing able to beat Data, who's been shown to be very good at games, even ones that require emotion over logic (such as poker). The episode is a good idea in search of a little more fine tuning as it seems as though three or four amnesia story ideas were thrown together and the result is a little disjointed. The crew's supposed confused state is as convincing as Cher's tears over Sonny Bono "I'll dedicate the next 10 number one singles I have to his memory." On the other hand, the Macduff insertion (sounds rude, or at the very least, quite painful) is the episode's best idea, even if Two Commanders is a bit hard to believe. Apparently Sleep deprivation stories were the most pitched story ideas, so amnesia plots must have ranked a close second judging by their frequency in TNG's middle years. This is the only one that doesn't totally suck.

Powerplay **
I never used to like this episde as I thought the idea was just an excuse to give Marina Sirtis something to do. But the episode grows on you. It's okay even if things aren't really that bad.

Ethics *
Totally unredeeming. Also strange is how Riker is suddenly Worf's best friend. They've never been that close before now. Picard and Data would seem to be more obvious choices. Still, since Patrick Stewart is no longer relegated to the bridge, Frakes hasn't much to do. Complimemts to Commander Dunsall.

The Outcast *
Wimps. If you're going to say homosexual relationships exist in the 24th Century. Never have I seen so much hype about an episode being 'brave' and then wimping out so cowardly (a lot more than the much vaunted interracial kiss from Plato's Stepchildren). It's hard to believe that less than a decade ago, TV producers were so squeamish.

Cause and Effect ****
A return to form after a few less that stellar episodes. Though the repitition dows seem to get a bit much by the fourth time this is a great idea and mostly well executed by Jonathan Frakes, who also manages to appear in a pretty major role at the same time. Of course, being Trek, there are so many clues that defy logic (such as the Deja Vu) but who cares. This is fun Trek.

The First Duty ****
A good Wesley story (Don't send any money, I don't want your pity). I suppose since Locarno was expelled there wasn't much point bringing him back

Cost of Living *
Oh. My. God. Please kill me.

The Perfect Mate ***
Famke is very hot. And for once, they didn't feel the need to "Gossard" her like any other Trek babe.

Imaginary Friend *
What a piece of dirge. All of this was covered in Booby Trap and in that case we actually had the crew involved in the kid's life instead of just at the end. We see that  Isabella (palyed by the girl from Third Rock, no , not Kristen Johnston), is an alien who plays at being a young girl's imaginery friend (Do you hear that Clarice, The Silence of the Lambs?) to gather info on the Enterprise. Really interesting stuff.

I, Borg ***
After a run of episodes of varying quality, I Borg hits a late season peak (though the Producers would have you believe it started about 6 episodes earlier- It didn't).
A cheap Borg show that was a little too soft in the end, considering what the Borg are, but does remain true to Gene Roddenberry's vision (Not the one seen in the original series, but the one he basically latched onto during the lean 70's).

The Next Phase ****
A great premise with some leaps of faith (like how they can go through bulkheads but not floors) but this is a classic Transporter malfunction story. It's also Michelle Forbes best turn as Ro, neither bitchy nor annoying, just one of the crew. The disruptor through Riker's head was a great bit.

The Inner Light ****
Just as the second story of the season was a triumph for Gene Roddenberry's post cancellation revision of his vision for Star Trek, Inner Light reinforces the fact that TNG is based more on what GR said in the 70's that than the show he produced in the 60's. The basic idea of someone living a life in a very compressed timeframe has been redone several times, though usually in a more malevolent setting and it never worked as well as it did here. Surprise, Patrick Stewart's son is bald. I didn't see that one coming.

Time’s Arrow ****
Time's Arrow I and II is probably the only time that any 90's Star Trek has managed to come close to recreating the feeling from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. This has so many wonderful elements it's hard to know who fares best. Brent Spiner is truly marvellous as Data, a character that is now confident in his abilities to role-play and win at cards. Guinan without Whoopi Goldberg is like Titanic after the Ice berg- full of holes. And special mention has to go to an unrecognisable Jerry Hardin.

Time’s Arrow II ***
Time's Arrow is probably my favourite two-parter/ cliffhanger story in TNG, writing wise it may be eclipsed by BOBW but it is the most fun.

Realm of Fear **
This episode marks the start of the quiet 'bottle' show. DS9 would be starting soon and you can tell that certain episodes have next to nothing expensive happening. The whole episode is best described as 'muted.' From now on, in most shows there would be fewer extras on board the Enterprise, no action thrown in for action's sake in the quieter episodes and generally just a quiter feel. It's hard to explain. That said, it was fairly interesting but when you see Dwight Schultz in a Starfleet uniform, you expect a degree of comedy and we just get neurotic.

Man of the People **
A retread of ideas used in Violations but with a twist, Troi turns into a libertine and doesn't she look hot (of course she has the typical tan from the hiatus- watch the first few episodes of Friends each season and you'll see what I mean). Worf should be court-martialled for letting his weapon go so easily.

Relics ****
Excellent to see how far the crew's awe for legendary figures go. Scotty gets a shorter shrift than Spock or McCoy did previously but this is a wonderful episode. It's also they only time that I've ever seen Jimmy Doohan act.

Schizms ***
Of all the amnesia stories, this is the most interesting but there's a silly conceit when Troi interviews all the people who've reported strange occurences and who do we see? Worf, Geordi, Riker and Leona Helmsley. That is really taking the piss.

True Q ***
Nice to see Q for the first time since season four. Oh well, as long as we bypass a Lwaxana Troi and in a story with the gorgeous Olivia D'Abo. Her little gestures are obviously an actor's hook but it just looks as though she's trying too hard.

Rascals ***
Another good show with a weird premise (another transporter malfunction!). This was a character piece but the Ferengi attack made it a more traditional action story

Of course, we didn't see the ending as it was originally script which had O'Brien beg Captain Picard not to change Keiko back.

A Fistful of Datas ***
This is so much fun you can't comprehend how much f*cking fun this episode is. If you think it's not fun then I'll cut you!

Quality of Life ***
A nice Data show that exposes his loneliness and his principles. Nice to see him fighting back for once instead of being a punching bag for everyone else. He's actually being Beverly without being intensely irritating

Chains of Command I, Chains of Command II ***
A solid two parter but noit in the excellent ctaegory because it basically makes the Enterpirse crew look very petty indeed (when that is how Jellicoe is meant to seem). Of course Patrick Stewart's performance is his very best in Star Trek. Period.

Ship in a Bottle ***
Yes, ye's from the Nanny. But we see here that Daniel Davis is a good actor without that annoying voice Brits often put on in American SF shows (Babylon 5).
At first this episode looks a bit hokey when Moriarty first walks out of the holodeck but all is redeemed by the revelation that Moriarty had programmed a holodeck Enterprise. Perhaps not enough was made of the deception but still it was an interesting idea.

Aquiel ***
This episode exhibits a strange reverse mysogyny, with the crew automatically assuming that Roche attacked and killed Aquiel before any evidence had been found. Of course, this is a mystery show and it was necessary to shift suspicion but still it is an example of how bad Political Correctness was then (The over the top elements of that phenomenon seem to have disappeared though there are still people stuck in a different time-warp, they're still complaining about PC!)

Face of the Enemy ****
A Troi episode that utilises none of trhe assets that usually allow a Troi episode to be mildly palatable and yet is still excellent. Having her square off against Carolyn Seymour (again with the Romulan make-up). Excellent episode.

Tapestry ****
We are being spoilt this season. This is probably the best story to feature Q (though it's not really a Q story, more a Picard show). Patrick Stewart again shows that he can wipe the floor with any actor ever to played the Captain (even if the character Picard is still second to Kirk). Inner Light was good, but this let us see Picard's life rather than someone else's and although it's not something you can do to often without lessening the effect (like Time-travel or transporter malfunctions), this is a type of drama that you can't do anywhere else without at least one cast member wearing fake wings.

Birthright I, Birthright II
Although billed as a two-parter, this is more along the lines of a DS9 multi-part story in that the two episodes have very different styles and focuses. Part 1 is more a Data show with some minimal setup for the Klingon storyline whereas part two is a much meatier beast and the better of the two.

StarshipMine ****
Yes it is diehard. Yes it is a lot of fun. And yes it is a good episode. The whole things with the saddle was annoying but that's forgotten in an action episode. The comedy scenes with the base commander (typical Enterprise arrogance where anyone else is the arrogant or boring one) contrasts with the humourless action. When this first aired the villain of the piece was familiar asa TV Mom though I can't remember which show, which made it hard to think of her as a ruthless crook, though all these years later it's a moot point since I can't even remember which show. Was it Life Goes On? Despite the distraction, oh there's Lyta again. Anyway it's a rousing Picard show that's an all out action one as well.

Lessons ***
Picard in love. Wendy Hughes would have been a much more interesting addition to the crew rather than Dr Crusher.

The Chase ***
This is a fun episode, nothing too demanding (rather like the Doctor Who story which shares the same title). Linda Thorson made an average at best replacement for Diana Rigg and again is a mediocre Cardassian. TNG by this time had become quite top heavy with techno babble and a huge universe of aliens so much so that whenever a new phenomenon was used with a catchy name, it was used in nearly every episode that followed- example, in Redemption II, tachyon particles are used for the first time. Then for the rest of the season, tachyons either formed the basis of a technobabble solution or were at least suggested as a possible course of action. The sixth season saw tetrions as the new particle franca of the 24th century. Later we'd have nutrino levels, chronoton particles and of course, the dreaded anomaly. Likewise with aliens, when one name was coined it was used quickly in successive stories. In Birthright I, we had one Uridian who sold Worf some information. In this episode the entire race is given a single occupation. "Uridians are information traders," exposes an area of Trek racism that's only there due to sloppy writing and it's not the first time modern Trek has been guilty of this. Apart from humans, every race has only one characteristic or one occupation- there is next to no variation. Uridians are information traders. All of them. There are no scientists or soldiers or artisand, they all trade in information. Not food or textiles, but information. Too black and white and too ridiculous to be taken seriously.  Evidently some of them design warships in their spare time

Frame of Mind **
Waste of space, people who think this passes as an homage to the Prisoner write this mess and expect us to thank them for it. Terrible. If there's one overused Trek stroyline it's that where one of the regulars thinks reality has changed from the norm. This time it's Riker's turn (usually it's O'Brien on DS9)

Suspicions *
I originally gave Frame of Mind a single * but then I thought this episode is much worse. A Geordi story rewritten (rather poorly and unbelievably) for Dr Crusher. Dr Crusher is the chief medical officer so she's the logical choice for hosting scientists. Geordi is nowhere to be seen (perhaps Le Var was smarting). Apparently there weren't enough Beverly stories so this was rewritten. Funny, there aren't any Geordi stories this seaosn, but it is widely known how much lobbying seemed to go on,  particularly from the Sirtis/ McFadden camps.

Rightful Heir ****
A great Klingon story with heart. This is a great Worf story, and Michael Dorn rises to the challenge as always. Compare this to the rather lame plot in season two when Worf celeberates the anniversary of his asenscion

Second Chances ***
Riker Vs Riker. Actually contains some nice stuff with Thomas Riker and Troi but since the Transporter is used as the macguffin, the whoile things almost goes down the drain. But I suppose the drain would malfunction and we'd have two sets of chuds to deal with.

Timescape ****
There is no emotional hook here at all, just sf frolicks. And that's good enough for me. No dilemmas either but there's so much plot in this that to have say, Troi, exploring her desire to become more involved in action isn't needed.

Descent **
This is a bad omen of things to come. There's no real reason why the last season was so sad but this show, should have been a glorious end to a very good season (at least as good as the fourth, better than the fifth). Instead we have TNG, The Borg and Data all devalued as a result of this story. Oh, good Beverly Crusher gets to command the Enterprise in a Red Alert situation. That's believable and only there because Gates is a vocal whiner thinking that good things should happen to her character rather than actually having some acting to do.  I mean, the story is dramatic and all but it just makes the uplifting end to I, Borg seem pointless
Thi.This is a bad..

Descent II ***
An improvement over part one but not enough to salvage the proceedings. Having Lore hook Data like pimp is a strange sight but there is a fair bit of strangeness to come this season. Hugh is bitter, again making the uplifting and hopeful ending to I Borg a shame but at least things are put right at the end of this. And wasn't Beverly the one who proved the meta-phasic shield. It made more sense that Geordi was doing the write up as Chief Enghineer. But since he was all but absent for that episode, it was a pointless reference. I can't believe that Geordi, Riker, Picard and Worf would ALL have left the ship when the Borg were around. Not only did she have no combat experience but this was her first EVER command. Gates McFadden must be a real thorn in the side of the writing staff always lobbying for her character. Get a life Gates. I haven't seen her do anything non-Trek related in years. I wonder if the word has got out.

Liasons ***
This was an interesting story that showed that new takes on old ideas were possible. I mean, they had a man pretending to be a woman to experience love with Picard. This was more of a statement about the show's maturity than Outcast.

Interface **
This was a stupid show. It felt like a chore to watch initially but improved slightly. Made at the height at the VR buzz, this Trek's take on the subject that almost every SF series of the time took a stab at (It was the heyday of 90's SF). But this is really a come down from the ehights of the last four seasons. It's also very sad, and what's worse, it's not the lowpoint

Gambit, Gambit II ***
A pleasant surprise with some fun for all, and for once a story that give Riker and Picard a chance to shine though not at the same time. Riker does well out of part one,  part two is stolen by Patreick Stewart. Also nice is the arc of Data in command

Phantasms **
Here's were the rot really starts and we are condemned to several mediocre (at best) episodes in a row. This mush is another rehash of Realm of Fear except it incorporates more strange dream imagery for Data (Birthright I). It's doesn't offer anything apart from "Is Data Going Mad?" And of course the answer to that question is "We don't care."

Dark Page *
Two thirds of the Lwaxana Troi stories are terrible and the other thirds are quite good. This is oneof the terrible ones. And oooh, isn't it terrible. Deanna has a sister, and she would have been the one with the 'nice personality.'

Attached ***
Silly and a clumsy setup for the oft-repeated desire (By Gates McFadden and her supporters, mostly) to have Crusher and Picard get together (presumably because it would enlarge Crusher's role in the series). And it was a slap in her face for the producers to have Crusher be the one to knock the relationship on the head. Though I suspect Patrick Stewart would have agreed with the final outcome.

Force of Nature *
This is another waste of space. And how long would it be before the whole notion of a warp speed limit be observed? This actually makes you feel depressed about Star Trek as a whole. To quote William Shatner on Saturday Night Live from 1986 "You've turned something that was fun for a few years into a collosal waste of time." I believe the speed limit was mentioned once again, only because they broke it.

Inheritance **
Requiem for Methuselah had a woman who was actually an android though she didn't know it. And so did Astroboy. It's not a great idea and it's a fairly average episode. Not the wirst but not a great leap forward. However, Brent Spiner's performance is the real reason to watch.

Parallels ***
Most Worf stories have taken the form of Klingon stories (usually featuring to some degree Worf's conflict between Starfleet and his Klingon heritage) Latterly, his son Alexander was the focus of several stories. But never has an overtly SF story also been a Worf episode. And this one works. Usually, the person who's at the centre of the anomaly is the one who works out whats' going wrong. Unlike recent stories that suddenly have Crusher as an engineering expert or Troi as a science office only two years after"Is that like a cosmic string?"
The best bit about the episode is the Worf Troi relationship and how Worf decides to act on it "when things return to normal."

The Pegasus ***
Another great story in a season you would normally describe as poor. Decent drama and Picard and Riker actually fight. Riker's still in the brig at the end of the show (though this incident is never referred to again and no explanation is ever given for Riker's aquittal. I mean I can't see how Riker could be accountable. Starfleet Intelligence directed the program so why is the Admiral on trial when he wouldn't have had the clout as a Captain to order the development of such a device. This lame logic marrs an otherwise fine episode.

Homeward ***
A lovely episode that again is a departure from the usual Worf fare (sorry, couldn't resist). Paul Sorvino is excellent. That guy who's in every Trek is in it (and with a  hood so you can't tell when he started going bald. Bam!

Sub Rosa *
Sub-par, sub-standard and sub-normal. It's also substantially lacking in quality. Beverly is attacked by a creature that gives her an orgasm whenever it sees her. Many women would say this is an episode that has no threat to the crew. The only threat is to Beverly's pants.

The Lower Decks ****
This is great stuff and it's a pity it took them this long to make this episode. Of course, Shannon Fill is the most wonderful Bajoran ever and it's a pity they couldn't have let her live so that she could be on Voyager. Or marry me or something. Kidding aside. A great episode though the bartender coming from nowhere to shit-stir is a bit silly. Strange how Whoopie Goldberg managed to avoid some of the crap this season but she would have been perfect. You could tell this was written for her. And what's great is how the Enterprise looks like it has a crew of more than six.

Thine Own Self ****
The very next episode is easily the worst since the first season. If the village had died then this would have been a ***** (Not because I get aroused at death but this sort of plot development would have made for great pathos in the vein of Children of Time and Yesterday's Enterprise. Still, everything is handled beautifully in this episode. The B plot of Troi taking her exam was a bit silly. Berverly had been capable of Bridge duty since before her time on the Enterprise yet her command in Descent seemed to be her first. What next, Guinan having command because Whoopie Goldberg wants it?

Masks
There is no star for this episode. It starts off alright with a nice effect for the archive but then once Brent Spiner starts with the stupid voices, this think becomes both boring and pretentious all in one. The story is more a lesson in heiroglyphics than entertainment. It's shithouse.

Eye of the Beholder *
Worf and Troi get it on. After that scene, leave the house and get some fresh air. This stinks.You know what's going to happen. It's Michael Dorn, and no actress wants to olay his love interest- poor schmuck.

Genesis ***
This camp story was played very seriously and for all its faults, is actually handled quite well. Of course, Data had to be one of the people unaffected but the story would have been even more interesting is Data had been put out of the Picture and the two people who had to solve the problems had to worry about being infected, rather than just Picard. Still, full marks to Gates McFadden who didn't want to reinvent the whell like most first time directors tend to do on Trek. The direction here is top notch unlike other episodes directed by cast members (they tend to be the ones involving visions or dreams and contain really slow shots using weird lenses)

Journey’s End ***
Yes, this season is tying up a few loose ends and who would have though that Wesley would have become such a dick. I mean after the accident it's totally believable -not that it's even mentioned when it was such an issue in Lower Decks. Also with the sweet Ensign Seeto. How come she's an ensign and he's still at the academy when they were both in the same flight team (it is possible that the team was from different classes but is it likely that it would be good to have say, first year cadets alongside senior in a flight group? Seeto was handed the same punishment as Wesley yet she got her pip first. Wasssuuh!
That said, I really liked this episode and it's so much better than this season's reputation would suggest. In hindsight, The season had some really bad shows, more than any season since the second but it also had a lot of solid shows like this to more than make up for the Masks and Forces of Nature.

First Born ***
Michael Dorn was really the winner this season. Not only did he have a number of scripts where Worf was central to the plot (both A and B stories) but they were all good unlike most of the stories this season hilighting a single character(With few execptions, the best stories involved more than one crew member). James Sloyan's voice is very irritatingly familiar. It's very educated sounding and expressive but even though he changes the make-up on every different occasion, he always plays each character almost identically with very minor differences. It's good to know Alexander is actually on board  (though if the Troi-Worf relationship occured during the fifth season, you can bet Alexander's reaction to Troi would have been the basis for a number of episodes. A decent episode.

Bloodlines ***
Pretty silly and having the final denouement that the boy isn't actually Picard's son sort of farts off the emotional impact of this story. Up to the last act this was not  a bad story (rather like Family), I mean Bok has no next to no impact until the very end (like the 50% of Hercules episodes that managed to write out Kevin Sorbo for most of the show).

Emergence **
There was a trend over the last two seasons- to have metaphors in dreams depicting their predicament and solution. It's a trend that sucks more than a leech convention. Emergence was mildy more entertaining than most of them and you can tell the cast are bored stitless with the proceedings. It sort of ends up a Troi episode but isn't. Nice to see the backlot for once.

Pre-emptive Strike ***
A good penultimate story and good to see Ro again, looking much better fed and well, just better. The old man was the Timelord who gave Tom Baker's Doctor the mission to prevent the Dalek's creation in Genesis of the Daleks. Yeah, it was a DS9 episode but not bad.

All Good Things *****
In the 60's 70's and 80's, most non-soap drama series were made in a way that after the intitial network broadcast, episodes could be run in almost any order, mostly because of syndication, where episodes were rerun ad nauseum on a daily basis in some cases. That's why we never saw the SS Minnow get stranded, or Hogan captured by the Germans, and why these shows never had closure. The Fugitive even even started off with a flashback episde, so that the episode wouldn't be dropped for syndication. But when it was time to end, it was the first true, resolving the story. But even though the 70's brought the feature length pilot episodes for most big action series (like Six Million Dollar Man, Battlestar Galactica, Wonder Woman) that started with introductory episodes, none of these shows ever had a finale episode to resolve anything. Some sitcoms would have a celebatory drink or something but nothing special. MASH's finale in 1983 was one of the most watched pieces of US television ever but I can't think of another comparable series finale of the 80's. Most series were either canned in the first year or two or simply wimpered on till the axe fell
 
 
 
 
 

This was everything that Generations wasn't. I mean, you do have to have some knowledge of TNG continuity, but then what's Generations about? Most casual viewers wouldn't have known that TNG takes place 80 off years after the original series.
Data's emotion chip, Lursa and B'etor, Guinan, etc. But anyway. Yes there is alot of techno babble but then this is a celebration of TNG and guess who wrote the scripts? This was one of the few stories to bring a tear to my eye on my third viewing (mind you, I had just finished watching every TNG episode over a six month period and man that is the way to get the maximum enjoyment (so long as you leave it a few years between viewings).
This season has wrapped up storylines for so many characters and hanging threads it's not funny and this show ties up even more. If you liked the Troi-Worf coupling, take a good look as you won't hear of it again.
The Past- It was a brave move to try and recreate the crew as the looked five years earlier but they mostly succeeded even though the early-season jumpsuits were a lot looser fitting than they used to be. Marina Sirtis glides effortlessly back into a skant (oh how we have missed thee) and I swear she even attempts her original accent (Her American accent is so cloying especially when you hear her speak in her normal cockney accent and realise she hasn't lost it). Denise Crosby is perhaps the least like her former self and Brent Spiner is mostly succesful (even the slicked back hair) apart from one profile that shows Brent likes his beer. But why does he have a junior lieutenant's insignia? He's called Commander by Picard. Colm Meaney is exactly like he was  and Michael Dorn is very close. Patrick Stewart is a bit wrinkly around the neck but otherwise the only thing missing from 'early' Picard was the 'Frasier' accent from the pilot (Speaking with a British accent apart from a few giveaways like class rhyming with ass)
The future. At least the had the guts to have one of them dead yet of course, no one put on any weight. That's what made Red Dwarf- Out of Time so funny because they actually showed the crew from the future as they probably would age- fat and bald.
John De Lancie probably gives his last big performance as Q (outside of spoken word cassettes and multimedia projects) and as such, gives the series a fond farewell in one of the series finest moments. The technobabble gets very heavy in the second half but still this is the real feature film debut for the TNG crew, it just didn't make it to cinemas.
It was a Picard show that gave everyone something to do, and as usual, Brent Spiner got a lot to do as Data is the only other character to appear in all three eras. This is one of the few occasions where you feel like crying at the end of a Star Trek. But let me explain. I had just watched every episode of the original series plus all of TNG over a period of about nine months. This is good and after nearly 260 episodes of Trek (well, I did omit about a dozen third season TOS for obvious reason) I had a tear well up during the last poker scene (something you'll never see in the movies), possibly also because I knew Generations was next.

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