What episodes of TNG should I watch before First Contact?

[The Janitor]

..and you should watch the TOS episode 'Metamorphosis' too, for some background on Cochrane.

[USS Firefly]

You only have to watch, Q Who? an Best of both worlds 1&2, and family.

[MikeS]

USS Firefly wrote:

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You only have to watch, Q Who? an Best of both worlds 1&2, and family.

You actually don't even 'have to watch' those. We were all (I hope) having a bit of fun.

[heavy lids]

Dream wrote:

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Q Who

Best of Both Worlds
Best of Both Worlds part 2


You should eventually check out the rest of TNG since it is a very good show.

I think I'm going to watch Q Who, Best of Both Worlds pts. I and II, and First Contact this weekend.

[USS Firefly]

Good choice!

And then you are going to watch all of DS9

We were all (I hope) having a bit of fun.

[Mirror Sulu]

Dale Sams wrote:

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I loved Generations. The opening part is fantastic, I loved the soundtrack. Thought Stewart's acting in relation to what happens to his family was awesome.

I too enjoyed Generations, it was fun and infinitely better than Star Trek V, which was woeful.

Also, I don't think you'd necessarily have to watch any specific TNG episodes before watching First Contact. First Contact was my first real exposure to TNG and got me interested in the series. Its also a good place to start for new fans of the franchise - its a great movie and it depicts First Contact between Human and Vulcan, setting the stage for everything else.

[DalekJim]

Yeah. While I always recommend people have to watch Space Seed before Wrath of Khan, people could watch First Contact without seeing any TNG eps. If anything it would make the film more enjoyable as they wouldn't notice a few of the bigger plotholes in regards to continuity.

Watched First Contact again a few weeks ago. Hugely flawed but also highly enjoyable .

[BillJ]

DalekJim wrote:

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Watched First Contact again a few weeks ago. Hugely flawed but also highly enjoyable .

Yet you wonder how people can enjoy Star Trek 2009. Your statement above is exactly how I feel about that movie.

[tighr]

DalekJim wrote:

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Yeah. While I always recommend people have to watch Space Seed before Wrath of Khan, people could watch First Contact without seeing any TNG eps.

I don't feel like Space Seed is required viewing before seeing TWOK. All you need to know about Khan and his followers is spelled out for you when you meet them, and that he hates Kirk (intensely obvious). In fact, the reveal that Khan is even on the planet in the first place is intensified because you don't know the significance of Seti Alpha V.

A good script, especially film script, assumes nothing about the viewer and is able to engage both those familiar with the work as well as those unfamiliar. TWOK (and Star Trek '09) are examples of genre films that can be enjoyed by someone who had never seen an episode of Star Trek in their life.

[DalekJim]

Audiences can understand TWoK perfectly without having seen Space Seed (I saw the movie before I'd seen a single episode of TOS!), but it really does enhance the experience having seen Kirk and Khan interact face to face.

BillJ wrote:

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Yet you wonder how people can enjoy Star Trek 2009. Your statement above is exactly how I feel about that movie.

Both are probably solid dumb popcorn movies that appeal to a wider audience much more than they do fans, who get bothered by the huge holes.

[Xaios]

DalekJim wrote:

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Yeah. While I always recommend people have to watch Space Seed before Wrath of Khan, people could watch First Contact without seeing any TNG eps. If anything it would make the film more enjoyable as they wouldn't notice a few of the bigger plotholes in regards to continuity.

I feel the opposite, actually. As great as Wrath of Khan is, the conflict was basically manufactured for the purpose of the film, and really only has a tenuous link to the events of Space Seed. By the end of that episode, you'd never guess what Khan was going to turn into. They had to add an exploding planet to the mix off-screen in order to arrive where they did.

The events of First Contact have FAR more connection to the previously established plot threads of Best of Both Worlds. You can see the effect that the Borg had on Picard in episodes like Family and The Drumhead, so the central conflict doesn't come out of nowhere.

[DalekJim]

Agreed there but if a viewer were to fully catch up with I, Borg and The Descent 2-parter they'd be appropriately baffled as to why Starfleet is now worried that Picard is unfit for facing them. Or why Picard is suddenly so pissed at them, having been fairly cool and non-chalant in the previous 2 Borg stories.

It's full of holes but I'd still probably rank First Contact as the third or fourth best Star Trek film.

[tighr]

DalekJim wrote:

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It's full of holes but I'd still probably rank First Contact as the third or fourth best Star Trek film.

For the uninitiated viewer, they would not recognize the holes (as we have all previously agreed to).

For the seasoned viewer, it takes very simple rationalization, as has been done in this thread and others, to resolve the plot holes of Picard being thought of by Starfleet Command as being unfit for the task of battling the Borg as portrayed in this film.

In fact, as far as the film is concerned, Picard's actions should allay any fears in the future of his ability to battle the Borg: he is the best man for the job. Exactly as Riker pointed out in the beginning of the film. It was Starfleet Command (specifically: Admiral Hayes) who disagreed, and were proven wrong.