Which Episode to Start off with to get into the Show?

If you want to start the earliest seasons that episode that introduces the Borg - can't remember the name and the episode The Measure of a Man.

 

Also that ep with an alien takeover. The best from each season from there may be best.

 

Let's talk also about the episodes you definitely shouldn't start with: I can think of a few:

"Code Of Honor", "Angel One", "Justice", "The Outrageous Okona","The Royale","Samaritan Snare","Up The Long Ladder",

If you start with any of these you might alienate the person permanently to the series.

 

I'll add "A Matter of Honor" and "11001001" to the list for the earliest seasons. I also found the name of the alien invasion one and its "Conspiracy" Still can't find the name of the ep that introduces the Borg and I know it was some time during the first two seasons. Or the episode that introduces Wolfs son Alexander.

If you take a liking to Data outside the one mentioned episode and like Sherlock Holmes there is "Elementary Dear Data"

 

If one wants to recommend "Conspiracy", I think you need to watch "Coming of Age" first, as it sets the stage for what's to come.

The first Borg episode is "Q Who" and it's been mentioned a bunch of times here.

The first Alexander episode is "Reunion", and I wouldn't suggest that as someone's first episode because there's too much arc material involved, IMO.

 

Well, I like my tastes to remain a bit exclusive, so perhaps I would recommend them (just joking)

 

Well... now I know what those episodes names are. Thanks.
I think you can say that about a lot of episodes but I really don't think "Coming of Age" is *that* important to be able to understand "Conspiracy." Plus, you can say that about a lot of episodes. But I think to reel his friend in starting out with the most popular and best episodes would be best. I recommend them starting out with Season one and going from there because that is just what I would do. Doesn't mean thats what he should do. They are just my suggestions. Plus, I wasn't able to watch all the episodes faithfully the first time around I had to fill in the blanks in my head and just went back during reruns for those eps. The missing pieces intrigued me more simply because I liked what I saw.

 

I consider "Coming of Age", "Conspiracy", Neutral Zone", and "Q, Who" something of an extended trilogy.

RAMA

 

There was some really bad claymation in Conspiracy, not to mention the meathead explosion which was kinda cheesy...

 

I think you're better starting somebody off with one of the later episodes when the actors have had the chance to fully develop their characters e.g Worf is OK at the beginning but once what I believe is Dorns natural humour begins to surface he's a much better watch.

So start with 'Disaster' or 'Cause And Effect'.

 

I would start with Darmok or the drumhead. They are two of my favourites, so whoever I would introduce to tng would hopefully like them as well.

 

100% Conundrum. Then they could actually be surprised by the McDuff reveal.

 

I actually would rescind "Conspiracy" on the basis that it is one of the most non-TNG of Season One and was rarely matched in tone and style by the rest of the series as a whole.

 

I'm not sure about that, part of the plot is that there is someone there who shouldn't be,

 

And definitely not the OTHER episode with a Scottish alien, IE "Sub Rosa".

 

Relics?

 

Is it my imagination or was Scotty even fatter than in Generations? This means that he must have skipped the dessert table a few times in between...

 

Still I think it was ranked one of the best of that season the effects weren't so bad that it ruined the entire episode. We will have to agree to disagree.

 

I can't imagine ST:TNG leaning too far into the direction of "Conspiracy", but I wonder what kind of show we would have gotten if it hadn't backed quite so far away from it afterward either.

 

I agree with the other posters who suggested "Conspiracy". It was a good scifi thriller. It kind of stands out, in a good way, among season 1 episodes. It's a shame there weren't more TNG episodes like it.

I would also humbly suggest "Too Short a Season" and "The Arsenal of Freedom" from season 1. There is decent amount of action in those two episodes, along with a decent story.

Season 3 also has some good episodes that you could show to introduce someone to TNG. There are four episodes (that happened to aired consecutively during the original run) that I would recommend "The Vengeance Factor", "The Defector", "The Hunted", and "The High Ground".

Three of those episodes, oddly enough, had a similar theme. But they all had a good solid story and/or good solid action.

 

I like Darmok even if you shouldn't think about it too much because it doesn't make much sense. Like how to they acquire the language in the first place? I mean you have to explain the metaphors, to kids for example. How do you do it without using metaphors?

So the answer would be that they have a simpler more direct language for that.

So why not use THAT language when talking to aliens????