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Shades Of Grey - Worst TNG Episode Ever

Was "Shades Of Grey" The worst TNG Episode Ever?


  • Total voters
    89
I really liked Crusher, which intensifies my dislike of Pulaski. I will agree that Season 2 is very underrated. I watched Peak Performance and forgot how good it was.
 
...all things considered, I still think there are several worse episodes than "Shades of Grey".

"Imaginary Friend" for instance...

Now see, "Imaginary Friend" has always had a... special place for me. You see, the little girl in that episode looks and acts almost exactly like my sister did at that age, minus the glasses. And her friend? Yeah, my sister had a taller, blonde friend that acted a little bit... strange, when she felt like it. :crazy:It's been kinda freaky since I watched it when I was a teenager...

Ah, that's good. It's good to see at least several people consider Riker their favorite character on TNG. :D
J.

He's not my favorite (that's La Forge), but he is one of the main reasons I chose to play trombone when picking an instrument. :D
 
In fact, I really enjoy a lot of the Riker moments in "Shades of Grey". LOVE his "grandfather Riker once got bit by a snake" joke. It had a few worthy character moments for a clip show!

I think this, too. I really enjoy the character moments, and for the Riker/Troi fans there are some nice moments between them, too.
 
He's not my favorite (that's La Forge), but he is one of the main reasons I chose to play trombone when picking an instrument. :D
What's funny is that while Riker is my favorite, Geordie is my second favorite character from The Next Generation. :D

Oh, and I liked Imaginary Friend just fine, too. And I also have to agree with J. on missing Pulaski after the second season. She was so much more a character than Crusher ever was. :(
 
^ I liked her because she was prickly, like McCoy, and when it came down to brass tacks, she was excellent in performing her duties.

J.
 
Clip shows always generate the same reaction with me - just a kind of "whatever" response. But that's not close to "worst episode ever". Episodes like "Code of Honor" are much less watchable for me.
 
I like the framing story. They managed to show the desperation Riker and Pulaski were in. And I think they used those negative emotion clips at the end to great effect. It wasn't really about showing what came before anymore at that point, the clips actually became a dramatic device that really worked to a degree.
 
This episode was pretty terrible imo. it was the worst season finale ever for sure. It was just a series of flash backs from the 1st two series, which for me was pretty boring. and the cut scenes with Troi and Crusher whining were so cheesy.
 
Shades of Gray was always my worst episode before; but I started rewatching the series the last few months, and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I was really dreading it the day it came up on the docket, but there were actually a few good bits in there. I guess, like books, every episode has some redeeming quality. I'll have to wait until I finish the series to vote.
 
If Shades of Gray is your vote for worst after the first 2 seasons, Its doubtful anything else will top it. Most of the craptacular TNG episodes are in Season 1.
 
If Shades of Gray is your vote for worst after the first 2 seasons, Its doubtful anything else will top it. Most of the craptacular TNG episodes are in Season 1.
Shades of Gray was my vote after watching the series multiple times. We have all the season sets. In fact, we had the Columbia House tapes way back when. I'm just reviewing. However, I am a little weak on some of the later episodes. Remember one where some creature laid its tribble looking young in some crucial junction or something on the ship -- or shuttlecraft -- or somewhere? That one was just weird.
 
I think 'Masks' is probably the worst episode post-season 2. It's a vaguely interesting concept, but it quickly descends into a shambles. It's testament to Stewart's ability as an actor that he somehow manages to take things seriously, which is more than can be said to Jonathan Frakes, who just looks thoroughly pissed off throughout. It's basically an excuse for Brent Spiner to ham it up with some very silly voices, in what is by far his worst performance on the series.
 
I would have to say that Menage a Troi is the worst episode of TNG. I don't like Ferengi episodes, and I don't like Lwaxana Troi, so combining the two made for a terrible combination. Plus, it was just painful to watch Picard deliver poetry on the bridge.
 
That's one of my favourite scenes. :D

It's a silly episode, but quite fun. Then again, I always liked Ferengi episodes, even on TNG. It's not boring, which to me is the worst thing that Star Trek can be. At least with shite like 'Spock's Brain' or 'Profit and Lace', I can revel in the campness and absurdity. The worst type of TNG episodes are the stupefying ones where nothing really happens, like 'Violations', 'Man of the People', 'Silicon Avatar', 'Aquiel' and 'Liasons'.
 
Not even close to the worst. I go by if something is watchable. SoG, I am willing to sit through. There are a (very) few 'gems', however, that I will simply turn the channel. (Yes, Masks is one of them.)

J.

Agreed on the Kate point. Thought the same thing when I got Season 2.
 
That's one of my favourite scenes. :D

It's a silly episode, but quite fun. Then again, I always liked Ferengi episodes, even on TNG. It's not boring, which to me is the worst thing that Star Trek can be. At least with shite like 'Spock's Brain' or 'Profit and Lace', I can revel in the campness and absurdity. The worst type of TNG episodes are the stupefying ones where nothing really happens, like 'Violations', 'Man of the People', 'Silicon Avatar', 'Aquiel' and 'Liasons'.

Silicon Avatar? Really? I've always thought of that as an excellent episode, myself, partly because by the end I actually do feel pity for... well, everybody, including the Christmas Tree o' Doom.
 
Maybe it ends well, but I remember trying to watch it on DVD a year or so ago, and having to switch off half-way through because it was so dull. Perhaps I should revisit?
 
Yawn. It's been at least five minutes since the last time this came up.

No, "Shades Of Gray" is not the worse TNG episode ever. I wrote a response to the last thread started on this topic (and seriously, it couldn't have been more than a month ago).

"Clip shows" seem to be an accepted part of you Americans' and your TV shows ;) "The Simpsons" have had like 8, "Friends" had a few, "Frasier", "ER" etc etc. I even remember "The A-Team" had an episode called "Curtain Call" where Murdock was shot and the gang engaged in nostalgic memories (of the last few episodes at least)

So, Star Trek has one true clip show out of what, 500+ episodes? That's pretty good.

And it's not THAT bad. At least the set-up isn't "Riker's thinking about leaving, and his friends all realise how much they're gonna miss him by remembering previous eps".

There's also some nice character moments for Riker, and Pulaski gets a pretty decent chance to shine in her swan song.

The clips themselves - given they only had 47 episodes to pick from, they got some pretty good "Riker-specific" moments in there (even if they did have to use an exploding ship shot from "The Wrath of Khan" too!).

Will it win any awards? No. Does it deserve to be well-remembered, or even remembered particularly? Nah, not really. As others have said, it's mediocre but then so were a number of other eps.

And some were just plain worse: "Code Of Honour", "Justice", "Angel One" etc etc
 
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