Introducing girlfriend to the Borg: Which episode is best?

[ReadyAndWilling]

Hey all, so I wanted to introduce my girlfriend to the sheer awesomeness that is the Borg. I wasn't sure which episode I should use so I picked the film 'First Contact' and we watched it together. She enjoyed the experience. This is the only Star Trek she has ever seen. Well, she saw 'Star Trek 2013', but that's it. No tv episodes or books or movies.

I want her to watch some other Borg episodes with me, but I don't know which episodes. I really want her to get a sense of the terror that the Borg display. My favorite Borg episodes are probably 'Scorpion pt 1 and 2', 'Drone' and 'Dark Frontier'.

I thought 'Scorpion' would be the best episode for her to watch next as we get to see a lot about the Borg and the episode itself is really epic in its scale. My issue with 'Scorpion' is that we don't really see how powerful the Borg are as the first scene is just two Borg ships getting blown to nothingness in 2 seconds. I guess I could preface 'Scorpion' by telling her that the Borg are among the most powerful race in Star Trek and then just watch it with her.

I guess we could go back to TNG, but the Borg costumes look really cheap after watching 'First Contact'.

What's your advice?

 

[DavidGutierrez]

To paraphrase The Sound of Music, start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start. Few episodes make the Borg seem nearly as powerful as "Q Who?" I think the outdated costumes and special effects are wildly overshadowed by the storytelling and suspense Plus, from there, you could go into BoBW and she could get a chance to see why Picard is so hellbent on killing every Borg he meets with a tommy gun.

Also, the special effects are less of an issue if you have the blu-rays.

 

[bbailey861]

I second the motion. "Q Who" is the place to start.

 

[Metryq]

No, start with "Spock's Brain."

First there was morg and eymorg. Later came borg. Somewhere in there was the Swedish chef.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Start with Q Who and BOBW: Whoopi Goldberg did a great job of portraying the fear of the Borg and playing the doubting Thomas to Picard's humanitarianism.

 

[Xhiandra]

Q Who? & The Best of Both Worlds are indeed better-suited to your purpose than the VOY episodes and I'd add Regeneration to the list.
That ep had such a heavy atmosphere.

Especially if she's read At the Mountains of Darkness.

 

[Pondwater]

"The Best of Both Worlds".… then the other stuff.

 

[Harbinger]

I would start her off on the very first Borg episode, "Q Who" then just go from there. I would have probably showed her that prior to First Contact since at that time, no Queen or anything was established. Pretty much, go chronologically.

You've also managed to show your girlfriend the best Star Trek movie of the series (ok, personal opinion but still....)

 

[MacLeod]

If it has to be a Borg episode like others I would say go back to TNG and start at the beginning with "Q Who?" and BOBW, but with one cavet. Rather than show her more Borg related episodes why not try something different. There are many great episodes which do not feature the Borg which she might like.

 

[R. Star]

Q Who is the necessary first episode.... Best of Both Worlds was the Borg's finest hour. If she's a Borg fangirl at that point, then go on with the rest. Heck if's she's a Trek fan by that point start watching the whole series of TNG/DS9/VOY with her.

I had a girlfriend who I introduced to Trek(using DS9, I showed her Duet when we were talking about Nazi Germany having sympathetic figures in it) and she loved it. It was fun as all heck watching -everything- with her as she experienced all of Trek for the first time.

 

[Melakon]

I'd say start with "Q Who?" as well.

I have the Borg Fan Collective set, and they present episodes in the following order:

ENT: Regeneration (if she's already seen First Contact, this is sort of a sequel)

TNG: Q Who?
TNG: Best of Both Worlds
TNG: I Borg
TNG: Descent

VOY: Scorpion
VOY: Drone
VOY: Dark Frontier (I love the music and the tactical exercise)
VOY: Unimatrix Zero
VOY: Endgame

 

[Captain Nebula]

Definitely from the beginning ('Q Who' and 'Best of Both Worlds'), but you have to throw 'I, Borg' in there. Just... because. It softens the view of the Borg a bit, but also makes them even more evil.

Of course, then watch 'First Contact'.

 

[USS Firefly]

Q Who and BOBW

 

[ReadyAndWilling]

Alright, thanks a lot guys.

Looks like 'Q Who' and 'BOBW' is the best way to go.

I'll report back on my findings.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I will pray for you.

 

[Use of Time]

I will pray for you.

 

[JarodRussell]

You get her a Seven of Nine catsuit, then just say "Resistance is futile" and then you assimilate her. If you know what I mean.

 

[cyclonus11]

Suddenly, injecting her with nanoprobes takes on a whole new dimension.

 

[ReadyAndWilling]

Alright, thanks a lot guys.

Looks like 'Q Who' and 'BOBW' is the best way to go.

I'll report back on my findings.

Once we watch these two. Should we then watch 'Scorpion' and then the following Voyager Borg eps?

 

[Melakon]

Sort of depends if she likes the TNG cast. Ask if she wants to see more Borg with Captain Baldy episodes, or if she wants to see what one of the other shows does with them.

Of course, if just seeing the Borg gets her all hot and lusty, it might be a pointless question.