Started Season 4 last night so here was how far I got:
Best of Both Worlds, Part 1 - A+
What more can be said about this episode. It really is one of the best written and best acted shows not only in this franchise, but on TV all together. Many people talk about the cliffhanger and as well they should. It's one of those jaw dropping cliffhangers in a time when even thinking about doing a cliffhanger was not considered normal.
However, there were many other aspects to this episode that shouldn't go unnoticed. For one, I liked the conflict between Riker and Shelby. That scene in Ten Forward between Riker and Troi pretty much summed up that entire reason for the infighting between the two, it was an experianced Riker vs. ambitious Riker. It made for some great drama. There was another scene that is one of my favorites in the series when Picard talks to Guinan. Some times I often read people calling this show childish. I wonder what that means exactly because with dialog like what Picard had with Guinan about Trafalgar and the HMS Victory and pretty much history in general. If that is childish, than bring more of it.
This episode also had that awesome musical score that makes it much more memorable. The one when Picard says "We have engaged The Borg" and the end are some of the best music this series/franchise ever did. Ron Jones was sorely missed when he left.
Best of Both Worlds II - A
This isn't as good as Part 1, but really, how can anyone top that. This episode did come close though. Many people talk about one of the weaknesses to this show was how the Borg were defeated. I remember watching the special features and one of the things Piller said was that he didn't know how to end Best of Both Worlds. He allowed the actors to play it out and hopefully something will come. I actually think the solution makes a hell of a lot of sense if you think about it. TNG isn't an action show, and it's mentality is to look for creative and unique solutions. The Borg are a collective computer in a sense. If the borg are able to adapt to anything that comes at them, why not adapt to what they are able to do, compute functions as a whole. I don't know, but hacking into a computer program and misdirecting them makes more sense then killing more people.
Other parts of this episode I liked was Riker's reactions to everything and getting into the What would Picard do mentality. The scene in the ready room with Guinan was really nice because it was the building block to allow Riker to step out of the shadow and do something unorthodox.
There is only one reason this episode didn't get an A+ and that was because of the music. It's not nearly as strong as it was on Part 1.
Family - A+
I wonder if I'm going to be giving more A's and A+'s this season as it has always been my favorite season of the series. This episode, which I've always thought as the third part of the Best of Both Worlds arc was one of those reasons why. There is no action, no aliens of the week, hell, no going to some planet and solving a mystery. What there was though was character drama, and almost the calm after the storm. This was an episode that had three storylines and all of them worked.
The major one was Picard and Robert and for the people who talk about a "perfect" federation or "perfect" Picard, or a show that doesn't have any consequences, I wonder if they've never seen this episode. Here is a man who was humilitated, beaten and pretty much had his life taken away. If this was the TNG that so many people on this board describe, than this episode would probably not have been made and we can go to the next one as if nothing happened. However, this is TNG as one of my favorite TV shows ever. Watching the conflict escalate between Robert and Picard and a fight between values was really cool. It all led up to the fight in the Vineyards and that was the point in this episode where I have to give it an A+. The show builds and builds and we get that payoff with Picard literally breaking down and Robert saying "Well, it looks like Jean-Luc Picard is a human being, after all." That is awesome writing by Ron Moore. This episode could be called cliche since it does deal with two brothers who pretty much "kiss and make up" at the end. However I don't see it at all. I see it as sibling rivalry between the two, and in Picards view, it was much needed.
The Worf story was also really strong. We got more in terms of the Discommendation arc and I would say this episode kind of signaled a transition of stories of sorts. We're done with the Borg arc, but the Discommendation arc will be one of the recurring themes of the season, and as the rest of the season goes on leading up to Redemption this part of the episode gets even stronger. It was nice meeting Worf's parents and their concern for their son. I loved the scene in Ten Forward with Guinan (I seem to be repeating that alot
) because it starts humorous with the Prune Juice and it is leading up to a very emotional point. Worf needs all the guidance he can get, he is just afraid to admit it.
The Wes side of the story was not as strong but still good enough. I'm glad it was only a blip on this episode's radar since the other two were so much more important. There really isn't much to say about this part but I did like the scene in Sickbay with Wes and Beverly talking about the recording.
I noticed something about this episode that I hadn't before. How many other episodes does this one reference. It almost seemed like at every turn a past episode was referenced like:
-Drena 4 when Picard was offering a solution to Louis - Pen Pals
-Wes is finally coming to terms of his father's death - The Bonding
-The Borg Incident - Best of Both Worlds
-Prune Juice - Yesterday's Enterprise
- Worf's Discommendation - Sins of the Father
I'm probably forgetting some but that's a lot of referencing.
Brothers - B
This is not as strong or emotional as the previous 3, put it still is great nonthaless. I loved the sequences with Data taking over the ship and the stuff with Dr. Soong was awesome as well. I loved the phlisophical talk about continuity and how humans strive towards immortality through reproduction. Also, it was nice to see Lore again. I will say one more thing about this episode. This one was written by Rick Berman, and, well we all know how much he is loved on this board. Seriously though, I think it's completely unfair that Berman was used as a scapegoat for Trek's decline. Maybe he is partly to blame, but he did some great things in the Star Trek universe and I respect him. Oh, and Happy Birthday Rick. That's Lucky to have a Birthday on the same day as Christmas.
Suddenly Human - D
One of the only fualts of the season. Suffice it to say, there was some good intentions here and there were some shocking moments like Jhono stabbing picard, but when you start the episode with a lot of screaming and loud music, it's already getting annoying. It fell way too over the top for an episode that could have been really good.
(And OT for just a moment, your Heroes reviews rock too. 
It was fun watching the Doctor go crazy, and then fool the computer. Nice to see the traveler again, who I've considered a very interesting character. 
