Favorite But Unpopular Episodes

[Herbert]

Oh God, so many. For one, I had no idea so many people hated "I, Borg", that's among my series highpoints.

I can't stand that episode because it humanizes the borg and makes you feel sympathy for them. It's the jump the shark moment for the borg. Picard should have followed through with the virus. The borg were not a conventional foe that could have been dealt with like the Romulans or the Cardassians. He should have wiped them out.

 

[Mojochi]

I understand Night Terrors is considered not very good but I love that episode and watch it every time it's on. They could have toned down Troi floating through dream space but the episode is creepy as hell. When Riker hears the creak of the floor in his quarters and the corpses sit up in the morgue, it gets me every time.

Look. Just watching Patrick Stewart slowly lose control of his faculties, & the scene wherein he vocalizes his fears about it to Data, are worth the price of admission. It takes a lot for me to be disturbed by Data's lack of compassion. I've never felt worse for a character trying to get though to him than then. He tells him their very survival may count on him & he just looks so crestfallen when Data plainly says he'll do his best. lol

I'll echo Sakonna's mention of Unification. I think it gets a bad rap. Is it a bit of a squandered opportunity at bringing in Spock? Maybe, but on paper, it really does sound like it has a lot of potential, Spock trying to bring together Vulcan's lost brethren. Honestly, I'd watch a whole Star Trek show about that shit, & while they crammed it all awkwardly into a 2-parter, it's not terrible, & has enjoyable moments. Such a lofty concept needs more time to flesh out properly, but what can you do?

 

[Armus]

There's so many unpopular episodes from seasons 1-2 that I enjoy.

Too Short A Season
Symbiosis
Where Silence Has Lease
The Schizoid Man
The Royale
Up The Long Ladder

 

[Herbert]

There's so many unpopular episodes from seasons 1-2 that I enjoy.

There are more season 1 eps that I enjoy than season 7.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Agree about The Royale. Love the bad novel parody.

 

[Jayson1]

"Silicon Avatar" I love this episode. The grieving mom was a good character and I like how she started off hating Data to sort of see him as the last thing left of her dead son. The ending is powerful also and you feel for her when Data sort of reveals how wrong it was for her to have done what she did but without even doing it out of anger. Simply stating some facts.

Evoultion: Paul Stubbs was another good character. I liked how he was a child prodigy who had peeked. The Crusher conflict is actually interesting and It was Micheal Pillar's first script and he was a top notch writer.

Cost of Living: I just liked it. I like Troi dealing with the prospect of being lonely and settling because of age which feels like a very real human situation. Liked Watching Worf once again be a terrible parent. Funny end joke with Worf's head sticking out in the Mud bath.


Jason

 

[Herbert]

Cost of Living is an odd one for me. I like it despite it including Alexander and Mama Troi. Never cared much for either character. Alexander was just, whatever and they overused Troi. She was fine early on as comic relief but when they decided to give her character some serious aspects, it felt like jump the shark time to me.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Also might add Gambit.

I love those kinds of setups that require elaborate improvisation and play acting to infiltrate the enemy. The resolution of the episode sucked and for that people condemn the entire episode but I don’t think the poorly conceived anger amplifier ruins the rest of the episode at all.

 

[Herbert]

Out of all the 2 part episodes Gambit feels like it could easily have been done in one.

 

[Armus]

Also might add Gambit.

I love those kinds of setups that require elaborate improvisation and play acting to infiltrate the enemy. The resolution of the episode sucked and for that people condemn the entire episode but I don’t think the poorly conceived anger amplifier ruins the rest of the episode at all.

How can anyone dislike an episode where Picard and Riker pretend to hate each other while they infiltrate a crew of criminals led by B movie star/ TV villain of the week, Richard Lynch?

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

“Too Short a Season”
“The Royale”
“Unnatural Selection”
“Hollow Pursuits”
“Clues”
“The Mind’s Eye”
“Phantasms”

 

[Armus]

^Phantasms is a great episode marred only by interphasic pulses and other technobabble BS.

 

[maneth]

The Royale and Masks for me.

 

[May 20]

I like The Royale and Rascals.

But I don't often see any love for the episode that hooked me on TNG - The Arsenal of Freedom.

 

[2takesfrakes]

"Angel One"

Just watched it and it continues to rank amongst my most favourite TNG episodes, because I love the beautiful Mistress Beata! She's my favourite TNG guest star. And Ramsey was cool, too! I like how he's living on the edge, you know? He knows what he wants. And his woman Ariel risked all, because she just wasn't going to give him up. That really spoke to me, these Silent Partners. Always careful not to give themselves away ... their forbidden Love. Ramsey demonstrated how no force around can keep a Good Man down and even as fugitive, he didn't lose what mattered to him most. That's the kind of character that I like seeing in STAR TREK.

 

[Herbert]

"Angel One"

Just watched it and it continues to rank amongst my most favourite TNG episodes, because I love the beautiful Mistress Beata! She's my favourite TNG guest star. And Ramsey was cool, too! I like how he's living on the edge, you know? He knows what he wants. And his woman Ariel risked all, because she just wasn't going to give him up. That really spoke to me, these Silent Partners. Always careful not to give themselves away ... their forbidden Love. Ramsey demonstrated how no force around can keep a Good Man down and even as fugitive, he didn't lose what mattered to him most. That's the kind of character that I like seeing in STAR TREK.

You're joking right? I mean, this has to be the TrekBBS version of a rickroll.

 

[ClintDagger]

Never knew Time’s Arrow was considered a subpar episode(s). That’s definitely one of my favorites.

 

[Mojochi]

“Too Short a Season”
“The Royale”
“Unnatural Selection”
“Hollow Pursuits”
“Clues”
“The Mind’s Eye”
“Phantasms”

The Mind's Eye? Man, in a sea of Geordi episodes that are ... meh, I thought it was universally agreed upon that this his crowning glory. There's only 1 other Geordi episode I like better, The Enemy

 

[Timewalker]

Rascals

I liked the kid who played young Picard.

The borg were not a conventional foe that could have been dealt with like the Romulans or the Cardassians. He should have wiped them out.

That would have deprived us of Seven of Nine.

 

[Herbert]

Never knew Time’s Arrow was considered a subpar episode(s). That’s definitely one of my favorites.

For me it's one of those episodes that I never need to see again. Not bad but definitely not a go-to episode. In fact, of all the two parters, The best of Both Worlds is the only one I want to see again. The pilot has become a guilty pleasure for me. It's so odd to watch it now and see the personalities mostly undeveloped.