Favourite episode for each character

[MikeS]

I see alot of these "favourites" threads, but I've not seen one for each of our characters. Which is your favourite character-centric episode for each character? Be nice to get a reason for each too.

Picard = The Inner Light
Riker = Frame Of Mind
Data = The Measure Of A Man
Worf = Sins Of The Father
LaForge = Booby Trap (and to a lesser extent, Galaxy's Child, as i consider this a two-parter!)
Troi = Dark Page
Crusher = Remember Me
Wesley = The First Duty

Feel free to add any minor or recurring characters like Yar, Pulaski or O'Brien if you think they're worthy.

O'Brien = The Wounded
Ro = Preemptive Strike
Barclay = Hollow Pursuits
Q = Tapestry

 

[Admiral Shran]

Picard = Starship Mine (It was nice to see Picard get some Kirk-style action scenes.)
Riker = Schisms (Freaky, freaky stuff, but in a very good way.)
Data = The Most Toys (Data had more character development in this one episode than he had in the rest of the show and movies. It's a shame they didn't follow up on it.)
Worf = Redemption, Part I (I liked how Worf felt his duty to his family/heritage and the Empire was more important to him than his duty to Starfleet.)
LaForge = Identity Crisis (They actually gave LaForge an episode centered on him which didn't involve unrequited love.)
Troi = Face of the Enemy (It's the only Troi-centric episode I can stand.)
Crusher = The Host (Crusher's multiple dilemmas in this episode were very enjoyable and McFadden played the role perfectly.)
Wesley = Final Mission (It was the episode where he finally left the show.)

 

[Enchanted Girl]

Data: "The Offspring" (Although I love his character so much that this was a hard choice for me.)

Dr. Crusher: "The Host" (Remember Me was a very close second, but I liked the host better because it had a very unique take on romance.)

Wesley: "Evolution" (I'd pick Remember Me, but that would be cheating.)

Riker: "A Matter of Honor" (He was just really a badass in this episode.)

Geordi: "The Enemy" (Just a very deep and wonderful episode in general.)

Picard:"All Good Things . . . . " Part 1 and 2

Troi: Either "Face of the Enemy" (for obvious reasons) or "Timescape." Timescape is one of my favorite episodes of TNG ever, but she was really good in face of the enemy and timescape didn't really focus on her as a character.

Worf: "Parallels" (This episode was just very unique and fun in my opinion.)

Other People:

Ensign Ro: "The Next Phase" (I loved this episode. Very exciting and full of action.)

Tasha Yar: "The Arsenal of Freedom" (I know this episode didn't focus on her, but I thought she was at her best here.)

Q: "Deja Q" (In my opinion, this was the funniest episode in all of TNG.)

Guinan: "I, Borg"

O'Brien: "The Wounded"

Lwaxana Troi: "Dark Page"

Barclay: "Hollow Pursuits"

 

[Winged Victory]

Picard--"Family" (I love this look at Picard, his family in France, and how he deals with the aftermath of his Borg transformation. Runner up: "The Drumhead"--I know it's not a Picard-centric one, but the Captain has wonderful lines about justice and free speech. I love it!)

Riker--"The Outcast" (Love beyond stereotypical genders...intriguing idea and one of Riker's best eps. Runner up: "Future Imperfect")

Crusher--"Remember Me" (We don't get a lot of Crusher episodes...But what a great, original concept; one of my all-time favorites! Runner up: "Suspicions")

Data--"Data's Day" (Love watching him tap dance! Runner up: "The Offspring")

Troi--"The Loss" (She's not my favorite character, but I do enjoy her here; a little bit more human and less empathic.)

Wesley--"The First Duty" (I love the part when Picard gives Wes the "duty and honor" dressing down...)

Worf--"Sins of the Father" (Great Worf/Picard stuff. Runner up: "Ethics")

LaForge--"The Enemy" (One of the first episodes of TNG I ever watched. Geordi's a very resourceful guy! Runner up: "Relics")

I feel like watching some good ol' TNG right now...

 

[carlmarx]

Yeesh this is gonna be tough.

Picard- oh boy. His judicial ownage in "Measure Of a Man"? His diplomatic definition-of-the-perfect-Federation-Captain ownage in "Darmok"? His super-all-around-badassery and subsequent ownage in "Chain Of Command II"?

I guess I'll go with Chain of Command. For now.

Riker- "Frame Of Mind", at least acting-wise. But barring anything I can't think of off the top of my head, I'm gonna go with probably an unpopular choice here and say "Attached". The way he handled this week's warring factions was awesome and quintessential Riker.

Data- I'm gonna go with "Skin Of Evil", an unpopular choice again I'm sure. But the ending focusing on him was perfect IMO and was a first crucial step in his evolution throughout the series. His line "I find my thoughts are not for Tasha but for myself, and how empty it will be without her" was, I feel, one of his most important moments.

Troi - Is anyone not going to say "Face Of The Enemy"?

Geordi- Though it doesn't really represent what they did with him later in the show, I'm gonna say "The Arsenal Of Freedom". The ending was very visceral for me and I wanted to cheer when he and his crew of no-names destroyed the alien weapon. Nice to see him take charge like that and succeed on such a big scale.

Worf- Probably "Reunion". He never wavered in front of Gowron and Duras' insults, focusing on his duties, and finally the true Klingon part of him emerged and he got to dispense with the man who kills his woman. A good well-rounded show for his character.

Beverly- I'm partial to "The Host", I really really like that one and I think McFadden probably delivered a damn moving performance here.

Wesley- "The First Duty". Best they were gonna get with him.

 

[spetsnaz]

Picard = the measure of a man

in fact i think this was one of the finest episodes of the whole star trek franchise.

 

[indolover]

Picard - Darmok or Tapestry
Data - Brothers
Worf - Sins of the Father (best Klingon episode ever IMO)
Riker - Future Imperfect
La Forge - The Mind's Eye
Troi - The Loss
Crusher - Remember Me or Suspicions
Wesley - Final Mission

O'Brien - The Wounded
Guinan - Time's Arrow
Lwaxana - Cost of Living
Barclay - The Nth Degree
Q - QPid

 

[TV's Frank]

Picard: First choice is "Tapestry", but he really is the actor and character with the most amount of stellar episodes, and rightly so. I could just as easily select "Sarek", "The Inner Light", "Chain of Command" or "All Good Things" and be equally fine...

Data - either "Data's Day" or "The Offspring", but as with Picard there are many more examples, such as "Measure of a Man", "Brothers" and "Birthright".

Riker - probably "Future Imperfect", but runner-ups could be "Peak Performance" and "Best of Both Worlds".

Worf - "Reunion" or "Sins of the Father"

Troi - "Face of the Enemy" or "The Price", plus her B-story in "Thine Own Self"

Crusher - "The Host"

Geordi - probably "Identity Crisis" or "The Next Phase", though he shares the latter with Ro

Wesley - "The Dauphin" or "Evolution", as when these episodes originally aired I was the same age as his character and sadly could relate!

O'brien - gotta be "The Wounded"

Q - "Deja Q"

Ro - "Conundrum"... check it out, she seduces Riker!

 

[tomalak301]

Picard: So many to chose from, but The Inner Light was his best performance.

Data: The Offspring

Riker: Frame of Mind, but I also want to say Future Imperfect just to be different

Bev Crusher: Remember Me

Wesley: Final Mission

Worf: Reunion

Geordi: Identity Crisis

Q: All Good Things... or Tapestry

Barcley: The Nth Degree

Troi: Face of the Enemy (I'm trying to think of another great Troi episode though, but it seemed like her great moments were either in First Contact or Voyager)

OBrian: The Wounded

Ensign Ro: Ensign Ro

Guinan: Time's Arrow

Lawaxana Troi: Half a Life or Dark Page

Gowron: Reunion

Tasha Yar: Yesterday's Enterprise

Tomalak: The Defector

Lursa and B'Tor: Firstborn (Was that the one with Quark, I haven't seen that episode in a long time)

I'm trying to think of any character on TNG who appeared more than 3 times. I think I got them all.

 

[KirkPicard]

Picard - "All Good Things..."
Data - "Measure of a Man"
Worf - "Parallels"
Riker - "The Best of Both World's Pt. II"
La Forge - "The Arsenal Of Freedom"
Troi - "Face of the Enemy"
Crusher - "Attached"
Wesley - "Where No One Has Gone Before"
Yar - "Yesterday's Enterprise"
Q - "Deja Q"

 

[Trek_princess]

I haven't seen all the episodes, but I like "The Child" for Troi.

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

Picard - Family

Data - The Offspring

Worf - Sins of the Father

Riker - Frame of Mind

La Forge - The Next Phase

Troi - Face of the Enemy

Crusher - Remember Me

Wesley - Final Mission

Yar - Yesterday's Enterprise

Ro - Preemptive Strike

O'Brien - The Wounded

Guinan - Time's Arrow

Lwaxana - Dark Page

Pulaski - Elementary, Dear Data (She's not the main focus, but I really enjoyed her scenes with Moriarty)

Barclay - Hollow Pursuits

Q - Déjà Q

 

[tomalak301]

How could I forget Pulaski. She was very good in both Elementary Dear Data and, dare I say it, Shades of Gray.

 

[byron lomax]

Picard: almost impossible to choose one... "The Inner Light" or maybe "Tapestry"

Riker: "Future Imperfect"

Data: "Data's Day"

Geordi: "The Mind's Eye"

Crusher: "Remember Me"

Troi: "Face of the Enemy"

Worf: "Parallels"

Wesley: "The First Duty"

 

[Gul Re'jal]

Picard - The Inner Light
Riker - Pegasus
Data - The Measure Of A Man
Worf - Parallels
LaForge - The Next Phase
Troi - Face of the Enemy
Crusher - Remember Me
Pulaski - Unnatural Selection
Wesley - nothing :P

 

[Red Ranger]

Picard = the measure of a man

in fact i think this was one of the finest episodes of the whole star trek franchise.

I'm going against type and not providing my list, as many of the eps mentioned are on my list as well. However, I wanted to mention there are several eps where several of the cast members shined. This is one, as Data, Picard, and Riker -- who is forced to prosecute Data -- all get a chance to excel.

Another ep where several characters shine is Redemption, Part II. Picard (his Romulan blockade idea screws up their plans); Data (who has to deal with an insubordinate, bigoted officer, and does so well); and Worf (torn between two cultures, he remains true to his principles of honor).

 

[Shatnertage]

Picard-"Chain of Command"
Riker-"Shades of Gray" (just kidding...actually I'd say "Future Imperfect")
Troi-"The Loss"
Data-"The Most Toys"
Crusher-"Remember Me"
LaForge-"Relics"
That's my list for today, anyway.

 

[Mojochi]

Picard - Chain Of Command
Riker - The Pegasus
Data - The Offspring
Geordi - The Enemy
Troi - Face Of The Enemy
Worf - Redemption
Beverly - Remember Me
Wesley - The First Duty
Tasha - Yesterday's Enterprise
Ro - Preemptive Strike
Barkley - The Nth Degree

 

[Starbreaker]

Picard - Lessons
Riker - Frame of Mind
Troi - Face of the Enemy
Data - The Offspring
La Forge - The Next Phase
Crusher - Remember Me
Worf - Parallels
Wesley - The First Duty

 

[Eddie Roth]

I'm trying not to look at other posters' choices beforehand so as not to be influenced, so these just off the top of my head:

Picard - has to be The Inner Light. Not only one of the best TNG episodes, but it was a revealing What If scenario for the character with lasting repercussions. I also have to mention The Survivors. It's not a particularly Picard-centric episode, but one of TNG's best that never gets mentioned, so...

Riker - Frame of Mind.

Data - Either The Offspring or Data's Day. Pretty much tied. I would have said The Measure of a Man which may be in my TNG Top 5, but I really consider this more of a Picard episode really. Honorable mention to Thine Own Self.

Geordi - I never liked his episodes much overall, but Identity Crisis stands out somewhat.

Worf - Reunion. And Parallels. The latter because it showed that it doesn't have to be Klingon-themed episode that makes the character shine. Nevertheless, the former is TNG's grand shakespearean opera.

Troi - Face of the Enemy.

Crusher - Call me crazy, but I loved Sub Rosa. Good showcase for her, great episode for Halloween.

Wesley - Obviously The First Duty.