Guilty Pleasure Episodes from Each Season

[ThankQ]

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. We all like telling others about them. TNG offers many opportunities for guilty pleasure episodes. Episodes you acknowledge aren't great, but you can't help but love them in spite of the pointing and cackling from others.

Let's pick one guilty pleasure episode from each season. Then we call all make fun of each other.

S1 - The Arsenal of Freedom
Vincent Schiavelli. Need I say more? Just about any episode you like from S1 is a guilty pleasure, and I think this is my favorite one from the season. It's like a nice lollypop. It's a good ship.

S2 - The Royale
First saw this episode in 1991 or 1992 on my little b&w portable TV, hidden under my blankets with headphones because my bedtime was 10:00 and the TNG reruns came on at 10:30. The little space nut I was, as soon as they beamed up a piece of debris and I saw the NASA snake, I squeed myself. I was hooked.

S3 - Captain's Holiday
S3 is a challenge. Most of the eps I like are considered good. Holiday is a fun episode that sets up several later story lines. And you get the goofiest looking punch of all time from Picard.

S4 - Devil's Due
Remember Me, Future Imperfect, In Theory were all options here, but I've heard several say good things about each of these episodes. Most of the stuff I hear about Devil's Due is pretty negative, but I loved this one from out of the gate. This was mid S4, I was 12 years old and by this time 6:00 PM Saturdays was reserved for TNG in my house. And I got to watch it on the big 19-inch color TV!

S5 - A Matter of Time
Matt Frewer. Need I say more? The higher, the Frewer! (Yeah, different ep. Bite me.) Not as rewatchable as I remember, but it still holds up. Hey, it won an Emmy, so it can't be that bad, right?

S6 - Starship Mine
Yeah, Picard the Action Hero gets old quickly, but I've always enjoyed this one. I don't know why. I'd love to pick True Q here, but I just can't rewatch it despite the fact its a Q ep and I'm in love with Olivia d'Abo.

S7 - Parallels
Yep, I'm picking this one. Seems this is a love it or hate it episode, and I love it.

Okay. You go.

 

[Oddish]

S1: When the Bough Breaks. Skip the annoying ending and it gets a lot better.
S2: Shades of Gray. Yes, I actually enjoy this one. Also, on the other end, "The Child" is pretty good.
S3: Hollow Pursuits. Worth watching just for Troi saying "Muzzle it."
S4: First Contact. Don't know why I like this one, but I do.
S5: The Game. Usually, I don't like "Wesley saves the ship" episodes, but this one is the exception.
S6: Schisms. "We've all been here before."
S7: Phantasms. Worf really likes that mint frosting...

 

[Mojochi]

S1: Homesoil
Cheesy season 1 acting aside, it's got what I want TNG to have. Suspicious goings on, dire circumstances, mysterious alien life, & our peeps getting to the bottom of it. etc...

S2: Samaritan Snare
If you can't have you a good time watching this, do you even Star Trek, Bro?

S3: Tin Man
Hey, I like it. I guess Tam Elbrun grates on some viewers, but I think it works for the character, & it's kind of a touching tale, & Data puts the finishing touches on it perfectly.

S4: In Theory
Look, I'm a Data fan, you know? & this one may well be a lesser trip to that well, but I think it was kind of a necessary leap to take at some point. Kudos for trying imho. My only criticism is that in the end, Data is left with the impression that he's the problem, & I don't necessarily agree with that.... which makes this an interestingly debatable episode, with more to it than meets the eye.

S5: Conundrum
I watch it as much as any of them. It's some of the best character interaction they ever had imho. Worf gets a slice of humble pie. Rankless Picard shines in mediation. Riker & Ro finally drop ALL the pretense. Even Geordi & Data get a moment or 2 that grab you. Who cares they had to cook up plot holes & silly machinations to get there? Not me.

S6: Times Arrow
Is it some of the quality Star Trek we aspire to? Not really, but I'll be damned if I don't enjoy it when it's on. Everything & everyone just oozes charm in this one, man. I like watching it as much as All Good Things...

S7: Genesis
Complete & utter gobbledygook, that is just a joy to watch, from start to finish imho.

 

[Pikirk_Janesisko]

S1: The Arsenal of Freedom
This one is entertaining at least and the TOS like set from the planet just adds to its cheesiness in a good way. I don't have much else to comment about it.

S2: Contagion
I really enjoyed this one. I don't know why but I get this sense of epicness while watching. I always thought this could have worked as two parter or even a feature film.

S3: The Survivors
Well written, it does find a clever way to deal with Troi's abilities and the story is very heartbreaking.

S4: Devil's Due
This episode screams TOS. Most of the TOS style episodes never worked with TNG with the exception of this one. Very fun to watch and great performance by Marta DuBois.

S5: Violations
Good thriller episode. I like how the episode doesn't force into us how bad Jev is, making him appear likable at the surface, which is something that often don't happen successfully with most antagonists in the show. Besides, the dream sequences are nicely done and it's very disturbing

S6: Rascals
It's kinda dumb I know, but I still like it. Very funny and it doesn't take itself to seriously. My only gripe is with the child actor playing Picard on which he isn't very good.

S7: Genesis
I mean, the premise is really stupid. Reminds me of "Catspaw", with the very Halloweenish look. I don't really take it very seriously but is so insane that is entertaining to watch.

 

[Qonundrum]

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. We all like telling others about them. TNG offers many opportunities for guilty pleasure episodes. Episodes you acknowledge aren't great, but you can't help but love them in spite of the pointing and cackling from others.

Let's pick one guilty pleasure episode from each season. Then we call all make fun of each other.

S1 - The Arsenal of Freedom
Vincent Schiavelli. Need I say more? Just about any episode you like from S1 is a guilty pleasure, and I think this is my favorite one from the season. It's like a nice lollypop. It's a good ship.

TAoF seemed to be a generally good story all around? If it's in the "bad but I'll watch and even enjoy it" list, then count me in. It's a top-4 entry from this season for sure. (IMHO, the top 4 are this one, 11001001, WNOHGB, Conspiracy)

While not in my top 4:

I'd also vie for "When the Bough Breaks" as a guilty pleasure. Definitely atypical for season 1's formula-tripping mess, but not in a bad way, keeps true to TNG's desire to keep kids on ships, has Picard suitably soiling himself over having to deal with kids (a trait not often seen or done well until season 5's "Disaster"), and the whole story has a certain charm -- even if slightly narrow in scope with the number of inhabitants versus number of Enterprise kids to freshly pluck.

Or "Symbiosis" - both weak and hard on the nose, but still has a certain "not as unwatchable as a massive bloody train wreck" feel.

Or "Haven", which is lopsided and more unfocused than me, but the underlying plot is pretty gritty without it realizing it. It's worth seeing again, not just to make sure I remember the plot points properly but to see all that fancy 80s hair. Remember "Smellovision"? The 80s needed to try reinventing that, the infamous dining scene worthy of TNG's latter half of its run could have scents of extra-strength hairspray emanating from the TV set...

Lastly: "Skin of Evil" (really good for what little it has to do), "Datalore" (a massive mess, elevated by Spiner and some great direction), and "Home Soil" (one of the few times TNG does hard sci-fi, and it more or less works despite some quirks.)

S2 - The Royale
First saw this episode in 1991 or 1992 on my little b&w portable TV, hidden under my blankets with headphones because my bedtime was 10:00 and the TNG reruns came on at 10:30. The little space nut I was, as soon as they beamed up a piece of debris and I saw the NASA snake, I squeed myself. I was hooked.

The Child - good sci-fi is going to be uncomfortable with some of its concepts. Even more unnerving is that the "baddie" isn't a malevolent nasty at all* but using people to live out a life. Why the energy being didn't watch Peter Gabriel's music video of "Steam" instead, I have no idea, apart from that being a couple years' away.

* atypical for the season, given Nagilum is right around the corner and nobody's nastier than that... except for the Borg...

Some of "Manhunt" isn't as bad as its reputation either, but some of it has definitely aged poorly.

S3 - Captain's Holiday
S3 is a challenge. Most of the eps I like are considered good. Holiday is a fun episode that sets up several later story lines. And you get the goofiest looking punch of all time from Picard.

The Vengeance Factor. Not highly rated, Riker - go figure - wants to oink, but this is the Kazon before the Kazon, and handled better (despite a few glossed-over moments).

Having been back and forth on this like a yo-yo, I can fathom why "The Bonding" isn't highly rated. But, for Ronald D Moore's first script, there's more to it that's underrated... it's also a post season-2 episode that feels like a more refined season 1 episode, if not a refined TOS episode with the magical friendly energy critter that wants to do something nice.

S4 - Devil's Due
Remember Me, Future Imperfect, In Theory were all options here, but I've heard several say good things about each of these episodes. Most of the stuff I hear about Devil's Due is pretty negative, but I loved this one from out of the gate. This was mid S4, I was 12 years old and by this time 6:00 PM Saturdays was reserved for TNG in my house. And I got to watch it on the big 19-inch color TV!

QPid is one I always get a chuckle out of, and a great way to do a "love story" with proper subversion of expectation.

Devil's Due is another fun one, even if its origins were from Phase 2 (like The Child) and it's apparently odd that a woman can't fawn over an older man. When this script was originally filmed, Shatner was upper-40s too, so it's not as much a stretch either.

Half-a-Life, apparently not in the top half of the "best of season 4" list, is also underrated - if not on the nose at times.

S5 - A Matter of Time
Matt Frewer. Need I say more? The higher, the Frewer! (Yeah, different ep. Bite me.) Not as rewatchable as I remember, but it still holds up. Hey, it won an Emmy, so it can't be that bad, right?

Maybe Robin Williams? The episode isn't half-bad, but does suffer because Robin's not there and Rasmussen was intended for him... he was busy doing a movie, and unable to take the role...

Disaster is one I've returned to, despite it not being revered by many. I'm softer toward it nowadays... but rewatches are more distant apart.

Imaginary Friend feels like a worn out trope, apart from using a kid as a focal point for the typical "alien wants to observe humanity and critique it" trope. But I've seen it more times than many. But not recently...

S6 - Starship Mine
Yeah, Picard the Action Hero gets old quickly, but I've always enjoyed this one. I don't know why. I'd love to pick True Q here, but I just can't rewatch it despite the fact its a Q ep and I'm in love with Olivia d'Abo.

"Rascals". The Ferengi subplot is up there with GENERATIONS in contriving the easy defeat of the flagship, but the transporter problem of the week is rendered better by the philosophical aspect, but season 6 just goes to show how easy it is to life forever thanks to the transporter...

"True Q" - the lesser Q story and not season 6's finest, the (un?)intended allegory is pretty nifty and Q's humor is on prime display.

S7 - Parallels
Yep, I'm picking this one. Seems this is a love it or hate it episode, and I love it.

"Liaisons". LOVE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (grr!)

"Genesis" - flawed but fun.

"Masks" in the right mood just about works.

DItto for "Thine Own Self".

"Phantasms" - is that generally not liked? I always have a soft spot for it, and not because of the eating metaphors with cake downed with nice cherry koolaid...

 

[Vger23]

Season 1: Conspiracy- As time has gone by, I see what a flawed episode this really is. But...yeah...I still love it.
Season 2: The Royale- It's just too much fun with a perfect dose of sci-fi mystery to not enjoy the heck out of it.
Season 3: Captain's Holiday- I never knew this episode wasn't well regarded. I always loved it, mainly because any time Picard is a fish out of water, it's great
Season 4: Devil's Due- Again, any episode that is fun and makes Picard uncomfortable is a good time. I like this one a lot.
Season 5: The Game- There's something ironic about Wes coming back to the Enterprise...and STILL he ends up saving it. It was fun, almost like the writers were punking us a bit
Season 6: Rascals- This was another episode I didn't know I was supposed to hate. I always thought it was good fun, and the performances from the young actors were gold
Season 7: Liaisons- The Worf humor in this alone is worth the price of admission.

 

[Kor]

Definitely The Royale. I've long been an enthusiast of trashy paperback crime novels.

Kor

 

[Mojochi]

Season 7: Liaisons- The Worf humor in this alone is worth the price of admission.

Good choice! That was #2 on my guilty pleasure list for that season

 

[dupersuper]

Guilt in this context is silly. I like the episodes I like.

 

[Qonundrum]

Season 1: Conspiracy- As time has gone by, I see what a flawed episode this really is. But...yeah...I still love it.
Season 2: The Royale- It's just too much fun with a perfect dose of sci-fi mystery to not enjoy the heck out of it.
Season 3: Captain's Holiday- I never knew this episode wasn't well regarded. I always loved it, mainly because any time Picard is a fish out of water, it's great
Season 4: Devil's Due- Again, any episode that is fun and makes Picard uncomfortable is a good time. I like this one a lot.
Season 5: The Game- There's something ironic about Wes coming back to the Enterprise...and STILL he ends up saving it. It was fun, almost like the writers were punking us a bit
Season 6: Rascals- This was another episode I didn't know I was supposed to hate. I always thought it was good fun, and the performances from the young actors were gold
Season 7: Liaisons- The Worf humor in this alone is worth the price of admission.

"The Game", and I forgot to add that into my list (I was still short a quart of coffee that afternoon), feels like a story harking back to the earlier seasons, but with the current producers' new style applied. If they were punking us, it's subtle... or unless they were trying to imagine how season 1 might feel if Piller et al had made it... The usual nitpicks about how Geordi can get affected (a visor over the VISOR?) still exist, but it is a fun episode that hasn't dated all that badly... which is doubly weird since a lot of people felt it was a corny story at the time, given the episodes surrounding it.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

S5 - A Matter of Time
Hey, it won an Emmy, so it can't be that bad, right?

For VFX. That doesn't move the needle very much on how good or bad the episode is.

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. We all like telling others about them. TNG offers many opportunities for guilty pleasure episodes. Episodes you acknowledge aren't great, but you can't help but love them in spite of the pointing and cackling from others.

S1. "The Arsenal of Freedom"
S2. "Up the Long Ladder"
S3. "Booby Trap"
S4. "The Loss"
S5, "The Masterpiece Society"
S6. "Starship Mine"
S7. "Masks"

 

[JesterFace]

Guilt in this context is silly. I like the episodes I like.

I'm also weird like that, I watch the episodes I know I like.
Although at the same time I must confess, there are some episodes from mainly seasons 1 and 2 that I don't remember much or anything about, rewatch might be in order at some point.

 

[tomalak301]

Season 1 - Lonely Among Us
Season 2 - Contagion (Even though on repeat viewings the solution is all too obvious)
Season 3 - The Vengeance Factor - Riker having to shoot the person he was falling for was kind of emotional
Season 4 - Half a Life - Dark Page is my favorite Lwaxana episode, but this came close
Season 5 - Ensign Ro - The Introduction of Ro, the Bajorans, and some nice diplomacy from Picard to one up the admiral
Season 6 - Suspicions - Dr. Crusher, Science farengis, and the intro to metaphaysic shielding
Season 7 - Preemptive Strike - I don't see many people talk about this episode much

 

[ThankQ]

Hey, I like it. I guess Tam Elbrun grates on some viewers, but I think it works for the character

I think he was supposed to. In real world humans, believing you know what everyone else is thinking about you can be a major factor in antisocial behavior and is a diagnostic criterion in many mood and personality disorders. Imagine what could happen to a person if they actually did know at all times what everyone is thinking about them? Most of the time we're marginally annoyed by someone we may have brief negative thoughts about them, but it's really no big deal and we all go through life knowing at some point we all any each other, but we accept that as part of life, know we sometimes put off others, but it rarely changes our opinion of someone or anything like that.

While grating, I feel empathy for his plight and relate to his search for peace from the noise in his head. 43 minutes just wasn't enough time to get the fully embrace his character arc and shift the early opinions we formed of him as viewers.

If only there were someone who posts here regularly *cough* @Groot *cough* who could throw down some light...

 

[WarpTenLizard]

Unfortunately I haven't memorized TNG like I have VOY and DS9, so I can't do every season. I'll do what I can though:

Season 1: "The Naked Now." Stupid as hell, and a mind-bogglingly blatant ripoff a TOS episode for their second episode! But, still some funny moments. This is the one and only episode where I actually like Wesley, due mostly to Picard's rage at hearing his own voice give command to "acting Captain Wesley Crusher." And the seasoned chief engineer joining the kid in drunkenly tossing computer chips everywhere. And luved-up Data. XDDD

I might also mention "Code of Honor," but that's not a "guilty pleasure;" that's just a "so bad it's good" MST3K fest. Up/down there with "Spock's Brain" and "Threshold."

Season 2: Don't have one yet. Guess I haven't seen many Pulanski episodes. I can name plenty of genuinely good ones from that season, but not "guilty pleasures."

Season 3: "Who Watches the Watchers" Dumb, boring episode, were Picard acts almost as stupid as the medieval elves worshiping him. But, it does offer more diversity into the Vulcan/Romulan species, if only because someone got lazy and wanted to reuse some Romulan makeup.

Season 4: "The Host" A fabulously stupid episode; but it's crucial viewing for my favorite species, the Trill (even if these "Trill" have almost nothing in common with the ones I like.)

Season 5: "The First Duty" Not a bad episode, but not one I especially care about, except were it concerns a "Voyager" fan.

Season 6: "Frame of Mind" Predictable Reg-Goes-Crazy-But-Not episode. But, it has frizzled Riker.

Honorable mention, "Rascals." Absolutely painful, loathsome episode...until... "Now, now, now!" Snooty old man who hates children, trying to act as a normal bratty child in a child's body. That kid actor nailed it.

Season 7: "Masks" Totally nonsensical, alien culture is a carbon copy of a human one, only exists so Brent Spinner could have a chance to play more different character types. But the imagery, of ancient Mezoamerican architecture and the tropical jungle that goes with it, literally blending with the futuristic starship, is just wicked-trippy enough to make up for it.

 

[Oddish]

Season 3 - The Vengeance Factor - Riker having to shoot the person he was falling for was kind of emotional

Thing I remember most about that final scene is the commentary on what Riker should have done instead. Ideas included...
* Stun her a few more times.
* Tackle her.
* Get between her and Gatherer Guy.
* Beam Gatherer Guy to safety.
* Beam Yuta to the brig.
* Beam Yuta to Riker's quarters.
* Beam Yuta to Riker's quarters, and don't materialize her clothes.
Aaaand... it went downhill from there.

 

[Kei Fox]

The only guilty pleasure that comes to mind here is from Next Generation, Season 2, Episode 12: The Royale. Watching Data roll the dice in craps so he, Riker and Worf could buy out the hotel and escape. I may make another post that pays tribute to some of the reactions of various background extras who witnessed Data's entertaining game.

 

[Kei Fox]

After some extra thought, favourite episodes from each season include the following:
Season 1: Skin of Evil
Season 2: Elementary Dear Data, The Measure of a Man, The Royale, The Emissary
Season 3: Who Watches the Watchers, Yesterday's Enterprise, The Offspring, Sins of the Father, Sarek
Season 4: Reunion, Final Mission, Clues, The Mind's Eye, Redemption Part 1
Season 5: Redemption Part 2, Darmok, Unification Parts 1 and 2, Hero Worship, Cause and Effect, The First Duty, I Borg, The Inner Light
Season 6: Relics, Schisms, True Q, Rascals, Chain of Command Parts 1 and 2, Ship in a Bottle, Tapestry, Descent Part 1
Season 7: Descent Part 2, Phantasms, Parallels, The Pegasus, Genesis, Journey's End, and Emergence.