Most Forgettable Episode

[Mojochi]

Episodes so unremarkable as to not ever show up on "best of" or "worst of" lists, never get debated over anything controversial, & don't add anything significant to the series at all.

My vote goes to The Vengeance Factor. I've seen it numerous times. Despite that fact, I can't even remember half of their names & I'm watching it right now. It's some kind of clan war that bothers Picard or something, & Riker getting lead around by his libido. There's many forgettable episodes, but none which I so find completely underwhelming

 

[BlueStuff]

I'm not sure what the most forgettable episode is, because I've forgotten it.

 

[Mojochi]

I'm not sure what the most forgettable episode is, because I've forgotten it.

Well, get back to us when you remember it, so we can forget it too

 

[Tomalak]

Home Soil, New Ground, Man of the People. I can't remember those at all. They have such generic titles.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

I'm not sure what the most forgettable episode is, because I've forgotten it.

I only came here to make this joke...

Conundrum... all the cast lose their memories. A lot if forgetfulness to go around.

In reality, I'm going to say Masks, as I can't really remember much from it apart from people slating it on the forum.

 

[Tomalak]

I only came here to make this joke...

Conundrum... all the cast lose their memories. A lot if forgetfulness to go around.

In reality, I'm going to say Masks, as I can't really remember much from it apart from people slating it on the forum.

Masks is unforgettable... though not in a good way.

 

[F. King Daniel]

"The Masterpiece Society"

 

[Noname Given]

For me (and I'm serious) - The Inner Light

I know the majority of TNG fandom holds this episode up as some sort of 'highlight of what Star Trek is' but please; it was more an average anthology episode that could have been done for any incarnation of either "The Outer Limits" or "The Twilight Zone".

To me it came across as:

Writer: "I have this story, but I hate dealing with Star Trek and it's history - but I don't need to here...win!"

I've always found it self-serving; plodding and boring.

[Now donning Flame-Proof suit]

 

[Qonundrum]

I had to look up the episode list to find the episodes I'd forgotten about because, like everyone else, I'd forgotten.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes

Lonely Among Us
The Big Goodbye
We'll Always Have Paris
The Royale (I did see it a couple months ago, but it's still not terribly memorable despite being (slightly) above average for season 2)
The Emissary
The Bonding
The Price (though how an episode can be so forgettable despite being so bad...)
A Matter of Perspective
Allegiance
Suddenly Human
Reunion
Final Mission
The Loss
The Wounded
Clues
Half a Life
The Host
Cost of Living
The Perfect Mate
Time's Arrow (though in its defense the setup and cliffhanger were rather original)
Realm of Fear
Man of the People
Schisms
A Fistful of Datas (partly because it's so bad!)
The Quality of Life (ditto, just thinking the name "Exocomp" compels me to chant "never happened, never happened, never happened"!)
Aquiel
Birthright part one
Suspicions
Rightful Heir
Second Chances
Liaisons
Gambit
Dark Page
Attached
Homeward
Sub Rosa (everyone remembers the "sweeps week moment" but absolutely nothing else or what gets her there, pun not intended... so I'm including it anyway. )
Lower Decks
Eye of the Beholder
Genesis (how could I forget that one, hence this edit)
Journey's End
Firstborn
Bloodlines
Emergence
Preemptive Strike

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Haven is pretty forgettable. The Perfect Mate as well.

Neither have anything particularly terrible about them, and nothing good that stands out about them either.

 

[Tosk]

Most later eps I remember quite well, but I would have real trouble describing any of these ones from 1 and 2...

Lonely Among Us
Haven
Angel One
Too Short a Season
When the Bough Breaks
Home Soil
Symbiosis
We'll Always Have Paris
Where Silence Has Lease
Unnatural Selection
Up the Long Ladder

 

[Nakita Akita]

Masks. I think watched it once all the way through. Other than looking like a portfolio recording for Spiner, what the hell/ why the hell did the ship turn into an ancient stone chamber?
I can only remember one scene, I think it has been indelibly burned into my memory, of Spiner doing a horrible imitation of possibly an anciently old person.
I think it reminded me of something from when I was in about third grade, some of us 9 year olds pretending we were on our 80's.

However, we were most likely more entertaining than this episode.

 

[Tomalak]

The thing with Masks is that Spiner is absolutely dreadful in the episode. It brings out the worst in him, namely a succession of silly voices. See also Noonien Soong's croaky old man voice.

 

[Nakita Akita]

The thing with Masks is that Spiner is absolutely dreadful in the episode. It brings out the worst in him, namely a succession of silly voices. See also Noonien Soong's croaky old man voice.

But if they wanted to do a one man episode they should have stopped it and left him with
"Data's Day" which was a fun episode I thought.
They should have had Stewart and Spiner switch roles. I think except for the ridiculousness of the ship becoming a meso-paleo whatever, at least the dialogue wouldn't have been physically painful to endure.

 

[Tomalak]

Indeed. Data's Day and In Theory are great examples of how to do a different kind of Data story and give Spiner an effective showcase.

I think they got it into their head that Spiner was some kind of brilliant actor. He's wonderful as Data because it forces him to focus and prevents him from going big with his comic acting. He can be very good, but his natural inclinations are always towards the big and the melodramatic.

As Lore he becomes a scenery-chewing, moustache-twirling villain, when the part probably called for a more subtle, sinister portrayal. But I suppose it sort of plays into the character, because Lore always turns out to be totally inept with stupid plans which make no sense. No wonder Soong took him apart.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

Time's Arrow two parter.

 

[DonIago]

"Descent"

Let's see, you've got:
The return of Lore
The Borg (sort of)
The return of Hugh (I, at least, wanted to see him again after "I, Borg")
Beverly in command of the ship
Stephen Hawking

And it still manages to end up being a "not much happens" two-parter.

 

[Tomalak]

"Descent"

Let's see, you've got:
The return of Lore
The Borg (sort of)
The return of Hugh (I, at least, wanted to see him again after "I, Borg")
Beverly in command of the ship
Stephen Hawking

And it still manages to end up being a "not much happens" two-parter.

Yeah, they threw the kitchen sink at that one, and it's the worst season cliffhanger they did.

 

[Kor]

Even though it gets a lot of negativity, I think Shades of Grey qualifies as "forgettable" for its sheer blandness and the fact that nothing important actually happens.

Kor

 

[Roysten]

It's interesting that quite a few of the two-parters are getting mentioned here, gotta say I agree on that front, with the exception of Best of Both Worlds and All Good Things TNG weren't nearly as good at the two-parters as the later series.

As for my own forgettable episodes; to pick on from each season:
Too Short a Season - by no means the worst of S1, but one I frequently forget exists, just dull, and odd to spend so much time on the story of a random guest of the week so early in the shows' run.
The Outrageous Okona - Don't like Okona, don't like the story, the Data comedy subplot is ok, but doesn't really lift it, is one I always skip.
A Matter of Perspective - Looking back this is a strong season, this ep isn't as bad as the truly awful Transfigurations, in fact the premise is quite different for Star Trek, I just found it a bit boring and not well executed.
Legacy - I know a lot of people like this episode but it never worked for me, it's ok but I never have a desire to rewatch it.
The Perfect Mate - Again not the worst and gets points for trying to do something a bit different, but just an odd episode that's quite uncomfortable to watch, and one I always thankfully forget about!
Man of the People - I remember the duds of this season but this one doesn't really register, I remember Troi acting weird, again uncomfortable watching, admittedly that's about it!
Liaisons - Quite a few more duds in this season, can tell the show is running out of steam. I honestly have no memory of this episode at all, I guess that says it all!