The Most Disliked Episode of TNG, 2023 Edition - Season 1...

[Farscape One]

Welcome to our bi-yearly 'Most Disliked Episode' games! Now that the 'Least Disliked Episode' games hosted by BlueStuff (who inspired me to create these games, so thank you very much for paving the way) have concluded, we can begin the opposite side of that coin.

Here's the game. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. I'll provide a list of the episodes for each season and you need to eliminate your most favorite or the one you deem the 'best.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed. Finally, leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you feel they would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

Hall of Champions (or Failures?)
2011 - "Shades Of Gray"
2018 - "The Outrageous Okona"
2019 - "Code of Honor"
2021 - "Journey's End"
2023 - "Aquiel"


Season One -

"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Angel One"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Heart of Glory"
"The Arsenal of Freedom"
"Symbiosis"
"Skin Of Evil"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Farscape One]

Looking back on the last season 1 TNG game, I found my first save is still exactly how I feel about it, so I am copying it from then because I was pretty eloquent about my feelings of this episode.


My first save of TNG is "The Arsenal of Freedom".

I've always had a soft spot for episodes that uses the whole cast, and this one utilizes the full cast very, very well, and they all come across as very good at their jobs. (With the exception of Wesley, but the story didn't need him here, as this was a full blown assignment from Starfleet.) Yar giving good advice, Crusher coming up with the solution, Geordi showing good leadership skills... even Troi doing her job well with the advice she gave Geordi.

On top of that, the story is great, the pacing and direction is focused and keeps the action and tension tight, and we get to see the ship separate. And having Vincent Schiavelli is the cherry on top.

Always a rewatch for me. Almost certainly my favorite of season 1.


"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Angel One"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Heart of Glory"
"Symbiosis"
"Skin Of Evil"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Sakonna]

Easily my most rewatched season. I'm feeling particularly high on "Skin Of Evil" at the moment. It's such a TV cliche today, the shocking out-of-nowhere death, just to demonstrate that this is a show that'll kill it's characters. What no writers today seem to realize is that this is not effective storytelling when every show does it.

But this wasn't something every show did then. It blew my mind that they could do this. This random death, early in the episode, not even a finale... it taught me a lot about how death actually shows up, watching this as a kid.

"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Angel One"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Heart of Glory"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Oddish]

Though it's not a popular choice, I will save "Angel One". I have a soft spot for that episode because it understands that equality between the sexes comes slowly, through evolution, not magical overnight transformation.

"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Heart of Glory"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "Heart of Glory".

A really great episode, and the first of MANY appearances by Vaughn Armstrong. He did a fantastic job as Korris. And we got a great look at a part of Klingon culture, and Worf.

I can only say this about the episode...

QAPLA'!!!


"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Sakonna]

I was never into "Encounter At Farpoint", until a rewatch during pandemic lockdown when it suddenly charmed me for the first time. It's so weird in so many ways, but that great cast chemistry is there from the moment this series comes out of the gate.

"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"11001001"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[CitadelZombies]

I'll save "11001001" really good episode. The Bynars are a fun species it's a shame we really didn't see them again. The evacuation of the Enterprise from Starbase is quite exciting and Minuet is an interesting character.

"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Seven of Five]

Conspiracy is a tense political thriller, with a highly memorable gross-out ending. My high-point of S1.

"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[BlueStuff]

Where No One Has Gone Before - fond nostalgic memories of watching this one. It always seemed to be on at 4am or 5am on BBC2 back in the day!

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[CitadelZombies]

Always had a soft spot for "The Last Outpost". Definitely not the best introduction to the Ferengi, but there's a fun mystery before they are fully revealed.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Sakonna]

I always love the weird moody vibe of "Lonely Among Us."

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"The Neutral Zone"

 

[Oddish]

The Neutral Zone had some good "fish out of water" moments with the humans from the past. Worth a save.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "Home Soil".

Very much captures one of the main parts of the spirit of the franchise... coming to an understanding after wrongs have happened. 'Microbrain' was definitely an interesting species, and pretty unique. Always a favorite of this season.


“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"

 

[Seven of Five]

Some of it wasn't very original, but I've always had a soft spot for Datalore. Brent Spiner is great in the dual roles.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"

 

[Sakonna]

"Justice" is iconic in it's insanity.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"

 

[Brennyren]

To me, "The Big Goodbye" was the first good episode of TNG. I loved the style, the costumes, and the whole noir vibe. True, it was the first of way the hell too many why do we even keep this thing "holodeck peril" episodes -- but taken on its own, it was enjoyable.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"
"We'll Always Have Paris"

 

[Oddish]

"We'll Always Have Paris" is harmless enough, takes a peek into Picard's past. And I thought the triple Data resolution was pretty cool.

“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"
"Symbiosis"

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "Symbiosis".

It was not a happy ending, which was keeping in spirit of TOS because there were a lot of endings that didn't end happy. In a very real sense, it was the first true Kobayashi Maru of the 1987-2005 era of the franchise... both choices for Picard were some form of bad.

I also have never understood why Tasha's drug dialogue is looked at so badly by so many. I thought it was an honest look at drugs. They do make people feel good, but eventually you go from taking them to feel good to taking them to stop from feeling bad. Drugs ARE a trap, and I thought it was good to remind people of that.


“The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"

 

[Sakonna]

Those frozen naked people in "The Naked Now" are so scary and haunting, even now!

"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"

 

[Seven of Five]

Hide and Q next, which is a superior appearance of Q than Encounter at Farpoint.

"Code of Honor"
"The Battle"
"Haven"
"Too Short A Season"
"When The Bough Breaks"
"Coming Of Age"