The Most Disliked Episode of TNG, Season 6 - 2025 Edition...

[Frightscape 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"
2025 -


Season Six -

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm Of Fear"
"Man Of The People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"A Fistful of Datas"
"The Quality Of Life"
"Chain Of Command, Part I"
"Chain Of Command, Part II"
"Ship In A Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Face Of The Enemy"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Frame of Mind"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent"

 

[Frightscape One]

This was a really, really good season. Hard to pick my first. I'm tempted to go with an obvious Picard episode.

But given my love of horror and creepiness, I have to start with "Frame of Mind".

This might be Jonathan Frakes' best performance as Will Riker. No matter what anyone says about him, you have to give Frakes credit for always going all in on a concept or episode. He totally nailed the madness he was feeling. Plus there's always something unsettling about an asylum.

Not to mention this is Brannon Braga at his best. His script was excellent. I found no flaws with it. Couple that with the always excellent James L. Conway as the director, and this ends up as one of the best episodes of TNG. (Hell, it's so good that Braga basically redid it for VOY with "PROJECTIONS". Frakes even directed that one, too.)


"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm Of Fear"
"Man Of The People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"A Fistful of Datas"
"The Quality Of Life"
"Chain Of Command, Part I"
"Chain Of Command, Part II"
"Ship In A Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Face Of The Enemy"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Lots of really good episodes in this season. My first save will be Face of the Enemy one of my all time favourite TNG episodes.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Man of the People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"A Fistful of Datas"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Chain of Command, Part II"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent"

 

[Severed Heads]

Chain Of Command os worthy 0f saving because Patrick Stewart is perfection.

Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Man of the People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"A Fistful of Datas"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent"

 

[Faintly Macabre]

As a child, I watched a lot of old Westerns and those series that could be described as precursors to the Star Trek franchise. I remain a sucker for those kinds of episodes in Star Trek. I am saving "A Fistful of Datas" . It's fun (and Brent Spiner's playing multiple roles). If only someone would explain to television makers how pump action shotguns work...


Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Man of the People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"
"Descent"

 

[Qonundrum]

So no 15-way tie? This show was starting to go downhill at times, more on that with each subsequent save or otherwise, but before I descend into a big tangent, my first save it:

"Descent"

Prof. Hawking at the start was a lovely cameo and scene.

The biggest plus to this story is how this is a result of "I, Borg", where Picard sent somehow-deprogrammed Hugh back into the collective instead of the TNG version of "nag the computer to death with illogic" (which would NOT have worked). Hugh was isolated, but didn't have any Borg bits removed but I'm descending into a tangent better suited for the season 5 story from which this episode sprang from:

So now the Borg have a taste for art and augmented their Cube that looks really cool. Shame we didn't get to see more of it.

Now the Borg have names, which aren't really used (and even less so in the horrid part two, but I'm descending into that tangent way too soon. At least part one is respectable and has some ideas going for it...)

The Borg are also psychopathic and wanting to kill, even for pleasure. This horror slant was also downplayed as there's real potential for this cybernetic un-gestalt to do more than take potshots at a couple of tiny space stations. This story could have done A LOT. A LOT! SERIOUSLY, A LOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!1!!!!!11!!!!!!!12

But it didn't.

Why?

Cuz Data.

Again.

All of a sudden, Data is experiencing emotions. Yep, emotions. Somehow Troi can pick up on these as well, as she also had wifi installed into her brain, or something. Uh, okay then, what other things can the plot descend into? Oh dear, people asked...

...as despite a story that didn't need him in the slightest in first place, it ends with Lore as a cliffhanger with the most cartoonish season finale cliffhanger of all time.

All with incidental music that's thankfully sparse as, when it's there, it's a joke. When it's not there, the story somehow improves by more than you'd reckon. Thankfully the material is that strong, reminding that this story could have been great instead of good-but-on-fumes as the series had been puttering out for a while now, hence more fanservice with fanfavorite characters.

Yet it's one of the above-average season six stories by the seashore. In my book, anyway. The other stories I'd easily save suffer some of the same problems in feeling underwhelming despite good-to-great ideas. More on those later...


What's left:
Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Man of the People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"The Chase"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Saving The Chase. A very fun space mystery adventure and the coda with the Romulan commander is very heartwarming. Guess the Breen felt left out as they'd be after the Preserver/Progenitor technology for centuries to come.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Man of the People"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Sakonna]

I saved "The Loss" in season 4, because I love any opportunity for Troi to tell people to fuck off. I save "Man Of The People" for the same reason.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Relics"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Frightscape One]

Saving "Relics".

Great appearance by James Doohan, and has a good message about feeling useful as we get older.

I love Scotty... but he was rightly put in his place when Geordi told him he was getting in the way. Scotty should have known better than to be just touching everything around. He would have reacted the same in Geordi's place had the roles been reversed.

Also, I do wish we got to see the Dyson Sphere again.


"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part I"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Faintly Macabre]

"Birthright" illustrates the frequent problem with Star Trek two-parters in that the setting-up episode is better than the resolving episode. Here Part I is interesting and intriguing - and Part II ignores the issues raised. Part I deals with the question of fathers for both Data and Worf with Data taking a step towards his "human goal", and Worf's story ending in an excellent cliffhanger.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Ship in a Bottle"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Saving Ship in a Bottle. A fun adventure, a good sequel episode and of course "computer, end program"

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Schisms"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Frightscape One]

Saving "Schisms".

Another example of how TNG was the best in the franchise with horror/creepy. Also one of the best uses of the holodeck.

And when they realize 'they've been there before' with the clicking going... chilling.

LOVE this episode! Another Braga winner.


"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Chain of Command, Part I"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Severed Heads]

Chain Of Command Part I next for the way it shook up the cozy familiarity of Picard.

I also liked seeing Crusher get to do more.

Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"
"Timescape"

 

[Cyfa]

Wow! These games are going quickly. As Season 5 is now over, my first save from Season 6 is "Timescape". I loved seeing Troi as the default expert on Romulan ships - and her impression of that professor who hit on her

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"
"Second Chances"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

There are less good episodes left now but still a couple of worthy saves, one of which is Second Chances while not the shake up it was originally envisioned to be it's still a good episode with solid drama and would be remembered in DS9 and LDS.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"True Q"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"

 

[Qonundrum]

2 Q or not 2 Q to make up for 0Q in season 5? Well, neither is 2 Q for me...

"True Q"

Yeah, the homage to "The Wizard of Oz" is a little too syrupy for my taste what with "killed by a tornado" and "they live in Kansas", it's a shock Amanda's name wasn't "Dorothy".

There are some terrific scenes and refreshingly different threats and themes, none of which is overdone or sledgehammered. Apart from Kansas, may as well have turned Q into a large floating head where he then - for brownie points - says "You may now refer to me as Zardoz" and be done with it.

Seeing Crusher turned into a barking dog also had fans reacting in different ways at the time. Just not as neat as when Amandorothy and Q click their fingers to stand on the hull.

But this one's easily my favorite season 6 Q story... "Tapestry" had one scene that has it all falling apart. More on that later, perhaps...


What's left:
"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"Rascals"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"

 

[Qonundrum]

Saving "Relics".

Great appearance by James Doohan, and has a good message about feeling useful as we get older.

I love Scotty... but he was rightly put in his place when Geordi told him he was getting in the way. Scotty should have known better than to be just touching everything around. He would have reacted the same in Geordi's place had the roles been reversed.

Also, I do wish we got to see the Dyson Sphere again.

True on role reversal, and almost all counts but I'm not sure if Scotty really would have acted so hyper (or at all, knowing they're in the middle of space and all) as he loved reading manuals and the ship's got a library, but this is also season 6 where they let Bashir crossover to roam all over the ship with unknown alien technology and everyone just plugs it into a socket that's right next to the warp core and all without any analysis or testing of power requirements (don't want to blow a fuse or the ship apart if went boom-boom, or anything, ugh)...

Also, the following is a Dyson Sphere that's tempting me to whip out Photoshop again:

 

[Sakonna]

"Rascals" I know, people hate it, I think it's fun.

I also love how openly its acknowledging - Whoopi is becoming less available, Michelle Forbes doesn't want to do it anymore, Keiko and O'Brien and going to DS9 - so let's take every character we're losing and shove them into one story where we get to have one last adventure with them.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Birthright, Part II"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"

 

[Frightscape One]

Saving "Birthright, Part II".

I have never understood the hate this episode seems to get. Is it weaker than part 1? Sure. But that's really its only crime.

Worf is teaching Klingons, his own people, their stories and heritage. Why is that wrong?

In the end, he finds a way to allow the elderly ones to keep their families' honor intact and also gets these young Klingons to be part of the universe. And these are Klingons who have had good interactions with Romulans their whole lives. These Klingons will be going out into the world and will help bridge that gulf between those two empires. They can help show other Klingons that there are good Romulans out there and there can be a better understanding between them. That's one of the big steps toward living together in peace. This is a very STAR TREK message, which is why I'm genuinely confused at how much disdain many have for this one.


"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Suspicions"
"Rightful Heir"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Wow I really thought Rascals was in with a chance of taking the crown.

Suspicions is my next save, another episode that challenges the homogeneous image some races have with Klingon and Ferengi scientists and it is one of those few episodes where Crusher actually gets given something to do.

"Time's Arrow, Part II"
"Realm of Fear"
"The Quality of Life"
"Aquiel"
"Tapestry"
"Starship Mine"
"Lessons"
"Rightful Heir"