Game The Most Disliked Episode Written By Joe Menosky

Seven of Five · Jul 18, 2020

Scorpion, Part II isn't quite as good as the first part, yet it still does a great job keeping the suspense built through part one. I love Janeway's deal with the Devil, even more butting heads with Chakotay, and boy do their scenes sizzle throughout the two parts.

Seven was a great addition to the cast, it's just a shame they didn't keep Kes around as well instead of the pointless Harry. Even if he did end up with one good episode in Timeless.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "Time's Arrow, Part II" (story)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Distant Origin" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Hope and Fear" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Farscape One · Jul 18, 2020

Saving "DISTANT ORIGIN".

I loved the perspective being almost completely from the Voth and not the crew. A great Galileo-like story. Absolute classic of the franchise, as far as I'm concerned.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "Time's Arrow, Part II" (story)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Hope and Fear" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Sakonna · Jul 18, 2020

I will finish up my save of "Time's Arrow" by taking Part II off the board. Everything with that crew running around old time San Francisco, DELIGHTFUL.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Hope and Fear" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Qonundrum · Jul 18, 2020

My favorite threesome strikes again!

VOY Season 4: "Hope and Fear" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)

It was nice to have a season finale that was not a cliffhanger, after feeling like Pavlov's dog all those years.

The Dauntless had a cool design (and name). I'm not sure how he could counterfeit an entire ship with so much style.

But gloss over that inspiration for a certain "Nemesis", and the real story is Janeway vs Arcturus - which is oh so much more satisfying than TNG's last hurrah.

Even if this isn't the first, or last, time they have that promise of a shortcut to a faster way home. They press on, just like Lee's nails.

80s teal magenta is even more horrific!

Janeway was the cause of a species being assimilated, which Arcturus wanted revenge for.

His fate is as tragic.

That alone makes for a strong story that renders forgivable (or less atrocious) a fair number of pickynits and nitpickies because there's no way he could set up this ship so perfectly in so little time.

Not to mention, writing 26 scripts per year is rather daunting and they're not all going to be perfect. It is fun to nitpick, but there's still more to writing a show than that. So when something compensates, you bet I'm going to praise and :drool:

over it.

Along with the motivation, themes of revenge and rescue, the mystery and pacing are well-handled, thus making the convenience of some plot issues easier to swallow. In part because of how far into the episode the revelation is made.

Janeway makes "hope" feel like a real thing and it's cool how she's utterly sincere in wanting to save him. Especially as she helped cause the problem to begin with.

The Seven/janeway double-act continues to impress.

The obligatory teaser:

*squee* they're out of Borg space!

If you were Arecturus, would you agree to join Janeway to be alone? Or give up and become assimilated and rejoin one's species (while becoming another simultaneously)?

And now, I need to buy some nails while listening to Lee Presson And The Nails:

Goth swing - an interesting melding of disparate genres in the 1990s... this song almost has a warped theme that eerily works with the story's theme.

What's left:
TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Seven of Five · Jul 18, 2020

Equinox, Part I is another tense season ender. I could have done without the false jeopardy at the very end (wow, is Janeway really going to die?), but the tale about a Starfleet crew that lost its way is a compelling one.

I always like to imagine what VOY would have been like with a few more daring choices along the way, yet it is what is. When it's good, it's very good.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Farscape One · Jul 18, 2020

Saving "YEAR OF HELL, PART II".

This was a great two-parter, but the first part really set the tone of this story. I think the second part slightly edges out, though. We get a deeper look at Annorax, and seeing Janeway fall deeper and deeper down the obsession hole like Annorax was quite well done.

Never liked the reset ending, but it's almost built-in because of the story and how it unfolded, so I don't knock it because of it. I'm not sure a season long arc would have been a good idea, but this definitely could have expanded into a longer arc... say, 6 or 7 episodes.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)
DIS Season 1: "Lethe" (written with Ted Sullivan)

Sakonna · Jul 18, 2020

"Lethe" is a great Discovery episode. They really made the Burnham integration into the Spock family work fantastically well, better than I would have ever believed possible, for a human half-sister being added to the narrative at this late date.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Farscape One · Jul 18, 2020

"Lethe" was a great episode, and it could have gone wrong so easily, but it worked seamlessly, and it basically answered the 50+ year question of why there was that rift between Sarek and Spock. (That was likely going to be my next save.)

I just realized something. Joe Menosky is one of only 3 people to have a writing credit in FOUR shows. (TNG, DS9, VGR, DSC)

Rick Berman got TNG, DS9, VGR, and ENT. D.C. Fontana got TOS, TAS, TNG, and a DS9 episode.

A LOT of people have 3 shows, especially while DS9 was in production, since it overlapped two other shows at once during its entire run. But 4? That's something special.

Qonundrum · Jul 19, 2020

And now for something completely different...

TNG Season 5: "Hero Worship" (teleplay)

TNG telling people how to deal with children who suffered major trauma is interesting. The child imprinting on Mr. Robot Data being the sci-fi twist.

As usual,. the teaser starts with a sting and sells the premise impeccably well.

I liked the direction at the end, conveying a sense of emotional distance along with the physical with the camera angles. Note that this season's winner of "Send in this card and you could win a guest spot... on Staaaaaaaar Trek The Next Generation!" appears to be left-handed.

It's nice to see that "the bowl cut" survives into the 24th century for children, keeping them as humiliated in the future as children of the 20th century also had to endure. Then again, a 8 year-old with a mohawk and safety pins... no thanks, not for another decade or unless he can time travel and be stage besties with Johnny Rotten of the Monkees. Oh wait, wrong band, but some people claim punk was a manufactured genre... sod it, I'm neither The Goodies nor the bloomin' "History Channel". At least when they started using UFOs and aliens to explain off ancient cultures who figured out other ways to use levers and things to construct stuff we'd think was impossible top do back then unless it's magic, since not everyone reinvents the wheel in the same ways and nobody passes notes like those dirty little kids in 8th grade biology class.

Also, for somebody who is generally strict with protocol, LaForge is waiting and Data continues to yap with much sadness on how he is unable to experience emotion.

But those are nitpicks.

Data is well-written in this episode, selling admirably his similarities - and differences - with humans.

So is Timothy, who acts out the scene really well - particularly when he uses "we" at a key moment, one that would have Troi reciting various sections of the DSM-V.

Note how Timothy reacts far better than the wallpaper muzak ever would upon hearing that the shields aren't going to save their bacon ranch souffle... While TNG season 5 wasn't my favorite, I do appreciate how it honed the A- and B-plots into a very workable template of "human condition" and "sci-fi stuff" in so many ways. And thankfully the trope of "we're supplying the energy it needs to kill us" wasn't done more than once every couple years or so.

Also note that Troi would otherwise be yanking Timothy away given the heightened issue of the crisis - thus ensuring the ship be destroyed rather than creating YAW* trope.

* Yet Another Wesley

TNG does have better episodes, but it's a bold experiment that also uses of the show's original premise of having children on the ship in what was a glorified mobile city... in space.

Lastly, here's the other hero worship, live and in glorious monochrome, in front of a gyrating studio audience:

What's left:

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "Year of Hell, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Farscape One · Jul 19, 2020

There's another reason why "Hero Worship" is an episode I always enjoy. (This was coming up as a save for me, by the way. You beat me to saving Data.

)

This episode embodies precisely why Data is a true hero in every sense of the word. He tries to understand. He never judges. He cares. He uses his great abilities to simply help. And he does his best to take care of any situation, whether it's saving the ship or saving a single person. And he never asks for anything in return.

I don't give a damn what anyone says... he makes a better human than a vast majority of humans. Data is MY hero.

(Okay, I'm sure everyone expected that from me at some point. Moving on to the game...)

Now, for my next save... "YEAR OF HELL".

This first part set the tone and feel extremely well. Had the second part not focused on Annorax as much, I would have saved this part first. It's the rare two-parter where both parts are VERY hard to say one is better than the other, and in a good way.

This also helps exemplify why the Braga/Menosky writing duo worked so damn well so often. Braga clearly has a massively great imagination, but he can go overboard with it sometimes. Menosky is that grounding force for him, and though he is incredibly imaginative as well, it's that grounding quality that makes his scripts work so well. One of the best writing duos the franchise ever had.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 2: "The Thaw" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Seven of Five · Jul 19, 2020

I love The Thaw, with the maniacal Clown played superbly by Michael McKean.

The face-off between the Clown and the Doctor was pretty funny, but even better was the brilliant ending with the fake Janeway, giving the Clown a taste of his own medicine.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "The Chase" (teleplay, story with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Farscape One · Jul 19, 2020

That was literally going to be my next save. I LOVE that episode.

(My wife, however, absolutely hates it.

Her: "Is that the clown episode again?"
Me: "Yes."
Her: "Ugh...")

I've always found it funny... pun intended... that everyone either loves or hates "THE THAW". No in between, from what I've seen.

I suppose not everyone has warmed up to it...

Not that I'm trying to clown around...

Seven of Five · Jul 19, 2020

It also helps slightly that Michael McKean has popped in virtually everything that I have ever watched.

Farscape One · Jul 19, 2020

He was funny in THE X-FILES "Dreamland" two-parter. Shades of what he did rippled into a few other episodes, like the waterbed.

Sakonna · Jul 19, 2020

I used to LOVE "The Thaw", and now I'm kind of in the middle on it. That McKean performance has become so grating to me over the years, but I still like some things in the episode around it.

"The Chase" is a fun one! I always found this ep a bit underrated, I love getting all the main aliens together for a big adventure.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 4: "In Theory" (written with Ronald D. Moore)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Farscape One · Jul 19, 2020

I have other episodes I like more, but it would be unforgiveable of me to not save a Data episode. So "In Theory" is saved... after multiple double blind tests.

It was a charming episode, and Patrick Stewart's first directing turn. It was fun to see Data try figuring out romance. And the B plot was very cool. It led to one of the most unsettling deaths TNG ever did. Getting stuck between decks? It was shot so effectively... a scream, a casual look, and then that image of her stuck. True horror is best when little is shown. This was a good illustration of that... theory.

(Yes, yes... it seems I'm REALLY feeling punny today.)

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

cosmic mouse · Jul 19, 2020

VOY Season 5: "Dark Frontier" (written with Brannon Braga)
My second favorite VOY two-parter... love this one for Seven and Janeway and Janeway, in particular, kicks some ass and pushes some boundaries in trying to help shave some extra years off the trip home. I can also empathize with Seven, in reviewing the data about her birth parents (which also gave the audience a decent backstory there). Can't imagine seeing my father as a drone. Creepy s**t!

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 4: "Clues" (teleplay with Bruce D. Arthurs)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Seven of Five · Jul 19, 2020

It loses something in repeat viewings, yet I still really like Clues. The mystery that grips the episode is well played, and I just love the idea that Data won't tell Picard the truth because of an order from Picard himself.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 1: "Cathexis" (story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)[

Farscape One · Jul 19, 2020

I think I'm in the minority of loving this episode based on posts in this site, but I am saving "CATHEXIS".

A well done episode, the mood and atmosphere was quite claustrophic and eerie. The directing was top notch on all aspects, which actually elevated the story. A personal favorite of early VOYAGER.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
TNG Season 7: "Emergence" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Xhiandra · Jul 20, 2020

Surprised to still see Emergence on there. I thought the communication with the holodeck characters was quite novel and interesting, as was the premise of the episode.

Also interesting that I see episodes I find excellent on the list and episodes I find really stupid.

TNG Season 4: "Legacy" (written)
TNG Season 6: "Suspicions" (written with Naren Shankar)
TNG Season 7: "Interface" (written)
DS9 Season 1: "Dramatis Personae" (written)
DS9 Season 2: "Rivals" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 2: "Distant Voices" (story)
DS9 Season 6: "Time's Orphan" (story)
VOY Season 3: "False Profits" (teleplay)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part I" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Future's End, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 3: "Alter Ego" (written)
VOY Season 3: "Darkling" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Night" (written with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "Latent Image" (teleplay, story with Eileen Connors and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 5: "The Fight" (teleplay)
VOY Season 5: "11:59" (teleplay, story with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Rick Berman and Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth" (teleplay with Brannon Braga and Michael Taylor)
VOY Season 6: "The Voyager Conspiracy" (written)
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd" (teleplay with Dianna Gitto)
VOY Season 6: "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" (teleplay with Brannon Braga)
VOY Season 7: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II" (teleplay with Brannon Braga, story with Mike Sussman and Brannon Braga)

Game The Most Disliked Episode Written By Joe Menosky

I'm beginning to thnk I can cure a rainy day!

Admiral

Rear Admiral

Just graduated from Camp Ridiculous

I'm beginning to thnk I can cure a rainy day!

Admiral

Rear Admiral

Admiral

Just graduated from Camp Ridiculous

Admiral

I'm beginning to thnk I can cure a rainy day!

Admiral

I'm beginning to thnk I can cure a rainy day!

Admiral

Rear Admiral

Admiral

Commodore

I'm beginning to thnk I can cure a rainy day!

Admiral

Captain

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