Top Five Favorite Episodes
- Thread starter Stroudarian
- Start date
I'm a new fan and I started my Trek journey by binge watching TNG just in the last couple months... I gotta say, pretty much all of the episodes with Lt. Barclay are golden. They aren't exactly plot-movers, but damn, what a lovable character.
These five episodes always hit the spot ...
"Angel One"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
“Second Chances”
"Family"
“A Matter of Honor”
"Angel One"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
“Second Chances”
"Family"
“A Matter of Honor”
"Paris" seem horribly under-rated to me. One of the subtle, hidden gems of the first season.
My list in no particular order (was hard enough just to narrow down 5)
- All Good Things... : Just the perfect finale. Exciting, action packed story. Got to see a really cool possible future for the characters while also looking back at where the series started. Also tied back to the very first episode and we got to have Q back! That final scene with Picard finally joining a round of poker was genius and perfectly played.
- Frame of Mind : Did an awesome job of atmosphere. That, combined with Frakes' convincing performance, really felt like sharing the experience of a man losing his sanity, his grip on reality. Creepy. Him staying alone to tear down the set was great.
- Tapestry : Comedy (Q at his best. "Is there a John Luck Pickerd here?") combined with an interesting, meaningful message. The mistakes Picard made shaped him to be the person he is today. They are invaluable learning experiences. Seeing Picard as a junior science officer with no real drive or prospects was sad and riveting.
- Hollow Pursuits : TNG's best comedy episode. Barclay and his introduction to the series was hilarious, awkward and so relatable at the same time. Holo-addiction? That would absolutely be a thing. On the serious side though, seeing someone in the TNG Federation universe who wasn't perfect, who felt lonely and struggled to fit in was really nice to finally see. Seeing the characters we know deal with him was really insightful too. La Forge wasn't understanding, Wesley and others were making fun of him. Picard had to push his crew to put some effort in with him and it paid off. Plus, the "thank you Mr Broccoli" has got to be the funniest scene in TNG!
- Chain of Command : Picard with the Cardassian torturer was riveting stuff. You need an actor with the skill of Patrick Stewart to pull that off convincingly. The story with Jellico taking command of Enterprise was really interesting and realistic too. The story took a while to get going, but once it did, it was top tier. Has a Deep Space Nine feel more than any other TNG episode.
I've also gotta give honourable mentions to Best of Both Worlds and Clues. Was very hard to narrow the list down, my shortlist was about 20 episodes!
Edit: With 3 episodes in my top 5, it's no surprise Season 6 is my favourite season
- All Good Things... : Just the perfect finale. Exciting, action packed story. Got to see a really cool possible future for the characters while also looking back at where the series started. Also tied back to the very first episode and we got to have Q back! That final scene with Picard finally joining a round of poker was genius and perfectly played.
- Frame of Mind : Did an awesome job of atmosphere. That, combined with Frakes' convincing performance, really felt like sharing the experience of a man losing his sanity, his grip on reality. Creepy. Him staying alone to tear down the set was great.
- Tapestry : Comedy (Q at his best. "Is there a John Luck Pickerd here?") combined with an interesting, meaningful message. The mistakes Picard made shaped him to be the person he is today. They are invaluable learning experiences. Seeing Picard as a junior science officer with no real drive or prospects was sad and riveting.
- Hollow Pursuits : TNG's best comedy episode. Barclay and his introduction to the series was hilarious, awkward and so relatable at the same time. Holo-addiction? That would absolutely be a thing. On the serious side though, seeing someone in the TNG Federation universe who wasn't perfect, who felt lonely and struggled to fit in was really nice to finally see. Seeing the characters we know deal with him was really insightful too. La Forge wasn't understanding, Wesley and others were making fun of him. Picard had to push his crew to put some effort in with him and it paid off. Plus, the "thank you Mr Broccoli" has got to be the funniest scene in TNG!
- Chain of Command : Picard with the Cardassian torturer was riveting stuff. You need an actor with the skill of Patrick Stewart to pull that off convincingly. The story with Jellico taking command of Enterprise was really interesting and realistic too. The story took a while to get going, but once it did, it was top tier. Has a Deep Space Nine feel more than any other TNG episode.
I've also gotta give honourable mentions to Best of Both Worlds and Clues. Was very hard to narrow the list down, my shortlist was about 20 episodes!
Edit: With 3 episodes in my top 5, it's no surprise Season 6 is my favourite season
Currently doing my first TNG rewatch in about 7 years, just started season 3 so things are going to get better.
Having said that Season 2 does contain one that makes my list.
Measure of a Man - The first episode that really showed the heights this show is capable of reaching, outstanding.
The Best of Both Worlds - Part 1 - Gripping from start to finish.
Family - The perfect way to pick up from where Best of Both worlds left off, Emotional, compelling and brilliant.
Reunion - For me this kicks off the best arc in the series 7 season run, the Klingon political struggle and the Worf / Picard relationship.
The Inner Light - There are no words, Magnificent will have to suffice. The pain etched over Picards face as he realises he is back on The Enterprise gets me every time,
Having said that Season 2 does contain one that makes my list.
Measure of a Man - The first episode that really showed the heights this show is capable of reaching, outstanding.
The Best of Both Worlds - Part 1 - Gripping from start to finish.
Family - The perfect way to pick up from where Best of Both worlds left off, Emotional, compelling and brilliant.
Reunion - For me this kicks off the best arc in the series 7 season run, the Klingon political struggle and the Worf / Picard relationship.
The Inner Light - There are no words, Magnificent will have to suffice. The pain etched over Picards face as he realises he is back on The Enterprise gets me every time,
That's true, I don't come across much mention of it in fan circles, like on here, but the story has several layers to it, for one thing. Also, the FX are stylised in a way that's very pleasing ... the "tear" or whatever in the lab that Data has to work on and how the multiple Datas are presented in the same frame, it just has this cool look to it. The planetoid has a neat glow around it, like there's a "style" they're going for, here. Story wise, I like how Picard's not just "presented" with a blast from the past as something that's thrown in as a shortcut to scoring the episode's Love Interest. It involves Bev and Dee, giving them stuff to do. Picard has to deal with what he's feeling about it all in different ways. And then there's her bed-ridden Husband who's witnessing something we really wish we could get a glimpse of, ourselves, whose own issues and personal history tie the episode all together. There's so much to mine from, I really love it. I wish all the shows were this involved and had such an atmospheric soundtrack as this one. I believe it's overlooked, mainly, because it's embedded in the First Season, which many vocal fans deride as a bad year for TNG, when it's simply not the case. I don't really know, though. But yes, I'm in complete agreement with your post.
It changes over time but today:
All Good Things...
The Defector
Contagion
Ensign Ro
Ship in a Bottle
All Good Things...
The Defector
Contagion
Ensign Ro
Ship in a Bottle
I love the time hiccup stuff. It was actually a pretty cool take on the concept of time for Trek...and the stuff about how Mannheim can "see" into this other plane of existence is really interesting. It's actually too bad there was never a follow-up. I also really like the backstory on Picard here. At this time, there wasn't as much known about him, and his background with Janice was a welcome element.
I too am fan of Season 1. It gets a bad rap for sure.
I haven't seen Ship In a Bottle for years...maybe even since its original airing. I'll need to check in on it.
It was the follow up Sherlock Holmes episode. I met the guy who plays Moriarty at the convention last year and it was a nice quick chat.
Heh, I've never been into "Paris", but every few years I see someone make a great case for it and then I go to rewatch and try to find more appreciation for it, but I somehow never even make it all the way through. I think it's one of a very small handful of TNG episodes that I've only seen in their entirety on one occasion. Guess it's time to give it another go!
Chain Of Command
All Good Things
Tapestry
Q Who
Best Of Both Worlds
All Good Things
Tapestry
Q Who
Best Of Both Worlds
Tapestry doesn't get enough love. It's backstory for Picard heavily in "The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard," which was a great read.
agreed. A Top 20 would probably be more sufficient.
My top five would be:
1.Yesterday's Enterprise (love the ending)
2. The Best Of Both Worlds (nuff said!)
3. The Inner Light (Fantastic Story)
4. Cause And Effect (Great time-loop episode)
5..All good things (Good series ending, though I personally hated to see the show end.)
1.Yesterday's Enterprise (love the ending)
2. The Best Of Both Worlds (nuff said!)
3. The Inner Light (Fantastic Story)
4. Cause And Effect (Great time-loop episode)
5..All good things (Good series ending, though I personally hated to see the show end.)
I didn't watch the whole series yet, but so far, those are in my top list:
The Ensigns of Command
The Measure of a Man
Time's Arrow part I
Hero Worship
The Offspring
Brothers
Elementary, Dear Data
Data's Day
...if there was one person on that board who didn't know yet that my fav character's Data, now he/she knows it XD
That being said, I really liked Captain's Holiday as well as Qpid and The Best of Both Worlds
The Ensigns of Command
The Measure of a Man
Time's Arrow part I
Hero Worship
The Offspring
Brothers
Elementary, Dear Data
Data's Day
...if there was one person on that board who didn't know yet that my fav character's Data, now he/she knows it XD
That being said, I really liked Captain's Holiday as well as Qpid and The Best of Both Worlds
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Nearly impossible task. I think I have to go with:
1. Chain of Command
2. The Inner Light
3. All Good Things
4. The Measure of a Man
5th spot probably varies. Today I will go with Tapestry.
1. Chain of Command
2. The Inner Light
3. All Good Things
4. The Measure of a Man
5th spot probably varies. Today I will go with Tapestry.
If I had to pick five, off the top of my head:
1. "The Inner Light"
2. "The Best of Both Worlds: Part I"
3. "The Best of Both Worlds: Part II"
4. "Yesterday's Enterprise"
5. "Who Watches the Watchers?"
1. "The Inner Light"
2. "The Best of Both Worlds: Part I"
3. "The Best of Both Worlds: Part II"
4. "Yesterday's Enterprise"
5. "Who Watches the Watchers?"
You need one more, TBOBW is basically one story, even if it takes to episodes...
Others have done that too.
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