What episodes of TNG should I watch before First Contact?

[Xaios]

Yeah. While I always recommend people have to watch Space Seed before Wrath of Khan, people could watch First Contact without seeing any TNG eps. If anything it would make the film more enjoyable as they wouldn't notice a few of the bigger plotholes in regards to continuity.

I feel the opposite, actually. As great as Wrath of Khan is, the conflict was basically manufactured for the purpose of the film, and really only has a tenuous link to the events of Space Seed. By the end of that episode, you'd never guess what Khan was going to turn into. They had to add an exploding planet to the mix off-screen in order to arrive where they did.

The events of First Contact have FAR more connection to the previously established plot threads of Best of Both Worlds. You can see the effect that the Borg had on Picard in episodes like Family and The Drumhead, so the central conflict doesn't come out of nowhere.

 

[DalekJim]

Agreed there but if a viewer were to fully catch up with I, Borg and The Descent 2-parter they'd be appropriately baffled as to why Starfleet is now worried that Picard is unfit for facing them. Or why Picard is suddenly so pissed at them, having been fairly cool and non-chalant in the previous 2 Borg stories.

It's full of holes but I'd still probably rank First Contact as the third or fourth best Star Trek film.

 

[tighr]

It's full of holes but I'd still probably rank First Contact as the third or fourth best Star Trek film.

For the uninitiated viewer, they would not recognize the holes (as we have all previously agreed to).

For the seasoned viewer, it takes very simple rationalization, as has been done in this thread and others, to resolve the plot holes of Picard being thought of by Starfleet Command as being unfit for the task of battling the Borg as portrayed in this film.

In fact, as far as the film is concerned, Picard's actions should allay any fears in the future of his ability to battle the Borg: he is the best man for the job. Exactly as Riker pointed out in the beginning of the film. It was Starfleet Command (specifically: Admiral Hayes) who disagreed, and were proven wrong.