What episodes of TNG should I watch before First Contact?
- Thread starter Nibbz
- Start date
Just these. I was going to add the other Borg episodes but they'd actually be detrimental to your viewing as you'd be wondering why the Federation are suddenly concerned about sending Picard to fight the Borg when they've already ordered him to post-Best of Both Worlds.
Or where Picard's weird obsession and grudge has come from when in the previous Borg encounter he barely acknowledged they were even there.
Family - Picard
Q Who - Guinan and El-Aurians
Descent Part 1 and 2
Brothers
Datalore
Silicone Avatar
The Mind's Eye
Each of those will prep nicely for GEN.
Agreed.
All TNG movies with the exception of First Contact felt like they were made for newcomers who never saw the show.. First Contact was the only TNG movie that became better if you knew the backstory.
I would also include Family and The Drumhead to Dream's list. Both show the effects and denial Picard went through leading up to the movie.
Honestly, all you really need is "The Best of Both Worlds," both parts.
Everything else is supplemental, like reading the sidenotes in the Annotated Shakespeare or whatever. Interesting, if you want to explore the text in more depth, but not essential if you just want to watch "Romeo & Juliet."
Everything else is supplemental, like reading the sidenotes in the Annotated Shakespeare or whatever. Interesting, if you want to explore the text in more depth, but not essential if you just want to watch "Romeo & Juliet."
I agree, except that I really think you should include "Family" with "BOBW," because they really do create a trilogy, and "Family" establishes the emotional context Picard has about the Borg going into First Contact.
But yeah, everything else is supplemental, I agree.
You might want to check out Redemption 1&2 for an introduction to Lursa & B'Etor
I mean this facetiously (for the most part), but you don't really need to know anything about Lursa and B'Etor other than that they are Evil Klingons Who Want To Destroy The Enterprise™. I mean, yes, TPTB deserve credit for using previously established villains, but their choice in that respect leaves something to be desired in my opinion.
But, yeah, "Redemption" is a great two-parter, so you should watch it anyway.
(And it is a thoughtful suggestion in any case.
)Honestly, I think a better use of "background episode" time would be to watch something that introduces you to Guinan and her Intuition. I think "Yesterday's Enterprise" would be good introduction in that sense. (And it's a killer episode in any case.) Understanding her character as she appeared in the series makes her role in this story more poignant, I think.
Also maybe "Family," for relevant bits of Picard's background.
Soran struck Tomalak across the face, sending the Romulan reeling.
He looked back up, touching his mouth where green blood was beginning to flow. Tomalak met Soran's eyes and saw the anger in them. "I hope, for your sake," the Romulan said, "that you are initiating a mating ritual..."
Maybe not ALL of the lines can stay unchanged...
There's nothing you can watch that will prepare you for Generations. Up until 2009, it was the worst Star Trek movie.
Seriously though, you don't need to have seen any TNG before it really. It's self-contained unlike First Contact which has a backstory.
In the spirit of that "Most unjustly hated ep thread"
I loved Generations. The opening part is fantastic, I loved the soundtrack. Thought Stewart's acting in relation to what happens to his family was awesome.
Everything else was 'ok'. But I loved those parts.
"My God...was anyone in here?"
"aye."
edit: You don't have to defend your hatred with a long list. I understand why peeps didn't like it.
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