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Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
*headdesk* Damn, seven seasons of Next Gen and I have favourite episodes in every.single.season. Yes, even Season 1, which I'll be the first to concede wasn't the strongest season of TV ever (although obviously it did juuuuust enough :P). Let's take it season by season and then I'll see if I can pick maybe two? Yeh, let's go with that.
Brace yourselves, this is gonna get long.
Season 1:-
Skin of Evil - first major character death in ST tv series history. Possibly the last until Enterprise but I don't count Enterprise because it sucked. They could have killed the whole crew off end of Enterprise's season 1 and we would have cheered loudly. Sorry, where was I? OK, yes, Skin of Evil. I adored the character of Tasha Yar, still think Denise Crosby must be kicking herself for walking away, and I genuinely was shocked at the character's death. I cry loudly at the funeral service every single time because I'm a big sap.
Arsenal of Freedom - I'm a sap for episodes where characters are stuck and need rescuing. Also, hurt/comfort stories and this is a good one. Dr Crusher/Picard bonding for the awww :) And Geordi comes into his own for the first time.
Heart of Glory - a good look at the Klingons, a great story for Worf and an interesting look at honour. First episode to tackle the issue of Klingon culture, something that would get thoroughly explored in later seasons.
Season Two:-
The Measure of a Man - simply surperb look at human rights and, indeed, what humanity is. Just terrific stuff and although Patrick Stewart gets the scenery chewing speeches, everyone has a chance to shine.
A Matter of Honour - what can I say, I like Klingon episodes! Strong Riker episode, and another great look at Klingon culture.
Peak Performance - I love this episode, it's a great Data episode, a good episode for Wesley which he needed at this point and some genuinely funny and dramatic moments. Also one of the top ten Next Gen quotes at the end..."I busted him up".
Season Three:-
The Enemy - another favourite and a good Geordi episode - LeVar Burton rocks :) Also another "crew member in trouble and needs rescuing" and the introduction of the much missed Andreas Katsulas as Commander Tomalak. Fun ep.
The Hunted - another top ep for sure, if only because the lead character is a very sympathetic one who gives the Enterprise crew a run for their money. No easy answers handed out on a plate at the end, either, which was refreshing then and still is. The escape sequence is just brilliant and worth the price of admission alone. Also a rather neat look at the issues of what we do and expect of soldiers, which is still rather sadly topical.
Hollow Pursuits - Barclay!! First appearance of Dwight Schultz as the eponymous Barclay and just a fun episode with a neat puzzle. The competence porn at the end as they figure out the problem is terrific to watch - it's good to know the whole crew can save the ship, not just the lead cast - and the scenes on the holodeck with Barclay's alternate crew are hysterical. Best Troi line ever too - "Muzzle it!". Great stuff :)
Best of Both Worlds Part 1 - Best.Season.Finale. Ever. Because it ended on one, drama packed word, spoken by Riker - "Fire!". I still remember the fan frothing :) Terrific episode, just fantastic.
Season Four:-
Data's Day - I know this is often on fan favourite lists and no wonder. If you're a trivia geek like me, this is Nerdvana as we get taken behind the scenes of a typical day on the Enterprise. I lap this stuff up with a spoon people :D Nice B and C plots too and the Romulan commander in this episode is actually one of my favourites, I wish they'd used him again. The voice was just perfect. (Trufax - I recognised the actor from his voice alone when he later appeared in a Stargate:Atlantis episode :)) Great, great episode.
The Wounded - Oh I run out of superlatives when it comes to this one. A Miles O'Brien episode which is great but huge kudus must be given to the main guest actor, Bob Gunton as Commander Maxwell. A terrific, touching performance of a man damaged by war and the consequences of his actions. Top notch stuff. Also, first appearance of the Cardassians and Marc Alaimo in the Next Gen world - he would later go on to play Gul Dukat in DS9.
Season 5:- (Strongest season by far, I could list at least another five eps here!)
Ensign Ro - Misfit criminal officer getting second chance on a starship after proving her worth? Oh they could have WRITTEN this episode for me! Ensign Ro got softened far too quick, she brought a welcome pricklines to the proceedings and she was never better than here. Also, Guinan rocks :)
Violations - I've lost the disc this is on which is infuriating because I loved this ep. A neat whodunnit about a creepy subject - the bad guy creates horrid thoughts in the victims minds that causes them to essentially shut down. It was very well done and the puzzle was solved very neatly, as I recall.
Disaster - Entire ship is in trouble and needs rescuing! Memorable for Worf acting as midwife - "Congratulations. You are fully dilated to ten centimeters. You may now give birth!" Only the serious flaw of making Deanna Troi not know what a core breach was prevents this getting into any top ten list but I still love the ep :)
Power Play - funny story about this one, where 3 characters are possessed by malevolent entities. According to Brent Spiner, he, Marina Sirtis and Colm Meany created nicknames for themselves as the new personas of Buzz, Spike and Razor (or some similar name). They certainly acted against type and it was a treat to see Troi be a bitch :)
The Next Phase - Totally illogical from a science point of view, it's nevertheless great fun to see Geordi and Ro battle being turned "invisible" through an explosion on a romulan ship. A couple of great twists here and some nice character bonding. Fun!
Ethics - one of the very, very few episodes of a TV show that left me desperate to find someone and have an argument with about the issues in the show (I buttonholed my Mum in the end, we had a great discussion about it). Just how far do you go to find a cure? What is ethical? What would you do if it was you on the table needing the medical miracle? Trek at its very best.
Season Six:-
Chain of Command Parts 1 & 2 - a cold hard look at torture and why it doesn't work. Outstanding performace from Patrick Stewart and lead guest actor David Warner. Also one of the most quoted scenes in Next Gen lore - Picard: There! Are! Four! Lights! Great B plot with things not going well back on the Enterprise, although the cliche of new captain not fitting in with the established crew is a bit tired.
Frame of Mind - This one blew me away when I first saw it. Episodes that are essentially taking place inside a person's head are difficult to do well but this knocks it out of the park. You see the episode entirely from Riker's PoV so you travel with him as he works out that All is Not Quite Right and you make the leap of faith with him at the end of the episode. One of Frakes' finest ST:TNG performances.
Starship Mine - Die Hard in Space, essentially, but it's a cracking romp and fun to see Tim "Commander Tuvok" Russ in an early ST role. Also great competence porn amongst the crew trapped on the planet - I do like it when they remind us these are people who have been highly trained by a military organisation and they're actually a bit good at what they do.
Season Seven:-
Dark Page - a Luxwana Troi episode that doesn't make me want to throttle her. A touching look at a polarising character and Majel Barret is superb.
Lower Decks - another great episode for trivia nerds like me :) A look at what happens from the junior rank's perspective and you will mourn at the loss of one of these fledging officers.
Only two from Season 7? Yeh, not a season I know that well, I need to rewatch the dvds more :)
Phew! So after all that, what I have I learned? That Season 5 has some fantastic episodes in it that I often rewatch so if I'm ever asked for my favourite season, at least I've worked that out :D Favourite episode? Hrm. *eyes list carefully*
Yeh, I think I knew but I needed to see the competition. Very close runners up - Hunted and The Wounded. But, just by a nose, my favourite episode of Next Generation is Data's Day :)
*topples over*
*headdesk* Damn, seven seasons of Next Gen and I have favourite episodes in every.single.season. Yes, even Season 1, which I'll be the first to concede wasn't the strongest season of TV ever (although obviously it did juuuuust enough :P). Let's take it season by season and then I'll see if I can pick maybe two? Yeh, let's go with that.
Brace yourselves, this is gonna get long.
Season 1:-
Skin of Evil - first major character death in ST tv series history. Possibly the last until Enterprise but I don't count Enterprise because it sucked. They could have killed the whole crew off end of Enterprise's season 1 and we would have cheered loudly. Sorry, where was I? OK, yes, Skin of Evil. I adored the character of Tasha Yar, still think Denise Crosby must be kicking herself for walking away, and I genuinely was shocked at the character's death. I cry loudly at the funeral service every single time because I'm a big sap.
Arsenal of Freedom - I'm a sap for episodes where characters are stuck and need rescuing. Also, hurt/comfort stories and this is a good one. Dr Crusher/Picard bonding for the awww :) And Geordi comes into his own for the first time.
Heart of Glory - a good look at the Klingons, a great story for Worf and an interesting look at honour. First episode to tackle the issue of Klingon culture, something that would get thoroughly explored in later seasons.
Season Two:-
The Measure of a Man - simply surperb look at human rights and, indeed, what humanity is. Just terrific stuff and although Patrick Stewart gets the scenery chewing speeches, everyone has a chance to shine.
A Matter of Honour - what can I say, I like Klingon episodes! Strong Riker episode, and another great look at Klingon culture.
Peak Performance - I love this episode, it's a great Data episode, a good episode for Wesley which he needed at this point and some genuinely funny and dramatic moments. Also one of the top ten Next Gen quotes at the end..."I busted him up".
Season Three:-
The Enemy - another favourite and a good Geordi episode - LeVar Burton rocks :) Also another "crew member in trouble and needs rescuing" and the introduction of the much missed Andreas Katsulas as Commander Tomalak. Fun ep.
The Hunted - another top ep for sure, if only because the lead character is a very sympathetic one who gives the Enterprise crew a run for their money. No easy answers handed out on a plate at the end, either, which was refreshing then and still is. The escape sequence is just brilliant and worth the price of admission alone. Also a rather neat look at the issues of what we do and expect of soldiers, which is still rather sadly topical.
Hollow Pursuits - Barclay!! First appearance of Dwight Schultz as the eponymous Barclay and just a fun episode with a neat puzzle. The competence porn at the end as they figure out the problem is terrific to watch - it's good to know the whole crew can save the ship, not just the lead cast - and the scenes on the holodeck with Barclay's alternate crew are hysterical. Best Troi line ever too - "Muzzle it!". Great stuff :)
Best of Both Worlds Part 1 - Best.Season.Finale. Ever. Because it ended on one, drama packed word, spoken by Riker - "Fire!". I still remember the fan frothing :) Terrific episode, just fantastic.
Season Four:-
Data's Day - I know this is often on fan favourite lists and no wonder. If you're a trivia geek like me, this is Nerdvana as we get taken behind the scenes of a typical day on the Enterprise. I lap this stuff up with a spoon people :D Nice B and C plots too and the Romulan commander in this episode is actually one of my favourites, I wish they'd used him again. The voice was just perfect. (Trufax - I recognised the actor from his voice alone when he later appeared in a Stargate:Atlantis episode :)) Great, great episode.
The Wounded - Oh I run out of superlatives when it comes to this one. A Miles O'Brien episode which is great but huge kudus must be given to the main guest actor, Bob Gunton as Commander Maxwell. A terrific, touching performance of a man damaged by war and the consequences of his actions. Top notch stuff. Also, first appearance of the Cardassians and Marc Alaimo in the Next Gen world - he would later go on to play Gul Dukat in DS9.
Season 5:- (Strongest season by far, I could list at least another five eps here!)
Ensign Ro - Misfit criminal officer getting second chance on a starship after proving her worth? Oh they could have WRITTEN this episode for me! Ensign Ro got softened far too quick, she brought a welcome pricklines to the proceedings and she was never better than here. Also, Guinan rocks :)
Violations - I've lost the disc this is on which is infuriating because I loved this ep. A neat whodunnit about a creepy subject - the bad guy creates horrid thoughts in the victims minds that causes them to essentially shut down. It was very well done and the puzzle was solved very neatly, as I recall.
Disaster - Entire ship is in trouble and needs rescuing! Memorable for Worf acting as midwife - "Congratulations. You are fully dilated to ten centimeters. You may now give birth!" Only the serious flaw of making Deanna Troi not know what a core breach was prevents this getting into any top ten list but I still love the ep :)
Power Play - funny story about this one, where 3 characters are possessed by malevolent entities. According to Brent Spiner, he, Marina Sirtis and Colm Meany created nicknames for themselves as the new personas of Buzz, Spike and Razor (or some similar name). They certainly acted against type and it was a treat to see Troi be a bitch :)
The Next Phase - Totally illogical from a science point of view, it's nevertheless great fun to see Geordi and Ro battle being turned "invisible" through an explosion on a romulan ship. A couple of great twists here and some nice character bonding. Fun!
Ethics - one of the very, very few episodes of a TV show that left me desperate to find someone and have an argument with about the issues in the show (I buttonholed my Mum in the end, we had a great discussion about it). Just how far do you go to find a cure? What is ethical? What would you do if it was you on the table needing the medical miracle? Trek at its very best.
Season Six:-
Chain of Command Parts 1 & 2 - a cold hard look at torture and why it doesn't work. Outstanding performace from Patrick Stewart and lead guest actor David Warner. Also one of the most quoted scenes in Next Gen lore - Picard: There! Are! Four! Lights! Great B plot with things not going well back on the Enterprise, although the cliche of new captain not fitting in with the established crew is a bit tired.
Frame of Mind - This one blew me away when I first saw it. Episodes that are essentially taking place inside a person's head are difficult to do well but this knocks it out of the park. You see the episode entirely from Riker's PoV so you travel with him as he works out that All is Not Quite Right and you make the leap of faith with him at the end of the episode. One of Frakes' finest ST:TNG performances.
Starship Mine - Die Hard in Space, essentially, but it's a cracking romp and fun to see Tim "Commander Tuvok" Russ in an early ST role. Also great competence porn amongst the crew trapped on the planet - I do like it when they remind us these are people who have been highly trained by a military organisation and they're actually a bit good at what they do.
Season Seven:-
Dark Page - a Luxwana Troi episode that doesn't make me want to throttle her. A touching look at a polarising character and Majel Barret is superb.
Lower Decks - another great episode for trivia nerds like me :) A look at what happens from the junior rank's perspective and you will mourn at the loss of one of these fledging officers.
Only two from Season 7? Yeh, not a season I know that well, I need to rewatch the dvds more :)
Phew! So after all that, what I have I learned? That Season 5 has some fantastic episodes in it that I often rewatch so if I'm ever asked for my favourite season, at least I've worked that out :D Favourite episode? Hrm. *eyes list carefully*
Yeh, I think I knew but I needed to see the competition. Very close runners up - Hunted and The Wounded. But, just by a nose, my favourite episode of Next Generation is Data's Day :)
*topples over*
thoughtful
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