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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Episode Guide - Season 2

What happened to the cast and creative team of Star Trek: The Next Generation between seasons 1 and 2? Strictly pragmatically speaking, we can include the one-season substitution of Diana Muldaur’s Dr. Pulaski for Gates McFadden’s Dr. Crusher, the introduction of the Guinan character and the unleashing of Commander Riker’s facial hair.

Aesthetically speaking, however, season 2 of The Next Generation represents the proverbial Making The Jump for this cast and crew. After a few more wonky efforts (traditionally blamed on the writers’ strike of 1988 which also reduced the season’s output to 22 episodes rather than the traditional 26), ST:TNG as a production had worked all the kinks to become must-see TV, consistently the best weekly non-comedy program in the U.S.

If the switch the series writers, producers and actors flipped for TNG season 2 still exists somewhere, please direct any of us mere mortals in that direction…

1. The Child – Those early, wonky episodes of season 2 mentioned above? Well, “The Child” is Exhibit A. Some kind of space spermatozoa/disembodied alien impregnates Troi, grows really quickly, dies and is never mentioned again. *

2. Where Silence Has Lease – Showing once again that this Enterprise crew hasn’t quiiiiiite escaped the shadows of the originals, this episode has the shipped trapped and its passengers toyed with by … an Insane God! **

3. Elementary, Dear Data – Lt. Commander Data and Geordi LaForge play Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the holodeck. However, in order to create a mystery that Data cannot solve instantaneously, the two create a villain capable of defeating Data but not Holmes. Unfortunately for them, the set parameters lead the computer to create a Moriarty with actual consciousness. Though this one threatens to become just another Malfunctioning Holodeck episode, the cat-and-mouse game is fantastic. And Picard lectures on existence. ****

4. The Outrageous Okona – Picard attempts to accomodate the idetical demands of two warring planets as the object of their attentions, the titular Harry Mudd-like scammer, charms his way around the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Data asks the holodeck to teach him about comedy, but the damn thing malfunctions and sends him Joe Piscopo instead. Minus points for not providing the punchline to the joke which begins “A monk, a clone, and a Ferengi decide to go bowling together…” ***

5. Loud as a Whisper – As the Enterprise brings a deaf mute ambassador, his interpreters are inconveniently wiped out. The rest Is rather predictable and yet simultaneously implausible, but Picard gets some good bits... **

6. The Schizoid Man – How often do you get a maniacal bad guy named Ira? The “Schizoid Man” of the title is Data, who’s become an unwilling host for the perished Dr. Ira Graves’s brain patterns and memory. ***

7. Unnatural Selection – Dr. Pulaski contracts a Space Virus which ages its victims rapidly. She gets old quick, hogs screen time, doesn’t die. *

8. A Matter of Honor – So yeah, the combination of Star Trek VI and The Next Generation in general bring more depth to the Klingons, but this episode really shines the spotlight on most ST fans’ favorite aliens. On an exchange program, Riker must adapt quickly when serving as first officer on a Klingon ship while the Enterprise hosts an interesting blue Benzite dude. ****

9. The Measure of a Man – Come on, Picard acting in an attorney-like manner while arguing the case for Data’s sentience, free will and rights against a stuffy Federation type? You know this one is talky, philosophical and impressive. ****

10. The Dauphin – A textbook example of The Next Generation’s inability to utilize Wesley Crusher in any sort of bearable fashion. Prospective ruler of Daled IV, Salia travels with the Enterprise while ol’ Wes’s hormones go into milkshake mode. Naturally, Salia is not quite what she seems. Bonus points for Worf’s amazing description of Klingon dating. ***

11. Contagion – Saving the Enterprise from a computer virus doesn’t sound all that exciting, but mix in some Romulans and the super-advanced technology of a planet called Iconia and interesting things happen indeed. ***

12. The Royale – A frequently silly plotline involving Riker, Data and Worf trapped within a pulp fiction novel’s narrative is redeemed by some amazing bits. A particular highlight for the season is Data’s high-roller demonstration at the craps table. ***

13. Time Squared – One of the first great “head trip” episodes of The Next Generation combines with another favorite, the time paradox. Picard comes face-to-face with a time-looped iteration of himself, and must deduce when to avoid a fatal mistake. ***

14. The Icarus Factor – A character-heavy episode featuring Riker and Worf: The former hosts his father, while the latter is visited by friends (or perhaps “allies” might be more appropriate for friendly Klingons) who pressure him to take part in an upcoming ritual. ***

15. Pen Pals – It’s Data vs. The Prime Directive! Data has been speaking via radio signal with a girl named Sarjenka for a few weeks, keeping his true identity a secret. When Serjenka’s planet faces destruction, complications ensue. In a subplot, Wesley leads a science team in his first leadership assignment. ***.

16. Q Who – Maybe the best episode of season 2 and certainly the series most seminal, Q returns to show the Enterprise crew “what’s waiting” in an area of space about to be encroached upon by the Federation: The Borg, who rapidly get to work in opening up the Enterprise as though it were a tin can. ****

17. The Samaritan Snare – Bizarre aliens calling themselves Pakleds are idiots with regard to science, math and technology, but are pretty damn good at crime – like kidnapping, which they do to LaForge, who is focred to get their ship operational. *

18. Up the Long Ladder – The Enterprise goes on two rescue missions at once – the first involving protection of an agricultural colony populated by sexy Irish folks, the other a group of clones dealing with genetic degeneration. Riker contributes a healthy share of flirtatiousness before the solution which viewers deduce in 10 minutes is reached. **

19. Manhunt – The outrageous Lwaxana Troi is back aboard the Enterprise on the way to a conference and is going through “The Phase” (kinda like Pon Farr for Betazoids, but with far less over-the-top rage). She first chases after Picard, then Riker, before the voyage ends and she stunningly and hilariously saves the day from a totally unsuspected threat. A scattershot episode with lots of seriously funny bits. ***

20. The Emissary – Who wants more Worf? Lots of folks! So in “The Emissary”, Worf’s former lovergirl K'Ehleyr comes aboard to help deal with a ship full of Klingons who have been in suspended animation since the days of James T. Kirk who are unaware that peace has been brokered in the meantime. ***

21. Peak Performance – An episode with a couple of neat twists. Boarding the Enterprise is Federation battle strategy master Sirna Kolrami, who oversees a war game pitting Riker, Worf, LaForge and Wesley (who turns out to be useful; no, really) against Picard before a surprising third party makes things quite interesting indeed. In a subplot, Data seeks to top Sima in a game of Strategema, which makes 3-D chess look like Parcheesi. And Michael Dorn confirms that no one says “guile” like Worf. ****

22. Shades of Gray – A clip show about which we will never speak again.(0)

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 2

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In season two, the Enterprise continues on its journey across the galaxy with the birth of a new member. Picard once again leads the team as unknown civilizations take notice of the ship and wishes to know more about the crew and their operations. Riker struggles with his loyalty to the Enterprise as his life is threatened and Data tries to become more human to understand his role upon the Enterprise. This season looks closer into the relationship of man vs. machine as Q once again tries to test Picard against a new enemy. The Ferengi threatens the Enterprise and the mystery of the holodeck pits the crew against the clock as lives hang in the balance.

20 Episodes

S2 e1 - the child, s2 e2 - where silence has lease, s2 e3 - elementary, dear data, s2 e4 - the outrageous okona, s2 e5 - loud as a whisper, s2 e6 - the schizoid man, s2 e7 - unnatural selection, s2 e8 - a matter of honor, s2 e9 - the measure of a man, s2 e10 - the dauphin, s2 e11 - contagion, s2 e12 - the royale, s2 e13 - time squared, s2 e14 - the icarus factor, s2 e15 - pen pals, s2 e16 - q who, s2 e17 - samaritan snare, s2 e18 - up the long ladder, s2 e19 - manhunt, s2 e20 - the emissary, where does star trek: the next generation rank today the justwatch daily streaming charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. this includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. this includes data from ~1.3 million movie & tv show fans per day..

Streaming charts last updated: 5:12:26 PM, 05/18/2024

Star Trek: The Next Generation is 2283 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The TV show has moved up the charts by 251 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than The Good Doctor but less popular than Survivor.

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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Dec 10, 1988

Summary "Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!" Monologue of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the opening credits Star Trek: The Next Generation is a science fic ... Read More

Directed By : Robert Becker

Written By : Gene Roddenberry, Burton Armus, Les Menchen, Lance Dickson, David Landsberg, Leonard Mlodinow, Scott Rubenstein

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Created By : Gene Roddenberry

Season Episodes

Patrick Stewart

Captain jean-luc picard, locutus of borg, michael williams, brent spiner, lieutenant commander data, lore, dr. noonien soong, jonathan frakes, commander william thomas 'will' riker, captain william thomas 'will' riker, commander, levar burton, lieutenant commander geordi la forge, lieutenant geordi la forge, marina sirtis, counselor deanna troi, michael dorn, lieutenant worf, commander worf, risa tourist, gates mcfadden, doctor beverly crusher, dr. beverly crusher, majel barrett, enterprise computer, lwaxana troi, narrator, wil wheaton, wesley crusher, acting ensign wesley crusher, ensign wesley crusher, colm meaney, chief miles o'brien, transporter chief, battle bridge conn, james g. becker, youngblood, ten forward crew, denise crosby, lieutenant natasha 'tasha' yar, sela, whoopi goldberg, diana muldaur, doctor katherine pulaski, doctor pulaski, patti yasutake, nurse alyssa ogawa, doctor alyssa ogawa, dennis madalone, ansata terrorist, borg, cardassian, fajo's henchman 1, guard, holodeck warrior, holographic warrior, ramos, science division crewman, transporter technician, michelle forbes, ensign ro laren, dara, lieutenant ro laren, rosalind chao, keiko o'brien, keiko ishikawa, john de lancie, brian bonsall, alexander rozhenko, user reviews.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 4, Episode 2

Where to watch, star trek: the next generation — season 4, episode 2.

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 4, Episode 2 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Cast & crew.

Patrick Stewart

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Cmdr. William Riker

LeVar Burton

Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

Counselor Deanna Troi

Episode Info

Den of Geek

Star Trek Discovery Just Brought Back a Beloved Piece of Next Generation Canon

As Discovery enters the “Labyrinths” of Captain Burnham’s mind, fans should be reminded of a Star Trek: The Next Generation classic.

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Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation

This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

With the release of this week’s “ Labyrinths ,” Star Trek: Discovery only has two more episodes to go before its series finale, which will have to wrap up not only its season-long Progenitor mystery but multiple character arcs at the same time. It’s a lot for one of the most action-adventure-oriented Trek series ever. Still, we didn’t mind that Discovery took a second to pause with an introspective episode before jumping back into the breakneck action of what will become the final two stories. In “Labyrinths,” Captain Burnham enters inside what she thinks is an ancient Betazoid book. Instead, she ends up in a mindscape created by her own subconscious.

This is classic Star Trek stuff, an entire sci-fi adventure that happens almost exclusively in the mind of one character but is full of emotional stakes that directly impact the physical stakes in the outside world. And, for longtime fans, the method by which Burnham ends up in this mindscape should seem very, very familiar, as it’s a callback to one of the most beloved Next Generation episodes of all time.

While onboard the Eternal Gallery and Archive, Book and Burnham finally locate the manuscript called Labyrinths of the Mind , written by Marina Derex, a Betazoid scientist who lived 800 years in the past, way back in the 24th century. Book and Burnham are told that nobody else before has requested this book, and we quickly find out why. When Burnham opens it and presses a specific panel, she’s zapped unconscious. Dr. Culber explains she’s been hit by a “nucleonic emitter,” which should ring some bells in the minds of people who love The Next Generation .

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Just before the end of The Next Generation’s fifth season, on June 1, 1992, the series dropped what is almost certainly its best standalone episode, “The Inner Light.” This story, from writer Morgan Gendel, begins with a different kind of archive in space: a probe sent by an ancient civilization from the planet Kataan. As in the new Discovery episode, Picard is zapped by a nucleonic beam, and ends up on the planet Kataan, which from the point-of-view of the 24th-century timeline, life has been extinct since the 14th century.

Discovery isn’t 10 centuries in the future from The Next Generation , but it is eight centuries ahead. This is one of those strange quirks of Discovery’s time-jump from the end of season 2. By leap-frogging beyond the The Original Series timeframe where the show began, the series is also now 800 years beyond The Next Generation . For people like Burnham, Culber, and Kovich, the fact that Jean-Luc Picard was one of the first humans to discover the Progenitor tech (in “The Chase”) means very little, he’s just some guy lost to history. And yet, it’s interesting that the timespan between Picard and the death of the planet Kataan is now comparable to the timespan between Discovery’s future and the now-classic era of The Next Generation .

But, one has to wonder, did the Betazoid Dr. Derex adapt technology from the Kataan probe to use in this manuscript? We know that the various scientists hid the clues to the Progenitor tech that were created in the 24th century during the Dominion War, which would be after the events of TNG’s “The Inner Light.” So, it’s totally conceivable that the technology of the nucleonic beam was adapted by Federation scientists, and used in this book, specifically.

Burnham’s journey differs from Picard’s in “The Inner Light,” of course. She’s totally aware of what is happening, and the projections from her mind, including a representation of Book, make her aware she’s in a mindscape puzzle, and that her goal is to get out. In “The Inner Light,” the world of Picard’s other life, living as Kamin, wasn’t a puzzle for him to solve, or really a quest of any kind. Instead, Picard was encouraged just to live out his days in that world. However, there was a ticking clock on the other end, and Crusher was concerned he might die if the nucleonic beam isn’t severed. This is paralleled in “ “Labyrinths” when Dr. Culber resists beaming Burnham out until the program has run its course.

What’s really fascinating about all of this is the idea that Burnham has to deal with herself before moving onward into the rest of the mission. It’s a ruminative episode, jammed in the middle of some action episodes, which also repeats Star Trek history. In 1992, “The Inner Light” was the penultimate episode of The Next Generation season 5. The episode that followed “The Inner Light,” was the time travel cliffhanger “Time’s Arrow Part 1,” which brought together the entire TNG crew on an epic quest.

Discovery seems to be doing something similar; right toward the end of its own season 5, the captain of the ship goes on an inward journey, right before the next two episodes kick things into maximum warp. Captain Burnham is nothing like Captain Picard, but as Discovery proves, sometimes, the farther one travels, the less one knows. And when that happens, it’s time to chill out and get nucleonic.

Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on Paramount+.

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Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

Star Trek: Discovery's Rhys Is Starfleet's Next Great Captain

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 8 - "Labyrinths"

Lt. Commander Gen Rhys proves himself as Acting Captain, successfully leading the USS Discovery against the Breen.
Discovery pays off Rhys' increasing importance as a member of the bridge crew.
Star Trek: Discovery continues to build up strong homegrown Captains, and Rhys shows he is a future leader.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 established that Starfleet's next great starship Captain is Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon). Written by Lauren Wilkinson & Eric J. Robbins and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths" brought Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery to the Eternal Gallery and Archive in the Badlands where the final clue to the Progenitors' treasure is hidden. The USS Discovery's Chief Tactical Officer, Rhys becomes the lynchpin of keeping the USS Discovery safe from the Breen's Sixth Flight led by Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo).

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths," Captain Burnham is incapacitated by the final clue, a book called "Labyrinths of the Mind" written by Betazoid scientist Dr. Marina Derex . Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) beams to the Eternal Gallery and Archive with Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) to help the Captain. Trapped in her mindscape. Michael faces her innermost fears with an avatar of Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) and proves herself worthy of the Progenitors' treasure. This leaves Lt. Commander Gen Rhys in command of the USS Discovery when Primarch Ruhn's Breen attacks the Archive, and Rhys rose to the challenge .

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

Lt. Commander Gen Rys Is Star Trek: Discoverys Next Great Captain

Rhys makes a fine acting captain.

Lt. Commander Gen Rhys was excellent as Acting Captain of the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths" . Rhys followed his orders to keep Discovery safe from the Breen, with the challenge of being unable to cloak in the Badlands. Rhys gambled that the Badlands' plasma energies would scramble the Breen's sensors, and he ordered the USS Discovery into the storms. With Rhys in command, Discovery weathered the Badlands and successfully rescued Captain Burnham, Commander Rayner, and the away team, beaming them and the final Progenitors' clue safely aboard the ship.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal" revealed that Gen Rhys is a "ship-head" who loves 23rd century Constitution Class starships.

Rhys proving his mettle as a starship Captain pays off his increasing importance in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Rhys was spotlighted in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange" when his younger self joined Specialist Michael Burnham to confront Commander Rayner and Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) during the episode's time travel to the 23rd century. Rhys is a standout among the USS Discovery's bridge crew, and his performance in "Labyrinths" shows Gen is on track to become Captain of his own starship one day.

Patrick Kwok-Choon (@KWOK-ROCK) revealed on X that his wife was in labor while he was filming Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8 , which makes his performance even more impressive. Check out his post below:

Star Trek: Discovery Made 2 Great Captains Already

Discovery's captain track record is excellent.

A revolving Captain's chair was a hallmark of Star Trek: Discovery 's first few seasons, but the series was building up two great homegrown Captains . The first great Captain Star Trek: Discovery made was Saru (Doug Jones) . The first Kelpien in Starfleet, Saru distinguished himself as First Officer and Acting Captain before he was formally promoted to the USS Discovery's center seat. Of course, Star Trek: Discovery is the story of Michael Burnham earning the Captain's chair, and "Labyrinths" delved into Burnham's inner fears of not being good enough and questioning who she is if she's not pursuing missions as Discovery's Captain.

Rhys is clearly ready to move up the command track and become a Number One.

It's actually curious that Captain Burnham didn't immediately consider Lt. Commander Gen Rhys to be the USS Discovery's new First Officer before selecting Commander Rayner. Rhys is clearly ready to move up the command track and become a Number One. Gen is obviously trusted to command the USS Discovery in Burnham and Rayner's absence, and he passes each test with flying colors. Perhaps Rhys distinguishing himself as Acting Captain in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, will lead to him becoming Captain Gen Rhys some day.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Alex Kurtzman

Directors Jonathan Frakes, Olatunde Osunsanmi

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Where To Watch Paramount+

Star Trek: Discovery's Rhys Is Starfleet's Next Great Captain

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery introduced a better vacation spot for picard than risa.

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Every Star Trek Series, Ranked Worst To Best

Star trek: discovery makes lower decks' renaissance faire planet live-action canon, star trek: discovery’s spore drive - how it works & why it’s controversial.

Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 8 - "Labyrinths"

Captain Picard would have preferred vacationing at the Eternal Gallery and Archive over Risa.
Captain Burnham found the final clue to the Progenitors' treasure in the Archive, which 24th century Starfleet didn't know about.
The Eternal Gallery and Archive would have been a haven for Picard, a lover of books and archaeology.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) would have loved to vacation at a spot just visited by the crew of the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery . As Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Picard did not take many vacations in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but he still managed to get away occasionally. Like many Starfleet officers, Picard spent some of his leave time on Risa, a tropical vacation destination often referred to as the "pleasure planet." Risa, however, wasn't exactly the perfect vacation spot for Picard, as he often sought a quieter holiday than many of the other visiting tourists.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8 , "Labyrinths," written by Lauren Wilkinson and Eric J. Robbins and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, the USS Discovery visits the Eternal Gallery and Archive, a massive library that moves locations about every fifty years. The continued search for the Progenitors' technology takes Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Discovery to the volatile area of space known as the Badlands, where the Archive is currently located. Once there, Burnham has to solve the last clue before Moll (Eve Harlow) and the Breen catch up to Discovery. Not only is the Archive a fascinating place in and of itself, but it seems like the perfect vacation destination for someone like Jean-Luc Picard.

There are 11 Star Trek TV series (and counting) over 58 years. From The Original Series to TNG to Strange New Worlds and Prodigy, we rank them all.

Captain Picard In TNG Would Have Preferred To Holiday In Star Trek: Discovery’s Eternal Gallery & Archive Than Risa

The archive would be heaven for someone like jean-luc picard..

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation , Captain Picard can be seen reading physical books, a form of entertainment that has become mostly obsolete by the 24th century. With the USS Enterprise-D's computer database likely containing every book ever written and a holodeck that can recreate any story, it says a lot about Picard that he still chooses to read real books. In addition to his love of the written word, Picard also has an interest in archeology. Between the endless shelves of ancient texts and the collection of artifacts from all over the galaxy, Picard could happily spend years wandering the Eternal Gallery and Archive's halls.

The scenes in the Eternal Gallery and Archive were filmed at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

Known for its resorts and beautiful beaches, Risa makes a perfect vacation spot for many in Star Trek, but Jean-Luc Picard isn't like most people. Picard did not want to take any time off from commanding the USS Enterprise-D, and even after he retires in Star Trek: Picard , he gets pulled back into galaxy-saving adventures on multiple occasions. The Eternal Gallery and Archive would provide a place where Picard could truly relax and spend time reading and learning. But if Jean-Luc's history is any indication, he would probably find some way to get caught up in a grand adventure based on a book or artifact he found in the Archive.

Why Captain Picard Vacationed On Risa In Star Trek: TNG

"is the entire crew aware of this little scheme to send me off on holiday".

When the crew of the USS Enterprise-D insists that Captain Picard take a vacation in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 19, "Captain's Holiday," Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) suggests that he visit Risa, which happens to be nearby. Although Picard asserts he "loathes vacations," he eventually gives in to the nagging of his crew and heads to Risa. While there, he spends much of his time lying in a lounge chair trying to read his book, but he keeps getting interrupted by the resort's employees and other tourists. Eventually, Picard meets a woman named Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) who pulls him into an archeological adventure.

Starfleet didn't know about the existence of the Eternal Gallery and Archive in the 24th century.

Despite Vash's questionable ethics and reckless attitude, Picard finds himself drawn to her. This romance was part of the real-world reason for Picard's storyline in "Captain's Holiday." According to Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , Patrick Stewart wanted Picard to have more "sex and shooting." The Captain's visit to Risa gave him both, as he embarked on an Indiana Jones-style adventure and a whirlwind romance with Vash. While Jean-Luc Picard clearly had a good time on Risa, the Eternal Gallery and Archive introduced in Star Trek: Discovery seems like his true perfect vacation spot.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Discovery are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Action/Adventure
Children's/Family
Documentary/Reality
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‘Outer Range’ Season 2 Episode 4 Recap: Once Upon a Time in the West

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Outer Range

Hell yeah, brother! It took eleven episodes to get here, but Outer Range has finally, truly, knocked it out of the park. Set entirely in 1886 until its final moments, the cheekily titled “Ode to Joy” is exactly that — a showcase for the time-displaced Sheriff Joy Hawk, and for actor Tamara Podemski. Both the character and the performer take that spotlight and make it a star turn, transforming Joy into one of the show’s best characters and cementing Podemski as, perhaps, the equal and opposite reaction to Josh Brolin’s Royal Abbott.

‘Outer Range’ Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: Show Hole

New shows & movies to watch this weekend: ‘bridgerton’ season 3 on netflix + more, ‘outer range’ season 2 episode 2 recap: dream a little dream.

But more than that, this episode demonstrates that the action in the season premiere, in which Joy found herself in the middle of a breathless battle between warriors on horseback, was no fluke. Working off a fantastic script by Aïda Mashaka Croal and Randy Redroad, director Blackhorse Lowe puts on an action/thriller clinic. Joy and her young friend Flowers’s (Lily Joy Winder) quest to defeat and escape their white captors and pursuers treats the real-world sociopolitical horrors with sensitivity without being afraid to use them as fuel for powerful genre storytelling.

The plot of the episode is simple. In the late 19th century, Joy has been living among her Shoshone ancestors for four years now, with her Led Zeppelin–loving friend Falling Star by her side. But Falling Star, a trained nurse, knows she’s dying of cancer, and wants Joy to take over as liaison with the “homesteaders,” whose government-appointed representative Carson Krum (Mark Sivertsen) seems like a decent enough guy.

As is so often the case on this shoe, though, bison are the harbinger of doom. When young hunters Flowers and Mountain Lion (River Novin) shoot a bison — it’s the same bison with two arrows jutting out of it that trotted around mysteriously all throughout Season One, of course — they pursue it into the settlers’ territory. There, they are accosted by Shelton Cape (John Ales), a grey-bearded shitkicker, and his men. Mountain Lion escapes, but Flowers is captured, and with all of their warriors out on a hunt, it falls to former LEO Joy to come to the rescue.

And now, a personal aside. I quite literally can’t conceive of myself as a person without Led Zeppelin. Their ten-disc complete studio recordings box set was the soundtrack of my entire adolescence. So I’m right there with Falling Star and Joy when they quote “Stairway to Heaven” at each other at the start of Joy’s perilous journey. That song is absolutely commensurate with such a moment; quoting it is a way of showing Falling Star, Joy, and Led Zeppelin their due respect. I got choked up, but can you blame me? “Stairway to Heaven” was the first song I ever sang to my child, when they were in a tiny little plastic box in a neonatal intensive care unit. That song means as much to me as it does to them.

Anyway, Joy heads off to the rescue armed with the power of an automatic pistol (or whatever, I’m not a gun expert, go home and play with your kids), a gun that has a level of accuracy and stopping power for which the white men of 1886 are quite unprepared. But Gage wounds her in the leg and escapes, all but ensuring a racial bloodbath once the news gets out. Joy convinces Flowers to leave her behind in order to make better time back to the village, giving them ample warning. This pretty much means Joy has left herself behind to die.

But she didn’t count on her nearest pursuer being young Royal Sumner (Teauguen Arbogast), and his abusive father Levi (Brandon Stacy). Astonishingly, Joy — who comes from a “place” where men like Levi are considered the scum of the earth and imprisoned for such behavior — convinces Royal to kill his father rather than her.

This is the “hunt” that Royal was on when he “accidentally” shot his dad. This is what caused him to flee his family and leap into a hole in the world. This is what also caused Joy to do the same, pursuing young Royal headlong despite her wounded leg and falling through the bottomless void just shy of Royal’s own descent. You’ve now seen where both of them end up. Meanwhile, the white men find themselves outfoxed and surrounded by the returning Shoshone warriors. All’s well that ends well, for now at least.

The great thing about heavily serialized New Golden Age/Prestige TV/Peak TV storytelling is that when a standalone episode like this one does come along, it really pops. (That’s why the critical vogue for such episodes is nonsensical: If they were common, they wouldn’t hit half as hard.) Outer Range used this one to, in wrestling parlance, get Joy over — make her someone the audience will cheer for, loudly at that. I’m hugely impressed by this effort. I’m excited to see where things go from here.

Sean T. Collins ( @theseantcollins ) writes about TV for Rolling Stone , Vulture , The New York Times , and anyplace that will have him , really. He and his family live on Long Island.