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Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Star Trek: The Next Generation , often abbreviated to TNG , is the second live-action Star Trek television series, and the first set in the 24th century . Like its predecessors, it was created by Gene Roddenberry . Produced at Paramount Pictures , it aired in first-run syndication , by Paramount Television in the US, from September 1987 to May 1994 . The series was set in the 24th century and featured the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise -D under Captain Jean-Luc Picard .

The series led to four spin-offs set in the same time period: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , which it ran alongside during its final two seasons, Star Trek: Voyager , Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard . It is also the beginning of a contiguous period of time during which there was always at least one Star Trek series in production, ending with Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005 .

Main Title Theme file info (arranged by Dennis McCarthy , composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage )
2.1 Starring
2.2 Also starring
3.1 Season 1
3.2 Season 2
3.3 Season 3
3.4 Season 4
3.5 Season 5
3.6 Season 6
3.7 Season 7
4.1 Remastering
5.1 Performers
5.2 Stunt performers
5.3 Production staff
5.4 Companies
6 Related topics
8 External links

Summary [ ]

Star Trek: The Next Generation moved the universe forward roughly a century past the days of James T. Kirk and Spock . The series depicted a new age in which the Klingons were allies of the Federation , though the Romulans remained adversaries. New threats included the Ferengi (although they were later used more for comic relief), the Cardassians , and the Borg . While Star Trek: The Original Series was clearly made in the 1960s, the first two seasons of The Next Generation show all the markings of a 1980s product, complete with Spandex uniforms .

As with the original Star Trek , TNG was still very much about exploration, "boldly going where no one has gone before". Similarly, the plots captured the adventures of the crew of a starship, namely the USS Enterprise -D . Despite the apparent similarities with the original series, the creators of TNG were adamant about creating a bold, independent vision of the future. The public did not widely accept the show on its own terms until the airing of " The Best of Both Worlds ", which marked a shift towards higher drama, serious plot lines, and a less episodic nature. This helped pave the way for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its two-year-long Dominion War arc and preceding build-up, as well as the third and fourth seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise . Star Trek: Voyager capitalized on the heightened crew relationships and familial bonds first seen on The Next Generation. DS9, on the other hand, balanced political intrigue, character development, and series-long plot threads with a rerun-friendly format.

As with the original Star Trek , TNG's special effects utilized miniatures, but due to great advancements in computerized effects and opticals, the show leaped ahead of its predecessor in terms of quality effects. This series marked the greatest surge in Star Trek 's mainstream popularity, and paved the way for the later televised Trek shows.

Four of the Star Trek motion pictures continued the adventures of the TNG cast after the end of the series in 1994. Star Trek Generations served to "pass the torch" from The Original Series cast, who had been the subject of the first six motion pictures, by including crossover appearances from William Shatner , James Doohan , and Walter Koenig ; it also featured the destruction of the USS Enterprise -D. Star Trek: First Contact , released two years later , was the first of the motion pictures to solely feature the TNG cast, transferred aboard the new USS Enterprise -E and engaging with one of their deadliest enemies from the television series, the Borg. Star Trek: Insurrection followed in 1998 , continuing certain character arcs from the series. In 2002 , Star Trek Nemesis brought some of these character arcs and plot threads to a seemingly definite conclusion, although some cast members expressed hope that future movies would yet pick up the story. Regardless, a new generation of actors appeared in 2009 's Star Trek , which created an alternate reality and returned the films' focus to Kirk and Spock .

On television, characters from TNG appeared in subsequent series. Recurring TNG character Miles O'Brien became a series regular on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , as did Worf in DS9's fourth season . Jean-Luc Picard appeared in Deep Space Nine 's pilot episode , and supporting characters from TNG appeared occasionally on DS9 (specifically, Keiko O'Brien , Lursa , B'Etor , Molly O'Brien , Vash , Q , Lwaxana Troi , Alynna Nechayev , Gowron , Thomas Riker , Toral , and Alexander Rozhenko ). Reginald Barclay and Deanna Troi appeared several times each on Star Trek: Voyager , and Troi and William T. Riker appeared in the series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise , which was primarily a holographic simulation set during the TNG episode " The Pegasus ". However, Star Trek Nemesis was the final chronological appearance of the Next Generation characters for over 18 years, until Star Trek: Picard , which focused on the later life of Jean-Luc Picard. Riker, Troi, Data , and Hugh also appeared in Picard .

In 1994 , Star Trek: The Next Generation was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. During its seven-year run, it was nominated for 58 Emmy Awards, mostly in "technical" categories such as visual effects and makeup; it won 18.

Main cast [ ]

Starring [ ].

Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker

Also starring [ ]

LeVar Burton as Lt. j.g. / Lt. / Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar ( 1987 - 1988 )
Michael Dorn as Lt. j.g. / Lt. Worf
Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher ( 1987 - 1988 ; 1989 - 1994 )
Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton as Ensign Wesley Crusher ( 1987 - 1990 )

Episode list [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

TNG Season 1 , 25 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

TNG Season 2 , 22 episodes:

Season 3 [ ]

TNG Season 3 , 26 episodes:

Season 4 [ ]

TNG Season 4 , 26 episodes:

Season 5 [ ]

TNG Season 5 , 26 episodes:

Season 6 [ ]

TNG Season 6 , 26 episodes:

Season 7 [ ]

TNG Season 7 , 25 episodes:

Behind the scenes [ ]

Star Trek: The Next Generation was originally pitched to the then-fledgling Fox Network . However, they couldn't guarantee an initial order greater than thirteen episodes, not enough to make the enormous start-up costs of the series worth the expense. It was then decided to sell the series to the first-run syndication market. The show's syndicated launch was overseen by Paramount Television president Mel Harris , a pioneer in the syndicated television market. Many of the stations that carried The Next Generation had also run The Original Series for a long time.

According to issues of Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine from early 1987, TNG was originally planned to be set in the 25th century, 150 years after the original series, and the Enterprise would have been the Enterprise NCC-1701-G. Gene Roddenberry ultimately changed the timeline to mid-24th century, set on board the Enterprise NCC-1701-D, as an Enterprise -G would have been the eighth starship to bear the name and that was too many for the relatively short time period that was to have passed.

Star Trek: The Next Generation was billed initially as being set 78 years after the days of the original USS Enterprise . [1] (p. 16) However, after the series' first season was established as being set in the year 2364 , this reference became obsolete as dates were then able to be set for the original series and the four previous films. When this happened, it was established that the events of the original series were about a hundred years before the events of TNG. With TNG's first season being set in 2364, 78 years prior would have been 2286 . Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home partly takes place during this year along with the shakedown cruise of the USS Enterprise -A .

On the special The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation To The Next , Gene Roddenberry commented, " On the original Star Trek , I practically lost my family from working so many twelve-hour days, fourteen-hour days, seven days a week, and I told them, 'You can't pay me enough to do that.' But then they said, 'Hey, but suppose we do it in a way in which' they call syndication, 'in which we don't have a network and we don't have all those people up there?' And Paramount was saying to me, 'And we guarantee that you will be in charge of the show.' "

Andrew Probert was first hired by Roddenberry in 1978 . However, not until 1986 , when Roddenberry was preparing to launch a new show, entitled Star Trek: The Next Generation , did he call upon Probert to take a lead design role. Everything had to be rethought, imagined, planned and redesigned. As the vision evolved in the designers' minds, the evolution was charted in successive sketches and paintings.

Among Probert's creations, in addition to the new Enterprise starship and many of its interiors including the main bridge , are many other featured spacecraft. The Ferengi cruiser , and even the Ferengi species, are Probert designs.

Roddenberry originally insisted on doing a one-hour pilot and assigned D.C. Fontana to write the episode, first titled Meeting at Farpoint . However, the studio was keen on having a two-hour pilot, mainly because they wanted something big and spectacular to launch the series, especially considering first-run syndication. Roddenberry himself volunteered to extend Fontana's script to two hours, eventually adding the Q storyline to it.

Ronald D. Moore commented, " Gene did not want conflict between the regular characters on TNG. This began to hamstring the series and led to many, many problems. To put it bluntly, this wasn't a very good idea. But rather than jettison it completely, we tried to remain true to the spirit of a better future where the conflicts between our characters did not show them to be petty or selfish or simply an extension of 20th century mores. " ( AOL chat , 1997 ) Rick Berman explained, " The problem with Star Trek: The Next Generation is Gene created a group of characters that he purposely chose not to allow conflict between. Starfleet officers cannot be in conflict, thus its murderous to write these shows because there is no good drama without conflict, and the conflict has to come from outside the group. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 8)

Roddenberry tried to recruit many production staff members from The Original Series to work on the new series. These included producers Robert H. Justman and Edward K. Milkis , writers D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold (who served as the main creative force behind the formation of the series), costume designer William Ware Theiss , assistant director Charles Washburn , composer Fred Steiner , set decorator John M. Dwyer , and writer John D.F. Black . Roddenberry also tried to bring back cinematographer Jerry Finnerman , but he declined the offer, being busy working on Moonlighting at the time. However, all of the above people finished working on the series after or during the first season.

Unit Production Manager David Livingston was responsible for hiring Michael Westmore for the pilot episode. ( ENT Season 3 Blu-ray , " Impulse " audio commentary )

Remastering [ ]

After several months of speculation and partial confirmation, StarTrek.com announced on 28 September 2011 (the 24th anniversary of the series premiere) that The Next Generation would be remastered in 1080p high-definition for release on Blu-ray Disc and eventual syndication, starting in 2012 . The seventh and final season was released on Blu-ray in December 2014 .

Cast and crew [ ]

The following people worked on The Next Generation ; it is unknown during which season or on which episodes.

Performers [ ]

Antonio – background actor
Charles Bazaldua – voice actor
Terrence Beasor – voice actor (17 episodes, including the voice of the Borg )
Libby Bideau – featured actress
Brian Ciari – background actor: Cardassian ( TNG Season 6 or 7 )
Amber Connally – background actress: child
Phil Crowley – voice actor
Vincent DeMaio – background actor: Enterprise -D operations division officer
David Dewitt – background actor
Gregory Fletcher – background actor Borg
Dan Horton – background actor
Carlyle King – voice actress
Mark Laing – featured actor
Daryl F. Mallett – background actor
Tina Morlock – background actress
Jean Marie Novak – background actress: Enterprise -D operations division officer
Rick H. Olavarria – background actor (1988)
Jennifer Ott – background actress: Enterprise -D command division officer
Richard Penn – voice actor
Judie Pimitera – background actress: Ten Forward waitress
Paige Pollack – voice actress
Jeff Rector – background actor: Enterprise -D command division officer
Gary Schwartz – voice actor/ADR voice
Beth Scott – background actress
Steve Sekely – background actor
Andrea Silver – background actress: Enterprise -D sciences division officer
Oliver Theess – recurring background actor (around 1990)
Richard Walker – background actor
Harry Williams, Jr. – background actor
Bruce Winant – supporting actor
Stephen Woodworth – background actor

Stunt performers [ ]

Laura Albert – stunts
John Lendale Bennett – stunts
Richard L. Blackwell – stunts
John Cade – stunts
Chuck Courtney – Assistant Stunt Coordinator
Terry James – stunts
Gary Jensen – Assistant Stunt Coordinator
Lane Leavitt – stunts
Pat Romano – stunts

Production staff [ ]

Joseph Andolino – Additional Composer
David Atherton – Makeup Artist
Gregory Benford – Scientific Consultant
Steven R. Bernstein – Additional Music Composer/Orchestrator
Les Bernstien – Motion Control Operator
R. Christopher Biggs – Special Makeup Effects Artist
Howard Block – Second Unit Director of Photography
Stephen Buchsbaum – Colorist: Unitel Video (Four Seasons)
Alan Chudnow – Assistant Editor
Marty Church – Foley Mixer
Scott Cochran – Scoring Mixer: Advertising Music
Robert Cole – Special Effects Artist
Sharon Davis – Graphics Assistant
David Dittmar – Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Dragon Dronet – Prop Maker: Weapons, Specialty Props and Miniatures
Jim Dultz – Assistant Art Director
Shannon Dunn – Extras Casting: Cenex Casting
Chris W. Fallin – Motion Control Operator
Edward J. Franklin – Special Effects Artist
Lisa Gizara – Assistant to Gates McFadden
John Goodwin – Makeup Artist
Simon Holden – Digital Compositor (between 1989 and 1994)
Kent Allen Jones – Sculptor: Bob Jean Productions
Michael R. Jones – Makeup Artist (early 1990s)
Jason Kaufman – Prop and Model Maker: Greg Jein, Inc.
Nina Kent – Makeup Artist
David Kervinen – Visual Effects Illustrator: Composite Image Systems (4 Seasons)
Andy Krieger – Extras Casting: Central Casting
Tim Landry – Visual Effects Artist
Lisa Logan – Cutter/Fitter
Jon Macht – Post Production Vendor
Gray Marshall – Motion Control Camera Operator: Image "G"
Karl J. Martin – Digital Compositor
Belinda Merritt – VFX Accountant: The Post Group
John Palmer – Special Effects Coordinator: WonderWorks Inc.
Frank Popovich – Mold and Prop Assistant
Molly Rennie
Chris Schnitzer – Motion Control Technician/Rigger: Image "G"
Steven J. Scott – Digital Compositor
Bruce Sears – DGA Trainee
Casey Simpson – Gaffer
Ken Stranahan – Visual Effects Artist
Rick Stratton – Makeup Artist
Greg Stuhl – Miniatures: Greg Jein, Inc.
Tim Tommasino – Assistant Editor
Peter Webb – Digital Compositor
Gregory A. Weimerskirch – Assistant Art Director
Bill Witthans – Dolly Grip

Companies [ ]

Bob Jean Productions
Movie Movers
Newkirk Special Effects
WonderWorks Inc.

External links [ ]

Star Trek: The Next Generation at Wikipedia
Star Trek: The Next Generation at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Star Trek: The Next Generation at the Internet Movie Database
Star Trek: The Next Generation at StarTrek.com

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5, Episode 15

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Cast & crew.

Patrick Stewart

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Cmdr. William Riker

LeVar Burton

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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Episode guides, brief reviews and ratings

The truth is that, had Paramount executives not taken a chance on rebooting Star Trek in the 1980s (decades before the term “reboot” was commonly applied to the revivification of entertainment franchises, no less), Star Trek could well have died after The Undiscovered Country . Instead, TNG’s seven-year run included story lines and episodes that one-quarter century later still resonate in the public consciousness: stuff like “Darmok”, “The Inner Light” and “Best of Both Worlds.” Remind yourself of just how great TNG was with a perusal of our episode guides.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2 episode guide

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Notable episodes

Season 1 – crew getting its feet wet; no one but Stewart is really comfortable with his/her character. Writers too are unsure … after “Encounter at Farpoint” (episode #1), the only notables are “Datalore” (#13), which introduces Data’s “brother” Lore and thus allows the great Brent Siner to flex those acting muscles a bit, and “Skin of Evil” (#23), which features the death of Lt. Tasha Yar.

Season 2 – The tone is set for the remainder of ST:TNG’s run in episode #9, “The Measure of a Man”; in this episode, a hearing is held regarding Data’s individuality as a sentient being, a hearing which often evolves into questions of existence and consciousness. Intelligent stuff here, is balanced by the excellent character development throughout the season, culminating in “Peak Performance” (#21). The real notable in this season, though, has got to be “Q Who” (#16), featuring the first appearance of the Borg.

Season 3 – The character of Guinan is introduced in season 3, as the twists and turns come fast and furious. The alternate-universe episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (#15) has simply got to be among any ST’s fan’s top 10 TNG stories and was among the first to truly take advantage of this wacky new continuity thing. Of course, season 3 is perhaps most remembered for its cliffhanger ending in “The Best of Both Worlds” (#26), which vaulted the Borg (and Riker) to new levels of badassery.

Season 4 – Starting tremendously strong with “The Best of Both Worlds”, “Family” and “Brothers”, season 4 kicked the “head trip” episodes, i.e throw a character into an insane situation and divulge the details slowly, into full gear with stuff like “Remember Me” (#5) “Future Imperfect” (#8) and “Clues” (#14). We also get the introduction of Romulan baddie Sela, the very embodiment of plot twist, in “The Mind’s Eye” (#24). Throughout the season, Lt. Worf and his family’s relationship with the Klingon Empire is continuously revisited until the season’s concluding episode, “Redemption, Part I.”

Season 5 – Season 5 of TNG saw the introduction of Ensign Ro Laren (in episode #3) and the return of some guy named Spock (“Reunification,” #s 7-8). Again typically strong stuff, this season contains several popular favorites, including “Darmok” (#2) and “The Inner Light” (#25)

Season 6 – With Jeri Taylor joining the production team as co-producer (and presumably the principals’ salaries getting raised), seasons 6 and 7 of TNG tended to focus on smaller-scale stories ranging from the incredibly dark “Chain of Command” (#s 10-11) to the laugh-a-minute “Tapestry” (#15), the latter of which is dominated by scenes featuring only Picard and Q. The season-ending cliffhanger concludes with part one of an intriguing-sounding team-up of Lore and a group of Borg in “Descent.”

Season 7 – The conclusion to “Descent” may have been anticlimactic, but the conclusion to the TNG series sure wasn’t. ST:TNG finished strong, closing out with the excellent “Preemptive Strike” and “All Good Things”, three episodes’ worth of twisty character development and head trip, respectively.

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Captain Sisko Wasn't The First Star Trek Character Who Loved Baseball

Reba mcentire's new nbc sitcom premiere window revealed, doctor who's wild musical ending in season 14's 1960s episode actually has a canon explanation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation still stands as the most well-received installment of the popular franchise, thanks largely to an amazing crew, a talented cast of actors, and some of the best scriptwriting in television sci-fi history. There are far more hits than misses, with certain episodes having taken on a pop culture status all their own.

RELATED: The 15 Best Episodes In Star Trek TV History, Ranked

These episodes were groundbreaking for a variety of reasons. Some were intense and moving dramas, others were gripping thrillers, and of course, many featured action-packed, exciting battles against amazing foes. Whatever the case, each season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is loaded with a barrage of top-notch hits.

Updated on October 29th, 2021 by Derek Draven: Star Trek: TNG is a smorgasbord of smartly-written sci-fi stories, and it's hard to find a bad one. It's time to take a look back at even more classic episodes that stood apart from others in the catalog and punched far above their weight class. From the very first season, Star Trek: TNG was already breaking new ground and pushing boundaries while remaining a pinnacle of modest storytelling. This is why fans keep coming back to the series years after.

Conspiracy (Season 1)

This controversial episode lives in notoriety for being one of the most frightening horror-themed TNG stories ever written. It came out at the end of season 1, shocking audiences with subject matter that focused on Starfleet Command being taken over one of the most powerful villains in TNG's history .

The story ends in brutal fashion when Picard and Riker locate the Mother alien living in the chest of a Starfleet officer and fire upon it with their phasers. The amount of raw graphic violence was positively mind-blowing for the decade in question, but the story itself is one of the most gripping, and entertaining of the show.

Lower Decks (Season 7)

This episode offers a fresh perspective on the TNG world, shown through the eyes of a fledgling band of junior officers who are each trying to fit in. Some of these characters were meant to represent the established crew in their younger days, giving a glimpse into what it's like to try and learn the ropes on a starship.

Later, the episode moves into more tragic territory when one of the officers agrees to go undercover on a secret mission, which goes bad. It's a startling wake-up call for the other members who suddenly realize the importance of duty, honor, and valor as a Starfleet officer. It's also one example of a death that perfectly its character in Star Trek: TNG .

Conundrum (Season 5)

The fifth season of ST: TNG featured a number of fishbowl episodes that gave viewers a chance to learn about the characters a bit more. With "Conundrum," they got to see the Enterprise's senior officers rediscover themselves, with some surprisingly interesting results.

When an alien posing as a Starfleet officer gets on board the Enterprise, he takes advantage of the crew's amnesia to try and convince the crew to annihilate his race's greatest rival. With nothing but falsehoods to go on, the crew must trust their individual sense of morality, rather than blindly follow orders.

The Ensigns Of Command (Season 3)

This easily digestible episode is also one of the most enjoyable to watch. It focuses primarily on Data, the only member of the crew capable of beaming down to a harsh alien planet where a human colony has somehow managed to adapt to a form of lethal radiation.

RELATED: The 10 Most Frightening Star Trek: TNG Episodes Of The Entire Show

Unfortunately, an alien race has laid claim to the planet, and given the Enterprise a hard deadline to remove all humans from the planet. Racing against time, Data must find a way to overcome the stubborn colony leader's objections, before everyone is wiped out. It's notable for positing Data in a different light, where he must use wits he didn't realize he had.

First Contact (Season 4)

TNG took great delight in expanding the role of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, making them an integral part of a much larger and more populated universe. Several episodes showcased the Enterprise making first contact with new worlds, but it went horribly wrong in this particular episode.

When Riker, disguised as a Malcorian, is severely injured while on a first contact assignment, Picard needs to break protocol. He introduces himself to the Science Minister for help, and what follows is the risk of societal breakdown as Riker is interrogated, and more people in the Malcor administration realize they are not the center of the universe. It showcased the inherent dangers of making first contact with an alien civilization, which is essentially like flying blind.

Genesis (Season 7)

Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher) directed this surprise season 7 gem, featuring a highly implausible, yet incredibly effective and entertaining story. Data and Picard return to the Enterprise to find that the entire crew has begun de-evolving into various primordial species, each more horrific than the last.

The episode is notorious for a scene featuring Picard and Data in the engineering section, where the former is attacked by a half-arachnid Barclay from behind a pane of glass. It's an effective jump scare that gives audiences the willies to this very day.

Chain Of Command (Season 6)

This double-episode story brought Picard down to his worst point, courtesy of the sadistic Cardassians. It all happens when Picard is taken prisoner during a black ops Starfleet mission, which turns out to be a trap. In the meantime, the Enterprise is commanded by a Captain who ends up banging heads with Commander Riker.

It's a tense story, especially during the second episode when Picard's Cardassian tormenter begins turning up the temperature, inflicting physical and psychological pain on him, in the hopes that he'll crack. The subject matter is very, very dark, particularly when it comes to the social messaging about the use of torture by military forces.

All Good Things (Season 7)

After seven seasons, Star Trek: TNG ended with "All Good Things," a two-part closer that paved the way for the series to make the jump to Hollywood cinema. In this final story, Picard jumps through several points in his own timeline, while trying to figure out what's happening to him.

The episode is notable for bringing the series full circle, right back to where it started, with Q at the forefront. The fate of the entire universe is at stake in the story, and the Enterprise crew is forced to come together and pool their wisdom to prevent an unfathomable catastrophe from occurring.

I, Borg (Season 5)

After the terrifying battle with the Borg on the doorstep to Earth, Picard was left traumatized by the experience. It was ironic, then, that the Enterprise crew would find themselves rescuing a damaged Borg, whom they decided to name "Hugh." The episode goes far beyond just an individual Borg, however.

RELATED: 5 Species The Borg Would Love To Assimilate (& 5 They Would Skip Altogether)

Picard's hatred of the Borg was only starting to show at this point, and the episode helped establish it. On the flip side, Hugh's transformation from a mindless drone to a free-thinking individual would force many of the characters to rethink their prejudices. This episode would set up a character arc that would finish decades later in the first season of the lukewarm spinoff Star Trek: Picard .

Sins Of The Father (Season 3)

"Sins of the Father" was an episode that took audiences on a journey to the Klingon homeworld and dove deep into its warrior culture. The episode revolves around Worf's deceased father, who has since been branded a traitor after supposedly colluding with Romulans at the infamous Khitomer Massacre incident that took place years before.

Worf heads to his homeworld to challenge this lie, with Picard standing at his side. What they uncover, however, is a terrible political scandal that places Worf in a very difficult position. Either he shares the blame for his father's actions, and is labeled the son of a traitor, or the Klingon Empire risks a devastating civil war that would tear it apart.

Darmok (Season 5)

Throughout Star Trek , first contact situations are always tense and confusing. However, few are as unique and harrowing as meeting the Tamarians in "Darmok". Though the species had been trying to make contact with the Federation for weeks, their unorthodox linguistics made it almost impossible. The universal translator could communicate their words, but not the context behind them, which is the theme of the story.

Both Picard and a Tamarian Captain are beamed down to the surface of a planet, where they must work together to survive against a terrifying monster. Along the way, Picard learns to overcome language barriers and forge a communicative bridge with the other Captain, which is a beautiful and uplifting lesson of solidarity for humankind as a whole.

Tapestry (Season 6)

The cosmic entity known as Q was the first real villain the Enterprise ever encountered in TNG, but "Tapestry" paints him in a much different light. The episode involves Captain Picard dying on the sickbay operating table, where his dead spirit is intercepted by Q, himself.

RELATED: 10 Star Trek Facts About Q Most Fans Don't Know

Picard's former nemesis gifts Picard with the chance to redo his life all over again and correct a series of mistakes he made in his youth. In so doing, he ends up carving out a much worse future for himself, which he instantly regrets. It's an excellent episode with a strong message about how choices, both good and bad, help shape a person's character.

The Offspring (Season 3)

Data was a major focus of The Next Generation, but the writers needed to find new ways to expand on his character. One way was giving Data a daughter - an android of his own construction, meant to exceed his own abilities. This android was known as Lal, which means "beloved" in Hindi.

It's a warm, touching episode featuring a close bond between father and daughter, and the way Data grows from the experience. It's also the saddest TNG episode of all time, with a final act that caused audiences to weep all the tears that Data was unable to. Even decades later, it's still a powerful and moving story.

The Hunted (Season 3)

No other episode contains as much action and riveting tension as "The Hunted," focusing on an alien super-soldier who breaks out of a maximum-security prison. The Enterprise decides to lend a hand, but they are baffled when the soldier manages to elude them, using a sophisticated array of tactics.

Picard soon learns that the planet's government created these super-soldiers, without knowing how to reverse their highly dangerous killing instincts. It's a social commentary about the horrific treatment of Vietnam veterans who returned home to America, only to be shunned and discarded by their people, and their governments.

Booby Trap (Season 3)

This tense, enjoyable episode finds the Enterprise caught in a centuries-old booby trap laid by an ancient alien race. As they expel more power to try and free themselves, the trap becomes more lethal and threatens to destroy the crew. Geordi La Forge has just a few hours to come up with a solution, and he decides to load a physical representation of a beautiful Starfleet propulsion designer to help him.

"Booby Trap" is smartly written, very unnerving, and ultimately satisfying, thanks to its final act. It puts Captain Picard in the driver's seat, and against all odds, he manages to beat the trap by using one of the single-coolest techniques of any TNG episode.

Cause And Effect (Season 5)

"Cause and Effect" was a directing challenge for Riker star Jonathan Frakes, but it proved to be one of the coolest and most ingenious episodes of the entire show. The episode begins with the Enterprise on fire, right before it explodes, setting up a terrifying introduction that left audiences on the edge of their seats.

When the opening credits are finished, it's quickly revealed that the Enterprise has become caught in a temporal causality loop, ending with the ship's destruction. Each time the loop resets, the crew remembers more, via a sense of deja vu. It's a haunting and disturbing trek down the corridor of time, and it ends with one of the best solutions in a Star Trek story.

Yesterday's Enterprise (Season 3)

This episode is arguably the most popular in TNG history and remains a must-have staple for fans of the show. "Yesterday's Enterprise" throws the crew into an alternate future timeline where the Federation is on the brink of collapse, following a massive war with the Klingon Empire.

RELATED: 10 Questions About Klingons, Answered

Picard learns that the culprit is the ship's predecessor, the Enterprise-C, which escaped through a rift in time following a decisive battle with the Romulans. The exit from the battle irrevocably changes the future for the worse, and it's up to the Captains of both ships to set history right, once more.

The Best Of Both Worlds (Season 3 & 4)

After audiences were introduced to the terrifying Borg in season 2, it was only a matter of time before they made a reappearance. The season 3 finale brought them back in a big way, with the Borg launching an invasion of Federation space. Once again, the crew faced down an overwhelmingly powerful foe that could not be stopped.

The most pivotal moment in the story occurs when Picard himself is seized by the Borg and turned into a nightmarish drone named Locutus, designed to speak on their behalf. The cliffhanger was so intense, that many speculated whether Picard would survive into the next season. It certainly ranks as the highest-rated Borg episode of Star Trek: TNG.

The Inner Light (Season 5)

Arguably one of the best Star Trek: TNG episodes, and beloved by all fans, is "The Inner Light." The story involves Picard experiencing an entire lifetime on an alien planet, after being probed by a spatial time capsule. As a man named Kamin, Picard becomes a charming scientist and musician who is married to the patient and lovely Eline. They live on Kataan, an unstable planet trying to figure out a way to escape a catastrophe that will one day destroy the entire race.

The entire experience takes place in a matter of minutes, but to Picard, it's a lifetime of memories where he has children, grows a family, and pursues his work as a scientist. It's a bittersweet story that ends with a beautiful resolution, and one of the most tear-jerking final scenes of any single TNG episode, ever.

The Measure Of A Man (Season 2)

This season 2 gem is one of the absolute best in the series, and an example of when Star Trek: TNG tackled important social issues with an effective message . The story revolves around the concept of whether Data is truly the property of Starfleet, and if he can be ordered to undergo a procedure that may risk his life.

Not willing to stand back and let it happen, Picard acts as his legal counsel, and he officially defends the rights of Data as a sentient being. It's a fascinating read into complex philosophical matters that border on the meaning of life itself. By the time the episode ends, the scope of the message becomes much, much larger than just one simple android's rights.

NEXT: 10 Star Trek: TNG Plot Holes That Aren't Actually Plot Holes

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 Review: ‘Erigah’ Is the Beginning of the Series' Tragic End

With "Erigah," Star Trek: Discovery kicks off its series finale as a villainous alien race hunts down the USS Discovery and its crew.

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery, Season 5, Episode 7, "Erigah."

The first six episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 were mostly standalone adventures that led toward the discovery of important, ancient technology. However, with the capture of antagonists Moll and L'ak, the show's latest episode kickstarts the endgame by bringing them face-to-face (in more ways than one) with a long-feared and mysterious enemy. Up until "Erigah," Star Trek: Discovery's final season was a race of fun Star Trek- styled missions, but things just got very serious .

The Breen were first seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , but they were mentioned in the previous series, Star Trek: The Next Generation . In various Star Trek sourcebooks, the Breen were something of a running joke among the writing staff. They were a species meant to be mentioned sporadically, and nothing more. They were a group of unknown bellicose aliens with whom Starfleet and the Federation had no diplomatic ties. As stated in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion by Terry J. Erdman with Paula Block, when it came time to show the Breen, showrunner Ira Steven Behr "wasn't really in the mood to come up with a new alien race," so they were shown in armor with a long snout like an "arctic wolf."

The pressurized suits suggested they came from a harsh climate, and meant the storytellers never had to figure out what they actually looked like. The closest look at a Breen that Trekkies got was L'ak, since he was actually a Breen prince. The Breen were also revealed to have a liquid and solid form, though the latter is seen as an abomination . L'ak's affection for Moll sent him running from the Breen Imperium and earned him a blood bounty, the titular "Erigah." In this episode, things came to a head when the fully unveiled Breen showed up looking for a fight.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Gets Its First Major Casualty

L'ak's death sets up star trek: discovery for the final battle, 'they're not really villains': star trek: discovery's moll & l'ak actors defend their characters.

Since the onset of Season 5, Moll and L'ak were particularly distrustful of Starfleet in part because of former Captain Rayner's relentless pursuit of them in the past. Now that they're in the custody of the USS Discovery's crew and returning crewmember Nhan, who left the ship in Season 3 , things are no better. Even though Starfleet is desperately trying to protect Moll and L'ak from the Breen, a mortally wounded L'ak still initiates a foolhardy escape plan. He injects himself with medicine to cause a distraction, and it ultimately leads to his death. It was a truly terrible plan.

All season long, Moll and L'ak were depicted as efficient operators . In fact, they were almost too efficient. This set up a false sense of security for them, allowing them both to fail miserably in this episode and surprise everyone. Not only did Moll not secure transport off the ship, but her worst fear comes true when L'ak dies . Even after Starfleet agrees to bring a Breen physician onboard to save L'ak, he dies just the same. Instead of throwing her lot in with Starfleet, Moll tells the Breen about the Progenitors' technology, because she knew from Dr. Vellek's journal that it could, in theory, reanimate someone who died. She doesn't care about the galaxy. All she wants is to bring L'ak to life.

In her grief, Moll seemingly forgot that L'ak would rather die than go back to the Breen Imperium . It's a frustrating decision for the characters and the viewers, though intentionally so. The only person who felt any sympathy for Moll was Cleveland Booker, who got his name from his courier mentor, Moll's biological father. He was deeply against President T'Rina's and Admiral Vance's willingness to let her go. However, beyond the strategic reasons for not letting her go, it was Moll's wish to go with the Breen. While Cleveland wanted to help her, he doesn't seem to actually care that much about what she really wants.

Michael Burnham Once Again Proved Why She’s One of the Best Star Trek Captains

Captain burnham channeled bits of captains kirk, picard and even janeway in ‘erigah’, star trek: discovery's callum keith rennie shows a new side of starfleet.

Like most Starfleet captains who lead a Star Trek series, Captain Michael Burnham is exceptional. Her perceived "perfection" annoyed some fans, almost more than her (very Spock-like) mutiny in Season 1 . Yet, Captain Burnham's excellence is on full display in "Erigah." She balanced the desires of her ex-partner Booker with Starfleet's needs. She may not have been in charge of Starfleet's negotiations with the Breen, but she was the one who figured out both sides' best hope to avoid conflict. Despite her impressive depth of compassion and penchant for doing the right thing despite what others may say, she sided against Booker when it came to deciding Moll's ultimate fate. This was an admirable but tough decision for Captain Burnham to make.

The episode's best scene was when Burnham interrogated Moll and L'ak to figure out why the Breen were so intent on hunting L'ak down. Using her limited knowledge of the Breen and the details that the criminal duo inadvertently gave away, she figured everything out. She realized that L'ak was somehow crucial to the Primarch -- which audiences know from "Mirrors (Season 5, Episode 5)" is his uncle -- because of a claim to the Breen throne. She correctly surmised that L'ak was a direct descendant of the Breen emperor, meaning he would have to "rule" but in the shadow of his uncle. In brief, he was supposed to be a puppet ruler. Using this information, she convinced Starfleet to bluff the Primarch that they were in negotiations with other Breen royal houses.

The ploy might have worked, if L'ak hadn't been so foolish as to fatally wound himself. Once L'ak died, Captain Burnham's bluff was no longer relevant. Since Moll aligned with the Breen in the hopes of resurrecting her husband, the USS Discovery was now fated to have an inevitable confrontation with the Primarch and his forces . In the trailer for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 , the USS Discovery was seen fleeing some unknown alien fighters. This was clearly a sign that before they can find the Progenitors' technology, the crew will have to fight the Breen. Captain Burnham will also likely face Moll one last time before the series ends.

The Hunt for the Progenitors’ Final Clue Rested on an Unlikely Source

Sylvia tilly and adira tal sought jett reno’s help, star trek: discovery's alex kurtzman & michelle paradise talk final season.

While the rest of Starfleet dealt with the Breen, Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly and Ensign Adira worked on the final clue. They traced it to an obscure text from Betazed, the home planet of Deanna Troi. But to decipher the clue, they needed to find the text's original handwritten manuscript. Using paper in the 24th Century was anomalous, so it almost seemed hopeless. Thankfully, Commander Jett Reno -- the black licorice-loving engineer -- spent some time as a smuggler whose cover was that of a purveyor of ancient manuscripts.

The team figured out that the manuscript was likely hidden in a galactic library that contains texts and artifacts from across the galaxy. The metal "card" they found in the fourth clue was likely a "library card" for this very institution. Though the USS Discovery's crew failed to save L'ak and prevent a conflict with the Breen, Tilly, Adira and Reno gave them a much needed win . Next week's episode, "Labyrinths (Season 5, Episode 8)," is likely the final search for the last clue before Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's grand finale gets underway. Whether or not Tilly, Adira and Reno really deciphered the final clue, the Breen are not going to stop chasing the USS Discovery.

Commander Rayner Grew Closer to Captain Burnham After a Heated Clash

Captain burnham’s past with the klingons helped her connect to her second-in-command, 'bittersweet and shocking': star trek: discovery star addresses the series getting canceled.

One reason why Captain Burnham was blamed for the Klingon War was because Klingons killed her parents. Commander Rayner found himself in a similar place in "Erigah." In the 800 years since the Kellerun people were introduced on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Breen decimated Rayner's homeworld. His legitimate concerns and aggressive stance in a meeting with Starfleet and Federation leadership regarding the Breen's threat led to him being expelled. This didn't stop him from helping Captain Burnham hatch her plan, and facing the Breen when they were executing their bluff.

At the end of the episode, instead of chewing out her subordinate officer for his disrespect, Captain Burnham complimented him. She understood his fears of the Breen wiping out Starfleet, which is the only home he has left. When he confessed he indeed thought of that, Captain Burnham promised him that such destruction at the Breen's hands would never happen again. Instead of creating tension, this moment further solidified the captain's relationship with her gruff and unorthodox Number One. This was a nice resolution to their season-long animosity that arrived just in time for their coming final confrontation against one of Star Trek's deadliest enemies yet.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

The episode allowed the characters to be at their best and still lose.
The reintroduction of the Breen demystifies one of Star Trek's coolest alien antagonists.
As fun as Season 5 has been, the hunt for the Progenitors' tech has real, galactic stakes now.
The deliberate choices leading to Moll and L'ak's poor decisions could frustrate some viewers.
While nice to see Nahn again, her presence in the episode felt superfluous.
The absence of Saru is a missed opportunity to further tie his Ambassador promotion to the larger story.