Question of the Day



In our last Question of the Day, I asked readers to identify their favorite episode of classic Star Trek. Commenter Kevin R proposed that we talk about some of the other series, including The Next Generation, and I think that’s a fine idea.

Mine is “The Inner Light.” In it, an alien probe causes Jean-Luc Picard to experience a full life — including marriage, friends, children, and grandchildren — in a single moment. Then it was gone, like the civilization that built the probe. It is a sad and wistful tale, brilliantly crafted, and greatly deepened Picard’s character.

What’s your favorite episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation?

Image: Paramount


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  1. Regina
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 2:11 am

    Inner light is my favorite too. I can watch that one over and over. You can actually feel Picards pain when he holds the flute.

  2. steph
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 3:21 am

    Chain of command 1&2 are really wonderful episodes. The torture of Picard is really really powerful. Speaking of man’s inhumanity to man, The measure of a man is another episode that has the same message of compassion vs coldness. They’re both completely engrossing.

  3. vonskippy
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 3:47 am

    I like the one where Picard (and some others) come back to the Enterprise and everyone is turning into animals.

    I still jump when the spider creature pops up.

  4. KatieK777
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:09 am

    I love the one where everyone goes nuts. Awesome tribute to the original series and an awesome episode by-itself. Plus the part where Tasha asks Data if he’s “fully functional” classic.

  5. KatieK777
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:12 am

    Its called The Naked Now. I had to look it up….

  6. Johnny Cat
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:37 am

    Cause and Effect. The destruction of the Enterprise and everyone on board was a superb way to open the episode, and the time loop explanation was succinct and thrilling.

    And Kelsey Grammer… meow! ;)

  7. Kevin R
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    Inner Light is my choice too. Possibly the best episode of any Star Trek series. Everything a good Trek (or any sci-fi TV) episode should be. Emotional (I tear up every time) and character-driven, and it tells a story that could really only be done in sci-fi witout getting bogged down with technobabble (an unfortunate problem in some TNG episodes).

    A very close #2 is Tapestry. (The one where Picard “dies” because his artificial heart gives out, and Q (who says he is God) offers Picard the chance to relive his Academy days and change some of his “bad” decisions that led to his receiving the artificial heart in the first place and therefore to his death.) Also a character-defining episode for Picard, probably not coincidentally… I also think Patrick Stewart is the best actor from all of the Trek series.

    The rest of my top 5 are “Best of Both Worlds”, “Yesterday’s Enterprise”, and “All Good Things”. Some other good choices in this thread though — can’t argue with “Chain of Command”, and I love “Cause and Effect” too (just caught that one on TV a couple weeks ago).

  8. Lex
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    Darmok, I, Borg and every episode that involves Q.

  9. Jeff the Baptist
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I seem to recall liking Timescape, First Contact, and Frame of Mind in addition to many of the others.

  10. Anonymous Prime
    Aug 17th, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Darmok.

  11. John Farrier
    Aug 18th, 2010 at 1:28 am

    @Regina — yes, the way that he grips it to his chest was a nice touch. As Kevin R says, Stewart was the best actor in Trek.

    @steph — yes, that one’s really good. Especially the scene when Gul Madred talks to his young daughter in front of the suffering Picard.

    @vonskippy — ugh. A Barclay episode. 1 was too many.

    @KatieK777 — oooh, yeah. And that incident with Yar would later saved Data’s life in “Measure of a Man.”

    @JohnnyCat — yes, the opening, with the repeated destructions of the Enterprise was a great way to grab the audience.

    @Kevin R — “Tapestry” is a good choice. I really liked the way that Picard woke up laughing at the end.

    @Lex — everyone on board hated Q, but he always seemed like good guy to go barhopping with.

    @Jeff the Baptist — I liked “Frame of Mind”, too. The only thing that bothered me about the episode was that it illustrated that Starfleet officers have way too much free time on their hands.

    @Anonymous Prime — “Darmok” was actually required viewing for me in grad school. It was a good choice.

  12. steph
    Aug 18th, 2010 at 4:08 am

    wow! yeah! DARMOK “Sokath, his eyes uncovered!”

  13. steph
    Aug 18th, 2010 at 4:10 am

    @ kevin r tapestry is overall excellent but the parts with just him and his academy buddies is kind of boring.

  14. daikoneklectik
    Aug 18th, 2010 at 6:02 am

    All good things, because I had an ear infection in both ears and couldn’t hold my head up, but managed to watch the whole thing, muscling through a lot of pain…

    I was a pretty dedicated 12yr old…

  15. Shannen
    Aug 20th, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    There are FOUR LIGHTS!!!!


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