Ever since I finished watching the entire Star Trek TNG series (all 7 seasons), I have been meaning to compile a list of my favourite episodes. But it was only today, after I was challenged by a friend to recommend a set of episodes that would not send her to sleep, that I finally stirred myself to do it.
This is my list. ("s01e01" means "Season 1, Episode 1")
s01e01 &
s01e02 Encounter at Farpoint (Introduction, drama, moral)
s01e11 Haven (Somewhat humorous)
s01e12 The Big Goodbye (First holodeck episode, thrill factor)
s02e03 Elementary, Dear Data (Moriarty-Holodeck episode)
s02e04 The Outrageous Okona (mild mystery, Teri Hatcher)
s02e16 Q Who (First encounter with the Borg)
s02e20 The Emissary (Klingons, K'Ehleyr)
s03e03 The Survivors (Mystery)
s03e04 Who Watches the Watchers (Prime Directive, good)
s03e09 The Vengeance Factor (Mystery)
s03e10 The Defector (Drama, sad)
s03e13 Deja Q (Some humour)
s03e14 A Matter of Perspective (A Rashomon-like story)
s03e15 Yesterday's Enterprise (Drama, and good for Tasha fans)
s03e16 The Offspring (Another Data & humanity story, sad)
s03e21 Hollow Pursuits (Lt Barclay episode, some humour)
s03e26 &
s04e01 The Best of Both Worlds (Classic Borg episodes)
s04e02 Family (Picard family drama)
s04e04 Suddenly Human (Drama, moral)
s04e05 Remember Me (Mystery, Dr Crusher starrer, personal favourite)
s04e06 Legacy (Mystery, Ishara Yar)
s04e07 Reunion (K'Ehleyr, sad)
s04e11 Data's Day (Humorous)
s04e13 Devil's Due (Anti-superstition, Ardra)
s04e14 Clues (Mystery)
s04e18 Identity Crisis (Mystery)
s04e21 The Drumhead (Philosophy, drama, moral)
s04e23 The Host (Philosophy, drama)
s05e03 Ensign Ro (Drama, redemption, introduces Ro Laren, political commentary)
s05e05 Disaster (Drama, Ro Laren story, some humour)
s05e11 Hero Worship (Data, philosophy, mystery)
s05e14 Conundrum (Mystery, Ro Laren story, very good)
s05e17 The Outcast (Philosophy, drama, parallels to homophobia)
s05e18 Cause and Effect (Drama, very good)
s05e19 The First Duty (Philosophy, drama)
s05e21 The Perfect Mate (Drama, Kamala, sad Picard love story, very good)
s05e23 I, Borg (Borg story, good)
s05e24 The Next Phase (Ro Laren story, mystery, action)
s05e25 The Inner Light (Philosophy, acclaimed, but also a bit weird)
s05e26 &
s06e01 Time's Arrow (Time travel, interesting)
s06e04 Relics (Scotty episode, interesting Picard lesson on usefulness)
s06e09 The Quality of Life (Philosophy)
s06e12 Ship in a Bottle (Moriarty-Holodeck episode, drama, very good)
s06e14 Face of the Enemy (Drama, Deanna Troi as a Romulan!)
s06e15 Tapestry (Philosophy, drama, moral, very good)
s06e18 Starship Mine (Action like Under Siege)
s06e19 Lessons (Yet another sad Picard love story)
s06e20 The Chase (Mystery, philosophy, theory of everything, very good)
s06e22 Suspicions (Mystery)
s06e24 Second Chances (Philosophy, drama)
s06e25 Timescape (Drama, action, mystery)
s07e02 Liaisons (Philosophy, drama, mystery)
s07e03 Interface (Drama, mystery)
s07e07 Dark Page (Troi family drama)
s07e08 Attached (Picard-Crusher drama, some humour)
s07e10 Inheritance (Philosophy, Data family drama)
s07e11 Parallels (Time travel, drama, very good)
s07e12 The Pegasus (Mystery, drama, acclaimed)
s07e14 Sub Rosa (Mystery, "ghost story", sad Crusher love story)
s07e15 Lower Decks (Drama, sad)
s07e16 Thine Own Self (subplot of Deanna Troi is interesting)
s07e18 Eye of the Beholder (Mystery, very good)
s07e21 Firstborn (Philosophy, time travel)
s07e23 Emergence (Drama, good)
s07e24 Preemptive Strike (Drama, philosophy, last Ro Laren episode)
s07e25 &
s07e26 All Good Things (Mystery)
There are some who will swear by s06e10 and s06e11 "Chain of Command" as among the best. I haven't included these because the scenes of Picard's torture were too disturbing for me. And the villain didn't even die, which is the least I would expect at the end of such stories. But yes, the double episode had its moments, and one of the best was the change in Deanna Troi's wardrobe. She's smartly dressed from this episode on.
See also my posts on Captain Picard's Finest Moments and The Most Attractive Women of Star Trek TNG.
There are some who will swear by s06e10 and s06e11 "Chain of Command" as among the best. I haven't included these because the scenes of Picard's torture were too disturbing for me. And the villain didn't even die, which is the least I would expect at the end of such stories. But yes, the double episode had its moments, and one of the best was the change in Deanna Troi's wardrobe. She's smartly dressed from this episode on.
See also my posts on Captain Picard's Finest Moments and The Most Attractive Women of Star Trek TNG.
