Patrick Stewartdidnt even unpack his suitcase.
Thats how certain he was thatStar Trek: The Next Generationwould fail after one season.
Fortunately, Stewart was wrong.
But if you want the best of the best, these are the 20 that truly stand out.
Its a good thing that Stewart decided to stick around.
That last part is enough to put the Western homage A Fistful of Datas on the list.
But the real appeal here is Marina Sirtis.
ButTNGgot to blaze its own trail in a way that many legacy shows arent allowed to do.
All of which underscores the special nature of Relics, which brings Montgomery Scott into the 32nd century.
The Wounded guest stars Bob Gunton as Captain Maxwell, under whom OBrien served during the Cardassian War.
Its because the show had no budget, and thats good enough.
Sir, I must protest, barks Worf.
I am not a Merry Man.
For those who love Q episodes, Qpid is a delight.
At the very least, Qpid offers a much better version of action Picard than any of theTNGmovies.
Worse, no one will acknowledge that the crewpeople ever existed.
Do they use Hugh as a weapon to destroy a threat to the universe?
Or do they preserve humanity by honoring it in Hugh and his decisions?
Instead, we spend time with a quartet of ensigns who do the less glamorous jobs on Federation missions.
In The Inner Light, Picard lives four decades of a full life in just 25 minutes.
Which isnt to say that The Inner Light is escapist fantasy.
But really, the phrase should be Defending the Data, because thats when Captain Picard became Captain Picard.
Portrayed by Michelle Forbes, Ro tests the limits of Starfleet principles with her justifiable anger at the Cardassians.
Ro stayed true to her disruptive principles right to the end, her finalTNGepisode Preemptive Strike.
Sent to infiltrate the anti-Federation militants the Maquis.
Instead of siding with Starfleet, Ro finds herself sympathetic to the Maquis and stays with them.
Her decision sets the stage for storylines onDeep Space Nineand puts some pressure on the franchises central ethos.
In fact, futureTrekwriters should be required to rewatch The First Duty before pitching anotherSection 31story.
Yet, the show never forgot about her, often bringing her back in some form or another.
Of course, Chain of Command finds Picard captured and interrogated by Gul Madred (all-time greatDavid Warner).
Its not the physical abuse that Picard endures at the hands of Madred.
If Chain of Command was just about Picard and Madred, it would make this list.
Theres no Borg attack, no time travel shenanigans, no Cardassian plot.
Its just a simple premise, with Picard stranded on a planet with another alien.
Such scenarios are nothing new toStar Trek, going all the way back to Arena inTOS.
But Darmok stands out because it investigates the franchises commitment to communication and understanding.
