In case you missed it, I did my Top 5 of Season 5 on Tumblr during my hiatus.
As my husband and I are going through our second full watch of Star Trek as a couple, I thought it would be fun to report on the highlights along the way. So I decided to copy the same format as Charlene at Bookish Whimsy, who is going through her first-ever run of Star Trek and sharing her favorite episodes for each season. To compare, see her top 5 favorite episodes of season six of The Next Generation.
On this rewatch of Star Trek, we’re watching the episodes in the order they were aired, meaning that this season we started incorporating Deep Space Nine. This meant that it took us a longer time to finish season 6 (it feels like ages since I saw the early episodes of the season!), and it also meant that I anticipated Deep Space Nine nights and not TNG nights… oops… That makes me sad because I do love TNG, especially these later seasons, but I just love DS9 so much and have been so happy to see all the characters again. It’s going to be even worse when we’re watching Voyager episodes too… But on my with my favorites of the season! (Note: Tapestry is an honorable mention. Even though I don’t generally like those “It’s A Wonderful Life” plot elements or Q, I do think it’s a worthwhile episode.)
I don’t particularly care for Lore (or B-4 from Nemesis, shudder), but any other time Brent Spiner gets to deviate from the typical characterization for Data, I’m pretty happy. In this one, something goes haywire and Data is all over the holodeck, but not in typical Data fashion. I also enjoy seeing Troi fitting in well with the Wild West theme of the holodeck program.
Picard kicks some butt in this episode! It’s nice to see him deviate from his normal behavior, but it still feels like Picard. I’m a little surprised he doesn’t seem more remorseful about killing the baddies, but they were after him! Also noteworthy: Data’s attempt at small talk.
This episode is just plain fun, and the actress who plays younger Guinan seriously NAILS her character role. There is definitely some suspension ofdisbelief in how bad things get on the Enterprise before “children” have to save the day, but still a fun episode nonetheless.
This is one of those psychological episodes of TNG that just really surprised me. Riker is playing the role of a character in an insane asylum for a play on the Enterprise, yet also finds himself in an actual insane asylum, being told this he has delusions of life on a starship. My biggest complaint about this episode is that it wasn’t a two-parter that delved deeper into the story, and that none of the ramifications were ever shown.
1. Chain of Command Parts 1 & 2
These episodes are just phenomenal; they truly make the psychology minor in me geek out. In fact, I wrote a post a while ago comparing Picard’s torture to the torture in 1984. THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!
What are your favorite episodes of TNG season six?
We have a majority in common in our lists! I recently watched Frame of Mind randomly and it is so good – maybe if I rewatched the series I would put that in my top 5! And Chain of Command is really good, though very disturbing. I do like that “There are four lights!” is like a tag line for TNG fans. 😀 I was wondering, are you going to put your top 5 list for DS9 concurrently with TNG and then Voyager?
I noticed we had many of the same this time as well! And yes, my first DS9 post is scheduled for next Monday! 🙂
I think mine would would Birthright, Face of the Enemy, and Chains of Command.
Birthright and Face of the Enemy are good episodes too!
I’m glad Tapestry was an honorable mention!! The episode itself isn’t necessarily one of my favorites. And it isn’t the “It’s a Wonderful Life” aspects I like. I like that the lesson Picard learns is to be bold. To act and be willing to make mistakes – to LIVE life instead of living a safe life. That’s what I love about it 🙂
I like Relics, just because the nostalgia is so sweet with Scotty. “No bloody A, no bloody B…”
Starship Mine would be on my s6 list also. And of course both Chains of Command because they’re so good.
But I have fewer favorites from s6 than some of the earlier seasons.
I’m with you on liking the lessons Picard learns, though it also made me feel kind of sad for myself because I tend to be hard-working but play it safe, so I was like so this episode is telling me I suck? I liked seeing Scotty in Relics but it also made me sad!
It’s totally not telling you, you suck 🙂 I think there are a lot of people on the Enterprise who work hard and play it safe and are very happy. Because it’s true to who they are. It just wasn’t true to who Picard is so playing it safe isn’t being true to himself.