Okay, so I finished the sixth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I’m sure you’re all relieved and dying to know what I thought. I only hope the edges of your seat aren’t worn out from all the sitting on them you guys have been doing. So what did I think? I’d say this season was about even with the fifth, still not quite up there with the fourth, but still a solid season of Trek.
Standout episodes include: Relics, where Scotty from the original Enterprise is found alive. It was such an emotional episode, not only seeing an original crew member, but having them try to help around the new Enterprise and telling loads of old stories and being completely disregarded. Thankfully the old dog still had a few new tricks up his sleeve and everything worked out in the end. A Fistful of Datas, where Worf and Alexander are in the holodeck acting out a wild west story (what could possibly go wrong?) and Data begins popping up everywhere. Besides all the iterations of Data, I also loved Troi in that episode where she was able to let loose and be a gunslinger.
The Chain of Command two-parter where Picard is taken hostage by Cardassians was also quite good. Though I have to say that the Babylon 5 episode Intersections in Real Time did the interrogation thing much better, but this was still a solid effort. Ship in a Bottle, where Moriarty is awoken and devises a way to get off the holodeck was a lot of fun. Tapestry, where Picard is killed and Q allows him to go back and change some of his past “mistakes” which has some interesting consequences. That was a fantastic Q episode with all the fun and humor we expect from Q, and made up for the lackluster Q episode True Q from earlier in the season. Starship Mine was an awesome Die Hard-esque episode where Picard has to singlehandedly protect the Enterprise from terrorists.
Lessons, where Picard falls in love with the new head of Stellar Cartography and the pair literally make beautiful music together was a particularly touching episode. I wish the relationship between Picard and Commander Daren were allowed to blossom over a few episodes, but it was still a beautiful episode. Though the Seinfeld-esque coincidences aren’t lost on me.
::Picard falls in love with a Stellar Cartographer::
Distressed Planet: Is anyone here a
marine biologiststellar cartographer?!::DIES::
Okay, she didn’t really die, but almost! And naturally they had to break up before the episode was over. Like I said, I wish that relationship could have lasted a few episodes. But this is Star Trek and unfortunately the writers like to stay away from continuing storylines, which has its benefits and consequences. Second Chances was another good one where Riker finds a double of himself and we get to deal with the Riker/Troi romance which makes me all tingly. I’m not looking forward to the Worf/Troi romance I’ve heard about in the seventh season, but I just gotta keep in mind that everything works out in the end. And of course the season finale two-parter Descent where a community of Borg acting individually under the control of Lore was fantastic.
I’m in the home stretch! I’ve heard lots of mixed things about the final season, but I’m looking forward to finally seeing the finale All Good Things, which I’ve managed to stay spoiler free from all these years.
I may be in the minority but some of my favorite stories are from season 7… I’m especially fond of the Troi bits of “Thine Own Self”. But there are some real clunkers in there too and it has the story with possibly the worst idea in all of the Star Trek (“Force of Nature”), so…
I think season 7 is quite comparable with season 6–if you enjoyed 6, you probably won’t think any less of 7. (That said, seasons 3-5 were the pinnacle.) And the series finale is just so damn good and satisfying…
I’m currently (slowly) making my way through my “Deep Space 9″ series set. I always loved that show–felt it suffered under the shadow of its better-liked and more successful TNG bigger brother–but seeing the episodes in order, I feel like DS9 was free to explore the very thing that disappoints you about “Lessons.” Lots more continuing storylines, with characters developing slowly and with clear purpose toward arcs rather than moments, which is something TGN rarely got to do.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised how strongly the series began compared to TNG’s shaky start. More pleasant, even the episodes I dread re-watching because of a hazy recollection that the story is a stinker are rewarding, not because the story is any good, but because I can appreciate what the writers are doing with the characters. (I don’t think I had the patience or maturity to appreciate that aspect as a teen watching them in their original run.)
Anyway, I don’t say all this to sell you on DS9 (although it’s really in some ways *gulp* the equal–if very different–than TNG)–but I realize the best thing about both TNG and DS9 is their creation of characters we truly care about. I never ever got that from “Star Trek: Voyager” or “Enterprise.” (I gave up on both those series mid-run, and I’m a huge Star Trek fan.) Even the stinkers in TNG season 7 can be savored for the years of good will invested in some beloved crew members.
I remember some of these. It’s been a long time but I always liked the ones that involved the holodeck going whack. Like the Moriarty one or when they got caught in another time, Sherlock Holmes or the Western. It was a nice change from being all serious in uniform.
I remember Scotty too. Touching and now he’s in space. RIP Mr. Scott.
DS9 did a lot of continuing, long-arc storylines. You should make your way through that series next.
I agree with most of your assessments, although I didn’t enjoy the picard falling in love one cause it just seemed so trite. You’re right, that if they had had the character be there for a few episodes before they acted on their feelings, then I would have cared more. But all the other ones I agree with.
And I’ll say the finale left me a bit disappointed, but it wasn’t terrible.
Also, look for Parallells, Attached, The Pegasus, Lower Decks, Thine Own Self, and Genesis (which is absolutely awesome). And there are some real stinkers this season too, but not many. Just have fun!
HUGS…
This weekend I watched the episode where Worf transfers to Deep Space 9. O’Brien starts to reminisce with Worf and makes a comment along the lines of how the (now-crashed) Enterprise was a great ship but they never seemed to be able to get the holodecks working.
Also, why would a planet need a stellar-cartographer?
“Help, we keep forgetting where we are!”
“Help, another star is coming at us, and we need someone to make sure our new colony doesn’t have a star on a collision course in a few decades.”
“Help, we have a bet whether that star is Persius-7 Beta!”
Barkoncommand: My brother Adam told me about Thine Own Self. I’m looking forward to it.
Andrew and Polt: I’ll get to DS9 eventually. But I think I need a break from Trek for a while before I dive in. I’ll probably get through a few short shows (Being Human, Carnivale, Wonderfalls) before diving into a long series again.
Ryan: LOL, that’s hysterical.
While I agree that you should watch DS9, Being Human and Carnivale are very acceptable reasons for delay.
I second Cupcake’s comment: Carnivale and Being Human are entertaining. I never watched TNG beyond season 3, so I can’t comment about your review.
Never saw Carnivale, but Being Human is amazing!
I suspect that I shouldn’t read this review, for fear of spoilers. When I get a TV (maybe this winter), I may want to have my own StarTrek marathon.
I have mixed feelings about season 6. I *LOVED* Frame of Mind, The Chase, Starship Mine, Ship in a Bottle. I *hated* Rascals; I almost always hate any episode about Worf’s son Alexander; I pretty much found all the Klingon politics stuff and Worf’s attempt to clear his name or reconnect with his cultural heritage more irritating and annoying than not. I kind of found “Second Chances” pretty neat, and I always enjoy the time paradox ones so I enjoyed Timescape.
Personally I am not a fan of “Relics”. There’s just been too much parody of the bloated aging Scotty. And I reallllly do not enjoy episodes where Picard gets into some romance or another. Bleah.
I hope you enjoy season 7! Polt mentioned a lot of m fave eps, which I think I also tweeted to you
“Relics” worst episode of season 6. Schlocky. Poorly written. Pathetic.That’s not what I expect from TNG. Possibly worst episode yet…except for an episode in season 5 which focused on Worf’s parenting and included Troi’s mother!