Bonus Commentary: TNG Ratings Guide from RightFans

We here at RightFans are covering a number of other canons first - including our favorite Trek franchise (Deep Space Nine). But while we wait for slots to open up for new canons (Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Dr. Who (2005) would be next in line)...a cover only a few Next Gen episodes as time permits...I thought I would leave the readers with a blueprint for what's come once we get to the individual episodes on TNG, as I do believe that Next Gen is currently underrepresented here.

What follows will be a complete listing of TNG episodes, in chronological order, with letter grades and one-line comments to get the ball rolling. These may get changed slightly as we get to reviewing the individual episodes, but this mini-guide will let you know where we stand.

SEASON 1 (The year of pain)

1. Encounter at Farpoint (C) - I fail to understand how such a mundane puzzle is a good test of humanity when our own history is supposedly a story of enormous progress and the victory of man's better nature over barbarism.
   
2. The Naked Now (F) - This show does more to set back feminism (and logic) than anything I've seen on TV in the last 25 years.
3. Code of Honor (F) - Roddenbury's racism and defensive feminism (covering for sexism) are on full display here.
4. The Last Outpost (C-) - The Ferengi were almost interesting for a second there...almost.
5. Where No One Has Gone Before (C-) - Finally had the right idea (if this is a show about exploration...let's explore more imaginatively)...but the execution was a bit silly and cliche.
6. Lonely Among Us (D) - Boring episode with a side plot that has no actual relevance.
7. Justice (F) - Ridiculous idealism meets naive utopian vision...the silliness is interrupted by an ending that actually makes sense somehow, but it's not enough to save this episode.
8. The Battle (D+) - This is why the Ferengi failed as a scary adversary...the stories they wrote insisted on making the Ferengi idiotic, or personally destructive, rather than behaving in a way that would make evolutionary sense.
9. Hide and Q (C) - Interesting idea, but Riker is not really a good adversary for Q and the message isn't particularly well delivered.
10. Haven (D) - Arranged marriages? Still? And this race is allowed to be in the high and mighty Federation? And somehow a human family got involved?
11. The Big Goodbye (D) - If this is how the Enterprise crew remembers our culture...no wonder they think we're complete savages.
12. Datalore (B-) - Perhaps a bit corny, but at least the sense of danger was there and the character contrast was interesting.
13. Angel One (F) - WTFDiplomaticSex??
14. 11001001 (C+) - Halfway decent episode with an interesting related side plot and some REALLY bad pick-up lines.
    
15. Too Short a Season (B-) - The political intrigue was actually well written for once.
16. When the Bough Breaks (F) - UGH...that environmental 2X4 hurts.
17. Home soil (D) - Ugly script of mostly filler...with a side of sanctimonious human-hating thrown in.
18. Coming of Age (C) - The introduction of a possible conspiracy in Star Fleet is indeed intriguing.
19. Heart of Glory (C-) - Too much over the top bad Klingon acting and writing.
20. The Arsenal of Freedom (F) - Given the age (mutually assured destruction) the sentiment is understandable, but way off base.
21. Symbiosis (F) - Worst. Prime Directive Use. EVER.
22. Skin of Evil (B) - Sometimes evil is blind to reason, and sometimes good people die by it...and this marks the beginning of Data true journey to his inner humanity.
23. We'll Always Have Paris (D) - Really really boring episode...and there's no chemistry at all.
24. Conspiracy (B+) - We gave this one high marks despite some really poor use of special effects that they could have done without...first truly different and interesting episode they ever did.
25. The Neutral Zone (F) - I really...really hate temporal elitism.

SEASON 2 (The year of boredom)

1. The Child (D) - Well acted, not horribly written...but...this is basically rape, and no one seems to be outraged. Also...Pulaski is a complete prick and was never likable from moment one.
   
2. Where Silence Has No Lease (D) - Sometimes unique is not good - this is one of those times.
3. Elementary, Dear Data (C+) - One of the better Holodeck episodes...that's not saying much, but there you have it.
4. The Outrageous Okona (F) - This guy is neither outrageous, nor admirable and the fact that the writers think he's both...and fill him with jokes that we're supposed to pretend are funny...is rather alarming.
5. Loud as a Whisper (B) - A rare moment when the show's starry-eyed focus on diplomacy actually works.
6. The Schizoid Man (D) - Rather boring plot...and not a fan of the hammy writing.
7. Unnatural Selection (D+) - Pulaski never impressed me, but this episode was just mostly boring.
8. Matter of Honor (B-) - This one is actually quite interesting and fairly balanced the need to respect cultural identities with the need to know right from wrong.
9. The Measure of a Man (A) - A beautifully written rejection of selective freedom.
10. The Dauphin (D) - Bad acting, bad romantic dialogue, boring plot concept.
11. Contagion (B-) - Pretty solid all-around episode with an interesting fundamental concept and some linkages to franchise canon from the days of the Original Series.
12. The Royale (F) - When you take a really inane story...and then do a really inane, illogical parody of that story...and then completely fail to explain why you're doing this...you get a really inane episode.
    
13. Time Squared (C+) - At least this episode has an interesting dramatic tension to it...
14. The Icarus Factor (C) - The story is a bit slow, and the ambo-jitsu match was over-the-top cliche, but the basic story wasn't horrid.
15. Pen Pals (B) - A "Prime Directive" story done RIGHT...without all of the chest-thumping and speechifying. The debate over policy is rationally delivered, even though I disagree with Picard's position (especially given that we had the capacity to erase this girl's memory).
16. Q Who (A-) - The Borg (as looming adversary) were truly unique, truly terrifying, and immediately culturally relevant in ways that most people (conservative or liberal) can agree with.
17. Samaritan Snare (D-) - How is the Enterprise dumber than a race of kids who have to ride the short bus?
18. Up the Long Ladder (D) - It's not that the dilemma set forth in this episode is uninteresting...it's that the resolution to this dilemma is unfeasible in the face of real human nature.
19. Manhunt (C+) - I am not the Lwaxana Troi hater that some might be...and this one is at least somewhat humorous.
20. The Emissary (C) - The personal story for Worf is actually done pretty well...the "action" plot...is not.
21. Peak Performance (C+) - The B plot is much more interesting than the A plot - Data plots usually are. :)
22. Shades of Grey (F) - Worst. TNG. Ever.

SEASON 3 (the year of rebirth)

1. Evolution (C-) - Wesley almost gets everyone killed (again!) and yet is painted as the show's hero...but the plot is sufficiently interesting to prevent coma.
2. The Ensigns of Command (B) - Data kicks some booty and Picard gets to really piss off a race of evil bastards...what else could you want?
3. The Survivors (C) - Not a bad episode, but the conclusion is not sufficient payoff for an otherwise very slow plot.
4. Who Watches the Watchers (F) - I am more than a bit annoyed with any episode that paints religion as completely illogical and polygamy as the height of reason.
5. The Bonding (B) - This episode is actually very sweet in its own way - and shows the softer side of Worf.
6. Booby Trap (D) - They should just call this episode "Desperate for Boobies," because that's what Geordi is. Yeesh.
7. The Enemy (B-) - See, now this is a much better way to use Geordi - and I like that the writers write Worf's admittedly racist reaction to the Romulan in sickbay with some compassion, rather than with outright scorn.
8. The Price (F) - Trek writers should just give up and stop trying to write romance. Because this is more like a creepy friggin' stalker and a seriously damaged woman somehow ending up together than an appealing romance.
9. The Vengeance Factor (D) - Terribly boring episode involving a race of people we've never met before nor ever will again doing things Star Fleet shouldn't care about.
10. The Defector (A-) - A legitimately GREAT twist turns an above par episode into a feature-worthy study of morality in an amoral world.
11. The Hunted (B) - This is actually another good use of the Prime Directive...and an interesting problem to boot, given the moral ambiguities of solving one problem (costly war) by creating another at the expense of innocent people (super-soldiers you can't turn off).
    
12. The High Ground (B-) - Not a spectacular effort, but a solid rebuking of terrorism without being too simplistic.
13. Deja Q (B) - Amusing episode with a serious message to send about the importance of morality to direct a man's existence, no matter how powerful he might be.
14. A Matter of Perspective (C+) - Solid episode with creative presentation that keeps you guessing the entire time and delivers a satisfying conclusion.
15. Yesterday's Enterprise (B+) - Tasha Yar's role in this episode is particularly poignant (and a clever way to get the audience to care about the fate of the damned Enterprise C).
16. The Offspring (A) - *Very* sweet episode showcasing Data's strength of character and parenting skill, and revealing all of the wonderful things we've come to admire about the Enterprise crew.
17. Sins of the Father (A-) - Politically and personally intriguing story about the danger of allowing evil and corruption to flourish (and the personal costs paid by free men of good conscience) to preserve peace.
18. Allegiance (C) - Decently-made high concept sci-fi...nothing special to write home about.
19. Captain's Holiday (F) - Really terrible episode that was supposed to be an action adventure piece and turned out to be incredibly boring and farcical.
20. Tin Man (B-) - Another good vehicle for Data as two people discover what they truly desire in life.
21. Hollow Pursuits (B-) - A story revolving around a "who's he" that works because the who's he is sympathetic and because the story is more about the crew adapting to a man in need than about the man.
22. The Most Toys (B-) - Data is awesome. That is all.
23. Sarek (A) - This episode is completely carried by a brilliantly-written script that possesses one of the last great expressions of Vulcan ideology the franchise will ever see.
24. Menage a Troi (F) - EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW
25. Transfigurations (C) - Pretty typical fluffy, high concept episode - although at least Crusher doesn't run headlong into ill-advised doctor-patient romance just because she finds her John Doe interesting.
26. (and 4-1) The Best of Both Worlds (A+) - Everything was done perfectly (more or less) in this masterpiece - from Riker's characterization to the ambiance of fear and suspense that permeated the score.

SEASON 4 (the year of intrigue)

1. TBoBW (see above)
2. Family (A-) - There were actually consequences (!) and character developments (!!) for our heroes from past personal disasters - the sum total of the episode is very touching and very well written.
3. Brothers (B) - Lore and Data meet again...and this time Lore steals something meant for Data and kills his father - how Freudian!
4. Suddenly Human (C+) - Forcing Picard to realize that, yes, he CAN handle children, does give this episode a certain charm, but it falls short of its potential by concluding with unnecessary speechifying when a "my bad" would suffice.
5. Remember Me (D+) - Gates McFadden's acting really kills this episode...the over-acted, unrealistic reactions to her dire situation rob this episode of its tension.
6. Legacy (C+) - Data as the man who gets his heart ripped out by the career criminal manipulator turns another "who cares, some bad stuff happens to people we don't know" episode into a quality effort.
7. Reunion (A-) - Very strong showing for Worf...and a powerful message about the need for both tolerance AND assimilation in a free (and culturally mixed) society.
8. Future Imperfect (C) - This plot often feels very fragmented...and although this might be explained by the nature of the simulation in which Riker finds himself, I can't help but wonder what the take home point of all of this was?
9. Final Mission (B+) - Probably the best episode featuring Wesley...perhaps because Wesley isn't acting like a moron and nearly getting everyone killed or incompetently fumbling around with women or otherwise making himself look like a spaz.
10. The Loss (C+) - It's actually kind of cool to see how helpless Deanna feels without her gifts and watch her struggle to overcome this "handicap."
11. Data's Day (A-) - A story told from Data's perspective cannot possibly be this filled with emotional range and depth, can it? Yes...yes it can.
12. The Wounded (C) - This was a very well-made episode with a number of wonderful themes on display...that tramples its chances at feature status by proclaiming that peace can be bought with appeasement. How disappointing.
13. Devil's Due (B) - This one shouldn't have worked...it was way too corny to play out as well as it did...and yet...
    
14. Clues (A-) - For a high-concept piece, this one works because we all love Data so much that it kills us to see him forced to throw himself under a bus to protect his shipmates.
15. First Contact (D) - Did they really have to have Riker f*** his way out of another tight spot? Really?
16. Galaxy's Child (C+) - Good save, guys, on the whole creepy Geordi-flirting-with-a-holo-chick thing. This episode gets minor bonus points for being an interesting space puzzle and for having the real Leah Brahms kick Geordi's butt across Engineering for that holo-stunt.
17. Night Terrors (B+) - This one is sufficiently creepy and weird to keep you on your toes.
18. Identity Crisis (C) - Definitely a weird episode, but not horrid by any means...you do actually feel the pressure as Geordi races against the clock to stop his own transformation.
19. The Nth Degree (C-) - Weird filler that doesn't quite hit the mark on the interest-o-meter.
20. Qpid (F) - AWFUL Q episode that demonstrates a terrible lack of knowledge and understanding about the nature of the Q...and about love...and about Picard...and about Robinhood! UGH!
21. Drumhead (A) - But they QUICKLY recover with a fabulous episode in defense of freedom and the sanctity of a balanced justice system.
22. Half a Life (D) - More excellent work by Lwaxana Troi...and you really do feel her emotions with her...but the episode is ruined by an idiotic application of the Prime Directive and a further idiotic conclusion that not upsetting the apple cart is better than standing up for what's right.
23. The Host (D+) - The romance was BAD...but I appreciate that Crusher does the realistic thing and concludes that constant changes in host ruin her ability to form a bond.
24. The Mind's Eye (B-) - This one is pretty...um...scary...and the payoff of all of that stress on Geordi's behalf is solid.
25. In Theory (B+) - Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww...poor Data!!! The crushing defeat he seems to suffer when he loses his first real romantic entanglement makes the entire episode worth the viewing.
26. (and 5-1) Redemption (B) - A solidly entertaining political intrigue plot that results in the restoration fo Worf's family name (eventually) and the end of the threat posed by the Duras.

SEASON 5 (the year of excellence)

1. Redemption (see above)
2. Darmok (A+) - This was truly a unique (and outstanding) story with a perspective on language, communication and culture that is thought provoking and well expressed.
3. Ensign Ro (A-) - A surprisingly good episode which introduces a character intended to be at the heart of the next franchise (which is why she got so much screen time this season) who is almost as layered and interesting as Kira turned out to be.
4. Silicon Avatar (B) - Another above average Data-centered episode - this one featuring a surprising plot twist and a thought-provoking moral dilemma.
5. Disaster (B) - This is a very well-made, thoroughly entertaining episode...it doesn't quite match "Starship Down" (DS9 story with similar structure), but, it's a fun time nonetheless.
6. The Game (C) - Corny...and yet still somehow kind of enjoyable. It helps that the guest star is an absolute SMOKIN' hottie. (sorry Steph!)
7. Unification (B+) - Thick Romulan political intrigue, our final TNG look into the family of Spock (with similarly respectful and accurate depictions of those time-tested characters), and a well-crafted A/B -> A plot structure.
8. A Matter of Time (C+) - The debate over whether it's morally justified to reveal something about the future feels strange coming from Picard - a man who bellowed angrily at anyone who questioned him regarding the prime directive (temporal or otherwise) in years past - but strange in a good way.
9. New Ground (D+) - This one suffers from being a tad boring and from really dumb science that you notice because the story isn't that engaging.
10. Hero Worship (B+) - A near-feature Data character piece in which the writers break out the old Hollywood "stick a cute kid next to him and triple the love" trick and it works on softies like me. :)
11. Violations (C+) - Not an overly wow-inducing plot, but it certainly is an interesting twist on sexual abuse.
12. The Masterpiece Society (D) - I think the concept is a theoretical impossibility, the realization has its' heart in the right place but fails to make the most powerful arguments against eugenics, and Troi's involvement in the story is nauseating.
13. Conundrum (C+) - Bonus points to a routine episode for making the case that our morality lies outside of our experiential memories and can alert us when something is wrong with our perceptions.
14. Power Play (D) - Ehh...this one never really made much sense to me, to be honest.
15. Ethics (A-) - An outstanding piece in defense of the Hippocratic Oath, and an uplifting look into Worf's relationship with Troi and Alexander.
16. The Outcast (F) - Sorry...but this is not a very-well-veiled comment on gender roles, sexual preferences and stereotypes, and not a very accurate take on the opposition to standing Hollywood positions on those subjects.
17. Cause and Effect (C+) - Bonus points for the ominous mood they managed to maintain at each iteration of the loop and for blowing up the Enterprise four times in one hour!
18. The First Duty (A) - OK...so THIS is actually the strongest Wesley story - for once, our Marty Stu fanboy stand-in is NOT playing the hero...he's growing up and making some big mistakes along the way...and he needs a kick in the ass to do the right thing from the man he respects most.
19. Cost of Living (F) - Oh BAAAAARF! This kind of irresponsible, selfish, hedonistic philosophy has led to the ruination of hope and optimism in America. Shame on you, L'waxana.
20. The Perfect Mate (D-) - I'm sorry, but no amount of intriguing dialogue...even level-headed debate over breakfast, can correct an episode whose conclusion is that sexual slavery is OK as long as the slave doesn't ask out.
21. Imaginary Friend (B-) - The message here - that children need boundaries to keep them safe and teach them right from wrong - makes this one well worth watching...and runs counter to everything we just saw in "Cost of Living"...but whatever.
    
22. I Borg (A) - A stunning defense of individual liberty and, beyond that, a compellingly written story.
23. The Next Phase (B-) - Apart from the obvious scientific gaffe that Ro and Geordi are out of phase and can pass through walls but don't fall through the floor (sigh)...this episode is actually an interesting portrait in contrasts between Ro and LaForge.
24. The Inner Light (A+) - The artistic beauty of every word, every sound, every sight in this episode will blow you away - the enduring spirit of a bygone culture will explode your heart like the Grinch on Christmas morning.
25. (and 6-1) Time's Arrow (D) - They went for a big, ambitious action story but killed it with mediocre guest actors and a horribly heavy handed temporal bigotry.

SEASON 6 (the year of consistency)

1. Time's Arrow (see above)
2. Realm of Fear (C) - This episode makes the mistake of focusing on a bit player to the exclusion of the main cast and leaves you a little unfulfilled.
3. Man of the People (D) - Sadly, I can't say I find it the least bit interesting to discuss this episode.
4. Relics (B-) - Gimmicky and we all know it...but it works because the story is not a cheesy hero-worship trip...it's a commentary on on the timelessness of human achievement and perseverance.
5. Schisms (C+) - Not ground-breaking in originality, but sufficiently creepy to keep you entertained.
6. True Q (C-) -This incarnation of Q doesn't sit well with me when compared to earlier (and even a few later) versions that behaved in ways you could understand.
7. Rascals (B+) - Goofy humor, but in the right spirit, especially for Guinan and Ro...a good piece of fluff if I ever saw one.
8. A Fistful of Datas (D-) - Pretty darned boring, and the plot has been done before in slightly different forms.
9. The Quality of Life (A-) - While lacking the bombastic (and rich) dialogue and intrigue of "The Measure of a Man," this one is nonetheless a fascinating second exploration of the rights of artificial intelligence (and the definition of sentience)...and Data is the ideal defender given his own experiences.
10. Chain of Command (A) - References to 1984 are juuuust subtle enough not to be obnoxious and a look at the inner workings of the Obsidian Order benefited more than just this episode...or even this franchise.
11. Ship in a Bottle (D+) - I liked the first exploration of Moriarty (and other explorations of what we perceive to be reality) better than this one.
12. Aquiel (D) - You know...the first time I watched this one, I kind of liked it, but as I've matured, each subsequent viewing is more off-putting, perhaps because Geordi's defense of (and love for) Aquiel are never properly explained/set up.
13. Face of the Enemy (B+) - Later Trek writers abandoned Roddenbury's sexism and hackery and gave Troi some moments that made her out to be something greater than a useless moron.
14. Tapestry (A+) - A decisive rebel yell against the notion that our identity is bound by our DNA...the PERFECT use of Q - as a wiser (if irreverent) shepherd for the younger races - and a well-constructed look at Picard through the ages. It's a hit for a reason (and it's more than just John Delancie's acting chops).
15. Birthright (A-) - I used to like part one better than part two, because I was totally partial to Data (and I still enjoy that plot), but I actually think Worf's story carries the more important message - namely that if you need to remove someone's freedom to peacefully coexist, then you've accomplished nothing toward tolerance...or toward peace.
16. Starship Mine (B) - Although the plot is a bit predictable, it's nice to see Picard's military aptitude and survival skills on display and the banter between Picard and the criminals on his ship achieves a level of entertainment far exceeding expectations.
17. Lessons (A-) - A typical romance plot...done RIGHT! Yep...Picard gets it on with some new chick almost instantly, but the chemistry is actually outstanding between them because Darren may be one of the best-written female guest-roles the show has ever conjured and because they pulled the brilliance of 'The Inner Light' into the story...and better yet, the reality of their military lives (and the consequences for their romance) is written with a maturity completely absent from the vast majority of Trek romances.
18. The Chase (D) - I am going to echo the thoughts of the Cardassians and Klingons, upon seeing that all of this effort to uncover an ancient riddle buried in our very DNA (!!) is merely a greeting from a long-dead race we'll never meet and a call for mutual cooperation based solely on their common heritage. "THAT'S IT?!?!"
19. Frame of Mind (B) - My opinion of this episode has gradually lowered from "slam-dunk all-time great" to "entertaining episode long on atmosphere, but short on substance." It works because Frakes does a good job with his schizoid scene work and because the shattered atmosphere is felt from moment one...but it falls short of greatness because Riker goes through all of those freaky experiences and nothing is learned about him as a person, nor did consequences persist afterward.
20. Suspicions (B+) - Not quite a feature, but a very nice little mystery told in a unique way and a good subversion of the hammy, one-dimensional Ferengi archetype.
21. Rightful Heir (C) - The exploration of faith would have been more interesting if the forgery of Kahless hadn't been discovered...if different beliefs arose from the mix of evidence.
22. Second Chances (D+) - This one feels like a bit of an over-reach to me. Putting Troi and los dos Riker in that situation didn't work quite as well as the show's writers perhaps imagined because Riker mark II wasn't all that well written.
23. Timescape (C) - The music was too subdued to convey the freaky setting, IMHO. The tension is absent from what should have been a scary episode.
24. (and 7-1) Descent (C+) - Exploring the capacity for desire and hatred to be addictive to a race of emotionless drones (and Data) should have worked better than it did...I think the story would have been way more interesting if Data went dark-side WITHOUT Lore having to deactivate his ethical subroutine...among other things they could have done.

SEASON 7 (The year of fatigue)

1. Descent (see above)
2. Liaisons (C-) - Other than Worf's guest, the ambassadors were all horrifically bad actors, and I find the entire concept of any life form existing without the basic concept of love...and especially pleasure and anger (which are necessary survival emotions) to be quite impossible.
3. Interface (C-) - Again...this should have worked better than it did, but we had no back story...no reason to be prepared to feel something for Geordi before this Mom business started - he's never even mentioned his parents or the state of his family before this.
4. Gambit (B-) - A good action vehicle for Stewart and Frakes, but other than the interesting interplay between them when having to put on a show for the benefit of their criminal associates, a routine episode.
5. Phantasms (C+) - The plot concept makes little or no sense, but it's used effectively (it's creepy enough to keep you interested), and the exploration of Data's psyche is worth the viewing.
6. Dark Page (D) - Pretty darned boring.
7. Attached (A-) - Hey, what do you know...an episode where two people are forced to admit they might have romantic feelings for one another...and they don't immediately screw like bunnies!
8. Force of Nature (F) - This episode concluded so idiotically that even the writers realized how stupid it was and ignored the "warp speed limit" thing entirely within half a year of penning it.
9. Inheritance (B) - Another good Data story...I admit...I am biased! But Julianna Taner is written so well, it's a shame we never see her again.
10. Parallels (B-) - Bonus points to a decent action show for inventing the possibility that we might have LOST in TBoBW!
11. The Pegasus (B-) - An interesting look at the balance between the virtues of loyalty and duty vs. the need for an absolute moral compass. The thing that keeps this from getting a better score for me is that the "bad guy" was right. The treaty banning us from using cloaking technology was in fact extremely stupid.
12. Homeward (C+) - It's nice to see someone force the Federation not to be retarded in its' application of the Prime Directive...nice to see the show define responsibility in terms of making a life-long commitment to someone...and yet I can't get too enthused with the show because the B plot seems to be placed on the moral high ground - one life unfortunately lost is made the equal of hundreds saved to prove a plot-demanded point that the Prime Directive is above reproach.
13. Sub Rosa (F) - WTF?? Crusher gets touched in just the right way by a spirit and she's ready to throw her whole life away?? Are we really arguing that all women want is orgasms on demand and if they have that, they don't care about who they are or what they're doing? Seriously...WTF????
14. Lower Decks (A-) - The juxtaposition of one story from two points of view (the one we know from on high...the senior officers...and the view from below...a group of characters, most of whom are well written and given interesting back story) is brilliant.
15. Thine Own Self (D) - I must say...I didn't find this one to be a very convincing (or interesting) story. A memory-less Data shouldn't have been so quick to adapt to his circumstances...no matter what he's capable of when not impaired.
16. Masks (F) - Nonsensical plot badly written, HORRIBLY acted by Spiner (odd...he's normally a pro), and dumbly directed.
17. Eye of the Beholder (D) - Hammy and the kind of cheap trick (the "gotcha" with a wink stuff that writers love to do too often on TV) that annoys me.
18. Genesis (F) - They told this story backwards. It should have begun with Picard and Data running through darkened corridors, trying to figure out what happened to the crew and how to fix it...and the flashbacks should have been mixed in throughout. They also needed better science...it was so laughably bad that even if the show was well-made, it would have been distracting.
19. Journey's End (D) - Not a fan of being beaten about the face and head with the guilt stick for no particular reason.
20. Firstborn (C) - The definition of an average episode...nothing stands out about this one, sorry to say.
21. Bloodlines (C-) - Let's bring back an "enemy" from plots that were not well liked to begin with...and give Picard a fake son to bond with...they were really reaching here.
22. Emergence (D) - This was high concept done too directly. An interesting idea, but all of the metaphors in the Holodeck were WAY too "on the nose."
23. Preemptive Strike (B) - The fall of Ensign Ro was about as believable as everything else in her character arc...this one feels rather tragic, especially when she says her goodbyes to Picard.
24. All Good Things (A) - A good send-off for the show and a nice bookend to Encounter at Farpoint showing the grudging respect Q has developed for our heroes as we've grown into a stronger race.