I was in college and grad school during the original run of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), and followed the series very closely. During the last couple of seasons of Deep Space Nine (1998–99), my wife and I had our first child, I started a tenure-track job, and I fell out of the TV-watching habit.

In November 2018, I fell ill over Thanksgiving weekend and started rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) to pass the time. I can’t exactly say I’m bingeing the show. I am enjoying writing up my thoughts as I work through entire Star Trek: The Next Generation journey, from the trippy and almost naive “Encounter at Farpoint,” through stunning “Best of Both Worlds (Part 1)” and “Best of Both Worlds (Part 2)” and the character-driven time-bender “All Good Things…“

My episode reviews follow the structure of each story without unnecessarily retelling the plot. I poke fun at the technobabble, celebrate great character moments, and award facepalms when appropriate. Season One has plenty of weird and weak episodes, while Seasons Three and Four deliver some of the strongest storytelling in the series. The bumps in the road make the journey worth revisiting—and wow, the graphics on those bridge consoles still look futuristic, even though most were just illuminated stencils.

Ensign Crusher, set a course for thought-provoking nostalgia. Engage!

(See also ST:DS9 Rewatch)

Season [ One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven ]