PATRON TAKES - Star Trek TNG Season 3 Episode 26 (Season Finale)
Added 2024-07-24 12:05:00 +0000 UTCNOTE: Keep your take focused on this episode only! A post asking for questions regarding Season 3 as a whole will be coming separately
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Comments
Juicy!
marty63026
2024-07-29 11:50:35 +0000 UTCAnd all summer the media in print and in television hyped the crap out of this, not as much as the summer before Voyager’s 4th season but pretty close. Resistance is Futile was everywhere, a pre internet meme if there ever was one. Every SciFi magazine had Locustus on the cover. They hype train was strong in TV Guide too.
marty63026
2024-07-29 11:49:32 +0000 UTCTotally agree. Most people don’t remember this, the studio set this up perfectly. They knew that it was possible for Steward to leave the show so they wrote an episode that end do that they could do whatever they needed to do in part two. Left everything up in the air. Perfect
marty63026
2024-07-29 11:43:11 +0000 UTCI lucked out with this one. I was a kid when BOBW came out. My dad was in the Air Force and we were stationed overseas, which meant we saw this episode like 6 months after it came out. Luckily, a friend of my dad’s had family in the US that had recorded part 2 and sent us a VHS copy. I think my wait ended up being two weeks. Still painful though!
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2024-07-28 16:58:13 +0000 UTCLuke Skywalker battled Darth Vader to the sound of a choir in “Return of the Jedi.” And John Boorman’s “Excalibur” used a choir singing “O Fortuna” to great effect in a scene featuring… Patrick Stewart. To name just two examples.
James H
2024-07-28 02:31:29 +0000 UTCColumn Meanie: Yeah, the sting on this is INSANE. I love it.
John
2024-07-27 06:31:58 +0000 UTCWhile there are many great and epic episodes after this this episode and the one is considered the Best of Trek. It has long reaching effects threw-out the franchise. This is also the first Episode I saw as a brand new episode. So I had to wait all summer to know what happens next. Oh btw Stewart was considering leaving the show. Find out if he does next season on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Quacer Productions
2024-07-27 01:37:03 +0000 UTCThat time Star trek turned it up to eleve...no-15!
David Scudder
2024-07-26 23:52:34 +0000 UTCThere's a future episode that we can revisit discussions of this scene in, too. ("...I am sorry if I have ended ...")
Jovet
2024-07-26 23:31:27 +0000 UTCI still prefer TNG over all other Treks, but I do believe the guys will have a stronger affinity for DS9.
Jovet
2024-07-26 23:27:29 +0000 UTCSo much comes from this single episode. The killer narrative foundations were flawlessly laid to build to this incredible epic high point. My all time favorite last line. Chills were invented for moments like this!
Skipper Martin
2024-07-26 21:13:29 +0000 UTCTNG at its "Best." Trek was never the same after this episode (in a good way). All remaining seasons and all subsequent Trek series reflect on this marvel of an episode.
Frank Tagader
2024-07-26 19:24:54 +0000 UTCGuest cast note: GEORGE MURDOCK, who portrayed Admiral Hanson, was in Star Trek V - as the face of the "god" creature in the story's climax when Kirk asked "What does 'God' need with a starship?"
Rhett Coates
2024-07-26 16:30:00 +0000 UTCSuggestion: Copy/paste this one into the NEXT episode's patron takes, then delete it from this one. It's too great a spoiler.
Rhett Coates
2024-07-26 16:27:08 +0000 UTCAgreed: truly HAUNTING.......
Rhett Coates
2024-07-26 16:22:40 +0000 UTCI have to admit, that line "Death is irrelevant" - shocked me to the core when I first heard it. Apparently, NOTHING stops the Borg, not even that. Scarry? The word 'scarry' doesn't come close to what emotions and thoughts that line's MANY LAYERS of meaning evokes! It was so deeply chilling, the first time I watched this episode, I picked my feet off the floor and tucked them up on the couch.....................
Rhett Coates
2024-07-26 16:19:01 +0000 UTCYa' THINK!? (LOL)
Rhett Coates
2024-07-26 15:56:17 +0000 UTCMy whole family was glued to the TV for this. LFG!
Firekrys FWO
2024-07-26 15:41:12 +0000 UTCI saw this when it first aired and watched it 3-4 times right after. Then, I called a friend over to watch it again. And, he wanted it watch it twice. It was 3 long summer months after this. As I recall, usenet's rec.arts.startrek really blew up after this. Few episodes of any series reach this height.
Ron
2024-07-26 08:11:12 +0000 UTCYou guys are lucky. We had to wait three months to see part two.
Dan Krantz
2024-07-26 06:21:06 +0000 UTCYou will love this Episode. When this episode first premiered 3 of my brothers and myself watch this episode at my mother's apartment. By season 41 of my brothers had passed so this one Is dear to my heart besides been an excellent episode, enjoy guys
Reginald Garey
2024-07-26 05:49:05 +0000 UTC6 year old me walked around mind fucked for 3 months after this aired in 1990
Fossilizer
2024-07-26 04:59:08 +0000 UTCWelcome gentlemen, to where no Star Trek has gone before. Now, if you would like the full 1990s experience, wait 3 months before watching TNG season 4, episode 1.
Fossilizer
2024-07-26 04:57:16 +0000 UTCJust a couple of hours ago I was thinking about that final scene and the violins building up to the final line. I instantly got goosebumps even remembering it.
PIG
2024-07-26 04:01:08 +0000 UTCI think that’s a great observation. I remember that summer hearing people discover TNG, or even the Star Trek franchise itself, who’d never watched it before from all the buzz from this episode, then watching the very strong season 3 reruns all summer and getting hooked on TNG.
NivekTheIncorrigible
2024-07-26 00:06:28 +0000 UTCSpoilers for part 2
Tim b
2024-07-25 21:31:27 +0000 UTCAs others have said.. welcome to the reason they are still making new Star Trek today
jeff hughes
2024-07-25 20:10:03 +0000 UTCAt the time of transmission, Patrick Stewart hadn't signed on for Season 4. Neither the fans, the studio or even Patrick Stewart knew if Picard would be returning. It was a huge meta-cliffhanger for everyone.
Leyton Jay
2024-07-25 19:32:28 +0000 UTCGentlemen please complete the following sentence: "Season 3 of TNG is..."
Shawn Indigo
2024-07-25 19:20:46 +0000 UTCAside from being the first proper cliffhanger in all of Star Trek, "Best of Both Worlds" is one of the better Riker centric episodes in TNG, due in no small part to the perfect foil to this character in the form of Lt. Commander Shelby. What other character in Star Trek, whether from TOS or TNG, do you think would also make a great foil for Riker?
dkenobi
2024-07-25 19:14:31 +0000 UTCLook up Wolf 359 and you’ll see just how close to Earth that battle was. Notice the camera cuts to Shelby for emotion when she gives the name of the ship that Riker almost took command of. He could have been dead.
Geoffrey Linehan
2024-07-25 18:21:09 +0000 UTCAlong with “we have engaged the Borg”
Geoffrey Linehan
2024-07-25 18:19:18 +0000 UTCWas worse in the UK - we got Part 1 in 1992. They then aired all of TOS, and didn't show Part 2 until 1994...
The Ninth Doctor
2024-07-25 17:30:15 +0000 UTCWelcome to the best cliffhanger of all time. Now you have to wait several months to watch the next episodes.
Yannik M.
2024-07-25 16:28:05 +0000 UTCSame!! I will always dearly love TOS…but Season 3 as a whole cemented, for me, The Next Generation as The BEST Generation of Star Trek!
Raphael Gaytan
2024-07-25 16:03:29 +0000 UTCI say, "Just wait till you get to DS9" about three times per reaction/discussion when they talk about what they like or wish was in the episode. DS9 is on another level.
Justin B
2024-07-25 15:42:52 +0000 UTCYou have to understand that at the time, we had to wait FOUR MONTHS for the conclusion. I will never forget staring at my 20" TV with the words, "To be continued..." screaming NOOOOOO! During that summer there were rumors that Patrick Stewart was actually leaving the series. Totally devastating! Bottom line, the greatest cliffhanger in the history of television.
Michael Metrick
2024-07-25 15:17:25 +0000 UTCWelcome. I agree. I've seen TNG countless times, yet watching it with someone who's never seen it is like watching it for the first time again. I love the experience, even for episodes I don't like.
Justin B
2024-07-25 12:47:00 +0000 UTCIt was such a low-key W moment for Troi. She knew their relationship would provide the impetus for Riker to calm down and listen to what she said, and Shelby's arguing would just annoy him further.
Justin B
2024-07-25 12:39:00 +0000 UTCBut he's got to kill Picard in the process, or risk the Federation and all of humanity...
The Ninth Doctor
2024-07-25 11:47:59 +0000 UTC'ERE WE GOOO BOYS
ellmo
2024-07-25 09:24:28 +0000 UTCIt isn't even the best season finale! It isn't even the best episode of the three parter!
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2024-07-25 07:28:49 +0000 UTCIt had nothing to do with Shelby being female. Jelicho ought to make that point clear. People back then just had thin skin when it came to having their 'favorite' characters undermined. This was the era of Sarah Conor and Ripley after all. Strong female characters filled seats.
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2024-07-25 07:21:28 +0000 UTCEveryone is in top form on this one…from the actors to Cliff Bole, director extraordinaire, to the chilling score by Ron Jones! Fun fact…The Best Of Both Worlds soundtrack was so good, it had its own CD release!!
Raphael Gaytan
2024-07-25 05:45:56 +0000 UTCYou're not gonna believe it! This one hits all the notes & delivers a 1-2 punch of an ending (To Be Continued... of course) for season 3 finale & season 4 premiere two-parter. Can't wait to see your reactions! Engage.
Billy T. Riker
2024-07-25 05:38:56 +0000 UTCAmazing
Ramen Nudels
2024-07-25 05:32:08 +0000 UTCi’m old enough i have had a “i shot jr t-shirt” as a kid
David Marcoot
2024-07-25 02:43:52 +0000 UTCClearly the Chief's been hitting the Irish Whiskey just a little too much... "You're at the center of town" Damn it Legato! I seriously just praised you for being a great SVX producer. Please tell me you at least tried to knock some since into Piller's head to get him to change the dialogue to "EDGE" of town....
Mark Wood
2024-07-25 02:34:19 +0000 UTCThank God it's "Who Shot JR?" Just be thankful its not "Bobby coming out of the Shower!"
Mark Wood
2024-07-25 02:25:48 +0000 UTCThis episode is the first time I ever remember feeling super invested in what happened next for any of TNG. The stakes felt so high and it's just such a well done cliffhanger.
Clyde Frog
2024-07-25 01:54:20 +0000 UTCI haven’t checked in some years but, yeah, I think it’s still up there according to critics.
PIG
2024-07-25 01:52:40 +0000 UTCGlad to have you!
PIG
2024-07-25 01:51:38 +0000 UTCDS9 aged better due the format. My daughter and I watch the series through once a year.
Miah1138
2024-07-25 01:35:16 +0000 UTCDid it use lube?
Jovet
2024-07-25 00:17:39 +0000 UTCWhat about that look that Riker gives Troi after she reminds him that he shouldn't lead the Away Team?
Jovet
2024-07-25 00:16:41 +0000 UTCI think they will, too.
Jovet
2024-07-25 00:08:36 +0000 UTCAbsolutely a Riker episode. "The Best of Both Worlds" in the Riker can get his own command AND stay on the Enterprise.
Alexander McKechnie
2024-07-24 23:44:28 +0000 UTCSo, this is the most important episode of Star Trek. Maybe not the best (it's high on that list) but we have Trek as a franchise today because of "Best of Both Worlds." This cliffhanger kept us locked in for Season 4 and cemented the show's success. Also Patrick Stewart's contract was for three seasons and this was made without knowing if he'd be back, so both we the audience, AND the cast an crew didn't know if Riker was going to actually kill Locutus/Picard by S4 E1. The summer of 1990 was tense for us all.
Alexander McKechnie
2024-07-24 23:42:58 +0000 UTCApologies: this was the first "wait for a whole summer to see the conclusion" two parter. I completely fubared with explaining that. Farpoint was the beginning of the season. Menagerie was in the middle of TOS season 1. This was the first time a season ended in a cliffhanger season finale and set a trend for future seasons
Manny Fleurmond
2024-07-24 23:41:08 +0000 UTCThis is TNG's most impactful episode, both in and out of universe. Obvious question: Who do you think will survive part two, and what will be left of them?
Tim b
2024-07-24 23:40:41 +0000 UTCGentleman, I hope you brought bandages because you probably just shit a brick.
MrDeadstu
2024-07-24 23:35:38 +0000 UTCI predict Alex and Josh will hate this one. Nah, just kidding.
Nick Sauer
2024-07-24 23:34:55 +0000 UTCROTFL!!!!
Jovet
2024-07-24 23:30:11 +0000 UTC"There's no doubt anymore. It IS the Borg." Most-chilling line in Star Trek.
Jovet
2024-07-24 23:14:38 +0000 UTC*CAN really believe
Jovet
2024-07-24 23:12:58 +0000 UTCTHE LORE!!
Mike Rogers
2024-07-24 23:09:18 +0000 UTCEncounter at Farpoint is sometimes shown as a two-parter, too.
Jovet
2024-07-24 23:06:26 +0000 UTCWell, she is the counselor, and a psychologist.
Jovet
2024-07-24 22:59:03 +0000 UTCHow do you guys feel about Riker's character development in this episode? Even though the focus is on Picard at the end, I think of this as a Riker episode. And is Shelby an all time guest on the show for you so far?
Erik Baca
2024-07-24 22:58:38 +0000 UTC3 weeks. According to what they've released of their schedule, they should watch S04E01 on 19 August.
Jovet
2024-07-24 22:57:20 +0000 UTC@Evan Guthrie Non-zero? Sure. But don't hold your breath.
Jovet
2024-07-24 22:55:39 +0000 UTCThis episode was what cemented Star Trek Next Gen as my #1 show in the franchise. Will be interesting to see how they feel about it.
LMPGames
2024-07-24 22:40:43 +0000 UTCThis episode is one of the defining moments for all of Star Trek, even from a lore perspective.
Adam Zey
2024-07-24 21:06:44 +0000 UTCThe MOTHER of all bangers, guys!!! This cliffhanger ruined my Summer of 1990!!
Raphael Gaytan
2024-07-24 20:54:57 +0000 UTCI was about 12 when this was released and still remember jumping off the couch , yelling "Noooooooo!" at the cliffhanger. My parents couldn't help but laugh.
PIG
2024-07-24 20:39:42 +0000 UTC😆
PIG
2024-07-24 20:25:27 +0000 UTCThe musical accompaniment for this episode is unparalleled.
#MaxwellDidNothingWrong
2024-07-24 19:39:10 +0000 UTCI was 23 years old. I was a life long Star Trek fan. I had no trouble getting on board with TNG. This aired and at the end I *yelled* at my TV "FUCK ME!"
Michael Schwarz
2024-07-24 19:18:52 +0000 UTCGuessing the gap in between doing this episode and starting season 4 will give you a sense of what it was like 30 years ago for everyone waiting all summer to see what happened next.
Strife
2024-07-24 19:06:55 +0000 UTCWell...back in Peak Performance you guys said you wanted to see what would happen if Riker took on Picard. Here you go.
Greg Quinn
2024-07-24 18:58:11 +0000 UTCA lot of the hardened TOS fans kind of admitted that TNG had arrived after this!😄
Daragh Graham
2024-07-24 18:45:40 +0000 UTCWow it’s here …. We have engaged the borg, amazing episode if you didn’t live in the uk as we had to wait almost 2 years for the next season, going into this episode everyone on the main cast has signed a contract for season 4 apart from Patrick who left it till the last minute so spoilers wouldn’t leak
Warpiggaming
2024-07-24 18:29:40 +0000 UTCIs it finally going to be safe to say in public that frickin laser beam head is not the peak moment of the franchise?
Alan Thompson
2024-07-24 18:02:13 +0000 UTCI think there is a nonzero chance they will push up starting season 4 earlier
Evan Guthrie
2024-07-24 17:42:32 +0000 UTCThis episode really got the attention of the mainstream at the time and brought 'Star Trek' to the news.. I got to watch the remaster of this episode in the movie theater a few years ago, and it was such a great experience.
Badger
2024-07-24 17:21:46 +0000 UTCFor my friends and I, it was pretty much all we talked about all summer. One of my friends had recorded this episode on VHS and we watched it so much we literally wore out the tape and it broke. I remember looking at the clock wondering how they’d wrap it up by the end of this episode … only to get the cliffhanger. We came up with and talked through so many scenarios as to how the crew could get out of it - or if we’d lose one or more beloved characters along the way. This was almost 35 years ago and I still remember it vividly.
NivekTheIncorrigible
2024-07-24 17:19:23 +0000 UTCWelocome aboard
Badger
2024-07-24 17:18:22 +0000 UTCThis one's gonna have a LOT of patron takes, and why shouldn't it. Well I'll say watching this one on streaming years after release will definitely lesson it's impact. I think over all it's legendary status is due mainly to its bold choices for a season finale, that choice being almost a standard for today's shows. I think the episode is pretty good but I don't think it quite reaches the hype. But I wasn't even alive when this episode came out, and I watched the shows out of order. So this episode just isn't special to me but I can respect it a lot.
David Wilkosz
2024-07-24 17:09:02 +0000 UTCThe title has multiple meanings.... Picard becoming half human half Borg - the "best of both worlds", but also the Riker dilemma. He wants to stay on the Enterprise but he also wants his own command. With his decisive final line, he achieves both.
JGoss
2024-07-24 17:08:51 +0000 UTCI am brand new here, joining because of this episode alone. I cannot wait for you to see this and am of the belief that you will pop hard for the last few minutes! My dad raised me on this show so I really enjoy getting to experience this with someone new again.
John Martin
2024-07-24 17:07:55 +0000 UTCI remember watching this live. Best of Both Worlds is a bit of a double meaning. It’s not just “the best of Federation vs Borg,” but also more importantly to the story, Riker’s dilemma about wanting to stay on the enterprise vs. also wanting to be a captain. In the end we are shown what that “world” looks like. Top notch.
Nathan Walker
2024-07-24 16:41:37 +0000 UTCProbably the best Riker-centric episode. He really got the best of both worlds, but at what cost?
Captain Proton
2024-07-24 16:02:29 +0000 UTC3 months! I had to wait 3 months for the conclusion! This episode usually gets listed in top 10 lists for the best cliffhangers in TV history. Right up there with "Who shot J.R / Who shot Mr. Burns", Season 1 finale of The West Wing, etc... I'm really looking forward to your reaction.
Remi Samson
2024-07-24 16:01:01 +0000 UTCEvery Star Trek fan knows where they were when they saw this episode drop in 1990. That summer was the longest summer of my life waiting for the next season. On a side note…. I can’t wait for you to get to Deep Space Nine. I think you’ll like it better than TNG.
Reality Strikes
2024-07-24 15:56:16 +0000 UTCMid
D Jammers
2024-07-24 15:46:34 +0000 UTCLets put the cliffhanger into context. Pat's contract has expired after Season 3, and his negotiations are not going well. The second half of this episode has not been written. You will be waiting 6 months for the conclusion to this episode, not knowing who will be on the show for the rest of it's run. How do you feel about Captain Riker of the USS Enterprise? Can he replace Picard? Can you figure a way out of the hole the writers dug themselves into should Pat return? Star Trek just went from Good Star Trek to top tier Sci-Fi TV in a single episode, can it maintain this high? So many unanswered questions. See you in 3 weeks. If you can handle it.
ijp8834
2024-07-24 15:40:25 +0000 UTCOh! Forgot to mention, the line! "Death is irrelevant." Like, think about that for a minute. We are so unnatural and in control, the timeless rules of the universe don't even apply. Your freedoms mean nothing to us. Even the freedom all people have, always, isn't granted to you. Now, if that isn't a damn good line to show how oppressive your antagonist is, I have no idea what would be.
Burrito Vampire
2024-07-24 15:27:45 +0000 UTCThere are truly some classic bangers in Season 3, this is the finale to end all finales though. I've been getting my friend into Trek and he's finished season 1 so far, and enjoying it. I told him season 2 is amazing, sometimes, but 3, 3 is where it pops the collar and gets it. Please, pardon the euphemism here but it's an apt description. I told him Season 3 is like having intimate relations with a truly experienced woman. I mean, you're having a great time the entire time, you reach the promised land several times throughout the encounter and right when you think it's winding down and you're ready for a break, blamo! Finger in the rear cargo bay and you learn something new about yourself and expand you mind and definitions for what can be done! That is the Best of Both Worlds.
Burrito Vampire
2024-07-24 15:24:38 +0000 UTCSo, how are we feeling about your 3-week break before season 4??? This is TNG firing on all cylinders: great story, great writing, great score, and one of TV's great cliffhangers. Fun fact: Locutus is Latin for "he who has spoken".
Alex Buell
2024-07-24 15:17:38 +0000 UTCOne of my top 5 episodes, the wait for part 2 was torture back then. Luckily you guys don't have to wait.
Christopher Dorn
2024-07-24 15:08:11 +0000 UTCThey showed this episode along with with part 2 in theaters when the HD remasters were released on Blu-ray. A cool experience, though limited by its 4:3 aspect ratio on the big screen.
Screaming Frog
2024-07-24 15:06:05 +0000 UTCThis episode was originally aired on June 18, 1990. It would be three long months until the start of season 4 on September 24. For many fans, maybe the three longest months of their lives. Patrick Steward himself tells this little story: "I got a taste of just how much [people were strained about the waiting time] one day when I was driving in L.A. As I waited at a red light, a car pulled alongside me and the passenger window opened. The driver leaned across his front seat to yell at me, 'You have ruined our summer!'"
Yorin
2024-07-24 15:02:57 +0000 UTCThe title of this episode is good when you think it’s about Picard. It’s amazing when you realize it’s about Riker.
Toban Allison
2024-07-24 15:00:30 +0000 UTCplus it got even worse because rumors spread that patrick stewart was in contract negotiations and it was looking likely he wouldn't return, the possibility that they would kill him off made the wait agonizing for fans
Dark Kronis
2024-07-24 14:52:15 +0000 UTCI watched this with my dad. At the time people were recording these on VHS, myself included. We finished the episode and my dad asked for the next episode... I told him we had to wait 3 months... he was quite displeased. I'll never forget that look on his face. If I told him that I crashed his car he would have looked the same.
THE Fans
2024-07-24 14:51:27 +0000 UTCThe scary thing about the Borg is not that they are the opposite of the Federation. It is that they are a dark mirror of them. Both cultures are about meeting others, learning things about them, and ideally incorporating that culture into their own. The Borg are just somewhat more direct about it, and don't give their targets any choice in the matter. and here they taken the main character, the one who leads the charge against the current foe and made him the foe, at the time this was the cliffhanger of the century
Dark Kronis
2024-07-24 14:50:31 +0000 UTCHuh. For some reason I was lead to believe that this was the first one. Thanks for the correction
Manny Fleurmond
2024-07-24 14:49:30 +0000 UTCAnd now the payoff that was set up in (I think) the neutral zone and their first encounter with the Borg. Probably a tie with a very few others for Most Perfect Episode. Imagine watching this and realizing you had to wait ALL DAMN SUMMER to see part two. Cruel and unusual punishment.
David Scudder
2024-07-24 14:49:10 +0000 UTCthose of us who who saw this aired on television had to wait 4 months for the conclusion. longest 4 months of my life.
David Marcoot
2024-07-24 14:48:09 +0000 UTCIt was a two-part episode in TOS. Best of Both Worlds isn't the first 2-part episode in Star Trek.
Lincynity
2024-07-24 14:39:36 +0000 UTCNew patron here! Not my first take though I think this episode really was a proof of concept for what Star Trek would be capable of at its best. We have character development, action, the score goes nuts, and the direction is really elevated. When I was a kid, this episode made TNG an event that you had to tune into. I really love how the show delivers on promises set up in Season 2.
Deep Red
2024-07-24 14:36:21 +0000 UTCSomething I only noticed on a later rewatch: at the very end after they see Picard in his Borg outfit for the first time, Shelby and Riker have that argument and they are both on the exact opposite side of where they're "suppossed to be". Shelby is asking for more time to get Picard back, Riker is saying there's no time we need to get the weapon ready. Riker even before he sees Picard has already made the tough choice while Shelby was more or less "playing it safe". Really awesome Riker episode. love the arc he goes on and how Shelby acts as that reflection of him throughout.
Elway Simpson
2024-07-24 14:31:52 +0000 UTC“The board is set, the pieces are moving. We come to it at last, the great battle of our time..." This episode/storyline redefines Star Trek, bringing TNG out of TOS' shadow, and directly impacting or influencing all other Star Trek which follows it. The S-tier of S-tier episodes. So, what do you think will happen next..?
The Ninth Doctor
2024-07-24 14:28:26 +0000 UTCOne of the best Star Trek episodes of the whole franchise. A handful are better, IMHO. Note the score! The score! Also trivia: this was one of the first major cliffhangers in television. Imagine waiting months and months for the next episode. Finally, that sting after "Mr. Worf... fire!" So good! If you don't love this, I think we have to disown you.
John
2024-07-24 14:25:18 +0000 UTCThought about this, and yeah, usually the guys will disagree with some episodes we think are great. But Josh said that a certain season 2 episode brought Star Trek “to a whole new f-ing level!”. I can’t believe they would think this episode would anything but truly awesome. Shockingly, this episode made TNG a “water cooler” show, which is unheard of for any sci-fi at the time. Edge of your seat.
Chris S.
2024-07-24 14:24:04 +0000 UTCOh boy, I bet you guys wish you weren't taking a break now.
TomEmilioDavies
2024-07-24 14:23:43 +0000 UTCThe only thing more relentless than the Borg is Shelby’s ambition.
Paul Rymer
2024-07-24 14:19:17 +0000 UTC"Fire" And that's the last audiences saw for 3 months
Justin DiBari
2024-07-24 14:17:39 +0000 UTCSo it's all come to this: the Ron Jones magnum opus. Listen to this score and question how this guy could be fired for his music being too dramatic.
JGoss
2024-07-24 14:13:57 +0000 UTCHere we are, the most important episode of Star Trek ever. Remember when you watched Shades of Grey and were expecting more from a season finale? Best of Both Worlds is the reason for that. Dallas had its "Who Shot JR" cliff hanger, but Dallas was already the highest rated drama. The TNG Season 4 premiere was so anticipated that it became the first syndicated show to actually win its time slot in major markets and you can bet the studio heads took notice. After this premieres and finales started to become events. It's important in an a canonical sense, too, but you'll see. (Also, Patrick Stewart's contract is up at this point.)
Jeffrey P
2024-07-24 14:02:24 +0000 UTCWhen this was first shown, it was common for tv series to renegotiate actor contracts over the summer break between seasons. With this episode bringing on Shelby as a possible new Number One, we really could believe that Patrick Stewart might be leaving the show. There are legions of us who still suffer lingering PTSD effects from that long, fretful summer.
Jeff
2024-07-24 13:55:27 +0000 UTC“To be continued…”. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Column Meanie
2024-07-24 13:53:45 +0000 UTCDehn dehn DEHN! buh buh bm dehn deh DEHN! buh buh bm dehn dehn DEHN! buh buh bm dehn dehn DEHN! BUH BUH BM DEEEEEHHHHHHHNNNNN!
Column Meanie
2024-07-24 13:53:11 +0000 UTC???
Manny Fleurmond
2024-07-24 13:48:35 +0000 UTCIf there was a time to do a live event the reaction for this episode would be it. For me this episode is a top five of all of Star Trek. This episode does very well in diving into the personalities of both Picard and Riker. It also is a call back to Star Trek 2 using a Nebula cloud to make finding the Enterprise impossible for a time 😁. The Borg stopping pursuit helps to see they are not willing to fight when they do not have the advantage. In my opinion, the only thing I think would have made this episode even more interesting would’ve been the appearance of Q. You can definitely tell they went all out with the budget for this particular episode. Considering this is a well talked about episode even after all this time, I hope you guys enjoy and will have much to talk about.
Hidden Ruu
2024-07-24 13:46:15 +0000 UTCIt is futile to resist the greatness of this episode. Your reactions will adapt to service us. But seriously, it’s the cherry on top of the season. This is an episode I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve rewatched it. Every time I do, I imagine watching it for the first time. It has the best cliffhanger of Star Trek and one of the best in television history. When you’re finished, imagine having to wait 3 months before seeing the conclusion. The definition of a banger.
JP RFL
2024-07-24 13:44:28 +0000 UTCOne of the things I wanted to make sure of, rewatching this, is that the title did not say "part 1". I am glad because I want to see the pop you guys when Riker says "Fire!" Then the screen goes black and we see "To Be Continued..."
Mike Rogers
2024-07-24 13:42:27 +0000 UTCUm, the Menagerie?
Lincynity
2024-07-24 13:41:26 +0000 UTCIt changed Star Trek forever simply one of the best episodes ever made
General Trelane
2024-07-24 13:34:09 +0000 UTCTNG at its finest!
Brian K
2024-07-24 13:32:17 +0000 UTCThis was the first tng episode to hook me into the series. After this episode aired, I tuned in weekly. This two part episode could easily have been a movie
Patrick Smith
2024-07-24 13:32:12 +0000 UTCWaiting all summer for the next episode, back when this was on tv, was torture. I can remember counting down the months until we would know what was going to happen after “Mr. Worf… Fire!”
Connor Fallon
2024-07-24 13:27:31 +0000 UTCWhelp, here is the first season finale cliffhanger. This is one of THE episodes for a number of reasons: the return of the Borg, Locutus, the head butting between Riker and Shelby, the guest star of the episode and the 3 month wait between this and the season 4 premiere. I remember 8 year old me waiting for the season premiere to arrive in the fall.
Manny Fleurmond
2024-07-24 13:26:55 +0000 UTCPlease, please do not touch S4E1 until after your already declared break. Part of the experience of this one is having to wait without knowing and without immediately flipping to the outcome (like reading the last page of a mystery novel). In the 90s we had to wait 14 weeks for Mr. Worf to push the button. 3 weeks in 2024 will probably feel similar for you.
Avaria
2024-07-24 13:25:55 +0000 UTC@wildhunt1973 Just three weeks. Enough time to stave off a Sheliak attack.
Jovet
2024-07-24 13:24:00 +0000 UTCLOL!
Jovet
2024-07-24 13:22:59 +0000 UTCOne of the best cliffhangers in all of television.
Jovet
2024-07-24 13:19:34 +0000 UTCDun Dun Dun Dun 🎶
Mister Hope
2024-07-24 13:18:40 +0000 UTC“Mr Worf….Fire.”
Mister Hope
2024-07-24 13:18:15 +0000 UTCAbsolutely iconic. This will be an episode you'll find yourselves coming back to.
Busy Andy
2024-07-24 13:17:41 +0000 UTCI dont know. Its action packed, but is about a family torn apart because their “father” was kidnapped and forced to kill.
Chris S.
2024-07-24 13:16:09 +0000 UTCFIRE 🔥 Well, you’ve made it. This is the event that solidified the re-birth of Star Trek on TV in the pop culture zeitgeist, the effects of which continue to this day. And make no mistake, while this is a well remembered episode for what happens to JL, this is a Riker episode, through and through. Shelby challenging his command, pushing him to make the tough choices, his feelings of complacency and of being “seasoned”. In the end, Riker learns to find his ‘FIRE’ again.
Andrew F.
2024-07-24 13:14:52 +0000 UTCDespite this episode being remembered for what happens to Picard, it's actually a Riker character study. It's all about him, how he's changed since being on the Enterprise and whether he can still handle the pressures of Command. If he can make the tough calls. Ironically, it's champing at the bit Shelby who cracks and tries to stall to save Picard, her indecision having the potential for wide-spread disaster. Oh, and remember what I said about Stewart renegotiating his contract? That still wasn't resolved when the episode aired. So he might be having a curtain call, or become a reoccuring villain for the rest of the show - we don't know. Enjoy your TNG reaction hiatus boys!
Nolan
2024-07-24 13:14:39 +0000 UTCI’m not saying anything about this one. I rarely, if at all, make suggestions. I just hope they don’t talk during this one. This is where TNG arrived.
Chris S.
2024-07-24 13:14:04 +0000 UTCI saw this as a kid on its original run on an old slightly green tinted TV and it was EPIC!
Chris Mickelson
2024-07-24 13:14:00 +0000 UTCThe “Captain Borg” music queue that closes out the episode is fantastic. The inverted main theme when cap is revealed, the sadness back on the bridge, the eerie choral music, and the final moments with drums and a friggin harp!
Stuart Arbury
2024-07-24 13:11:33 +0000 UTCTo lessen the chance of spoilers maybe the one month break should be postponed until after S4E1. The episodes after that with Captain Barclay are not very compelling anyway, what with taking place entirely within the holodeck and all
DG
2024-07-24 13:09:08 +0000 UTCI predict this will be an episode of dawning realization for Alex as his RLM memories will come flooding back, and he'll spend most of the episode trying to not give away the game for Josh, who will be totally unprepared for the season ending cliffhanger. Alex may still be surprised by it too. Unless the hype machine has DESTROYED the appreciation for this episode. But uhhh, welcome to TNG. 🤣🤣
Nolan
2024-07-24 13:07:00 +0000 UTCBecause you guys sometimes like to shave against the grain, I'm going to venture a guess you'll find this one overrated. In the time since this episode came out, cliffhangers have been done better. It's a TNG classic, but it's spectacle strengths have dimished with age. The Riker character stuff is still great.
EnigmaticPenguin
2024-07-24 13:07:00 +0000 UTCI suspect you won’t enjoy this as much as most fans as it’s more about combat / sci fi / SFX than the characters and narrative tension. I hope I’m wrong, as most regard this as pivotal lore-building for the entire Star Trek franchise.
Smear Campaign
2024-07-24 13:05:42 +0000 UTCIt pains me that most of the actress’s interactions with fans were telling her “you were such a bitch!” Clearly a lot of fans were insecure with strong female characters.
Column Meanie
2024-07-24 13:02:42 +0000 UTCOh boy, here we go! I think we've all been looking forward to this moment. I have a question for you guys, if you were in Riker's position who would you have picked to be your first officer? Would you go with Shelby or one of our boys Data or Worf?
Skullman8942
2024-07-24 13:02:23 +0000 UTCWe finally get to see how the Borg got so powerful: By assimilating both people and technology. In this way, they are like the federation with an evil twist: bringing together people of many worlds under one unified banner. In my opinion the Borg were created as a critique of the idealistic “melting pot” society.
Evan Guthrie
2024-07-24 13:01:21 +0000 UTCI'm pretty sure choirs have been considered "epic" for hundreds of years.
Cameron Thacker
2024-07-24 12:56:59 +0000 UTCI love Shelby and her attitude towards Riker, a very strong performance by Elizabeth Dennehy.
Phillip Grischa
2024-07-24 12:56:52 +0000 UTCThis is one of the most famous cliffhangers in television, I would not be surprised if you guys know a couple vague or specific details about this episode.
Cameron Thacker
2024-07-24 12:54:11 +0000 UTCWhat a triumph this episode is. This is the best single episode of Star Trek and part of the best two parter in Star Trek. There are other contenders but this is it. The return of the Borg changes everything moving forward for the Federation and the entire franchise. Next Gens biggest threat. Shelby is a great foil for Riker. I did see this one first run and had to wait until the summer was over to see part two which is also great. I know you guys are waiting a couple of weeks but you have no idea. Picard as Loctus at the end was terrifying, we as an audience had no idea if he was coming back since his contract was up and it was public knowledge at the time.
marty63026
2024-07-24 12:51:53 +0000 UTCTHIS IS IT! HERE WE GO!
Vagon Khan
2024-07-24 12:46:06 +0000 UTCThe longest summer of my childhood followed this episode, and I would never have expected it going in. There is a lot of great TNG to go, but I would argue that this is peak TNG. This episode also shows up on some top 100 greatest TV episodes ever, and won two Emmys. It’s fantastic stuff. Another great Cliff Bole episode with a fantastic score.
NivekTheIncorrigible
2024-07-24 12:44:22 +0000 UTCOne thing I only recently noticed about the score, a choir is a perfect choice for the Borg because it's many voices singing as one voice. I wonder if that was their thinking at the time since this was before the trope of using a choir to convey "epicness."
BN13
2024-07-24 12:43:48 +0000 UTCLast few second hit hard! Best episode ending in history!
Jiri Luza
2024-07-24 12:43:16 +0000 UTCThis episode cemented the golden age of Trek and changed it forever. The last scene still gives me goosebumps despite watching it countless times since I was a child/teenager. Do you think they'll rescue Picard? If so, how?
Justin B
2024-07-24 12:41:53 +0000 UTCThis is the definitive perfect episode. Not a single moment of screen time is wasted. Elizabeth Dennehy (daughter of Brian Dennehy) pulls off a strong performance as Shelby and you could easily see her become a member of this crew. Love the Riker/Troi conversation in Ten Forward: “I’ve always wanted to be captain but something’s holding me back…”. Interesting how he has this conversation with Deanna.
Column Meanie
2024-07-24 12:40:38 +0000 UTCYou guys remember the Peak Performance reaction, when you said you were fine with the DQ finish because Picard vs. Riker was too hot to give away on free tv? Welcome to the main event.
bab
2024-07-24 12:39:02 +0000 UTCThe score gives me goosebumps to this day. It's like a sci-fi horror score. Absolute perfection.
Justin B
2024-07-24 12:38:47 +0000 UTCTHIS is the episode we have trudged through three seasons to get to. Not that seasons 1-3 haven't had bangers. Just...oh, this episode...!
wildhunt1973
2024-07-24 12:38:44 +0000 UTCRanked #36 on TV Guide's Top 100 TV Eps of All Time list (2009), this episode became the gold standard for the season-ending "cliffhanger." Within Trek, it leaves the biggest singular impact on the entire franchise, both in-universe and out. Every classic Trek show is impacted by this episode in one way or another. It is spectacular in every sense of the word!
Lovok
2024-07-24 12:37:33 +0000 UTCThey're already waiting one month. Unless they change their minds.
wildhunt1973
2024-07-24 12:36:16 +0000 UTCTo fans who didn't see this in its original run: y'all have no idea how long the summer of 1990 felt
Moonlander
2024-07-24 12:34:42 +0000 UTCI remember Jonathan Frakes doing an introduction to this episode, though that might have been on a rerun. Definitely a highlight episode. Also, you come to some dark revelations if you look back to previous related episodes.
Frank Ayer
2024-07-24 12:33:09 +0000 UTCThere's no way you're both going to be able to wait a month to start season 4. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE
Alan F
2024-07-24 12:29:49 +0000 UTCAnd so we’ve arrived, the episode considered on par with “Who Shot J.R.?” and other great cliffhangers. The episode that has entered into legendary status and took TNG with it! I think all is Target Watchers have been eagerly waiting for this one! When the blu ray season sets were being released, CBS Digital put out a couple of episodes for us to watch in the theaters. They only did so for the first 3 seasons though, because their self admitted goal was exclusively to get this episode and the continuation into theatres!
The Game Show Reviewer
2024-07-24 12:26:28 +0000 UTCSorry if you were hoping for another clip show. They went in a different direction this time.
Screaming Frog
2024-07-24 12:25:10 +0000 UTCSo, what do you think happens on the next episode of STAR TREK!!: Thenextgeneration?
tyranusfan
2024-07-24 12:20:51 +0000 UTCEverything changes!
Troy Massey
2024-07-24 12:18:25 +0000 UTCI think to be fair, and get the same experience of the original airing, they should have to wait 3 months before watching part 2 :)
Thomas Cole
2024-07-24 12:17:33 +0000 UTCThis is a great Riker episode I love how Shelby accuses him of avoiding big decisions which sets up until that ending. Also think this is the culmination of what Michael Piller was trying to do with the series making it more character focussed than it was before. It’s in my top 5 best TNG episodes.
Darren Seal
2024-07-24 12:15:44 +0000 UTCGentlemen, we will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture and knowledge will adapt to service ours. RESISTANCE. IS. FUTILE...
Anthony Goodwin
2024-07-24 12:14:03 +0000 UTCThe summer of 1990 was the ONLY summer I can recall as a kid wishing it would hurry the fuck up and be over. This kind of season ending cliffhanger was sooo rare to nonexistent in dramatic episodic television outside of soap operas and it kind of blew my mind at the time.
Matthew Riley
2024-07-24 12:13:50 +0000 UTCYou made it, gents! The landmark event that forever alters Trek and reverberates through every series set after TNG. Who’s performance wowed impacted you most? Could we as a community ask something of season 4? You used a whiteboard to track banger episodes in a row. In Season 4, would you track total not-bangers instead? I think it’ll be stunning.
Ross Townsend
2024-07-24 12:13:28 +0000 UTCThis should set your balls on fire. 🔥 EPIC score, EPIC finale.
Andrew Bassey
2024-07-24 12:12:27 +0000 UTCWe are the viewers. You will add your enjoyment to our own. Resistance is futile. In all seriousness, great episode, great finale and horrendous tease as a TO BE CONTINUED.
Mara
2024-07-24 12:11:36 +0000 UTCA lot of people mistakenly consider this a Picard episode because of what happens to him. But not only is it clearly a Riker episode, I would go as far to say it is THE Riker episode. He always wanted to be in charge of his own ship and somehow also stay on the Enterprise. By the end of pt 1, he gets to have both. The best of both worlds.
THE LORE!!!
2024-07-24 12:10:07 +0000 UTC3 Months! When this originally aired, we had to wait 3 months to find out the ending. It was agonizing.
Edweirdo
2024-07-24 12:09:21 +0000 UTCYour previously announced schedule is irrelevant. You will proceed to season 4 episode 1. Resistance is futile. This is a core memory, waiting all summer for the resolution. The magazine stands were filled with articles on whether Patrick Stewart was returning or not. Fun times
Miah1138
2024-07-24 12:07:49 +0000 UTCWe’re here!! What are your thoughts on the score? I love it and feel that it’s the best episode soundtrack in all of Trek. Ron Jones really outdid himself with this one. The instrumentation plus the choral singing/chanting really gives a sense of “oh shit, the Borg are here and this really could be the end of the federation”. Every moment, from the opening with the away team, to the first battle with the cube, and all the way up to the cliffhanger, has the perfect backing to match the mood and pacing of the scene. I could dissect the music for every scene, that’s how much I love BOBW. BTW, if you happen to love the score as much as I do (and you better!) then I would suggest giving the official soundtrack a listen. There’s so much more detail there that you don’t pickup during the episode. However it might be best to wait until after BOBW part 2 so you don’t spoil anything.
Lwaxana’s Poolboy
2024-07-24 12:06:22 +0000 UTC
