The BEST episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation

Every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation!

A century after Captain Kirk's five year mission, the next generation of Starfleet officers begins their journey aboard the new flagship of the Federation. Commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard the Galaxy class starship Enterprise NCC-1701-D will seek out new life and new civilizations - to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Last Updated: 12/12/2024Network: Status: Ended
All Good Things... (2)
star
8.60
1086 votes

#1 - All Good Things... (2)

Season 7 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/23/1994

After his encounter with Q, Picard assembles the senior staff, and wonders if Q is actually giving him a chance to save humanity by showing him that the spatial anomaly also exists in the past...

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All Good Things... (1)
star
8.45
2240 votes

#2 - All Good Things... (1)

Season 7 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/23/1994

Shortly after Picard is diagnosed with a long-term, potentially debilitating brain disorder, he starts experiencing bizarre shifts into three main time periods: 25 years into the future, a few days before the Enterprise-D is sent on its mission to Farpoint station, and the present...

Directors: Winrich Kolbe
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The Best of Both Worlds (1)
star
8.43
2564 votes

#3 - The Best of Both Worlds (1)

Season 3 - Episode 26 - Aired 6/18/1990

Stardate: 43989.1 An Starfleet expert on the Borg, Lt. Cmdr. Shelby, is assigned to the Enterprise to investigate the disappearance of a Federation colony. Picard is abducted by the Borg and assimilated into the Collective, which forces Riker to attempt a rescue mission.

Directors: Cliff Bole
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The Best of Both Worlds (2)
star
8.26
2507 votes

#4 - The Best of Both Worlds (2)

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1990

Riker must pull out all the stops in order to save Earth from a Borg invasion being lead by none other than Locutus - otherwise known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Directors: Cliff Bole
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The Inner Light
star
8.18
2429 votes

#5 - The Inner Light

Season 5 - Episode 25 - Aired 6/1/1992

Picard is struck by an energy beam from an alien probe, which renders him unconscious and places him in the life of a citizen on the planet Kataan, with his memory of the Enterprise intact. Although he searches for a way to return, he finally decides to live his life with his Kataan wife, have children & grandchildren, learning to play a flute and completely immersing in the Kataan culture...

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The Measure of a Man
star
8.12
2461 votes

#6 - The Measure of a Man

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/13/1989

Stardate: 42523.7 When Data's rights as a sentient individual are placed under trial, Starfleet forces Riker into a position where he must prove that Data is only an Android.

Directors: Robert Scheerer
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Yesterday's Enterprise
star
7.96
2592 votes

#7 - Yesterday's Enterprise

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/19/1990

Stardate: 43625.2 A rift in the space/time continuum brings the U.S.S. Enterprise - C forward into the 24th Century, and alters the timeline. In this future, the Federation is at war with the Klingons, Tasha Yar is on the bridge, Worf did not join the Federation, and only Guinan's unique perception of reality may restore the timeline.

Directors: David Carson
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The Pegasus
star
7.89
2156 votes

#8 - The Pegasus

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/17/1994

Riker is placed on a covert mission to find the missing starship he was once a member aboard, but the mission holds a secret that could destroy the peace treaty between the Federation and the Romulans.

Directors: LeVar Burton
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Time's Arrow (1)
star
7.85
2464 votes

#9 - Time's Arrow (1)

Season 5 - Episode 26 - Aired 6/15/1992

Stardate: 45959.1 - Data's head is uncovered in an archaeological dig on Earth, where evidence is also found that aliens may have been on Earth as early as the 19th Century. Using modified technology, an away team follows Data into the late 1890s to investigate.

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Q Who?
star
7.83
2538 votes

#10 - Q Who?

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/8/1989

Stardate: 42761.3 Q hurls the Enterprise into the Delta Quadrant and introduces the Federation to a powerful new enemy that may destroy the Alpha Quadrant: The Borg.

Directors: Rob Bowman
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Time's Arrow (2)
star
7.83
2333 votes

#11 - Time's Arrow (2)

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1992

The away team's investigations are hampered by a nosy Samuel Clemens. Picard discovers that he originally met Guinan in the 1890s on Earth.

Writer: Jeri Taylor
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Cause and Effect
star
7.80
2346 votes

#12 - Cause and Effect

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/1992

Stardate: 45652.1 - While exploring the Typhon Expanse, the Enterprise is caught in a time warp in which they are repeatedly destroyed while colliding with another starship.

Directors: Jonathan Frakes
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Chain of Command (2)
star
7.77
2087 votes

#13 - Chain of Command (2)

Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/21/1992

Picard is captured and tortured by the Cardassians, while Riker tries to prevent a Federation attack on Cardassia.

Directors: Les Landau
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Relics
star
7.76
2321 votes

#14 - Relics

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1992

Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott is discovered suspended in a transporter beam 75 years after he disappeared. After the Enterprise crew re-materialise him, he has a hard time adjusting to the new society.

Directors: Alexander Singer
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I, Borg
star
7.72
2070 votes

#15 - I, Borg

Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/11/1992

Stardate: 45832.1 - An injured Borg is discovered and brought back to the Enterprise where he is 'repaired' by Dr. Crusher and befriended by Geordi, who names him 'Hugh.' Soon, Hugh starts showing signs of individuality while Picard must choose between destroying him or returning him to the collective.

Directors: Robert Lederman
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Timescape
star
7.72
2258 votes

#16 - Timescape

Season 6 - Episode 25 - Aired 6/14/1993

Stardate: 46944.2 - Picard, Geordi, Troi and Data return from a Federation conference to find the Enterprise frozen in time and under attack from a frozen Romulan Warbird.

Directors: Adam Nimoy
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Déjà Q
star
7.70
2237 votes

#17 - Déjà Q

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/5/1990

Stardate: 43539.1 A Calamarian starts attacking the Enterprise while seeking revenge on a powerless Q.

Directors: Les Landau
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Parallels
star
7.70
2197 votes

#18 - Parallels

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/29/1993

Worf returns from a Klingon competition to find that he is shifting through different realities.

Directors: Robert Wiemer
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The Chase
star
7.69
2141 votes

#19 - The Chase

Season 6 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/26/1993

Picard's old archaeology professor is found murdered, the crew try to complete his research. Soon, the crew must compete with Romulans and Klingons and Cardassians to uncover the truth behind his discoveries.

Writer: Joe Menosky
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Encounter at Farpoint (1)
star
7.65
4766 votes

#20 - Encounter at Farpoint (1)

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/1987

Stardate: 41153.7 The new captain of the recently built U.S.S. Enterprise-D, Captain Jean Luc Picard, takes the crew on their first mission: to discover the secret of Farpoint Station. During their journey, they encounter an omnipotent being known as Q, who accuses humanity of barbarism, and places them on trial. Jean-Luc must prove otherwise, or the human race will be annihilated.

Directors: Corey Allen
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Unification (2)
star
7.65
2097 votes

#21 - Unification (2)

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/1991

Stardate: 45245.8 - Picard and Data find Spock and discover the reason behind the secret meetings. However, a darker scheme planned by the Romulans is also uncovered in the process.

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Ship in a Bottle
star
7.64
2081 votes

#22 - Ship in a Bottle

Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/25/1993

While performing holodeck maintenance, Barclay accesses the stored hologram of Professor Moriarty, who wreaks havoc on board the Enterprise.

Directors: Alexander Singer
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Redemption (1)
star
7.63
2079 votes

#23 - Redemption (1)

Season 4 - Episode 26 - Aired 6/17/1991

Worf must choose between his people and the Federation when a civil war threatens to destroy the Klingon Empire.

Directors: Cliff Bole
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Tapestry
star
7.62
1958 votes

#24 - Tapestry

Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/15/1993

A mortally wounded Picard is forced into re-living a time of his life when he was back in Starfleet Academy, with the intervention of Q.

Directors: Les Landau
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Redemption (2)
star
7.61
2132 votes

#25 - Redemption (2)

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/1991

Stardate: 45020.4 - Picard suspects a Romulan influence in the recent Klingon civil war, and must force the Federation to intervene before the Empire collapses.

Directors: David Carson
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