Star Trek: The Next Generation Reaction! - The Best of Both Worlds

[@tskwerl]

"Mr. Worf.... fire." And we had to wait the rest of the summer to find out what happened. lol.

[@paulhewes7333]

yep. And there werent even message boards to talk about what was going to happen.

[@karlsmith2570]

Yeah, really And every season ending episodes from there on until the end of the series finale ended with a cliffhanger and that continued on in all of the following Star Trek shows

[@countgeekula9143]

Greatest. TV cliffhanger. Ever.

[@chrisbullard5901]

That was one long summer. This was what really hooked me as a kid to watch TNG with my parents, who were taping all the episodes first run off KNTV Santa Clara.

[@fday1964]

Those months were excruciating! Lol.

[@seangates1451]

One of the great things is, when they did the first spinoff series from TNG, Deep Space Nine, the commanding officer of DS9 was shown to be a survivor of the Battle of Wolf 359. So this two-parter here really has ramifications for the whole continuity moving forward.

[@silkwesir1444]

yes... it kinda is the 9/11 of Star Trek

[@starexcelsior]

@@silkwesir1444 more like Pearl Harbor or Vietnam

[@peterschmidt4348]

One of the best cliffhangers in television history!

[@Trygvar13]

To fully understand how this affected Picard you need to watch the last 10 minutes of the next episode, Family, before you watch First Contact.

[@Gankhisprawn]

Yes! This. I fully consider the episode “Family” to be the finale in a 3 part episode.

[@Chyll07]

I consider "Family" to be BoBW Part III, and probably my favorite episode of STNG

[@blueroninstudios]

Definitely! Some of Patrick Stewart's best acting is in that episode!

[@BammerD]

Absolutely.

[@MrDeathpilot]

I suggested watching Family even before Generations because you get introduced to Picard's brother and nephew. This would have made their deaths more meaningful to someone watching Generations for the first time. I would still recommend it before First Contact so the mental trauma the Borg inflicted on Picard is fully understood. Family probably wouldn't make a great reaction video, but he should still see it before First Contact.

[@JoeCensored]

When this aired on TV originally, Riker says "Fire" then the episode ended. We had to wait 3 months to find out if Riker kills Picard or not.

[@katequick3602]

That was the longest 3 months ever! I can remember everyone in my family gasping in shock when we saw that.

[@marcziegenhain8420]

3! 3! 3 Months!

[@kylereese4822]

This is where a new Star Trek series could be made, A series based 5-6 years after this event where new recruits/old personnel go into space in small craft retrieve salvage from not just The Federation but from other Species to create new ships and maybe new crew that have been forced to do as in " Relics " hide in the Transporter system... like a ship with primary parts from a half a front saucer, 1 engine that later is suspended from Romulan arch, and as time progresses Klingon torpedo section in place of the Deflector, and other sections to created a ship...

[@RoodeMenon]

@@kylereese4822 But won't because Alex Kurtzman is in charge. He already messed it up really bad.

[@kylereese4822]

@@RoodeMenon I though he got fired ? if not he should be all i`ve seen him do is damage S,T`s reputation and IP... and help to lose a lot of decades long fans...

[@martinbraun1211]

I'm a "STAR TREK"-fan for over 30 years now and I wish You could watch the whole series!

[@seangates1451]

Same. I get that it’s a major time commitment but Primate, I’ve been watching your channel damn near since the beginning and I’m confident you’ll love TNG and DS9, and will at least have fun with TOS and Voyager. Your enthusiasm for this stuff, and just the kind of mind that you have... 100% you’ll eat it up.

[@karlsmith2570]

@@seangates1451 I'm sure that he'd even like Enterprise as well

[@ThatShyGuyMatt]

Amen to that. The series are all good. Granted some of the newer ones are considered bad.

[@seangates1451]

@@karlsmith2570 bruh I had completely forgotten that series! It’s actually decent, particularly the last season (barring the lousy finale).

[@bfuller5577]

Talk about the content. Enterprise (4 Seasons), Discovery (3 Seasons so far), The Origianl Series (3 Seasons) , The Animated Series( 2 seasons), The Next Generation (7 seasons) , Deep Space Nine (7 seasons), Voyager (7 seasons), Lower Decks (1 season so far) and Picard (1 season so far).

[@botwitaprice]

The next episode is a connected story, not wishing to just ignore what had happened to Picard- episode is "Family"

[@scottjo63]

Of course the episode Family also answers the Star Trek: Generations question on why Picard was sad and depressed about Picard's brother dying " in the fire". That was his brother we got to meet and Picards "Uncle".

[@thrashyjill6728]

The Locutus of Borg speech was my dad's computer's start-up sound. He still loves this series and watches it every now and then.

[@karlsmith2570]

Fun Fact for you, Primate: The actress who played Commander Shelby is Brian Dennehy's daughter

[@RichO1701e]

The actor that played Admiral Hanson also played "God" in Star Trek 5

[@c71score]

That's really cool, I didn't know that. I love me some Brian Dennehy.

[@seanbrown453]

Elizabeth Dennehy who played Shelby also appeared in a episode of Quantam Leap and was in the film Red Dragon.

[@ryanboisselle8094]

Locutus: "You will become obsolete in the new order." Primate: "He ain't have to go roast my man Data like that, c'mon now." 😂😂😂

[@JoeCensored]

You should watch the next episode "Family". It deals with Picard's PTSD and guilt for having to participate as a borg in killing so many people.

[@kinagrill]

Especially because a borg drone remains aware but locked away within their own mind, unable to talk, communicate or in any way enforce their own control on their actions... with the exception of a few moments and extremely strongwilled people.

[@empirejeff]

People had to wait all summer for part two.

[@TechyMantis]

This was one of the strongest episodes in TV scifi history, when we first saw the remains of the starfleet ships it was a big kick to the gutt as it was never seen on tv before. This is up there with "way of the warrior" from DS9 and "Identity" from The Orville.

[@youngThrashbarg]

Riker realised he's in a TV show, that's why he's not leaving. He didn't want to be just another footnote: Yeah we lost USS Melbourne last week right after they got a new commander. Oh well..

[@ianwestc]

There is definitely some TV show logic here -- for a crew as well accomplished as the Enterprise's, it was pretty unrealistic for all of them to stick together to... well, basically the end of the movie series. At least Worf left the Enterprise and joined the crew of DS9. A more plausible scenario would have been how Sulu left in the movie series to helm the Excelsior, or the alt future featured in All Good Things, where Doctor Crusher is captain of a medical frigate, Worf is the Klingon ambassador, Data is doing... something, and Riker captains a redesigned Enterprise.

[@driptrat]

Yeah, he remembered what happened to Yar when she wanted to leave the show XD

[@Aeroldoth3]

Leaving the ship would have cost him his plot armor.

[@Tigermania]

@@driptrat Lol he didn't want to wear Romulan makeup :)

[@Smileybeeblevrox]

This gives you all the basics of The Borg, so you understand the Star Trek movie First Contact. Though the next episode of the TV series explains why Picard looked out the window at the end and explains what exactly Picard meant when he said he remembers 'everything'.

[@kinagrill]

Being literally locked away within your own mind... the horror of it... iirc it's also shown that a lot of disconnected borg drones are unable to handle the sudden return to being free individuals again and either just keep acting 'borg' cuz it's all they can recall for a long time of their lives, or they just.... stop... sit down, and eventually die from just not being able to handle having to deal with full awareness and control once again.

[@derworfnet]

The first episode of the next Star Trek Series, "Deep Space Nine", kicks off with a few Minutes of the Battle of Wolf 359. By the way, at one point you should watch DS9. Its my favourite ST-Series and it has a more serialized nature -especially in later seasons - making it very easy to binge.

[@brothercartman]

DS9 is honestly perhaps my favorite Star Trek series, such a great series. Far Beyond the Stars is an episode everyone should watch... and maybe Duet. :)

[@rayloc420]

DS9 is my fav series, but i think Janeway is my favorite Capt, barely above Picard.

[@hettbeans]

Fuck it I'm paying the $8 to watch this and First Contact in their entirety LOL

[@ItsAPrimatee]

:)

[@terminator1567]

I wish you could react to these more often.

[@D2jspOFFICIAL]

same here

[@thelocalsimp]

Let's hope he reacts to the Deep Space 9 episodes

[@kilgh]

Captain Janeway sorted out those Borg in Voyager for us.

[@brendanmcguinness2213]

First time I saw this episode it gave me chills

[@nickmanzo8459]

Been a Star Trek fan since I was a kid (my mom held a big torch for the original series in the 70s when it was in reruns). I really love this franchise, not really since the last few years, but the classics are really incredible.

[@tickle74656]

The next episode, Family, has some amazing acting. It shows Picard dealing with his PTSD from this episode.

[@ianwestc]

"Data was available, I took him, we came." Yeah, I saw that eye twitch. You were thinking it too.

[@lewis821]

I’m so happy you’re watching some episodes from The Next Generation. It’s obviously a long show and a big commitment, so I understand why you can’t watch the whole thing, but it’s soooo good and I’m happy you’re getting to watch some great episodes.

[@wolf99000]

Yeah I love TNG and DS9 Voyager would love to see him react to them especially the first 2

[@keithlay872]

One of the best episodes to check out, just as a fan, is “Yesterdays’ Enterprise.” Season 3 episode 15.

[@SeraphArmaros]

YESSSSSS

[@MrDeathpilot]

Yesterday's Enterprise is my favorite STNG episode, but it loses its impact if he doesn't watch Skin of Evil first.

[@SeraphArmaros]

@@MrDeathpilot Yeah, I was just thinking that.

[@scottjo63]

At 14:44 when Ryker said fire, part 1 ended there as a cliffhanger and we all had to wait a couple of months for it to continue.

[@tonyyul703]

*"we are the Borg resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. your biological and technological advances will be added into our own."*

[@jrvthatsme]

Did you notice at the start that was an Excelsior class ship next to the Enterprise. Should give you an idea of how big the Enterprise D was.

[@jeanrenecarvalhocourcy1340]

"Data saved the day. Without Data they would-ve been f*cked" - Yep. Pretty much summorized the entire TNG

[@adamperkins9075]

Great episodes of TNG for reccomend- "Yesterday's Enterprise" "A Fistful of Datas" "The Offspring" "Unification I and II" "Relics" "Tapestry" Also I reccomend DS9 and Voyager as well.

[@RichO1701e]

While you got to watch both parts back to back, back in June of 1990, the rest of us had to wait THREE months for part 2, one of the best, end of season cliff-hangers of all time!

[@peterschmidt4348]

Congratulations on 60,000 subscribers! 🖖

[@ItsAPrimatee]

Thanks!

[@IanMeyersBHP]

The episode after this explores the aftermath of the Borg incident, particularly how it effects Picard. It is a really great episode and while it isn't a necessary episode to watch, it features some great acting from Patrick Stewart. That episode also features Picard's family, who died during the 7th movie, as you know

[@shanenolan8252]

Congratulations on 60k bro . Well deserved

[@leytonjay]

I'm isolating as a precaution for 10 days so I'm very happy that you've posted this today, it's really brightened up another boring day living and working home alone. Thanks dude, you are THE greatest Star Trek reactor there is and I mean that. You really get it and you comment on the right bits at the right moment, thank you so much for these videos. If you reacted to every Next Generation episode I would definitely join your Patreon, things are a little tight at the moment but I appreciate these videos massively. xx

[@seamusburke639]

Imagine waiting an entire summer between Part One and Part Two. I was there. The suspense was crazy.

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Primate! My friends and I went bonkers over this two-parter back in the day!!! 🌌

[@thrawn5k]

Just re-watched this Friday with wifey, still one of the best. SLEEP!

[@marcziegenhain8420]

Actually Shelby is the typical badass career guy you always have on a tv show or a movie.

[@WastedPo]

There's no possible way this episode has the same impact to someone who hasn't watched the show and wasn't familiar with the characters. I understand people like to recommend their favorite episodes of their favorite TV shows, but I don't know if they realize that those episodes aren't nearly as impactful when watched without context.

[@rsl9481]

He is watching the episodes for context for the movies, he even says so in this video, it will help him understand what happens in first contact when he sees what the borg is and what picard and the crew goes through with them

[@mayaenglish5424]

@@rsl9481 Riiiiiiiiight I follow and agree with the logic, but the movies won't mean as much without watching the tv shows either lol. The movies are basically just high budget extra long star trek episodes set after the tv show you know what I mean? The transition from medium to medium doesn't make missing the story and character progression LESS important. It's kind of in for a penny in for a pound you know, if you're going to watch Star Trek, I feel like you should just WATCH Star Trek. (Preferably just start at TOS and move on through but whichever one you start with, pick a series and watch it, then it's associated movies.)

[@BenWillyums]

A really good episode to watch would be 'Yesterday's Enterprise' maybe best Picard speech ever.

[@meternx01]

“Let’s make sure that history never forgets… the name… Enterprise. Picard Out”

[@BenWillyums]

@@meternx01 exactly

[@Welsh_Dragon756]

The enterprise in TNG is a galaxy class starship. Its large enough to accommodate for peoples family if you have one.

[@DavidBrown-xm8ou]

7:00 Primate, notice the gesture Riker makes toward Deanna as he says, "I sacrificed a lot". Years before serving together on the Enterprise, they dated and had been a couple. They drifted apart as he focused on his career, and were reunited years later when they both came to serve on the Enterprise. He sacrificed their relationship for his goal to one day be a Captain.

[@theendistheend123]

That very last scene with Picard was to show he's NOT OK. Just before that its "business as usual" and it suddenly hits him, He's NOT the same. The Borg messed him up.

[@bremer1701]

Deep Space Nines Pilot Episode ties in to that episode :D

[@j.jennings1722]

Terrific two part episode! And, the American Film Institute voted it as one of the top 100 episodes of any series in TV history. One other Star Trek episode was voted in the top 100 and it was from the original series. The episode is called "The City On the Edge of Forever," and many people consider it to be the best Star Trek episode ever. It's an emotional rollercoaster; and, most of the episode takes place on Earth, which you've said before that you like. You should react to at least that one episode of the OG series. You'll love it and your fans will love you for it.

[@swacfan100]

I do believe the ending with Picard was him still feeling the effects of being assimilated. It kinda traumatized him a bit, I love that they kept that as time went on. Very realistic. 👍🏽

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

The next episode acts as a follow up, and goes a bit deeper into Picard's trauma.

[@capn_toad]

"kinda" "a bit" it fucked him up for LIFE dude

[@adamlove3295]

These were key episodes to watch. Just FYI, there's an episode that immediately follows "Best of Both Worlds Part II" called "Family" where Picard takes leave on Earth with his brother's family. It serves as an unofficial part 3 to these, because it deals with Picard's PTSD from being assimilated. It's not a "must-see" to understand the next movie, "First Contact" but it does put it into deeper context.

[@seamusburke639]

Fun fact, Levar Burton was out for surgery when they filmed Part Two, so any scene with him was shot separately. That's why they have O'Brien standing in after they recover Picard. It was originally supposed to be Geordi helping Data hack Picard's brain.

[@bhikku23]

I remember watching this on tv as a kid, and seeing the remains of the fleet utterly destroyed was terrifying. It just looked like there was no possible chance to win.

[@DP-hy4vh]

I watched this when it aired in 1990. It's one of the top cliffhangers in TV history, right up there with "Who shot JR?" on Dallas.

[@tonyyul703]

FYI, Captain Picard, still can hear the hive mind even without the implants. Once a person is assimilated into the collective, and then separated from them, they can still hear the hive mind.... They just can't communicate with it as before. When Picard was looking out of the window of the Enterprise, he could sill hear the hive mind just as clearly as he could hear Will Riker speak.

[@darthphayde508]

It was one hell of a long summer waiting for the show to come back in the fall. Maybe I haven't found rhe right modern shows, but they don't seem to do cliffhangers like they used to.

[@a.j.5380]

Wolf 359...whenever I hear that now I get shivers. It was so tragic

[@karlsmith2570]

One thing that you'd kinda skipped over was the aftermath of "The Battle Of Wolf 359" one of the ships that was destroyed in that battle was the USS Melbourne, which was the ship that Riker was offered the command of and had turned down, thus saving his life

[@Arrynek01]

This double episode and "Who Killed JR?" on Dallas were the pioneers of season finale cliffhangers. Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday. The episode ended and I could see my reflection in the TV. "What do you mean to be continued?!" Waited some eight months for the second episode... It was so dirty.

[@jfbrko290]

Dude you should have also watched the episode right after this one called "Family". What a good episode with a great emotional swell at the end. A remarkably deep episode in my opinion.

[@zairac2564]

Standing there with latex parts glued to his face, Patrick Stewart didn't have a very fun 50th birthday.

[@coeusdarksoul2855]

"Pick-ard" ROFL, killin me LOL

[@brijettmeissner7574]

My understanding is that Stewart was possibly going to be leaving the show so they wrote it to end his arc if his contract wasn't redone. So if those talks fell through season 4 episode 1 would have gone a different way completely.

[@robbob5302]

The trick isn’t having a good poker face. The trick is having a bad poker face. That’s how you get ‘em to call when they shouldn’t. Make them think you’re bluffing. 😛

[@ThatBlackPiano]

I'm not sure why so many reactors won't watch and react tot he whole show. It's AMAZING! I really wish someone would instead of just a few random episodes. ~le sigh.~ In general, you seem to have a good range of content so I will subscribe and keep the dream alive that maybe one day this channel or some other will react to the whole STNG series.

[@travisfoster1071]

Wolf 359, half of an hour of firefight, 30 ships lost, around 15,000 dead. Definition: hairball.

[@JimFeig]

How Janeway on Star Trek Voyager handles the Borg is always a fun watch. That and the large fleet battles in DS9

[@marcw6875]

I've always been a little amused that part 1 ends with what is possibly the best cliffhanger of all cliffhangers as Riker gives the order to fire. Then part 2 starts and the weapon does....absolutely nothing. lol

[@JerryHarmon17]

I remember at the time this came out there was a rumor going around that Patrick Stewart wanted out of the show so we were sweating that he might actually die. That summer waiting for the 2nd part was brutal...

[@empirejeff]

All of the classic Star Trek shows are worth watching.

[@MatthewStephensAU]

Patrick Steward had a three season contract, and was planning to leave the show. Shelby was going to replace Riker, who would take the captain's chair. But during the season break, Patrick Stewart met so many people who said they're summer was ruined, worrying about him, and he decided to come back.

[@kinagrill]

The reason they could recover picard like that is because he is still in the process of getting converted in full, so there's still key biological functions going on, compared to a more long-term converted drone where cybernetics have taken over just about every single function.

[@sallyboy66]

by uploading this video and the one that follows ....sir you just made my day after working a long shift......thx~!!!!!!

[@warpig4942]

The ending was Picard knowing that there's way more Borg coming.

[@robbob5302]

This was the episode(s) that saved the series. And cemented TNG’s place in Americana. And was so daring the way they did it. Removing Picard from the Enterprise, and turning him into one of TVs most memorable villains. Forcing Riker to step up, and fill his shoes.

[@jimmiegiboney2473]

Mark 28:03. "Smart as shit", hey? Haha! Patrick Stewart, pokes fun at himself, in the movie, "The Emoji Movie"! He's, "💩", and as such, has a scene with him in a command situation, giving orders in his, "Picard", voice! 🤣😂🖖

[@hyzenthlay7151]

S04E02 "Family" is also a good episode to watch, as it links directly to The Best of Both Worlds by showing how the experience affected Picard for more context for First Contact, as well as presenting us to Robert and Rene, who were mentioned in Generations when Picard tells Troi about them.

[@jjjones8609]

The Borg only get stronger as the TV series goes along both the Next Generation and Star Trek Voyager.

[@ejonesjones23]

This music was playing a lot during my childhood cuz it was playing in the 90s which is when I was born

[@RichO1701e]

Fun Fact; The actor that played Admiral Hanson also played "God" in Star Trek 5

[@D2jspOFFICIAL]

You should watch the episode "The Measure of a Man"

[@RaceDayReplay]

shoulda watched it as 2 episodes as it was broadcast, you've missed the massive cliffhanger after Riker says 'Mr Worf, fire!'

[@Camuska]

One of the reason I love Riker so much is because you knew that when Picard wasnt there, the Enterprise was still the toughest ship in the Galaxy. They are the best duo in the fleet.

[@BDraftProductions]

This was a huge episode b/c no one knew if they really were killing off Picard. I remember people saying this should've been the first TNG movie

[@MysteriousMose]

Great to see this! I hope you do some more Trek episodes whether or not you do them all. The first few seasons are pretty rough but there's some great stuff here!

[@swacfan100]

So glad your enjoying the Star Trek Universe. I know your not sure how much your gonna check out, but another great story with The Borg is in Star Trek Voyager. The last episode of season 3 & the 1st two episodes of season 4. Which introduced Seven Of Nine, one of the best characters of the Star Trek series.

[@Ambaryerno]

This, along with "Who Shot JR" on Dallas, is the episode that truly defined the season finale cliffhanger.

[@brothercartman]

I, Borg is probably my favorite Borg episode. Worth checking out!

[@THEvagabond29]

Ive been watching Star Trek since I was a kid, the TV babysitter. It was this and I love Lucy showed right after on TV.

[@MrDanteMason]

Locutus set in motion the design and construction of my favorite space ship. You might enjoy seeing how the battle of Wolf 359 effected some other Starfleet officers.

[@tonyyul703]

When Data was linked to LaQutis he almost met the queen, through the nero-link...

[@michaelfinlay6341]

Jean-Luc Picard, and the Enterprise, a man, and machine, who had defeated gods and monsters together, were beaten. This horrific battle informs absolutely everything that happens later.

[@marcziegenhain8420]

It's the third time we see auto seperation: "Encounter At Farpoint", "Arsenal Of Freedom" and "Best Of Both Worlds"

[@MichaelGMunz]

"Without Data, they'd have been f**ked there." -20% of ST:TNG :D

[@karlmoles6530]

I lived in Washington for awhile. Enumclaw. My GFs house had no AC. I was there in the Summer, it was so cold. I can't imagine what you guys are going through now.

[@quoniam426]

About Riker's position: Picard once said, First officer on the flagship is a very prestigious seat, but it's only the XO... Captain on a far way small ship, is insignificant in terms of prestige, cut away from anything, but you are the captain, implement the rules and routine you see fit to your crew, shape them and their future. That's the choice you've got to make. Riker is fine in the Enterprise, because it is the Enterprise and also there is Deanna Troi, his former lover he once left to satisfy his ambitions, and now he just doesn't know if he can leave her once more without feeling remorse. Wolf 359 is a real starsystem and not very far from here (on the galactic scale). You didn't have the cliffhanger when Riker says 'Fire', it was the biggest TV Cliffhanger at the time ! Assimilating people's experiences is the ultimate expression of "Knowledge is power." Picard is being ery remorseful (as seen in the subsequent season 4 ep2 Family), he thought he would resist the Borg and he simply couldn't, his knowkedge was used to destroy 39 Starfleet vessels and kill 11 000 Starfleet personnel. He thinks he has betrayed them and feels also violated. You can defeat the Borg, but you have to play on their playground, get some crucial intel on them and then implement a new out of the box strategy that will work only once, most of the time. So contrary to what O'Niell says in Stargate SG1, not all that has been done can be done again... at least as far as details are concerned.

[@FredtheDorfDorfman1985]

You really need to wrap up your Borg experience with ST Voyager: Endgame, series finale. They finally get weaponry and armor that scares the Borg, and use it where it hurts them the most.

[@tonyyul703]

Most people call it "the Battle of wolf 359" but it was a battle, it was more like a slaughterhouse so most people tend to rebrand it as "the massacre of wolf 359" cause once to Borg rolled in, The Borg just obliterated the fleet, and assimilated the rest.

[@tonyyul703]

You have to understand that the Enterprise is the flagship of the federation meaning is the first major starship in the federation and for someone like Riker who has very high ambitions he wants to stay as close to the to that ship as possible.

[@TalsarGeldon]

Little known fact. Patrick Stewart was in the middle of renegotiating his contract between these seasons. They were prepared to make Johnathan Frakes lead if Patrick left the show. The assimilation was a way to write Picard out of the show if needed.

[@phoenixheart79]

It was actually up in the air if they'd save Picard, as Patrick Stewart was unsure about continuing for a while. Also, I recommend watching the next episode "Family" as it has connections to the 8th movie (though not as important as this one).

[@LadyJoolree]

They really put Picard through the ringer in the Chains of Command 2-parter! And don't get me started on Inner Light 😭

[@nicholashylton6857]

Probably the two most important episodes in the whole franchise.