Arguably The Best Season of Star Trek: The Next Generation

[@SaltpeterTaffy]

My favorite context-free line in all of TNG happened in this season. Dr. Crusher: "Computer...what is the nature of the Universe?" Computer: "The Universe is a spheroid region 705 meters in diameter."

[@jameslauder3984]

Seems a lot bigger from inside.

[@danielbyrne5402]

Same, it taught be the different meaning/context of the word nature and how to use it

[@danielbyrne5402]

My favourite line that I use alot is the villains who twirl their mustache line, it applies to left wingers of today (not of the 90s)

[@bumblebee9337]

You could substitute Ukraine for Universe and receive a similar answer.

[@danielbyrne5402]

@@bumblebee9337 other way round

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

We didn't really understand how good we had it during the 1990's when it came to Star Trek. TNG, DS9, and VOY all running during that decade.

[@anthonylogiudice9215]

Voyager was the first miss and the beginning of Star Trek's decline.

[@geraldthompson4633]

For sure! The good old days

[@Preyhawk81]

@@anthonylogiudice9215 yep i skipped season 1-3 because of boringness

[@prolamer7]

@@anthonylogiudice9215 BS it was low point but recoverable.... nothing like today unwatchable ....

[@geraldthompson4633]

@John Doe another favorite of mine…one of the few movies that went to the small screen successfully

[@Tillman581]

You are INCAPABLE of that level of INCOMPETENCE! Love that line.

[@Andrew--S]

"Remember Me" is like cancel culture where everyone but me doesn't have a memory of people who got cancelled

[@qgamer2266]

😂😂🤣🤣

[@davejones9469]

More like they all live in pocket universes that will eventually implode, except with hilarious results irl.

[@Pondimus_Maximus]

🖖🤣

[@CatsClaw44]

What?

[@jaysgamingcorner8539]

There are quite a few fantastic episodes in this season, but The Drumhead, to me, stands above the rest. It is just as relevant now, maybe more, than it was then.

[@jamessatter7418]

The Drumhead is the best episode of the series.

[@jaysgamingcorner8539]

@@jamessatter7418 You may be right. It's certainly top 5.

[@dsc4178]

The Wounded was my favourite. Picard's line about "one chain link forged" is always timely.

[@MaestroDrake]

"Shut up! Close your mouth and stop talking!" -Director Johnathan Frakes

[@pianotm]

QPid has my favorite moment in the entirety of Star Trek. Worf: "Captain, I MUST protest. I am NOT a Merry Man!"

[@eddstarr2185]

The high praise you give to Season 4, Dave, is the result of hard work, careful planning and the patience required for character building. Season 4 of The Next Generation happened when fans experience a "comfort" with everyone involved on camera, and behind the camera as well. It was all an enjoyable commonality that's rare in television. Given the current changes in TV production, and changes in the general audience as well, we may never see the likes of Star Trek: TNG S4 again, (hope I'm wrong!).

[@chainsawsubtlety9828]

Picard's "THAT IS NOT A CRIME, WORF!", might be my favorite line in the whole series. The character of Capt. Picard would be ashamed of what Star Trek, Patrick Stewart and his own character have become. Or, what they have been forced to be by talentless hack-activists.

[@TheFtm22]

100 percent #NotMyPicard

[@danielcraig9666]

Patrick Stewart was only willing to destroy his own character.

[@TheFtm22]

@@danielcraig9666 he promised that in the Vanity Fair interview. Like I said #NotMyPicard .

[@Dharzjinion]

Word!

[@Scottlp2]

Check out ST SNW: likable characters, TOS like humor that works, and only minimal and easily ignored wokeness.

[@lknanml]

Epic season for sure... I was a live prop in the 90s. I wanted to be on STNG but it just never happened. I was able to get into Star Trek Insurrection running around the village all night while they showered us with cork rocks and all the things we could trip on or fall in to get wet. Ran across the bridge and boom. Now I am soaking wet and covered in cork dust for the rest of the very cold night. Got to meet most of the cast. About as down to Earth as people who pretend they work in space get. I highly recommend the experience even if you don't want to act. I never wanted to act. I just liked the process of how movies were made and being a part of it was fun. Head up. Onset explosions are loud as F!@#...... Crashed a ship into a base in Babylon 5. Worfs brother was the captain. Tony Todd. Another down to Earth guy with a SERIOUS trunk full of scripts. Like full. But yea those explosions are real. Left ear was ringing when we rammed our shipt into the station. (it was a green tennis ball taped to a string) Learn to walk softly. Wood sets and a heavy step. Boom Boom Boom. CUT. Crap!!! They won't say it but I am totally at fault for that cut. YOU. COME HERE. CRAP. They will say it........ And that's how I learned to walk like a ninja in space on a star ship.........

[@godzillafan4033]

The Drumhead is one of my favorites. Picards speech while he is on the stand is fantastic. When Picard gets on his soapbox it is a thing of beauty.

[@420Gold]

Season 4 is spectacular! The show hits its stride in season 3 and never looks back. 5, 6, and 7 just maintain the greatness!

[@brandoninsley7887]

I've been re-watching TNG and working through season 4. My appreciation for the moral and philosophical aspects of the show grows every time I watch it. The Drumhead, in particular, tackles a topic that seems even more relevant in the present day. The episode aired over 30 years ago, and we were blessed with lines such as, "villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged." If only some of us knew now what we knew back then.

[@TedBackus]

ive been watching TNG since the early 90's when i was a teenager, My dad & i would watch every week as it aired & order pizza. sometimes i will watch it now & it brings me back every time i see it, despite 30+ years having passed since then. its funny how a show can be so important to people

[@chrisbullard5901]

“Identity Crisis” is the episode I most remember from Season 4, along with the follow-up, “The Nth Degree”. There were a lot of good, subtle horror touches in TNG when done right.

[@meggubravo8373]

I remember the most the one before Identity Crisis Night Terrors I remember the most mainly because of that one scene in the morgue where all the corpses sit up around Beverly Gives me chills every time

[@GKHTS]

I laughed so hard when Warf smashed Jordy's mandolin because while watching I was thinking of the scene in Animal House that they spoofed.

[@freedone.]

Sorry... :)

[@bumblebee9337]

"Fixed it for you."😂

[@i_kill_for_zardoz]

I gave my love a cherry...

[@chrisgenson2278]

On a related note, "Sir, I protest! I am not a merry man!". Worf had some of the best lines.

[@charlesvan13]

Was the mandolin made of holomatter?

[@brettcooper3893]

It seems, even though it never occurred to me until seeing your summaries, that Season 4 had really upped the creepy-factor. Some really unnerving and creepy episodes.

[@RoboSantasRevenge]

Yes! I’m surprised Dave didn’t bring this up. The middle of the season has three episodes in a row that are pretty creepy and a little disturbing at times: “Night Terrors”, “Identity Crisis”, and “The Nth Degree”. The middle one is one of Geordi’s best episodes, with a great sci-fi mystery that unfolds, and the way Barclay ends up transforming himself into a man-machine hybrid by the end of the third one always kind of creeped me out. That episode lets the actor show some good range, too.

[@davejones9469]

"Schisms" was the one that bugged me most. Their creepy clicking noises are unsettling, and I personally have...issues with medical care and equipment. I've actually been restrained on a bed not dissimilar to the operating tables in the show. That and the experiment where they replaced a guy's blood with plastic was pretty horrific, even by Trek standards.

[@RoboSantasRevenge]

@@davejones9469 Yeah, “Schisms” is another great episode, a very memorable one for its creepy/disturbing factor.

[@GreyhawkGrognard]

"Family" is my favorite episode of TNG. It's all character, no SFX at all. Love it.

[@twelve11]

TNG, DS9 and VOY all had phenomenal season three's. Revisit those episodes time and time again

[@GrahamNificent]

Thank you for your comments about The Drumhead. Gotta rewatch that one soon.

[@robvegas9354]

Absolutely amazing run of episodes. They found their feet in season 3 and then turned it up to 11 on this lot. Super entertaining and must watch TV

[@MrGrantNewlands]

Great Season. Picard and his brother, the Drumhead Trial both excellent. The Wounded episode with Maxwell and O'Brien has some of the best dialogue and grit of any Star Trek episode. Ps. I'd like to think Maxwell was commanding a capital ship during the Dominion war. :)

[@tenmilesky7331]

Another welcome, and very well produced, season review! Season 4 will always be one of the show's triumphs and I’ll never forget watching it week after week in its first run. As always, your recaps deserve 👍👍, though every time I end up wishing one more minute was spent on each episode.

[@SpywareEverywhere]

As a kid, my first memories of the series were season 3. That last episode with the Borg that picked up again in season 4 was all that we kids talked about all summer.

[@TheLadsBandLive]

I love they took that cast photo at space JC Penny's.

[@MegaKnight2012]

The Borg are some of my favorites in Star Trek, in large part because it weirdly feels like some of the most accurate hacking depicted in sci-fi. When they get Locutus back on the Enterprise, Data figures out a way to use Picard's link to the Borg to mess with their system, though like most sci-fi hacking, this results in an explosion.

[@XKS99]

Season V has Darmok, Redemption, Unification and Ensign Ro. It is not as consistent as Season IV, but the highs are higher and it’s my favourite.

[@gedias1]

The Drumhead had zero special effects. It was all story, and beautifully written.

[@BELCAN57]

"I am NOT a Merry Man!"

[@mikeshadez]

Love those quotes (with the first link)and (villians that twirl their mustaches are easy to spot), yep this was the best season.

[@aylmer666]

Captain I protest. I am NOT a Merry Man!

[@PoeCasey]

"Remember me" was the first episode I ever saw. I was hooked immediately.

[@RRTNZ]

Dave, you legend ! Have to say seasons 3-5 are peak TNG. While season 3 is my favourite overall, Reunification has to be my favourite episode. Still season 4 had more than its fair share of compelling stories.

[@IdealX-fr4eg]

I'm glad you talked about drumhead. I watched that recently and realized he was speaking about our current climate. When she losses it and becomes unraveled I still almost felt bad for her..

[@n7565j]

I just finished this season this morning!!! How nice of you to post this today 🙂

[@Carnage1975]

I just started watching season 4 yesterday for the tenth time. Every 6 months I rewatch the whole series of next gen and voyager. It peaked back then for sure,

[@robboyte1101]

The Worf line for this season has to be in "Q-pid": "Captain, I protest. I am NOT a merry man!"

[@joelellis7035]

Most meme worthy quote from Qpid: Worf - "Sir! I must protest! I am not a merry man!"

[@ThatGuyWhoLivesinChina]

Thank you. Another excellent review. Please keep them coming.

[@simonday935]

This is excellent. Thank you.

[@flyingrobotduck]

Both 4 and 5 are probably the best seasons, there are some truly great episodes in both. There are a lot of great Star Trek videos on this channel. You should consider putting them all in a Playlist to make them easier to find.

[@rtstrong]

absolutely correct about season 4. it was definitely the apex of the series. and the banger quote by Worf, "I AM NOT A MERRY MAN!"

[@udim7284]

CLUES!!! yes!!! one of my top 5 TNG episodes. very underrated. the twist in the end was awesome. 'YOU DID! sir...'

[@justanotherlikeyou]

Personally liked Night Terrors myself. I felt it did horror right for Star Trek. At least until Enterprise's episode of the mad Vulcans which was awesome.

[@taopilot2669]

I like how they aired "Brothers" next after "Family". At the end of "Brothers", when Crusher tells Data that brothers forgive, you can see in Picard's eyes that he's thinking back to just seeing his brother one episode ago.

[@famalam943]

Just imagine how much better Next Gen would have been with Ron Jones throughout

[@OrbitalHUB]

Jones also scored 'Ducktales' to great effect.

[@richtea615]

It's staggering to me how the Patrick Stewart from 30 years ago compares to the one we have now. It's like he didn't learn a thing.

[@TheWhiteTrashPanda]

Can we take a moment to appreciate how phenomenal an actor Brent Spiner actually is? How many people can play 3 different roles all interacting with each other on screen simultaneously, and actually keep them separate?

[@lighthousefilms5530]

Such great memories

[@freebretth]

Great stuff, thank you!!!

[@hellper198]

I will definitely watch Season 4 again. Thank you.

[@keithtorgersen9664]

O’Brien’s dialogue with the Cardassian in 10-forward is also poignant. “It’s not you I hate, Cardassian. I hate what I became because of you.”

[@stue2298]

Looking back we where spoiled with great TV show in the 90s. If we only had the quality of writing today with the money out into modern day shows.

[@Mrs.Grave5433]

If only.

[@neodigremo]

The part in the Wounded where Picard reams out the Cardassian Captain, saying Maxwell was right, is truly joyous to behold. It shows the Picard we all loved, willing to negotiate and do what he must but with with steel underneath. Picard has so many moments of non physical badassery and this Season is the one where they came into their own. Plus everyone got a little more rounded and a little more developed. Late TNG/DS9 is truly the Apex of Trek

[@anonygent]

I could see the clues Maxwell was laying out for Picard, so I was happy to see Picard take it seriously and not just brush it off. I wonder what would have happened to Maxwell's top officers.

[@projektkobra2247]

"I Am Not Spock." -Leonard Nimoy "I Am DEFINITELY Not Picard." -Patrick Stewart

[@Sly88Frye]

There were a lot of episodes from season 4 that I hadn't seen before until I binged TNG on Netflix years ago. I was truly amazed on that episode when Picard was on trial near the end. It totally reminded me of how things are today and honestly I mean I was only a child in the 90s and I really did not remember things being like they are now back in the 90s like at all so much like how so many Star Trek shows have found ways to unintentionally predict the future in terms of technological advances such as touchscreens and cell phones, it was like it predicted our own future and virtue signaling and politics and wrongful accusation and the guilty until proven innocent mob mentality that we sadly have nowadays

[@DukeQuakem]

Sir, I protest. I am not a merry men!

[@garym6315]

Got to say, I REALLY enjoy these short appreciation videos you've been doing. I kinda drifted away from your channel, not because it was bad but because once you've heard the criticism of Star Trek Discovery, modern Doctor Who etc, then you don't need to hear it from multiple others. On the other hand, positive appreciation of the past is what fandom was all about and it is that common love that brought us together.

[@MLPDethDealr32]

Best parts of " The Wounded" to me are the following: "i hate what i became because of you Cardassian" Obrian singing The Minstral Boy and Maxwell's response after : Im not gonna win this one am i chief. Of course in the end i tend to think he was proven right with Cardassia rearming and joining the Dominion. I love that they follow on this later in Ds9 with the episode "Empok Nor" where we get Garak calling out Obrian as the " Hero of Cetlik III".

[@carlinthomas9482]

I'm really enjoying your review of the Star Trek TNG series. I hope you do more in the future. 👍

[@edwardmemwah1610]

"Data's Day" and and "In Theory" are a great pair of lighthearted episodes to introduce the uninitiated to Star Trek.

[@Jimmer93]

Peak Trek! Damn those were the days!

[@MrCrazyrob666]

Ah Dave..... We never saw anyone with more drive, courage and determination than Jean Luc Picard and there is no way in hell that he would "assist" the Borg. I want that clear!

[@rocix.1647]

Thanks Dave I really appreciate these TNG retrospectives. I'm doing a rewatch right now, sparked by your season 3 review. So many little gems that I missed. Thanks for occasionally posting on KZbin.

[@slade52]

I love Clues as well. Especially the scene when Picard finally puts together what has happened and exclaims "Here we are again..." The realization of his own tenacity to solve a mystery always makes me chuckle.

[@ClatyonSilvey]

Another great video! You got me wanting to watch TNG again.

[@bobbybee2975]

I think I saw every episode of that season. Never watched religiously but TNG was great and I did catch it on occasion plus I remember all these episodes based on your description. They were great.

[@Archie2c]

Family is my favorite Episode. Patrick nailed it.

[@MisterWillow]

Thanks Dave, as always you inspire (me). I am goning to rewatch s3 and 4 soon. So many good shows I saw ages ago, and almost forgot. But they totally deserve to be watched again! Good job, please keep up your channel.

[@Koryn_99]

Modern Star Trek drove me to The Orville, then The Orville season 3 drove me back to TNG.

[@infinitelybanta]

Is it bad? I only watched the first season, I liked it, but it really did just feel like a weird Star Trek mashup without the benefit of decades of existing continuity.

[@dee-taylor]

@@infinitelybanta It's mediocre with some serious cringe moments. Season 2 was far better, season 1 is better too I think.

[@correlian1155]

There are some spectacular moments in the season. My hope is that st:snw will continue to improve. .....hope, that is something I did not expect from modern st

[@indiansfaninpa]

@@infinitelybanta Season 3 of "The Orville" isn't bad, but it is different. The serious and even dark themes are quite a jarring contrast to the first two seasons, which came off as a lighthearted parody of ST:TNG. My biggest complaint about "The Orville" now is that still too often, I find myself saying, "Star Trek already did it!"

[@khyronkravshera7774]

In Clues, the ships data also said only 30 seconds had passed. It was a experiment of Dr Crusher that actually showed 24 hours had passed.

[@edwardmemwah1610]

The three Geordie-centric episodes from season four are my all-time favorites: "Galaxy's Child," "Identity Crisis," and "The Mind's Eye." The 'romance' of "Galaxy's Child" is so awkward and creepy. "Identity Crisis" actually scared me as a kid and I love the use of the Holodeck as an investigative tool. "The Mind's Eye" is a tight thriller and, especially when combined with "Identity Crisis," tackles the themes of violation and body horror better than "The Best of Both Worlds," IMHO.

[@mall3t0ftruth46]

Yesterday's Enterprise one of my favorites.

[@InJeffable]

I agree. Mad respect for what was done with season 3, but season 4 is my favorite too. I like the episode Clues, and The Drumhead is excellent, but Redemption is my favorite of the season. I love the political intrigue with the Klingons (also one of my favorite things about Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). It all makes for such a fascinating personal journey for Worf and elevates his character to new heights.

[@markequinox]

Holodeck scene in ‘Schisms’ (season 6) is still terrifying to me.

[@tokenblack7983]

God damn that episode was good!!

[@tokenblack7983]

They’re trying to figure where they went for the experiments right? It’s been awhile

[@tokenblack7983]

They’re trying to figure where they went for the experiments right? It’s been awhile

[@meggubravo8373]

What about Night Terrors from this season The scene in the morgue where the corpses sit up around Beverly

[@agronopoulus]

Totally agree with you. Season four was indeed the best with some really excellent epidodes, like family and brothers, but specially the Klingon civil war episode Redemption. Nice video! Keep it up!

[@FatNorthernBigot]

TV Sci-fi doesn't get better than this. In retrospect, we were spoilt. Great idea to review the whole series. 👍

[@halley4032]

Great review, Dave. Just noticed that actor David Birkin, who played Jean Luc's young nephew in 'Family', later played a young Jean Luc in Season 6 "Rascals" 😁😁

[@garym6315]

I can't believe the TNG cast are now starring in a show that "clothes itself in good deeds" as Picard warns.

[@polishprince47]

Live Long And Prosper!! 🖖 🤓

[@correlian1155]

The drumheads message is shockingly poigniant. I wish I remembered it when I started going down the wrong path.

[@rfletch62]

STTNG, and DS9 were at the apex of Star Trek on tv. Now, we're in the Mariana Trench with Picard and STD.

[@childeharold3550]

I love this season Dave. Thank you for reminding me how important it was for television in general. The state of television has so degraded that I’ve not watched a new show in about 5 years. I’m going to order this season of TNG to remind myself how good tv used to be.

[@chaospoet]

"Brothers" is awesome. I love Lore's reaction when he finds out their father is dying. The only time you ever see a vulnerable side of Lore and see the real Lore under all the madness.

[@Protonoto1]

I love the two drumhead speeches by Picard. It is so true in today's climate.

[@athrun2]

This was really trippy for me. I grew up watching TNG. I have fond memories of seasons 1-3 & 5-7, but watching this, I didn't remember anything save the beginning & ending of the season. This is giving me almost a reverse mandela effect. Great vid, though!

[@Daemonarch2k6]

Thank you so much for the inspiration to rewatch STNG...

[@cmedtheuniverseofcmed8775]

The wonderful thing about Season 4 of TNG is that each fan has a favorite episode and no two favorites are alike. Others, it's difficult to say which is their favorite because there were too many good episodes to identify as their favorite. :)

[@garym6315]

In the UK, they only showed up to Best of Both Worlds before taking a break of what seemed like an eternity (over a year at least). So season 4 was the first one that I bough VHS tapes of in an attempt to try to keep up. I didn't get them all, but the ones I did get mean I have a special fondness for those episodes. It sucked that we were so far behind. We didnt start til 1990 so we were already 3 years behind at that point and then the gap between seasons 3 and 4 added another gap so we ended up at least 4 years behind. Then I remember another hiatus for 6 months or so. The result was that I ended up going to see Generations in the cinema and missing the latest episode at home!! I remember buying the All Good Things VHS just so I would be prepared for the film and not need to wait 5 years.

[@Wolfgang1224]

Agree with you 100% on this video. Great work!

[@penguinistas]

Thanks

[@infinitelybanta]

The line at the end of “Future Imperfect” that Riker says to the alien child, who is a basically just a dude with a crappy rubber mask in a shiny robe, always makes me laugh. “You’ll always be Jean-Luc to me.”

[@joshuacalkins]

Great season, maybe the best. Thanks for the excellent video! “Q-pid” was a holodeck program made real, I think. Maybe when the narrator says that Q “takes them back in time” he doesn’t mean literally, (or he forgot).

[@iamme453]

A lot of people missed Sela's true first "appearance " it was Season 4, Episode 24, The Minds Eye. She only appears as a shadowy figure when LaForge is being reprogrammed by the Romulans, but it is definetly Sela speaking.

[@TheAdam159]

Picards Drumhead speech about people who clothe themselves in virtue is an absolute classic, and definitely could be said about the woke cancel culture crowd today

[@Illasera]

Family , an excellent episode , displays the merits of both conservatism and progression and ofcourse, family, the most important thing.

[@AkuTenshiiZero]

I always cite "Family" as being an example of why Berman-era Trek is so superior to Nu Trek. Nu Trek has characters being too emotional and immature, it has no impact when one of those characters cries because you expect it. But when Picard cries, you are seeing an extremely stoic man reaching his breaking point, it's horrifying to realize how much it much have taken to drive him to tears. I also always felt that his brother antagonized him specifically because he knew it was the only way to get Picard to let all that emotion out,he was showing brotherly love in his own way. This season really was phenomenal. Too many good episodes to go through all of them in detail.

[@sludgeentertainment1003]

they really look good in the future for being that much older

[@Xpector2001]

Totally agree! But for me one of the the best episodes is : Where Silence Has Lease from season 2. I am not saying is the best ...but is in the top 10 .

[@carlrood4457]

Data's explanation was the M class planet was on the other end of the wormhole and that's what the sensors picked up