STAR TREK - THE NEXT GENERATION SEASON 1(1987-1988)
SPACE, THE FINAL FRONTIER! THESE ARE THE VOYAGES
OF THE STARSHIP: ENTERPRISE! IT'S CONTINUING MISSION:
TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS, TO SEEK OUT NEW
LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS, TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO
ONE HAS GONE BEFORE!!
With that starts the the follow-up to the great Star Trek!
We still have the Enterprise(D in this one), we still have
a captain(Jean-Juc Picard), Number One(Will Riker), Chief
Engineer(Geordi La Forge), the doctor(Beverly Crusher) &
helmsman(Data)! Here's some of the differences in this
vs. the Original Series: We have a head of security(Tasha
Yar), we have a ship's counselor(Deanna Troi) and we have
a bartender(Guinan[no first name given])!! And we have a
first, the child of Dr. Crusher, Wesley(position not known
in the first episode)!!! Oh, and Data is an android!!
Other important characters in the series: Worf(he is
a security person to start the series who just happens
to be a Klingon!), Miles O'Brien(an engineer) & Q(the
omnipotent)!!
EPISODE 1: ENCOUNTER AT FARPOINT(Sept. 26, 1987):
In this, the first episode aired, the story revolves around
the Enterprise and crew's mission to Farpoiint to visit
the space station built there and find out how and why
it was built! While headed there, the ship is interrupted
by the super being, Q, who claims that the human race
has no right to be out this far in space, and challenges
Picard and crew to prove him wrong!!
This has the return of one of the fan favorites from TOS,
Dr. McCoy!! He's now 137 years old, and still the same old
doctor!! One of three original cast members to grace this
series!!!
If you take out Q and the silly court scene, this is a great
start to this series!! You can tell that Gene Roddenberry
still had his hand in the making of TNG!! The one thing
that is quite notacible is that there are several of the
new crew that are not used to their roles. The few
exceptions are Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes,
Gates McFadden and Brent Spiner!!
This first aired episode has, in order of appearance: Captain
Jean-Luc Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Counselor Deanna Troi,
Lt. Worf, Q, Lt. Tasha Yar, Miles O'Brien, Commander William
Riker, Wesley Crusher, Dr. Beverly Crusher & Lt. Geordi La Forge!! A-
EPISODE 2: THE NAKED NOW(Oct. 3, 1987):
Nearly an exact duplicate of the Original Series episode
"The Naked Time"!!
The Enterprise and crew are meeting up with another
ship when that ship's crew kill themselves!! An away team
beams over to the ship, only to bring back the infection
to their ship and it's people!! Strange things abound!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Lt. Yar, Lt. La Forge,
Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi & Wesley Crusher!! A-
EPISODE 3: CODE OF HONOR(Oct. 10, 1987):
While meeting a new race that have medicine that the
Federation desperately needs, Tasha Yar embarrasses
one of the group's leader's guards!! But as they are a
proud group, the ruler decides that he needs Tasha
on his world as his number one security guard!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge,
Commander Riker, Captain Picard, Counselor Troi, Lt. Yar,
Dr. Crusher, Wesley Crusher!! A
EPISODE 4: THE LAST OUTPOST(Oct. 17, 1987):
First episode about the Ferengi, it seems they have
stolen a device and the Enterprise has been sent out
to recover it!!
As with several of the earlier TNGs, this episode takes
its story from the TOS episode "Errand Of Mercy"!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain
Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Data, Lt. La Forge, Lt.
Yar, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!!
Guest starring in this is Armin Shimmerman(Quark on
Star Trek: DS9)!! He, of course, plays a Ferengi, but with
a different name!! A
EPISODE 5: WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE(Oct. 24, 1987):
A couple of dudes come aboard the Enterprise to evaluate
their engines' proficiency, and with Wesley's "help" they
end up travelling over 300 light years away from their
own galaxy!!!
Wesley becomes an "acting ensign" in this one!!
In this we meet "The Traveler" who becomes very important
to Wesley Crusher later on in the series!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Counselor Troi,
Ensign Crusher, Lt. Worf, Lt. La Forge, Lt. Yar & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 6: LONELY AMONG US(Oct. 31, 1987):
The Enterprise and crew are commissioned to pick up
and escort two feuding planet's delegates to another
planet for the purpose of negotiations to end the war
between them, so that they can join the Federation!!
While on the way to the planet, Parliament, they encounter
a strange anomaly which affects some of the crew in
very strange manners!!
Again, this has some throwbacks to the original series,
as something has taken over Picard's mind and the
command crew requests that he submit to psychiatric
test, wherein he turns the tables and insists that it's them
that are having the problems!!
Data takes on the mantra of Sherlock Holmes!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Tasha Yar, Lt. Commander Data, Lt.
La Forge, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher, Couselor Troi, Ensign
Crusher & Miles O'Brien!! A
EPISODE 7: JUSTICE(Nov. 7, 1987):
The crew comes upon a planet that's too good to be true!!
When the away team comes back from a scouting mission
they tell of wonderful loving people, class M type planet
with trees, grass and fresh air!! All seems wonderful, 'til
Wesley pulls a faux pas, and falls into a bunch of flowers!!
And for that, he must die!!!
A side note here: I find it interesting that this planet has
nothing but blondes!!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Lt. Yar,
Lt. La Forge, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf & Ensign Crusher!! A-
EPISODE 8: THE BATTLE(Nov. 14, 1987):
The Enterprise and crew get a visit from some Ferengis
who have a "present" for him to honor him for his glorious
battle of Maxia!! The present is his old ship, The Stargazer, of which
he and his crew had to abandon due to extensive damage
during the battle!! While in negotiations Picard starts getting
these headaches that are unaccounted for! Perhaps a Ferengi
trick???
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Lt. Yar, Lt. La Forge,
Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf & Ensign Crusher!! A
EPISODE 9: HIDE AND Q(Nov. 21, 1987):
While on a rescue mission to a colony where an explosion
has injured hundreds of people, along comes Q again!!
He beams a team, including Riker, La Forge, Data, Worf
& Yar to a planet with two moons for a "game"! Then he
goes back up to the Enterprise to wager Picard, the loser
to either lose his command or stay out of human affairs
forever!!
Starring, in order of appearance: Dr. Crusher, Captain
Picard, Lt. La Forge, Lt. Commander Data, Commander
Riker, Lt. Worf, Lt. Yar, Q & Ensign Crusher!! A
EPISODE 10: HAVEN(Nov. 28, 1987):
This is different!! A box gets beamed aboard the Enterprise
for Dianna which carries betrothal presents for her impending
wedding!!
This has, in her first appearance as Lwaxana Troi, Deanna's
mother, Majel Barrett, the first lady of Star Trek!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker, Lt. Yar, Counselor
Troi, Lt. La Forge & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 11: THE BIG GOODBYE(Jan. 9, 1988):
The first use of the holodeck as a basis for the episode,
this also has the first time that Captain Picard takes on
the mantra of Dixon Hill, a private detective from the
forties!! Complications arise when Picard is suppose to
meet with a new race which will only talk to him, and
the Enterprise's holodeck encounters problems, trapping
Picard and the rest in the program!!
One of this series best episodes!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Captain Picard, Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander Data,
Ensign Crusher, Dr. Crusher, Lt. la Forge & Lt. Yar!! A+
EPISODE 12: DATALORE(Jan. 16, 1988):
The Enterprise and crew stop at Data's home planet where
he was found 26 years prior!! Where once there was a colony
and a thriving planet, there is now only desolation! While
investigating, the away team finds another Data, disassembled
but complete!! They beam the parts back to the Enterprise where
engineers, with Data's help, start putting the other "Data" back
together!! On top of all this, there is still the underlying question,
of what happened to the colony and the planet!
This has the first appearance of "Lore"!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge,
Commander Riker, Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data,
Ensign Crusher, Lt. Yar, Dr. Crusher & Lt. Worf!! A
EPISODE 13: ANGEL ONE(Jan. 23, 1988):
After a freighter ship has been found decimated by
asteroids, the Enterprise and crew go to Angel One,
the closest planet to the wreckage, to see if any
survivors made it to that planet! When they beam
down, they are received rather coldly, but find there
are survivors on the planet and the planet's ruling
class, which happens to be women, want them off as
soon as they can be found!
Also going on, Wesley and the rest of his classmates
have gone on a field trip in the holodeck and come
back with a virus of some kind, which seems to be
spreading rapidly throughout the ship!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge,
Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker,
Lt. Yar, Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf, Ensign Crusher & Dr.
Crusher!!
EPISODE 14: 11001001(Jan. 30, 1988):
The Enterprise has pulled into space dock for some routine checks
utilizing beings called binars, called such because they work in
pairs and can communicate directly with the computers aboard
the ship!! But it seems that nothing is as it seems!!!
Another episode that deals heavily with the halodeck!!
Riker(Jonathan Frakes) plays a trombone in this!!
Interesting lines: "Think about it, a blind man teaching an android how to
paint!! That's got to be worth a couple of pages in somebody's book!"
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge, Commander
Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Ensign Crusher, Lt. Yar,
Lt. Worf & Dr. Crusher!!
Guest starring in this is Jack Sheldon, who's playing the piano
in this, is actually a musician in his own right, but mostly known
for the trumpet!! He also was Merv Griffin's side kick on the
Merv Griffin Show! Carolyn McCormick also guest stars as Minuet,
a role she reprises in the episode "Future Imperfect", and also
known for her role on Law And Order! A
EPISODE 15: TOO SHORT A SEASON(Feb. 6, 1988):
Terrorists have kidnapped some people on a planet and
demand that an Admiral Jameson come to the planet to
negotiate!! After picking up said Admiral, who's 85 years
old, he starts having attacks, and seemingly growing younger!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker, Lt. La Forge, Counselor
Troi, Dr. Crusher, Lt. Yar & Lt. Worf!! A
EPISODE 16: WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS(Feb. 13, 1988):
A fabled planet, Aldea, has been stumbled upon by the
Enterprise and crew!! The planet is said to be a "Garden
of Eden"!! Their main reason for making contact after
many millennium isn't obvious at first, but their paradise
came at a high price, they can't have children!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Dr. Crusher, Captain Picard, Lt. La Forge, Lt. Yar, Lt. Commander
Data, Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf & Ensign Crusher!! A
EPISODE 17: HOME SOIL(Feb. 20, 1988):
The Enterprise has been ordered to a planet undergoing
terra forming, as they haven't been in touch with Star Fleet
for quite some time!! When they get there, their director
is very stand-offish, but he finally relents to an away team to
beam down to the planet! Shortly after getting there, one of
the scientists is killed while in a special room, and this starts
a cavalcade of happenings which are quite deadly!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Lt. Yar, Lt. La Forge,
Lt. Commander Data, Dr. Crusher, Ensign Crusher & Lt.
Worf!! A
EPISODE 18: COMING OF AGE(Mar. 12, 1988):
Two basic stories here: Wesley Crusher goes to take exams
to try to qualify for Starfleet Academy; & an admiral, Admiral
Quinn, comes aboard with a representative from Starfleet
Inspector General's office to evaluate the Enterprise and it's
crew to "find out what's wrong with the Enterprise"!!!!
This is the first mention of a possible conspiracy in the
Federation!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Ensign Crusher,
Dr. Crusher, Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. La Forge,
Commander Riker, Lt. Worf & Lt. Yar!! A
EPISODE 19: HEART OF GLORY(Mar. 19, 1988):
A trying time for Worf!! The Enterprise is sent to the neutral
zone to aid a ship in distress!! When they get there, they find
a ship decimated, and three Klingons there trapped! They rescue
them, only to have them try to talk Worf into joining their cause
of returning to the warrior ways of the Klingons!! Yep, trying
times indeed!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Captain
Picard, Lt. La Forge, Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker,
Lt. Yar & Dr. Crusher. A
EPISODE 20: THE ARSENAL OF FREEDOM(Apr. 9, 1988):
While the Enterprise's crew are searching for the ship
Stargazer, they end up on a planet that was once known
for selling armaments to warring planets!! An away team
beams down and is promptly attacked by unknown assailants!
As time goes on, the attacks get worse, including attacks on
the Enterprise!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. La Forge, Counselor
Troi, Lt. Worf, Lt. Yar & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 21: SYMBIOSIS(Apr. 16, 1988):
This one is pretty crazy!! While observing solar flares from
another system, the Enterprise intercepts a distress signal
from a ship about to crash on a planet!! The only option
is to beam the crew of six over to the Enterprise!! All but two
make it over, because the crew beam over "medicine" instead
of themselves!! The medicine is for a "plague" that is, well,
plaguing the planet!! The Enterprise gets in the middle of
a dispute of ownership of the medicine!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander Data, Lt. La Forge, Commander Riker, Ensign
Crusher, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi, Lt. Yar & Dr. Crusher!!
This guest stars Merritt Butrick(Star Trek III: The Search For
Spock) A-
EPISODE 22: SKIN OF EVIL(Apr. 23, 1988):
This is the final episode for one of the main characters, as
they get killed here!! A shuttle craft mishap lands Deanna
Troi and the rest of the shuttle craft crew stranded on a
desolate planet! An away team goes down to rescue them
and encounters a weird, oil type creature who promptly
attacks one of the crew and kills them!! Meanwhile, the
shuttle craft crew are left stranded!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Lt. Yar,
Lt. La Forge, Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander
Data, Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher & Ensign Crusher !! A-
EPISODE 23: WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS(Apr. 30, 1988):
A deja-vu type happening brings the Enterprise and crew
to a planet with Professor Manheim, who's been working
with time!! This brings Picard face to face with his former
love that he left behind in Paris to join Starfleet!!
Another of the good ones!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. La Forge, Lt.
Worf, Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!
Guest stars include Jill Ireland(In several movies with Charles
Bronson, including Death Wish 2)!! A+
EPISODE 24: CONSPIRACY(May 7, 1988):
The captain is called to a secret meeting on a desolate
planet with several other captains!! The reason: there
appears to be some sort of conspiracy within the high
ranking members of Starfleet!!
There's a lot of disturbing parts to this, almost bordering
on horror!! As I'm not a fan of the horror genre that's
now the norm in film, this is not one of my favorite
episodes!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge,
Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker, Counselor
Troi, Lt. Worf, Captain Picard, & Dr. Crusher!! B-
EPISODE 25: THE NEUTRAL ZONE(May 14, 1988):
A la Space Seed, a ship is discovered floating derilect
in space, and on board they find three people in
cryogenic freeze!! All had died with a terminal illness,
but were able to be brought back by modern medical
means!! While this is all going on, the Enterprise is
looking into some star bases that appear to have been
destroyed near the neutral zone!! They fear the Romulans
are behind the whole thing!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. La Forge,
Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Captain
Picard, Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, !!
Guest starring Mark Alaimo(Star Trek: DS9), Leon Rippy
(Stargate[movie], The Patriot)! A
SPECIALS ON DISC 7
THE BEGINNING:
How the show got off the ground, with input from: Gene
Roddenberry(Creator, Executive Producer), Robert H.
Justman(Supervising Producer), Patrick Stewart(Captain
Jean-Luc Picard), Gates McFadden(Dr. Beverly Crusher),
Denise Crosby(Bing's Daughter, Lt. Tasha Yar), Herman
Zimmerman(Production Designer), Pat Sweeney(Industrial
Light and Magic), David Carson(Industrial Light and Magic),
Rick Berman(Supervising Producer), John DeLancie(Q),
Marina Sirtis(Counselor Deanna Troi), Wil Wheaton(Wesley
Crusher), Brent Spiner(Lt. Commander Data), Jonathan
Frakes(Commander William Riker), Michael Dorn(Lt.
Worf) & LaVar Burton(Lt. Geordi La Forge)!! A+
SELECTED CREW ANALYSIS:
With input from Rick Berman(Supervising Producer),
Patrick Stewart(Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Gates McFadden
(Dr. Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis(Counselor Deanna Troi)
Jonathan Frakes(Commander William Riker), Wil Wheaton
(Wesley Crusher), Michael Dorn(Lt. Worf), LaVar Burton
(Lt. Geordi La Forge), Brent Spiner(Lt. Commander Data),
Denise Crosby(Lt. Tasha Yar) & John DeLancie(Q)! A
MAKING OF A LEGEND:
With input from: Rick Berman(Supervising Producer),
Patrick Stewart(Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Herman
Zimmerman(Production Designer), Jonathan Frakes
(Commander William Riker), Robert H. Justman
Supervising Producer), Peter Lauritson(Associate
Producer), Dan Curry(Special Effects Supervisor),
Michael Okuda(Scenic Art Consultant), Rick Sternbach
(Senior Illustrator), Jonathan Frakes(Commander
William Riker), Michael Westmore(Make-up Designer),
Brent Spiner(Lt. Commander Data), LaVar Burton
(Lt. Geordi La Forge) & Jay Chattaway(Music)! A+
MEMORABLE MISSIONS:
Input from: Rick Berman(Supervising Producer),
Jonathan Frakes(Commander William Riker), LaVar
Burton(Lt. Geordi La Forge), Patrick Stewart(Captain
Jean-Luc Picard), Dan Curry(Special Effects Supervisor),
Michael Westmore(Make-Up Artist), Peter Lauritson
(Associate Producer), Armin Shimmerman(Letek, also
known as Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space 9), Herman
Zimmerman(Production Designer), Gene Roddenberry
(Creator, Executive Producer) & Denise Crosby(Lt. Tasha
Yar)! A
From an IMDb.com customer:
This show continues the excellence provided by the
original Star Trek. Set some 75 years after Kirk's adventures,
The Next Generation was an excellent show and provided
state-of-the-art special effects. I recommend it to any science
fiction fan. - mattkratz