STAR TREK - THE NEXT GENERATION SEASON 4(1990-1991)
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!!
The fourth season, with most of the main cast still here!
However, Ensign Wesley Crusher is dispatched at about
half way through the season!
EPISODE 1: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS PART 2(Sept. 22, 1990):
Continued from the last episode of the third season,
this one's about Picard being a Borg and how they
defeat him and the Borg ship!! Again, this is stupid!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
La Forge, Lt. Worf, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard(as a Borg), Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi, Guinan,
Cheif O'Brien & Wesley Crusher!! Mentioned but neither seen
or heard is Lt. Reginald Barclay! F
EPISODE 2: FAMILY(Sept. 29, 1990):
This one's about family(duh)!! Picard goes to France to
visit with his family, whom relationships have been strained
for some time!! And Worf's adopted mother and father
come aboard the Enterprise to visit with Worf!! Neither
one seem to be excited about the visitations!! And for the
last story line, Beverly gives Wesley a hologram message
from his father that was recorded when he was a baby!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander
Riker, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi, Captain Picard, Cheif O'Brien,
Dr. Crusher, Lt. Commander La Forge, Guinan & Wesley
Crusher!!
Guest starring Theodore Bikel(Babylon 5: In The Beginning,
Babylon 5 episode "TKO", My Fair Lady, The African Queen) A+
EPISODE 3: BROTHERS(Oct. 6, 1990):
Two boy are playing when one pulls a prank to get even with
his brother, and his brother almost dies!! Then Data goes nuts!
Guess who's coming to dinner?!!!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Counselor Troi, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Commander La Forge,
Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Ensign Crusher, Chief O'Brien & Dr. Crusher!! A-
EPISODE 4: SUDDENLY HUMAN(Oct. 13, 1990):
The Enterprise comes upon a alien ship that has five wounded
youths that appear to have been upon a training mission!!
Turns out one of them is actually human, and he's quite
out of water here!! The crew try their best to acclimate him
back to humanness, which has drastic affects!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Captain
Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Ensign Crusher,
Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher & Lt. Commander La Forge!!
Guest starring Sherman Howard(one of those guys who've been
quite versatile in the Star Trek realm, having not only been on
this episode of Star Trek: TNG, but also on Star Trek: Voyager -
episode "Shakaar" and Star Trek: DS9 episode "Prophecy"!!
Except for the loud howling, this is an excellent episode! A
EPISODE 5: REMEMBER ME(Oct. 20, 1990):
Beverly has an old friend beam aboard the Enterprise, and
the next day she can't find him or his belongings!! Not only
that, but the computer says that there's no such person on
the ship!! To top it all off, O'Brien, who beamed the man
aboard, has no recollection of him!! If that were not enough,
two of the doctor's associates are now missing too!!
This has the second of three appearances of The Traveler!!
And this starts Wesley on a new course in his life to eventually
be realized in "Journey's End"!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Dr. Crusher, Chief
O'Brien, Lt. Commander La Forge, Ensign Crusher, Lt. Worf,
Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Commander Riker &
Counselor Troi!! A
EPISODE 6: LEGACY(Oct. 27, 1990):
After receiving a distress signal from the planer that Tasha
Yar was from, the Enterprise rushes there, only to get there
in time to see Federation freighter explode!! While there, they
run into Tasha's sister!! And they get in the middle of a civil
war between two factions on the planet!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Commander
Riker, Couselor Troi, Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Chief
Miles O'Brien, Dr. Crusher & Lt. Commander La Forge!! A
EPISODE 7: REUNION(Nov. 3, 1990):
K'Eheleyr returns to the Enterprise with another Klingon, Alexander,
her son!! She comes with others also, notably, K'mpec, leader of the
high council!! Seems there's a civil war brewing on Klingon and
K'mpec is asking Picard to be a mediator, and find out who's killing
him!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Ensign Crusher,
Counselor Troi & Lt. Commaner La Forge!! A
EPISODE 8: FUTURE IMPERFECT(Nov. 10, 1990):
The Enterprise and crew pick up a possible Romulan base
on a nearby planet, and an away team of Riker, La Forge &
Worf beam down to investigate!! While there, they encounter
a gas cloud that affects the team, mostly Riker, who awakes
and is greeted as Captain, and many changes aboard the
ship, including a son!!
Returning as a holodeck love interest of Riker's is Minuet!!
This has many plot holes in it!!!
Riker plays the trombone in this one!!
This has the first appearance of Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, played
by Patti Yasutake!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
La Forge, Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker,
Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf & Nurse Ogawa!!
Andreas Katsulas returns again as the Romulan Commander
Tomalak! A
EPISODE 9: FINAL MISSION(Nov. 17, 1990):
Before leaving for Starfleet Academy, Wesley goes on
one more mission with Captain Picard!! While heading
to their mission, the shuttle craft runs into problems,
and Picard and Wesley are stranded on a planet, with
Picard being injured!!
Starring, in order of appearance: Ensign Crusher, Captain
Picard, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker,
Lt. Commander La Forge, Dr. Crusher & Counselor Troi!!
Save a "guest" appearance, one each year, this is Wil Wheaton's
last episode as a regular!!
An excellent episode!!! A+
EPISODE 10: THE LOSS(Dec. 29, 1990):
A weak episode about Troi losing her empathic abilities!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Counselor Troi,
Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Lt. Commander
Data, Lt. Commander La Forge, Dr. Crusher & Guinan!!
Not a great episode!! B-
EPISODE 11: DATA'S DAY(Jan. 5, 1991):
A basic day in the life of Data on the Enterprise!! He's recording
it to send to a scientist at the Daystrom Institute!!
Several sub-plots here, Chief Miles O'Brien's impending
marriage to Keiko, a Vulcan ambassador on board to
to rendezvous with a Romulan ship for the purpose of
peace negotiations!!
When there's a transporter accident that kills the ambassador
while transporting to the Romulan ship, Data is asked to take
charge of the investigation of what happened!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
Data, Commander Riker, Chief O'Brien, Lt. Commander La
Forge, Captain Picard, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher & Counselor Troi!!
This has the first appearance of Keiko O'Brien(well, after
they get married)!! Also the first appearance of Data's cat,
Spot(though it isn't called by name here)! A
EPISODE 12: THE WOUNDED(Jan. 26, 1991):
While on the way to meet up with a Cardassian ship, the
Enterprise gets attacked by a Cardassian ship!! After a few
shots are exchanged, Picard demands to know why the
Cardassian's have chosen to break their peace treaty! He's
told that it is the Federation that's broken the treaty by
attacking one of their space stations!! Big problems for
Picard and crew!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf,
Chief O'Brien, Keiko O'Brien, Lt. Commander La Forge & Dr.
Crusher!!
Guest starring here as the Cardassian commander is
Marc Alaimo(Star Trek: DS9, Total Recall)!! A
EPISODE 13: DEVIL'S DUE(Feb. 2, 1991):
A "supreme being" has a contract with a planet that
after a thousand years, they will bow down to her as
their supreme being!! Welp, times up, and Ardra's back
to claim her due, which now includes the Enterprise and
all of its crew!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
Data, Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Counselor
Troi, Dr. Crusher & Commander La Forge!!
I find this very boring!! This is using the same theme
as most of the Q episodes!! B
EPISODE 14: CLUES(Feb. 9, 1991):
While Picard's doing his "Dixon Hill" thing, the Enterprise
encounters a worm hole that, when the ship goes through it,
knocks out the crew for 30 seconds, according to Data!!
However, all signs point to the time having been much longer,
over a full day!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Giunan, Captain
Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf, Commander Riker,
Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi, Chief O'Brien, Nurse Ogawa &
Lt. Commander La Forge!! A
EPISODE 15: FIRST CONTACT(Feb. 16, 1991):
While observing and living with an alien race, Riker has an
accident and that makes the Alkonians aware of the fact
that he's not one of them!! This throws Picard into a
conundrum about first contact and the prime directive!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander Riker,
Captain Picard, Dianna Troi, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf &
Dr. Crusher!! A-
EPISODE 16: GALAXY'S CHILD(Mar. 9, 1991):
Geordi La Forge's holographic dream girl is beaming
aboard for real to discuss how he's messed up her
designs of the engines!! This is quite a shock to Geordi,
as he had developed quite an attachment to her!!
As a side story here, the Enterprise and crew meet up with
a life form unfamiliar to them, and when they try to scan
it, it retaliates by attacking them! They return fire and kill
it by accident! Unbeknownst to them, this being was with
child, and Picard decides to try and help it survive!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Lt. Commander La Forge, Guinan, Lt. Commander Data,
Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 17: NIGHT TERRORS(Mar. 16, 1991):
The Enterprise comes upon a ship that's been missing for
quite a while, the Brittain!! When an away team beams over,
they discover everyone dead but one Betazoid!! After they
all beam back over, suddenly everyone starts acting very
antagonistic and just plain weird!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Commander Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Counselor Troi,
Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher, Lt. Commander La Forge, Keiko
O'Brien, Chief O'Brien & Guinan!! A
EPISODE 18: IDENTITY CRISIS(Mar. 23, 1991):
The away team that investigated the disappearance of
a shuttle crew five years prior have they themselves
started to disappear!! With Geordi being part of the
away team that investigated the mystery, the Enterprise
crew becomes involved in the mystery as well!!
The premise for this is rather weak, but the special effects
are outstanding, which is why I gave it an A-
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
La Forge, Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander
Data, Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher & Nurse Ogawa!! A-
EPISODE 19: THE Nth DEGREE(Mar. 30, 1991):
Lt. Barclay is back, and he's doing his best to come out
of his shell!! The episode begins with him and Beverly
doing a scene from Cyrano deBergerac!! In the next scene,
he and Geordi are out in a shuttle craft scoping out a
probe and Barclay gets hit with a power serge that makes
him much smarter than he really is, and gives him a real
boost in his confidence!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Dr. Crusher,
Lt. Barclay, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Lt. Commander
Data, Lt. Commander La Forge, Lt. Worf & Captain Picard! A
EPISODE 20: QPID(Apr. 20, 1991):
And another recurring member of the cast is here, Q!!
Also returning from a previous episode is Vash("Captain's
Holiday")!! Seems Q feels that he owes Picard for "helping"
him with his little problem with the continuum!! And he's
chosen to give him the gift of love!!!! Well, one thing leads
to another and the main crew all end up in Sherwood
Forest!!!
This actually starts out pretty good, but then it just gets
silly!! But it is fun!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Captain Picard,
Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, Commander Riker, Lt. Commander
La Forge, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Worf & Q!! A-
EPISODE 21: THE DRUMHEAD(Apr. 27, 1991):
A Klingon tech who's been on board the Enterprise in an
exchange personnel program has been found to be guilty
of espionage aboard the ship!! But there's a deeper problem
that includes sabotage of the warp core!! Investigations ensue!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Commander
Riker, Counselor Troi, Lt. Worf, Captain Picard, Lt. Commander
La Forge, Lt. Commander Data & Dr. Crusher!! A
EPISODE 22: HALF A LIFE(May 4, 1991):
Dianna's mother is back!! And while the story about
her trying to woo an alien who's on board the ship,
the real story is about the reason that he's there in
the first place! His planet's sun is dying, and he's on
board because the Federation is trying to help them
re-ignite the sun!!
Even worse than all of this, the inhabitants of this planet
euthanize their elders when they reach the age of 60!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lwaxana Troi,
Captain Picard, Lt. Commander La Forge, Lt. Commander
Data, Lt. Worf, Counselor Troi, Commander Riker, Chief
O'Brien & Dr. Crusher!!
Guest starring David Ogden Stiers(M*A*S*H*)! A
EPISODE 23: THE HOST(May 11, 1991):
Beverly has a new man in her life!! What she doesn't know at
first is that he's a Trill(an entity that carries another inside them
in a symbiotic relationship, ala Dax of DS9)!! Things go horribly
wrong when the man(Odan), is killed and the entity needs another
host body!!
This is quite a strange episode, and not one that really stands out
as a "best of" for the series, at least in my mind!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander Data,
Dr. Crusher, Captain Picard, Counselor Troi, Lt. Commander
La Forge, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf & Nurse Ogawa! B+
TWO OF THE LAST 3 EPISODES OF THIS SEASON, PLUS THE FIRST
EPISODE OF SEASON 5, ARE ALL TIED IN TOGETHER AS THEY ALL
DEAL WITH A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN THE ROMULANS, THE
KLINGONS & THE FEDERATION!!
EPISODE 24: THE MIND'S EYE(May 25, 1991):
While on his way to Risa for relaxation, Geordi is intercepted
by a Romulan war bird!! He's promptly beamed off the shuttle
craft, and while he's being commandeered a Romulan who's been
physically altered to look human is put in his place on Risa!!
Purposes, unknown!!
There are several faux pas in this, the least not being the fact
that fingerprints would have been left when the chips were
switched!!(You'll understand when you watch it!!)!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander La
Forge, Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Chief O'Brien,
Lt. Commander Data, Counselor Troi & Dr. Crusher!!
Guest starring Denise Crosby as a Romulan(although you
only see her in a silhouette)!! A+
EPISODE 25: IN THEORY(June 1, 1991):
An ensign that has had a rough time with romance gets
infatuated with - ready for it - DATA!! Of course, Data sees
this as an opportunity to explore another side of the human
emotions, with little regard for the ensigns feelings!! On the
side here, things seem to be getting knocked around on the
ship, and there doesn't appear to be any reasons for them!!
This may be tied into the research that the ship's doing on
a dark matter nebula!!
Data "plays" an oboe, Keiko "plays" a clarinet!! I don't know
if either actually plays an instrument!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Commander
Data, Commander Riker, Lt. Worf, Chief O'Brien, Keiko O'Brien,
Captain Picard, Dr. Crusher, Guinan, Lt. Commander La Forge &
Counselor Troi!!
Another appearance by Spot!! A
EPISODE 26: REDEMPTION, PART 1(June 15, 1991):
This has Picard going to the Klingon home world to attend
the coronation of Gowron as the new chancellor!! As an added
plot, Picard is urging Worf to go and clear his name!!
This episode has, in order of appearance: Lt. Worf, Captain
Picard, Lt. Commander Data, Commander Riker & Guinan!!
Lt. Commander La Forge, Dr. Crusher & Counselor Troi appear
only at the very end of the episode, and don't speak!!
This has the first appearance of the sisters Duras, Lursa and
B'Etor! And the Romulan Sela(Denise Crosby) returns also, again,
only as a shadow until the very end of this episode!! A+
SPECIALS ON DISC 7
MISSION OVERVIEW: YEAR FOUR:
A review of the fourth year, with input from: Michael Pillar
(Executive Producer), Patrick Stewart(Captain Picard), John
De Lancie(Q), Jonathan Frakes(Commander Riker), Jennifer
Heetrick(Vash), Marina Sirtis(Counselor Troi), Gene Roddenberry
(Creator), Wil Wheaton(Wesley Crusher),Gates McFadden(Dr.
Crusher) & La Var Burton(Lt. Commander La Forge)!! A+
SELECTED CREW ANALYSIS: YEAR FOUR:
With input from Wil Wheaton(Ensign Crusher), Patrick
Stewart(Captain Picard), Marina Sirtis(Counselor Troi),
Jennifer Heetrick(Vash) & Jonathan Frakes(Commander
Riker)! A
DEPARTMENTAL BRIEFING - YEAR FOUR:
PRODUCTION:
With input from: Patrick Stewart(Captain Picard/Director),
Jonathan Frakes(Commander Riker/Director), David
Livingston(Director), Michael Westmore(Make-Up Designer),
Brent Spiner(Data/Dr. Soong) & Mark & Brian(KLOS Radio DJs)! A
NEW LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS:
A overview of some of the different locations used to represent
the future on the voyages!
With input from: David Livingston(Producer), Peter Lauritson
(Associate Producer), Wil Wheaton(Wesley Crusher), Mike
Okuda(Scenic Artist Supervisor) & Gary Hutzel(Visual Effects
Coordinator)! A
CHRONICLES FROM THE FINAL FRONTIER:
With input from: Ronald D. Moore(Writer), Brannon Braga
(Writer), Michael Piller(Executive Producer), Jeri Taylor(Writer),
David Livingston(Producer) & Denise Crosby(Tasha Yar/Sela)!
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