Best of Star Trek: TNG Season 2
The Five Strongest Episodes of the Next Generation's Second Year
Dec 18, 2008
On the surface, the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation doesn't look to have an auspicious start. Gates McFadden chose not to return as Dr. Crusher, the second original cast member to leave, the people who were to write the series were on strike and even when the strike ended, it cut into the production schedule so badly that only twenty full episodes could be created.
The actual run of the second season was twenty-two episodes. The extra episodes came in the form of the season finale clip show and the adaptation of a script originally written for the aborted Star Trek: Phase II. Both of these are among the worst episodes in the show's history.
Still, there were some bright spots. The enigmatic character of Guinan was created and Whoopi Goldberg brought her unique sensibilities to the role and Diana Muldair ably replaced the departed Dr. Crusher with her Doctor Pulaski character. Pulaski was reminiscent of the Dr. McCoy character from the original show, right down to an aversion to the ship's transporters.
There were also several classic episodes in the second season that are still ranked among the best episodes of all time by fans.
Elementary Dear Data
With an android pretending to be Sherlock Holmes, an African-American blind man wearing a metal band over his eyes pretending to be Watson and an accidentally sentient villain, the ridiculous becomes the sublime. A "Holodeck Gone Wrong" adventure before such things were Star Trek cliche.
A Matter of Honor
Riker winds up as second in command of a Klingon ship, thanks to an officer exchange program. Some of Riker's all time great moments happen in this episode.
The Measure of a Man
Starfleet tries to reassign Data to work with a scientist who intends to dismantle him. Picard calls for a hearing to stop the transfer and acts as Data's counsel. A conflicted Riker must act as opposing counsel or risk summary judgment against his fellow officer. Court room drama in space.
The Emissary
A part-Klingon is sent to rendezvous with with the Enterprise to help them stop a Klingon Bird of Prey who's crew has been in stasis since the last war between the Federation and the Klingons. She turns out to be a long lost love of Worf's. Klingon fun for everyone.
Q-Who
The entity Q returns to torment the crew of the Enterprise and when Picard foolishly boasts that humanity is ready for anything they might encounter in the universe, Q makes him eat his word by introducing humanity to the Borg. This episode introduces the Federation's greatest enemy and sets the table for some of the best episodes of the series.
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