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#Algernon_Asimov's guide to 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'
I've compiled an episode guides for 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. This shows major milestones and character development - hopefully without giving away too many spoilers.
Whether you want to track the development of Worf during Next Generation, or skip the Wesley-heavy episodes, this is the page for you!
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Season 1
| Episode | Title | Key points / milestones | Characters featured | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Encounter at Farpoint | Captain Picard takes command of the Enterprise-D. The new crew faces a dilemma at Farpoint Station, and an unknown adversary called "Q". | All | Engage! |
| 3 | The Naked Now | The Enterprise crew is infected with a virus which causes drunk-like symptoms. Data proves himself "fully functional" to Tasha. | All | meh |
| 4 | Code of Honor | The leader of the Ligonians wants Yar as a wife. A fight to the death ensues between Yar and the Ligonian's First Wife. | Yar | Avoid |
| 5 | The Last Outpost | The Enterprise deals with some Ferengi, and both get caught on a random planet. Introduction of the Ferengi. | meh | |
| 6 | Where No One Has Gone Before | A Starfleet engineer arrives to upgrade the Enterprise's engines. We meet the Traveller. Picard appoints Wesley an Acting Ensign. | Wesley Traveller | Engage! |
| 7 | Lonely Among Us | An energy creature takes over various Enterprise crew. | Avoid | |
| 8 | Justice | Paradise has thorns. Wesley is sentenced to death. | meh | |
| 9 | The Battle | The Ferengi present Picard with the wreckage of his old ship, the USS Stargazer. | Picard | Engage! |
| 10 | Hide and Q | Q returns, and gives Riker the power of the Q. | Q Riker | Just for fun |
| 11 | Haven | Troi has to fulfil her duty - an arranged marriage. First appearance of Lwaxana Troi (Deanna's mother). | Troi Lwaxana | meh |
| 12 | The Big Goodbye | Picard plays detective Dixon Hill on the holodeck. Naturally, the holodeck malfunctions. | Picard | Just for fun |
| 13 | Datalore | The Enterprise crew find another android, identical to Data: his "brother", Lore. Some background on Data. | Data Lore | Engage! |
| 14 | Angel One | Riker has some sexy time in a female-dominated society. | Riker | Avoid |
| 15 | 11001001 | The crew has some downtime while the Bynars upgrade the Enterprise computer. Riker creates a fantasy woman on the holodeck: Minuet. | Riker | Just for fun |
| 16 | Too Short a Season | The Federaton negotiator, Admiral Jameson, seems to be getting younger... | Avoid | |
| 17 | When the Bough Breaks | The Aldeans kidnap some children from the Enterprise during negotiations. | Wesley | meh |
| 18 | Home Soil | Terraformers discover unexpected life on a supposedly barren planet. | Just for fun | |
| 19 | Coming of Age | Wesley sits the exams to enter Starfleet Academy, while an Admiral is investigating the Enterprise. | Wesley Picard | Engage! |
| 20 | Heart of Glory | Enterprise takes some Klingons on board. Lots of background on Worf. | Worf | Engage! |
| 21 | The Arsenal of Freedom | An automated weapons-selling demo. LaForge in command. Picard and Crusher have a moment. | LaForge Picard Crusher | Just for fun |
| 22 | Symbiosis | Two planets and their medicine trade tests the Prime Directive. Worst anti-drug speech EVER. | Picard Crusher | meh |
| 23 | Skin of Evil | Data learns about grief after a crew member dies on an away mission. | Data | meh |
| 24 | We'll Always Have Paris | Picard meets an old flame, while experiments with non-linear time go awry. | meh | |
| 25 | Conspiracy | Picard investigates a conspiracy at the top levels of Starfleet. | Engage! | |
| 26 | The Neutral Zone | The Enterprise is sent to investigate what is destroying outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone. Three humans from 20thC are unfrozen. | Engage! |
Season 2
| Episode | Title | Key points / milestones | Characters featured | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Child | Troi gets impregnated by an alien. Staff changes: Dr Crusher gone, Dr Pulaski arrives; Worf is Chief of Security; LaForge becomes Chief Engineer; Guinan runs Ten-Forward; Riker grows a beard. Data: "One is my name; the other is not." Uniform change: no collar stripes. | Troi | meh |
| 2 | Where Silence Has Lease | A curious energy entity toys with the Enterprise. Musings on death. | Just for fun | |
| 3 | Elementary, Dear Data | LaForge challenges the holodeck to create an adversary to match Data's Sherlock Holmes. It does: Moriarty. | Data Moriarty | Engage! |
| 4 | The Outrageous Okona | A charming rogue inspires Data to investigate comedy. | Data | Just for fun |
| 5 | Loud As A Whisper | Troi is attracted to a deaf negotiator. | Troi | meh |
| 6 | The Schizoid Man | The man who mentored Dr Noonian Soong, Data's creator, tries to take over Data's body. This is the only time we see Doctor Selar. | Data | Engage! |
| 7 | Unnatural Selection | Pulaski catches an old-age disease from genetically engineered children. The Transporter Chief, who we've seen five times before, finally gets a name: O'Brien. | Pulaski | meh |
| 8 | A Matter of Honor | Riker serves aboard a Klingon ship. | Riker | Engage! |
| 9 | The Measure of a Man | A hearing to determine Data's personhood. Widely acknowledged as the best episode of the first two seasons of TNG, and one of the best of the series. | Data Picard | Engage! |
| 10 | The Dauphin | Wesley falls in love with a girl who's destined to rule a planet. | Wesley | Avoid |
| 11 | Contagion | Enterprise infected by a computer virus. Discover Iconian gateways. First mention of 'Earl Grey'. | Just for fun | |
| 12 | The Royale | Crew discovers a real-life replica of a hotel from an old book. | Riker | Avoid |
| 13 | Time Squared | A duplicate Picard from six hours in the future arrives and "present" Picard must prevent the destruction of the Enterprise. | Picard | Engage! |
| 14 | The Icarus Factor | Riker is offered a promotion. His estranged father visits. Worf celebrates anniversary of his Rite of Ascension. | Riker Worf | Just for fun. |
| 15 | Pen Pals | Data corresponds with a young girl from a doomed planet. Prime Directive. | Data | Engage! |
| 16 | Q Who | Q transports Enterprise to meet... the Borg! | Picard Guinan Q | Engage! |
| 17 | Samaritan Snare | Picard and Wesley bond while on a shuttle together. Enterprise and Pakleds. | Picard Wesley | Just for fun |
| 18 | Up The Long Ladder | ~~Irish~~ Bringloidi refugees help a colony of clones. | Avoid | |
| 19 | Manhunt | Lwaxana has a hyperactive sex-drive, and is looking for a man. Picard hides in the Dixon Hill holodeck program. | Lwaxana | Just for fun |
| 20 | The Emissary | Worf meets an old flame, K'Ehleyr, and old feelings re-ignite. | Worf | Engage! |
| 21 | Peak Performance | Picard versus Riker in war games. Data out-competes someone in a table-top game: "I 'busted him up'!" | Data Riker | Just for fun |
| 22 | Shades of Grey | Worst! Episode! Ever! Due to a writers' strike: a clip show. | Riker | AVOID! |