What is the best season of Star Trek: The Next Generation?

The scale and the scope:

Because I needed something lighter after watching the news of the past, well, year… I’ve been re-watching my Star Trek and had the question in my mind before that. What is the best season? Below is listed every Next Generation episode by season. It contains a numbered scale rating from -2 to 2 with 0 being a neutral (meh) episode. Some episodes are better than others. Some, while considered critically excellent, had a dissatisfying ending.

For example, The Best of Both Worlds Part II was an excellent episode right until they got to the ending where they just put the Borg to sleep. For what went on in part 1 and the first 75% of that episode, it was excellent, but the ending was disappointing. It got a 1 which means it’s better than ‘meh’ but not quite up there with the first part that left us with an incredible cliff-hanger.

The list (below) is done in columns of Episode number, number in season, Title, Stardate (if interested and because I found it kinda cool to have somewhere), and, finally, Ranking.

The final results are as follows:

Season 1                            15

Season 2                            -13*              

Season 3                            29

Season 4                            29

Season 5                            24

Season 6                            30

Season 7                            29

I must admit that I’m surprised that season 6 is best. Although, I can not argue with 3, 4 and 7 being right up there. What is your opinion of this listing? We’ll talk about this on “The Reviews Are In” if you email me:

contact@cinemasavants.com

* note – many episodes of Season 2 are downgraded due to the presence of Dr. Pulaski, who was, mercifully, NOT in the introduction to the Borg episode.

Season 1

1 2	1 2	“Encounter at Farpoint“	41153.7	2
3	3	“The Naked Now“	41209.2	0
4	4	“Code of Honor“	41235.25	0
5	5	“The Last Outpost“	41386.4	0
6	6	“Where No One Has Gone Before“	41263.1	2
7	7	“Lonely Among Us“	41249.3	1
8	8	“Justice“	41255.6	0
9	9	“The Battle“	41723.9	1
10	10	“Hide and Q“	41590.5	1
11	11	“Haven“	41294.5	0
12	12	“The Big Goodbye“	41997.7	0
13	13	“Datalore“	41242.4	2
14	14	“Angel One“	41636.9	0
15	15	“11001001“	41365.9	1
16	16	“Too Short a Season“	41309.5	0
17	17	“When the Bough Breaks“	41509.1	0
18	18	“Home Soil“	41463.9	0
19	19	“Coming of Age“	41416.2	0
20	20	“Heart of Glory“	41503.7	0
21	21	“The Arsenal of Freedom“	41798.2	1
22	22	“Symbiosis“	Unknown	0
23	23	“Skin of Evil“	41601.3	1
24	24	“We’ll Always Have Paris“	41697.9	0
25	25	“Conspiracy“	41775.5	2
26	26	“The Neutral Zone“	41986.0	1

Season 2

27	1	“The Child“	42073.1	-1
28	2	“Where Silence Has Lease“	42193.6	-1
29	3	“Elementary, Dear Data“	42286.3	0
30	4	“The Outrageous Okona“	42402.7	-1
31	5	“Loud as a Whisper“	42477.2	-1
32	6	“The Schizoid Man“	42437.5	-1
33	7	“Unnatural Selection“	42494.8	-2
34	8	“A Matter of Honor“	42506.5	0
35	9	“The Measure of a Man“	42523.7	0
36	10	“The Dauphin“	42568.8	0
37	11	“Contagion“	42609.1	-2
38	12	“The Royale“	42625.4	-2
39	13	“Time Squared“	42679.2	-1
40	14	“The Icarus Factor“	42686.4	-1
41	15	“Pen Pals“	42695.3	-1
42	16	“Q Who“	42761.3	2
43	17	“Samaritan Snare“	42779.1	1
44	18	“Up the Long Ladder“	42823.2	0
45	19	“Manhunt“	42859.2	0
46	20	“The Emissary“	42901.3	0
47	21	“Peak Performance“	42923.4	0
48	22	“Shades of Gray“	42976.1	0

Season 3

50[nb 1]	1	“Evolution“	43125.8	1
49	2	“The Ensigns of Command“	43133.3	1
51	3	“The Survivors“	43152.4	2
52	4	“Who Watches the Watchers“	43173.5	2
53	5	“The Bonding“	43198.7	1
54	6	“Booby Trap“	43205.6	2
55	7	“The Enemy“	43349.2	1
56	8	“The Price“	43385.6	0
57	9	“The Vengeance Factor“	43421.9	1
58	10	“The Defector“	43462.5	1
59	11	“The Hunted“	43489.2	1
60	12	“The High Ground“	43510.7	1
61	13	“Déjà Q“	43539.1	1
62	14	“A Matter of Perspective“	43610.4	1
63	15	“Yesterday’s Enterprise“	43625.2	2
64	16	“The Offspring“	43657.0	1
65	17	“Sins of the Father“	43685.2	1
66	18	“Allegiance“	43714.1	2
67	19	“Captain’s Holiday“	43745.2	0
68	20	“Tin Man“	43779.3	2
69	21	“Hollow Pursuits“	43807.4	1
70	22	“The Most Toys“	43872.2	-1
71	23	“Sarek“	43917.4	2
72	24	“Ménage à Troi“	43930.7	1
73	25	“Transfigurations“	43957.2	2
74	26	“The Best of Both Worlds, Part I“	43989.1	2

Season 4

75	1	“The Best of Both Worlds, Part II“	44001.4	1
76	2	“Family“	44012.3	1
77	3	“Brothers“	44085.7	2
78	4	“Suddenly Human“	44143.7	1
79	5	“Remember Me“	44161.2	2
80	6	“Legacy“	44215.2	1
81	7	“Reunion“	44246.3	2
82	8	“Future Imperfect“	44286.5	1
83	9	“Final Mission“	44307.3	0
84	10	“The Loss“	44356.9	0
85	11	“Data’s Day“	44390.1	2
86	12	“The Wounded“	44429.6	2
87	13	“Devil’s Due“	44474.5	0
88	14	“Clues“	44502.7	2
89	15	“First Contact“	44575.2	1
90	16	“Galaxy’s Child“	44614.6	2
91	17	“Night Terrors“	44631.2	2
92	18	“Identity Crisis“	44664.5	2
93	19	“The Nth Degree“	44704.2	0
94	20	“Qpid“	44741.9	0
95	21	“The Drumhead“	44769.2	1
96	22	“Half a Life“	44805.3	1
97	23	“The Host“	44821.3	1
98	24	“The Mind’s Eye“	44885.5	1
99	25	“In Theory“	44932.3	1
100	26	“Redemption, Part I“	44995.3	2

Season 5

101	1	“Redemption, Part II“	45021.3	0
102	2	“Darmok“	45047.2	2
103	3	“Ensign Ro“	45076.3	0
104	4	“Silicon Avatar“	45122.3	1
105	5	“Disaster“	45156.1	1
106	6	“The Game“	45208.2	0
107	7	“Unification, Part I“	45233.1	2
108	8	“Unification, Part II“	45245.8	2
109	9	“A Matter of Time“	45349.1	2
110	10	“New Ground“	45376.3	1
111	11	“Hero Worship“	45397.3	1
112	12	“Violations“	45429.3	2
113	13	“The Masterpiece Society“	45470.1	0
114	14	“Conundrum“	45494.2	0
115	15	“Power Play“	45571.2	0
116	16	“Ethics“	45587.3	1
117	17	“The Outcast“	45614.6	1
118	18	“Cause and Effect“	45652.1	2
119	19	“The First Duty“	45703.9	1
120	20	“Cost of Living“	45733.6	1
121	21	“The Perfect Mate“	45761.3	1
122	22	“Imaginary Friend“	45852.1	2
123	23	“I, Borg“	45854.2	2
124	24	“The Next Phase“	45892.4	0
125	25	“The Inner Light“	45944.1	0
126	26	“Time’s Arrow, Part I“	45959.1	1

Season 6

127	1	“Time’s Arrow, Part II“	46001.3	0
128	2	“Realm of Fear“	46041.1	1
129	3	“Man of the People“	46071.6	1
130	4	“Relics“	46125.3	2
131	5	“Schisms“	46154.2	2
132	6	“True Q“	46192.3	1
133	7	“Rascals“	46235.7	1
134	8	“A Fistful of Datas“	46271.5	0
135	9	“The Quality of Life“	46315.2	1
136	10	“Chain of Command, Part I“	46357.4	2
137	11	“Chain of Command, Part II“	46360.8	2
138	12	“Ship in a Bottle“	46424.1	1
139	13	“Aquiel“	46461.3	2
140	14	“Face of the Enemy“	46519.1	1
141	15	“Tapestry“	Unknown	2
142	16	“Birthright, Part I“	46578.4	2
143	17	“Birthright, Part II“	46579.2	0
144	18	“Starship Mine“	46682.4	1
145	19	“Lessons“	46693.1	1
146	20	“The Chase“	46731.5	2
147	21	“Frame of Mind“	46778.1	1
148	22	“Suspicions“	46830.1	1
149	23	“Rightful Heir“	46852.2	1
150	24	“Second Chances“	46915.2	1
151	25	“Timescape“	46944.2	1
152	26	“Descent, Part I“	46982.1	2

Season 7

153	1	“Descent, Part II“	47025.4	2
154	2	“Liaisons“	Unknown	1
155	3	“Interface“	47215.5	1
156	4	“Gambit, Part I“	47135.2	2
157	5	“Gambit, Part II“	47160.1	0
158	6	“Phantasms“	47225.7	1
159	7	“Dark Page“	47254.1	1
160	8	“Attached“	47304.2	1
161	9	“Force of Nature“	47310.2	1
162	10	“Inheritance“	47410.2	1
163	11	“Parallels“	47391.2	2
164	12	“The Pegasus“	47457.1	2
165	13	“Homeward“	47423.9	1
166	14	“Sub Rosa“	Unknown	1
167	15	“Lower Decks“	47566.7	2
168	16	“Thine Own Self“	47611.2	1
169	17	“Masks“	47615.2-47618.4	1
170	18	“Eye of the Beholder“	47622.1	1
171	19	“Genesis“	47653.2	1
172	20	“Journey’s End“	47751.2	1
173	21	“Firstborn“	47779.4	1
174	22	“Bloodlines“	47829.1	2
175	23	“Emergence“	47869.2	1
176	24	“Preemptive Strike“	47941.7	1
177 178	25 26	“All Good Things…“	47988	2 2