C6 | TNG Season 2

Season 2

We can do this! We're over half-way through the episodes in Seasons 1 and 2!

In TNG's second season, we have some updates and changes. Geordi La Forge has been promoted to Lieutenant. He is now the Chief Engineer and wears a gold uniform. Worf has been made the new security chief, and he also has switched to a gold uniform. A few episodes into the season, Miles O'Brien will finally be referred to by name for the first time. Now, his rank insignia is going to be all over the place, so we're just going to ignore it, okay? Canonically, he is an enlisted man.

We also have a new shrew of a Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Katherine Pulaski. The reason behind this is because of some unpleasant business between showrunner Maurice Hurley and actor Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher), but don't worry, Hurley will be replaced in Season 3, and Gates will be brought back to play Dr. Crusher for the rest of the series.

The Ten Forward set is new, and it brings with it a mysterious new bartender named Guinan. She'll make appearances in a total of 28 episodes of TNG, 2 movies, and 5 more episodes of Star Trek: Picard. There's also some set updates on the bridge, including a new captain's chair and replacement of the brown wall panels. Most importantly, of course, is that Riker has grown a beard and will keep it for the remainder of the series.

This season has some memorable and important episodes in it, like “The Measure of a Man” and “Q Who”. I'd dare to say that it's a slight improvement over Season 1, but there are still some real stinkers in here. I have marked five episodes in this entire series as “Notably Bad”, and three of them are in Season 2.

Troi, cradling a spark of light, with a tear in her eye

2x01	Original Air Date 21 Nov 1988	Series Episode 26	Franchise Episode 127
The Child
After being impregnated by a strange life force, Troi gives birth to a son who grows rapidly. B-plot: The Enterprise transports some highly-dangerous cargo.

🙅‍♀️	Troi sexually assaulted
🤸‍♂️	Riker Maneuver: at just over a minute in, when Riker enters the ready room. And a minute later, in reverse, when he leaves!
⬆	Level-Up: La Forge promoted to Lieutenant (off screen)
🙋‍♀️	First appearance of Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan.
“	One is my name. The other is not. — Data, on the pronunciation of his name.

	Thoughts: This is the first of six stories where Troi is somehow sexually assaulted. Now, there might not have been any literal “sex” this time, but being impregnated against one's will is certainly still a violation. It's always poor Troi, never any of the other female characters, and definitely never the male characters. But, hey, it's the 80s, am I right? [Oops, correction: I forgot that Riker was sexually assaulted in TNG 4x23: The Host, but they don't treat it like an assault. Nah, that's just awesome sex-having, am I right? (reaches out for a high-five)]

	Watch Recommendation: We learn absolutely nothing about whatever this being is, and we'll never hear from it again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.5
SF Debris rating:	1
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	7
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.0	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

A strange face calling itself 'Nagilum' appearing on the viewscreen

2x02	Original Air Date 28 Nov 1988	Series Episode 27	Franchise Episode 128
Where Silence Has Lease
When investigating a “hole in space”, the Enterprise becomes trapped inside, at the mercy of a being called “Nagilum”.

💥	Self-Destruct Activation
🎶	Classical Music Selection: The music Picard listens to in his quarters is Erik Satie's 1^ère Gymnopédie.
🎤	Patented Picard Speech: “Some see [death] as a changing into an indestructible form, forever unchanging. They believe that the purpose of the entire universe is to then maintain that form in an Earth-like garden which will give delight and pleasure through all eternity. On the other hand, there are those who hold to the idea of our blinking into nothingness, with all our experiences, hopes and dreams merely a delusion. Considering the marvelous complexity of our universe, its clockwork perfection, its balances of this against that, matter, energy, gravitation, time, dimension, I believe that our existence must be more than either of these philosophies. That what we are goes beyond Euclidian and other practical measuring systems and that our existence is part of a reality beyond what we understand now as reality.”
“	Yes, absolutely. I do indeed concur, wholeheartedly! — Riker, regarding his agreement in aborting the self-destruct sequence.

	Thoughts: Are you familiar with the “trolley problem”? There are five people tied down to the track, and the trolley is going to hit and kill them. You can throw a switch to divert the trolley to another track, where only one person is tied down. Do you throw the switch? This is supposed to spark philosophical discussion about the value of a life and the implications of deciding who dies versus non-interference. Here, Picard decides to run over the five people, back up, throw the switch, and also run over the sixth person... just so the evil person who tied all the people to these tracks won't get the satisfaction of running his experiment. I understand that the idea is to go out quickly on their own terms versus allowing cruel and painful experiments to be performed via lottery – I suppose that is worth some discussion of its own – but there is no attempt at diplomacy or negotiation, and no attempt at resistance or to fight back. They just... give up. I really don't think this has quite the philosophical impact the writers thought it did.
	Nitpickery: What is a “hole in space”? Space is, by definition, nothing. It is the absence of matter in the vast stretches between planets, stars, and galaxies. This anomaly seems to be quite the opposite of a “hole” – it is something where nothing should be.

	Watch Recommendation: I'm not going to recommend this one, but if you want to see if there's some great philosophy to be discussed here, please be my guest. We'll never hear from “Nagilum” again.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.7
SF Debris rating:	8
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	5.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

2x03	Original Air Date 5 Dec 1988	Series Episode 28	Franchise Episode 129
Elementary, Dear Data
When La Forge and Pulaski test Data's ability to solve a Holmes-style mystery on the holodeck, they unwittingly unleash a true holographic foe.

🟨	Holodeck episode
🙋‍♂️	Daniel Davis as James Moriarty will appear once more in TNG 6x12: Ship in a Bottle, and he'll make a cameo appearance in PIC 3x06: The Bounty.

	Thoughts: I will take this opportunity to say this once and get it out of the way: I suggest that we don't think too much about how the holodeck works. It's frequently stated that holographic matter cannot exist outside of the holodeck, but it was also established early in this series that some of the material created on the holodeck is replicated, “real” matter. Indeed, we've seen Wesley come out of the holodeck dripping wet with holographic water, and he once threw a snowball through the doors, hitting Picard in the hallway. Even in this very episode, Moriarty makes a drawing on holographic paper which Data takes with him out of the holodeck and to the conference room. So, just try to roll with it and enjoy the show.

	Watch Recommendation: This is a classic and memorable holodeck-malfunction story, and it's certainly worth your time. I'm marking this as “Recommended”.

My rating:	★★★ ★☆ ☆		Watch Recommendation ✔︎ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 6.4
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDb rating:	7.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

2x04	Original Air Date 12 Dec 1988	Series Episode 29	Franchise Episode 130
The Outrageous Okona
While carrying a roguish man named Okona, the Enterprise crew find themselves caught between two opposing demands for Okona's return. B-plot: Data tries to better understand humor.

🙋‍♂️	Billy Campbell as Thadiun Okona will appear again in PRO 1x14: Crossroads.

	Watch Recommendation: The A-plot is stupid, and the B-plot is actually painful to watch. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 2.4
SF Debris rating:	1
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	1
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Riva and the three members of his chorus

2x05	Original Air Date 9 Jan 1989	Series Episode 30	Franchise Episode 131
Loud as a Whisper
The Enterprise transports a deaf diplomat named Riva who has a unique way of communicating.

“	This is blue. This is a blue ocean. This is a blue ocean at sunset. This is two people walking along the beach by a blue ocean at sunset... — Data

	Watch Recommendation: This is a good story and it's enjoyable to watch, but I'm afraid that it isn't terribly important to the overall series, and we'll never hear from Riva or this planet again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.9
SF Debris rating:	5
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	4.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Data speaking over the remains of Ira Graves

2x06	Original Air Date 23 Jan 1989	Series Episode 31	Franchise Episode 132
The Schizoid Man
When the Enterprise rushes to aid one of the Federation's greatest minds in cybernetics, Data takes an interest in the dying man.

“	Women aren't people, they're women. — Ira Graves. I knew Gene Roddenberry wasn't very progressive in his views on women, but now we're just saying it out loud!
🎤	Patented Picard Speech: “He must not be lost. He's not simply an android. He's a life form, entirely unique. He is different, yes. But that does not make him expendable, or any less significant. No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another.”

	Watch Recommendation: Graves is annoying. Thankfully we'll never speak of him again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.7
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	3
Normalized IMDb rating:	5.1	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

An aged Pulaski speaking to Picard over the viewscreen

2x07	Original Air Date 30 Jan 1989	Series Episode 32	Franchise Episode 133
Unnatural Selection
The Enterprise investigates when a group of geneticists, who have engineered “advanced” children, suddenly start aging rapidly.

🙋‍♂️	Colm Meany finally gets a name for his character in this episode: Chief O'Brien.

	Watch Recommendation: Nothing special here, and it doesn't have any real impact on the rest of the series. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.5
SF Debris rating:	3
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	4.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Riker on a Klingon bridge, under the watchful eye of its commander

2x08	Original Air Date 6 Feb 1989	Series Episode 33	Franchise Episode 134
A Matter of Honor
While serving on a Klingon ship as part of an officer exchange program, Riker's loyalties are challenged when the Klingon captain suspects the Enterprise of sabotaging his vessel.

🍝	This episode makes the first mentions of several Klingon dishes that will be seen again throughout the franchise, most notably gagh.

	Watch Recommendation: This episode gives us an important look into Klingon culture and Riker's impressive willingness and ability to navigate such an alien lifestyle. I'm marking this as “Recommended”.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✔︎ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 6.3
SF Debris rating:	5
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	8
Normalized IMDb rating:	7.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Picard and Data sitting at a table in a courtroom

2x09	Original Air Date 13 Feb 1989	Series Episode 34	Franchise Episode 135
The Measure of a Man
When Data is ordered to submit to disassembly and testing, Picard challenges the order, leading to Data's rights as an individual being decided in a courtroom.

🌌	Iconic episode
⚖️	Courtroom episode
	Vice-Admiral Pips: Pips are awarded to episodes that are the most stand-out, representative examples of the series as a whole.
“	Consider that in the history of many worlds there have always been disposable creatures. They do the dirty work. They do the work that no one else wants to do because it's too difficult, or too hazardous. And an army of Datas, all disposable... you don't have to think about their welfare, you don't think about how they feel. Whole generations of disposable people. — Guinan
🎤	Patented Picard Speech: “Your Honor, a courtroom is a crucible. In it, we burn away irrelevancies until we are left with a pure product: the truth, for all time. Now, sooner or later, this man or others like him will succeed in replicating Commander Data. And the decision you reach here today will determine how we will regard this creation of our genius. It will reveal the kind of a people we are, what he is destined to be. It will reach far beyond this courtroom and this one android. It could significantly redefine the boundaries of personal liberty and freedom, expanding them for some, savagely curtailing them for others. Are you prepared to condemn him and all who come after him to servitude and slavery? Your Honor, Starfleet was founded to seek out new life. Well, there it sits. Waiting. You wanted a chance to make law. Well, here it is. Make a good one.” ▼ Keep Reading ▼

	Thoughts: This is certainly an iconic episode of TNG, often highly-rated and often discussed and touted as one of the series' best episodes. And here I am, writing a long opinion about what's wrong with it... but there's just so much lunacy around the procedures and the very premise of this legal battle. First, let's acknowledge that I am not a lawyer, but let us also acknowledge that this episode does not provide us with enough information to truly analyze the legal merits of the fictional “Acts of Cumberland” on which Louvois based her original ruling. Nor do we have access to any other case law or precedent that may have been established in this fictional universe. We have only what is presented to us in the episode, which is obviously not enough for anyone to evaluate the in-universe validity of any of the arguments made here, on either side. But I'm still going to try. Louvois rules that 1) Data is the property of Starfleet, 2) Data cannot resign, and 3) Data cannot refuse to cooperate with Maddox. This is wrought with problems. First, assertions 1 and 2 are absolutely incompatible. If Data is the property of Starfleet, then the second assertion must be “Data should not have been given a Starfleet commission in the first place”, not that he “can't resign”. One could argue that Starfleet has already decided on the matter of whether Data is property: No, because Starfleet property is not permitted to attend the academy and earn a commission. Either Data has the right to resign just as any other commissioned officer does, or Starfleet was wrong to give him a commission in the first place. Further, on what legal basis does Starfleet claim ownership of Data? The “Finders Keepers” Act of 2252? This is where we get into a bit of a grey area since, again, we don't have 24th-century law books to study. But if the Federation's laws are anything like today's laws, then if Data is anyone's property, he would be the property of his creator, Noonien Soong. It's unclear what Soong's status is at this point, but even if he is presumed dead, then Data would be the property of Soong's estate. There is no indication that Soong would have bequeathed Data to Starfleet – in fact, in a later episode, we find that Soong was actually a bit disappointed about Data choosing to join Starfleet. So, again, I really have to wonder what Starfleet's claim of ownership is based on. It certainly can't be that “Data chose to join Starfleet, therefore Starfleet owns Data” because those two statements are antithetical! So let's get to the procedural aspect. Picard objects to Louvois' ruling, so she is forced to hold a hearing, but she is understaffed. Lucky for us, there is a completely asinine procedure for just such an event! Picard gets to serve as the defense because he is the ship's captain, not because he's the one who issued the challenge. And Riker is forced into “prosecuting” the case just because he's the next most senior officer, even though he firmly sides with the captain's (and Data's) position. sigh Okay, first of all, there is no “prosecution” here because this is not a criminal case. Second, and most obviously, if you're understaffed and don't have legal experts to serve as counsel, you don't just force military officers into the roles for the sake of procedure. Riker representing Maddox is insane – Riker is no more a legal expert than Maddox, so why doesn't Maddox just represent himself? He'd be better off, since Riker doesn't believe in his cause, anyway. None of this makes any sense. But we will plod on. Riker has Data bend a thick metal rod. Picard rightfully objects on the basis that Data's strength has nothing to do with anything, but he's overruled by Louvois who inspects the bent rod as if it is crucial evidence. Next, Riker wants to remove Data's arm. The captain again objects, but then withdrawals the objection before even articulating it. Seriously though, is there some case law that says, “If it can bend a metal rod, it's property. If you can remove its arm, it's property”? None of this has anything to do with the issue at hand. Thankfully, Picard gets this hearing back on the rails. He concedes that Data is a machine that was created by a human, and rightfully reminds everyone in the room that those facts have no bearing on these proceedings. It's Picard's talk with Guinan along with his impassioned speech to the court that provide a meaningful emotional component to the episode and help to make up for any of its previous shortcomings. ▼ Keep Reading ▼

	Watch Recommendation: Regarded as the first great episode of TNG, this is absolutely a “Must Watch”.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation 🕶︎ Must Watch	FINAL SCORE 8.6
SF Debris rating:	9
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	9
Normalized IMDb rating:	9.4	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Wesley and young woman enjoying an asteroid belt on the holodeck

2x10	Original Air Date 20 Feb 1989	Series Episode 35	Franchise Episode 136
The Dauphin
Wesley falls for a young world leader who isn't what she seems.

🤸‍♂️	Riker Maneuver: at about 15 minutes in, when Riker sits at a table in Ten Forward with Wesley and Guinan.
“	Shut up, kid. [To Riker]Tell me more about my eyes. — Guinan, when Wesley interrupts Riker's flattery.

	Watch Recommendation: Eh, nothing too special here. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.0
SF Debris rating:	3
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	2
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

2x11	Original Air Date 20 Mar 1989	Series Episode 36	Franchise Episode 137
Contagion
When investigating systems failures on its sister ship which was investigating the fabled Iconian Empire, the Enterprise starts to experience failures, as well. Flying dangerously in the neutral zone, “nose to nose” with a Romulan battleship, they must find the cause before time runs out.

☕	First time Picard requests his iconic beverage order: Tea, Earl Grey, hot.
⏻	Have you tried turning it off and on again?
🔗	Another Iconian gateway will be discovered by the Jem'Hadar in DS9 4x23: To the Death.

	Nitpickery: Troi suggests to Picard that they should withdraw out of the Neutral Zone. Picard says, “If it is a design flaw, we're better to stay where we are and give Geordi time to work on it, or what happened to the Yamato could happen to us.” Huh? Well, that doesn't make any sense. The Yamato wasn't trying to go anywhere, either, so it seems like staying still isn't the best way to prevent disaster. It would make more sense to retreat to Federation space and perhaps start evacuating non-essential personnel. I mean, sure, that would have ruined the story... Also, why does Picard keep asking Worf about the timing of the gateway like he's a damn clock?

	Watch Recommendation: This is a pretty decent episode for Season 2. I'm going to mark it as “Recommended” even if it isn't terribly important to the overall series.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation ✔︎ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 7.5
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	8
Normalized IMDb rating:	6.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Riker, Data, and Worf entering a hotel/casino

2x12	Original Air Date 27 Mar 1989	Series Episode 37	Franchise Episode 138
The Royale
When investigating the remains of a derelict NASA vessel, an away team finds what appears to be a 20th-century hotel casino on an alien planet's surface.

“	They could not possibly know the hell they have put me through, for it was such a badly-written book, filled with endless cliché and shallow characters. I shall welcome death when it comes. — Col. S. Richey's journal, unintentionally echoing my own feelings.

	Thoughts: Did no one – no one – think for one half of a second that the premise, “a badly-written book”, might be a self-fulfilling prophecy about the success of the episode? And really, could they not have afforded a special effects shot to make it look like they really are stuck in the casino instead of just walking in a full circle through the revolving door like they don't know how to use it properly?

	Watch Recommendation: There are 11 episodes with a final score lower than this one, and I only marked the lowest 4 as “Notably Bad”, but I'm giving this episode the same distinction. It's boring, it's slow, the hotel décor is hideous, and all the characters feel like they came out of a badly-written book. OH WAIT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THEY CAME FROM!

My rating:	★☆☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✖︎ Notably Bad	FINAL SCORE 2.5
SF Debris rating:	2
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	4.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Worf, Riker, and Pulaski observing an unconscious Picard in a shuttlecraft

2x13	Original Air Date 3 Apr 1989	Series Episode 38	Franchise Episode 139
Time Squared
Mystery abounds when the Enterprise finds a duplicate of one of their shuttles – carrying a duplicate of Captain Picard.

🕖	Time Hijinks episode

	Thoughts: Mmm, eggs and ale. What time is it? Riker cooks boozy breakfast, saying that the replicator doesn't allow for “flair or individuality”, and then proceeds to serve plain scrambled eggs with nothing else, not even a pinch of salt or some butter to keep them from sticking to the pan. Remind me to decline any future brunch invitations with the senior staff. Anyway, there are so many unanswered questions in this episode. Why was the shuttle thrown back in time? Why was everything reversed (the shuttle's power requirements and future-Picard's reaction to stimulants and sedatives)? Why did flying through the vortex allow them to escape? What was the instinctual consciousness behind the vortex? Why didn't Riker season his eggs?? I think it's the job of a good storyteller to not just raise questions and evoke mystery, but to have some meaning and purpose behind those elements instead of just throwing up their hands at the end and saying “I guess we'll never know!”
	Nitpickery: “Captain's Log, supplemental. We have apparently intersected with... something.” Wow, Picard. That must be how you got to be captain. Such detailed, scientific recordkeeping!

	Watch Recommendation: Compared to the other episodes in Seasons 1 and 2, this one actually seems like a decent time-bending story, until you realize that it doesn't really have a great resolution. Give it a watch, if you like, but I'm not giving it a recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.9
SF Debris rating:	6
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	6
Normalized IMDb rating:	6.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Riker and his father, in red and white protective sports gear, about to do combat

2x14	Original Air Date 24 Apr 1989	Series Episode 39	Franchise Episode 140
The Icarus Factor
Riker is offered captaincy of a ship, but he's knocked off balance when his father comes on board. B-plot: Worf is despondent and feels isolated from his native Klingon culture.


	Watch Recommendation: It's two rather unremarkable stories. We'll never hear from Riker's father again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.0
SF Debris rating:	3
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	2
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Data and a young girl speaking in her room

2x15	Original Air Date 1 May 1989	Series Episode 40	Franchise Episode 141
Pen Pals
Data inadvertently makes contact with a young girl on a doomed planet, sparking a debate about the Prime Directive. B-plot: Wesley navigates the challenges of command when he's put in charge of a team performing planetary mineral surveys.

🤸‍♂️	Riker Maneuver: at about 19 minutes in, both Riker and Wesley perform the maneuver when sitting in Ten Forward.

	Thoughts: Is that man at the bar in Ten Forward okay? That smile is creepy as hell.

	Watch Recommendation: It's an average episode that doesn't have much impact on the rest of the series. No recommendation here.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.4
SF Debris rating:	6
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDb rating:	4.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Worf firing his phaser at a Borg in Engineering

2x16	Original Air Date 8 May 1989	Series Episode 41	Franchise Episode 142
Q Who
Q hurls the Enterprise light-years away, forcing an encounter with a powerful new enemy: The Borg.

Q	Q episode
🤖	The very first Borg episode
🔗	This episode confirms that the Borg were responsible for the destruction of the outposts along the Neutral Zone in TNG 1x26: The Neutral Zone.
“	Con permiso, capitán. The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged, it's now time to see if you can dance. — Q If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross, but it's not for the timid. — Q
	Admiral Pips: Pips are awarded to episodes that are the most stand-out, representative examples of the series as a whole.

	Thoughts: The show hasn't exactly nailed down what the Borg are yet, and there will be some inconsistencies with future episodes. Q says, “not a he, not a she”, but we know that the Borg drones are assimilated from other species, some of which must have sex distinctions. I suppose he may be referring to the fact that, once assimilated, the Borg have no use for sex because that is not how they reproduce, but later in the episode, Riker finds a “Borg nursery” and posits that the Borg are “born” and then begin receiving implants almost immediately. This is retconned later – the Borg are not “born”, but they do sometimes assimilate infants.
	Nitpickery: There's a lot I could nitpick here, but I've settled on this: When the Enterprise is being held by the Borg tractor beam, they actually have some success in damaging the Borg ship with their phasers. Later, when they are running from the Borg cube, Riker orders “Arm the photon torpedoes.” After firing, Worf reports that the torpedoes had no effect. A very short time later, Riker again says “Arm the photon torpedoes.” After another volley, Worf again reports that the Borg cube was not damaged. The Borg manage to force the Enterprise out of warp, at which point Riker says “Lock on photon torpedoes” and confirms the order despite Data's warning that torpedoes would endanger the Enterprise since they've lost their shields. WHY does Riker keep insisting on trying this failed strategy? Maybe try the phasers again? At least THEY had some effect!

	Watch Recommendation: This is most definitely an essential Trek episode. It's a “Must Watch” and it's the second TNG episode on the “Bare Minimum” list, after the series premiere.

My rating:	★★★★ ★☆		Watch Recommendation 🕶︎ ‼︎ Must Watch Bare Minimum	FINAL SCORE 8.4
SF Debris rating:	8
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	7
Normalized IMDb rating:	9.0	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Geordi speaking with several of the Pakleds

2x17	Original Air Date 15 May 1989	Series Episode 42	Franchise Episode 143
Samaritan Snare
La Forge is conned into helping a ship full of idiots known as the Pakleds. B-plot: Picard and Wesley share a shuttle to a nearby starbase. While Wesley takes Starfleet exams, Picard must undergo a procedure to replace his artificial heart.

🤦‍♂️	First franchise and canonical appearance of the Pakleds.
🔗	This is the first mention of Picard's artificial heart. The story he tells about being stabbed through the heart during a fight with three Nausicaans will be the subject of a future episode, TNG 6x15: Tapestry.
“	We look for things. Things we need. Things that make us go. — Grebnedlog, asking for the Enterprise's help in locating laxatives, I assume.
“	Our options have not changed. We can either respond to the Pakled demand or not. We can either use force or not. — Data, showing what a valuable contributor he is to the bridge crew via logical tautology.

	Thoughts: I'm sorry, no. There is no way that you can convince me that the Pakleds are cruising around space, outsmarting people and stealing their technology, and somehow successfully integrating it into their ship while simultaneously not knowing how to use it. As for the B-plot, Wesley makes terribly awkward conversation on the shuttle, and then when Picard moves to the aft compartment to continue reading his book, Wesley fails to read the room and keeps talking. And then they talk. And they talk. It's like a long, boring road trip in the minivan.

	Watch Recommendation: If you want to see how truly idiotic the Pakleds are in their first appearance, go for it, but I'm certainly not giving this a recommendation.

My rating:	★☆☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 2.9
SF Debris rating:	4
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	4.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Seven people, some livestock, and a mound of hay on the transporter pad

2x18	Original Air Date 22 May 1989	Series Episode 43	Franchise Episode 144
Up the Long Ladder
After responding to a distress call, the Enterprise beams up a group of backwards, offensive Irish stereotypes. Later, they find an advanced colony of clones in desperate need of an infusion of fresh DNA. And so, the senior staff of the Enterprise giggle over their brilliant idea of making the two societies intermingle, thus solving all of their problems forever!


	Thoughts: Are we going to have a moral discussion about the clones created from stolen tissue samples, weighing one's right to bodily autonomy against a life and whether that life has the right to –– oh, no, we're just going to vaporize the clones. Okay. Perhaps a philosophical discussion about the Prime Directive and whether the Federation has the right to decide how these two societies –– oh, we're just going to blackmail them into breeding with each other? Okay. Sure, I get it, we need to make sure we have enough time for Barrie Ingham to do his hilarious “wow, that Klingon drink really packed a punch!” bit. That's why the people tuned into Star Trek this week!
	Nitpickery: When Riker reports to the ship from the planet's surface, Picard interrupts Riker not once, not twice, but three times when Riker is clearly trying to communicate some important information. Time may be short, but that was really dumb on Picard's part. Riker's report could have been anything, and Picard should obviously know the full situation before beaming up a bunch of people, especially if there is potential danger to the ship. Also, Worf collapsing on the bridge just before the main titles and commercial break was a pretty lame cliffhanger, considering that it essentially turned out to be nothing and has nothing to do with the rest of the story.

	Watch Recommendation: Don't.

My rating:	★☆☆☆☆ ⚑︎ Red Flag		Watch Recommendation ✖︎ Notably Bad	FINAL SCORE 1.5
SF Debris rating:	1
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	1
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier released

The film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was released on June 9, 1989. The movie has long been considered a terrible addition to the Trek franchise. Fans at the time may have at least partially been affected by The Next Generation's shaky first two seasons, making them less receptive to the film.

Although this film was released during the run of The Next Generation, the movie features the crew of the original Enterprise and takes place about 77 years before TNG begins. Go to Timeline ❱

Picard and Lwaxana having an intimate dinner

2x19	Original Air Date 19 Jun 1989	Series Episode 44	Franchise Episode 145
Manhunt
Lwaxana Troi inconveniences the crew as she searches for a mate. Picard tries to avoid her by hiding in his Dixon Hill simulation.

“	More ambiance, less substance. — Picard, in an unintentional self-reference to this episode.
“	I'm as jumpy as Haircut Lapinski trying to land on a fraction! — Rex This has to be the most ridiculous line ever written in Trek. Sure, it's part of the “Dixon Hill” fictional universe within the Star Trek universe, but it has no prior context and no following context, and so it's just left on its own. I'm actually surprised that semi-parody shows like Lower Decks, never brought this up, but the line goes by quickly enough and is easily forgettable, so I assume that's why it was never mentioned again. I really want to know who “Haircut Lapinski” is, and I'd love some silly reference to this in a future Trek production!
✍️	I would blame the writer, Tracy Tormé, but he was at odds against head writer Maurice Hurley at the time, (partly why he took writing credit for this episode under a pseudonym), so it's unclear how much of this was Tormé's original writing and how much was edited by Hurley. Thankfully for the series, both Hurley and Tormé would leave the show after this season.

	Thoughts: Lwaxana's storyline: boring. The Dixon Hill storyline: boring. The fish-people storyline: boring.

	Watch Recommendation: Yawn. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.3
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	3
Normalized IMDb rating:	3.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

2x20	Original Air Date 26 Jun 1989	Series Episode 45	Franchise Episode 146
The Emissary
When an enigmatic emissary is urgently sent to the Enterprise in a most unorthodox way, Worf finds himself face-to-face with an unpleasant memory from his past.

💁‍♀️	Suzie Plakson plays the memorable role of K'Ehleyr, who will appear in one more episode, TNG 4x07: Reunion.

	Thoughts: I gave this episode an extra half-star because, after the last three episodes, it's just refreshing to see a competently-written story that successfully combines a serious mission for the Enterprise along with an important personal interaction for one of her crew. No idiot Pakleds, no backwards Irish stereotypes, no libidinous Betazoids... just an actually good story!

	Watch Recommendation: Though she only appears in two episodes, K'Ehleyr plays an important and memorable role in Worf's life, earning this episode a rating of “Recommended”.

My rating:	★★★ ★☆ ☆		Watch Recommendation ✔︎ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 5.7
SF Debris rating:	5
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDb rating:	6.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Data and Kolrami playing a tabletop electronic game

2x21	Original Air Date 10 Jul 1989	Series Episode 46	Franchise Episode 147
Peak Performance
Riker takes command of a derelict ship in a war game against the Enterprise. Data challenges the Zakdorn observer in another strategic game.

“	Guile. — Worf, in response to Riker's query about what is left when you're out-manned, out-gunned, and out-equipped.
🎤	Patented Picard Speech: “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

	Watch Recommendation: This is a decent episode, though it's not very important to the series overall. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.9
SF Debris rating:	4
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	8
Normalized IMDb rating:	6.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Riker, on a medical biobed, with medical devices probing his brain

2x22	Original Air Date 17 Jul 1989	Series Episode 47	Franchise Episode 148
Shades of Gray
When Riker is infected by strange microbes, Dr. Pulaski determines the only way to save him is to make him endure clips from previous episodes.


	Thoughts: There's about 15 minutes of new material at the beginning, and that material only exists to set up the reason for having a clip show. Then we get roughly 24 minutes of clips from previous episodes, interspersed with very short conversations between Pulaski and Troi in sickbay and slow zooms on Riker's unconscious face. There's about 2 minutes in the coda, and that's it! Thankfully, clip shows seem to be a phenomenon that died off after the 90s.

	Watch Recommendation: The clips aren't even a good summary of the things that happened in the first two seasons, so don't expect this episode to be a good way to sum up anything important you might have missed. Skip this budgetless episode.

My rating:	0 stars		Watch Recommendation ✖︎ Notably Bad It's a clip show	FINAL SCORE 0.4
SF Debris rating:	1
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	1
Normalized IMDb rating:	0.0	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Full Episode List
Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

Full Episode List
Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

Full Episode ListSeason 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

Full Episode ListSeason 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

Full Episode List
Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

Full Episode List
Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7