Star Trek Continuity Issues Part II: TNG

Part one is here.

Charge it to my account

One of the key features of the enlightened 24^th century is that the Federation no longer uses money – this comes up as a key plot point on a few occasions in TNG and DS9. But in Encounter at Farpoint, we see Crusher purchasing some fabric from Farpoint Station, with instructions to the vendor to “charge it to my account”. This line was written before it was definitively established that Federation had no money, but can we make sense of it in-universe?

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: All Good Things

They said it couldn’t be done. They said it shouldn’t be done. Some people said it mustn’t be done. Despite all this, the Great Star Trek Rewatch has reached the end of phase 2.

In the last ever episode of TNG, Captain Picard finds himself switching time zones, from the present day to both twenty-five years in the future, and seven years in the past, when he first took command of the Enterprise. As Picard struggles to work out what’s going on, he learns that the Q Continuum’s trial on humanity never ended, and that if he doesn’t solve this puzzle, humanity itself will cease to exist.

Why do they exist? The ten worst episodes of TNG

Let’s face it, even a series as beloved as TNG has its bloopers. In fact, quite a few episodes are questionable on the quality front. But what I wanted to highlight here was the real stinkers, the episodes that you had to force yourself to sit through. If Trek fans weren’t also the kind of people who have to watch things to completion, we’d probably collectively seal these episodes in a concrete bunker and never speak of them again.

Ten of the Best…The 10 TNG episodes you should really see

As the TNG portion of the great rewatch draws to a close, it’s time to look back over our epic journey. In the first of these summary posts, I pick out ten of my favourite episodes. Some were shoe-ins for the list, whereas others had to fight fiercely to beat out the competition. Some of the omissions may even surprise you – for example, I never was much of a fan of Yesterday’s Enterprise.

And so here, I present, in no particular order, the Patrick Stewart extravaganza that is my TNG Top Ten.

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Pre-emptive Strike

With the Maquis mounting attacks against the Cardassians, Starfleet decides to send in an undercover agent to infiltrate this dissident splinter group. The freshly promoted Lieutenant Ro is chosen, but will her loyalty to Picard and the Enterprise outweigh her feelings of kinship with a group struggling against a familiar oppressor?

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Emergence

When the Orient Express randomly appears inside Data’s The Tempest holodeck program, it is the first indication that something is amiss aboard the Enterprise. A new intelligence is emerging from the ship’s computer, and the only way the crew can interact with it is via the holodeck. And interact they must, because in all other regards, they’ve lost control of the ship.

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Bloodlines

Daimon Bok has escaped from prison, and he’s still eager to get even with Picard for the death of his son. To that end, Bok sends a message threatening the life of the son Picard never knew he had. Now Picard must find the young man in question and protect his life.

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Firstborn

Frustrated that Alexander seems disinclined to undertake the Rite of Ascension and become a warrior, Worf decides to take him to a Klingon outpost to try to spark the boy’s interest in their ways. There, an attack on Worf is foiled by K’mtar, a family advisor who is there not only to protect the House of Mogh, but to help Worf in his quest to turn Alexander into a real warrior.

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Journey’s End

When a new treaty between the Federation and Cardassia puts several colonies on the wrong side of the border, the Enterprise is asked to relocate a colony of Native Americans. Aware of the unfortunate nature of the situation, Picard tries to tread carefully, but the colonists are determined to stay put. Meanwhile, Wesley is visiting from the Academy, but the once top student is now troubled and moody.

The Great Star Trek TNG Rewatch: Genesis

Whilst Picard and Data are off tracking down a stray torpedo, something strange begins happening aboard the Enterprise. The crew are all slowly but surely transforming into primitive creatures, and, if nothing is done, the Enterprise may soon become less of a starship and more of a zoo.