Where No Cow Has Gone Before
It took me over a year to watch every episode of Futurama (one of the three of you still reading please comment on that poor lonely entry!), and, well, now that I have been focusing more on writing, I have less time to mainline television shows!
So when I decided to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation, I decided that I would do an abridged version, as I had done for Star Trek: The Original Series. I used Max Temkin's "Star Trek: The Next Generation in 40 Hours" as a starting point and then doubled the list using recommendations from friends. I think I have a pretty good list here, and I've already burned through the first two seasons this way! ALL OF MY FAVORITE EPISODES ARE DATA EPISODES.
For reference, here are the episodes I'm watching, if you would also like to experience TNG without watching a million hours of television. Please do not tell me that I am DOING IT WRONG by not watching every episode or rend your hair because I have left out an episode that you personally believe I should watch. I am happy with my list. The other episodes will still be there when I'm done.
Season One
1.1/1.2 - "Encounter at Farpoint"
1.3 - "The Naked Now"
1.6 - "Where No One Has Gone Before"
1.13 - "Datalore"
1.23 - "Skin of Evil"
1.26 - "The Neutral Zone"
Season Two
2.3 - "Elementary, Dear Data"
2.8 - "A Matter of Honor"
2.9 - "The Measure of a Man"
2.13 - "Time Squared"
2.16 - "Q Who"
2.20 - "The Emissary"
Season Three
3.3 - "The Survivors"
3.7 - "The Enemy"
3.10 - "The Defector"
3.13 - "Déjà Q"
3.15 - "Yesterday’s Enterprise"
3.16 - "The Offspring"
3.17 - "Sins of the Father"
3.18 - "Allegiance"
3.20 - "Tin Man"
3.21 - "Hollow Pursuits"
3.23 - "Sarek"
3.26 - "The Best of Both Worlds"
Season Four
4.1 - "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
4.2 - "Family"
4.3 - "Brothers"
4.5 - "Remember Me"
4.7 - "Reunion"
4.8 - "Future Imperfect"
4.11 - "Data’s Day"
4.12 - "The Wounded"
4.14 - "Clues"
4.15 - "First Contact"
4.15 - "Galaxy's Child"
4.19 - "The Nth Degree"
4.20 - "Qpid"
4.21 - "The Drumhead"
4.22 - "Half a Life"
4.26 - "Redemption I"
Season Five
5.1 - "Redemption II"
5.2 - "Darmok"
5.3 - "Ensign Ro"
5.5 - "Disaster"
5.6 - "The Game"
5.7 - "Unification I"
5.8 - "Unification II"
5.9 - "A Matter of Time"
5.14 - "Conundrum"
5.15 - "Power Play"
5.18 - "Cause and Effect"
5.19 - "The First Duty"
5.23 - "I, Borg"
5.24 - "The Next Phase"
5.25 - "The Inner Light"
5.26 - "Time’s Arrow, Part I"
Season Six
6.1 - "Time’s Arrow, Part II"
6.3 - "Relics"
6.4 - "Schism"
6.7 - "Rascals"
6.10 - "Chain of Command, Part I"
6.11 - "Chain of Command, Part II"
6.12 - "Ship in a Bottle"
6.14 - "Face of the Enemy"
6.15 - "Tapestry"
6.16 - "Birthright, Part I"
6.17 - "Birthright, Part II"
6.18 - "Starship Mine"
6.20 - "The Chase"
6.21 - "Frame of Mind"
6.22 - "Suspicions"
6.24 - "Second Chances"
6.25 - "Timescape"
6.26 - "Descent, Part I"
Season Seven
7.1 - "Descent, Part II"
7.4 - "Gambit, Part I"
7.5 - "Gambit, Part II"
7.6 - "Phantasms"
7.7 - "Dark Page"
7.8 - "Attached"
7.11 - "Parallels"
7.12 - "The Pegasus"
7.15 - "Lower Decks"
7.16 - "Thine Own Self"
7.21 - "Firstborn"
7.24 - "Preemptive Strike"
7.25/7.26 - "All Good Things..."
Would you like to share in my excitement for finally seeing why everyone loves TNG so much? Make it so!
So when I decided to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation, I decided that I would do an abridged version, as I had done for Star Trek: The Original Series. I used Max Temkin's "Star Trek: The Next Generation in 40 Hours" as a starting point and then doubled the list using recommendations from friends. I think I have a pretty good list here, and I've already burned through the first two seasons this way! ALL OF MY FAVORITE EPISODES ARE DATA EPISODES.
For reference, here are the episodes I'm watching, if you would also like to experience TNG without watching a million hours of television. Please do not tell me that I am DOING IT WRONG by not watching every episode or rend your hair because I have left out an episode that you personally believe I should watch. I am happy with my list. The other episodes will still be there when I'm done.
Season One
1.1/1.2 - "Encounter at Farpoint"
1.3 - "The Naked Now"
1.6 - "Where No One Has Gone Before"
1.13 - "Datalore"
1.23 - "Skin of Evil"
1.26 - "The Neutral Zone"
Season Two
2.3 - "Elementary, Dear Data"
2.8 - "A Matter of Honor"
2.9 - "The Measure of a Man"
2.13 - "Time Squared"
2.16 - "Q Who"
2.20 - "The Emissary"
Season Three
3.3 - "The Survivors"
3.7 - "The Enemy"
3.10 - "The Defector"
3.13 - "Déjà Q"
3.15 - "Yesterday’s Enterprise"
3.16 - "The Offspring"
3.17 - "Sins of the Father"
3.18 - "Allegiance"
3.20 - "Tin Man"
3.21 - "Hollow Pursuits"
3.23 - "Sarek"
3.26 - "The Best of Both Worlds"
Season Four
4.1 - "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
4.2 - "Family"
4.3 - "Brothers"
4.5 - "Remember Me"
4.7 - "Reunion"
4.8 - "Future Imperfect"
4.11 - "Data’s Day"
4.12 - "The Wounded"
4.14 - "Clues"
4.15 - "First Contact"
4.15 - "Galaxy's Child"
4.19 - "The Nth Degree"
4.20 - "Qpid"
4.21 - "The Drumhead"
4.22 - "Half a Life"
4.26 - "Redemption I"
Season Five
5.1 - "Redemption II"
5.2 - "Darmok"
5.3 - "Ensign Ro"
5.5 - "Disaster"
5.6 - "The Game"
5.7 - "Unification I"
5.8 - "Unification II"
5.9 - "A Matter of Time"
5.14 - "Conundrum"
5.15 - "Power Play"
5.18 - "Cause and Effect"
5.19 - "The First Duty"
5.23 - "I, Borg"
5.24 - "The Next Phase"
5.25 - "The Inner Light"
5.26 - "Time’s Arrow, Part I"
Season Six
6.1 - "Time’s Arrow, Part II"
6.3 - "Relics"
6.4 - "Schism"
6.7 - "Rascals"
6.10 - "Chain of Command, Part I"
6.11 - "Chain of Command, Part II"
6.12 - "Ship in a Bottle"
6.14 - "Face of the Enemy"
6.15 - "Tapestry"
6.16 - "Birthright, Part I"
6.17 - "Birthright, Part II"
6.18 - "Starship Mine"
6.20 - "The Chase"
6.21 - "Frame of Mind"
6.22 - "Suspicions"
6.24 - "Second Chances"
6.25 - "Timescape"
6.26 - "Descent, Part I"
Season Seven
7.1 - "Descent, Part II"
7.4 - "Gambit, Part I"
7.5 - "Gambit, Part II"
7.6 - "Phantasms"
7.7 - "Dark Page"
7.8 - "Attached"
7.11 - "Parallels"
7.12 - "The Pegasus"
7.15 - "Lower Decks"
7.16 - "Thine Own Self"
7.21 - "Firstborn"
7.24 - "Preemptive Strike"
7.25/7.26 - "All Good Things..."
Would you like to share in my excitement for finally seeing why everyone loves TNG so much? Make it so!