Game The Most Disliked Episode Directed By Winrich Kolbe, 2025 Edition

[Sakonna]

THE OBJECTIVE: A sudden-death elimination game in which we remove our personal favorite episodes/movies from a themed list, until we arrive at the episode that is, if not the worst, at least the most disliked.

It's a framework to say positive things about episodes from across the franchise.

THE RULES: Below is a list of episodes from TNG, DS9, VOY, & ENT directed by Winrich Kolbe -- Trek's SECOND most prolific director! FORTY-EIGHT episodes directed across 4 series (weird that the universe didn't somehow stop him at 47...)

Eliminate/save your favorite, or the one you deem the ‘best' of what currently remains.
Post something you enjoy about the episode you are saving, and copy-and-paste the list with your choice removed.

You can use any standard you like to judge which option is "best." You can save episodes for being widely recognized “best Trek” classics, or for idiosyncratic qualities that no one appreciates but you.

As you get down the list, you might have to reach more and more for something to enjoy about an episode, and it's OK to eventually save episodes for being "less bad."

But -- no tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you don’t think anyone else will, or because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to “win.”

You can take multiple turns.

Leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

New players are always welcome. You do not have to already be a "most disliked game" regular to dive in.

Much thanks and credit to @Farscape One, for having the director credits literally memorized.

Enjoy!

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Farscape One]

Starting off with "CARETAKER".

Superb pilot, right alongside DS9 as best in the franchise.


TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

There's nothing cheesy about Kolbe, meaning this is a fairly difficult list to choose from.

My first pick, my favorite of the list, especially for his directorial panache, is:

TNG Season 3: "Evolution"

There are stronger individual stories, sure, but everything mixed together just can't be beat. Opening season 3 with this story - complete with the revised style and verve that really has the episode title describing the series as a whole as well - is probably THE most important event for this show. Even with Beverly returning, though she seems awfully concerned for him regarding dating despite how the 24th century has no cooties problems, and everyone behaves like perfect and stuff. There, most nitpicks are out of the way now. Apart from the overdone baseball analogy, we get it. This isn't season 1 anymore, but it's how season 3 might have pitched a season 1 story in its style, so that's pretty big too and I sorta adore early-TNG, warts and all...

Plus, yeah, seeing Wesley having a stronger character script and not the usual trope of "WONDERBOY SAVES THE SHIP, AGAIN" is refreshing. Also, the nanites would make lovely plush toys as you'd have to buy more than 999,999,999,999,999,872 of them to create a nice bean bag chair to sit on with, if you're into bean bag chairs that are a square meter in size and each bean is in the nice shape of a nanite (sharpness too, ouch). And, yep, I'm so pedantic that I left in the link - enjoy!

What's left:
TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Sakonna]

This is an extremely strong list. And it's interesting how many of the weaker ones are weak because they're bad scripts that still somehow kind of work anyway. I guess Kolbe really had the magic touch!

I'm gonna start with "Thine Own Self." On paper this is such an "unspecial" episode. Very "adventure of the week." Yet somehow in execution, it's so lively and engaging. I always enjoy revisiting it.

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Farscape One]

There's nothing cheesy about Kolbe, meaning this is a fairly difficult list to choose from.

My first pick, my favorite of the list, especially for his directorial panache, is:

TNG Season 3: "Evolution"

There are stronger individual stories, sure, but everything mixed together just can't be beat. Opening season 3 with this story - complete with the revised style and verve that really has the episode title describing the series as a whole as well - is probably THE most important event for this show. Even with Beverly returning, though she seems awfully concerned for him regarding dating despite how the 24th century has no cooties problems, and everyone behaves like perfect and stuff. There, most nitpicks are out of the way now. Apart from the overdone baseball analogy, we get it. This isn't season 1 anymore, but it's how season 3 might have pitched a season 1 story in its style, so that's pretty big too and I sorta adore early-TNG, warts and all...

Plus, yeah, seeing Wesley having a stronger character script and not the usual trope of "WONDERBOY SAVES THE SHIP, AGAIN" is refreshing. Also, the nanites would make lovely plush toys as you'd have to buy more than 999,999,999,999,999,872 of them to create a nice bean bag chair to sit on with, if you're into bean bag chairs that are a square meter in size and each bean is in the nice shape of a nanite (sharpness too, ouch). And, yep, I'm so pedantic that I left in the link - enjoy!

What's left:
TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

I have to applaud you... almost 40 years of knowing his name and all the credits, and I never once did the cheese joke. I always appreciate a good pun. Bravo!



Saving "All Good Things..." now.

Pretty much perfect finale. Especially for TNG.


TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Cyfa]

I don't often start with VOY, but Season 1's "Eye Of The Needle" is my favourite VOY episode (even thought there isn't a happy ending)! It's one of the few stories that plays to the premise of the series, and guest stars the wonderful Vaughn Armstrong as a likeable Romulan.

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Seven of Five]

The Siege of AR 558 highlights the horrors of war so perfectly.

Nog losing his leg is horrible to watch.

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Victoria]

I wondered whether I should pretend to be a grrown-up but decided "no".

I am saving "Our Man Bashir" because it's fun.


TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Sakonna]

I also don't do that much Voyager, but: "Scorpion, Part II" One of the most iconic characters in science fiction makes her debut. It's notable!

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Cyfa]

I wondered whether I should pretend to be a grrown-up but decided "no".

I am saving "Our Man Bashir" because it's fun.

~ "Our Man Bashir" is fun! And being a grown up is overrated. Goonies forever!!

Although it's not exactly fun, the episode I'm saving does feature an amusing pineapple-related side-quest. Yes, it's ENT: "Silent Enemy"! Apart from Hoshi's "mission" to find out Malcolm's favourite food, I like the inscrutable aliens - I think there should have been more episodes like this in which Starfleet comes across species they can't/don't understand.
(I've just realised that the A and B plots do actually have something in common: both the aliens and Malcolm Reed are in inexpressive and mysterious!)

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Kor]

I am saving DS9's "Blood Oath" because it features the memorable return of the greatest Klingon of them all.

This leaves the following:

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Seven of Five]

The Homecoming is next as the Circle Trilogy was mostly superb storytelling.

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Qonundrum]

I have to applaud you... almost 40 years of knowing his name and all the credits, and I never once did the cheese joke. I always appreciate a good pun. Bravo!

Thanks! I try to boldly go where no one else would have gone before... Usually, puns are cheesy and that's part of the fun...


My next save, based on which I love best with emphasis on direction, is how awesome

TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"

is. Now, I could cry for Suzannah, like who wouldn't, but along with the visual effects for the blue vein glowing (UV blacklight) and all, there's one scene that never ceases to amaze:

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Really nicely done with the angles and technical complexities needing to be storyboarded by the director and crew.

Plus, it's kinda of a cool story with a neat sci-fi mystery that Geordi was a part of all those years ago. I'm a sucker for those, and the in-universe continuity is impressive.

More good scenes:

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(another great scene!)

All great stuff.


What's left:
TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Qonundrum]

I wondered whether I should pretend to be a grrown-up but decided "no".

I am saving "Our Man Bashir" because it's fun.

It's a terrific homage/loose parody of James Bond, without going all dirty like Austin Powers (for which the first one was pretty good...) They nail the tone perfectly and it's always an engaging rewatch. More often than Powers, that's for sure.

Everyone gets a dual role, but I simply adore Avery Brooks in particular:

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(1:20, there needs to be a 10-hour loop of the pause followed with "HA!" because that rules in a scene that already is top-notch! Also note the tight direction between the characters, the scene is perfectly timed in all cuts.)

 

[Farscape One]

"OUR MAN BASHIR" is my most rewatched episode in the franchise. Easily seen more than 20 times. As a Trekkie and a Bond fan, it just hits every fun note PERFECTLY!

There are still a bunch on here I could save right now and not think twice.

I'll vote for my wife, so "Where Silence Has Lease" is next.

We both love this one. It gets a rewatch at least every Halloween. An excellent debut for Kolbe in the franchise. And very impressive, especially considering it was 5 days of Bridge shooting. And it never felt boring. In fact, it was MORE tense.



TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Darmok on the list. List on the island. Detached Nacelle and List on the island. Detached Nacelle and Darmok on the ocean.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Qonundrum]

I've a soft spot for this one, despite that ending.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"

It's a decent enough Wesley subplot where he's a character, in an area of the ship where one would expect experiments to be done and not in main engineering the way too many episodes later on had.

The main plot is fairly robust, with even Dr Pulaski increasing her respect of Data as the season goes along.

Whether the ending is meant to be an emotionally soppy moment or really meant to have Sarjenka's conditioning fail so she can tell tall tales only to be laughed at, we will never know.

Also, here's Sarjenka a few years later, or at least the actress. Might have made for an unusual crossover, though, which reminds why I'm not really into crossovers:

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What's left:
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Sakonna]

"Man Of The People" is more fun than it has any right to be. Any chance Marina Sirtis gets to cut loose and be bitchy...

TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Hope and Fear has been on the list for far too long. It is time for it to be safe. A wonderfully dramatic episode and great season finale.

TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"

 

[Qonundrum]

The two I'd vote next for story ideas, regardless of handling, still get to be put to the side because of the visual style accorded Worf and the kid who won the "Win a chance to get on the show, just mail in the back of the cereal box with your name and address" contest.

TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"

Normally, I got for plot first, but when the contest involves a specific category like director, I put more emphasis on that.

Ronald D Moore's first script is fairly solid as well, with some overlapping themes, mentioning how dumb it is to have kids on big battleships, and a charming alien entity. But the direction, inspired use of facial close-ups for dialogue (a tactic that "Blake's 7" also did and to much success there as well), mapping out where glowing light fritters flit about and other adornments, not to mention the following scene's camera and lighting work (as well as that glorious 1989 music):

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Yup. This one gets my vote. I've no qualms.

(Oh, come to think of it, the contest thing I think was in season 1, not season 3, and involved a candy bar or simply a write-in thing and not overly-sugary cereal, but I've got to snarky it up somewhere.)

What's left:
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"