The Next Generation Episode Guide

Below is a rated list of every episode of The Next Generation, letting you know which episodes we think are worth checking out if you are new to Star Trek. **BUT** if you’d like to do a quicker watch-through, hitting only the essential episodes of the series, we’ve provided a 20 episode list to brush up on TNG in the least amount of time possible.

If you are totally new to Star Trek or Next Generation, we recommend a “taste test” before a chronological viewing. Get an idea of a typical episode of The Next Generation before taking the dive.  
Watch any or all of the following episodes. They’re fun, thoughtful stand alone stories from across the run of TNG, and you don’t need to know anything about the series to enjoy them. They aren’t necisarily the best episodes, because those tend to build from the viewer’s understanding of the characters and previous incidents, but they’ll give you a good idea if you want to continue.
The Taste Test:
The Defector (Season 3, episode 10)
Take a glimpse at the political intrigue in the world of The Next Generation via this dramatic espionage focused story concerning a Romulan requesting sanctuary aboard the Enterprise, claiming his people are planning a horrible attack that will plunge the two powers into war.
Data’s Day (Season 4, episode 11)
Looking for something with lower stakes? Data’s Day showcases what it might be like aboard the Enterprise when there isn’t something crazy going down. It’s funny, lighthearted, and a great introduction to the main cast.
Timescape (Season 6, episode 25)
This is the episode to watch if you want to see some weird sci-fi stuff. Picard, Data, Geordi and Troi are returning from a conference only to find The Enterprise frozen in time, and seemingly locked in battle with an enemy ship!
Now, if you watched one or all of those and liked what you saw, but aren’t sure you have the time to watch *every* good episode of Next Generation, here are 20 bare-minimum episodes. This is also not necessarily our top twenty favorite episodes. We started by selecting the most consequential episodes (Chain of Command, for instance) as well as some episodes that are so good they can’t be missed. We also tried to include episodes that are considered classics, even if they rate a little lower for us, (Darmok and Measure of A Man, for instance) so you can be in on the Trek conversation. Lastly, we tried to sculpt the overall viewing experience, so there is a balance between types of episodes, and you don’t get a block of heavier episodes in a row. Happy watching!
One other note – it gets off to a rocky start, but Encounter at Farpoint is vital to the arc of the show, so start there. They should be watched in the listed order:
The Essentials:
1. & 2.) Encounter at Farpoint (Season 1, episode 1) 
3.) The Measure of A Man (Season 2, episode 9)
4.) Q Who (Season 2, episode 16)
5.) Yesterday’s Enterprise (Season 3, episode 15)
6. & 7.) The Best of Both Worlds, parts 1 and 2 (Season 3, episode 26 & Season 4, episode 1)
8.) Family (Season 4, episode 2)
9.) The Drumhead (Season 4, episode 21)
10.) Darmok (Season 5, episode 2)
11.) Ensign Ro (Season 5, episode 3)
12.) Conundrum (Season 5, episode 14)
13.) The Inner Light (Season 5, episode 25)
14. & 15.) Time’s Arrow (Seasons 5 & 6, episodes 26 & 1)
16. & 17.) Chain of Command, Parts 1 & 2 (Season 6, episodes 10 & 11)
18.) The Chase (Season 6, episode 20)
19. & 20.) All Good Things… (Season 7, episode 25 & 26)
If you just want to see what we think of an episode, or if you want to spend a little more time with the show (without watching all 176 episodes) below are all our ratings. Each one links to a (spoilery) review of the episode. (We’re working our way through reviews currently, but we’ll be done soon!)

Season One
Encounter at Farpoint Rating: 3 – Watch
The Naked Now Rating: 1 – Skip
Code of Honor Rating: 1 – Skip
The Last Outpost Rating: 2 – Skippable
Where No One Has Gone Before Rating: 2 – Skippable
Lonely Among Us Rating: 2 – Skippable
Justice Rating: 1 – Skip
The Battle Rating: 2 – Skippable
Hide and Q Rating: 2 – Skippable
Haven Rating: 1 – Skip
The Big Goodbye Rating: 2 – Skippable
Datalore Rating: 2 – Skippable
Angel One Rating: 1 – Skip
11001001 Rating: 2 – Skippable
Too Short a Season Rating: 2 – Skippable
When the Bough Breaks Rating: 2 – Skippable
Home Soil Rating: 2 – Skippable
Coming of Age Rating: 3 – Watch
Heart of Glory Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Arsenal of Freedom Rating: 3 – Watch
Symbiosis Rating: 3 – Watch
Skin of Evil Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity
We’ll Always Have Paris Rating: 2 – Skippable
Conspiracy Rating: 4 – Watch
The Neutral Zone Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Two
The Child Rating: 2 – Watch: new characters are introduced
Where Silence Has Lease Rating: 2 – Skippable
Elementary, Dear Data Rating: 3 – Watch
The Outrageous Okona Rating: 1 – Skip
Loud as a Whisper Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Schizoid Man Rating: 2 – Skippable
Unnatural Selection Rating: 2 – Skippable
A Matter of Honor Rating: 4 – Watch
The Measure of a Man Rating: 3 – Watch
The Dauphin Rating: 1 – Skip
Contagion Rating: 4 – Watch
The Royale Rating: 2 – Skippable
Time Squared Rating: 3 – Watch
The Icarus Factor Rating: 2 – Skippable
Pen Pals Rating: 3 – Watch
Q Who Rating: 4 – Watch
Samaritan Snare Rating: 2 – Skippable
Up the Long Ladder Rating: 2 – Skippable
Manhunt Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Emissary Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity
Peak Performance Rating: 4 – Watch
Shades of Gray Rating: 0 – Skip

Season Three
Evolution Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Ensigns of Command Rating: 3 – Watch
The Survivors Rating: 2 – Skippable
Who Watches the Watchers Rating: 3 – Watch
The Bonding Rating: 4 – Watch
Booby Trap Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Enemy Rating: 3 – Watch
The Price Rating: 1 – Skip
The Vengeance Factor Rating: 3 – Watch
The Defector Rating: 5 – Watch
The Hunted Rating: 3 – Watch
The High Ground Rating: 3 – Watch
Deja Q Rating: 3 – Watch
A Matter of Perspective Rating: 3 – Watch
Yesterday’s Enterprise Rating: 5 – Watch
The Offspring Rating: 3 – Watch
Sins of the Father Rating: 4 – Watch
Allegiance Rating: 3 – Watch
Captain’s Holiday Rating: 3 – Watch
Tin Man Rating: 2 – Skippable
Hollow Pursuits Rating: 2 – Watch: new character introduced
The Most Toys Rating: 3 – Watch
Sarek Rating: 2 – Skippable
Menage a Troi Rating: 1 – Skip
Transfigurations Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Best of Both Worlds Rating: 5 – Watch

Season Four
The Best of Both Worlds, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch
Family Rating: 3 – Watch
Brothers Rating: 3 – Watch
Suddenly Human Rating: 2 – Skip
Remember Me Rating: 3 – Watch
Legacy Rating: 2 – Skippable
Reunion Rating: 4 – Watch
Future Imperfect Rating: 3 – Watch
Final Mission Rating: 2 – Watch for continuity
The Loss Rating: 1 – Skip
Data’s Day Rating: 3 – Watch
The Wounded Rating: 3 – Watch
Devil’s Due Rating: 3 – Watch
Clues Rating: 3 – Watch
First Contact Rating: 3 – Watch
Galaxy’s Child Rating: 2 – Skippable
Night Terrors Rating: 2 – Skippable
Identity Crisis Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Nth Degree Rating: 2 – Skippable
Qpid Rating: 3 – Watch
The Drumhead Rating: 3 – Watch
Half A Life Rating: 3 – Watch
The Host Rating: 2 – Skippable
The Mind’s Eye Rating: 3 – Watch
In Theory Rating: 3 – Watch
Redemption, Part I Rating: 3 – Watch

Season Five
Redemption, Part II Rating: 4 – Watch
Darmok: 3 – Watch
Ensign Ro: 4 – Watch
Silicon Avatar: 2 – Skippable
Disaster: 4 – Watch
The Game: 3 – Watch
Unification I: 4 – Watch
Unification II: 3 – Watch
A Matter of Time: 3 – Watch
New Ground: 2 – Skippable
Hero Worship: 3 – Watch
Violations: 1 – Skip
The Masterpiece Society: 2 – Skippable
Conundrum: 4 – Watch
Power Play: 3 – Watch
Ethics: 3 – Watch
The Outcast: 2 – Skippable
Cause and Effect: 3 – Watch
The First Duty: 3 – Watch
Cost of Living: 1 – Skip
The Perfect Mate: 1 – Skip
Imaginary Friend: 1 – Skip
I Borg: 3 – Watch
The Next Phase: 3 – Watch
The Inner Light: 4 – Watch
Time’s Arrow, Part I: 4 – Watch

Season Six
Time’s Arrow, Part II: 3 – Watch
Realm of Fear: 3 – Watch
Man of the People: 1 – Skip
Relics: 4 – Watch
Schisms: 3 – Watch
True Q: 2 – Skippable
Rascals: 1 – Skip
A Fistful of Datas: 2 – Skippable
The Quality of Life: 2 – Skippable
Chain of Command, Part I: 4 – Watch
Chain of Command, Part II: 5 – Watch
Ship in a Bottle: 3 – Watch
Aquiel: 2 – Skippable
Face of the Enemy: 3 – Watch
Tapestry: 4 – Watch
Birthright, Part I: 2 – Skippable
Birthright, Part II: 2 – Skippable
Starship Mine: 3 – Watch
Lessons: 3 – Watch
The Chase: 3 – Watch
Frame of Mind: 2 – Skippable
Suspicions: 2 – Skippable
Rightful Heir: 2 – Skippable
Second Chances: 2 – Skippable (Watch for DS9 context?)
Timescape: 4 – Watch
Descent, Part I: 2 – Watch for continuity

Season Seven
Descent, Part II: 2 – Watch for continuity
Liaisons: 2 – Skippable
Interface: 2 – Skippable
Gambit, Part I: 3 – Watch
Gambit, Part II: 3 – Watch
Phantasms: 3 – Watch
Dark Page: 2 – Skippable
Attached: 2 – Watch for continuity
Force of Nature: 2 – Skippable
Inheritance: 2 – Skippable
Parallels: 3 – Watch
The Pegasus: 4 – Watch
Homeward: 3 – Watch
Sub Rosa: 1 – Skip
Lower Decks: 4 – Watch
Thine Own Self: 4 – Watch
Masks: 1 – Skip
Eye of the Beholder: 2 – Skippable
Genesis: 3 – Watch
Journey’s End: 1 – Watch for continuity? Ugh its lame tho
Firstborn: 2 – Skippable
Bloodlines: 2 – Skippable
Emergence: 2 – Skippable
Preemptive Strike: 3 – Watch
All Good Things…: 5 – Watch