The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation – DVD Review

By June L. Jun 3, 2009, 15:11 GMT

Set in the 24th century and decades after the adventures of the original crew of the starship Enterprise, this new series is the long-awaited successor to the original Star Trek (1966). Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the all new Enterprise NCC 1701-D travels out to distant planets to seek out new life and to boldly go where no one has gone before. ...more

Having just seen the “best of” Star Trek the original series DVD, and been very pleased by the ‘re-do” of special effects, I was excited to see what I would discover on this disc.  Again four episodes have been chosen to represent “the best” of Star Trek the Next Generation.

First of all, this should have been titled Four Good Episodes from Star Trek the Next Generation.  It felt a little like a cheat as two of the episodes are one story, part one and part two of a Borg story. Those two should have been counted as one, regardless of how good they are individually.  Next Generation had a wealth of stories that could have been selected for this disc. 

Again, everyone will have his or her favorites, and most likely we won’t agree, but my choices for the best would have included “The Inner Light” when Jean-Luc Picard is struck by a force from a mysterious object traveling through space and lives an entire lifetime in about 25 minutes so that the history of the people who launched the object will not be forgotten. 

That was an amazing convoluted, thought provoking beautifully written and acted episode.  But, I can understand that the episodes chosen are more complete cast adventures.

The first episode on this disc “The Best of Both Worlds” part 1, is a well constructed story that shows the strengths of the ensemble cast of characters.  The Borg are a threat, and Star Fleet is taking measures to find some way to resist and destroy them.  Riker (Jonathan Frakes) has the opportunity to rise to captaincy on another ship, and there is a visiting Lt. Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) just waiting to jump into his place on the Enterprise. 

Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) assures Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) that humans will survive the Borg, just as her people survived, but when the Captain is taken by the Borg, nothing is certain.In Part 2, Picard has now been assimilated and turned into Locutus the voice of the Borg as they prepare to attack Earth.  Riker assumes command of the Enterprise and the crew is able to rescue a still assimilated Picard.  There must be some way to overcome this enemy, but how will they find their Achilles heel?

The third episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” is a good story exploring the changes caused by a time rift that allows an Enterprise from the past to emerge into the present day timeline.  One can get caught up in this episode attempting to count the many subtle changes that can be recognized in the familiar Enterprise setting. 

Only Guinan realizes that it is all wrong, and she convinces the Captain that something drastic must be done to put the time line back on track.  Courage, trust, loyalty and wisdom are needed if things are to be settled.  Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) is on the alternate timeline present day Enterprise and displays a nobility of character that is both heroic and touching.

Throughout the Next Generation series there were episodes dealing with the android Data, and whether or not he was a sentient being.  “The Measure of a Man” was one of the best of these stories. 

When Star Fleet decides to disassemble Data, a trial is convened to determine if he is simply mechanical property or if he has a legal right to life.  There are some wonderful speeches in this episode, defining life and what it means to be sentient.  

The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.