Star Trek: The Next Generation - Synopsis

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (TNG) is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. The show is set in the 24th century, nearly a century after the original Star Trek series, and follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D). It debuted in 1987 and ran for seven seasons until 1994.

The series centers around Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who leads a diverse crew on missions to explore new worlds and seek out new life and civilizations. They often encounter complex moral dilemmas, engage in diplomacy to resolve conflicts, and battle various foes, all while representing the United Federation of Planets.

TNG is known for its focus on character development, moral philosophy, and social issues, reflecting contemporary concerns in a futuristic context. The crew of the Enterprise includes characters like Commander William Riker, the ship's first officer; Lieutenant Commander Data, an android striving to understand humanity; Lieutenant Worf, a Klingon officer and the first of his kind in the Starfleet; and Deanna Troi, a half-human, half-Betazoid empath serving as ship's counselor.

The show was groundbreaking for its sophisticated narrative, special effects, and its portrayal of a future where humans have overcome many of today's social and political issues. It was critically acclaimed, winning several awards, and was pivotal in solidifying the Star Trek franchise's place in popular culture. It also introduced iconic elements and characters that have become central to the Star Trek mythos.

Show Details

• Total number of seasons: 7
• Total number of episodes: 176
• Date first episode aired: 26 September 1990
• Date final episode aired: 19 June 1996
• Show status: Ended

Season 1 Episodes

1. Encounter at Farpoint: In the pilot, the new crew of the Enterprise-D is tested by a mysterious and powerful being known as Q.
2. The Naked Now: The crew of the Enterprise is infected with a virus that lowers their inhibitions, mirroring an incident from the original Enterprise's history.
3. Code of Honor: The crew visits a planet where Lt. Yar is abducted, and she must fight for her life in a ritual combat.
4. The Last Outpost: The Enterprise encounters the Ferengi for the first time while both are trapped on a planet that was home to a powerful, extinct civilization.
5. Where No One Has Gone Before: An experimental engine upgrade propels the Enterprise to a distant galaxy from which they struggle to return.
6. Lonely Among Us: Energy-based entities infiltrate the Enterprise, affecting the crew and jeopardizing a diplomatic mission.
7. Justice: Wesley Crusher breaks a law on a seemingly idyllic world, facing extreme punishment as a result.
8. The Battle: A Ferengi captain seeks revenge on Picard by using an old ship to manipulate his mind.
9. Hide and Q: Q returns to tempt Riker by granting him the powers of the Q Continuum.
10. Haven: Counselor Troi faces a marriage arranged by her mother to a human she's never met.
11. The Big Goodbye: Captain Picard, as part of a holodeck program, plays a 20th-century detective, but the crew gets trapped in the simulation.
12. Datalore: The Enterprise crew discovers Data's twin brother, Lore, and faces deception and betrayal.
13. Angel One: The crew visits a female-dominated planet to search for survivors of a downed freighter.
14. 11001001: Alien technicians working on the Enterprise computer system hijack the ship for their own purposes.
15. Too Short a Season: An aging admiral takes a de-aging drug to right a wrong he committed in his past.
16. When the Bough Breaks: A disappearing planet reappears, and its inhabitants are interested in the children of the Enterprise crew.
17. Home Soil: The Enterprise investigates a planet with a new life form, leading to dangerous consequences.
18. Coming of Age: Wesley takes the Starfleet Academy entrance exam as the Enterprise undergoes a secretive investigation.
19. Heart of Glory: Worf is torn between his loyalty to Starfleet and his Klingon heritage when two Klingon fugitives are brought aboard.
20. The Arsenal of Freedom: The crew battles an automated weapon system on an unexplored planet while trying to rescue the missing Captain Picard.
21. Symbiosis: The Enterprise becomes involved in a dispute between two planets over a drug, one that cures a plague for one planet but is addictive to the other.
22. Skin of Evil: A rescue mission turns tragic when a malevolent entity kills a beloved member of the crew.
23. We'll Always Have Paris: Captain Picard reunites with a woman from his past when the Enterprise encounters a time distortion.
24. Conspiracy: The crew uncovers a conspiracy within Starfleet that threatens the Federation.
25. The Neutral Zone: The Enterprise encounters a 20th-century Earth satellite and two hostile alien races on the edge of Federation space.

Season 2 Episodes

1. The Child: Counselor Troi mysteriously becomes pregnant; the crew encounters an unknown lifeform.
2. Where Silence Has Lease: The Enterprise becomes trapped in a void in space with a being that tests their will to survive.
3. Elementary, Dear Data: A Holodeck adventure with Data as Sherlock Holmes becomes dangerously real.
4. The Outrageous Okona: The Enterprise assists a charming rogue, leading to trouble with two feuding parties.
5. Loud as a Whisper: The crew transports a renowned mediator who is unexpectedly both deaf and mute.
6. The Schizoid Man: Data's personality is overtaken by the consciousness of a dying scientist.
7. Unnatural Selection: The crew investigates a genetic research station where aging is accelerated.
8. A Matter of Honor: Riker serves as an exchange officer on a Klingon warship.
9. The Measure of a Man: Data's sentience and autonomy are legally challenged, putting his Starfleet career at risk.
10. The Dauphin: Wesley Crusher falls in love with a young leader destined to lead her world.
11. Contagion: The Enterprise is endangered when they investigate the loss of the USS Yamato.
12. The Royale: Riker, Data, and Worf get trapped in an alien recreation of a novel set in a 20th-century Earth hotel.
13. Time Squared: The Enterprise encounters a future version of Picard from a parallel timeline.
14. The Icarus Factor: Riker is offered command of another ship; his estranged father visits.
15. Pen Pals: Data secretly communicates with a child from a pre-warp civilization on a doomed planet.
16. Q Who: Q throws the Enterprise into an early encounter with the powerful and enigmatic Borg.
17. Samaritan Snare: The Enterprise assists a seemingly benign group of aliens with ulterior motives.
18. Up the Long Ladder: The Enterprise rescues two very different cultures, one of which practices cloning.
19. Manhunt: The Enterprise transports delegates to a conference, including Troi's mother who is on a romantic pursuit.
20. The Emissary: Worf's former love interest comes aboard to help deal with a potentially dangerous sleeper ship.
21. Peak Performance: The crew participates in war games that become dangerously real due to a Ferengi intrusion.
22. Shades of Gray: Riker fights for his life against a deadly infection, with the outcome depending on his past experiences.

Season 3 Episodes

1. Evolution: Nanites escape Wesley Crusher's lab, forming a collective intelligence that threatens the Enterprise.
2. The Ensigns of Command: Data must persuade a stubborn colony to evacuate under threat from a powerful race.
3. The Survivors: The Enterprise investigates the last two survivors of an annihilated world.
4. Who Watches the Watchers: A Federation observation team's mistake leads a primitive culture to believe that Picard is a god.
5. The Bonding: Worf bonds with a boy who loses his mother during an away mission.
6. Booby Trap: The Enterprise is caught in an ancient booby trap that drains its energy.
7. The Enemy: Geordi La Forge is stranded on a stormy planet with a Romulan.
8. The Price: The Enterprise hosts negotiations for rights to a wormhole, and Troi falls for a negotiator.
9. The Vengeance Factor: The crew attempts to mediate a conflict between two warring factions.
10. The Defector: A Romulan defector warns the Federation of an impending invasion.
11. The Hunted: The Enterprise captures a super soldier who refuses to return to his planet.
12. The High Ground: Dr. Crusher is kidnapped by terrorists while attending a medical conference.
13. Deja Q: Q is stripped of his powers and seeks asylum on the Enterprise.
14. A Matter of Perspective: Riker is accused of murder on a space station.
15. Yesterday's Enterprise: A temporal rift brings a past version of the Enterprise, altering the present.
16. The Offspring: Data creates a child-like android, causing a custody battle.
17. Sins of the Father: Worf's family honor is challenged, revealing secrets of Klingon politics.
18. Allegiance: Captain Picard is kidnapped and replaced with an imposter.
19. Captain's Holiday: Picard goes on vacation but gets involved in a hunt for a lost artifact.
20. Tin Man: The Enterprise races to make contact with a living starship before a hostile race.
21. Hollow Pursuits: A shy officer uses the holodeck to escape reality, causing problems on the ship.
22. The Most Toys: Data is kidnapped by a collector who is obsessed with unique items.
23. Sarek: Ambassador Sarek visits the Enterprise, but his deteriorating health causes tension.
24. Menage a Troi: Deanna Troi, her mother, and Riker are kidnapped by a Ferengi.
25. Transfigurations: The crew rescues a mysterious man who has unusual healing powers.
26. The Best of Both Worlds, Part I: The Borg return, capturing Picard and assimilating him into their collective.

Season 4 Episodes

1. The Best of Both Worlds, Part II: Picard is rescued from the Borg as the Enterprise races to save Earth.
2. Family: Captain Picard visits his brother's family in France, and Worf's adoptive parents come to see him on the ship.
3. Brothers: Data is summoned by his creator Noonien Soong and encounters his brother, Lore.
4. Suddenly Human: Picard must help a human boy raised by aliens decide his fate.
5. Remember Me: Dr. Crusher deals with people disappearing on the Enterprise, with only her remembering their existence.
6. Legacy: Tasha Yar's sister Ishara seeks to restore order on their conflict-ridden colony world.
7. Reunion: Worf's former lover returns, and he discovers more about his family as Picard mediates a Klingon power dispute.
8. Future Imperfect: Riker finds himself sixteen years in the future with no memory of the interim.
9. Final Mission: Wesley sets off on his final mission with the Enterprise accompanied by Picard.
10. The Loss: An unknown force captures the Enterprise, causing Deanna to lose her empathic powers.
11. Data's Day: Data gets dancing lessons from Dr. Crusher as the Enterprise brings a Romulan ambassador for negotiations.
12. The Wounded: A rogue Starfleet captain jeopardizes the peace treaty with the Cardassians.
13. Devil's Due: A powerful figure from a millennium ago returns to enslave a planet, but Picard suspects she's a charlatan.
14. Clues: The crew, except Data, is rendered unconscious, and various clues suggest a lost day.
15. First Contact: Riker is hospitalized on an alien planet, leading to xenophobia and hostility.
16. Galaxy's Child: The Enterprise kills a space creature and tries to save its offspring, while Geordi meets a real-life engineer he knows from the holodeck.
17. Night Terrors: The Enterprise is trapped, causing the crew to suffer from REM sleep deprivation.
18. Identity Crisis: Geordi transforms into an alien creature with a strong instinct to return to its planet of origin.
19. The Nth Degree: Barclay experiences great leaps in confidence and intelligence after an alien encounter.
20. Qpid: Q returns to test Picard's love for an old flame.
21. The Drumhead: A witchhunt ensues aboard the Enterprise for suspected Romulan spies.
22. Half a Life: Lwaxana Troi finds love but discovers her man must undergo ritualistic suicide.
23. The Host: Dr. Crusher falls for a peace negotiator who is revealed to be a symbiont.
24. The Mind's Eye: The Romulans brainwash Geordi to carry out a covert mission.
25. In Theory: Data participates in a romantic relationship with a fellow crew member.
26. Redemption, Part I: Worf leaves the Enterprise to fight in a Klingon civil war.

Season 5 Episodes

1. Redemption, Part II: The Klingon Civil War comes to a conclusion.
2. Darmok: Picard must learn to communicate with an alien captain who speaks in metaphors.
3. Ensign Ro: Picard is sent to locate a Bajoran terrorist with the help of Ensign Ro Laren.
4. Silicon Avatar: The crew attempts to communicate with the Crystalline Entity.
5. Disaster: The Enterprise is heavily damaged by a space anomaly, trapping Picard and others in various locations.
6. The Game: Wesley visits the Enterprise and discovers the crew addicted to a mind-altering computer game.
7. Unification, Part I: Spock is reported to have defected to the Romulans, leading Picard and Data to investigate.
8. Unification, Part II: Spock tries to unify the Vulcans and Romulans in peace but encounters a trap.
9. A Matter of Time: A historian from the future visits the Enterprise during a critical mission.
10. New Ground: Worf tries to be a father to his son, Alexander, amidst testing a new propulsion technology.
11. Hero Worship: Data saves an orphaned boy who begins to emulate him.
12. Violations: A telepathic alien invades the minds of the Enterprise crew, causing psychological trauma.
13. The Masterpiece Society: The Enterprise assists a eugenic human colony but disrupts its isolation and balance.
14. Conundrum: The crew's memories are erased, and they discover they're manipulated into a war.
15. Power Play: Troi, O'Brien, and Data are possessed by entities seeking control of the ship.
16. Ethics: Worf becomes paralyzed and faces a life-changing decision.
17. The Outcast: Riker falls in love with an androgynous alien during a rescue mission.
18. Cause and Effect: The Enterprise is stuck in a time loop, with the crew retaining some memory of previous instances.
19. The First Duty: Wesley is involved in a Starfleet Academy flight training accident coverup.
20. Cost of Living: Lwaxana Troi plans to marry a man she's never met; Worf struggles with Alexander's upbringing.
21. The Perfect Mate: Picard struggles with his feelings for an empathic metamorph sent as a peace offering.
22. Imaginary Friend: A child's imaginary playmate becomes real and threatens the ship.
23. I, Borg: The Enterprise rescues a Borg survivor, leading to moral dilemmas about using him against the Borg.
24. The Next Phase: Geordi and Ensign Ro are trapped out of phase with normal space, invisible to the crew.
25. The Inner Light: Picard experiences a lifetime on an alien world after encountering a space probe.
26. Time's Arrow, Part I: The discovery of Data's head leads to an adventure in 19th century Earth.

Season 6 Episodes

1. Time's Arrow, Part II: The Enterprise crew follows Data to 1890s San Francisco to prevent aliens from interfering with Earth.
2. Realm of Fear: Barclay must overcome his fear of the transporter to solve a mystery.
3. Man of the People: A psychic ambassador uses Deanna's mind to influence his mission, endangering her life.
4. Relics: The Enterprise finds Montgomery Scott alive on a crashed vessel on a Dyson sphere.
5. Schisms: Crew members, including Riker and Data, are abducted and experimented on while they sleep.
6. True Q: Q reveals a secret about a young woman visiting the Enterprise who is revealed to be a Q.
7. Rascals: A transporter malfunction turns Picard, Keiko, Ro, and Guinan into children.
8. A Fistful of Datas: Data's mind connected to the ship's computer affects the holodeck.
9. The Quality of Life: Data fights for the preservation of sentient mining tools.
10. Chain of Command, Part I: Captain Jellico commands the Enterprise while Picard is on a covert mission.
11. Chain of Command, Part II: Picard is captured and tortured by the Cardassians.
12. Ship in a Bottle: Barclay accidentally awakens Professor Moriarty in the holodeck.
13. Aquiel: Geordi becomes involved with a Starfleet officer suspected of murder.
14. Face of the Enemy: Deanna is recruited for a covert mission against the Romulans.
15. Tapestry: An accident leads Picard to an afterlife experience with Q.
16. Birthright, Part I: Worf learns his father might be alive and held by Romulans.
17. Birthright, Part II: Worf tries to teach Klingon refugees their heritage.
18. Starship Mine: Picard thwarts thieves trying to steal from the Enterprise during a sweep.
19. Lessons: Picard becomes involved with the Enterprise's head of stellar cartography.
20. The Chase: Picard tries to solve an ancient genetic mystery.
21. Frame of Mind: Riker finds himself in an alien mental institution.
22. Suspicions: Dr. Crusher risks her career to solve a murder and vindicate a scientist's research.
23. Rightful Heir: Worf experiences a crisis of faith and meets the mythical figure Kahless.
24. Second Chances: Riker encounters a duplicate of himself created by a transporter malfunction.
25. Timescape: The Enterprise is caught in temporal stasis on the brink of destruction.
26. Descent, Part I: The crew encounters a group of Borg acting individually, and Data experiences emotions.

Season 7 Episodes

1. Descent, Part II: The Borg, led by Lore, control Data with negative emotions.
2. Liaisons: Worf and Troi host Iyaaran ambassadors, while Picard crashes with another.
3. Interface: Geordi attempts to rescue his mother's starship using a probe.
4. Gambit, Part I: The crew investigates Picard's apparent murder and Riker's kidnapping by mercenaries.
5. Gambit, Part II: Picard and Riker prevent an ancient Vulcan weapon from falling into the wrong hands.
6. Phantasms: Data experiences strange dreams affecting the Enterprise's new warp core.
7. Dark Page: Lwaxana Troi suffers a psychic breakdown, revealing a hidden tragedy.
8. Attached: Picard and Dr. Crusher are imprisoned with telepathic implants revealing their feelings.
9. Force of Nature: A discovery shows warp drive is harming space, complicating a rescue mission.
10. Inheritance: Data meets a woman claiming to be his "mother" while helping a planet.
11. Parallels: Worf shifts between realities, affecting the outcome of a tournament.
12. The Pegasus: Riker confronts his past with the mysterious loss of the USS Pegasus.
13. Homeward: Worf's foster brother saves a dying civilization, challenging the Prime Directive.
14. Sub Rosa: Dr. Crusher discovers a spirit connected to her family while attending a funeral.
15. Lower Decks: Junior officers vie for promotion, entangled in a secret mission.
16. Thine Own Self: Data loses his memory on a mission; Troi aims for a command role.
17. Masks: An ancient library transforms Data and the Enterprise.
18. Eye of the Beholder: Troi investigates a crewman's suicide linked to the Enterprise's past.
19. Genesis: The crew de-evolves into primitive forms, threatening the ship.
20. Journey's End: Wesley Crusher faces his future; the Enterprise relocates Native Americans.
21. Firstborn: Worf tries to influence his son Alexander's Klingon heritage.
22. Bloodlines: Picard learns of a son he never knew and faces an old enemy's revenge.
23. Emergence: The Enterprise develops its own consciousness, creating new life forms.
24. Preemptive Strike: Lt. Ro Laren is torn between loyalty and sympathies with the Maquis.
25. All Good Things..., Part I: Picard shifts through time, confronting a threat to humanity's existence.
26. All Good Things..., Part II: The series finale where Picard's time-shifting journey culminates in a crucial decision.

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