Best of Star Trek: TNG Season 4
The Five Strongest Episodes of the Next Generation's Fourth Year
Season 4 continued the momentum of the previous strong season, picking up right where things left off at the end of the cliffhanger that closed the third year of the show. Season 4 was the Next Generation's second strong season, generally written, acted and directed with confidence and flair. Many episodes followed up on ideas and story lines laid down in previous episodes, much to the delight of fans. With a few notable exceptions, season 4 provided solid entertainment.
The Best of Both Worlds, Part II
The season premier was the second half of what is widely considered to be among the best Star Trek episodes ever made, in any of the incarnation of the show. Riker must throw out all his preconceived "Picard-isms" and become his own man in order to save his Captain. Exciting, well scripted, well directed with top notch effects, this episode set the bar high for season 4.
Family
Picard takes shore leave and visits his brother's family who live in the house he was raised in. Old conflicts with his brother arise and the two men pick up almost where they left off when Picard left to join Starfleet. The friction between the brothers erupts into a memorable moment where the two grey haired men wrestle like schoolboys in the mud of the family vineyard. Jeremy Kemp turns in a stellar performance as Robert Picard, Jean Luc's older brother.
Worf and Wesley also have moving moments with family in an episode that gives fans a breather from the breakneck pace of the previous episode, The Best of Both Worlds, Part II.
Qpid
The all powerful Q returns to place Picard and his crew in Sherwood Forest, complete with tights and silly hats. This episode has some of the season's funniest moments, including Data being perforated by an arrow from Troi's bow, Worf smashing Geordi's lute on a tree and Vash, Picard's love interest, turning the tables on him and refusing to be rescued.
Beyond that, any episode that has Worf declaring "I am not a Merry Man!" deserves to be included in a top five list.
The Wounded
The Enterprise must stop a renegade starship captain who has crossed into Cardassian space and is destroying ships, which could lead the Federation back into another war with Cardassia. The character of Chief O'Brien takes center stage in this episode and nicely foreshadows his central role on Deep Space Nine. Both Colm Meaney and Bob Gunton, who plays the renegade Captain Maxwell, turn in strong performances as old comrades in arms.
Also of note, Marc Alaimo plays Gul Macet, who looks remarkably like Gul Dukat, the character Alaimo plays on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Redemption Part 1
The season ending cliffhanger episode doesn't quite live up to the edge of your seat action of the previous season ender, but it is still a strong, enjoyable episode. The sisters of Duras, Lursa and B'Etor, precipitate a civil war within the Klingon Empire as they try to put their nephew on the Chancellor's throne. Despite his discommendation, Worf must try and stop them. A surprise guest appearance by Denise Crosby, playing Tasha Yar's half-Romulan Daughter, would have fans drooling for the beginning of season 5.
Honourable mention should go to episodes Nth Degree, Brothers, Reunion and Clues, all of which are fan favourites.
Space, the Final Frontier
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