Worst of Star Trek: TNG Season 4
The Five Weakest Episodes of the Next Generation's Fourth Year
Jan 4, 2009
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.
Suddenly Human
An alien ship is rescued by the Enterprise and during the rescue they discover a human boy among the crew of young trainees. The boy seems to be suffering from abuse at the hands of his adopted alien father. Audiences definitely suffered from watching a terrible child actor deliver awkward and silly dialog.
The Loss
A swarm of two dimensional beings surrounds the Enterprise and drags it along as it is sucked into a cosmic string fragment. At the same time, Counselor Troi loses her empathic abilities and must cope with her duties without the benefit of her telepathy.
Audiences are dragged into Troi's counseling sessions and must cope with the guest star who plays Troi's patient, without the benefit of any acting ability whatsoever. During the therapy sessions between the two women, the air fairly crackles with the lack of talent.
Galaxy's Child
In a previous episode, Geordi LaForge created a hologram of one of the Enterprise designers to help him save the ship. In the process, he fell in love with her. In Galaxy's Child, the real person that Geordi based his hologram upon arrives on the Enterprise to review Geordi's performance as Chief Engineer.
The two end up working together to save the ship, but the awkward dialog and strained acting makes the interaction between them almost unwatchable.
Night Terrors
The Enterprise is caught in a rift in space from which the ship cannot escape. The entire crew starts acting irrationally, due to the fact that something about the phenomenon deprives them of the ability to dream. Troi is the only one on board able to dream, dreaming a recurring nightmare each night.
It turns out that her dreams are the key to saving the ship and she must face her nightmare to do so.
Terrible effects mar an already weak story as Troi dangles from obvious wire rigging at an entirely unflattering angle in order to deliver the message that will save the day.
Identity Crisis
Geordi and some of his shipmates from earlier in his career begin to transform into alien creatures that appear invisible to the naked eye. An interesting premise is spoiled by alien effects that are little more than unitards finger painted with dayglow poster paint.
Honourable mention should go to the episode Half a Life, which has Lwaxana Troi fall in love with an alien only to have him reach his sixtieth birthday, at which time his culture requires him to commit suicide. Were it not for David Ogden Stiers acting ability, this episode might be the worst of the season.
 |
