The Bonding
Worf finds a kindred spirit in young Jeremy Aster, who is orphaned when his archeologist mother dies on an Away Mission. The hour is grounded in Jeremy's stoic reaction to the tragedy, but it also neatly offers wonderful insight into our main characters as they relate to the boy. Worf is a fellow orphan, Wesley has also lost his father ... both feel a connection with young Jeremy, and offer him moving words of wisdom for dealing with his loss.

The Enemy
The first of a pair of great Romulan episodes, "The Enemy" offers a more intimate look at this mysterious race. Perhaps most fascinating is the contrast between the two storylines — while Geordi must forge a shaky alliance with one Romulan officer, Worf firmly refuses to help another. Worf's resolve on the issue — which leads the Romulan officer to perish — provides for one of TNG's most ambiguous and thought-provoking plot twists yet.

The Defector
Another excellent Romulan-themed episode. Rather than focusing on individual conflicts, this one takes the Federation/Romulan animosity to intriguing new levels. When a Romulan defector brings the Enterprise news of a planned attack on Federation space, Picard is suspicious as to the veracity of his claims. What follows is a complex maze of twists, turns, and intergalactic double-crosses.

Deja Q
What would Q be like if he were just an average humanoid? "Deja Q" gives us an innovative take on a familiar character as it attempts to answer this question. When the Continuum strips Q of his powers, he seeks solace aboard the Enterprise, and actually learns something from humanity in the process. This episode also features the ever-memorable shot of Data experiencing a very human, from-the-gut belly laugh.

Yesterday's Enterprise
When the Enterprise encounters a bizarre rift in space, the timeline becomes distorted — and a bloody war with the Klingons is the consequence. Though time travel has been used numerous times in the Star Trek mythos, "Yesterday's Enterprise" manages to present a fresh take on the concept — and makes for what is arguably TNG's first truly epic hour. This episode also does a nice job of finally giving Tasha Yar a proper farewell.

The Offspring
Data's desire to become human takes on new layers of meaning here when the android crewmember creates a daughter, Lal. Data's bonding moments with his offspring are sweet, but the biggest emotional punch comes from their tragic final scene together — as Lal is overwhelmed by her burgeoning emotions, she manages to tell Data she loves him right before she expires.

Sins of the Father
The concept of Klingon honor gains new meaning and texture in this episode — as does Worf as a character. Attempting to uncover the truth about his disgraced House, Worf realizes that his father is innocent ... and that such a revelation could bring chaos to the Empire. Amidst the political machinations, Worf's quiet, noble sacrifice stands out as an act of true Klingon courage.

Captain's Holiday
After the emotional intensity of "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "Sins of the Father," this episode offers us a light-hearted peek at something we never expected to see: Picard on vacation. Of course, said vacation turns into quite an adventure in its own right, and things really heat up when Picard meets his match in the lovely archeologist/con artist Vash. And thanks to the antagonistic chemistry between Patrick Stewart and guest star Jennifer Hetrick, this isn't the last we'll be seeing of her.

Sarek
One of TNG's most poignant episodes pays tribute to a legendary character from Trek's past — Sarek, father of Spock. In this hour, we get an intimate look at the elderly Vulcan's later years, as he suffers from degenerative Bendii Syndrome. Sarek's fight to fulfill his diplomatic obligations while battling his illness is truly heartbreaking, and provides for the iconic moment in which Picard participates in a mind-meld with the aging Ambassador.

The Best of Both Worlds, Part I
In one of the series' most chilling moments, Captain Picard is assimilated by the nefarious Borg, coldly addressing his former crew with the all-to-familiar declaration, "Resistance is futile." Perhaps even more chilling is Commander Riker's response, as he grimly suppresses any emotion the newly-outfitted captain might inspire and merely orders Worf to fire on the Borg ship. This hour still stands as one of TNG's most astoundingly tense cliffhangers.

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