PATRON TAKES - Star Trek TNG Season 3 Episode 26 (Season Finale)

While there are many great and epic episodes after this this episode and the one is considered the Best of Trek. It has long reaching effects threw-out the franchise. This is also the first Episode I saw as a brand new episode. So I had to wait all summer to know what happens next. Oh btw Stewart was considering leaving the show. Find out if he does next season on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

That time Star trek turned it up to eleve...no-15!

So much comes from this single episode. The killer narrative foundations were flawlessly laid to build to this incredible epic high point. My all time favorite last line. Chills were invented for moments like this!

TNG at its "Best." Trek was never the same after this episode (in a good way). All remaining seasons and all subsequent Trek series reflect on this marvel of an episode.

Guest cast note: GEORGE MURDOCK, who portrayed Admiral Hanson, was in Star Trek V - as the face of the "god" creature in the story's climax when Kirk asked "What does 'God' need with a starship?"

My whole family was glued to the TV for this. LFG!

I saw this when it first aired and watched it 3-4 times right after. Then, I called a friend over to watch it again. And, he wanted it watch it twice. It was 3 long summer months after this. As I recall, usenet's rec.arts.startrek really blew up after this. Few episodes of any series reach this height.

You guys are lucky. We had to wait three months to see part two.

You will love this Episode. When this episode first premiered 3 of my brothers and myself watch this episode at my mother's apartment. By season 41 of my brothers had passed so this one Is dear to my heart besides been an excellent episode, enjoy guys

6 year old me walked around mind fucked for 3 months after this aired in 1990

Welcome gentlemen, to where no Star Trek has gone before. Now, if you would like the full 1990s experience, wait 3 months before watching TNG season 4, episode 1.

As others have said.. welcome to the reason they are still making new Star Trek today

At the time of transmission, Patrick Stewart hadn't signed on for Season 4. Neither the fans, the studio or even Patrick Stewart knew if Picard would be returning. It was a huge meta-cliffhanger for everyone.

Gentlemen please complete the following sentence: "Season 3 of TNG is..."

Aside from being the first proper cliffhanger in all of Star Trek, "Best of Both Worlds" is one of the better Riker centric episodes in TNG, due in no small part to the perfect foil to this character in the form of Lt. Commander Shelby. What other character in Star Trek, whether from TOS or TNG, do you think would also make a great foil for Riker?

Look up Wolf 359 and you’ll see just how close to Earth that battle was. Notice the camera cuts to Shelby for emotion when she gives the name of the ship that Riker almost took command of. He could have been dead.

Welcome to the best cliffhanger of all time. Now you have to wait several months to watch the next episodes.

You have to understand that at the time, we had to wait FOUR MONTHS for the conclusion. I will never forget staring at my 20" TV with the words, "To be continued..." screaming NOOOOOO! During that summer there were rumors that Patrick Stewart was actually leaving the series. Totally devastating! Bottom line, the greatest cliffhanger in the history of television.

'ERE WE GOOO BOYS

Everyone is in top form on this one…from the actors to Cliff Bole, director extraordinaire, to the chilling score by Ron Jones! Fun fact…The Best Of Both Worlds soundtrack was so good, it had its own CD release!!

You're not gonna believe it! This one hits all the notes & delivers a 1-2 punch of an ending (To Be Continued... of course) for season 3 finale & season 4 premiere two-parter. Can't wait to see your reactions! Engage.

Amazing

Clearly the Chief's been hitting the Irish Whiskey just a little too much... "You're at the center of town" Damn it Legato! I seriously just praised you for being a great SVX producer. Please tell me you at least tried to knock some since into Piller's head to get him to change the dialogue to "EDGE" of town....

Thank God it's "Who Shot JR?" Just be thankful its not "Bobby coming out of the Shower!"

This episode is the first time I ever remember feeling super invested in what happened next for any of TNG. The stakes felt so high and it's just such a well done cliffhanger.

What about that look that Riker gives Troi after she reminds him that he shouldn't lead the Away Team?

So, this is the most important episode of Star Trek. Maybe not the best (it's high on that list) but we have Trek as a franchise today because of "Best of Both Worlds." This cliffhanger kept us locked in for Season 4 and cemented the show's success. Also Patrick Stewart's contract was for three seasons and this was made without knowing if he'd be back, so both we the audience, AND the cast an crew didn't know if Riker was going to actually kill Locutus/Picard by S4 E1. The summer of 1990 was tense for us all.

This is TNG's most impactful episode, both in and out of universe. Obvious question: Who do you think will survive part two, and what will be left of them?

Gentleman, I hope you brought bandages because you probably just shit a brick.

I predict Alex and Josh will hate this one. Nah, just kidding.

"There's no doubt anymore. It IS the Borg." Most-chilling line in Star Trek.

How do you guys feel about Riker's character development in this episode? Even though the focus is on Picard at the end, I think of this as a Riker episode. And is Shelby an all time guest on the show for you so far?

This episode was what cemented Star Trek Next Gen as my #1 show in the franchise. Will be interesting to see how they feel about it.

This episode is one of the defining moments for all of Star Trek, even from a lore perspective.

The MOTHER of all bangers, guys!!! This cliffhanger ruined my Summer of 1990!!

I was about 12 when this was released and still remember jumping off the couch , yelling "Noooooooo!" at the cliffhanger. My parents couldn't help but laugh.

The musical accompaniment for this episode is unparalleled.

I was 23 years old. I was a life long Star Trek fan. I had no trouble getting on board with TNG. This aired and at the end I *yelled* at my TV "FUCK ME!"

Guessing the gap in between doing this episode and starting season 4 will give you a sense of what it was like 30 years ago for everyone waiting all summer to see what happened next.

Well...back in Peak Performance you guys said you wanted to see what would happen if Riker took on Picard. Here you go.

A lot of the hardened TOS fans kind of admitted that TNG had arrived after this!😄

Wow it’s here …. We have engaged the borg, amazing episode if you didn’t live in the uk as we had to wait almost 2 years for the next season, going into this episode everyone on the main cast has signed a contract for season 4 apart from Patrick who left it till the last minute so spoilers wouldn’t leak

Is it finally going to be safe to say in public that frickin laser beam head is not the peak moment of the franchise?

This episode really got the attention of the mainstream at the time and brought 'Star Trek' to the news.. I got to watch the remaster of this episode in the movie theater a few years ago, and it was such a great experience.

This one's gonna have a LOT of patron takes, and why shouldn't it. Well I'll say watching this one on streaming years after release will definitely lesson it's impact. I think over all it's legendary status is due mainly to its bold choices for a season finale, that choice being almost a standard for today's shows. I think the episode is pretty good but I don't think it quite reaches the hype. But I wasn't even alive when this episode came out, and I watched the shows out of order. So this episode just isn't special to me but I can respect it a lot.

The title has multiple meanings.... Picard becoming half human half Borg - the "best of both worlds", but also the Riker dilemma. He wants to stay on the Enterprise but he also wants his own command. With his decisive final line, he achieves both.

I am brand new here, joining because of this episode alone. I cannot wait for you to see this and am of the belief that you will pop hard for the last few minutes! My dad raised me on this show so I really enjoy getting to experience this with someone new again.

I remember watching this live. Best of Both Worlds is a bit of a double meaning. It’s not just “the best of Federation vs Borg,” but also more importantly to the story, Riker’s dilemma about wanting to stay on the enterprise vs. also wanting to be a captain. In the end we are shown what that “world” looks like. Top notch.

Probably the best Riker-centric episode. He really got the best of both worlds, but at what cost?

3 months! I had to wait 3 months for the conclusion! This episode usually gets listed in top 10 lists for the best cliffhangers in TV history. Right up there with "Who shot J.R / Who shot Mr. Burns", Season 1 finale of The West Wing, etc... I'm really looking forward to your reaction.

Every Star Trek fan knows where they were when they saw this episode drop in 1990. That summer was the longest summer of my life waiting for the next season. On a side note…. I can’t wait for you to get to Deep Space Nine. I think you’ll like it better than TNG.

Mid

Lets put the cliffhanger into context. Pat's contract has expired after Season 3, and his negotiations are not going well. The second half of this episode has not been written. You will be waiting 6 months for the conclusion to this episode, not knowing who will be on the show for the rest of it's run. How do you feel about Captain Riker of the USS Enterprise? Can he replace Picard? Can you figure a way out of the hole the writers dug themselves into should Pat return? Star Trek just went from Good Star Trek to top tier Sci-Fi TV in a single episode, can it maintain this high? So many unanswered questions. See you in 3 weeks. If you can handle it.

There are truly some classic bangers in Season 3, this is the finale to end all finales though. I've been getting my friend into Trek and he's finished season 1 so far, and enjoying it. I told him season 2 is amazing, sometimes, but 3, 3 is where it pops the collar and gets it. Please, pardon the euphemism here but it's an apt description. I told him Season 3 is like having intimate relations with a truly experienced woman. I mean, you're having a great time the entire time, you reach the promised land several times throughout the encounter and right when you think it's winding down and you're ready for a break, blamo! Finger in the rear cargo bay and you learn something new about yourself and expand you mind and definitions for what can be done! That is the Best of Both Worlds.

So, how are we feeling about your 3-week break before season 4??? This is TNG firing on all cylinders: great story, great writing, great score, and one of TV's great cliffhangers. Fun fact: Locutus is Latin for "he who has spoken".

One of my top 5 episodes, the wait for part 2 was torture back then. Luckily you guys don't have to wait.

They showed this episode along with with part 2 in theaters when the HD remasters were released on Blu-ray. A cool experience, though limited by its 4:3 aspect ratio on the big screen.

This episode was originally aired on June 18, 1990. It would be three long months until the start of season 4 on September 24. For many fans, maybe the three longest months of their lives. Patrick Steward himself tells this little story: "I got a taste of just how much [people were strained about the waiting time] one day when I was driving in L.A. As I waited at a red light, a car pulled alongside me and the passenger window opened. The driver leaned across his front seat to yell at me, 'You have ruined our summer!'"

The title of this episode is good when you think it’s about Picard. It’s amazing when you realize it’s about Riker.

I watched this with my dad. At the time people were recording these on VHS, myself included. We finished the episode and my dad asked for the next episode... I told him we had to wait 3 months... he was quite displeased. I'll never forget that look on his face. If I told him that I crashed his car he would have looked the same.

The scary thing about the Borg is not that they are the opposite of the Federation. It is that they are a dark mirror of them. Both cultures are about meeting others, learning things about them, and ideally incorporating that culture into their own. The Borg are just somewhat more direct about it, and don't give their targets any choice in the matter. and here they taken the main character, the one who leads the charge against the current foe and made him the foe, at the time this was the cliffhanger of the century

And now the payoff that was set up in (I think) the neutral zone and their first encounter with the Borg. Probably a tie with a very few others for Most Perfect Episode. Imagine watching this and realizing you had to wait ALL DAMN SUMMER to see part two. Cruel and unusual punishment.

those of us who who saw this aired on television had to wait 4 months for the conclusion. longest 4 months of my life.

New patron here! Not my first take though I think this episode really was a proof of concept for what Star Trek would be capable of at its best. We have character development, action, the score goes nuts, and the direction is really elevated. When I was a kid, this episode made TNG an event that you had to tune into. I really love how the show delivers on promises set up in Season 2.

Something I only noticed on a later rewatch: at the very end after they see Picard in his Borg outfit for the first time, Shelby and Riker have that argument and they are both on the exact opposite side of where they're "suppossed to be". Shelby is asking for more time to get Picard back, Riker is saying there's no time we need to get the weapon ready. Riker even before he sees Picard has already made the tough choice while Shelby was more or less "playing it safe". Really awesome Riker episode. love the arc he goes on and how Shelby acts as that reflection of him throughout.

“The board is set, the pieces are moving. We come to it at last, the great battle of our time..." This episode/storyline redefines Star Trek, bringing TNG out of TOS' shadow, and directly impacting or influencing all other Star Trek which follows it. The S-tier of S-tier episodes. So, what do you think will happen next..?

One of the best Star Trek episodes of the whole franchise. A handful are better, IMHO. Note the score! The score! Also trivia: this was one of the first major cliffhangers in television. Imagine waiting months and months for the next episode. Finally, that sting after "Mr. Worf... fire!" So good! If you don't love this, I think we have to disown you.

Thought about this, and yeah, usually the guys will disagree with some episodes we think are great. But Josh said that a certain season 2 episode brought Star Trek “to a whole new f-ing level!”. I can’t believe they would think this episode would anything but truly awesome. Shockingly, this episode made TNG a “water cooler” show, which is unheard of for any sci-fi at the time. Edge of your seat.

Oh boy, I bet you guys wish you weren't taking a break now.

The only thing more relentless than the Borg is Shelby’s ambition.

"Fire" And that's the last audiences saw for 3 months

So it's all come to this: the Ron Jones magnum opus. Listen to this score and question how this guy could be fired for his music being too dramatic.

Here we are, the most important episode of Star Trek ever. Remember when you watched Shades of Grey and were expecting more from a season finale? Best of Both Worlds is the reason for that. Dallas had its "Who Shot JR" cliff hanger, but Dallas was already the highest rated drama. The TNG Season 4 premiere was so anticipated that it became the first syndicated show to actually win its time slot in major markets and you can bet the studio heads took notice. After this premieres and finales started to become events. It's important in an a canonical sense, too, but you'll see. (Also, Patrick Stewart's contract is up at this point.)

When this was first shown, it was common for tv series to renegotiate actor contracts over the summer break between seasons. With this episode bringing on Shelby as a possible new Number One, we really could believe that Patrick Stewart might be leaving the show. There are legions of us who still suffer lingering PTSD effects from that long, fretful summer.

If there was a time to do a live event the reaction for this episode would be it. For me this episode is a top five of all of Star Trek. This episode does very well in diving into the personalities of both Picard and Riker. It also is a call back to Star Trek 2 using a Nebula cloud to make finding the Enterprise impossible for a time 😁. The Borg stopping pursuit helps to see they are not willing to fight when they do not have the advantage. In my opinion, the only thing I think would have made this episode even more interesting would’ve been the appearance of Q. You can definitely tell they went all out with the budget for this particular episode. Considering this is a well talked about episode even after all this time, I hope you guys enjoy and will have much to talk about.

It is futile to resist the greatness of this episode. Your reactions will adapt to service us. But seriously, it’s the cherry on top of the season. This is an episode I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve rewatched it. Every time I do, I imagine watching it for the first time. It has the best cliffhanger of Star Trek and one of the best in television history. When you’re finished, imagine having to wait 3 months before seeing the conclusion. The definition of a banger.

One of the things I wanted to make sure of, rewatching this, is that the title did not say "part 1". I am glad because I want to see the pop you guys when Riker says "Fire!" Then the screen goes black and we see "To Be Continued..."

It changed Star Trek forever simply one of the best episodes ever made

TNG at its finest!

This was the first tng episode to hook me into the series. After this episode aired, I tuned in weekly. This two part episode could easily have been a movie

Waiting all summer for the next episode, back when this was on tv, was torture. I can remember counting down the months until we would know what was going to happen after “Mr. Worf… Fire!”

Please, please do not touch S4E1 until after your already declared break. Part of the experience of this one is having to wait without knowing and without immediately flipping to the outcome (like reading the last page of a mystery novel). In the 90s we had to wait 14 weeks for Mr. Worf to push the button. 3 weeks in 2024 will probably feel similar for you.

One of the best cliffhangers in all of television.

“Mr Worf….Fire.”

Absolutely iconic. This will be an episode you'll find yourselves coming back to.

FIRE 🔥 Well, you’ve made it. This is the event that solidified the re-birth of Star Trek on TV in the pop culture zeitgeist, the effects of which continue to this day. And make no mistake, while this is a well remembered episode for what happens to JL, this is a Riker episode, through and through. Shelby challenging his command, pushing him to make the tough choices, his feelings of complacency and of being “seasoned”. In the end, Riker learns to find his ‘FIRE’ again.

Despite this episode being remembered for what happens to Picard, it's actually a Riker character study. It's all about him, how he's changed since being on the Enterprise and whether he can still handle the pressures of Command. If he can make the tough calls. Ironically, it's champing at the bit Shelby who cracks and tries to stall to save Picard, her indecision having the potential for wide-spread disaster. Oh, and remember what I said about Stewart renegotiating his contract? That still wasn't resolved when the episode aired. So he might be having a curtain call, or become a reoccuring villain for the rest of the show - we don't know. Enjoy your TNG reaction hiatus boys!

I’m not saying anything about this one. I rarely, if at all, make suggestions. I just hope they don’t talk during this one. This is where TNG arrived.

I saw this as a kid on its original run on an old slightly green tinted TV and it was EPIC!

To lessen the chance of spoilers maybe the one month break should be postponed until after S4E1. The episodes after that with Captain Barclay are not very compelling anyway, what with taking place entirely within the holodeck and all

Because you guys sometimes like to shave against the grain, I'm going to venture a guess you'll find this one overrated. In the time since this episode came out, cliffhangers have been done better. It's a TNG classic, but it's spectacle strengths have dimished with age. The Riker character stuff is still great.

I predict this will be an episode of dawning realization for Alex as his RLM memories will come flooding back, and he'll spend most of the episode trying to not give away the game for Josh, who will be totally unprepared for the season ending cliffhanger. Alex may still be surprised by it too. Unless the hype machine has DESTROYED the appreciation for this episode. But uhhh, welcome to TNG. 🤣🤣

I suspect you won’t enjoy this as much as most fans as it’s more about combat / sci fi / SFX than the characters and narrative tension. I hope I’m wrong, as most regard this as pivotal lore-building for the entire Star Trek franchise.

Oh boy, here we go! I think we've all been looking forward to this moment. I have a question for you guys, if you were in Riker's position who would you have picked to be your first officer? Would you go with Shelby or one of our boys Data or Worf?

We finally get to see how the Borg got so powerful: By assimilating both people and technology. In this way, they are like the federation with an evil twist: bringing together people of many worlds under one unified banner. In my opinion the Borg were created as a critique of the idealistic “melting pot” society.

I love Shelby and her attitude towards Riker, a very strong performance by Elizabeth Dennehy.

This is one of the most famous cliffhangers in television, I would not be surprised if you guys know a couple vague or specific details about this episode.

What a triumph this episode is. This is the best single episode of Star Trek and part of the best two parter in Star Trek. There are other contenders but this is it. The return of the Borg changes everything moving forward for the Federation and the entire franchise. Next Gens biggest threat. Shelby is a great foil for Riker. I did see this one first run and had to wait until the summer was over to see part two which is also great. I know you guys are waiting a couple of weeks but you have no idea. Picard as Loctus at the end was terrifying, we as an audience had no idea if he was coming back since his contract was up and it was public knowledge at the time.

THIS IS IT! HERE WE GO!

The longest summer of my childhood followed this episode, and I would never have expected it going in. There is a lot of great TNG to go, but I would argue that this is peak TNG. This episode also shows up on some top 100 greatest TV episodes ever, and won two Emmys. It’s fantastic stuff. Another great Cliff Bole episode with a fantastic score.

Last few second hit hard! Best episode ending in history!

This episode cemented the golden age of Trek and changed it forever. The last scene still gives me goosebumps despite watching it countless times since I was a child/teenager. Do you think they'll rescue Picard? If so, how?

This is the definitive perfect episode. Not a single moment of screen time is wasted. Elizabeth Dennehy (daughter of Brian Dennehy) pulls off a strong performance as Shelby and you could easily see her become a member of this crew. Love the Riker/Troi conversation in Ten Forward: “I’ve always wanted to be captain but something’s holding me back…”. Interesting how he has this conversation with Deanna.

You guys remember the Peak Performance reaction, when you said you were fine with the DQ finish because Picard vs. Riker was too hot to give away on free tv? Welcome to the main event.

THIS is the episode we have trudged through three seasons to get to. Not that seasons 1-3 haven't had bangers. Just...oh, this episode...!

To fans who didn't see this in its original run: y'all have no idea how long the summer of 1990 felt

I remember Jonathan Frakes doing an introduction to this episode, though that might have been on a rerun. Definitely a highlight episode. Also, you come to some dark revelations if you look back to previous related episodes.

There's no way you're both going to be able to wait a month to start season 4. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

And so we’ve arrived, the episode considered on par with “Who Shot J.R.?” and other great cliffhangers. The episode that has entered into legendary status and took TNG with it! I think all is Target Watchers have been eagerly waiting for this one! When the blu ray season sets were being released, CBS Digital put out a couple of episodes for us to watch in the theaters. They only did so for the first 3 seasons though, because their self admitted goal was exclusively to get this episode and the continuation into theatres!

Sorry if you were hoping for another clip show. They went in a different direction this time.

So, what do you think happens on the next episode of STAR TREK!!: Thenextgeneration?

Everything changes!

This is a great Riker episode I love how Shelby accuses him of avoiding big decisions which sets up until that ending. Also think this is the culmination of what Michael Piller was trying to do with the series making it more character focussed than it was before. It’s in my top 5 best TNG episodes.

Gentlemen, we will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture and knowledge will adapt to service ours. RESISTANCE. IS. FUTILE...

The summer of 1990 was the ONLY summer I can recall as a kid wishing it would hurry the fuck up and be over. This kind of season ending cliffhanger was sooo rare to nonexistent in dramatic episodic television outside of soap operas and it kind of blew my mind at the time.

You made it, gents! The landmark event that forever alters Trek and reverberates through every series set after TNG. Who’s performance wowed impacted you most? Could we as a community ask something of season 4? You used a whiteboard to track banger episodes in a row. In Season 4, would you track total not-bangers instead? I think it’ll be stunning.

This should set your balls on fire. 🔥 EPIC score, EPIC finale.

We are the viewers. You will add your enjoyment to our own. Resistance is futile. In all seriousness, great episode, great finale and horrendous tease as a TO BE CONTINUED.

A lot of people mistakenly consider this a Picard episode because of what happens to him. But not only is it clearly a Riker episode, I would go as far to say it is THE Riker episode. He always wanted to be in charge of his own ship and somehow also stay on the Enterprise. By the end of pt 1, he gets to have both. The best of both worlds.

3 Months! When this originally aired, we had to wait 3 months to find out the ending. It was agonizing.

Your previously announced schedule is irrelevant. You will proceed to season 4 episode 1. Resistance is futile. This is a core memory, waiting all summer for the resolution. The magazine stands were filled with articles on whether Patrick Stewart was returning or not. Fun times

We’re here!! What are your thoughts on the score? I love it and feel that it’s the best episode soundtrack in all of Trek. Ron Jones really outdid himself with this one. The instrumentation plus the choral singing/chanting really gives a sense of “oh shit, the Borg are here and this really could be the end of the federation”. Every moment, from the opening with the away team, to the first battle with the cube, and all the way up to the cliffhanger, has the perfect backing to match the mood and pacing of the scene. I could dissect the music for every scene, that’s how much I love BOBW. BTW, if you happen to love the score as much as I do (and you better!) then I would suggest giving the official soundtrack a listen. There’s so much more detail there that you don’t pickup during the episode. However it might be best to wait until after BOBW part 2 so you don’t spoil anything.