UNCUT REACTION - Star Trek 181 - The Best of Both Worlds (TNG 3x26)

After watching The Way Of The Warrior earlier i suddenly felt like re-watching this with you guys.

Yep, same with everyone else. We had to wait like four LONG months for the new season to start after that thriller of a cliffhanger. Probably the most intense "to be continued" I ever saw at the time. Definitely not like today where as new season starts just weeks after the last one ended. Truly a long summer to wait.

You are right about the summer. Remember, when those of us watched this for the first time in late June of 1990, we had no idea it would be a cliff hanger. We had to wait an entire summer until late September to see the conclusion. At least you have the luxury of watching it much sooner. I recall reading that the conclusion was not known at the time that Part I aired. That's just the way production worked back then. When everyone went back to work for Season 4, the first task for the writers was... well okay, let's figure out Part II. And yes, this is where "Resistance is Futile" was introduced as a cultural meme.

This was the first cliffhanger I had ever seen. I remember asking my Dad what happens next and he said we'd have to wait until after Summer to find out. Because it was the 90's I had recorded this episode on VHS and I rewatched it so many times! In hindsight, this was probably the first seed planted in my mind that eventually led me to want to be a storyteller.

Was Best of Both worlds hidden behind a pay wall? Because I didn’t know it was out then I had to pay.. maybe I just let my subscription lapse I’m unsure 🫤 😆

I wish people could refrain from "hyping up" certain episodes for you. It would have been great if you could have gone into this expecting nothing more than what you got in previous Star Trek season finales.

I don’t think Riker firing on the Borg cube is him taking the safe route at all. This is him showing he can and will make the tough decisions no matter the cost. The easy way would be to give in to his feelings and the rest of the crews feelings for Picard. He was out of time and options and made the right call like a seasoned captain needs to.

Did you guys forget about the movie Star Trek 4? (1986) Or did your YouTube video get pulled?

Actually resistance is futile was first uttered in a s2 space 1999 episode called The Dorcons. I shit you not

You only have to wait a month we waited 5 months. This started the season ending cliffhanger

Now that you've seen this episode and The Animated Series, you can watch this video from a couple of years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyz2pVqrEkI

Ah Best of Both worlds. While some think the title refers to Locutus(The knowledge of Picard combined with the tech and might of the Borg), with so much of the focus on Riker, I prefer the notion that it’s referring to him in a dark “Be careful what you wish for” way. There’s all this focus on Riker not wanting to give up the Enterprise to have his own command. But by the end of the episode, with Picard captured, Riker gets to have his cake and eat it. He gets to have a command AND stay on the Enterprise, enjoying the “Best of Both Worlds”. 🤔

At the end Riker is definitely thinking about "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."

This episode always had a big episode feel - the threat of the Borg, the big developments in Riker’s arc, the cliffhanger, the music - all contribute but also some subtle things make it feel big too… specifically the reuse of the nebula footage from TWOK - which, up until this episode, had been the last huge turning point in the franchise, added to the epic feel of this.

Ron Jones created so many of the memorable TNG scores. The Borg theme could be considered the best of all of them, and it adds so much to this episode. When the Enterprise first encounters the Borg Cube, and likely most well known, when Riker orders "Mr. Worf, Fire!"

I doubt I'll get 2 patron takes read in a row, especially with 250+ for this episode, but from everything I have read and heard about Star Trek in 1990(I was only 2 years old), this episode may well have saved the entire franchise much in the same way TWOK did. There had always been a contingent of TOS fans who never bought into TNG. They dismissed it as "not my Trek". For those fans to come off 3 excellent Trek films and get TFF was a huge disappointment, and even Shatner thought he might have sunk the film franchise. And of the people who gave TNG a chance, a lot found S1 and 2 underwhelming and dropped off. S3 stopped the bleeding and offered some excellent stories, but was arguable too little, too late. Having another stand alone season finale that wraps things up with a neat bow would have been a off ramp to a lot of people. As frustrating as it might be, choosing to end on a cliffhanger was a stroke of genius on Piller's part. Having the crew put in this impossible situation, and Picard lost to the Borg, and then throwing up "to be continued..." and basically telling everyone they'd have to wait 3 months to find out how it ends no doubt pissed a lot of people off, but they HAD to know how it ends. All through that summer, EVERYONE was talking about Star Trek. The second part hadn't been planned out, so nobody knew what the resolution would be or even if Picard would return. This episode solidified TNG as "real" Trek, and got a lot of the doubters to return or even tune in for the first time. There's a reason this episode holds something of a legendary status in the franchise. Obviously this episode has a heavy focus on Picard being the "tip of the spear" against the Borg advance(before becoming the tip of the spear OF the Borg advance). His unease leading up to and during the confrontation is understandable when you remember that he openly admitted to Q being frightened of the Borg, and with the fleet being 6 days away, for all intents and purposes they're in the same situation they were in at J-25. And with all this, he has to worry about motivating Riker to think about the future of his career. Riker I feel truly starts to come into his own here. The show finally addresses the fact that Riker could be a couple years into his first command at this point, but keeps turning down opportunities. Obviously while the writers wanted to make Riker seem accomplished enough to be offered a command, they didn't want to lose Frakes or Riker from the show. The downside is it starts to make him look indecisive, and by offering him the Melbourne and again having him turn it down, it sets the stage to have that conversation. Shelby being this highly motivated go getter adds great contrast. What's great about that choice is it opens the door for Riker to show what he can do in the captain's chair, and by the end of the episode, he is anything but indecisive. It's also worth noting that this is Beverly's first encounter with the Borg, and it ends with her friend and captain being assimilated. Gates had actually requested to be on the away team to the cube since she hadn't had many opportunities to be in a scene firing a phaser. OTOH, it makes sense to have a medical officer on such a rescue mission, and thematically given how close Crusher and Picard are. Fantastic reaction to a brilliant episode. Glad you weren't spoiled ahead of time. Hopefully you also enjoy the next BSG episode as much as I do. Looking forward to S4.

Let the Star Trek Golden Age begin

I had so much fun watching your faces throughout this excellent episode. You both were truly mesmerized! I’m glad that these good episodes have not been spoiled for you. Your channel has evolved in many positive directions. Thank you for your hard work and creativity. When it comes to Star Trek, Resistance is Futile!

Several years ago after TNG was remastered, Paramount released a half dozen two-part episodes edited together as a standalone "movie". They were released individually on Blu-Ray. It definitely worth watching this in this format.

Holy hell - this is early! At least I know where my next hour is going.

Ron Jones best TNG score ever. The “Ahhhh” electronic Borg choir sends chills down my spine every time. His style, particularly in this episode because of the amount of action, reminds me of John Williams’s score for 1977’s Star Wars. A lot of staccato brass and percussion etc. this was an award nominated score that was so good, it got its own separate release album. Amazing!

Well, your reaction to "To be continued..." mirrored every one of us when it first aired. It's June, 1990. Final episode. All that pre-internet fandom knew at the time was that Patrick Stewarts contract was up. We all found out (much) later that as of that cliffhanger ending for season 3 Stewart had not yet decided if he would return so the second part HADN'T BEEN WRITTEN YET! It was the longest summer EVER! LOL

I think it's very funny all the hype or chatter you've heard about "NOW it's really TNG" or not. I think the 3rd Season as a whole is the show coming together. For my money, Seasons 4 & 5 are Prime TNG, so regardless, I'm very excited for the all the coming reactions, and I thank you guys for keeping the pace of uploads up so well. I'm sure it takes a lot of work and coordination filming and editing and uploading AS WELL as interacting with people's comments. You're an enjoyable pair to rewatch with. I think it's really interesting to see your reactions having just come from TOS because you're kind of mirroring the exact reaction audiences had when TNG first came on-air. They were SO protective of Kirk and Co and did not trust this new iteration, and everything was a comparison. But slowly they were won over, and for many (me included) TNG really is the flagship. I hope you guys enjoy.

I remember me and my friends couldn't wait for it to air!

This was hell to wait for when it first aired. Question: are you guys going to adjust your reaction schedule to start season 4 a bit sooner? ;)

yes this is where resistance is futile come from

O'Brien said they were beamed to the "center of town", but clearly they were beamed outside so we could have the dramatic reveal of the crater. The first warning sign of things to come for this TERRIBLE episode. ;)

Forgot to mention in my earlier post, but wasn't this the start of the LaForge Maneuver?

Prior to the finale, there was the Viewers' Choice Marathon of fans' top 5 favorite episodes. You've now watched 2 of the 5 selected.

Michael Piller. Ron Jones. Cliff Bole. GOAT status

When "To Be Continued" flashed up on the screen, your reaction made me laugh harder than I have laughed at ANY of your reactions since you started Target Audience. When I read that you were going to take a 3-week break from TNG after this episode, I smirked and thought "They won't make it." As others have pointed out, we had to wait ALL SUMMER to see the next episode. And one does not truly know what to expect given what others have said about Patrick Stewart at that time. And wasn't Ron Jones score great? Thanks for not disappointing. Now see if you can last 3 weeks to watch the next episode.

Ha! Nice pop for that To Be Continued. It was a long summer.

Borg? Sounds Swedish.

I had not seen this episode in 20 years (although I had seen it multiple times before so it was not a surprise.) I enjoyed watching it with you guys - it was like I was in a room with friends watching STNG. Thanks, Alex and Josh

Imagine being a crewman on the Melbourne and the guy offered the command snubs his nose at you and your ship.

When I heard you were going to take a break between seasons 3 and 4, I smiled because I knew you'd at least get a taste of what we had to go through waiting 3 months between parts! But also, I wondered if you'd decide to just do S4E1 right away, because who wants to wait?

Just arrived at the airport in Alaska for my 18 hour trek home. But now I have even more to look forward to when I get there

Only one question matters: Better than Shades of Gray?

LMFAO!!! The best reaction was to the "To Be Continued". The same reaction EVERYONE else had 35 years ago (dam, I feel old). We tried warning you, without spoiling it. Oh well, now you can suffer somewhat like we did.

The studio wasn’t even sure Patrick Stewart was going to return for Season 4 (contract not agreed upon), so the fans were stressing out. When they filmed this and broke for the summer, the creators and writers didn’t know how they were going to conclude the story. There was no script for Part 2.

I'm glad you guys got to experience some of the shock of "To Be Continued...". With all the hype I was a little worried you'd see it coming a mile away. With how TV's changed over the years I'm not sure it's possible for anyone today to be gobsmacked by it the way viewers were in 1990 - probably the majority of the audience had never seen a season-ending cliffhanger before.

This episode was the first time someone was assimilated by the Borg. That's how the Borg make new drones.

A nice little touch too, is Picard pacing the bridge, and the tension in his voice when they detect the Borg ship. He's nervous and afraid. It's really the first time Picard has openly displayed that level of uncertainty in front of the crew. It took me several rewatches to really notice it. Great acting by Patrick Stewart.

I'm glad you guys commented on the score. This is Ron Jones' finest. The episode would not be the same without his work. The Borg theme he wrote is simple yet conveys so much.

You gotta ask yourselves now, how the hell can they get out of this?

Thank you so much for the early drop! I normally wait to watch, but this one deserved a morning watch. What a great way to start the weekend! As I'm sure others have said, that was a long summer to wait, it was fantastic. My friends were talking about it all summer. Is Patrick Stewart leaving the show? What do we think of Shelby as Rikers No.1? So many questions!

Patrick Stewart’s performance as Locutus here is so iconic. If he didn’t deliver as Locutus, the whole episode would be ruined.

Interesting observation that even at the very end Riker is making the safe decision, but I wouldn't count that against him in this case. This situation shows that making the hard decision doesn't always mean taking risks. Sometimes the safest decision is also the hardest one. Shelby is ready to risk letting the Borg reach Earth because she can't bring herself to give up on rescuing Picard. But Riker, who's known Picard much longer and has more reason to want to save him, knows the stakes are too high to take that chance, and has the guts to fire on his own captain to protect Earth.

i still get goosebumps watching the ending of this episode more than 30 years later. just a thought, when you look back on the evolution of picard and Stewart’s portrayal from season one to here, this is one of reasons l think it’s hard for me to go back to watching season one. Stewart is so much more confident and compelling in the role.

Did you guys catch the Latin reference? “Locutus” meaning “he who speaks”

“Like a mall store door closing,” you gave no idea how many times I thought about that scene whenever I was in a mall late at night.

“Resistance is futile” is the remembered phrase but the sheer force and horror of the Borg for me were “Strength is irrelevant” and “Freedom is irrelevant. Self determination is irrelevant” and “Death is irrelevant”

The ending also gave us the great parody moment in Family Guy many years later.

No, no, it is NOT Sunday, you take that episode right back down young men

the music on this is next level

Welcome to the greatest cliffhanger in tv history. And the excruciating summer of 1990 waiting for season 4. This was the only time, as a nerd in middle school, where everyone, including my teachers, were talking about this episode. :)

BANGER episode! Yes, that summer was brutal, but gave us all something really exciting to look forward to in the Fall when it returned. Have a great break gentlemen. Well earned. See you in S4! : )

No, the Show Show begins with Season 4

This was my second year of college and after this I told my boyfriend (now husband) not to come over until after TNG had aired that day. No talking during episodes allowed.

I’m hoping y’all give this a second watch before watching the conclusion. There’s so many details that are easily missed. A few of my favorites are on the planet when Shelby says “early bird catches the worm”, you can see in the background the puzzled look on Data’s face as he starts scanning the ground for worms. Also, the look Shelby gives Riker on the bridge when he says “they have the ability to analyze and adapt”.

I’ve heard this in several interviews about this season finale. Piller wrote it with no ending in mind already. The reason for this was that contract negotiations with Patrick Stewart were becoming difficult and they weren’t sure if they would reach an agreement to have him back on the show in the next season. This was Star Trek’s way of telling Patrick Stewart, “you can be replaced”. And indeed, by the end of this episode, they had Will in the command chair and a viable new officer already in the crew.

Yes this is where "Resistance is futile" comes from... that's how culturally important this episode is. (Almost rivals "Live long and prosper") And when for me TNG equaled TOS. Next we match season 4 TNG against season 4 of TOS (TAS)... After 3 seasons of each, how do you think they compare?

So much to ponder for the next 12 weeks. Oh ... Wait...

Yes. They did create “Resistance is futile.”

No update for the Sex Scoreboard so the season ends: Riker 6 Troi 3 Data 1 Picard 1 Worf 1 Jordy 1 + 1 I Broccoli 2 i HOWEVER, I almost gave Data and Shelby a +1. I wonder why Shelby seeing a storm front moving in "early" in the morning (clearly before daybreak) was able to get Data to go with her. "Data was avaiable", how did she know. Hmmmm was it that she searched all over the ship for Data and asked him to go OR was it she just rolled over in bed and nudged him awake from sleeping (or from doing a daily update after a night of downloading). Was Data impressed with her calling the bluff so much that wanted to see what 2 pair Shelby had, since that is what she said she had. No one knows for sure except Shelby and Data.

The phrase definitely existed before this episode, but this definitely catapulted the phrase "Resistance is futile" into the public zeitgeist.

I went to bed two hours before the reaction was released when I had already been up for 20 hours. Thanks. Then when I did get up after 8 I had to get my Dad up and help him get dressed before I could even think about watching. It was worth the wait.

Congratulations! This just made me super happy! I love you guys! 😃🖖

There's a special 3-part behind the scenes look at Season 3 on the same disc that you watched this episode called Resistance is Futile - Assimilating Star Trek: The Next Generation and in the third part features interviews with the cast, and it was mentioned by Patrick Stewart, in regards to the ending of this episode, that he was driving in a convertible in Florida that summer of 1990 and he was at a red light and there was another convertible that had a family in it that just pulled up next to him, and they recognized him and just as the traffic light was about to turn green, they yelled out to him: "YOU HAVE RUINED OUR SUMMER!"

I have a question for all of you out there who use Amazon streaming....just why DO dermatologists use Dove? They never really said.

well, i had plans for this morning...now they are amended. I'll comment on your reaction in 55 minutes.

The last time I saw that kind of indignation at the title screen dropping (edit: erm ... at the credits rolling is more like it) was when I was in the theater for Fellowship of the Ring and 3/4 of the theater didn't realize it was a three part event lol Great work guys, I've been looking forward to this reaction for a long time, and it didn't disappoint. Excited for the discussion!

So happy you guys finally made it to this episode! What a ride it's been, and will continue to be, into the future. I still remember watching this episode with my family when it aired and just being so dumbfounded by that "to be continued" that none of us had been expecting. And then having to wait all summer to see what would happen next... agony. Even now, that Ron Jones score still makes my body tense up. What a joy to watch it again through your eyes. There are many great things about this episode, but my favourite thing about it is seeing the entire bridge crew all working together to save the day. The episode is centred around Riker and Shelby sure, but everyone else has something to do (including Wesley); even Guinan gets a nice moment in there as well. The teamwork and competence on display is riveting; this is the very definition of firing on all cylinders.

Tasha’s reveal in Yesterday’s Enterprise and now the ending of this episode with “To be Continued” have definitely been my favorite reactions!

My 6 month old Milo is sick so I’ve been up since 3am… and this episode release made it all worth it.

My wallpaper in Windows 95 was a photo of Bill Gates as Locutus on the viewscreen. That image still lives on somewhere on the internet. It's impossible to overstate how big of influence on pulp culture TNG was at this poin.

The Admiral is the same actor who played “God” in Star Trek V.

This episode is perfectly constructed. While it seems to start off slow given everything it needs to do, this pacing is necessary for setting up Shelby and the Borg threat, which it handles excellently. It packs a lot into its 45-minute run time. When it first aired in 1990, it was a mind-blowing experience (has it really been that long!?). Serialised TV for a sci-fi show like this was groundbreaking, and the three-month wait between this and the second part was agonizing. Michael Piller was firing on all cylinders and is rightly considered one of the most important creatives in Star Trek history for his contributions going forward. I love the theme for the Borg. Ron Jones had to push for the choir aspect for the theme with the studio unsure at first but that otherworldliness of the theme really adds another dimension to the fact that the Borg is something entirely new and dangerous. TNG was already a successful show, but this episode significantly ramped up interest, making it must-see TV. There was a huge surge in media interest. It felt like the moment when the show truly shed the shackles and constant comparisons of TOS and established itself as something special in its own right. I remain fascinated by your journey watching all of Trek. Considering how much ground a show like TNG has broken and its influence on the evolution of TV, there’s a concern that some of the novel elements might not have the same impact in 2024. However, it’s clear you are aware of this, and these big moments still resonate with you which is why it's great to see that not only do you guys take being spoiler-free so seriously this community seems equally committed to it. And well, great television is great television, and TNG is certainly that.

Congrats, you guys, you've leveled up to Season 4

Early reaction, let's go! Personally, I think this is a solid episode on its own, but it's really a two-parter, so taking it as just half the slice, I wouldn't say it's the best episode of S3 (but again still very solid even on its own... and that cliffhanger, damn).

51:10 It's the music, Josh. That what gave you the impression it wasn't just a commercial break.

49:16 It's 5:30am and I am laughing soooo hard. I'm going to wake everyone up! HAH!!!

Michael Piller had a one year contract, so this was going to be his final episode. Gene came to him and said he liked what he’d done and wanted him to stay. So, Riker is Piller here, should he stay or should he go? He decided to end the season with a bang, and would decide whether to stay or leave later…

At 0500 hours this morning I got out of bed to use the bathroom. At 0506, I noticed an update on the patreon app. Patreon reported contact with a season finale described as “cube shaped.” Honestly I went back to bed. I laid there for five minutes, then said “fuck it, I’ll sleep later.”

Oh, this isn't just a good episode, it's a great one, it makes that list. I've argued and debated the motives, behaviour and characterisation of this episode at length since I first saw it. Yet to meet anyone who hated it.

13:30 Wesley's perfect FML face

Resistance is futile is probably most associated with the Borg but it wasn't it's first use. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-resistance-is-futile/answer/David-Calladine?ch=15&oid=225756537&share=a3a4f270&srid=yXyFA&target_type=answer

One of the late great Michael Pillers greatest contributions to Trek was this story. Feel like this is the culminations of his efforts. He really revitalised the show, brought in talented writers and changed the direction of Trek.

OMG, I'm suffering from insomnia and it's 2:35in the morning. Guess I'm not going to bed now. This is gonna be painful. Ah screw it...LFG!!!!!

Oh my! Early release! Most men are embarrassed about that, but I'm glad you guys aren't.

Just the reaction I was hoping for. Yay!

It's ironic that Shelby accused Riker of not being able to make the big decisions, when in the end Shelby wanted to check with Starfleet command before firing their weapon at the Borg. Riker giving the order to fire while Picard was still on the Borg ship, was the ultimate "big decision", and he made it under the most pressure imaginable.

Love the reactions! If you make us wait to long for season 4, I will snap you back to episode 1 of TOS!

Jonathan Frakes would come on stage at cons and say his famous line into the mic, “Mr. Worf…fire.” The crowds always went nuts! You just experienced a true moment in Star Trek history.

"Resistance is futile" came from this, yes

LFG!!

Only started watching your stuff on YouTube once you started TNG and became a patron a bit after, but been waiting for this and I'm so exited to see your reactions... And hyped for season 4!

Whaaaaaa. You are legends, love you all!

I’m so glad I’m still up for this! Guess I’ll be up for another hour or so now.

I love you both lots, and I'm so glad we finally got to this point, however it goes.

First! Congratulations on reaching this monumental point in Star Trek history.