Star Trek: TNG: Season 7 (1993-94)
26 episodes, approx 44 minutes each.
Family plays an important role; mothers and sons mostly, but also fathers, brothers and the extended family you create for yourself from people who become closer than just friends, who earn respect a thousand times over just by being who they are at heart, free from any kind of ingratiating agenda.
And while strange new worlds are indeed explored, new life and new civilisations thoroughly sought out, there's also a dangerous limitation to be considered, one that has consequences for more than just the crew of the Federation's flagship. It's something that doesn't get forgotten by the next episode, which does sometimes happen in these kinds of episodic shows, and I'll be looking out for it as I progress through TNG's successor, the Deep Space Nine series, which takes place in the same time period.
Lieutenant commander Data's desire to be more human continues to underpin the psychology of the character and it's something that's used as a basis for some of the best episodes in what I consider to be a very strong season.
Of course, the VERY best episode is the two-part finale, All Good Things... It's a powerful and bittersweet farewell that's both a testament to how affecting the show was to millions of people the world over and a kind of thank you to those same people. Afterwards our time with the ship's crew comes to an end, but we know deep down that our own journey of discovery never really does. The Enterprise D and its crew will hold a special place in my heart forever; it's a feeling that all the gold-pressed latinum in the universe couldn't buy back.
PS: Unrelated to any specific episode or season, but Jenny Agutter was next in line to play the ship’s doctor if Gates McFadden hadn't taken the Crusher role. I’d like to have seen that.
Jean-Luc Picard / William Riker / Data / Deanna Troi / Worf / Geordi La Forge / Beverly Crusher
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