# Best TNG episode(s) for someone who doesn't like sci-fi/action **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925 "2013-04-05T14:56:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/21 "2013-04-05T19:12:22Z")
_In the Pale Moonlight_ is a fantastic Deep Space Nine episode, one in which the sci-fi setting is almost totally irrelevant. It only provides a few handy details for how things occur, but not why or who does them. The only issue is that the characters and relationships involved are rather complex, but there’s more than enough explanation present that you can just go along with it. The structure of the narrative itself provides the insight into the important characters and situations. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/22 "2013-04-05T19:23:23Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I would dozenth (which I just discovered is apparently a real word, who knew?) “The Inner Light”. Not knowing the characters may remove a dimension to the story but I think it would still work wonderfully. I just saw this all the way through for the first time, and I think it is the best. It is stronger for know Picard’s background but it still works just as a story of loss - and hardly an episode of any show is going to be as good if it doesn’t play off the personality of the characters. (Even the “Death of Chuckles” episode from MTM works better knowing what a stick in the mud she is.) ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/23 "2013-04-05T19:39:27Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > If you’re committed to Next Generation pick an episode where Patrick Stewart is allowed to act and show some degree of emotion - the choices above are good ones. Most episodes of TNG are very flat, the actors show no real emotion, and the stories are more concerned with making social statements than creating any real conflict with people actually acting like people. I have to ask, what are you trying to accomplish with your friend? If you want to show them that they might like Star Trek I think the original series is a much better choice because there’s real chemistry between Spock, Kirk, and McCoy. If you want to prove that Science Fiction is more than just action and tells interesting human stories then I’d suggest something like Firefly or Battlestar Galactica instead. In BSG the first episode, 33, is a great introduction to SciFi for people who don’t like SciFi. Thanks for the suggestions - It is my girlfriend - and while we like some of the same movies/TV - I wanted to sort of find a way to connect with her on the sci-fi action front. I don’t see there being any hope with the action - the only action movie I mentioned that she somewhat thought was OK was Raiders - and she only liked the non action parts. She is very bright and curious, and I think she might actually like some Sci-Fi - I think I was thinking TNG as there are tons of episodes - and I actually like most of them. I thought that age of the original Star Trek might turn her off. I also knew that some of the episodes of TNG don’t seem really sci-fi - like some very holodeck centric episodes and “The Inner Light”. I loved the first episode of BSG - it really drew me in - while TNG probably took about a season, but I’m pretty sure the Cylons will have her rolling her eyes early on - and I doubt number 6 will intrigue her as much as she did me. I think she might be able to handle Data, but not Worf, and things like that - but don’t know… ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/24 "2013-04-05T19:39:50Z")
Even Enterprise had some good ones… Look for **Cogenitor** and **A Night In Sickbay** They aren’t very action-y and touch on some interesting ideas. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/25 "2013-04-05T19:45:01Z")
How about “The Outcast?” No action _per se_, and a thought-provoking (if heavy handed) storyline. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/26 "2013-04-05T19:48:47Z")
Oh, I liked the one with transporter-accident Thomas Riker up until the supremely unsatisfying resolution and the ensuing “never mention this again”-ness of subsequent episodes. > **[Second Chances (episode)](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Second_Chances_(episode))** > > The Enterprise finds a second Will Riker on a planet that he helped evacuate eight years ago. "Captain's log stardate 46915.2. The Enterprise is orbiting Nervala IV and waiting for an opportunity to retrieve scientific data left there by Starfleet... ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/27 "2013-04-05T19:52:15Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > There was a two parter where Picard is being tortured (“there are… FOUR… lights!”), and a Captain [Jellicoe] with a different leadership style is in command of the Enterprise. > > Ignoring the sci-fi bits, they touch on some interesting human interaction type of questions. > > “Chain of Command” parts I & II. This is the one that came to mind for me. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/28 "2013-04-05T20:20:43Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > Thanks for the suggestions - It is my girlfriend - and while we like some of the same movies/TV - I wanted to sort of find a way to connect with her on the sci-fi action front. I don’t see there being any hope with the action - the only action movie I mentioned that she somewhat thought was OK was Raiders - and she only liked the non action parts. > > She is very bright and curious, and I think she might actually like some Sci-Fi - I think I was thinking TNG as there are tons of episodes - and I actually like most of them. I thought that age of the original Star Trek might turn her off. > > I also knew that some of the episodes of TNG don’t seem really sci-fi - like some very holodeck centric episodes and “The Inner Light”. I loved the first episode of BSG - it really drew me in - while TNG probably took about a season, but I’m pretty sure the Cylons will have her rolling her eyes early on - and I doubt number 6 will intrigue her as much as she did me. I think she might be able to handle Data, but not Worf, and things like that - but don’t know… She sounds a lot like my girlfriend from a few years back. The important thing to consider is what are her turnoffs in Sci Fi? My ex didn’t like Star Trek because of the alien prosthetics and costumes. She just couldn’t turn off the idea that they looked ridiculous to her. She also hated technobabble because she knew that it was pure gobbledygook. If this is your girlfriend then the Inner Light is a very good candidate because the makeup is pretty minimal and they don’t realign the positrons in the deflector dish to reset the spacetime polarity field around the ship :-). My ex did love BSG even though she thought she’d hate it when she watched the first episode. She was able to relate easily with the human characters, the technobabble was kept to a minimum, and she really liked the fact that the women are such strong characters. She loved Starbuck most. I feel like I’m threadshitting a bit by mentioning that show but for what you want to accomplish I think it’s your best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/29 "2013-04-05T20:50:26Z")
If we are expanding the scope outside of TNG, the Deep Space Nine episode “The Visitor” is amazing. It has some science fiction-y hand waving to set up the story but it is really about the bond between fathers and sons and made me tear up the first time I saw it again after my Dad passed away. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/30 "2013-04-05T21:07:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > While “The Inner Light” is a wonderful episode, and is not very science-fictiony, I think it also depends on the viewer already being familiar with Picard’s character, and thus might not have as much impact for someone new to the series. It’s been a while since I’ve seen “Family”, so I might be mistaken, but I think that one’s in a similar boat. While I agree with you, when the task is to find an episode of a science fiction show that has nothing to do with science fiction, you’re pretty much by default left with episodes that can only work as a standalone if you already get the characters. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/31 "2013-04-05T21:12:12Z")
How about the STTNG where Data was “kidnapped” by that collector guy. That was pretty good moralizing and a detective story as well. Of course the DS9 that ends with “Computer, delete log entry.” Easy to see what that is about. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/32 "2013-04-05T21:28:44Z")
I’m kind of surprised nobody has mentioned _Tin Man_. Although it has _some_ action in it and is clearly Sci-Fi, it is really much more of a story about misfits who find happiness together. One of my favorite episodes. ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/33 "2013-04-05T22:11:11Z")
I must say, I’m rather partial to the Data-centric [_Fine Art_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xfCKXnyD-4) and its companion episode, [_It’s Not Lupus_.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk7eyqY4bbQ) Despite being centered upon a non-human character, they do an excellent job of capturing the bittersweet poignancy of the conflict upon which the fundament of humanity is based. _Note: I have put the links to the episodes in spoiler boxes due to the fact that they both contain brief, pixellated depictions of a nude cartoon horse._ ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/34 "2013-04-05T22:20:47Z")
I’ve always liked [Disaster](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Disaster_%28episode%29), which usually appears on nobody’s favorite episodes lists ---
**Author:** ![vd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b19c9b/32.png) [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/35 "2013-04-05T22:28:08Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > How about the STTNG where Data was “kidnapped” by that collector guy. To be stored in [Warehouse 13](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Saul_Rubinek), apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/36 "2013-04-06T00:36:25Z")
> [@colander](#): > > I must say, I’m rather partial to the Data-centric [_Fine Art_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xfCKXnyD-4) and its companion episode, [_It’s Not Lupus_.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk7eyqY4bbQ) Despite being centered upon a non-human character, they do an excellent job of capturing the bittersweet poignancy of the conflict upon which the fundament of humanity is based. > > _Note: I have put the links to the episodes in spoiler boxes due to the fact that they both contain brief, pixellated depictions of a nude cartoon horse._ I don’t think the first one is called “Fine Art”. I went to look for it on Netflix and couldn’t find it so I did a wiki search of episodes and it doesn’t list a single episode as being titled that. Can some one help? I don’t remember that episode and would like to watch it. > [@vd](#): > > To be stored in [Warehouse 13](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Saul_Rubinek), apparently. I knew Artie on Wharehouse 13 looked familiar. Also right now, and the last episode just before, on SYFY they are showing episodes where Brent Spiner is playing a guest character, “Brother Adrian.” It’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/37 "2013-04-06T01:37:53Z")
Ok, I found it. The episodes are “Birthright” parts 1 and 2’. Now after reading the synopsis I remember them. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/38 "2013-04-06T02:07:50Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I don’t think the first one is called “Fine Art”. I went to look for it on Netflix and couldn’t find it so I did a wiki search of episodes and it doesn’t list a single episode as being titled that. Can some one help? I don’t remember that episode and would like to watch it. Whoooooooooooooshshshshshshshshshshs! ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/39 "2013-04-06T06:39:38Z")
\*\*Tapestry \*\*I think, is a good episode (one of my favorites) that doesn’t have too much action. It is pretty sci-fi heavy (what would happen if you went back and changed one key moment in your life?) but I think anyone could appreciate the story and possibly learn from it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925/40 "2013-04-06T22:54:07Z")
Both _Measure of a Man_ and _The Drumhead_. The evolution of human consciousness does not always proceed in a straight line. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tng-episode-s-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-sci-fi-action/654925.md?page=3)