# Worst ST:TNG episode? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2003, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869 "2003-02-09T10:59:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/81 "2003-02-19T04:16:33Z")
After thinking long and hard on this, I must side with those who consider “Genesis” the worst episode, for all the reasons named. Plus, it’s just one more example of how much the Star Trek writers don’t understand how evolution works. I expect some scientific literacy from my science fiction writers. (I know, that’s pretty silly of me when we’re talking about Star Trek, but still…) Honorable mention to “Sub Rosa,” not only for being stupid, but for ripping off the plot of an Anne Rice novel. Oh, and the folks in “Up the Long Ladder” were definitely Space Irish. Remember that the Token Hot Chick was named “Brenna O’Dell.” You can’t get much more Irish than that. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/82 "2003-02-19T06:12:21Z")
I’ll add to the dogpile on “Masks”. Not only did they screw up basic evolutionary biology (e.g., they apparently think our ancestors include arthropods), but at the end they mistakenly thought that a new disease is named after the first known sufferer, rather than after the physician who first describes it as a distinct illness. Actually, I almost didn’t watch any episodes after the first one, in which I found a Federation pussified to the point that a) the Enterprise has entire litters of small children running around, and b) the bridge officers include, for no apparent reason, the ship’s counselor. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/83 "2003-02-19T06:49:27Z")
**Baldwin** , I think you’re mixing “Masks” and “Genesis”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/84 "2003-02-19T08:54:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\ ***Baldwin** , I think you’re mixing “Masks” and “Genesis”. \*\* Gah, what a horrible episode _that_ would be! An ancient alien artifact turns crew members into giant spiders but if you perform a ritual, the cosmic “reset” button will bring everything back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![jeff\_lebowski\_s\_brother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jeff\_lebowski\_s\_brother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff_lebowski_s_brother)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/85 "2003-02-19T12:18:11Z")
I cannot pin point any particular episodes, but I will not watch the entire first season and those damned holodeck episodes. I hated the holodeck, whether it is on TNG or DS9. JLB ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/86 "2003-02-19T14:38:14Z")
**Encounter at Farpoint** Simply horrible. Man did I want to see them push Troi out an airlock. Although much of the first season was rehashed dreck as well. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/87 "2003-02-19T16:27:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AndrewL \* > Can someone give a plot synopsis of **Masks** , if it’s not too painful? [http://www.startrek.com/library/episodes\_tng\_detail.asp?ID=68644](http://www.startrek.com/library/episodes_tng_detail.asp?ID=68644) ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/88 "2003-02-19T16:36:51Z")
Alright, I’ll come out and say it. I loved **Masks**. But I like archaeology and old mythology, so I liked any episode where Picard went into archaeologist/historian mode. Other than that I agree with most of these. Hated **Encounter at Farpoint** and **Naked Now**. Data gets drunk? **Rascals** was awful, too. Then there was the episode with Crusher’s family ghost _shudder_ As for the people who didn’t like the Jinaii (sp?) episode – where Riker is involved with a member of a monsexual species – there was a reason it was so awful. In his last years, Roddenberry was trying to get a regular gay character on the show. After he died, the studio copped out, produced one ham-fisted episode, and never raised the topic again. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/89 "2003-02-19T16:41:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hamish \* > As for the people who didn’t like the Jinaii (sp?) episode – where Riker is involved with a member of a monsexual species – there was a reason it was so awful. In his last years, Roddenberry was trying to get a regular gay character on the show. After he died, the studio copped out, produced one ham-fisted episode, and never raised the topic again. I don’t really much care for that episode, but it does feature what I maintain is the best line in all of _Star Trek_-dom: > [@](#): > > So, Commander, tell me about your genitals. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/90 "2003-02-19T17:30:32Z")
Am I the only one who remembers the episode with the Pakleds? “We are strong.” The horror, the horror. . . . ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/91 "2003-02-20T02:07:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\*The Enterprise discovers a large artifact encased in ice that has been floating through space for over 85 million years. It turns out to be an archive of an ancient civilization with the memories of individual people stored inside. These memories get downloaded into Data’s brain and take over his personality, while the archive begins transforming Enterprise into a copy of the extinct civ. By interpreting the hieroglyphics that appear in the computer and around the ship, and by talking with the various people who come to the surface through Data, Picard figures out how to reenact an ancient ceremony (with Data as the civilization’s sun/death goddess) and reverse the transformation before Enterprise is destroyed. \*\* Oh yeah, that one. Not so much bad as totally forgettable. Actually a lot of ST:TNG falls into that category. At least I remember the ones that really stank, like Genesis and Sub Rosa. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/92 "2003-02-20T03:25:58Z")
> [@](#): > > As for the people who didn’t like the Jinaii (sp?) episode – where Riker is involved with a member of a monsexual species – there was a reason it was so awful. In his last years, Roddenberry was trying to get a regular gay character on the show. After he died, the studio copped out, produced one ham-fisted episode, and never raised the topic again. And he wanted the gay guy to be Riker?! Commander Horndog himself? :dubious: Or was the alien supposed to be the gay guy? ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/93 "2003-02-20T03:51:52Z")
> [@](#): > > posted by **KneadToKnow** > Anyone who does not recognize that “Masks” is the worst episode does not remember it. It has been a while, but… I’m with **Hamish**. I liked “Masks.” I wouldn’t want to watch it every day, but it’s a far cry from the worst of TNG. For that, we have (in addition to **Schisms** ) **Cost of Living**. Basically, any episode with Alexander, with the possible exception of “Rascals” which, while silly, is at least watchable. Of course, I also liked “Sub Rosa” up until the “it’s not a ghost, but an _energy entity_” revelation. If you want sucky Crusher shows, I hand you **Suspicions**. ---
**Author:** ![Jberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@Jberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jberto)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869/94 "2003-02-22T05:28:42Z")
**Encounter at Farpoint** gets my vote. It scarred me so much I didn’t watch ST:TNG for a couple of years afterwards. My wife and I still use Deanna Troi’s pathetic “Pain! Suffering! And complete sorrow!” line as code for “Wow, could this show/movie/song/play get any worse?” The whole first season blows as a whole - the acting and writing are so bad. The writers barely could get a good plot together either. And the first season had Tasha Yar, easily the most annoying character after Wesley Crusher. I was whooping, holloring and cheering when the tar blob that ate Tasha, and I’m a pacifist. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Legomancer_ > Or the one that starts good enough - the enterprise is destroyed in a huge explosion. But after seeing the same scene 6 times you start to say, “You know, I may be happy to simply let it blow up.” Especially since the solution to the problem is so utterly idiotic. Say it ain’t so, Legomancer. That’s probably my favorite episode. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-st-tng-episode/153869.md?page=4)