Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Episode:112
"The Big Goodbye"
Jack's Rating:
A computer malfunction traps Picard, Data, and Beverly in a Dixon Hill holodeck program set in early 20th-century Earth.
Features:
The Holodeck
Stardate: 41997.7
Air Date: 01/11/88
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Jack's Notes
One of the best episodes of the first season, this is also the first "Holodeck" episode ever. While there are a few rough patches here and there the story works well. If you know your Trek Tech you will understand that once the holodeck is shut down, any real solid matter created while inside...food, clothes, etc. is destroyed. Since the safety feature was turned off, the people would have counted as random solid matter and would have been transported into nothingness.
Episode:123
"Skin of Evil"
Jack's Rating:
An evil, tar-like creature holds Troi hostage on an alien world. During a rescue mission, one of the Enterprise crew is killed.
Features:
Stardate: 41601.3
Air Date: 04/25/88
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Jack's Notes
I never really warmed up to the Tasha Yar character until the end of this episode. The writers really never did get a handle on where they wanted to go with her character, and it still shows all these years later. I have to admit this episode chokes me up. And...personally, I always wonder what happened to Armus after the Enterprise torpedoed the shuttlecraft remains from orbit....I mean, he feeds on energy.
Episode:211
"Contagion"
Jack's Rating:
A dangerous alien computer virus runs rampant through the Enterprise after causing the destruction of her sister ship, the USS Yamato.
Features:
The Romulans
Stardate: 42609.1
Air Date: 03/20/89
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Episode:213
"Time Squared"
Jack's Rating:
Picard encounters his future self, when the Enterprise becomes caught in a time loop.
Features:
Time Travel
Stardate: 42679.2
Air Date: 04/03/89
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Jack's Notes
When I first saw this episode, I thought it was the best ever. After several viewings, I can say that it honestly doesn't make much sense. While still a very neat idea, there is too much left unexplained. The original idea was to have Q appear to be behind the anomaly, but Roddenberry didn't allow it for the story.