10 Star Trek Episodes That Seriously Deserve A Second Chance
9. 11:59
11:59 tends to get a little bit of a bad rep, owing to its lack of any hard science-fiction. Writer Joe Menosky felt that the premise of the episode simply didn't work, then recalled Rick Berman calling him to tell him how much he loved it. As Menosky said - you just never know.
The episode stands out largely thanks to Kate Mulgrew's performance as Janeway's ancestor, Shannon O'Donnel. This was both an echo of the strong and confident person that Kathryn Janeway is, yet a completely different, somewhat smaller character too. She walks with her head bowed and with her hands in her pockets, though is still well able to verbally spar with Henry Janeway.
Though hardly the most important episode for continuity, it nevertheless is a snapshot of the history of the time. The episode was set in the run-up to New Year's Eve, 2001, although much of the dialogue makes reference to the then-fear of the Y2K bug. Memories of watching this episode on release swim to the surface easily as they discuss the much-hyped non-global catastrophe, while sipping on a beer.
Though the original idea, developed by John de Lancie of all people, could have seen Q and Guinan in the year 2000, this story actually works as it is - a low-stakes example of some great acting, some great old-age make-up, and a car that looks lifted directly from an Alanis Morrissette video.