10 Greatest Star Trek Season Finales
2. No Small Parts - Lower Decks Season One
To completely change the mood, No Small Parts is one of the most fun finales to make this list, with all of the humour that Lower Decks injects into its episodes, along with the arrival of the USS Titan, Luna-class, on-screen for the very first time. That moment, with The Next Generation theme blaring, only adds to the excitement of hearing Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis reprising the roles of Riker and Troi respectively.
The episode is not without a mix of emotions, as there is a genuine threat in the form of the Pakled Clumpships, extreme frustration in the form of Peanut Hamper, and tragedy in the loss of Shax. Sure, he returned in the second season, but we weren't to know that as he disappeared into a cloud of vapor while Rutherford floated away.
What is most impressive, however, is the ability of the episode, in barely 23 minutes, to cram all of these moments in - yet it never feels rushed, or too clumped. Instead, the audience is even treated to both a tease for the second season (Lt. Boimler aboard the USS Titan), and a cheeky, knowing wink to the audience as Riker discusses visiting the holodeck to spend time with the crew of the NX-01.
For a show that, in our opinion, was a massive success on all fronts, its first season went out on the highest of highs, which was a sign of the quality to come.