Picard: 15 ESSENTIAL Star Trek Episodes To Watch First (And Why)

11. “The Best Of Both Worlds" (TNG - Seasons 3 & 4, Episodes 26 & 1)

star trek the next generation The Best of Both Worlds
CBS

Whenever the Borg come up in a Next Generation conversation, it's important to remember that Picard, strictly speaking, is one of them. Thanks to his time as Locutus, Picard has unprecedented knowledge of the Borg mentality and it's a hugely important part of his character because it helps explain his blindspot to them as a race with rights.

The first part offers one of the most stunning moment in sci-fi history (particularly since it was a cliffhanger that must have killed!) and the double-header is easily one of the best Star Trek episodes ever. It also led to a legacy for Picard that continues to haunt him even as we come back to him in Picard.

Given that Picard includes hints of a disastrous mission when he defied orders, the fact that Starfleet always brought up his part in the deaths of 11,000 people (in this story) might well come back to be very important.

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