Star Trek: 10 Greatest Filler Episodes

2. Family

Star Trek The Next Generation Family Jean Luc And Robert
CBS Media Ventures

Family was an experiment. The Next Generation was not a show designed for serialised stories, so the original plan had been to finish the Locutus story with The Best Of Both Worlds, Pt 2. However, that sort of trauma was too deep to erase by the episode's end, so Family was added as a breather.

It's actually a rather important episode overall for character growth, even though it contributes nothing to ongoing action. The Picards wrestling in the mud, the Roshenkos visiting their son and Wesley Crusher getting to meet a holographic version of his Dad - this episode tackled it all.

Except for Jean-Luc's breakdown, this was light on ongoing plot arcs but still is a crucial piece of the puzzle for all concerned. It also serves as a deep breath after that season opener which is a format Star Trek: Enterprise would revisit for its fourth season episode Home.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"