Star Trek The Next Generation Feature Length Episodes: Ranked
6. Unification
Unification was created as a way to promote Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The return of Leonard Nimoy to the role of Spock on the small screen was a huge event as he had not played him on TV since the late '60s.
However, while his part in the episode is one of the true highlights of the entire run of The Next Generation, part one is also notable for the bittersweet scene with Sarek. This would be Mark Lenard's final scenes in the role, showing the once great man reduced to a broken sufferer of Bendii Syndrome, a disease that is effectively Alzheimer's. He and Picard speak as best they can and as Picard turns to go, the old man mutters to himself, calling out for his son.
Unification was one of the stronger entries in The Next Generation. With the novelty of Leonard Nimoy, Mark Lenard and Denise Crosby all appearing was highly entertaining but the story itself stands as one of the best examples of Star Trek. The Romulans are plotting again, Data and Picard work with Spock on his 'cowboy diplomacy' and Riker gets to play jazz with a four armed pianist. Good stuff all round.