TMC
05-30-2026, 03:12 PM
https://www.looper.com/2180337/riker-best-star-trek-the-next-generation-episodes-ranked/
BY CHRIS HODGES MAY 30, 2026 8:18 AM EST
When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was revealed, complete with an entirely new crew from the original ensemble, longtime fans were skeptical. And the show's rocky Season 1 — which we put at the bottom of our ranking of every "Star Trek" first season — certainly didn't help things. But it didn't take long before "The Next Generation" won Trekkies over, many of whom now consider it the best "Star Trek" series of all time. Likewise, the crew of "TNG" have also become individual fan favorites, including the show's first officer, Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes).
Whereas "The Original Series" featured the suave, smirking Kirk (William Shatner) as captain and the more stoic and logical Spock (Leonard Nimoy) as his right hand, that dynamic was reversed in "TNG." Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) was more about following the rules and trying to avoid emotions clouding his judgment, while Riker served as his Kirk-like counterbalance. And just as Spock was equally important as Kirk and got some of his era's best episodes and storylines, Riker was frequently the MVP of "TNG." These are the five episodes that best illustrate that fact.
BY CHRIS HODGES MAY 30, 2026 8:18 AM EST
When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was revealed, complete with an entirely new crew from the original ensemble, longtime fans were skeptical. And the show's rocky Season 1 — which we put at the bottom of our ranking of every "Star Trek" first season — certainly didn't help things. But it didn't take long before "The Next Generation" won Trekkies over, many of whom now consider it the best "Star Trek" series of all time. Likewise, the crew of "TNG" have also become individual fan favorites, including the show's first officer, Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes).
Whereas "The Original Series" featured the suave, smirking Kirk (William Shatner) as captain and the more stoic and logical Spock (Leonard Nimoy) as his right hand, that dynamic was reversed in "TNG." Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) was more about following the rules and trying to avoid emotions clouding his judgment, while Riker served as his Kirk-like counterbalance. And just as Spock was equally important as Kirk and got some of his era's best episodes and storylines, Riker was frequently the MVP of "TNG." These are the five episodes that best illustrate that fact.