Summary
- Ronald D. Moore's start on Star Trek TNG led to iconic episodes, including "The Defector" and "Redemption."
- Moore's writing dives deep into Klingon politics, showcases strong character development, and daring storylines.
- Moore's impactful work on TNG set the stage for his future success in science fiction television.
Screenwriter and producer Ronald D. Moore contributed to some of Star Trek: The Next Generation's best episodes. As the creator of the 2004 Battlestar Galactica series, Moore has become an icon in the world of science fiction television, but he got his start on TNG. Moore remained a fixture of the Star Trek franchise during the franchise's golden 1990s era. When TNG ended, Moore and fellow writer/producer Brannon Braga co-wrote Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact. Moore also joined the writing staff of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as a supervising producer and contributed to two episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.
Ronald D. Moore's first-ever Star Trek script became Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 5, "The Bonding," and he joined TNG's permanent writing staff soon after. "The Bonding" is a solid episode in its own right, offering insight into Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) and Klingon culture. Over the course of TNG,Moore wrote several Klingon-centric episodes, establishing elements that remain a part of Klingon culture even in modern Trek. Overall, Moore co-wrote 27 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation from season 3 through season 7, and here are the 10 best.
10 "The Defector"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3, Episode 10
When the USS Enterprise-D detects a Romulan distress signal, they rescue a supposed Romulan defector named Jarok (James Sloyan). Jarok claims that the Romulans are building a secret base along the Neutral Zone that could be a prelude to all-out war. Immediately suspicious, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew question Jarok, trying to determine whether or not he is leading the Enterprise into a trap.
With an incredibly compelling performance from James Sloyan and the always magnificent Patrick Stewart, "The Defector" is a brilliant Star Trek episode. In the end, Jarok was sincere, but he had been lied to by the Romulans, and his final act is to take his own life. It's a dark ending for TNG, which makes sense considering Moore's later work, and it marks a bit of a turning point for the show as it began exploring more serious topics.
9 "Redemption"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 29 & Season 5, Episode 1
In one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's best two-parters, the USS Enterprise-D travels to the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS to attend the installation of Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) as the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. Worf and Picard help ensure Gowron becomes Chancellor, angering the Duras sisters, Lursa (Barbara March) and B'Etor (Gwynyth Walsh).
In the aftermath, Picard works to prevent a Klingon civil war, while Sela (Denise Crosby), the half-Romulan daughter of Lt. Tasha Yar, tries to undermine his efforts. "Redemption" dives deeper into Klingon politics than any previous story, and has standout moments for Picard, Worf, and Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who commands his own starship for the first time.
8 "Disaster"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5, Episode 5
When all the major systems on the Starship Enterprise suddenly stop working, the crew members have to quickly adapt. Captain Picard finds himself with a broken ankle, trapped in a turbolift with three frightened children, while Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) winds up in command on the bridge. Troi admirably rises to the occasion, while Worf struggles with the delivery of Keiko O'Brien's (Rosalind Chao) baby in Ten Forward.
With an original story by Ron Jarvis and Philip A. Scorza, and a teleplay by Ronald D. Moore, "Disaster" is a fun Star Trek: The Next Generation episode that gives the characters a chance to try out a different role. Most of the storylines work well, and the episode proves that TNG can successfully employ different formats and experiment with storytelling. Captain Picard's storyline in "Disaster" is especially charming and Worf makes a hilarious midwife.
7 "Relics"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6, Episode 4
Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Relics" sees the return of Captain Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), who had been trapped in a transporter buffer for 75 years. When Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) restores Scotty's pattern, the former Enterprise Chief Engineer finds himself out of his depth regarding 24th-century technology. As Scotty reminisces about his past, he laments that he is little more than a relic of a bygone era.
In the end, Soctty's extensive knowledge of 23rd-century technology helps save the USS Enterprise-D. With a solid script from Ronald D. Moore, "Relics" beautifully explores the fear of outliving one's usefulness. It's always a joy to see a character from Star Trek: The Original Series pop up on TNG and James Doohan delivers a wonderful performance as a man out of time.
6 "Chain of Command"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6, Episodes 10 & 11
In one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most brutal storylines, Captain Picard is taken captive and relentlessly interrogated by the Cardassians. In "Chain of Command, Part I," Picard, Worf, and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) embark on a covert mission to find and destroy a Cardassian biological weapon. While Picard, Worf, and Crusher infiltrate the Cardassian base, Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) butts heads with the temporary commander of the Enterprise-D, Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox).
The mission turns out to have been a trap, and Picard is captured and brought to Gul Madred (David Warner). With powerhouse performances from Patrick Stewart and David Warner, Picard and Madred go head-to-head in a battle of wills. Picard endures the Cardassian's brutal torture, but he later reveals to Counselor Troi that he was on the verge of breaking when he was rescued.
Writer/Producer Frank Abatemarco conceived the story for "Chain of Command, Part I" and is the sole writing credit for Part 2. Ronald D. Moore wrote the teleplay for Part 1 and served as a producer on Part 2.
5 "Tapestry"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6, Episode 15
When Captain Picard suffers a grievous injury while on a mission, he encounters Q (John de Lancie) in the supposed afterlife. Q offers Jean-Luc the chance to return to his past and redo an event from his time at Starfleet Academy. After Picard changes his past, preventing the fight that originally injured his heart, he returns to a different future. In this alternate future, Picard serves on the USS Enterprise-D as a junior science officer, who never took any risks and thus never climbed the ranks.
Picard realizes that while the fight from his youth may have been foolish, it allowed him to confront his own mortality. Q sends Jean-Luc back to correct his mistake, and he allows events to play out as they previously had. Captain Picard then wakes up in sickbay, unsure if the events he just experienced were real or only occurred inside his own mind. As always, Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie are a delight and every scene with the two of them sizzles. Plus, it's fun to get a glimpse of Picard's reckless youth and explore one of the events that shaped his life.
4 "Data's Day"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 11
With a story by Harold Apter, "Data's Day" is one of the most charming Star Trek; The Next Generation episodes Ronald D. Moore had a hand in writing. The episode follows Data throughout a day on the Enterprise, as the android narrates his thoughts in a letter to Dr. Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy). As the wedding of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Keiko quickly approaches, Data takes a dance lesson from Dr. Crusher and ponders the idiosyncracies of human behavior.
Data also spends his day investigating the supposed death of a Vulcan Ambassador who turns out to be a Romulan spy. While this day may have been slightly more eventful than an average day on the Enterprise, it's fun seeing the day's events from Data's point of view. As always, Brent Spiner is wonderful as Data, perfectly channeling the android's childlike curiosity.
3 "Family"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 2
One of the few Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes to follow up on a previous story, "Family" explores the aftereffects of the Borg's assimilation of Captain Picard in "The Best of Both Worlds." Before the USS Enterprise-D crew rescued their Captain, Picard served as Locutus, the mouthpiece of the Borg during the devastating Battle of Wolf 359. During the ordeal, Picard was powerless to stop the Borg, but he still feels guilt about his part in the battle.
After his traumatizing experience, Jean-Luc travels to his family's vineyard in Le Barre, France, where he stays with his brother, Robert (Jeremy Kemp). The two have a cathartic fight, during which Jean-Luc breaks down and finally admits how much his assimilation affected him. This is one of the few times Picard allows his emotions to flow freely, making the moment all the more powerful.
"Family" also checks in with Lt. Worf, as his human parents visit the Enterprise, and Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton), as he receives a recording message from his late father.
2 "Yesterday's Enterprise"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3, Episode 15
When the USS Enterprise-D encounters a rift in spacetime, the heavily damaged USS Enterprise-C emerges from the wormhole. The Enterprise-D suddenly becomes a warship on the frontlines of the Federation's war with the Klingon Empire, with Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) as the tactical officer. Only Ten Forward bartender Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) senses anything amiss, but she convinces Picard that the Enterprise-C must return to its own timeline.
Although it will surely be a suicide mission, Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O'Neil) agrees to travel back in time to save the future. Having learned of her fate in the original timeline, Tasha Yar joins the Enterprise-C as it travels back through the wormhole, restoring the Enterprise-D to its original state. With its compelling one-off characters and dark alternate future, "Yesterday's Enterprise" remains one of the most memorable episodes of any Star Trek series.
The story for "Yesterday's Enterprise" was conceived by Trent Christopher Ganino and Eric A. Stillwell, and Ronald D. Moore worked on the teleplay, which also had input from Ira Steven Behr, Richard Manning, and Hans Beimler.
1 "All Good Things..."
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26
In Star Trek: The Next Generation's pitch-perfect series finale, Captain Picard finds himself jumping between the past, present, and future. In each of the timelines, Picard must work with his Enterprise-D crew members to investigate a powerful anomaly. Q appears to reveal that humanity's trial that began in the TNG series premiere never ended. Picard eventually solves the mystery in all three timelines before returning to the present, where he finally joins his crew members and friends for a poker game.
Not only does "All Good Things..." offer a glimpse of a possible future for the Enterprise-D crew, but it also beautifully brings the story of TNG full circle. Ronald D. Moore worked with Brannon Braga to craft the TNG finale, which gives every character a moment to shine. Their work on Star Trek: The Next Generation's finale cemented Moore and Braga as one of Star Trek's best writing duos, and served as the perfect conclusion for one of science fiction's greatest shows.
