Summary
- TNG's "The Best of Both Worlds" has some fascinating behind-the-scenes details.
- The cliffhanger was tense for fans over the summer of 1990.
- The two-parter's impact on future Star Trek stories solidified TNG's place in sci-fi history.
Star Trek: The Next Generation's iconic "Best of Both Worlds" two-parter remains a highlight of the Star Trek franchise, but it's even better when you know the behind-the-scenes details. TNG season 3 ended with Star Trek's first major cliffhanger, the words "to be continued" appearing on screen for the first of what would become many times. Even today, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I" is one of television's best cliffhangers and it works for several reasons. But the context of what was going on behind the scenes makes the success of the two-parter even more impressive.
When the USS Enterprise-D goes to investigate a potential Borg attack, they find themselves facing off against a Borg cube. Proclaiming "resistance is futile," the Borg captures Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and assimilates him. As the new mouthpiece for the Borg, Picard as Locutus leads a devastating attack against the Federation at the Battle of Wolf 359. As "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1" ends, Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) orders the Enterprise to fire on the Borg cube, with Captain Picard aboard.
Star Trek: TNG’s “The Best Of Both Worlds” Is Even Better If You Know Its Secret
Even The Writers & Actors Didn't Know How The Cliffhanger Would Resolve.
When the Star Trek: The Next Generation writers were working on "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1," they had no idea how the story would end. Executive producer Michael Piller wanted TNG season 3 to end on a cliffhanger, which was something Star Trek had never done before. Piller himself was considering leaving the writing staff and contract negotiations were still ongoing with some of the cast members, including Patrick Stewart. With so much up in the air, neither the writers nor the actors knew how the second half of the story would play out.
The cliffhanger made the wait over the summer of 1990 for the resolution even more tense for Star Trek fans. At the time, rumors swirled that Patrick Stewart was leaving the cast, and the episode left room for that possibility. Thankfully, Stewart stuck around, as did Michael Piller, although much of the writing staff was new. While "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" may not be quite as spectacular as Part I, it brings the story to a satisfying conclusion, an impressive feat in and of itself considering the uncertainty behind the scenes.
Why Star Trek Fans Love TNG’s “The Best Of Both Worlds”
The TNG Two-Parter Incorporates Everything Great About Star Trek.
With a strong story and cool, sci-fi set pieces, "The Best of Both Worlds" mostly works on its own, even for those who have not seen every previous episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The cliffhanger ending of Part I and the wait for the conclusion of the story are also a big part of the draw. Modern television shows end seasons with cliffhangers all the time, but this was not as common in the early 1990s. And the uncertainty behind the scenes meant the resolution of the story was anything but a foregone conclusion.
Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore joined the TNG writing staff for season 4, and he wrote the episode immediately following "The Best of Both Worlds," entitled "Family."
"The Best of Both Worlds" incorporates horror elements into its sci-fi drama, presenting Star Trek's Borg at their most frightening and giving every main cast member a moment to shine. For fans both new and old, the story was a compelling one, made even more so by the fact that Captain Picard's life was in real danger for the first time in the series. While Picard had been in peril before, he always had the plot armor of being the show's lead, but with Riker set up as the new Captain of the Enterprise-D, Picard's life was left hanging in the balance.
Star Trek: TNG’s “The Best Of Both Worlds” Got 3 Sequels
TNG's "Family," Star Trek: First Contact, & Star Trek: Picard Season 3
Throughout most of Star Trek: The Next Generation's run, each episode (or two-parter) told a self-contained story that wrapped up by the end of the hour. Captain Picard and his crew members went through many potentially traumatic experiences, but the episode following "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" was the first time the show addressed this trauma. In TNG season 4, episode 2, "Family," Jean-Luc visits his brother Robert (Jeremy Kemp) on Earth and contemplates leaving Starfleet. He breaks down, revealing how much the Borg assimilation truly affected him.
In Star Trek: Picard, Jean-Luc learns that his time as Locutus left residual Borg DNA in his brain that he inadvertently passed on to his son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers).
Several years later, Star Trek: First Contact picks up on this thread, as Picard continues to deal with his experience with the Borg. By the time of Star Trek: Picard season 3, Jean-Luc finally confronts his past trauma with the Borg, helping his son Jack escape the clutches of the dying Borg Queen (Alice Krige). Not only does "The Best of Both Worlds" continue to impact Star Trek stories today, but it also helps cement Star Trek: The Next Generation as one of the greatest science fiction shows of all time.
