Star Trek: The Next Generation makes for the perfect binge-watch, but not all of the seasons are created equal. With its series premiere in 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced the world to an entirely new Enterprise crew led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Well before binge-worthy television became the norm, TNG was one of the most-watched television shows of its time. Over the course of TNG's seven seasons, the crew members of the USS Enterprise-D became just as beloved as Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew had been.
The landscape of modern television is significantly different than it was in the 1980s and 1990s, with much more emphasis on serialized storytelling. Star Trek: The Next Generation told mostly episodic stories, restoring the status quo by the end of almost every episode. Despite this, the show lends itself to binge-watching thanks to one major element — the characters. From Lt. Commander Data's (Brent Spiner) quest to be human to Q's (John de Lancie) frequent visits to the Enterprise, many of TNG's characters had plotlines that spanned all seven seasons of the show.
The Next Generation Is The Best Star Trek Show For Binge-Watching
TNG Has Some Of Star Trek's Most Beloved & Celebrated Episodes
While Star Trek's modern shows on Paramount+ may tell more serialized stories than Star Trek: The Next Generation, they still release their episodes weekly. This allows fans to speculate and theorize in between episodes and builds anticipation for each week's new story. TNG originally followed this model, but can now be enjoyed all at once. Binging TNG allows viewers to see the small ways the characters grow throughout the series and the ways some later storylines reflect back on earlier ones. Plus, modern viewers do not have to wait months after the season-ending cliffhanger to see the conclusion.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Is Only Worth Binging If You Start On Season 3
Aside From A Handful Of Early Episodes, Season 3 Is When TNG Becomes Great
While there are a handful of episodes throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons 1 and 2 that are worth watching, the truly binge-worthy television does not begin until season 3. By this point in the show, TNG had mostly found its footing and consistently delivered solid episodes with strong storylines. All of the main characters had been established and had found their places among the crew of the Enterprise-D. From Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) as the Chief Medical Officer to Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) as the Chief Engineer, TNG season 3 makes the best use of its Enterprise crew.
Not only did TNG's writers and producers have a better grasp of what they wanted the show to be by season 3, but the actors also had a better grasp of their characters. With the characters and their dynamics established, TNG had more freedom to play around with genre and different kinds of storytelling. While TNG was not perfect from season 3 through season 7, it ultimately delivered some of the best science fiction television of all time. With its cast of incredibly compelling characters and captivating storylines, Star Trek: The Next Generation remains perfect for modern binge-watching.
