Star Trek Viewing Guide

5Chapter 5 of 14

A New Generation

2324–2367 · 75 stops

The Next Generation

This site is NOT a chronology - it is a viewing guide that will assist you through watching the entire franchise in in-universe story order, all the way from the 21st to the 43rd centuries, while making adjustments as needed to ensure an enjoyable viewing experience.  It is not rigid - some episodes are shifted in the order to keep things as clear and fun as possible. The guide is updated regularly to stay current with new episodes.

2324-ish

So the movie Star Trek: Section 31 takes place here, but due to time travel shenanigans, it features characters and plot lines that you haven’t even come CLOSE to getting to know yet, so we’ll be watching it much later in the chronology.

2364

Joining the guide

First aired September 28, 1987

The Next Generation S1 · E1–2

Encounter at Farpoint

The crew of the Enterprise is put on trial by a mysterious force called "Q" for all the crimes of mankind.

First aired September 28, 1987

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Why is this here?

Like in TOS, production order can vary from aired order, but it seems that they had a much better idea of the intended airing orders than TOS did, so basically watching in airdate order is just fine and avoids more glitches than it causes.

The Next Generation S1 · E3

The Naked Now

Romance, danger and chaos result when a mysterious contaminant renders the crew of the Enterprise intoxicated.

First aired October 5, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E4

Code of Honor

Kidnapped by aliens known as Ligonians, Lieutenant Tasha Yar battles for her freedom and the welfare of a diseased Federation planet.

First aired October 12, 1987

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The Next Generation S1 · E5

The Last Outpost

Held captive over an unknown planet, the away teams of the U.S.S. Enterprise and Ferengi starships must pass an important inquisition by a mysterious life form known as Portal, before they are allowed to continue their journeys through space.

First aired October 19, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E6

Where No One Has Gone Before

Teenager Wesley Crusher and a dying alien are the crew's only hope for escape from a bizarre galaxy where thoughts become real.

First aired October 26, 1987

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The Next Generation S1 · E7

Lonely Among Us

Passing through a series of complex energy patterns, the Enterprise crew find themselves trying to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Assistant Chief Engineer Singh and the altered personalities of Lt. Worf, Dr. Crusher and the Captain.

First aired November 2, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E8

Justice

When Wesley is sentenced to death for innocently violating an alien planet's customs, Captain Picard is forced to choose between negotiating for Wesley's life or adhering to the Federations' prime directive which prohibits interfering with another civilization's way of life.

First aired November 9, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E9

The Battle

A thought altering device, controlled by a Ferengi Captain seeking revenge on Picard for his son's death, threatens the life of the Captain and the safety of the Enterprise.

First aired November 16, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E10

Hide And "Q"

The Enterprise is once again challenged by the dangerous and powerful "Q" who offers Riker god-like powers in exchange for Riker's membership in the "Q" continuum.

First aired November 23, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E11

Haven

Counselor Deanna Troi is caught between her feelings for Riker and her devotion to family customs when she faces a prearranged marriage.

First aired November 30, 1987

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E12

The Big Goodbye

When the holodecks malfunction, the Captain and three crew members become trapped in San Francisco, 1941, where they are held hostage by murderous gangsters.

First aired January 11, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E13

Datalore

Data's android look-alike formulates an evil master plan that could destroy the Enterprise.

First aired January 18, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E14

Angel One

While the away team struggles to save male fugitives on a planet run by women, the Enterprise is ravaged by a highly infectious virus.

First aired January 25, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E15

11001001

The Enterprise is hijacked by an alien species who need the ship's computer to regenerate the one damaged on their own planet.

First aired February 1, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E16

Too Short a Season

The Enterprise escorts a Federation admiral to a planet to negotiate the release of hostages, but the planet governor wants to kill him in revenge for a previous hostage crisis that ended in tragedy.

First aired February 8, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E17

When The Bough Breaks

Wesley and several children from the Enterprise are kidnapped by a sterile civilization which hopes to use them to rebuild their race.

First aired February 15, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E18

Home Soil

A powerful microscopic life form declares war on humans, takes over the Enterprise's lab and computers and threatens to destroy the ship.

First aired February 22, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E19

Coming of Age

While Wesley endures the grueling Starfleet Academy entrance exam, Captain Picard faces an investigation into his competency as a commander.

First aired March 14, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E20

Heart of Glory

Lt. Worf is torn between his loyalty to the Enterprise and his fierce Klingon heritage when two Klingon fugitives take over the ship.

First aired March 21, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E21

The Arsenal of Freedom

Picard and the away team fight for their lives on a planet run by a computerized weapons system.

First aired April 11, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E22

Symbiosis

The Enterprise is caught in the middle when two alien races wage a bitter battle over cargo which one of them needs for survival.

First aired April 18, 1988

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The Next Generation S1 · E23

Skin of Evil

A rescue mission turns to tragedy when one of the Enterprise officers is killed by an evil alien.

First aired April 25, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E24

We'll Always Have Paris

Captain Picard is unexpectedly reunited with his first love in the midst of an investigation into lethal time warp experiments.

First aired May 2, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E25

Conspiracy

Captain Picard and Commander Riker travel to Earth to Investigate a conspiracy in the highest ranks of Starfleet command.

First aired May 9, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S1 · E26

The Neutral Zone

While traveling to a meeting with the hostile Romulans, the crew discovers a ship containing three frozen Americans from the 20th century.

First aired May 16, 1988

Episode page

2365

The Next Generation S2 · E1

The Child

While preparing to transport a deadly plague to a research lab, the crew is stunned by the announcement of Counselor Troi's pregnancy.

First aired November 21, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E2

Where Silence Has Lease

The crew is held hostage in a mysterious void by a being who wishes to observe the many ways in which humans die.

First aired November 28, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E3

Elementary, Dear Data

Data poses as Sherlock Holmes to decipher a puzzle that threatens Dr. Pulaski's life.

First aired December 5, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E4

The Outrageous Okona

While the Enterprise crew plays host to a witty, renegade captain, Data struggles to acquire a sense of humor.

First aired December 12, 1988

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E5

Loud As a Whisper

The future of a warring planet depends on a deaf mediator, who suddenly loses his ability to communicate.

First aired January 9, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E6

The Schizoid Man

A brilliant but terminally ill scientist seeks eternal life by transferring his mind into Data's body.

First aired January 23, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E7

Unnatural Selection

The crew grapples with a mysterious disease which accelerates the aging process, causing humans to die of old age within a matter of days.

First aired January 30, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E8

A Matter of Honor

Riker's loyalties are put to the test when he is assigned to a Klingon vessel which plans to attack the Enterprise.

First aired February 6, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E9

The Measure of a Man

When Data refuses to be disassembled for research purposes, Picard is enlisted to defend his rights in court.

First aired February 13, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E10

The Dauphin

Wesley finds romance with the beautiful young ruler of Daled Four whose secret power could destroy the Enterprise and her crew.

First aired February 20, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E11

Contagion

The Enterprise's computer system falls prey to a mysterious electronic "virus" which programs the ship to self destruct.

First aired March 20, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E12

The Royale

Investigating the discovery of a piece of metal bearing a United States Air Force insignia, the Away Team finds Itself trapped in the world of "The Hotel Royale", a novel come to life.

First aired March 27, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E13

Time Squared

The U.S.S. Enterprise discovers a Federation shuttle containing an exact double of Captain Picard from six hours in the future.

First aired April 3, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E14

The Icarus Factor

Riker's long-lost father reappears on the eve of his departure to become captain on a new starship.

First aired April 24, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E15

Pen Pals

Data races against time to save the life of a little alien girl on a planet doomed for destruction.

First aired May 1, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E16

Q-Who?

The crew is hurled into a distant part of the galaxy by the malevolent Q, who sets them up for destruction by a race of half-human, half-robot aliens known as the Borg.

First aired May 8, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E17

Samaritan Snare

While Picard fights for his life in surgery, Geordi is held hostage by the leaders of an alien race.

First aired May 15, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E18

Up The Long Ladder

The crew's rescue of a missing earth colony leads to the discovery of a civilization composed entirely of clones.

First aired May 22, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E19

Manhunt

In her search for the perfect mate, Troi's mother beams aboard the Enterprise -- and sets her sights on Captain Picard.

First aired June 19, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E20

The Emissary

An official mission becomes a personal matter when Worf's former love is sent to the Enterprise to mediate a dispute between Klingons and the Federation.

First aired June 26, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E21

Peak Performance

A simulated war game suddenly turns into a real-life fight for survival when the crew is ambushed by a Ferengi battleship.

First aired July 10, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S2 · E22

Shades of Gray

Commander Riker is struck down by a deadly microbe which invades his central nervous system and attacks his brain.

First aired July 17, 1989

Episode page

2366

The Next Generation S3 · E1

Evolution

The crew fights for survival when a mysterious force attacks the ship's life-support systems.

First aired September 25, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E2

The Ensigns of Command

Data races against time to save a human colony that's been marked for death by aliens.

First aired October 2, 1989

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The Next Generation S3 · E3

The Survivors

The crew travels to Rana IV, a remote colony where just two of Its 11,000 inhabitants have miraculously survived a devastating attack.

First aired October 9, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E4

Who Watches the Watchers

Mistakenly believing Captain Picard to be a god, the members of a primitive culture seize Troi and prepare to sacrifice her to him.

First aired October 16, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E5

The Bonding

When the ship's archeologist is killed on a mission led by Worf, the Klingon feels responsible for the son she left behind.

First aired October 23, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E6

Booby Trap

The Enterprise is caught in a booby trap that captures the ship and converts its energy Into lethal levels of radiation.

First aired October 30, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E7

The Enemy

After Geordi is stranded on a storm-ravaged planet, the crew's attempts to rescue him are hindered by an aggressive Romulan warship.

First aired November 6, 1989

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The Next Generation S3 · E8

The Price

Counselor Troi is swept off her feet by a dashing delegate that uses unethical methods to conduct his business on board the U.S.S. Enterprise.

First aired November 13, 1989

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E9

The Vengeance Factor

The crew's attempts to mediate a violent dispute between warring clans are sabotaged by a mysterious assassin.

First aired November 20, 1989

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The Next Generation S3 · E10

The Defector

A Romulan defector leads the crew into a showdown that could erupt into a fullscale war.

First aired January 1, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E11

The Hunted

The Enterprise is bombarded by a soldier who is the victim of government mind control which turns him into a violent killer.

First aired January 9, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E12

The High Ground

Dr. Crusher's abduction by a radical terrorist group thrusts the crew into an explosive civil war on Rutia Four.

First aired January 30, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E13

Deja Q

The crew is surprised by the appearance of their mischievous nemesis, Q.

First aired February 6, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E14

A Matter of Perspective

Riker is suspected of murdering a respected scientist who had accused the Enterprise officer of seducing his wife.

First aired February 13, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E15

Yesterday’s Enterprise

The course of history is altered when a time rift brings a Starship Enterprise from the past into the present with a crew that includes Tasha Yar.

First aired February 20, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E16

The Offspring

Data becomes a father when he creates an android using a transfer of his own neural programming.

First aired March 13, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E17

Sins of the Father

When his long-lost brother appears on the Enterprise, Worf is thrust into a life-or-death battle for his family's honor.

First aired March 20, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E18

Allegiance

Without the crew's knowledge, Captain Picard is kidnapped and replaced by an evil imposter.

First aired March 27, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E19

Captain’s Holiday

While on vacation, Picard becomes entangled in the search for a missing weapon from the future.

First aired April 3, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E20

Tin Man

The crew is thrust into a deadly showdown with the Romulans over a newly discovered life form in a remote star system.

First aired April 24, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E21

Hollow Pursuits

The crew struggles to help a young engineer whose obsession with the fantasy world Holodeck is endangering the ship.

First aired May 1, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E22

The Most Toys

The crew leaves Data for dead when his shuttlecraft explodes during a dangerous mission.

First aired May 8, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E23

Sarek

The Enterprise is plagued by an outbreak of violence when it is visited by a renowned Vulcan Ambassador.

First aired May 15, 1990

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The Next Generation S3 · E24

Menage a Troi

Riker and Troi's shore leave on Betazed is interrupted when they are unexpectedly joined by Deanna's mother, Lwaxana.

First aired May 28, 1990

Episode page

The Next Generation S3 · E25

Transfigurations

The Enterprise rescues a mysterious humanoid whose remarkable powers affect the entire crew.

First aired June 4, 1990

Episode page

2367

The Next Generation S4 · E1

The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2

Riker must choose between saving Picard and saving humanity when the Borg use the kidnapped captain as part of their plan to destroy Earth.

First aired September 24, 1990

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The Next Generation S4 · E2

Family

While the Enterprise undergoes repairs on Earth, crew members reunite with families and Picard comes face to face with his jealous brother.

First aired October 1, 1990

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