Family, the third part of this 'trilogy' was also great. Picard getting over his trauma by beating the crap out of his brother and then getting drunk with him makes him such a much likable character. Killing the brother and sister-in-law off screen during Generations was a crime.
The brother and nephew dying off screen really disappointed me when I first watched the movie. I am really not certain why they had to do that to make a good story.
I always watch those episodes as a trilogy. That moment when he breaks down in front of his brother is so powerful. At first Rene acts like he's revelling in it, but it's what Jean-Luc needed to hear at that moment. I'm still angry that we never got another episode with them, and I agree, killing them off off screen was a disservice, as well as completely ignoring his existence in season 2 of Picard.
The following episode Family was one of my least favorite episode as a kid. I didn’t like seeing Picard crying about what the borg did to him or what they made him do. As I got older I realized that this was the most heartbreaking thing to watch because it was such a traumatic thing that happened and that he needed his family to help him begin the healing process.
The fact that early TNG grew into THIS **Three seasons in** Really reminds you how many shows streaming has killed before they were allowed to get this good.
@@JanetStarChild I was one of those people who was probably too critical of Enterprise when it was being aired, but now I think it's a just fine series (with a few dud episodes, which is normal). Too bad it didn't get at least one more season.
Even before streaming, a lot of shows - particularly scifi shows IMO - didn't last beyond one maybe two seasons. They are really expensive to produce. Seven seasons was (probably still is) unusual, not the standard.
Stating the obvious, but "Mr Worf, fire" is easily one of the best moments in the history of television. Every time you rewatch it, the tension is still palpable.
Another nice side effect of not showing the Wolf 359 battle is that made the opening scene of Deep Space 9 much more moving. Sure, it wasn't intense at the time, but it shows that NOT showing everything opens up future story potential later.
@@dawoifeepresumably that’s why the ship has a saucer section but it was just too expensive to separate it in any given episode with conflict. as well as being repetitive- you don’t need a Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers-style transformation in every TNG episode.
This is one of those stories that I wish I could watch again for the first time. I was thirteen, and I will never forget how pissed off I was when the screen went to black after Riker says those three words. I was so engrossed with the episode that I didn't realize it was almost over. That was the longest summer of my life, before or since.
I vividly recall it, as well. My friends and I spent a lot of time during that summer, speculating on whether or not Picard could be rescued and how the Enterprise could possibly defeat the Borg. There was no social media back then or online forums to check out. As far as I can remember, there were zero leaks/spoilers regarding the details of Part 2 right up til the very moment it aired.
One of the most chilling lines in Star Trek was in part one. The Borg were going on about how humanity's culture was going to adapt to service the Borg and that resistance was futile. Picard responded with, "We would rather die." The Borg replied simply, "Death is irrelevant."
I was in college when this episode hit the airwaves back in 1990. It was still a few years before I got my first computer, so I was totally unaware of the plans to end Season 3 in such a manner. I clearly remember yelling at my TV when "to be continued" popped up on the screen. What in the hell just happened! I felt the agony of the long wait over that summer to find out how this episode was going to be resolved. I had my first major surgery and spent a week in the hospital but I was able to get out in time to catch Part II at a friend's apartment. We were on the edge of our seats as the story unfolded on getting Pacard back and defeating the Borg. It is the most memorable Star Trek experience of that decade for me. Best of Both Worlds was pivotal for elevating TNG to the level of TOS for me. The brilliant Ron Jones score is one that I revisit frequently. It still gives me chills to this day.
The finest two episodes of Star Trek. I love the atmosphere of doom that permeates both episodes, and also how everyone looks haggard in the second episode like they've been through the ringer (as they have). I love how Picard's skin goes more sickly gray during his borgification scene where he sheds the tear. I love Guinan's "A lot of people are talking in Ten Forward. They expect to be dead in the next day or so.". It just truly nailed home how bad the situation was. So much to love.
Let's not forget that Patrick Stewart's original contract was for 3 years. They were negotiating the extension for further seasons back when Best of Both Worlds Pt 1. was in production... so there *was* an actual risk that Stewart and the studio didn't close the deal and the captain's chair had to fall into Frakes's hands. I recall reading somewhere that there was an early draft script for Pt. 2 which considered that scenario!
Everything you said is correct. There was no guarantee that Stewart was going to return for a Season 4. The series itself may also have been at risk of shutting down if he hadn't returned.
They covered all their bases this way: the network would want at least one more season by ending on that cliffhanger, and if Stewart didn't renew his contract they could have Riker take up the captain's chair with Shelby as 1st officer.
I remember watching this as a kid and being so upset that Riker didn’t promote Data to first officer. I also remember thinking that Captain Picard was really gone and the show was going to be with Captain Riker from now on. I miss the innocence of my 90s youth. It made television so much more exciting. 😂
You are not wrong. 1st officer is the Executive officer. The XO's primary function is the efficient running of the ship, and the various departments. Data is obviously the correct choice. Shelby is the SME (subject Matter Expert). Her job is the mission, and subject expertise, and should be placed as 2nd officer.
As a long-term assignment, yes, the only argument against Data for XO is that his people skills are a bit lacking. That would make him a less-than-ideal XO for Picard, but with Riker being good at personnel management, Data's complementary skillset is less of an issue. As a temporary measure, in the middle of an ongoing crisis, that involves her area of expertise, plugging the gap in the TOO with Shelby, who conveniently has the rank for the role, minimises the amount of disruption caused by the rearrangement. Once the immediate crisis is over, StarFleet will probably have their own ideas about how the Enterprise's command structure should be rearranged anyway. In reality, the Enterprise should have seen a lot more turnover and rotation among the crew anyway - TOS all took place during a single five year mission, so it made sense for the crew to be relatively stable for that limited period, before being scattered; TNG's "ongoing mission" doesn't provide the same excuse for a window of stability, and seven years without promotion nor reassignment is going to raise some eyebrows. If nothing else, trying to scrape together qualified bridge crew for forty new starships following Wolf-359 should see every ship in StarFleet getting raided for experienced personnel...
Don’t forget they had already written out two main characters in TNG already. Tasha Yar left the series in season one, and Dr Crusher was left out of season two. It was very believable that they would write out Picard at the end of one season and start the next with Cpt Riker and Cmdr Shelby.
RLM had a good point saying that the title Best of Both Worlds refers not only to the Borg, but also Riker's arc of wanting command but also not wanting to leave the Enterprise.
An added benefit of Wolf 359 happening off screen came later in DS9s pilot. Introducing Sisko during that battle was a masterstroke. You could be fresh to the franchise and find that scene compelling but longtime viewers were rewarded also.
"The Best of Both Worlds" was the reason why the summer of '90 was a long one for me, even though I was out of school for three months. Many years later, I learned that Patrick Stewart got a bit of grief from a fan who pulled up alongside him in traffic and hollered, "You have ruined our summer!!" I understood that fan perfectly. 🖖😎👍
The scooping up of worlds was hinted back at the end of Season 1. The Romulans didn't know what the cause was either. And dangit if Marc Alaimo didn't do a bang-up job of originating another species!
I recently introduced my three daughters (ages 6-10) to Star Trek. I decided that the best introduction to the larger franchise would be through the movies. I showed them the first 6 movies, and prompted them to watch a couple classic TOS episodes just for reference (Space Seed, Tribbles, and one or two others). When it came time for the TNG movies (especially Generations and First Contact), I decided the best way to introduce them to the Picard crew and prepare them for the upcoming movies was to show them just a handful of relevant TNG episodes.....Encounter at Farpoint, Q Who, Best of Both Worlds, and Family. They were gripped by the Borg in Q Who, and when we got to the end of the first part of BoBW all of them were on the edge of their seats and begged me to let them stay up a bit longer to see how it ended.....grilling me for all the spoilers. I sent them to bed and told them that I had to wait a whole summer when I was their age, so they could stand to wait a night or two. The power of that cliffhanger still packs a punch over 30 years later.
I really like the performance of Elizabeth Dennehy (Brian’s daughter) as Shelby. She was nakedly ambitious, but had the talent and smarts to back it up. And she was right in what she says to Riker, even if she wasn’t as diplomatic as she should have been. IRL he would have been promoted five times over in the course of TNG’s run.
I've seen lots of women like Shelby in the real military and some men were threatened by it,frail egos.And some guys hated it.There's lots of sexism in the US military and also sexist attitudes,you'd think you were back in the 1940s. LOL.
I mentioned this in the comments of one of the Picard season 3 reviews on this channel, but liked the resolution where they used Picard to hack the collective allows that they use a combination of Data's android capabilities, Dr. Crusher's medical wizardry and Troi's empathic abilities to reach out to Picard and find the weakness they need to defeat the Borg. Reading a summary I realize/remember the most important person in Starfleet Miles O'Brien was also doing his part for the effort. Also Worf helped recapture Picard and the rest of the crew are fighting the Borg. Gives a sense of a real team effort where everyone is playing a meaningful part in the resolution. Also the fact that they are taking a third option in the rescue Picard or defeat the Borg dilemma is good. Defeating the Borg by rescuing Picard is a very nice story hook that reaffirms why they are the good guys etc. finding the humane and effective solution to a horrible peril. By both rescuing Picard and defeating the Borg in the same stroke they really experience the Best of Both Worlds.😁
I remember the plot summary for this episode in the TV Guide only mentioned Riker's dilemma as to whether or not to accept command of another starship. As if the whole Borg thing was just a minor B plot.
And the writers left everything open for Patrick Stewart not to come back since he was one of the only cast members still in contract limbo at the end of season 3. PLUS Wolf 359 is a great launchpad for an uncomfortable conversation with both Sisko and Shaw. That battle always comes back to haunt Jean-Luc.
In retrospect, the one thing that they should have done with part 2 was to give Jonathan Frakes the "Final Frontier" intro speech to sell the possibility that this was indeed going to end without Picard.
Let's not forget the massive importance of this episode in directly inspiring one of the most complete characters ST has ever created, and by extension, an entire series that is arguably the best ST show ever released (which, in itself, was a HUGE evolution of the ST franchise). Namely, Benjamin Sisko and Deep Space Nine.
"How was your summer?" Well we didn't have cable TV so I think I just watched syndicated reruns back then lol. We went to the beach every other summer though (other years we went to visit the grandparents in Arizona). So that's what I would have been doing, though I would not have seen the episode then.
I only rewatched these episodes two weeks ago and I was once again amazed by just how tense they are. From the first scene of the first part, you know something terrible is going to happen. The music, the writing, the direction, everything points towards catastrophe. Then part 2 just feels earned. It feels like a more personal story in a way, focused more on character motivations than the huge threat to Earth - though that is still there, of course - and Picard being able to break free from the Collective feels like the perfect ending to that story. Then there's Family, and had Family been the last we'd ever seen of these characters, I would have been fine with it. It gives all of the characters time to breathe, and to feel the weight of what they just experienced.
Two of my favourite episodes of Trek. One moment I can't get over is a short scene where the Borg Cube is passing by a defensive picket on its way to Earth, and it sweeps three ships aside as if they were little more than insects.
When the Romulans were being worked into the DS9 tapestry... ...I was hoping Commander Tebok would be reprised so Marc Alaimo could complete with Jeffrey Coombs on the most characters carried in the series contest.
It always cracked me up... when Picard says sleep to Data, Dr. Crusher chimes in with "He's exhausted". Beverly always thinking about the well being of her patients. I keep waiting for her to get him a glass of warm milk.
I remember that summer well, waiting not so patiently for part 2. Every time I hear those ghostly voices and that punchy ending theme in part 1, and see "To be continued..." on the screen, I'm reminded of it. Just like you said, I was a fan of TNG at the time, but not totally bought into it until this ep. Then it was appointment tv.
Just watched part 2 last night; happy accident finding this video! I came to like Shelby after this last viewing, at least at the end. Never thought i'd have changed my mind after so many re-watches.
Correct me if I'm wrong (this WAS 30+ years ago, after all), but I believe that at the time BoBW Part 1 aired, Patrick Stewart was actually NOT resigned to a contract extension to return. And that fact only ADDED to the angst and anticipation that we all felt during that long, long summer. My goodness, that cliffhanger was absolutely stellar. I still remember my reaction while watching it in my dorm room. The red laser pointer on Locutus' head pointing right into our eyes, the building crescendo from the amazing score, the camera panning ever closer to Riker's set jaw, and those three words..."Mr. Worf. Fire." Cut to black. Amazing. Unparalleled. I was hooked for life.
Chillin’ out take it slow, then you rock out the show you get the BEEEEEEEEEEEEST OF BOTH WORLDS! Mix it all together and you know you get Locutus of Borg!
The music score to the intro segment in Part 1 was a sign this would be an epic episode. To this day, I remember the excitement at the end of Part 1. Superb writing!
Riker is awesome in this episode, there is some great character development for him. Then there is THAT line.... "Mr Worf. Fire." Data and Worf's rescue of Picard is completely bad ass. I watched this episode again recently after not seeing it for a couple of years and I forgot how great it was.
Even all these decades later after seeing it that first time. Thinking about those three words still sends a chill down my spine. Seeing the episode again is even more impactful. Best TV show ever. Best ST episode hands down.
I was stationed at Ft Meade, MD in the mid-80s, and every weekend I could I went to DC to the Air and Space Museum. Awesome times. My best friend and I watched Best of Both Worlds while on the phone to each other and both Screeeeeamed at the final line from Riker.
Wow! A Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler reference. I saw that movie-in a theatre-when it first came out, when I was 11 or 12. I am an old man now, but you, Mr. Shives, have an old soul.
I had always heard that Patrick Stewart's contract was uo after season 3, and so there was a very real chance that Picard might have been killed off if they didn't renew it
Don't know if anyone else commented on this, but the most fascinating historical element for this two-parter is that, not only was Patrick Stewart not signed for the next season, the writers could not even write the episode until his contract situation was resolved one way or another! That basically put the writers squarely in the crosshairs when Sir Patrick finally re-signed, because they literally had LESS time than the usual to write the conclusion. I would wonder what might have been in terms of the writing had they NOT had that kind of pressure on them. Maybe it's a slightly better episode, or maybe it's a lot worse. It certainly does leave a lot to interpretation, and it also opened the door for Mike Piller to start giving writing opportunities to fans who had good story ideas. (Piller realized the writing team was basically burnt out before Season Four even began. So, in a sense, we can thank Patrick Stewart's holdout for the entire career track of Ron Moore. Interesting, don'cha think?)
personally; if i were the writers i would draft 2 outlines for part 2; one for if Patrick Stewart returned one for if not; and just finish whichever draft the circumstances merited
My favorite moment in these episodes is the moment when Locutus cries....because when you think about it, being transformed into a Borg is someone literally taking everything you are away from you....making you a puppet.
Picard is lucky they didn't start removing stuff, like an arm or an eye. Yes, removing your humanity is just as damaging, but having to keep a Borg arm or a Borg prosthetic eye would suck.
@@fearisthemind-killerI always found that to be a weak point of that Voyager episode where they go undercover as drones. Hope you weren't too attached to those limbs!
@@fearisthemind-killer The borg needed a human to speak for them, so they kept him as human as needed. It's the same reason he wasn't a true drone and how his true self was able to break through, though as soon as earth was conquered he wouldve just become another body in the borg collective.
Yeah, it's alright. LOL Just imagine if part two had gone the way of some other show, and, after waiting all summer, we had been greeted by an opening on Crusher getting ready for a shift, opening a shower compartment, and discovering a naked but otherwise perfectly fine Picard. A morning-after Picard who turns, looks concerned and just asks, "Eh? What's wrong?"
Not to mention how well the writer's room exploited this for follow-ups, especially Commander Sisco's trauma from Wolf 359, and of course, the second best movie in the whole da(r)n franchise, First Contact.
Love your reviews Steve! Also, I hate to do this, and I’m not sure whether it make me a Trekkie or Trekker, but at Wolf 359, while 40 ships engaged the cube, only 39 were destroyed. The USS Ahwahnee survived and was later deployed in the blockade of the Klingon-Romulan border in the episode Redemption part 2.
Yeah I agree on Riker. He's typically been portrayed as a competent officer, but we see him as a competent captain for much of the episode. I remember wondering if Riker would actually become the captain for good.
Boo! I still remember the cliffhanger today. I studied the TV guide intensively for weeks just so I wouldn't miss the second part. "Best of Both Worlds" is a great piece of Star Trek history and a great two-parter in its own right. You do root for Picard and don't want to lose him. But if it does come to that, the show probably won't suffer. The way Riker is presented as a possible captain is just ... right. It works so well. In addition to the writing, I'm sure that's because of Jonathan Frakes himself. There's no need for me to worry about the unremarkable second lead actor with the bland character becoming the star of the show. Instead, I can concentrate completely on the content of a very strong episode. The soundtrack is really nice, too. Thanks for this Retro Review, Steve. It does the episodes justice. I really feel like watching it again sometime. :)
I completely agree with you Steve. As neutered as the Borg became during Voyager, this was the episode that established the franchise to the degree that we got DS9 (my favorite series as well), Voyager, Enterprise, the Next Gen and Kelvin movies and the newest made-for-streaming incarnations. Nearly 40 years on and the story, themes and emotions of "Best of Both Worlds" still holds up. While this isn't my favorite Star Trek episode (for me that will always be DS9s "Duet"), this is probably one of the most important episodes the franchise ever produced. And, on top of all that, it happened during a writer's strike.
I kinda looked at the Borg like WWII Japanese... ...initially invincible in land, air & sea combat. They wanted something... ...they took it. That's what early Next Generation showed us. But, taking something by force and holding it long-term... Different logistics, different strategy... Like the Cube lost in Best of Both Worlds Part II The subsequent Cube lost in First Contact. The massive loss of Cubes during the events of Scorpion [Voyager]. The losses cost the Borg "Frontline cubes" and Experienced Queens. So as Voyager progressed thru its later years... It was like facing Japanese assets in 1943-1945 vs the late 1930s situation. Resources not easily replaced lost. Manpower, both in quantity and quality of skills, coming up shorter than before. A desperation factor setting it. Federation learning from each engagement vs Borg... where the Borg didn't learn unless they assimilate technology, databases or people... So Picard's season 4 version being more fanged than Voyager's version with each successive season... ...because things were going sideways for the Borg. They had to have been going sideways, if not backwards in the Delta Quadrant years before Voyager left DS9. It's the only explanation I buy as to why the Kazon, the Ocampa, the Trabe... that whole neighborhood wasn't visited by Borg in centuries. One planet in 3 years of Voyager had been visited by Borg and left dead drones behind [that failed to self destruct at death, for that matter.] The Borg in chaos even explains the incursions into the Alpha Quadrant in season 1 finale. The Borg choices for new drones were running thin in the Delta Quadrant. Seven of Nine mentioned the Borg knew of the Kazon, but the collective had deemed them as poor candidates for assimilation as drones. Apparently, the Borg found most of the Delta Quadrant options less than palatable. The people the "backup" doctor was stranded with for 600 years... apparently never saw a Federation follow up nor a Borg Cube. The planet in Workforce... The "HMO" world the stolen Doctor ended up... Neelix's people & their homeworld's occupiers The Borg apparently found it not worth their effort to go anywhere near those places. But Earth... those billions of humans did interest them.
Yup, this is definitely Star Trek's best cliffhanger. I do think Enterprise's The Expanse is worthy of being in the conversataion as good soft cliffhanger as well - as it sets up a more open story for the entire next season (which they may not entirely nail, but at least was an interesting effort in bringing both new life and more identity into the show, while doing a decent balancing act in trying to incorporate a notable real world event as many other shows did at the time, while bringing some sensitibilities of The Undiscovered Country into what could easily become another 24 style 'let's hear it for torture' kinda show), unlike The Best of Both Worlds it doesn't leave on a high tension note, but rather a 'this is going to permanently change things' note, leaving viewers with less of a 'oh shit, what'll happen next' to more of a curious 'where will it be going next season?'. For me it worked out at least.
Bob Double U didn't even have an ending written when they filmed part 1. A lot of the suspense of part 2 was that even the writers didn't know how they'd get themselves out of the corner they'd painted themselves into. I was fortunate enough to be invited to a S3 premiere party with my fellow high school nerds. I didn't realize at the time what I was witnessing, but thanks, guys. I still have great memories of the day.
This cliffhanger wouldn't be effective at all if wasn't for the episode, "Skin of Evil". Let me explain. When Tasha Yar is killed off in the episode: she is GONE. (aside for an alternate timeline where she dies again in "Yesterday's Enteprise".) There's no Genesis Planet cheat. She's dead. The end. Game over. That finally made death a real thing in the Trek Universe for the first time. It meant that Captain Picard could be gone forever in part II of "TBoBW". "Skin of Evil" gives "The Best of Both Worlds" the dramatic potency it needed. So in an indirect way, "Skin of Evil" helped to solidify the Trek franchise. Thanks, Armus!
I was just gonna make the same comment. The fact that the TNG writers _already_ killed off a major character with Tasha, only a couple seasons earlier... that's what gave the threat of killing off Picard the teeth it needed to feel plausible. The writers had already _done_ it, once. Yeah, they _probably_ weren't going to do it, again... but you could no longer be 100% certain! And if they were going to do it, between seasons, when contracts were likely up for negotiation (not that I had any understanding of such things, at the time), would've been the most likely time to pull the trigger. Edit: I would also throw in the replacement of Crusher with Pulaski, in season 2. Even though that one was reversed, TNG had already proven itself _willing_ to shake up the main cast... and that's not a gun that needs to be fired often, if all you want is to keep the threat alive (whether or not Chekov is around to fire it).
I’m surprised you didn’t mention that the Melbourne was one of the ships destroyed at Wolf 359, and had Riker accepted the promotion, he’d likely be dead.
There is one thing only that I don't like about The Best of Both Worlds, and that is Shelby taking over as first officer. Data should have had that position, my boy has been denied promotion after promotion that he well deserves. That said, she's a great character and if it weren't for Data, I do think she'd have been the correct choice for first officer. Alternately, I really would have liked to see her actually be given her own ship and work in tandem with the Enterprise to stop the Borg during the finale. I think that would've been cool too. Aside from that one minor nitpick, amazing pair of episodes.
TBH I was sort of hoping the Enterprise's attempt at doing a Wave Motion Cannon shot would work enough to damage the cube severely and run a rescue while the borg are blown open.
I still remember that was the longest summer break ever! It was so hard to wait for part 2! That was also the summer between my senior HS year and my freshman college year. Yes I also think part 1 was the superior part, but also for some smaller reasons - i thought the music/score was a bit more spot on and some of the fine details of the camerawork and camera focus supported what was happening a bit better on the ship.
11:18 I was just about four years old in 1990 when I watched this episode air for the first time. I really remember wondering whether Space Dad was gone for good, which was scary and sad; and then of course, in the latter half, when he's still there, and he's still Locutus, it wasn't at all obvious to me that he was going to make it to the end. There wasn't any understanding available to me at the time of how the casting of television shows actually worked, or that the continuation of an actor's contract might be in question, so I took the drama at face value and dearly hoped between seasons and through the latter half the other characters would find some way to save him. The monstrosity that was Locutus only served to underscore, in my young mind, just how desperately Picard's family aboard the Enterprise felt the need to close around and rescue their friend from the terrible reality he'd been forced into. After Wolf 359, they could have been forgiven for abandoning him. They openly struggle on screen with the things they have to do both to survive him and get him back. I guess it's empathy again doing its work. I really like the rare event when this medium sells that.
I knew "Mr. Worf, Fire" was what you were talking about. lol I also think that they've done a pretty good job revisiting Picard's trauma over being converted to a borg pretty well in the movies and in season 3 of Picard.
Another element to this which probably wasn’t known to much of the audience back then (You just know it would’ve exploded if the episode had aired today) was that the writers themselves weren’t sure if Picard was going to be coming back or not
Kinda off topic, but hearing you enjoy/love the Air and Space made me (an autistic person who's main hyperfixation is aircraft) insanely happy! I recommend checking out the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy center when you get the chance, lots of fantastic planes (F-100D, F-4S, SR-71A, F-105D-31-RE, RF-8G, A-6E TRAM/SWIP, EA-6B, etc)! Anyway, this was an absolutely fantastic review! Your enthusiasm for the Star Trek is infectious in the best way possible, and the comedy you bring to each video is fantastic.
I had mixed feelings that particular summer. Of course I wanted the warm weather to go on forever but the cliffhanger had me hooked and I wanted to see how it would conclude.
"Data breach." lol That was a good one. As someone who's a few years older than you, that "Basil E Frankweiler" reference made me chuckle. Good one. Our opinions diverge on the Paramount Plus crop of programs and how they rely on nostalgia (I eat that stuff up), but I love your content. Keep it up!
For part I watched with my whole family - a bunch were in from out of town for some celebration. For part 2 I had just moved to college and didn't know the TV schedule in the new town so I missed it the first time around. I had to wait until January before I was finally able to see it.
I wish I’d gone when, several years ago, they showed these in a movie theater. Probably looked pretty great on the big screen. Some of the all-time best Star Trek. Pretty perfect, all the way through.
In 1990, I was stationed in West Germany (now Germany). I did not see this when it aired in the US. I saw it more than a month later when it aired in Europe. Still, that was a rough summer, waiting three months for Part 2. This is definitely one of the best Trek episodes EVER! Guinan's advice to Riker was spot on, but painful to hear. I don't think only that it was painful for Riker. It was painful for the audience.
Worth noting about part 2 is Miles O'Brien getting a much larger role in the episode because LeVar Burton had a scheduling conflict. It would make much more sense for geordi laforge to be the engineer in data's lab while they're hooked together, but miles, the lowly transporter chief, fits right in. It's a notable step along the way going from an extra in the pilot of tng to a regular on DS9.
I didn't start watching TNG until 1990-ish, catching random episodes in syndication. My dad, being a TOS purist, wasn't convinced about the show, but starting watching with me. It was when we finally saw Best of Both Worlds that we both bought into the show. I would agree it was the best thing Star Trek had done to that point. The Borg were such a brilliant concept as an enemy. Good thing Janeway brought them down with a phaser rifle and gumption!
The arrival at wolf 359 adds this sense of hopelessness. 1 borg cube ripped through 50 ships like nothing and everyone on the bridge is like how in the name of god are we supposed to stop this. And it would continue to be felt in the future.
"Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler the heck out of it" - YES! I was just explaining this reference to someone about a place where I wanted to pull this off. Sadly, since I'm old enough to remember the book, I can't remember where that place was...
One thing you missed out Steve but put in an earlier video about this episode, is how Patrick Stewart was not guaranteed to return in S4. As you said, it was written this way to give an out to Patrick and have the show continue. So, no-one knew if Picard wuold return at the time. Which probably helps sell the cliffhanger.
This two-parter had the elements that made some of the best pro wrestling matches what they were: a long term rivalry, high stakes, making it personal, and the critical facet of knowing what the final outcome will be, but not 100%, even buying the 2 count pin like a complete mark.
Hey, Steve, great review, as always. I appreciate your acknowledgement pf the Air and Space museum, BTW. I had the misfortune of living in Washington D.C., at a tender age, and that museum was my refuge, my fascination, and my escape pod. There was a star trek retrospective there once, with actual tricorders and injection devices from the original series. Not at all impressive looking, up close and personal. It's what they signified with the actors' storytelling that gave these cheap props life. Still, a fascinating journey.
The guys over at Target Audience recently got around to reviewing this, and they had an interesting comment. Considering the three-month gap between parts I and II, which I'm old enough that I lived through it in real time, and the uncertainty surrounding Stewart/Picard's status, it would have been beyond cool for the voice over narration for part II, "Space the final frontier . . ." to have been done by Jonathan Frakes instead of Stewart. That would have really shook the viewers up.
That was the longest summer wait for a part two episode in all of my existence so far. Still waiting for what happens to number two in SNW, but haven't thought about that as much. Hopefully the conclusion will be more satisfying. Didn't go to DC until a spring break a few years later, in 1995. Air and Space Museum was definitely the highlight.
Part 2 also had a great cliffhanger! The Enterprise was about yo ram the Borg cube at warp - a suicide mission to save Earth. Then Data and Picard came through just in the nick of time.
I know it’s mainly a problem of “sci for writers don’t understand scale” but it’s really weird that this horrendous tragedy for the Federation and Starfleet was only 11,000 people, which is smaller than a lot of historical terrestrial battles on land and sea. The loss of 40 ships definitely would be a huge loss, though. Did TNG ever explicitly reference that to explain why the Federation sold out all of the colonies in the conflict with the Cardassians, or is that just head canon after the fact?
You alluded to it, but I really like thinking about what the context the episodes aired in when it comes to their impact. Cliffhangers on network tv were expected by that point, but TNG was still not only proving itself, but proving the syndicated format could work. The guts it took to do a real 'event tv' cliffhanger was real. It was such a good hook it left me and my friends reeling and talking about it for weeks, agonizing over that long summer until it came back. It was also 1990, one of the last years before the internet started shaping fandoms and discussions. All we had to tide us over were reruns and the glossy TV Guide articles that began building up hype that summer. It was a very different time, but they nailed it. People who saw the cliffhanger were excited and almost guaranteed to watch next fall, and people who missed it were highly motivated to catch a rerun to see what the fuss was about, then also watch the premiere. It may not have been quite so nationally consuming as Who Shot JR? but it was close, at least among my age group.
Best of Both Worlds (Part 1) was the episode that turned Star Trek from a thing that I occasionally watched with my dad into our weekly Thing that lasted all the way until All Good Things.
Shelby was a stroke of genius for this cliffhanger. We didn't have social media to spoil everything so we didn't know anything about contract negotiations and cast changes. Having a guest star set up as replacement cast member sold the possibility even more. It was so effect that now, 33 years later, people still spread the rumor that she was there to become first office in case contract negotiations with Patrick Stewart fell through. Everyone involved denies this. Patrick and Rick Berman both say the contract was settled, signing it was just a formality by the time episode was filmed. And Elizabeth Dennehy insists that she was never given any hints that Shelby was anything other than a two episode guest part. I guess we just love a good conspiracy.
I LOVE this two parter, it's not my *favourite* that would be Way of the Warrior, the space station battle is one of the best in the series. I wish I could watch it for the first time all over again, but it gets me just as good every time I watch it. The building of tension and suspense throughout is amazing. The rescue of Picard is just as masterfully done, one of the few times in the series Troi can act and is helpful. The saga is just epic, its exciting and engaging.
Family, the third part of this 'trilogy' was also great. Picard getting over his trauma by beating the crap out of his brother and then getting drunk with him makes him such a much likable character. Killing the brother and sister-in-law off screen during Generations was a crime.
And now you know what family therapy is like in Scotland, except we pre-game with Buckfast.
Sister in law wasn't killed, just the brother and nephew IIRC.
The brother and nephew dying off screen really disappointed me when I first watched the movie. I am really not certain why they had to do that to make a good story.
That's a great point, seeing it as a trilogy. I reckon killing the family off-screen was alright but it might have been done better in the next film.
I always watch those episodes as a trilogy. That moment when he breaks down in front of his brother is so powerful. At first Rene acts like he's revelling in it, but it's what Jean-Luc needed to hear at that moment. I'm still angry that we never got another episode with them, and I agree, killing them off off screen was a disservice, as well as completely ignoring his existence in season 2 of Picard.
The following episode Family was one of my least favorite episode as a kid. I didn’t like seeing Picard crying about what the borg did to him or what they made him do. As I got older I realized that this was the most heartbreaking thing to watch because it was such a traumatic thing that happened and that he needed his family to help him begin the healing process.
The fact that early TNG grew into THIS
**Three seasons in**
Really reminds you how many shows streaming has killed before they were allowed to get this good.
Same can be said for ST: Enterprise.
@@JanetStarChild I was one of those people who was probably too critical of Enterprise when it was being aired, but now I think it's a just fine series (with a few dud episodes, which is normal). Too bad it didn't get at least one more season.
Even before streaming, a lot of shows - particularly scifi shows IMO - didn't last beyond one maybe two seasons. They are really expensive to produce. Seven seasons was (probably still is) unusual, not the standard.
@@susanscott8653 Firefly was DOA due to Corporate Big Brain Energy©, while X-Files arguably dragged on long after it was engaging.
@@buckocean7616 Arguably the same thing happened to Enterprise. 😕
Stating the obvious, but "Mr Worf, fire" is easily one of the best moments in the history of television. Every time you rewatch it, the tension is still palpable.
Yeah, they use the music perfectly to help build the tension
My favorite star trek episode
Another nice side effect of not showing the Wolf 359 battle is that made the opening scene of Deep Space 9 much more moving. Sure, it wasn't intense at the time, but it shows that NOT showing everything opens up future story potential later.
@@TheLAGopher It shows how idiotic it is to fly ships with kindergarten and schools on it into battle. Even Klingons are more civilised than that ;)
@@dawoifeepresumably that’s why the ship has a saucer section but it was just too expensive to separate it in any given episode with conflict. as well as being repetitive- you don’t need a Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers-style transformation in every TNG episode.
This is one of those stories that I wish I could watch again for the first time. I was thirteen, and I will never forget how pissed off I was when the screen went to black after Riker says those three words. I was so engrossed with the episode that I didn't realize it was almost over. That was the longest summer of my life, before or since.
I vividly recall it, as well. My friends and I spent a lot of time during that summer, speculating on whether or not Picard could be rescued and how the Enterprise could possibly defeat the Borg.
There was no social media back then or online forums to check out. As far as I can remember, there were zero leaks/spoilers regarding the details of Part 2 right up til the very moment it aired.
I was a senior in HS when part 1 came out and yea, longest summer ever!
I was in my mid-20's, but same for me. I think Trek watchers everywhere let out a collective scream.
@@BCBaron In my opinion Internet and Forums ruined fandom.
One of the most chilling lines in Star Trek was in part one. The Borg were going on about how humanity's culture was going to adapt to service the Borg and that resistance was futile. Picard responded with, "We would rather die." The Borg replied simply, "Death is irrelevant."
I was in college when this episode hit the airwaves back in 1990. It was still a few years before I got my first computer, so I was totally unaware of the plans to end Season 3 in such a manner. I clearly remember yelling at my TV when "to be continued" popped up on the screen. What in the hell just happened! I felt the agony of the long wait over that summer to find out how this episode was going to be resolved. I had my first major surgery and spent a week in the hospital but I was able to get out in time to catch Part II at a friend's apartment. We were on the edge of our seats as the story unfolded on getting Pacard back and defeating the Borg. It is the most memorable Star Trek experience of that decade for me. Best of Both Worlds was pivotal for elevating TNG to the level of TOS for me. The brilliant Ron Jones score is one that I revisit frequently. It still gives me chills to this day.
The finest two episodes of Star Trek.
I love the atmosphere of doom that permeates both episodes, and also how everyone looks haggard in the second episode like they've been through the ringer (as they have).
I love how Picard's skin goes more sickly gray during his borgification scene where he sheds the tear.
I love Guinan's "A lot of people are talking in Ten Forward. They expect to be dead in the next day or so.". It just truly nailed home how bad the situation was.
So much to love.
Of all of the away teams ever assembled, I think Worf and Data make the most sense.
The only two TNG regulars who would dare to fight the Borg in hand-to-hand combat.
@@russellharrell2747 Barrels! Worf's only weakness! how did you know???
I dunno it’s still the 3rd- and what, 7th- highest ranking officer on the ship going off to shoot pew pews at robozombies. Seems risky
Let's not forget that Patrick Stewart's original contract was for 3 years. They were negotiating the extension for further seasons back when Best of Both Worlds Pt 1. was in production... so there *was* an actual risk that Stewart and the studio didn't close the deal and the captain's chair had to fall into Frakes's hands. I recall reading somewhere that there was an early draft script for Pt. 2 which considered that scenario!
Everything you said is correct. There was no guarantee that Stewart was going to return for a Season 4. The series itself may also have been at risk of shutting down if he hadn't returned.
And the producers had already killed off a main character in Tasha Yar. At the time, I really didn’t know if Picard was going to survive.
Good information,I didn't know about Stewart's 3 yr contract nor the extension being negotiating.
They covered all their bases this way: the network would want at least one more season by ending on that cliffhanger, and if Stewart didn't renew his contract they could have Riker take up the captain's chair with Shelby as 1st officer.
My favourite part of the episode is when Picard says "Its Borgin' time" before turning into Locutus
The meme is back... in Borg form.
Jean-Luc Picard is le cute as a borg.
😊😊😊
😂
That’s hilarious
I remember watching this as a kid and being so upset that Riker didn’t promote Data to first officer. I also remember thinking that Captain Picard was really gone and the show was going to be with Captain Riker from now on. I miss the innocence of my 90s youth. It made television so much more exciting. 😂
You are not wrong. 1st officer is the Executive officer. The XO's primary function is the efficient running of the ship, and the various departments. Data is obviously the correct choice. Shelby is the SME (subject Matter Expert). Her job is the mission, and subject expertise, and should be placed as 2nd officer.
As a long-term assignment, yes, the only argument against Data for XO is that his people skills are a bit lacking. That would make him a less-than-ideal XO for Picard, but with Riker being good at personnel management, Data's complementary skillset is less of an issue.
As a temporary measure, in the middle of an ongoing crisis, that involves her area of expertise, plugging the gap in the TOO with Shelby, who conveniently has the rank for the role, minimises the amount of disruption caused by the rearrangement. Once the immediate crisis is over, StarFleet will probably have their own ideas about how the Enterprise's command structure should be rearranged anyway.
In reality, the Enterprise should have seen a lot more turnover and rotation among the crew anyway - TOS all took place during a single five year mission, so it made sense for the crew to be relatively stable for that limited period, before being scattered; TNG's "ongoing mission" doesn't provide the same excuse for a window of stability, and seven years without promotion nor reassignment is going to raise some eyebrows.
If nothing else, trying to scrape together qualified bridge crew for forty new starships following Wolf-359 should see every ship in StarFleet getting raided for experienced personnel...
Don’t forget they had already written out two main characters in TNG already. Tasha Yar left the series in season one, and Dr Crusher was left out of season two. It was very believable that they would write out Picard at the end of one season and start the next with Cpt Riker and Cmdr Shelby.
RLM had a good point saying that the title Best of Both Worlds refers not only to the Borg, but also Riker's arc of wanting command but also not wanting to leave the Enterprise.
In the real military if you don't keep making rank ( especially officers )they show you the door. LOL.
@@powerbadpowerbad Starfleet isn't a military organization. Or at least that's what it keeps telling us at any rate. LoL
An added benefit of Wolf 359 happening off screen came later in DS9s pilot. Introducing Sisko during that battle was a masterstroke. You could be fresh to the franchise and find that scene compelling but longtime viewers were rewarded also.
Best four words: Worf sobbing "He IS a borg"
I like Best of Both Worlds on its own merits, but I like it even better as the setup for the episode Family
"The Best of Both Worlds" was the reason why the summer of '90 was a long one for me, even though I was out of school for three months.
Many years later, I learned that Patrick Stewart got a bit of grief from a fan who pulled up alongside him in traffic and hollered, "You have ruined our summer!!"
I understood that fan perfectly. 🖖😎👍
The scooping up of worlds was hinted back at the end of Season 1. The Romulans didn't know what the cause was either.
And dangit if Marc Alaimo didn't do a bang-up job of originating another species!
I recently introduced my three daughters (ages 6-10) to Star Trek. I decided that the best introduction to the larger franchise would be through the movies. I showed them the first 6 movies, and prompted them to watch a couple classic TOS episodes just for reference (Space Seed, Tribbles, and one or two others). When it came time for the TNG movies (especially Generations and First Contact), I decided the best way to introduce them to the Picard crew and prepare them for the upcoming movies was to show them just a handful of relevant TNG episodes.....Encounter at Farpoint, Q Who, Best of Both Worlds, and Family. They were gripped by the Borg in Q Who, and when we got to the end of the first part of BoBW all of them were on the edge of their seats and begged me to let them stay up a bit longer to see how it ended.....grilling me for all the spoilers. I sent them to bed and told them that I had to wait a whole summer when I was their age, so they could stand to wait a night or two. The power of that cliffhanger still packs a punch over 30 years later.
Reminds me of when I put on Back to the Future for my kids. "I had to wait 4 years for the sequel, you can manage one lousy week."
I really like the performance of Elizabeth Dennehy (Brian’s daughter) as Shelby. She was nakedly ambitious, but had the talent and smarts to back it up. And she was right in what she says to Riker, even if she wasn’t as diplomatic as she should have been. IRL he would have been promoted five times over in the course of TNG’s run.
Brian Dennehy's daughter? That guy is such a bad-a$$.
I've seen lots of women like Shelby in the real military and some men were threatened by it,frail egos.And some guys hated it.There's lots of sexism in the US military and also sexist attitudes,you'd think you were back in the 1940s. LOL.
I mentioned this in the comments of one of the Picard season 3 reviews on this channel, but liked the resolution where they used Picard to hack the collective allows that they use a combination of Data's android capabilities, Dr. Crusher's medical wizardry and Troi's empathic abilities to reach out to Picard and find the weakness they need to defeat the Borg. Reading a summary I realize/remember the most important person in Starfleet Miles O'Brien was also doing his part for the effort. Also Worf helped recapture Picard and the rest of the crew are fighting the Borg. Gives a sense of a real team effort where everyone is playing a meaningful part in the resolution.
Also the fact that they are taking a third option in the rescue Picard or defeat the Borg dilemma is good. Defeating the Borg by rescuing Picard is a very nice story hook that reaffirms why they are the good guys etc. finding the humane and effective solution to a horrible peril.
By both rescuing Picard and defeating the Borg in the same stroke they really experience the Best of Both Worlds.😁
I remember the plot summary for this episode in the TV Guide only mentioned Riker's dilemma as to whether or not to accept command of another starship. As if the whole Borg thing was just a minor B plot.
And the writers left everything open for Patrick Stewart not to come back since he was one of the only cast members still in contract limbo at the end of season 3. PLUS Wolf 359 is a great launchpad for an uncomfortable conversation with both Sisko and Shaw. That battle always comes back to haunt Jean-Luc.
It's fascinating to ponder how much of the rest of Star Trek would have played out had Patrick Stewart not come back.
This was a stunning cliff hanger when it aired. I loved it then and I love it now.
In retrospect, the one thing that they should have done with part 2 was to give Jonathan Frakes the "Final Frontier" intro speech to sell the possibility that this was indeed going to end without Picard.
Let's not forget the massive importance of this episode in directly inspiring one of the most complete characters ST has ever created, and by extension, an entire series that is arguably the best ST show ever released (which, in itself, was a HUGE evolution of the ST franchise). Namely, Benjamin Sisko and Deep Space Nine.
Yes, DS9 rules!
"How was your summer?"
Well we didn't have cable TV so I think I just watched syndicated reruns back then lol.
We went to the beach every other summer though (other years we went to visit the grandparents in Arizona). So that's what I would have been doing, though I would not have seen the episode then.
I only rewatched these episodes two weeks ago and I was once again amazed by just how tense they are. From the first scene of the first part, you know something terrible is going to happen. The music, the writing, the direction, everything points towards catastrophe.
Then part 2 just feels earned. It feels like a more personal story in a way, focused more on character motivations than the huge threat to Earth - though that is still there, of course - and Picard being able to break free from the Collective feels like the perfect ending to that story.
Then there's Family, and had Family been the last we'd ever seen of these characters, I would have been fine with it. It gives all of the characters time to breathe, and to feel the weight of what they just experienced.
LMAO!!!!! "How was your summer?"
CLASSIC!!!!
Two of my favourite episodes of Trek. One moment I can't get over is a short scene where the Borg Cube is passing by a defensive picket on its way to Earth, and it sweeps three ships aside as if they were little more than insects.
I liked how the “scooped up colony” is a callback to the season finale of season 1, where romulan proto-Dukat accuses the fed of doing just that.
When the Romulans were being worked into the DS9 tapestry...
...I was hoping Commander Tebok would be reprised so Marc Alaimo could complete with Jeffrey Coombs on the most characters carried in the series contest.
At 5:26, surprised that you didn't point out that one of the dead ships is the USS Melbourne.
That was the gut punch of Pt. 2, for me at least.
It always cracked me up... when Picard says sleep to Data, Dr. Crusher chimes in with "He's exhausted". Beverly always thinking about the well being of her patients. I keep waiting for her to get him a glass of warm milk.
I remember that summer well, waiting not so patiently for part 2. Every time I hear those ghostly voices and that punchy ending theme in part 1, and see "To be continued..." on the screen, I'm reminded of it. Just like you said, I was a fan of TNG at the time, but not totally bought into it until this ep. Then it was appointment tv.
Just watched part 2 last night; happy accident finding this video! I came to like Shelby after this last viewing, at least at the end. Never thought i'd have changed my mind after so many re-watches.
She had a tiny character arc on the show, if I remember correctly, or should I say, IIRC.
Correct me if I'm wrong (this WAS 30+ years ago, after all), but I believe that at the time BoBW Part 1 aired, Patrick Stewart was actually NOT resigned to a contract extension to return. And that fact only ADDED to the angst and anticipation that we all felt during that long, long summer. My goodness, that cliffhanger was absolutely stellar. I still remember my reaction while watching it in my dorm room. The red laser pointer on Locutus' head pointing right into our eyes, the building crescendo from the amazing score, the camera panning ever closer to Riker's set jaw, and those three words..."Mr. Worf. Fire." Cut to black.
Amazing. Unparalleled. I was hooked for life.
Chillin’ out take it slow, then you rock out the show you get the BEEEEEEEEEEEEST OF BOTH WORLDS! Mix it all together and you know you get Locutus of Borg!
The music score to the intro segment in Part 1 was a sign this would be an epic episode. To this day, I remember the excitement at the end of Part 1. Superb writing!
Riker is awesome in this episode, there is some great character development for him. Then there is THAT line.... "Mr Worf. Fire." Data and Worf's rescue of Picard is completely bad ass.
I watched this episode again recently after not seeing it for a couple of years and I forgot how great it was.
Even all these decades later after seeing it that first time. Thinking about those three words still sends a chill down my spine. Seeing the episode again is even more impactful. Best TV show ever. Best ST episode hands down.
I was stationed at Ft Meade, MD in the mid-80s, and every weekend I could I went to DC to the Air and Space Museum. Awesome times. My best friend and I watched Best of Both Worlds while on the phone to each other and both Screeeeeamed at the final line from Riker.
Wow! A Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler reference. I saw that movie-in a theatre-when it first came out, when I was 11 or 12. I am an old man now, but you, Mr. Shives, have an old soul.
I had always heard that Patrick Stewart's contract was uo after season 3, and so there was a very real chance that Picard might have been killed off if they didn't renew it
Don't know if anyone else commented on this, but the most fascinating historical element for this two-parter is that, not only was Patrick Stewart not signed for the next season, the writers could not even write the episode until his contract situation was resolved one way or another! That basically put the writers squarely in the crosshairs when Sir Patrick finally re-signed, because they literally had LESS time than the usual to write the conclusion. I would wonder what might have been in terms of the writing had they NOT had that kind of pressure on them. Maybe it's a slightly better episode, or maybe it's a lot worse. It certainly does leave a lot to interpretation, and it also opened the door for Mike Piller to start giving writing opportunities to fans who had good story ideas. (Piller realized the writing team was basically burnt out before Season Four even began. So, in a sense, we can thank Patrick Stewart's holdout for the entire career track of Ron Moore. Interesting, don'cha think?)
personally; if i were the writers i would draft 2 outlines for part 2; one for if Patrick Stewart returned one for if not; and just finish whichever draft the circumstances merited
My favorite moment in these episodes is the moment when Locutus cries....because when you think about it, being transformed into a Borg is someone literally taking everything you are away from you....making you a puppet.
And it showed that he still had self-awareness in the midst of all the horror.
Picard is lucky they didn't start removing stuff, like an arm or an eye. Yes, removing your humanity is just as damaging, but having to keep a Borg arm or a Borg prosthetic eye would suck.
@@fearisthemind-killer , he was extensively surgically altered.
@@fearisthemind-killerI always found that to be a weak point of that Voyager episode where they go undercover as drones. Hope you weren't too attached to those limbs!
@@fearisthemind-killer The borg needed a human to speak for them, so they kept him as human as needed. It's the same reason he wasn't a true drone and how his true self was able to break through, though as soon as earth was conquered he wouldve just become another body in the borg collective.
Yeah, it's alright. LOL
Just imagine if part two had gone the way of some other show, and, after waiting all summer, we had been greeted by an opening on Crusher getting ready for a shift, opening a shower compartment, and discovering a naked but otherwise perfectly fine Picard. A morning-after Picard who turns, looks concerned and just asks, "Eh? What's wrong?"
Grand review! Pedant in me has to point out Trek’s first cliffhanger was The Menagerie part 1…
"Don't boo me!" Oh no, Steve. You can't drop a humdinger like that joke without expecting ALL the boos. Well done! :)
By the way, what WERE the two worlds?
You deserved every boo you got for that Data breach joke. Every. Last. Boo.
😁
Not to mention how well the writer's room exploited this for follow-ups, especially Commander Sisco's trauma from Wolf 359, and of course, the second best movie in the whole da(r)n franchise, First Contact.
Love your reviews Steve! Also, I hate to do this, and I’m not sure whether it make me a Trekkie or Trekker, but at Wolf 359, while 40 ships engaged the cube, only 39 were destroyed. The USS Ahwahnee survived and was later deployed in the blockade of the Klingon-Romulan border in the episode Redemption part 2.
It makes you great for conversations about Trek.
Yeah I agree on Riker. He's typically been portrayed as a competent officer, but we see him as a competent captain for much of the episode. I remember wondering if Riker would actually become the captain for good.
Boo!
I still remember the cliffhanger today. I studied the TV guide intensively for weeks just so I wouldn't miss the second part. "Best of Both Worlds" is a great piece of Star Trek history and a great two-parter in its own right. You do root for Picard and don't want to lose him. But if it does come to that, the show probably won't suffer. The way Riker is presented as a possible captain is just ... right. It works so well.
In addition to the writing, I'm sure that's because of Jonathan Frakes himself. There's no need for me to worry about the unremarkable second lead actor with the bland character becoming the star of the show. Instead, I can concentrate completely on the content of a very strong episode. The soundtrack is really nice, too.
Thanks for this Retro Review, Steve. It does the episodes justice. I really feel like watching it again sometime. :)
Giving Riker a fourth pip is probably the most subtle cue that it might’ve stuck… ironically I never noticed til watching it way later in HD
I completely agree with you Steve. As neutered as the Borg became during Voyager, this was the episode that established the franchise to the degree that we got DS9 (my favorite series as well), Voyager, Enterprise, the Next Gen and Kelvin movies and the newest made-for-streaming incarnations. Nearly 40 years on and the story, themes and emotions of "Best of Both Worlds" still holds up. While this isn't my favorite Star Trek episode (for me that will always be DS9s "Duet"), this is probably one of the most important episodes the franchise ever produced. And, on top of all that, it happened during a writer's strike.
I kinda looked at the Borg like WWII Japanese...
...initially invincible in land, air & sea combat.
They wanted something...
...they took it.
That's what early Next Generation showed us.
But, taking something by force and holding it long-term...
Different logistics, different strategy...
Like the Cube lost in Best of Both Worlds Part II
The subsequent Cube lost in First Contact.
The massive loss of Cubes during the events of Scorpion [Voyager].
The losses cost the Borg "Frontline cubes" and Experienced Queens.
So as Voyager progressed thru its later years... It was like facing Japanese assets in 1943-1945 vs the late 1930s situation.
Resources not easily replaced lost.
Manpower, both in quantity and quality of skills, coming up shorter than before.
A desperation factor setting it.
Federation learning from each engagement vs Borg... where the Borg didn't learn unless they assimilate technology, databases or people...
So Picard's season 4 version being more fanged than Voyager's version with each successive season...
...because things were going sideways for the Borg.
They had to have been going sideways, if not backwards in the Delta Quadrant years before Voyager left DS9.
It's the only explanation I buy as to why the Kazon, the Ocampa, the Trabe... that whole neighborhood wasn't visited by Borg in centuries.
One planet in 3 years of Voyager had been visited by Borg and left dead drones behind [that failed to self destruct at death, for that matter.]
The Borg in chaos even explains the incursions into the Alpha Quadrant in season 1 finale.
The Borg choices for new drones were running thin in the Delta Quadrant.
Seven of Nine mentioned the Borg knew of the Kazon, but the collective had deemed them as poor candidates for assimilation as drones.
Apparently, the Borg found most of the Delta Quadrant options less than palatable.
The people the "backup" doctor was stranded with for 600 years... apparently never saw a Federation follow up nor a Borg Cube.
The planet in Workforce...
The "HMO" world the stolen Doctor ended up...
Neelix's people & their homeworld's occupiers
The Borg apparently found it not worth their effort to go anywhere near those places.
But Earth... those billions of humans did interest them.
Yup, this is definitely Star Trek's best cliffhanger. I do think Enterprise's The Expanse is worthy of being in the conversataion as good soft cliffhanger as well - as it sets up a more open story for the entire next season (which they may not entirely nail, but at least was an interesting effort in bringing both new life and more identity into the show, while doing a decent balancing act in trying to incorporate a notable real world event as many other shows did at the time, while bringing some sensitibilities of The Undiscovered Country into what could easily become another 24 style 'let's hear it for torture' kinda show), unlike The Best of Both Worlds it doesn't leave on a high tension note, but rather a 'this is going to permanently change things' note, leaving viewers with less of a 'oh shit, what'll happen next' to more of a curious 'where will it be going next season?'. For me it worked out at least.
Bob Double U didn't even have an ending written when they filmed part 1. A lot of the suspense of part 2 was that even the writers didn't know how they'd get themselves out of the corner they'd painted themselves into.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to a S3 premiere party with my fellow high school nerds. I didn't realize at the time what I was witnessing, but thanks, guys. I still have great memories of the day.
This cliffhanger wouldn't be effective at all if wasn't for the episode, "Skin of Evil". Let me explain. When Tasha Yar is killed off in the episode: she is GONE. (aside for an alternate timeline where she dies again in "Yesterday's Enteprise".) There's no Genesis Planet cheat. She's dead. The end. Game over. That finally made death a real thing in the Trek Universe for the first time. It meant that Captain Picard could be gone forever in part II of "TBoBW". "Skin of Evil" gives "The Best of Both Worlds" the dramatic potency it needed. So in an indirect way, "Skin of Evil" helped to solidify the Trek franchise. Thanks, Armus!
I was just gonna make the same comment. The fact that the TNG writers _already_ killed off a major character with Tasha, only a couple seasons earlier... that's what gave the threat of killing off Picard the teeth it needed to feel plausible. The writers had already _done_ it, once. Yeah, they _probably_ weren't going to do it, again... but you could no longer be 100% certain!
And if they were going to do it, between seasons, when contracts were likely up for negotiation (not that I had any understanding of such things, at the time), would've been the most likely time to pull the trigger.
Edit: I would also throw in the replacement of Crusher with Pulaski, in season 2. Even though that one was reversed, TNG had already proven itself _willing_ to shake up the main cast... and that's not a gun that needs to be fired often, if all you want is to keep the threat alive (whether or not Chekov is around to fire it).
I’m surprised you didn’t mention that the Melbourne was one of the ships destroyed at Wolf 359, and had Riker accepted the promotion, he’d likely be dead.
There is one thing only that I don't like about The Best of Both Worlds, and that is Shelby taking over as first officer. Data should have had that position, my boy has been denied promotion after promotion that he well deserves. That said, she's a great character and if it weren't for Data, I do think she'd have been the correct choice for first officer.
Alternately, I really would have liked to see her actually be given her own ship and work in tandem with the Enterprise to stop the Borg during the finale. I think that would've been cool too.
Aside from that one minor nitpick, amazing pair of episodes.
TBH I was sort of hoping the Enterprise's attempt at doing a Wave Motion Cannon shot would work enough to damage the cube severely and run a rescue while the borg are blown open.
I still remember that was the longest summer break ever! It was so hard to wait for part 2! That was also the summer between my senior HS year and my freshman college year.
Yes I also think part 1 was the superior part, but also for some smaller reasons - i thought the music/score was a bit more spot on and some of the fine details of the camerawork and camera focus supported what was happening a bit better on the ship.
11:18 I was just about four years old in 1990 when I watched this episode air for the first time. I really remember wondering whether Space Dad was gone for good, which was scary and sad; and then of course, in the latter half, when he's still there, and he's still Locutus, it wasn't at all obvious to me that he was going to make it to the end.
There wasn't any understanding available to me at the time of how the casting of television shows actually worked, or that the continuation of an actor's contract might be in question, so I took the drama at face value and dearly hoped between seasons and through the latter half the other characters would find some way to save him. The monstrosity that was Locutus only served to underscore, in my young mind, just how desperately Picard's family aboard the Enterprise felt the need to close around and rescue their friend from the terrible reality he'd been forced into. After Wolf 359, they could have been forgiven for abandoning him. They openly struggle on screen with the things they have to do both to survive him and get him back.
I guess it's empathy again doing its work. I really like the rare event when this medium sells that.
I knew "Mr. Worf, Fire" was what you were talking about. lol I also think that they've done a pretty good job revisiting Picard's trauma over being converted to a borg pretty well in the movies and in season 3 of Picard.
Another element to this which probably wasn’t known to much of the audience back then (You just know it would’ve exploded if the episode had aired today) was that the writers themselves weren’t sure if Picard was going to be coming back or not
Kinda off topic, but hearing you enjoy/love the Air and Space made me (an autistic person who's main hyperfixation is aircraft) insanely happy! I recommend checking out the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy center when you get the chance, lots of fantastic planes (F-100D, F-4S, SR-71A, F-105D-31-RE, RF-8G, A-6E TRAM/SWIP, EA-6B, etc)!
Anyway, this was an absolutely fantastic review!
Your enthusiasm for the Star Trek is infectious in the best way possible, and the comedy you bring to each video is fantastic.
Ahhh… I remember the winter of my discontent! 😃 The wait between seasons was heartbreaking ❤️🩹
I had mixed feelings that particular summer. Of course I wanted the warm weather to go on forever but the cliffhanger had me hooked and I wanted to see how it would conclude.
"Data breach." lol That was a good one. As someone who's a few years older than you, that "Basil E Frankweiler" reference made me chuckle. Good one. Our opinions diverge on the Paramount Plus crop of programs and how they rely on nostalgia (I eat that stuff up), but I love your content. Keep it up!
For fans of Seinfeld, this is the one where Yuri Testikov looks to hire the Drakette to replace Riker as XO.
After "Mr Worf, Fire" that was the longest summer wait for an episode in my life.
Nice! After this, would you make a video about the best cliffhangers in Star Trek (with this one obviously first :) )
For part I watched with my whole family - a bunch were in from out of town for some celebration. For part 2 I had just moved to college and didn't know the TV schedule in the new town so I missed it the first time around. I had to wait until January before I was finally able to see it.
I wish I’d gone when, several years ago, they showed these in a movie theater. Probably looked pretty great on the big screen. Some of the all-time best Star Trek. Pretty perfect, all the way through.
At some point we need a 20 minute episode that's just the battle of wolf 359.
I'd buy that for a dollar 😁
Venom Geek Media already did it. It's not too bad either IMO.
In 1990, I was stationed in West Germany (now Germany). I did not see this when it aired in the US. I saw it more than a month later when it aired in Europe. Still, that was a rough summer, waiting three months for Part 2. This is definitely one of the best Trek episodes EVER!
Guinan's advice to Riker was spot on, but painful to hear. I don't think only that it was painful for Riker. It was painful for the audience.
Worth noting about part 2 is Miles O'Brien getting a much larger role in the episode because LeVar Burton had a scheduling conflict. It would make much more sense for geordi laforge to be the engineer in data's lab while they're hooked together, but miles, the lowly transporter chief, fits right in. It's a notable step along the way going from an extra in the pilot of tng to a regular on DS9.
I didn't start watching TNG until 1990-ish, catching random episodes in syndication. My dad, being a TOS purist, wasn't convinced about the show, but starting watching with me. It was when we finally saw Best of Both Worlds that we both bought into the show. I would agree it was the best thing Star Trek had done to that point. The Borg were such a brilliant concept as an enemy. Good thing Janeway brought them down with a phaser rifle and gumption!
The arrival at wolf 359 adds this sense of hopelessness. 1 borg cube ripped through 50 ships like nothing and everyone on the bridge is like how in the name of god are we supposed to stop this. And it would continue to be felt in the future.
This is totally true. I even love the name Picard. and Jean-Luc. I mean this guy exudes wisdom and any response to sophistry
"Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler the heck out of it" - YES! I was just explaining this reference to someone about a place where I wanted to pull this off. Sadly, since I'm old enough to remember the book, I can't remember where that place was...
One thing you missed out Steve but put in an earlier video about this episode, is how Patrick Stewart was not guaranteed to return in S4. As you said, it was written this way to give an out to Patrick and have the show continue. So, no-one knew if Picard wuold return at the time. Which probably helps sell the cliffhanger.
The events of Wolf 359 also gave us the jumping off point when we first meet Ben Sisko a the start of DS9.
This two-parter had the elements that made some of the best pro wrestling matches what they were: a long term rivalry, high stakes, making it personal, and the critical facet of knowing what the final outcome will be, but not 100%, even buying the 2 count pin like a complete mark.
Hey, Steve, great review, as always. I appreciate your acknowledgement pf the Air and Space museum, BTW. I had the misfortune of living in Washington D.C., at a tender age, and that museum was my refuge, my fascination, and my escape pod. There was a star trek retrospective there once, with actual tricorders and injection devices from the original series. Not at all impressive looking, up close and personal. It's what they signified with the actors' storytelling that gave these cheap props life. Still, a fascinating journey.
The guys over at Target Audience recently got around to reviewing this, and they had an interesting comment. Considering the three-month gap between parts I and II, which I'm old enough that I lived through it in real time, and the uncertainty surrounding Stewart/Picard's status, it would have been beyond cool for the voice over narration for part II, "Space the final frontier . . ." to have been done by Jonathan Frakes instead of Stewart. That would have really shook the viewers up.
Remember the national aeronautics and space museum. That was the same summer I went! Remember going for the Star Trek exhibition years later.
I always follow this with Family, which emphasizes the trauma that followed the incident. This sort of follow up rarely happened on TV at that time.
These were among my favorites... It had me , and the rest of my family on the edge of our sets !!!!
That was the longest summer wait for a part two episode in all of my existence so far. Still waiting for what happens to number two in SNW, but haven't thought about that as much. Hopefully the conclusion will be more satisfying.
Didn't go to DC until a spring break a few years later, in 1995. Air and Space Museum was definitely the highlight.
Part 2 also had a great cliffhanger! The Enterprise was about yo ram the Borg cube at warp - a suicide mission to save Earth. Then Data and Picard came through just in the nick of time.
I know it’s mainly a problem of “sci for writers don’t understand scale” but it’s really weird that this horrendous tragedy for the Federation and Starfleet was only 11,000 people, which is smaller than a lot of historical terrestrial battles on land and sea.
The loss of 40 ships definitely would be a huge loss, though. Did TNG ever explicitly reference that to explain why the Federation sold out all of the colonies in the conflict with the Cardassians, or is that just head canon after the fact?
You alluded to it, but I really like thinking about what the context the episodes aired in when it comes to their impact. Cliffhangers on network tv were expected by that point, but TNG was still not only proving itself, but proving the syndicated format could work. The guts it took to do a real 'event tv' cliffhanger was real. It was such a good hook it left me and my friends reeling and talking about it for weeks, agonizing over that long summer until it came back. It was also 1990, one of the last years before the internet started shaping fandoms and discussions. All we had to tide us over were reruns and the glossy TV Guide articles that began building up hype that summer.
It was a very different time, but they nailed it. People who saw the cliffhanger were excited and almost guaranteed to watch next fall, and people who missed it were highly motivated to catch a rerun to see what the fuss was about, then also watch the premiere.
It may not have been quite so nationally consuming as Who Shot JR? but it was close, at least among my age group.
Best of Both Worlds (Part 1) was the episode that turned Star Trek from a thing that I occasionally watched with my dad into our weekly Thing that lasted all the way until All Good Things.
Shelby was a stroke of genius for this cliffhanger. We didn't have social media to spoil everything so we didn't know anything about contract negotiations and cast changes. Having a guest star set up as replacement cast member sold the possibility even more. It was so effect that now, 33 years later, people still spread the rumor that she was there to become first office in case contract negotiations with Patrick Stewart fell through. Everyone involved denies this. Patrick and Rick Berman both say the contract was settled, signing it was just a formality by the time episode was filmed. And Elizabeth Dennehy insists that she was never given any hints that Shelby was anything other than a two episode guest part. I guess we just love a good conspiracy.
I LOVE this two parter, it's not my *favourite* that would be Way of the Warrior, the space station battle is one of the best in the series. I wish I could watch it for the first time all over again, but it gets me just as good every time I watch it. The building of tension and suspense throughout is amazing. The rescue of Picard is just as masterfully done, one of the few times in the series Troi can act and is helpful. The saga is just epic, its exciting and engaging.
have to appreciate the mrs basil e. frankweier reference, a good one at that. loved listening to that book on tape as a kid. Good vid as always.
Thank you for visiting DC. It’s my hometown!