Star Trek: The Next Generation | |
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Season 4 | |
No. of episodes | 26 |
Release | |
Original network | Broadcast syndication |
Original release | September 24, 1990 – June 17, 1991 |
Season chronology | |
The fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on September 24, 1990 and concluded on June 17, 1991 after airing 26 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise-D.
This season saw the show embracing the notion of serialized storylines. A recurring theme throughout the season is the notion of a brewing Duras-Romulan plot against the Federation, coupled with Worf's effort to reclaim his family honor. Both storylines were introduced in Season 3's "Sins of the Father". Worf's discommendation is a major theme in "Family" and "The Drumhead", while his dishonor and the Duras-Romulan plot take center stage in the episodes "Reunion", "The Mind's Eye", and "Redemption".
A second recurring storyline in the season is the growth of Miles O'Brien as a character. His first and middle name are revealed in "Family", he marries in "Data's Day", his past is revealed in "The Wounded", and his marriage is explored in "In Theory".
Season 4 featured many family-themed episodes. The first episode following "The Best of Both Worlds" deals with Picard and Worf's family, and the second with Data's. Worf's son Alexander appears later in the season, as does Tasha Yar's sister, and the Enterprise encounters an infant alien space entity.
While a stand-alone syndicated series, the series was paired with other shows for the two night syndicated programming block Hollywood Premiere Network from Chris-Craft TV and MCA TV. [1]
In the following table, episodes are listed by the order in which they aired.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | Nielsen rating |
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75 | 1 | "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" | Cliff Bole | Michael Piller | September 22, 1990 | 175 | 12.3 [2] |
Picard is rescued from the Borg as the Enterprise races to save Earth. Data interfaces with the half-Borg Picard and finds a way to shut down the Borg ship. Guest star Elizabeth Dennehy as Starfleet Commander Shelby. | |||||||
76 | 2 | "Family" | Les Landau | Ronald D. Moore | September 29, 1990 | 178 | 9.6 [2] |
While the Enterprise is undergoing repairs at Earth, Captain Picard visits his brother's family in France, Lt. Worf's adoptive human parents come to see him aboard the ship, and Dr. Crusher gives her son Wesley a personal holo-recording left by his late father shortly after his birth. | |||||||
77 | 3 | "Brothers" | Rob Bowman | Rick Berman | October 6, 1990 | 177 | 10.9 [2] |
Data is summoned by his creator Noonien Soong. They are joined by Data's brother, Lore. | |||||||
78 | 4 | "Suddenly Human" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Story by : Ralph Phillips Teleplay by : John Whelpley and Jeri Taylor | October 13, 1990 | 176 | 10.3 [2] |
Picard must help a human boy, raised by aliens, to decide his fate. | |||||||
79 | 5 | "Remember Me" | Cliff Bole | Lee Sheldon | October 20, 1990 | 179 | 11.4 [2] |
After an apparent failure of a warp-field experiment, people begin to disappear from the Enterprise with only Dr. Crusher remembering that they ever existed. | |||||||
80 | 6 | "Legacy" | Robert Scheerer | Joe Menosky | October 27, 1990 | 180 | 12.0 [2] |
Tasha Yar's sister Ishara seeks to restore order on their conflict-ridden colony world. | |||||||
81 | 7 | "Reunion" | Jonathan Frakes | Story by : Drew Deighan and Thomas Perry & Jo Perry Teleplay by : Thomas Perry & Jo Perry and Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga | November 3, 1990 | 181 | 12.2 [2] |
Worf's former lover returns, and along with Picard, the two mediate a Klingon power dispute. Worf discovers more family. | |||||||
82 | 8 | "Future Imperfect" | Les Landau | J. Larry Carroll & David Bennett Carren | November 10, 1990 | 182 | 12.0 [2] |
Riker finds himself sixteen years in the future. His memory of the interim is erased by a dormant virus. | |||||||
83 | 9 | "Final Mission" | Corey Allen | Story by : Kacey Arnold-Ince Teleplay by : Kacey Arnold-Ince & Jeri Taylor | November 17, 1990 | 183 | 11.5 [2] |
Wesley sets off on his final mission with the Enterprise accompanied by Picard. They become stranded on a desert planet. | |||||||
84 | 10 | "The Loss" | Chip Chalmers | Teleplay by : Hilary J. Bader and Allan J. Adler & Vanessa Greene Story by : Hilary J. Bader | December 29, 1990 | 184 | 12.2 [2] |
An unknown force captures the Enterprise and causes Deanna to lose her empathic powers. | |||||||
85 | 11 | "Data's Day" | Robert Wiemer | Story by : Harold Apter Teleplay by : Harold Apter and Ronald D. Moore | January 5, 1991 | 185 | 11.7 [2] |
Data gets dancing lessons from Dr. Crusher in preparation of Chief O'Brien's wedding as the Enterprise brings Ambassador T'Pel to the Romulans for negotiations. | |||||||
86 | 12 | "The Wounded" | Chip Chalmers | Story by : Stuart Charno & Sara Charno and Cy Chermak Teleplay by : Jeri Taylor | January 26, 1991 | 186 | 12.1 [2] |
A rogue Starfleet Captain (Bob Gunton) jeopardizes the Cardassian peace treaty. | |||||||
87 | 13 | "Devil's Due" | Tom Benko | Story by : Philip LaZebnik & William Douglas Lansford Teleplay by : Philip LaZebnik | February 2, 1991 | 187 | 13.0 [2] |
A powerful mythic figure from a millennium ago returns to enslave a planet in accordance with a contract. However, Picard is convinced she is an opportunistic charlatan. Guest star Marta DuBois as Ardra. | |||||||
88 | 14 | "Clues" | Les Landau | Story by : Bruce D. Arthurs Teleplay by : Bruce D. Arthurs and Joe Menosky | February 9, 1991 | 188 | 12.3 [2] |
The crew, with the exception of Data, is rendered unconscious for 30 seconds after going through a localized wormhole. However, various clues suggest they were unconscious for an entire day. | |||||||
89 | 15 | "First Contact" | Cliff Bole | Teleplay by : Dennis Bailey [lower-alpha 1] & David Bischoff and Joe Menosky & Ronald D. Moore and Michael Piller Story by : Marc Scott Zicree | February 16, 1991 | 189 | 11.4 [2] |
Riker is hospitalized during a botched pre-first contact mission. Xenophobia results in increasing hostility toward his presence. | |||||||
90 | 16 | "Galaxy's Child" | Winrich Kolbe | Story by : Thomas Kartozian Teleplay by : Maurice Hurley | March 9, 1991 | 190 | 11.7 [2] |
The Enterprise accidentally kills a space creature, and the crew rush to save its unborn offspring. Meanwhile, Geordi meets the engineer he fell in love with and finds to his shock that she's nothing like the woman he encountered on the holodeck. Guest star: Susan Gibney as Dr. Leah Brahms. | |||||||
91 | 17 | "Night Terrors" | Les Landau | Story by : Shari Goodhartz Teleplay by : Pamela Douglas & Jeri Taylor | March 16, 1991 | 191 | 11.2 [2] |
The Enterprise is trapped in a rift, the crew succumbs to REM sleep deprivation, and Deanna has a recurring nightmare. | |||||||
92 | 18 | "Identity Crisis" | Winrich Kolbe | Story by : Timothy DeHaas Teleplay by : Brannon Braga | March 23, 1991 | 192 | 10.9 [2] |
Geordi transforms into an alien creature with a strong instinct to return to its planet of origin. | |||||||
93 | 19 | "The Nth Degree" | Robert Legato | Joe Menosky | March 30, 1991 | 193 | 11.0 [2] |
After an encounter with an alien probe, Barclay experiences great leaps in confidence and intelligence. | |||||||
94 | 20 | "Qpid" | Cliff Bole | Story by : Randee Russell and Ira Steven Behr Teleplay by : Ira Steven Behr | April 20, 1991 | 194 | 10.8 [2] |
Q returns to test Picard's love for an old flame. | |||||||
95 | 21 | "The Drumhead" | Jonathan Frakes | Jeri Taylor | April 27, 1991 | 195 | 10.5 [2] |
A witchhunt ensues for suspected Romulan spies aboard the Enterprise . Guest star Jean Simmons as Rear Admiral Norah Satie. | |||||||
96 | 22 | "Half a Life" | Les Landau | Story by : Ted Roberts and Peter Allan Fields Teleplay by : Peter Allan Fields | May 4, 1991 | 196 | Unknown [2] |
Lwaxana Troi finally finds love but discovers her man must undergo a ritualistic suicide. Guest star David Ogden Stiers as Timicin. | |||||||
97 | 23 | "The Host" | Marvin V. Rush | Michel Horvat | May 11, 1991 | 197 | 11.3 [2] |
Dr. Crusher falls in love with Odan, a peace negotiator, only to discover that he is a symbiont. When his original host dies, he is implanted into Riker temporarily to finish his negotiations. | |||||||
98 | 24 | "The Mind's Eye" | David Livingston | Story by : Ken Schafer and René Echevarria Teleplay by : René Echevarria | May 25, 1991 | 198 | 10.1 [2] |
The Romulans brainwash Geordi to carry out a covert mission. | |||||||
99 | 25 | "In Theory" | Patrick Stewart | Joe Menosky & Ronald D. Moore | June 1, 1991 | 199 | 9.8 [2] |
Data participates in a romantic relationship with a fellow crew member. | |||||||
100 | 26 | "Redemption, Part I" | Cliff Bole | Ronald D. Moore | June 15, 1991 | 200 | 10.9 [2] |
Worf leaves the Enterprise to fight on behalf of Gowron in a Klingon civil war. |
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 4 | |||
Set details | Special features | ||
| DVD and Blu-ray
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Release dates | |||
DVD | Blu-ray | ||
Region 1 | Region 2 | United States (Region free) | United Kingdom (Region free) |
Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
In 2019, CBR rated Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation as the 12th best season of all Star Trek seasons up to that time. [3]
Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired from September 28, 1987, to May 23, 1994, in syndication, spanning 178 episodes over seven seasons. The third series in the Star Trek franchise, it was inspired by Star Trek: The Original Series. Set in the latter third of the 24th century, when Earth is part of the United Federation of Planets, it follows the adventures of a Starfleet starship, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), in its exploration of the Alpha quadrant and Beta quadrant in the Milky Way galaxy.
Worf, son of Mogh is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise, portrayed by actor Michael Dorn. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), seasons four through seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) and the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard, as well as the feature films Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).
"Redemption" is a two-part episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Parts I and II of "Redemption" comprise the 100th and 101st episodes of the series, also being the fourth season finale and the fifth season premiere.
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The first season of the American television science fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on September 28, 1987, and concluded on May 16, 1988, after 26 episodes were broadcast. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise-D. It was the first live-action television series in the franchise to be broadcast since Star Trek: The Original Series was cancelled in 1969, and the first to feature all new characters. Paramount Television eventually sought the advice of the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, who set about creating the new show with mostly former The Original Series staff members. An entirely new cast were sought, which concerned some members of The Original Series crew, as Roddenberry did not want to re-tread the same steps as he had in the first series to the extent that well-known Star Trek aliens such as Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans were banned at first.
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