Synopsis:  The Bynars provide upgrades to the holodeck of death (which will somehow only last one episode—the upgrades, not the death), and Riker falls in love with a dame in this computer-generated gin joint.

Memory Alpha Summary: Unfortunately, the Bynars also last only one episode.

Review: Picard begins this episode by saying he has been delighted that the Enterprise  has performed beyond expectations.  I suppose he didn’t remember cursing at the ship several times and nearly getting killed by the holodeck twice.  Thankfully, the rest of the episode is all uphill.  Wesley is given the bridge despite how incompetent everyone thinks he is, while Riker and Picard get seduced by the Bynars holo-creation, Minuet (no, not that kind of seduction).  Carolyn McCormick nails the role, and seeing the captain and his commander engaging like this is a fun treat.  Also, Riker lays the smackdown on both Geordi and Data, making fun of a blind man teaching an android how to paint.

Getting to see the self-destruct sequence is a treat, and watching Data pout “I should not have been painting” is another dynamite quote delivered by Spiner.  A damn good episode, a nice break from the crapitude of season one.

Synopsis: Spock’s daddy gets Alzheimer’s.

Memory Alpha Summary: Are you crying?  There’s no crying!  There’s no crying on Vulcan!

Review:  Wesley gets a high five after scoring a major slam on Geordi.  “At least I don’t have to find my women on the holodeck!”  24^th century burns are the best kind.  Then Beverly says she slapped Wesley and Deanna asks her, “What were you thinking?”  What we all were, Deanna.  What we all were.

The funny stuff aside, the confrontation scene between Picard and Sarek is pretty powerful.  The species the Federation hopes to strike a relationship with is unfortunately just a MacGuffin to serve Sarek’s appearance, but at least it’s a good one.

Synopsis: Spock!

Memory Alpha Summary: Peace and long life

Review: The series’ first two-parter that wasn’t a cliffhanger, Unification does a good job at reintroducing Spock in a sensible, logical manner.  80 minutes may have been a bit longer than was necessary, especially Riker’s investigation of the missing Vulcan ship (although it was kind of fun).  What it does do well is provide a lot of great dialogue between Picard and Spock, and one final appearance for Sarek before his death.

Synopsis:  Q makes Riker his bitch.

Memory Alpha Summary:  But not his Imzadi

Review:  John De Lancie is magnificent here, even better than in his debut.  “Oh, your species is always suffering and dying,” starts this one out with a bang.  Then he calls Worf “macro-head” and I am completely hooked on this character.

The one blip in this episode is Tasha being put in the penalty box.  Denise Crosby is NOT good at crying on screen.  It doesn’t help that she’s given awful lines like “it sounds strange but it definitely isn’t.”  However, Stewart saves this scene by telling her that he’s established a new rule on the bridge that it is okay to cry in the penalty box.  This is the patient, sensitive captain this crew needs, and it’s great to see Picard act this way.  Tasha is obviously impressed, replying with, “If you weren’t a captain…”  and Picard somehow manages not to act creeped out by the sexual undertones of that statement.

Another hilarious (perhaps unintentional) meme from this episode is how everyone calls Q’s creatures “animal things.”  Talk about scary!  And vicious!  Animal things, oooo!

Riker’s very rapid change into dickery once he is granted Q’s powers seems a little off base, but it’s fun to see his colleagues knock him off his pedestal.  Of course, he turns Wesley into an adult male that looks nothing at all like Wil Wheaton, so I guess his powers weren’t perfect after all.

Synopsis:  The Enterprise comes upon an abandoned freighter and find some naughty Klingons who hate the fact that their people signed a treaty with the Federation.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Duty, honor, loyalty.  I think Klingons would make excellent Marines.

Review:  The beginning of this episode is really cool as they board the freighter and Geordi attaches a visual acuity transmitter so that the bridge can see exactly what he sees through his visor.  In addition to being visually interesting, the exchange Picard and Geordi have about what he sees and Picard instantaneously developing a deeper empathy and understand of one of his crew members is quite moving.

Hilariously, before they board the freighter, Picard tells Riker and his away team to be careful, as the situation seems suspicious.  Riker quickly says, “I agree, it smells like a trap.  Let’s go.”  What?!?!

This episode marks the first of ninety-eleven episodes where Worf struggles with his inner desire to be a screaming warrior Klingon and his loyalty to soft, sexually unappetizing humans.  But this particular episode was overdue, as to this point we knew virtually nothing about the first Klingon on a Federation ship before.  And they do a pretty good job at exploring Worf, as the really self-destructive aspects of Klingon culture are not glorified here, while Worf is allowed to explore some of the more honorable aspects of his people.

Synopsis:  We are Lore.  Resistance is futile.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Didn’t quite affect my emotion chip

Review:  The second Borg cliffhanger doesn’t compare to the first one, but it’s solid in many ways.  It’s the last time we see both the Borg and Lore on TNG, and it does not feel contrived at all.

I’m annoyed when Data misremembers something, like the emotion of laughter Q gave him during season one, but eh.  I’m not annoyed when Picard gets annoyed at the false alarms sent out by outposts.  He’s great at being indignant.

“Doesn’t it seem strange that the Enterprise was the closest ship during each Borg attack?”  No, no it doesn’t.  The Enterprise is always closest.  Haven’t you learned anything in seven years?

I love scenes where Data impersonates other voices.  I wish he had done it more often.

The cadeon pulse that the captured officers think of to reboot Data’s system is a bit too deus ex machina for me.

Picard’s interactions with Hugh, especially building up Hugh’s self-confidence after getting his self-confidence beat down by Admiral Nechayev, are great.

Synopsis:  Troi is to be bonded in holy matrimony to a doctor who’s been dreaming of a blonde chick.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Any dream will do.

Review:  As if we didn’t have enough already the preaching is in full force in this episode.  Yeah, Roddenberry, we get it.  We simpletons in 1987 are unenlightened.  Otherwise, this is a pretty solid episode.  Somehow, the Betazeds have advanced greatly despite holding on to ridiculous marriage rituals, but I think Sirtis plays it fairly realistically; however, I am guessing if doctor guy was an Andorian she would have refused to go through with it.

I don’t hate Lwaxana Troi as much as most people do.  Perhaps that’s because it’s Majel Barrett.  Perhaps it’s because Picard plays off her so well.   Either way, there’s not much to say, other than this is the best episode with her in it.  It also contains two fantastic quotes.

Data: Can you please continue the petty bickering?  I find it quite intriguing.

It is hard not to fall for Data at this point.  Spiner is really beginning to feel his character. Also:

Homn: Thank you for the drinks.

Synopsis:  Geordi is caught with his porn and the Enterprise becomes a mother.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Is that a breach?

Review:  One of the few episodes where there are two distinct stories going on and both work well.  The confidence Geordi showed with women in “Transfigurations” isn’t quite here as he acts like the ultimate creep with Leah.  As such, the transformation at the end where she suddenly likes him (but is married…darn) is a little off.  Still, the scene where she watches Geordi’s holodeck program is priceless.  And Guinan once again gives cutting advice to a crew member that Troi probably wouldn’t.

Otherwise, the space mammal plot is solid, very Trekky.  Worf gets a delightfully awkward line:  “Captain, the creatures are accelerating their approach. They are changing color!“

Synopsis: An arrogant engineer does some tests on the warp engines and seemingly sends the Enterprise hurtling across galaxies.  As it turns out, The Traveler does so after falling in love with Wesley.

Memory Alpha Summary:  No word on whether the Traveler fought with Ashley Judd

Review:  The erotic tension between our two stars in this episode is creepy.  Also, this episode plants the seed for everyone to hate Wesley, as The Traveler tells Picard he’s the most special, intelligent, wonderful boy in all the universes.  And Riker is a royal dick to him, thus requiring him later to validate Wesley’s awesomeness.

But there’s some wonderful imagery when they reach the end of the universe, and the visual hallucinations are effectively eerie.  Also, Stanley Kamel is pretty excellent as the engineer, actually showing signs of growth throughout the episode, unlike many mad scientists to come during the run of the series.

Synopsis:  Geordi and Ro learn that invisibility turns out not to be such a great trait to have.

Memory Alpha Summary:  Erased…from existence!

Review:  If you turn your brain off, Geordi and Ro’s predicament is quite fun.  After all, the whole “Are we dead?” thing Ro ponders is kind of lame.  Are they hungry?  Are their bladders full?  Also, why can they walk through walls, desks, and people, but their feet stay grounded to floors?  It makes very little sense, but the special effects are awesome.  The funeral preparations are funny.  The action between Ro and the Romulan is good television.