There`s a general rule of thumb that`s followed Star Trek shows ever since Star Trek: The Next Generation; the first and second seasons are usually the weakest. This is the time when the writers and actors are fleshing out the characters. But there is a reward to this slow start; by Season 3 or 4 the show can explore and innovate, since all the mundane stuff is out of the way.There are 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which can all be streamed on Netflix. But if you`re thinking about bingeing seven seasons before Star Trek: Picard, you will find your experience to be inconsistent. Great episodes exist side-by-side with mediocre ones. And with such a massive cast, not every episode will be relevant to the new show.To prepare you for Star Trek Picard, which debuts in early 2020, we did a little curating. Here are 10 essential Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard that you must watch. And if you liked this gallery, you might also enjoy reading our gallery of Picard`s badass moments, our Borg explainer, and our roundup of Star Trek: Picard theories.Disclosure: CBS is GameSpot`s parent company. 1. `Q Who`Episode: Season 2, Episode 16The second Trek episode co-starring John de Lancie as Q, `Q Who` addresses Picard`s hubris and teaches him that there are things in the galaxy that he is not prepared to tackle. It also provides our first look at the Borg, who will be playing an important role in the brand new series. 2. `Yesterday`s Enterprise`Episode: Season 3, Episode 15In this classic time travel episode, widely considered to be one of the best of the series, Picard and the Enterprise find themselves in an alternate timeline, in which the Federation is at war with the Klingons and are on the verge of losing. This episode does an excellent job of showing Picard`s character; he realizes that he may have to sacrifice his and his crew`s lives to preserve the more peaceful timeline. 3. `The Best of Both Worlds ...
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