Summary

  • Star Trek: TNG's series finale holds a special place in my heart, bringing Picard's journey full circle.
  • Data's role in the finale resonated with me, as he discovers the solution to save the day.
  • Star Trek: Picard season 3 gave TNG fans another emotional finale, redeeming the bad movies.

30 years later, I can't think of a better series finale than Star Trek: The Next Generation's. I didn't grow up watching TNG but the show and its phenomenal ending still hold a special place in my heart. TNG came to an end on May 23, 1994, when I was not even two years old. When I finally watched "All Good Things..." many years later, I'm sure it didn't have the same impact on me as it did for those fans who watched it live in 1994. I still had Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise in my Netflix queue to look forward to, after all.

After seven seasons, Star Trek: The Next Generation came to a close with an emotional finale that brought the series full circle. When Captain Picard finds his mind jumping between the past, present, and future, he must put the pieces together to solve a mystery that connects all three time periods. Picard's old enemy, Q (John de Lancie), returns, but he has warmed up to the Captain over TNG's seven seasons. Q declares that the trial for humanity never ended, but he helps Jean-Luc by causing the time jumping. Picard then reaches out to his USS Enterprise-D crew in all three timelines to save the galaxy one final time (for now).

Star Trek Next Generation Captain Picard Spock Geordi La Forge
Related
12 Best Star Trek Season Finales Ranked

In its impressive nearly 60-year history, the various Star Trek series have delivered some truly excellent season finales.

TNG's "All Good Things..." Was A Perfect Conclusion

"So. Five card stud, nothing wild, and the sky's the limit."

I hadn't spent my childhood with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his USS Enterprise-D crew, but I did spend most of my college years with them. After long, stressful days, I spent my evenings exploring the final frontier and forgetting, for a moment, about the papers I had to write and exams I had to study for. When I made it to the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it felt like closing a chapter of my life. I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters. And sure, I still had four movies to watch, but, for me, the TNG films never captured the same magic as the show.

I connected with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) more than any other character.

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, I connected with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) more than any other character. Data plays a major role in the finale, as he's instrumental in discovering the anti-time anomaly and finding the solution that saves the day. I also loved Data's potential future as a Cambridge University professor. The final scene of "All Good Things..." includes one of Picard's greatest moments, as he s his friends for a game of poker. Data and the rest of the bridge crew have been playing poker throughout TNG, but Picard always kept himself at a distance, making his decision to finally them the perfect series-ending note.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Gave TNG Another Great Finale & Redeemed The Bad Movies

"I've come to believe that the stars have always been in my favor."

While I was too young to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation's original finale when it premiered, I did get to experience the finale of Star Trek: Picard season 3 in real-time. Streaming shows operate differently than syndicated shows like TNG, but it was still fun to watch Star Trek: Picard's "The Last Generation" as soon as it was available and then observe fans' responses to it online. I may not have a Star Trek fan as long as some others, but I still got emotional when iral Picard reunited with his TNG crew on the bridge of the rebuilt USS Enterprise-D.

Thanks to Star Trek: Picard, I got to fall in love with Data all over again, as he got the perfect upgrade, complete with the ability to experience emotions. After the android's TNG journey and tragic, unfulfilling death in Star Trek: Nemesis, Picard season 3 gave Data the perfect ending. (And I hope he pops up again in a future Trek project.) Picard season 3 also introduced a new favorite character in Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick), whose death I'm still not over. As my introduction to the Star Trek universe, Star Trek: The Next Generation will always be my comfort show, from its captivating premiere to its celebrated finale.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.