Season 1: Episode 8: The Battle

Full Hearts: When a group of Ferengi present Captain Picard with the derelict remains of his old starship, he begins to lose himself in the past.

Clear Hearts: Solid story telling. A deeper look at the Ferengi, Picard, and and more info about the Stargazer. I love the Riker scenes talking to the other 1st officer, like an unwritten code among them even across species.

Can't Lose: "Where is Bok?!?!"
"Removed from command, sir, and placed under guard for his act of personal vengeance - seems there was no... profit in it."
"In revenge, there never is."

9/10

Season 1: Episode 7: Justice

Clear Eyes: The Enterprise travels to the idyllic world of Rubicam 3, home to a race of people known as the Edo, for shore leave. Wesley falls afoul of their justice system which demands that anyone who commits a crime be executed immediately. Picard must then choose between Wesley and obeying the Prime Directive. To complicate matters, a strange alien presence surrounds the world and is worshipped by the Edo as a God. It has unlimited power and does not want Picard interfering with the Edo's laws.



Full Hearts: A utopian society where crime does not exist as death is the punishment for all crimes. What happens when a stranger from another world breaks a law? How does the prime directive rule? This is good trek here.However, again without a secondary plot it felt like a 20 minute episode stretched out.

Can't Lose: "There can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions."
"When has justice ever been as simple as a rulebook?"

6/10

Season 1: Episode 6: The Lonely Among Us

Clear Eyes: While on a mission to transport emissaries of two warring races to Parliament for negotiations, the Enterprise encounters a strange cloud consisting entirely of energy. As they pass, a bolt of energy strikes Worf and passes from crewman to crewman, killing one crewman and eventually taking over Picard's mind.

Full Hearts:  I don't know how I feel about Picard volunteering to leave the ship to explore as an energy life form. Also, they cloned Picard from the energy signature in the transporter. I liked seeingthe two alien races in the background, made it feel like multiple things were really happening.

Can't Lost: Data as Sherlock Holmes. "It's elementary, my dear Riker... sir."

6/10

Season 1: Episode 5: Where No One Has Gone Before

Clear Eyes: An engineer and his alien assistant board the Enterprise to perform an experiment that would increase warp engine output. During the experiment, something goes wrong and the Enterprise ends up in a place where thoughts become real. The assistant from a race of "travelers" with the scientific capabilities far beyond ours who tour the universe seeking those with potential. The traveler confides to Picard that Wesley is one of those beings with potential and should be guided and helped to grow. It is as a result of these comments, plus the knowledge and help that Wesley provides in Engineering that prompts Picard to make Crusher an acting ensign.

Full Hearts: Ughh. This could have been a 20 minute episode. It is also cringeworthy watching Wesly get crapped on to set him up as some sort Savant.

Can't Lose: Worf's Targ is adorable.

5/10

Season 1: Episode 4: The Last Outpost

Clear Eyes: In the first solid episode of the series, these Ferengi we keep hearing about finally appear. This episode is everything good about Trek, Federation diplomacy, misunderstood race, ancient alien interference, this one has it all.The Ferengi come across as fascinating, capitalist, future society. Nor a rehash of something we had seen before, they aren't the proud warrior race, or super intelligent, but a very flawed and dynamic race. I can't wait to see more of them.

Full Hearts: I have never actually seen this episode before, I know that DS9 really helped revamp the concept but seeing this episode all of the tools were there. The greed, the females prohibited from wearing clothes, I like the fan theory retcon that they were acting all bad ass to make the federation fear them and give them better deals.I can't wait to see more of them.

Can't Lose: 10/10 fantastic episode. The fact that the most famous Ferengi, Quark, gets his start here really brings things full circle.

Best Quote: "Ah, I understand the allusion. Colors representing countries at a time when they competed with each other. Red, white and blue for the United States, whereas the French... more properly used the same colors in the order blue, white and red."

Season 1, Episode 3: Code of Honor

Clear Eyes - What did I just watch? Srsly. Maybe if it was not an all black cast or maybe if Tasha Ya was slightly attractive some of this episode would make sense or not feel like a giant racist hour of my life.

Full Hearts - This is one of only two episodes without Worf, an episode about honor, one on one combat, and racism doesn't include the Honor Bound Klingon.  Aside from Wesly getting some character time not much of this episode is really crucial and could easily be ignored without missing anything. All the cast members hates this episode and they fought to have it removed from syndication. The director of this episode was fired by Gene himself for the racist tones.

Can't Lose: Data telling Jokes is the highlight of this episode. 3/10

Season 1: Episode 2: The Naked Now

Clear Eyes: I really enjoyed this episode. It revisited a plot idea from an Original Series Episode and apparently I am in the minority. It was generally thought of as uninspired and boring but it always bugged me that the Federation sent ships out to discover and document and we never run into problems someone has already figured out. That being said, for Episode two we got a really interesting loss of inhibition to show us where the crew really stands and to get an idea how difficult it could be for all of them to work with each other. Other shows would wait several seasons to tell this kind of story.

Full Hearts: They really put it out there in this episode. Wesley isn't a total waste of space even if he also copied a Kirk move from Who Morns for Adonais. This is the only appearance of Lieutenant Commander Sarah MacDougal as chief engineer, we get several others before Geordi gets the top billing.

This is a Hallmark Episode for Data, proving he is fully functional is hilarious and his 'I just got Laid smile' afterwards is perfect. Thanks to the nod in first contact, we know this episode takes place eight years, seven months and sixteen days before that movie.

Geordi continues to impress with just wanting to see like everyone else, he would give up what makes himself special to just be like anyone else. The way he wants 'shallow, dim, beautiful, human' sight Powerful.

Can't Lose:  " I put it to you all. I think we shall end up with a fine crew - if we avoid temptation."

Rating 8/10