| Star Trek: The Next Generation | |
|---|---|
| Season 6 | |
 Region A/1 Blu-ray cover art | |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Broadcast syndication |
| Original release | September 21, 1992 (1992-09-21) – June 21, 1993 (1993-06-21) |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 5 Next → Season 7 | |
| List of episodes | |
The sixth season of the Americanscience fiction television seriesStar Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing inbroadcast syndication in the United States on September 21, 1992, and concluded on June 21, 1993, after airing 26 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of theStarfleetstarshipEnterprise-D.
The season begins with the successful rescue ofData from the nineteenth century, and we learn just how longGuinan has actually knownPicard. ("Time's Arrow")
Picard is temporarily assigned away from theEnterprise for a dangerous espionage mission against theCardassians, but is captured and subjected to torture, nearly succumbing before being released ("Chain of Command").Deanna Troi engaged in a similarly risky mission of espionage against theRomulans ("Face of the Enemy").
Picard also underwent significant personal development during this season. He formed an intense and troubled romantic relationship with theEnterprise's head of stellar cartography, Nella Daren ("Lessons"). After hisartificial heart is nearly destroyed,Q helps Picard experience a vision of the unremarkable life he could have led, giving him a better understanding of his mortality and his reasons for living ("Tapestry").
Riker also experiences a deeply personal conflict, making a gripping personal battle with his own sanity ("Frame of Mind"), and later discovers an accidental transporter-copy of himself that had been abandoned on a desolate planet for nearly a decade ("Second Chances").
Several well-known recurring characters make appearances this season, the most famous among them beingMontgomery Scott. TheEnterprise engineer from theOriginal Series is discovered alive, and after an awkward period adjusting to the twenty-fourth century, sets out to explore the galaxy on his own ("Relics"). The sentient hologramProfessor Moriarty returns, holding the ship captive in a complex game that he hopes will grant him freedom to live outside the holodeck ("Ship in a Bottle").Reginald Barclay continues to develop, overcoming his fear of transporters ("Realm of Fear"). Q, in addition to his appearance in Picard's counterfactual vision, returns earlier in the season ("True Q").
We are left with the rediscovery ofLore, leading a group of rogueBorg, who with the influence of an emotional stimulant for androids, successfully seduced Data to become a willing participant in his violent plans in the cliffhanger that ends the season ("Descent").
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 release date | Prod. code | Nielsen rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 127 | 1 | "Time's Arrow, Part II" | Les Landau | Story by :Joe Menosky Teleplay by :Jeri Taylor | September 21, 1992 (1992-09-21) | 227 | 13.8[1] |
TheEnterprise crew followData to San Francisco of the 1890s. The crew deals withSamuel Clemens and runs intoJack London while trying to find a way to prevent aliens from interfering with 19th century Earth. Guest star:Jerry Hardin as Samuel Clemens. | |||||||
| 128 | 2 | "Realm of Fear" | Cliff Bole | Brannon Braga | September 28, 1992 (1992-09-28) | 228 | 13.2[1] |
Barclay must overcome his fear of the transporter to solve a mystery. | |||||||
| 129 | 3 | "Man of the People" | Winrich Kolbe | Frank Abatemarco | October 5, 1992 (1992-10-05) | 229 | 13.2[1] |
A psychic ambassador usesDeanna's mind to influence the outcome of his mission, endangering her life in the process. | |||||||
| 130 | 4 | "Relics" | Alexander Singer | Ronald D. Moore | October 12, 1992 (1992-10-12) | 230 | 13.9[1] |
TheEnterprise investigates a vessel that crashed on the surface of aDyson sphere 75 years ago. A pattern is found in the transporter buffer that turns out to beMontgomery Scott. He is released from the buffer and later agrees to return to the vessel with Geordi to help restore the logs. They become the only hope when theEnterprise is pulled inside the sphere. Guest Star:James Doohan as Montgomery Scott | |||||||
| 131 | 5 | "Schisms" | Robert Wiemer | Story by : Jean Louise Matthias & Ronald Wilkerson Teleplay by : Brannon Braga | October 19, 1992 (1992-10-19) | 231 | 13.2[1] |
| 132 | 6 | "True Q" | Robert Scheerer | René Echevarria | October 26, 1992 (1992-10-26) | 232 | 13.7[1] |
Q reveals a secret about a young woman fromKansas who is visiting theEnterprise. She is a Q, and so were her parents. Guest stars:Olivia d'Abo as Amanda Rogers, andJohn de Lancie as Q. | |||||||
| 133 | 7 | "Rascals" | Adam Nimoy | Story by : Ward Botsford & Diana Dru Botsford andMichael Piller Teleplay by : Allison Hock | November 2, 1992 (1992-11-02) | 233 | 13.5[1] |
| 134 | 8 | "A Fistful of Datas" | Patrick Stewart | Story by :Robert Hewitt Wolfe Teleplay by : Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Brannon Braga | November 9, 1992 (1992-11-09) | 234 | 13.4[1] |
| 135 | 9 | "The Quality of Life" | Jonathan Frakes | Naren Shankar | November 16, 1992 (1992-11-16) | 235 | 13.2[1] |
Data observes that mining tools have become sentient beings and fights for their preservation. Based upon material by L.J. Scott. | |||||||
| 136 | 10 | "Chain of Command, Part I" | Robert Scheerer | Story by : Frank Abatemarco Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore | December 14, 1992 (1992-12-14) | 236 | 10.2[1] |
Captain Jellico is assigned command of theEnterprise whilePicard is sent on a covert mission intoCardassian territory. Guest star:Ronny Cox as Edward Jellico. | |||||||
| 137 | 11 | "Chain of Command, Part II" | Les Landau | Frank Abatemarco | December 21, 1992 (1992-12-21) | 237 | 12.9[1] |
Picard, having been captured, is tortured by a sadisticCardassian interrogator (played byDavid Warner). | |||||||
| 138 | 12 | "Ship in a Bottle" | Alexander Singer | René Echevarria | January 25, 1993 (1993-01-25) | 238 | 11.3[1] |
Barclay accidentally awakensProfessor Moriarty on theholodeck who uses the powers at his disposal to coerce the crew into finding a way to allow him to leave the holodeck. Guest star:Daniel Davis as Professor Moriarty. | |||||||
| 139 | 13 | "Aquiel" | Cliff Bole | Story by : Jeri Taylor Teleplay by : Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore | February 1, 1993 (1993-02-01) | 239 | 14.1[1] |
Geordi falls for an alienStarfleet officer who is suspected of murder. Guest starRenée Jones as Aquiel Uhnari. | |||||||
| 140 | 14 | "Face of the Enemy" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Story by : René Echevarria Teleplay by : Naren Shankar | February 8, 1993 (1993-02-08) | 240 | 13.1[1] |
| 141 | 15 | "Tapestry" | Les Landau | Ronald D. Moore | February 15, 1993 (1993-02-15) | 241 | 13.8[1] |
| 142 | 16 | "Birthright, Part I" | Winrich Kolbe | Brannon Braga | February 22, 1993 (1993-02-22) | 242 | 13.2[1] |
Worf is told onDeep Space Nine that his father is alive and is being held prisoner by theRomulans. Meanwhile an engineering experiment accidentally results inData's first dream. Guest star:James Cromwell as Jaglom Shrek. | |||||||
| 143 | 17 | "Birthright, Part II" | Dan Curry | René Echevarria | March 1, 1993 (1993-03-01) | 243 | 13.4[1] |
Worf, now a prisoner, tries to teach the Klingon refugees the ways of the warrior. | |||||||
| 144 | 18 | "Starship Mine" | Cliff Bole | Morgan Gendel | March 29, 1993 (1993-03-29) | 244 | 13.0[1] |
Thieves attempt to stealtrilithium from theEnterprise during a Baryon sweep at the Remmler Array and Picard alone must thwart them. | |||||||
| 145 | 19 | "Lessons" | Robert Wiemer | Ronald Wilkerson & Jean Louise Matthias | April 5, 1993 (1993-04-05) | 245 | 12.2[1] |
Picard becomes involved with a woman who is serving on theEnterprise but he must send her into a dangerous mission. | |||||||
| 146 | 20 | "The Chase" | Jonathan Frakes | Story by : Ronald D. Moore & Joe Menosky Teleplay by : Joe Menosky | April 26, 1993 (1993-04-26) | 246 | 11.2[1] |
Picard tries to solve an ancient genetic mystery uncovered by hisarchaeological mentor and faces stiff competition. Guest star:Norman Lloyd as Richard Galen. | |||||||
| 147 | 21 | "Frame of Mind" | James L. Conway | Brannon Braga | May 3, 1993 (1993-05-03) | 247 | 11.4[1] |
Riker finds himself prisoner in an alien mental institution that resembles scenes from Crusher's play. | |||||||
| 148 | 22 | "Suspicions" | Cliff Bole | Joe Menosky & Naren Shankar | May 10, 1993 (1993-05-10) | 248 | 11.3[1] |
Dr. Crusher risks her career to solve the murder ofFerengi scientist Dr. Reyga and vindicate his research. | |||||||
| 149 | 23 | "Rightful Heir" | Winrich Kolbe | Story by : James E. Brooks Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore | May 17, 1993 (1993-05-17) | 249 | 10.6[1] |
| 150 | 24 | "Second Chances" | LeVar Burton | Story by : Michael A. Medlock Teleplay by : René Echevarria | May 24, 1993 (1993-05-24) | 250 | 9.7[1] |
Riker encounters a duplicate of himself, Thomas Riker, created by a transporter malfunction. Thomas vies for Deanna's affections. | |||||||
| 151 | 25 | "Timescape" | Adam Nimoy | Brannon Braga | June 14, 1993 (1993-06-14) | 251 | 11.6[1] |
TheEnterprise is caught in temporal stasis and on the brink of destruction by aRomulan Warbird. | |||||||
| 152 | 26 | "Descent, Part I" | Alexander Singer | Story by : Jeri Taylor Teleplay by : Ronald D. Moore | June 21, 1993 (1993-06-21) | 252 | 11.7[1] |
The crew encounter a group ofBorg acting individually and Data briefly experiences emotions. ProfessorStephen Hawking makes a guest appearance. | |||||||
In 2019,CBR rated Season 6 ofStar Trek: The Next Generation as the fifth best season of allStar Trek seasons up to that time.[2]
