Star Trek The Next Generation Season 2

By Reggie's Take on March 31, 2012

During its second season Star Trek The Next Generation underwent some changes. Beverly Crusher left for Starfleet Medical and was replaced as Chief Medical Officer by Katherine Pulaski, played by Diana Muldaur.

Muldaur had been a guest star on two episodes of the Original Series in “Return to Tomorrow” and “Is There in Truth No Beauty?”. Ten-Forward, and its mysterious bartender/advisor, Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, appeared for the first time.

Due to the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, the number of episodes produced was cut from 26 to 22, and the start of the season was delayed. Because of the strike, the opening episode, “The Child”, was based on a script originally written for Star Trek: Phase II.

Co-executive producer Maurice Hurley wrote the acclaimed episode “Q Who”, which featured the first on-screen appearance of TNG’s most popular villain, the Borg. Geordi La Forge found a position as Chief Engineer and Klingon issues continued to be explored in well-regarded episodes such as “A Matter of Honor” and “The Emissary”, which introduced Worf’s former lover K’Ehleyr.

Star Trek The Next Generation
Season 2 – DVD

DISC 1:

The Child – Deanna is impregnated by a unknown alien life-form, and Dr. Katherine Pulaski joins the Enterprise as the ship’s new Chief Medical Officer.

Where Silence Has Lease – The Enterprise encounters a mysterious void in space and when they move in closer to investigate further, it envelops them and they can’t get out.

Elementary, Dear Data – When the Enterprise arrives a few days early at its rendezvous point to meet the USS Victory, the crew have a bit of leisure time on their hands. For Data and Geordi Laforge, it means a trip to the holodeck and 221B Baker St. With Data in the role of Holmes and Laforge as Dr. Watson.

The Outrageous Okona – The Enterprise rescues the captain of a broken-down freighter, only to become involved in a dispute between feuding worlds–each demanding custody of their guest. Data seeks help from Guinan in understanding humor.

DISC 2:

Loud as a Whisper – The crew ferries a deaf mediator to Solais V to negotiate an end to a civil war.

The Schizoid Man – The Enterprise respond to a request for medical assistance from Dr. Ira Graves, considered by many to be the greatest living mind in the universe. Graves is a crotchety old man who doesn’t really like people but is now in the terminal stages of his illness. Knowing that the end is near, he transfers all of his knowledge and intellect into Data. As a result, Data begins to act differently and becomes a cause of concern to Picard and others.

Unnatural Selection – The Enterprise is en route to Star Station India when receive a distress signal from the USS Lantree, a Federation supply ship. When they arrive, they find everyone aboard the Lantree dying of what seems to be old age.

A Matter of Honor – When the Federation promotes an officer exchange program, Commander Riker decides to accept an assignment aboard a Klingon war ship. As the first Federation officer to serve aboard a Klingon vessel, Riker has to gain the trust of his new shipmates and particularly that of his irascible captain.

DISC 3:

The Measure of a Man – When Data resigns his commission rather than be dismantled for examination by an inadequately skilled scientist, a formal hearing is convened to determine whether Data is considered property without rights or is a sentient being.

The Dauphin – Ens. Wesley Crusher suffers from the pangs of first love when the Enterprise is tasked to transport a young woman, Salia, back to her home where she is to become the leader of her people.

Contagion – Picard and the Enterprise respond to a distress call from its sister ship the USS Yamato. It has been facing a number of serious technical glitches and they lost 18 crew members when the containment field on a shuttle failed. Before the Enterprise can assist however, the Yamato is destroyed with all lives lost.

The Royale – When the Enterprise is advised by a passing Klingon vessel that there is strange debris in orbit around a nearby planet, they investigate only to find a piece of a NASA spacecraft emblazoned with the US flag.

DISC 4:

Time Squared – Deep in space, the Enterprise comes across a Federation shuttle craft that is floating in space and without much power but which does exhibit the life signs of one human aboard. They bring the craft aboard only to find that it is one of their own shuttle craft and to their amazement find a duplicate, but unconscious, Captain Picard aboard.

The Icarus Factor – Riker’s delight at being offered a command of the USS Aries turns to frustration when the man sent to prepare him for his mission is his estranged father; Worf’s behavior leads Wesley to delve into Klingon tradition.

Pen Pals – On arriving at a newly identified planetary group, the crew finds that the entire system is unstable. Data has a pen pal of sorts when he establishes radio contact with Sarjenka, a young girl from a nearby planet.

Q Who? – Q tries to prove that Picard needs him as part of their crew by hurling the Enterprise 7,000 light years away where they encounter the Borg for the first time.

DISC 5:

Samaritan Snare – With Picard away for routine surgery, the Enterprise responds to an apparent distress call from a Pakled vessel.

Up the Long Ladder – When Starfleet receives an Earth-like distress signal from deep in space, the Enterprise is sent to investigate. Picard suspects the Earthlings in question may have originated with SS Mariposa that carried a group of Utopians hundreds of years before.

Manhunt – The Enterprise is transporting delegates to a diplomatic conference dealing with Federation membership. Counselor Troi is more than just a bit embarrassed when her mother Lwaxanna, as outrageous as ever, arrives on board the Enterprise.

The Emissary – The Enterprise is ordered to proceed to an emergency rendez-vous to collect a special envoy who is traveling from Starbase 153 to meet them. K’Ehlyar, a Klingon who has been sent to deal with a Klingon ship, the T’Ong, that has been found in deep space with a crew in long term stasis. They pre-date the current peaceful co-existence Between the Federation and Klingon Empire.

DISC 6:

Peak Performance – The crew of the Enterprise participates in war games.

Shades of Gray – Riker returns from an away team mission wounded and infected with microbes from the planet below. He is soon in a coma in sick bay, the microbes having fused itself to his sciatic nerve and impeding his normal functions.