The top 10 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation featuring non-main characters.
You really don’t think too much about the best episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation that don’t feature the main cast and their characters arcs. We often think about Jean-Luc Picard getting captured by the Borg, or William Riker being split into two separate people.
We don’t think about the arcs that surround Wesley Crusher that often. We don’t think about how Ro Laren was a Federation traitor and why she came to that decision or the redemption of Sito Jaxa. That’s why it’s great that TrekCulture decided to give characters like them their just due.
They broke down their picks for the ten best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation that focused on these C-tier characters, the recurring or guest stars that made an impact but never got the time they probably deserved to shine.
Some of these episodes, like Lower Decks, are iconic regardless of why you like them. Others, like Deja Q, may not be as beloved or fondly remembered but are nonetheless fantastic viewing experiences, even if the stakes are low.
These episodes do a great job setting the standard of expectation for the series beyond the main arcs. If you get invested in the story arcs of the rarely-seen characters, then you’re more likely to get invested in the B-tier group and most especially, the A-tier group.
That’s why it’s so refreshing to see some of these characters get their proper due. Now, yes, Miles O’Brien does have an episode listed here, but while he was a main cast member for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, he wasn’t more than a recurring character on The Next Generation.
Hopefully, TrekCulture does a list like this for Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, and the rest, because I really want to showcase the beautiful soul that is DS9’s Morn.