7 must-see Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes for Halloween
By Mike Poteet
Star Trek TNG episodes for Halloween range from eerie to revolting.
If you want good Star Trek episodes for Halloween, you might not immediately turn to Star Trek: The Next Generation. OK, there’s “Sub Rosa,” the seventh-season episode in which Dr. Crusher gets intimate with a “ghost.” (Sheesh.) But other than that?
Overall, TNG stands out as the sunniest of the Star Trek series by far. Between Gene Roddenberry’s edict that Enterprise crew members not have conflict among themselves to the fact that our heroes were warping through the galaxy in a vessel often described (and sometimes derided) as a “space Hilton,” TNG might seem about as un-spooky as the franchise has ever been.
But for as bright, cheery, and comfortable a series as it often was, TNG served up its fair share of chills and thrills. Especially in its latter season, under the influence of writer-producer Brannon Braga, TNG trekked into some more terrorizing territory.
Let’s take a quick look at seven Star Trek TNG episodes for Halloween watchlists. Fire up your Paramount Plus subscription or dig out your Blu-ray or DVD boxed sets, and settle in for some TNG tales that are perfect for spooky season.
“Where No One Has Gone Before” (season 1, episode 6)
I admit I put this one first on my list of Star Trek TNG episodes for Halloween in part because it first aired the week of October 26, 1987. But even if it hadn’t, “Where No One Has Gone Before,” while arguably not a “scary” episode overall, still contains a number of unnerving elements.
Consider Captain Picard’s experiences. He steps out of a turbolift into the interstellar void—or at least he thinks he does, thanks to the mind-altering effect of the region of space in which the Enterprise has found itself. Then he briefly believes he encounters his long-dead mother in a corridor, calmly preparing afternoon tea. He’s almost literally seeing a ghost.
Tasha Yar has an even more harrowing time, as she relives memories of running away from rape gangs on the failed colony planet where she grew up. And that anonymous crewman who believes he’s surrounded by raging flames isn’t having much fun, either.
Add composer Ron Jones’ nervous and dissonant score into the mix, and you’ve got an episode certain to give you the shivers when viewed on a late October night.