Star Trek: The Next Generation
“The Best of Both Worlds, Part II”
Episode Number | 75 (4.01) |
Production Number | 175 |
Season | 4 |
Stardate | 44001.4 (Year 2367) |
Original Airdate | 24-Sep-1990 |
Teleplay | Michael Piller |
Director | Cliff Bole |
When the deflector weapon proves to be ineffective, the Borg ship warps toward Earth. A Starfleet armada of 40 ships attacks the Borg ship at Wolf 359 and is defeated. The Enterprise rescues Picard, and Data is able to link into the Borg network through him and stop their attack and destroy the Borg ship.
StarringPatrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard)
Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. William Riker)
LeVar Burton (Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge)
Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf)
Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher)
Marina Sirtis (Lt. Cmdr. Deanna Troi)
Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data)
Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher)
Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)
Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby)
George Murdock (Admiral J.P. Hansen)
Colm Meaney (Lt. Miles O'Brien)
Todd Merrill (Lieutenant Gleason)
- When Picard is declared lost, Riker receives a field promotion to Captain. He chooses Shelby as first officer over Worf and Data and she is promoted to Commander.
- 39 starships and 11,000 Starfleet personnel were lost at Wolf 359, including Admiral Hansen and the U.S.S. Melbourne NCC-62043 (Riker was offered command of the U.S.S. Melbourne in Part I).
- The Battle of Wolf 359 will be seen from Sisko's perspective in the Deep Space Nine pilot "Emissary".
- This is the first time we've seen a saucer separation since season 1's "The Arsenal Of Freedom".
- Data sends a "Sleep" command to the Borg collective; the malfunction causes the ship to self-destruct.
- This episode was nominated for 4 Emmy Awards: it won Outstanding Sound Editing and Outstanding Sound Mixing, and was also nominated for Outstanding Special Effects and Outstanding Art Direction.
- Wolf 359 is an actual star 7.6 light years away and the third closest star system to our solar system. (The first two are Alpha Centauri and Barnard's Star.)