The 7 Best Episodes Of Star Trek: Picard, Ranked

Nearly two decades after he said goodbye to Starfleet, the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart returned to arguably his most iconic role, that of everyone’s favorite suspiciously English Frenchman, Starfleet Captain Jean Luc Picard. Despite his many accolades, it was a role that, for many fans, defined Stewart. Across seven successful seasons of The Next Generation, Stewart brought both gravitas and quiet strength to Picard that made him one of the franchise’s most popular Captains to this day. Fans were delighted when it was announced that Star Trek: Picard, a bold new sequel, would give fans one last hurrah with one of Trek’s most iconic characters. Picard was intended to be a meditation on legacy, giving Picard and the rest of the beloved Next Generation crew the send-off they deserved.

While the show’s early seasons didn’t live up to the hype for many, with fans divided over storylines some argued were overly complex, across its three seasons, the series did succeed in redefining Jean-Luc Picard’s legacy (for better or for worse!). By reuniting our old friends from the Next Generation crew, while exploring new corners of the Star Trek universe, as well as forging new bonds, the spin-off did manage to end on a relative high. Picard’s third season delivered an emotional, action-packed farewell that reminded fans why the franchise continues to endure and gave Jean-Luc Picard and Co. the ending they’d earned, providing us with one of the franchise’s most emotional conclusions.

From heartbreaking reunions to starship showdowns, these are the seven best episodes of Star Trek: Picard, ranked.

7. “Nepenthe” (Season 1, Episode 7)

The first season of Picard wasn’t exactly what fans were expecting. It’s easy to see how some Trekkies may have been disappointed to witness the once measured and philosophical Picard portrayed as more careworn and disillusioned. However, he soon began to find his meaning again and, in doing so, proved that sometimes, the best Star Trek stories are the quietest ones. Episode 7 of Season 1, “Nepenthe”, slowed things down to reunite Jean-Luc with Will Riker and Deanna Troi, now retired on the serene planet Nepenthe with their daughter Kestra. It’s a warm, deeply human episode — one that finds Picard seeking refuge with old friends as he protects his newfound charge, a synthetic lifeform named Soji, who is Data’s “daughter,” from Romulan assassins who are fiercely anti-synthetic.

Seeing Riker and Troi’s peaceful family life offers a lovely counterbalance to Picard’s loneliness, and their support rekindles his sense of purpose. And of course, there’s a suitable amount of Starfleet-style action when Riker eventually calls the cavalry, bringing in the fleet to save Picard, Soji, and indeed a whole planet of Data’s synthetic children. It’s a reminder that Starfleet’s greatest strength has always been its people.

6. “Seventeen Seconds” (Season 3, Episode 3)

This tense, emotional episode saw Picard reeling from the revelation that Jack Crusher is actually his son — and that Beverly kept this a secret from him for decades. On the run from Vadic and the crew of The Shrike, the Titan-A crew fights for survival as Picard tries to protect both them and his newfound son. But the most heartbreaking part of the episode comes after Picard agrees to serve as Riker’s Number One, and the friends eventually clash in one of the show’s most devastating confrontations after the ship is near-fatally damaged, culminating in Riker throwing Picard from the bridge. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the usual ‘happily families’ we tend to see on Trek.

The title of the episode stems from a turbolift ride Riker once described — seventeen seconds of sheer panic to reach sickbay after he was summoned due to complications during the birth of his son Thaddeus — it’s a motif that becomes painfully real when Jack’s life hangs in the balance after he is almost killed by a Changeling imposter. With impeccable pacing and raw performances, “Seventeen Seconds” cuts right to the heart of Picard’s story.

5. “Imposters” (Season 3, Episode 5)

“Imposters” delivered a double serving of nostalgia and heartbreak. Worf and Raffi’s covert mission investigating a hidden plot threatening Starfleet uncovers the terrifying truth about a new breed of Changelings infiltrating the organization. Meanwhile, while being investigated for treason for stealing the USS Titan-A, Picard and Riker are reunited with a familiar face: Ro Laren, a former officer of Picard’s Enterprise crew who betrayed him decades earlier by joining the Maquis. However, it turns out that Ro has been playing the long game and has also been trying to unravel the conspiracy.

The episode allowed Picard to finally get some closure after her betrayal, and their reunion — filled with regret and reconciliation — is one of Patrick Stewart’s finest performances in the series. Ro’s eventual sacrifice when her shuttle is destroyed hits especially hard, giving her character the redemption she never got on The Next Generation.

4. “The Bounty” (Season 3, Episode 6)

There’s definitely such a thing as too much fan service; being overly nostalgic can come at the detriment of a spinoff or sequel series, and by Picard Season 3, some fans complained that Picard had begun to rely too heavily on the goodwill of long-time fans.  However, “The Bounty” is an example of fan service done right. The episode saw the Titan crew to the Fleet Museum, located at the old Space Dock, first introduced in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, where Geordi La Forge is now curator in charge of a collection of iconic Starfleet vessels — including the HMS Bounty, the stolen Klingon Bird of Prey from Star Trek IV.

While Jack Crusher and Sidney and Alandra La Forge pull off a heist to steal the ship’s cloaking device to use on the Titan, Riker, Worf, and Raffi make a shocking discovery: a new synthetic body housing Data and his malicious “brother,” Lore. It’s a nostalgia-filled thrill-ride that balances high-stakes action with classic Trek adventure. Every moment of “The Bounty” feels like a love letter to Star Trek history.

3. “No Win Scenario” (Season 3, Episode 4)

Arguably, no episode of Picard captures the spirit of Star Trek quite like “No Win Scenario.” Stranded by the Shrike in what they initially thought to be a mysterious nebula, but actually turns out to be home to an alien lifeform about to give birth (because of course it is…), the Titan crew faces impossible odds. Outgunned, outmatched, and running out of time, the team works together to find a way out, and the day is saved by some classic technobabble.

It’s classic Trek, and the reveal that the nebula is actually a birthing ground for new life as the crew watches the ‘space babies’ take to the stars brings that lovely sense of wonder that’s so quintessential to Star Trek to the forefront. It’s an episode that proves, once again, that even when all hope seems lost, Starfleet’s best never stop seeking new life and new beginnings, and we can always rely on our favorite crew.

2. “Võx” (Season 3, Episode 9)

The penultimate episode of Picard unveils the chilling truth behind the season’s mystery: the Borg are back, and they’ve been slowly but surely working as part of a coordinated plot to assimilate Starfleet. It turns out The Changelings’ infiltration and Jack’s psychic connection are all intertwined in a revelation that’s both horrifying and deeply personal for Picard. Way back in the series finale of The Next Generation, he was diagnosed with a neurological affliction known as “Irumodic Syndrome.” However, in “Võx” it is revealed that Picard’s affliction is actually a result of DNA manipulations left behind by the Borg after he was assimilated. These were then passed on to Jack.

Meanwhile, the Changeling impostors have been rewriting the DNA of young Starfleet officers who will then be instantly assimilated when they receive an activation signal from Jack. But perhaps the best part of the episode for fans was Geordi’s unveiling of the USS Enterprise-D, which he has been painstakingly restoring over the years. Fans were treated to one of the most emotional moments in the franchise’s history as the iconic characters took to the bridge one last time, setting the stage for an unforgettable finale.

1. “The Last Generation” (Season 3, Episode 10)

If “All Good Things…” gave The Next Generation a perfect sendoff, “The Last Generation” did the show’s legacy proud, providing a perfect send-off for Picard. The Enterprise-D returns for one final mission — an epic showdown with the Borg, because of course, it had to! It doesn’t get much better than the good old Enterprise obliterating a giant Borg cube by speeding through it!

There are some truly fantastic shots. Seven of Nine proves herself more than capable as a captain by reclaiming the ship from the Borg without a drop of blood spilled, and the whole crew is united once more. Picard’s choice to stay with his doomed son Jack, even at the risk of his own life, encapsulates everything that makes Star Trek so long-lasting: compassion, sacrifice, and family. But thankfully Picard ends not with tragedy, but an enduring sense of hope as the crew of course swoops in at the last minute to save the day! It’s the farewell this iconic crew — and its fans — always deserved.

Star Trek: Picard is streaming now on Paramount+.

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