The premiere episode resolves the cliffhanger from the previous season, revealing the mysterious Romulan commander to be the daughter of the Lt. Tasha Yar from the alternate universe created in the third season episode "Yesterday's Enterprise".
This season sees Picard have some of the more memorable experiences of the series, such as learning to communicate with the heretofore unintelligible Tamarians ("Darmok"), overcoming his dislike of children when he is trapped along with three children after the Enterprise-D is struck by a quantum filament ("Disaster"), and meeting with Ambassador Spock on Romulus in "Unification". Most notably, in "The Inner Light", he experiences 40 or so years of life as an iron weaver on an extinct alien world after an encounter with a probe launched before the destruction of that world.
Michelle Forbes joined the cast as Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran officer who was initially conceived to be one of the main characters in the upcoming spin-off Deep Space Nine. Wesley also makes a few appearances in this season when he saves the Enterprise from an alien game which was actually a mind-control device ("The Game"), and later at Starfleet Academy when he participates in a coverup of the circumstances surrounding the death of one of his classmates ("The First Duty").
The season ends with the discovery of Data's head in a cave under San Francisco which had been sealed for 500 years, and eventually with Data, Picard, La Forge, Troi, Riker and Doctor Crusher trapped in 19th century Earth ("Time's Arrow").
The logo as seen in the opening credits has a minor change this season only, as it has rear shadows. During production of this season, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry died of cardiac arrest. Production on the episode "Hero Worship", directed by Patrick Stewart, was halted when news reached the set.
Picard must learn to communicate with an alien captain who speaks in metaphors before a dangerous beast kills them both. Guest star Paul Winfield as Dathon.
The Enterprise is heavily damaged after being hit by a space anomaly, trapping Picard in a turbolift with three children and others in various locations. Command of the bridge falls to Counselor Troi who feels ill-prepared, more so when the threat of a warp core breach endangers the Enterprise.
An apparent historian from the 26th century visits the Enterprise while they help a planet prevent a nuclear winter. Guest star Matt Frewer as Berlinghoff Rasmussen.
Worf becomes paralyzed, possibly for life, and asks Riker to assist him in the Hegh'bat ceremony, a Klingon suicide ritual. Dr. Crusher consults a risk-taking researcher to save his life.
Deanna's mother, Lwaxana, arrives to marry a man she has never met. Worf has difficulty rearing Alexander, which is exacerbated when Lwaxana takes the boy under her wing.
Picard forces himself to resist the charms of a female empathic metamorph who is sent to marry an alien leader as a peace offering. Guest star Famke Janssen as Kamala.
The Enterprise rescues a Borg survivor, whom Geordi names 'Hugh'. Picard plans to upload a destructive computer virus to Hugh so the virus will spread throughout the collective when Hugh is sent back.
A transporter accident traps Geordi and Ensign Ro out of phase with normal space. While the others plan their funeral, Geordi and Ro must find a way to reverse the process and save the Enterprise from destruction.
A space probe creates a telepathic tether to Picard and causes him to experience, in twenty-five minutes, a lifetime as a married man on a world that was destroyed a millennium ago.
A 500-year-old artifact is uncovered on Earth: Data's severed head. The Enterprise investigates alien involvement in Earth's past and Data fulfills his destiny.
Reception
In 2019, CBR rated Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation as the third best season of all Star Trek seasons up to that time, and the most highly ranked season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.[2]
