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Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episodes 74 & 75: The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I & 2 (Gift Set) [VHS]

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They are from the deepest reaches of the Delta Quadrant; they call themselves the Borg. Half-humanoid, half machine, their only goal is total perfection using one sole strategy-the assimilation of whole worlds, cultures, and races. They are relentless, chilling, and almost unstoppable. Which is why its no wonder that they have been voted Star Trek's favorite villain! The Best of Both Worlds deals with the Borg (first encountered in 2nd season episode "Q Who?") invading the Federation. The U.S.S. Enterpise-D is sent to buy time for a Starfleet Armada assembling at Wolf 359, but in the process, Captain Picard is captured, assimilated, and becomes known as Locutus of Borg. With Picard's past experience, the Borg are able to decimate the armada and its up to the Enterpise and Commander Riker to stop them before they reach Earth. This truly is the best episode of the second Star Trek series. It also gave way to other Borg two parters, including "Descent", "Scorpion", "Dark Frontier", and "Unimatrix Zero". The only downside is that we only see the graveyard of Wold 359 but two years later, we would see the actual battle during the pilot for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Thus, remember that freedom is irrelevant and resistance is futile!

I'm not much of a fan of "Star Trek", but I willingly concede that both episodes are the finest hours of "Star Trek: The Next Generation". In "Best of Both Worlds" Part I Jonathan Frakes demonstrates why he had the charisma and presence to take over literally from Patrick Stewart as the star of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"; his William T. Riker quickly proves why he deserves command of his own Starfleet vessel. Actress Elizabeth Dennehy is terrific as the no nonsense Lieutenant Commander Shelby, newly arrived to show the Enterprise crew the latest tactics in dealing with the Borg. Part I is a nonstop rollercoaster of superb action and tense drama as Picard, Riker, Shelby and the rest of the Enterprise crew deal with the Borg's incursion into Federation space. Picard is captured and becomes the Borg Locutus, who chillingly warns Captain Riker, "Resistance is futile", at the episode's conclusion. In Part II, the Enterprise arrives to survey the destruction of the Starfleet task force at Wolf 359, while Locutus' Borg cube heads straight for Earth. Fortunately Riker, Shelby and the crew thwart the Borg's attempt at assimilating Earth. It's a pity the movies haven't been as well written as these episodes, though I'm sure "Star Trek" fans are hoping for the best with "Star Trek X", presumably the last featuring "The Next Generation" crew.

Since the original series came out, my favorite Start Trek episode has been "Mirror Mirror" where Kirk, Scott, Mccoy and Uhuru are accidentally beamed into a parallel universe where the Federation is an evil empire. However, that favorite has been replaced by this one. Not only do we meet a new villain, it is one with enormous power and quite different from humans.
To me, the most interesting thing about the Borg is that unlike the Klingons, Romulans and other threats, they actually resemble species found on Earth. Ant colonies have often been noted for their similarity to human societies. They wage war, take slaves, overrun territory and maintain a strict hierarchy. Some commentators have noted that while the individual generally does not live long, the colony itself could live for a very long time. The efficiency of the hive structure in maintaining the existence of the hive is also not something to be taken lightly. From the evolutionary perspective, humans really have not been on this planet that long, so we really do not have the history to predict our long term dominance. It may turn out that hive organisms have better prospects for long-term survival.
It is also a very plausible argument that any extraterrestrial society will more closely resemble the Borg structure than that of humans. The Klingons and Romulans are modeled after humans in their glorification of conflict. However, it is very hard to see how societies that wage so much internal war could possibly survive to travel space. Furthermore, the Klingon and Romulan empires would aggressively expand their influence, conquering and subjugating all they encountered. It seems difficult to conceive of circumstances where they both could simultaneously exist.
The main criticism of hive societies is that they reach a level of development and then stagnate there. That would not happen with a Borg society, as the ability to assimilate other species would continually add new knowledge and abilities to the collective, allowing it to evolve into a more capable organism. Furthermore, in this episode, the Borg show the ability to selectively improve themselves by performing the selective assimilation of a star ship captain. The capture of Picard shows an ability to reason that makes the Borg a more formidable foe than a simple collective consciousness could ever be.
Given the human propensity for individuality, it would appear difficult to determine how a Borg colony could arise. However, in a world of religious cults who kill themselves as part of their religion, it does not take a great leap of faith to envision of group of people choosing the Borg lifestyle if it were available. Which raises some interesting questions. How large would the hive have to be before it would have a plausible chance of taking over the Earth? Could it be made illegal for a human to convert to the Borg "religion?" Could the joining of a Borg cult be considered a suicide?
To me, the Borg are the most believable of all the nonhuman "species" in all the Star Trek series. Since any extra-terrestrials encountered by humans will more likely resemble the Borg than the Klingons, this battle between the Federation and its most dangerous enemy is loaded with profound and subtle subplots.

Best of Both Worlds stars the Borg. Rigidity That is what so terrifying about these aliens - they are Zombies in another guise. No pleasure, triumph or fear is shown. Stiff but relentless - resistance is futile - the word implacable sums them up. One Borg cube(!) takes out most of Star Fleet and the Enterprise captain is lost. This was one episode that I would have been angry to wait several months to see concluded - but thank goodness for video stores. Everything in this episode fitted - Riker's continuation as Number 1 was queried, he had competition from a useful new female officer (I miss the Elizabeth Dennehy character - pity it was not used again). The Whoopi Goldberg character came into her own and Data was the real hero, although Riker got the credit! Picard also made a good Borg. Make sure you have both Parts of this story line before sitting in front of the TV. Enjoy!

What can I say that hasn't already been said?One of the best-if not THE best TNG episodes ever.Even if you're a casual sci-fi fan,I'd wager that you'll really like this one. Of course,if you know the history leading up to the episode,and the repercussions that come if future episodes,that makes it even better!!I cannot wait until these seasons are out on DVD!!

Truly the best of Star Trek. It's jam-packed with action and suspense. It was interesting to watch Riker and Shelby fight and argue. This episode is for anyone who likes action and adventure.

These two episodes represent what made Star Trek such a popular phenomenon. It features action, drama, and inter-personal relationships. It is full of suspense, and is a must for any Star Trek fan. END

Okay, I raise my hands in admittance, I'm a Babylon 5 fan, not a Star Trek fan. But before you hurl injurous objects at me and assault me outmoded farming implements let me say that there is more than enough room on TV for both of them. There, let us stop bickering and stop sulking B5 fans.

This is the best Star Trek. The idea behind the Borg is horrific. They just keep on coming. Healing within seconds and constantly adapting they are a terrible foe to whom the galaxy probably belongs in the future. Against them they have The USS Enterprise and it's highly skilled (and highly flukey) crew. The best thing about this two parter is that the Borg make all the right moves. They do nothing stupid that allows the federation gain the upper hand, they are ready for anything the good guys can throw at them. This obviously has Starfleet on the run and for a while it looks like the Borg are going to win this one. The assimilation of Picard (played by the stupendously ace Jean Luc Picard, who is the best actor around currently, and not because he comes from my home town, nyaah rasp) is genuinely chilling and the calmness of the Borg as they attack is unnerving. The Borg are indeed the best villains ever!

There are a couple of flaws with this though. The massacre of Starfleet isn't shown which is quite damning considering if they did it would be the dramatic equivilent of whacking friend viewer around the back of the head by a two by four. Also everything after the show returns to good old hunky dory. Bah. More psychological scars and long term consequences next time, please! Still, it is exciting and the acting is of a high standard. It is the equivilent to Babylon 5's 'Coming of Shadows' and 'The Long Twilight Struggle'. Only in those two the good guys lose. Nyuk nyuk.

The main problem is that now the new Star Treks have squandered the Borg shamelessly. They have junked everything that made them chilling, introducing individuality (see well done but conceptually wrong Borg queen and Hugh) and those bloody 'Quantum torpedoes' which gives Starfleet a handy excuse for taking on cubes and winning. And now they've introduced a more powerful enemy... which they beat by using technobabble! Aiee! Bring back the grim nightmare of proper Borg. Anyway, buy this and enjoy.

The best way to prove the measure of an episode's greatness is its ability to change someone's opinion about an entire series and genre. That's what happened with my wife. At the time the original TNG episodes were running, we were dating and she couldn't understand why I had to catch my TNG on Saturday evenings. Science Fiction and TNG in particular were the last thing she thought she would ever appreciate...until...

One fateful evening after having received enough ribbing about watching TNG re-runs, I noticed in the TV guide that this episode was coming on. Our local UPN affiliate was even kind enough to run the 'Q Who?' episode first, then BoBW pt.1 and 2 all together. I knew this was my best chance to change her mind, so I had her sit through the 'Q Who?' just to set the scene of who the Borg were, and then we watched BoBW pt.1. After the scene of Picard saying 'Resistance is futile', my wife was hooked on Trek!

To this day, she thinks Picard rules the world. Just my two cents on an episode that was truly, truly, the turning point of TNG and Trek as a whole.

This is the BEST Star Trek The Next Generation show I every watched. Who ever reads this THIS IS A MUST GET television show to get if you are a Trekkie...