Skip to content
PodParley
Nitpicking: The Next Generation podcast artwork

PODCAST · arts

Nitpicking: The Next Generation

by Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto

Where we take a beloved part of the Star Trek franchise, look at it with jaded eyes, and then tell you everything that's wrong with it.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Mar 12, 2026 · Source feed

Subscribe · 0 Bookmark

Episodes

  1. Episode 183: Series Finale

    We celebrate the end of one journey and invite you to join us on another. Includes our all-time best and worst 10 episodes, the final version of the lists, and a few words from some of our guests. And please be sure to join us June 2nd for the start of our next adventure!

  2. Episode 181: All Good Things, Parts I and II

    The story that began with Encounter at Farpoint comes to its inevitable end as we say goodbye to "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

  3. Episode 182: Bonus Season 7 Wrapup

    We review the final season, pick our top and bottom episodes, and prepare ourselves for the grand finale.

  4. Episode 180: Preemptive Strike

    In this tale of betrayal, we bid farewell to the redoubtable Ro Larren as she finds her loyalties torn between Starfleet and the Maquis.

  5. Episode 179: Emergence

    This bog-standard, tropey episode is like the greatest hits album from the band's back catalogue.

  6. Episode 178: Bloodlines

    This platonic ideal of a phoned-in episode has a ton of continuity to things you just don't care about.

  7. Episode 177: Firstborn

    Alexander's final episode is seventy percent of a good story, ruined by time travel.

  8. Episode 176: Journey's End

    In Wesley's final episode, we take an uncomfortable tour through cultural exoticism leading to more trouble with the Cardassians.

  9. Episode 175: Genesis

    Guest commentator Cynthia Taylor joins us for the first episode of TNG she ever saw, in which Crusher resorts to using CRISPR instead of chicken soup.

  10. Episode 174: Eye of the Beholder

    This Troi episode is a murder mystery involving a gothic romance on a haunted ship that ends in Worf being turned on by murder. Includes guest commentator Ryan Veeder.

  11. Episode 173: Masks

    The Enterprise is taken over by yet ANOTHER probe, this time turning the ship into the City of the Space Aztecs.

  12. Episode 172: Thine Own Self

    Data practices selective science and Troi finally gets her mind-fuck.

  13. Episode 171: Lower Decks

    This follow-up to 'The First Duty' gives us a look at how the other half lives.

  14. Episode 170: Sub Rosa

    Join us on Beverly Crusher's -306th birthday as we explore possible THE weirdest relationship in Star Trek history. Recorded before a live studio audience at Giocanni's Room in Philadelphia, courtesy of Philly AIDs Thrift. Includes a Q and A afterwards.

  15. Episode 169: Homeward

    This mockery of 'Who Watches the Watchers' contains what may be our most hated TNG side-character.

  16. Episode 168: The Pegasus

    In this long-awaited bookend to 'The Icarus Factor,' we finally learn everything we need to know about William Riker.

  17. Episode 167: Parallels

    In an episode of much detail but little plot, we learn that while things generally work out on the Enterprise, events don't conspire quite as well in other universes...

  18. Episode 166: Inheritance

    An episode in which we meet Data's mom and find out more about his dad than we ever wanted to know.

  19. Episode 165: Force of Nature

    This depressing early attempt to grapple with climate change is ultimately a good idea desperately seeking a B-plot.

  20. Episode 164: Attached

    This episode wraps one of the single best character moments in the whole of TNG in a tortilla of stupid. Includes guest commentator Jill Neff.

  21. Episode 163: Dark Page

    The last Lwaxana Troi episode features standout performances by Marina Sirtis and Majel Barrett.

  22. Episode 162: Phantasms

    Data started this season by torturing one shipmate and in this science-danger episode, he stabs another.

  23. Episode 161: Gambit, Part II

    An episode that almost breaks the two-parter curse with a strong second half, but where we still end up clapping for Tinkerbell.

  24. Episode 160: Gambit, Part I

    In this episode of mostly setup, it's another trip to Mos Eisley, except this time the Enterprise crew are the bad guys.

  25. Episode 159: Interface

    This sad retread of 'Power Play' is a series of opportunities, each one missed.

  26. Episode 158: Liaisons

    Once again, shitty aliens fuck with humanity in an attempt to understand them. But at least their intentions were good!

  27. Episode 157: Descent, Part II

    We open the final season of TNG inauspiciously, with the crew dealing with the stupidity they displayed in Part One, all leading to one of the worst examples of the series playing at drama.

  28. Episode 155: Descent, Part I

    In yet another Part One that's mostly setup, Data goes evil again, proving once more that he belongs not in a Starfleet uniform, but in a junkyard.

  29. Episode 156: Bonus Season 6 Wrapup

    We say goodbye to one of our favorite characters (Guinan), update our lists, and then take a look ahead at the FINAL season of TNG!

  30. Episode 154: Timescape

    A surprisingly good science-danger puzzlebox with wonderful character moments and a dash of continuity.

  31. Episode 153: Second Chances

    When a transport accident (UGH) produces a second Riker, the result is a somehow not-twice-as-bad soap opera plot. Includes guest commentator Cynthia Taylor.

  32. Episode 152: Rightful Heir

    A nice bit of continuity from "Birthright" when Worf's encounter with the second coming of Klingon Jesus threatens to destabilize the political situation on Q'onos.

  33. Episode 151: Suspicions

    In one of the best Crusher episodes ever, the doctor finds herself in a gender-swapped noir mystery with a group of alien scientists, none of whom is from a Planet of Hats. Includes guest commentator Ryan Veeder.

  34. Episode 150: Frame of Mind

    A greatest hits of Riker's mediocrity ensues as the unreality of "Future Imperfect" meets the FUBAR of "First Contact" with a light sprinkling of stage insanity.

  35. Episode 149: The Chase

    In this DnD module of an episode, the Enterprise crew searches the galaxy for the answer to a question that doesn't really matter.

  36. Episode 148: Lessons

    Picard gets involved romantically with a fellow crewmember, an episode that promises, but fails to be, to be an interesting coda to 'The Inner Light.'

  37. Episode 147: Starship Mine

    A 24th-century trip through "Die Hard" as Picard must race against the clock to stop a group of interstellar terrorists, several of whom will die horribly and none of which we will care about. Includes guest commentator Ryan Veeder.

  38. Episode 146: Birthright, Part II

    Worf's search for his father ends with speechifying, a not-very-well-kept secret and yet another woman who doesn't get to finish her own story.

  39. Episode 145: Birthright, Part I

    The search for Data and Worf's respective fathers, against the backdrop of DS9, becomes two B-plots racing for the bottom.

  40. Episode 144: Tapestry

    Q returns to break Picard (and the Nitpicking crew) by crushing us all between a plodding sequence from Picard's past and a horrific, classist take on everyday life in Starfleet. Includes guest commentator Jill Neff.

  41. Episode 143: Face of the Enemy

    What do you get when you combine Competent Troi, good writing and the ability to pass the Bechdel Test? One of the best TNG episode EVER! Includes guest commentator Jill Neff. Be sure to stick around at the end for a special musical surprise! (Apologies to "The Patty Duke Show.")

  42. Episode 142: Aquiel

    Once again, it's an episode so bad Neil and Dan won't touch it, so it's up to guest commentators Jill Neff and Cynthia Taylor to discuss a murder mystery involving a creepy Geordi LaForge and a Dogus Ex Machina.

  43. Episode 141: Ship in a Bottle

    Yet another retread when La Forge's inability to lock down his personal files leads to the reappearance of Professor Moriarty. This time with extra recursion!

  44. Extrasode 5 Preview: Yesteryear

    In our sixth extrasode we take on the last remaining entry in the Star Trek franchise, the Animated Series, with a time-travelling flashback to Spock's childhood.

  45. Episode 140: Chain of Command, Part II

    Picard decides that there are four lights, but we're far more interested in following the trials and tribulations Captain Jellico's thankless work in the ending to this two-parter.

  46. Episode 139: Chain of Command, Part I

    We finally reach the moment that Neil's waited for the entire series: the appearance of Captain Jellico! Oh, and Picard is sent on a secret mission and falls into the hands of the Cardassians or something.

  47. Episode 138: The Quality of Life

    A mash-up of two previous (and pretty good) episodes, minus anything resembling science.

  48. Episode 137: A Fistful of Datas

    This 24th-century visit to Deadwood is one of the 20% of times that the holodeck tries to murder the crew. Includes guest commentator Victor Rubio.

  49. Episode 136: Rascals

    Two goofy events that would be unlikely anywhere other than on Star Trek lead us to the return of Cranky Picard and guest commentator Cynthia Taylor's favorite line from TNG.

  50. Episode 135: True Q

    This middle-of-the-road Q episode is the answer to a question no one has asked.

View all 190 episodes →

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

TOPICS IN THIS SHOW

Critical Review Cultural Commentary Fan Analysis Franchise Critique Jaded Perspective Sci-Fi Nostalgia Star Trek

Click any topic to search every transcript on PodParley for moments someone mentioned it.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Where we take a beloved part of the Star Trek franchise, look at it with jaded eyes, and then tell you everything that's wrong with it.

HOSTED BY

Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto

CATEGORIES

arts entertainment

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Nitpicking: The Next Generation have?

Nitpicking: The Next Generation currently has 190 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Nitpicking: The Next Generation about?

Where we take a beloved part of the Star Trek franchise, look at it with jaded eyes, and then tell you everything that's wrong with it.

How often does Nitpicking: The Next Generation release new episodes?

Nitpicking: The Next Generation publishes regularly with 190 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Nitpicking: The Next Generation?

You can listen to Nitpicking: The Next Generation on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Nitpicking: The Next Generation?

Nitpicking: The Next Generation is created and hosted by Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto.
URL copied to clipboard!