The final season of Star Trek: Picard starts streaming on Paramount+ on February 16th, 2023. And it sees the long-awaited reunion of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. But before you rejoin your long-lost friends, take a few hours to revisit their best moments from years gone by.

UPDATE: 1/30/23

Paramount+ premiered the final trailer for Star Trek: Picard season three during the AFC Championship game on January 29th. Although the new trailer won't affect our watching recommendations, it's still fun to see. Check it out below:

Because the final season of Picard is essentially functioning as the eighth season of The Next Generation, rather than break down the trailer and dissect all the easter eggs (although I'll touch on the trailer later), it's probably better to reacquaint yourself with the crew of the Enterprise-D since it's been so long since we saw them.

Starting in the third season of Next Generation, the show shifted toward character-centric stories. Each episode featured a particular crew member as the "main character" for the episode. Below you'll find my recommendations for the episodes that provide the most insightful look into each character.

Unless otherwise noted, all these episodes are available to stream on Paramount+

Jean-Luc Picard:  "Tapestry" (TNG 6x15)

Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) has a reputation among Star Trek fans as the diplomatic captain who stays above in the safety of the starship while the rest of the crew beams down to the dangerous planet below. Not because he's cowardly but because he understands the proper place for a captain is on the bridge of his ship.

But he wasn't always like that, as this episode shows. In "Tapestry," the god-like Q transports Picard back to a pivotal point in his reckless youth to show him what could have been if he had made different decisions. This story gives maybe the best insight into why Picard is the way he is and also offers a glimpse of a different life trajectory.

Other great Picard episodes from TNG include:

Related: What to Watch Before 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Premieres on Paramount+

• "Captain's Holiday" TNG 3x19
• "Family" TNG 4x2
• "Qpid" TNG 4x20
• "The Drumhead" TNG 4x21
• "Darmok" TNG 5x2
• "The Inner Light" TNG 5x25
• "Chain of Command" TNG 6x10,11
• "Lessons" TNG 6x19

William Riker: "The Pegasus" (TNG 7x12)

One of the big reasons that Captain Picard rarely joined the away teams during the run of Next Generation was because his first officer, William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), forbade it, citing Starfleet protocols. Riker is the prototypical Starfleet officer, valuing duty, high-performance standards, and attention to detail. He frequently took command of the Enterprise when Picard wasn't around and proved himself fit to hold the captain's chair on more than one occasion.

However, a secret has haunted him throughout his entire career. We find out what it is in "The Pegasus," when the captain of his first command returns with a mysterious and dangerous assignment for the Enterprise.

It's also worth it to watch the first three episodes of the second season of Star Trek: Lower Decks to see Riker in action as a captain. There's also a fun Riker sub-plot that spans TNG and DS9 where he discovers a transporter duplicate of himself. Plus, he and Deanna Troi show up in Picard season one episode "Nepenthe" (PIC 1x7).

More great Riker stories:

Related: What to Watch Before 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season Three

• "Peak Performance" TNG 2x21
• "A Matter of Perspective" TNG 3x14
• "The Best of Both Worlds" TNG 3x26, 4x1
• "Future Imperfect" TNG 4x8
• "Second Chances" TNG 6x24
• "Defiant" DS9 3x9

Deanna Troi: "The Loss" (TNG 4x10)

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) is the ship's counselor on board the Enterprise throughout The Next Generation. She comes from a telepathic race known as the Betazoid. But since she's half human, her telepathy is limited to sensing emotions and communicating with full betazoids like her mother. Troi's quasi-telepathic abilities allow her to sense the emotions of people around her, giving her great insight into how to deal with many situations.

However, in "The Loss," she loses those empathic powers and struggles with what amounts to humans becoming blind or deaf. And it couldn't have come at a worse time since the Enterprise is stuck in a particle field, slowly drifting toward disaster.

Additional Troi-centered episodes are:

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• "Loud as a Whisper" TNG 2x6
• "Night Terrors" TNG 4x17
• "Violations" TNG 5x12
• "Man of the People" TNG 6x3
• "Face of the Enemy" TNG 6x14
• "Eye of the Beholder" TNG 7x18

Worf: "The Sword of Kahless" (DS9 4x9)

Worf (Michael Dorn) has the distinction of being the character to appear most in all of the Star Trek franchise. He's a main cast member in two series, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and until the premier of Star Trek: Picard, Worf was the only character to do so. He appears in a whopping 282 episodes in both series.

Picking just one to highlight his character is difficult. However, The Sword of Kahless is a fun adventure that delves deep into Klingon mysticism and spirituality. It also features Kor, the first Klingon to appear in the original Star Trek in the 60s. Plus, it's just a lot of fun.

More great Worf adventures include:

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• "Heart of Glory" TNG 1x20
• "Sins of the Father" TNG 3x17
• "New Ground" TNG 5x10
• "Parallels" TNG 7x11
• "The Way of the Warrior" DS9 4x1,2
• "Change of Heart" DS9 6x16

Geordi La Forge: "Interface" (TNG 7x3)

If you grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, the one thing you knew about Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) was that he was also on Reading Rainbow (at least the actor who played him was). The connection between the two shows is undeniable for many fans.

However, since Geordi is blind, he couldn't even read the same way you and I did in the 20th century. But that didn't stop him from flying the Enterprise in the first season of The Next Generation or becoming chief engineer for the rest of the series. His blindness, and the apparatus he uses to see, come into play in "Interface," where Geordi must find his missing mother.

Geordi is great, but don't take my word for it:

Related: Classic 'Reading Rainbow' Series Will Return, But Without LeVar Burton

• "The Arsenal of Freedom" TNG 1x21
• "Samaritan Snare" TNG 2x17
• "Booby Trap" TNG 3x6
• "The Enemy" TNG 3x7
• "Galaxy's Child" TNG 4x16
• "Identity Crisis" TNG 4x18
• "The Next Phase" TNG 5x24

Beverly Crusher: "Remember Me" (TNG 4x5)

Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is nothing like Bones McCoy, her counterpart Enterprise chief medical officer from the original Star Trek. Instead of a gruff and coarse man, she's a caring and charismatic widower with a young son on board a starship. And even though Gene Roddenberry hated the character after the first season and replaced her with Katherine Pulaski for the second, Crusher returned in the third season and stayed throughout the rest of the series. In "Remember Me," we get a glimpse of Beverly's handling of an emergency situation when the rest of the Enterprise crew start going missing from the ship.

More great Trek stories staring Beverly Crusher:

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• "Symbiosis" TNG 1x22
• "High Ground" TNG 3x12
• "The Host" TNG 4x23
• "Cause and Effect" TNG 5x18
• "Suspicions" TNG 6x22
• "Attached" TNG 7x8
• "Sub Rosa" TNG 7x14

Seven of Nine: "Scorpion" (VOY 3x26, 4x1)

Fan-favorite borg character Seven of Nine did not appear in Star Trek: The Next Generation. We didn't meet her until the season finale of the third season of Star Trek: Voyager. However, she is a main cast member in Star Trek: Picard (one of the few to make it all the way to the third season), so it's only fair that we give her due. And to do that, rewatch her premier appearance on Voyager, "Scorpion." This two-parter not only serves as Seven's character introduction but also marks a turning point in Voyager as the ship meanders into Borg territory. In which it remains throughout the remainder of their journey home from the Delta Quadrant.

Seven more Seven of Nine stories:

Related: What We're Watching: Let's Watch 'Star Trek: Voyager' Again to Remember Janeway

• "The Raven" VOY 4x6
• "One" VOY 4x25
• "Infinite Regress" VOY 5x7
• "Someone to Watch Over Me" VOY 5x22
• "Unimatrix Zero" VOY 6x26, 7x1
• "Relativity" VOY 5x23
• "Body and Soul" VOY 7x7

Tasha Yar: "Yesterday's Enterprise" (TNG 3x15)

The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation was a rocky affair, both on-screen and off. To make a long story short, the drama drove away Denise Crosby, the actress who played the Enterprise-D's first security chief. And the way they wrote her off the show was as hokey and meaningless as the rest of the first season. However, Tasha Yar did make a return of sorts in the third season of TNG in this alternate universe adventure featuring the Enterprise-D's immediate namesake predecessor, the Enterprise-C.

This episode also paved the way for the introduction of Yar's half-Romulan daughter later in the series. And while there's no official indication that Tasha Yar or her daughter will return for the last season of Star Trek: Picard. Something in my bones tells me it's a good idea to get reacquainted with them...just in case.

Some other Yar episodes to watch:

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• "Code of Honor" TNG 1x4
• "Skin of Evil" TNG 1x23
• "Legacy" TNG 4x6
• "The Mind's Eye" TNG 4x24
• "Redemption" TNG 4x26, 5x1
• "Unification" TNG 5x7,8

Wesley Crusher: "Journey's End" (TNG 7x20)

If you've been watching Star Trek: Picard up to this point, you know that Beverly's son Wesley (Wil Wheaton) makes a cameo appearance at the end of season two. While I'm not going to get into spoilers, and we haven't heard any rumblings that he'll return in season three--nothing's impossible. Although, it's worthy to note that Wil Wheton has stated he will not return for season three. But, he would say that if it were true or not to keep any potential surprises intact.

Given the nature of his cameo, it's probably best to check out his last appearance on The Next Generation (he had a non-speaking cameo in the final Next Gen film Star Trek: Nemesis) to give you an idea of where they took the character.

Here are some more choice Wesley stories:

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• "Where No One Has Gone Before" TNG 1x6
• "Final Mission" TNG 4x9
• "The Game" TNG 5x6
• "The First Duty" TNG 5x19

Data: "The Measure of a Man" (TNG 2x9)

Unfortunately, Data isn't in the final season of Star Trek: Picard (that we know of). The franchise has ended his story twice now (I'll leave it there to avoid spoilers). But since we're watching character-centric Next Generation episodes, I can't just leave Data out. It just feels wrong.

If you want to get to know your favorite Android from the 90s all over again, there's no better episode to watch than the second season's "The Measure of a Man." In this episode, Data's rights as an artificial life form are put on trial when an up-and-coming cyberneticist wants to strip him down to his wires to uncover the secrets of his creator and make a whole race of Data duplicates.

Lore's Arc

But that's not all of Data you'll get out of this list. Although Data himself does not appear in the season three trailer, his evil android brother Lore does. The last we saw of Lore, Data declared he was going to disassemble him for the safety of the Enterprise crew.

Lore was one of the great recurring characters throughout The Next Generation, and since it appears that we'll get some more of him, it'll be good to brush up on all his appearances. They are:

• "Datalore" TNG 1x13
• "Brothers" TNG 4x3
• "Descent" TNG 6x26, 7,1

Moriarty's Arc

And we're not done with Data stories yet! Like most of the Enterprise-D crew, Data loves playing dress-up-and-pretend on the holodeck. One of his favorite characters to play during the series was Sherlock Holmes. But in the episode "Elementary, Dear Data," he couldn't stop solving mysteries before they had a chance to begin. So, he found an unusual way to bring Sherlock Holme's nemesis, James Moriarty, to life in holographic form. I won't spoil the ending, but Moriarty comes back in later seasons. And we see a glimpse of him in the Star Trek: Picard trailer--looking more sinister than ever.

Moriarty's TNG episodes inclue:

• "Elementary, Dear Data" TNG 2x3
• "Ship in a Bottle" TNG 6x12

"All Good Things" (TNG 7x25, 26)

If you watch all the episodes of Next Generation listed above, you probably qualify as a fan of the series. And since you're in this deep, you may as well watch the finale of the series. "All Good Things" is a great series capper, a sweet goodbye to fans of Next Gen. It shows Captain Picard shift back and forth through three time periods: one where he first takes command of the Enterprise, the current (in the context of the show) time, and one 25 years in the future.

The future period is interesting because it portrays the exact time in which Picard season three occurs. Obviously, the way the characters are depicted in no way resembles what we know of Picard season three, but it is a fascinating correlation that you probably should check out.

Deep Space Nine Dominion War 10-Parter

Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas stated that the final season's arc has a lot to do with the aftermath of the Dominion War. This is interesting because that war was the primary focus of Deep Space Nine, not The Next Generation. If you skipped DS9, I highly recommend you go back and watch it.

But, since you don't have time to watch the whole series before Picard season three begins, I suggest watching just the last ten episodes of the series, where the DS9 crew finally brings resolution to the conflict. If you haven't seen it before, don't worry, you'll be able to keep up.

Related: Why 'Deep Space Nine' is the Best 'Star Trek' Series

• "Penumbra" DS9 7x17
• "'Til Death Do Us Part" DS9 7x18
• "Strange Bedfellows" DS9 7x19
• "The Changing Face of Evil" DS9 7x20
• "When It Rains..." DS9 7x21
• "Tacking Into the Wind" DS9 7x22
• "Extreme Measures" DS9 7x23
• "The Dogs of War" DS9 7x24
• "What You Leave Behind" DS9 7x25, 26

Star Trek: The Next Generation Films

If you stopped watching Star Trek: The Next Generation after it went off the air in 1994 and pick up watching Star Trek: Picard season three next month, you'll probably have some questions. What happened to the Enterprise-D? Where's Data? Wasn't Picard a borg that one time? And more.

As long as you're binging Next Gen episodes, you'd do well to watch the movies too. There are only four of them, and while some aren't the best Trek ever produced, they have info you'll need to make sense of what's happening in Picard.

But, keep in mind that these films are not currently available to stream on Paramount+, you can head over to HBO Max and see them there. Or, just buy the Blu-rays.

Star Trek: Picard Seasons One & Two

Obviously, if you're going to watch the final season of a TV show, it's best to be acquainted with the previous seasons. However, I don't think it's strictly necessary to watch the first two seasons of Picard to enjoy the final season--especially if you're watching it as a coda to Star Trek: The Next Generation.

So far, the series has been disappointing for many Next Generation fans for reasons I don't really want to get into. Suffice it to say that the quality of the stories and the consistency with the rest of the Star Trek franchise has been spotty (to put it as kindly as possible). Moreover, the series seemed to reset itself in a way after season one. The story of the second season isn't intimately connected with the first season. And it looks like that's going to be the case again with season three.

I'll leave it by saying, watch the first two seasons of Picard if you want to be a completist about the series. But if you're a die-hard Next Generation fan, be warned that you may not enjoy what you see.

The final season of Star Trek: Picard premiers on Paramount+ on February 16th.