Geordi La Forge's 5 Best Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes, Ranked

Much like the original series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" knows how to focus on each character's talents and life experiences as it builds a plot that affects the entire USS Enterprise. This approach allows viewers to build emotional connections with each character, and "The Next Generation" takes that emotional connection a step further by finding the right stories that will grow our perception of them. This is especially true for Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), who appears in more than 170 episodes of the series.

Geordi works tirelessly to keep the Enterprise running, and when a villain comes calling, he knows that his actions in the engineering department can be the difference between life and death. Since he has a job-first mentality, the series is always searching for stories that will expand his emotional profile. Burton thinks there were some missed opportunities with Geordi's love life, but the writers found other ways to expand his story with work-related plots that saw him grow as a person. In compiling this list, we considered Geordi's screentime, how each episode adds to his character, and how the story impacts the Enterprise crew. So grab your Starfleet communicator and let's take a look at Geordi's five best episodes.

Star Trek writers almost gave Geordi La Forge a wild alien backstory, and "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Season 4, Episode 18, "Identity Crisis," will satisfy the curiosity of fans who wish that this were the case, as Geordi finds himself interacting with a species that takes over his body. It's an episode that also expands upon Geordi's silent emotions while focusing on the unspoken bond that happens within away teams.

Geordi and Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten (Maryann Plunkett) must try to figure out why members of their former away team have disappeared. While Geordi takes on the bulk of this mission, the first few twists focus on Susanna, who is inhabited by this parasite that turns people into alien-like beings. Geordi feels a sense of duty to Susanna and his previous team, and he knows that he must continue their work while preparing himself for his inevitable transformation, which leads to a mixture of sorrow and anxiety.

The transformation puts Geordi in a position of vulnerability that we haven't seen before. This shocks Susanna, who must figure out how to save the person who usually saves everyone else. LeVar Burton's body language is excellent here as Geordi moves fervently toward Susanna before jerking away and hiding from her as he shakes. The actor's calculated movements are a physical representation of the war in Geordi's mind. It's one of Burton's best performances and it contributes to what is undoubtedly one of the best Geordi episodes.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 6, Episode 4, "Relics," is a significant moment for the franchise because fans get to see "The Next Generation" collide with the original series. While it would be thrilling to see both crews working together in harmony, this episode takes a more calculated approach that highlights Geordi La Forge's confidence.

James Doohan's version of Scotty returns to the Star Trek franchise when he's released from the transporter cycle of an old ship. He's ready to get back to work, but he realizes that the Enterprise of the present is not the Enterprise of the past. This is made clear through Geordi's workflow, which doesn't make sense to him. He pushes Geordi to do things his way, and Geordi responds by loudly speaking up for his methods.

This moment shows us Geordi's commanding presence and an ego that we don't often notice. He feels that Scotty's approach is the old way of doing things, and he's reluctant to get along with the former chief engineer as a result. Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) request for harmony leads to another major test for Geordi as he must put trust in Scotty's unorthodox ideas when faced with a major problem. Of course, Geordi does take risks from time to time, but not before doing his own calculations. Dealing with this abstract plan means that he must dive into uncertainty and step out of his comfort zone. This leads to a new level of trust that he's never experienced, and it allows him and Scotty to appreciate one another.

"Identity Crisis" gives us a small glimpse into Geordi La Forge's emotional connections to his crew and his job, and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 5, Episode 24, "The Next Phase," takes things a step further by allowing Geordi and Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) to process their feelings for their crew members while examining the idea of their own deaths.

Geordi and Ro are pronounced dead after a transporter malfunction makes them disappear from plain sight. Ro quickly accepts their fate, but Geordi feels that acceptance is a form of defeat. His feelings of frustration toward her and his anger toward the situation motivate him to use every bit of knowledge that he has to bring them back. His motivation is also fueled by the words of love that they both hear from crew members who have become dear friends.

Jean-Luc Picard's memories of Geordi's perseverance give him an extra boost in his fight, and this may also be a turning point for Ro, who feels that Geordi's fighting spirit is bringing more hurt than hope. Their warring viewpoints on death lead to a wider examination of mortality, allowing Star Trek to tackle a tough topic once again. This allows viewers to create a deep emotional connection with these characters as they explore what it means to live and be loved during one of the best episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Geordi La Forge talks about his family and his past throughout the series, but we don't get a deeper sense of that familial bond until we meet his parents in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Season 7, Episode 3, "Interface." Geordi is testing a new interface system when he learns that his mother, Captain Silva La Forge (Madge Sinclair), may be dead. Desperate for answers, he uses the interface system to mentally transport himself to the lost ship that is carrying his mother and hundreds of other crew members. Jean-Luc Picard and Geordi's father, Dr. Edward La Forge (Ben Vereen), have both lost hope, but that only pushes Geordi to dive deeper into this mystery by putting his interface use into high gear.

All of this leads to a series of devastating and confusing moments that have Geordi questioning reality. Some crew members believe that his journey is beyond reason, but he continues to believe in his mission because of the love he has for his mother. The possibility of her being gone creates a feeling of emptiness in him that he is trying to fill by searching for answers. Of course, the idea of giving up feels like a betrayal to Geordi, who believes that if he just tries hard enough, everything will be okay. This leads to an ending that proves just how strong a bond the La Forge family has and how it shaped Geordi into the person he is. 

"Star Trek: The Next Generation," Season 4, Episode 24, "The Mind's Eye," takes the top spot on this list because it puts Geordi La Forge in an unexpected role while making a significant mark on the series itself. Geordi is heading to an artificial intelligence conference when he is kidnapped and brainwashed by Romulans. They turn him into a killing machine that is quietly placed inside the Enterprise as a sleeper agent. It's important to note that his brainwashing happens during the same season that begins with Jean-Luc Picard's Borg assimilation, which is one of Star Trek's biggest twists. This means that Season 4 is an extremely trying time for the Enterprise crew, and it also proves that this series is willing to up the stakes for its characters.

While the Borg choose Picard for his leadership skills, the Romulans choose Geordi because his VISOR technology easily adapts to their brainwashing gear. This allows Geordi to be a truly stealthy villain, which is something that the Borg could never create with their bulky hardware. Geordi's turn as the forced villain removes his likability and it allows LeVar Burton to play a version of his character that is both deceitful and vengeful. Instead of loudly making his evil deeds known, he quietly approaches his victims with a quickness and smoothness that leaves his fellow crew members none the wiser. It's a thrilling episode that puts Geordi in the ultimate mental war and ultimately stands as a testament to his resiliency and inner strength.