ST:TNG:16 - "11001001" (Stardate: 41365.9) - this is the 16th episode produced but the 15th one aired on TV. "11001001" is one of my more favorite episodes of season 1 (and of the whole series) - it really gets to the heart of Star Trek and introduces a species that is quite different from humans - that of the Bynars who always travel in pairs since they need two to decipher their binary code (when interacting with each other and other beings). I really liked the beginning when the Enterprise docked at a Starbase, entering it (and exiting later on in the episode) just like the original Enterprise entering Spacedock in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock - though it's obvious they took the matte paintings from that movie, it is a welcome homage to The Next Generation's past. See this episode, you won't be disappointed.

Trivia: Carolyn McCormick who plays Minuet will be back in the fourth season episode "Future Imperfect".

First of all, as of 2006, I consider both "11001001" and "Conspiracy" to be the best episodes of the 1st Season of TNG. Also, for the longest time I considered "Conspiracy" to be the best episode of the 1st season, but in recent months, "11001001" has been getting more play from me. One is a very dark, and serious subject matter, while the other is a light-hearted, romantic interlude -- but both are filled with edge of your seat excitement and thrills! Perhaps, I may have voted for "Conspiracy" in the past over "11001001" because it appeared to be the only episode that can stand toe-to-toe with the later season episodes according to the fans (Not my view, because I prefer all the 1st season episodes -- except for the PC male-bashing episode "Angel One" -- over that of the technobabble-filled later season episodes.). However, "11001001" has that cinematic quality to it, and offers insights into the character of William T. Riker, his love of jazz, and his ideal romantic preference in women . How he prefers his career as that thing in life which enthralls him the most. Most of all, Carolyn McCormick's performance as Minuet was probably the best performance by a guest star throughout this season. She really did have a great chemistry next to Jonathan Frakes, and seeing them dance and flirt with one another, you can buy them as a potential on-screen couple, even though she's a hologram and he happens to be human.

This episode also shows life aboard a starbase, and how it is operated and managed. The auto-destruct sequence is first featured here, which helps heighten the on-screen tension aboard a starship due to an imminent threat to the ship for new viewers. I also liked the creativity and imagination that went into the Binars, a group of aliens that must work together in pairs (like siamese twins...but connected together through "a wireless connection") and communicate in binary language, as opposed to just slapping a piece of latex over the all too familiar human face of a guest-star and calling that "an alien" of the week.

After a long time of not watching TNG, and when I feel like watching an episode from the 1st season again, it is "11001001" that I find myself popping into the DVD player first after a long break away from it. Besides episodes like "Shades of Grey" (I am a Riker fan, you know?), "Yesterday's Enterprise," "The Best of Both Worlds, Parts I & II," and "All Good Things...," The 1st season episodes have repeatedly gotten more play in my VHS/DVD player than any other later TNG episodes over the decades.

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In this we get to see a brand new species in the Star Trek lore. Nice to see a species that does not speak the way we do and are a far cry from the too human like creatures and species we regularly see. The holodeck gets a visit too and Minuet was a brilliantly conceived character and one that looked likely to return but never did. The Bynars steal the Enterprise and use it's vast computer to restore their world. The crew wait anxiously back at the Starbase for their return. Interesting to see Data blaming himself for not being on duty and vigilant, claiming he does not need rest or relaxation. Nice to see Star Trek alumni, Gene Dynarski back in the fold as well

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I have to admit that, in general, Star Trek: TNG had left me a little cold, with sterile looking sets, a communist's idea of economic utopia, insults of national heritage (Ferengis described as Yankee Traders), and some occasionally peculiar morals concerning life and death.

Sidestepping most of these problems is the episode 11001001: one of my few favorites. I'm not sure I liked the Bynars, themselves, who were little, androgynous, spooky-looking beings that walked around in pairs.

I was mostly amused by the title: 11001001 is the binary value of the RET (Unconditional Return from Subroutine) Opcode for the 8080 and Z80 CPU. The Bynars wished their data "returned" after their shutdown.