DVD box set, released in the United States on July 2, 2002. This had 26 episodes of Season 3 on seven discs, with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. It was released in high-definition Blu-ray in the United States on April 30, 2013. Reception In 2019, Screen Rant ranked this episode's character introduction, Admiral Jarok, as the tenth most important Romulan of the Star Trek Franchise. Later that year, they noted "The Defector" as one of the top ten important episodes to watch in preparation for the series Star Trek: Picard. In 2020, SyFy also recommended watching "The Defector", in this case as background on Romulan aliens for Star Trek: Picard. They note the episode highlights the layers of trust and mistrust between the forces at work in the Romulan Star Empire, and how this complicated its relations with other quadrant inhabitants. In 2020, Vulture.com recommended this episode to accompany viewing Star Trek: Picard, noting how it establishes the Romulan alien's lust for power and tendency for deception. References Star Trek The Next Generation DVD set, volume 3, disc 3, selection 2. External links "The Defector" rewatch by Keith R.A. DeCandido "The Defector" rewatch by Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 3) episodes 1990 American television episodes Television episodes written by Ronald D. Moore Television episode directed by Robert Scheerer