Star Trek: TNG ?

[Mr.Krusher]

I (stupidly) sort of 'dismissied' this program when I was 20 years younger, but that has changed greatly. A couple of my buddies are big fans of this series, and one of them turned my wife on to it a couple months or so ago. Yes, some of the actors fly off the deep end and it becomes more over-dramatic than a Mexican Novela, and it can be pretty white-bred and sanitized, but maaaaan...what great writing, stories, concepts, and characters!
Between us, we have seen roughly 30 episodes, and she told me last night that she is becoming 'addicted' to the show!
I know that there are films centering around TNG crew, but I had heard that they were stinkers...all except 'First Contact'. We recently watched FC and wow - not only a GREAT 'send-off' for those excellent characters, but a great sci-fi picture all around! Say what you will, but I actually PREFER this series to the original now...you bet...after seeing dozens of episodes in fairly fast progression, topped off by the excellent 'First Contact', I sure do prefer these to the Kirk originals. (For the most part..)
These characters are SO well written and executed, I really feel 'drawn' into the stories...a great emotional 'thrill' that I dont often get from modern media. My wife is so enthralled at the sheer number of wonderful and STRONG female characters, and its a joy for me to see her enjoying the show. Shes not really a sci-fi fan, but told me that with this particular series, she 'gets it' for the first time.
(She also finds Data and Worf 'very interesting and sexy'...eh, what can I say...lol)

Grand stuff, too many great elements to even mention...you could write volumes on this show and its characters.

Its hopeful to see what humanity could be and how beings should treat each other. Content of the few dozen that we have watched: Spirituality, Sexuality, Body Image, Racism, Painful Shyness, Homosexuality, Codependence, Drug Addiction, Death and Dying, Altered Conscience, Transgendering, Anger and Rage, Compassion, Tolerance, Anxiety, Physical Disabilities.....

A+ for effort to the folks that worked on this program. It SURE as hell beats 'Star blah blah' or whatever other flophouse junk the Sci-Fi Channel broadcasts these days....


I am curious about the 'Deep Space' thing...according to IMDB it rates higher than TNG...

[Mikey]

Next Generation is way too stiff for me.

I could watched it if there's nothing on, but imo it's way worse than Classic Trek.

My nephew used to call it Trek Lite : Everything You Ever Wanted In A Trek - And Less

[Earth 2 Chris]

I think the thing that bothered me most about TNG is that everyone was too perfect. They explored the characters in depth, unlike most of the TOS cast, but I still didn't care for them as people. I don't think the cast gelled quite as well either, which is odd, considering most of the TOS cast disliked Shatner.

In the end it's probably a good thing that Picard wasn't a Kirk clone. Much more of a diplomat than an adventurer/explorer. But I did like it when he put on his big boy pants in First Contact.

Chris

[Mr.Krusher]

Next Generation is way too stiff for me.

I could watched it if there's nothing on, but imo it's way worse than Classic Trek.

My nephew used to call it Trek Lite : Everything You Ever Wanted In A Trek - And Less

I can see this, sure... At the same time though, rather than seeing things as 'bleached' or 'swell', I try and see them as 'idealistic'; as they said in the show, "Interstellar travel...provided all humankind with a higher vision...no need any longer to make war against each other...etc.." I suppose sort of like, with such amazing technologies, peoples, worlds, etc., WHY would one want/need to be cruel, negative, morbidly overweight, a drug addict, homophobic, etc? I dunno...maybe I'm not making sense...

I dont believe that any of the characters or situations portrayed are any more or less 'cornball' or apple pie than say, Clark Kent - The "Big Blue Boyscout".

[Mikey]

Another thing I don't like about Next Gen (or any new Trek series) is it's presented in soap opera format.

They have 3 stories going on at once.

In one episode we see Picard getting ready to meet the Vulcan Ambassador, Worf discovering he has a boil on his behind, and Data and Geordi investigating why his cat can't have kittens.

All this adds up to 3 so-so stories instead of 1 good one.

This way of story telling would never happen years ago and that's why older shows are better.

[jds1911a1]

TNG is ok but went on WAY too long the first season is mostly remakes of TOS stories and the last 2 are just filler for the other spinoffs and movies

DS9 season 1 is BORING but when avery brooks shaves his head and grows the goatee back (he was HAWK in spencer for hire) it got better season 3-5 are ok

voyager I always hated

if you compare it with stargate you will immediately see a pattern to the 2 shows - ie seach stargate spinoff mimics a star trek TNG spinoff

[Mikey]

The only early DS-9 episode I liked was the one where O'Brien thinks everyone is against him and at the end we find out HE is a bad robot.

Very Twilight Zone-ish

[HardyGirl]

I happen to love Star Trek TNG. It's a great show. I will admit that I don't like the last season as much as the others, though.

[Godzilla]

I agree, I lived and loved TNG when it originally aired. True the first season is rough. It was such a fun time to watch Trek fandom explode.

[fallensaviour]

Hated it!!!
Hate is a strong word so let me rephrase it.
I really Hated it!!!
The people were all to perfect,everything was just to PC and Wesley saved the day all the freaking time.When Wesley wasn't saving the day Q was just playing around.
The best character they had Tasha Yar was killed off.Worf was annoying as all hell.
There's a problem worf smash,it was like the hulk was on the bridge.
Picard had to talk on and on about everything.
The only good TNG was the first contact movie!!!
The show would have been better with Ryker as captain ,Yar as first officer,Data as chief engineer,O'brian as ships doctor,Geordi as bartender.
DUMP picard,troi,both crushers,quanan(whoopi?) and worf.

[wolfie]

I love the episodes where Q turns up and throws them all out of their perfect little worlds and they get really upset about it and he just laughs at them.

[david_b]

I loved NG the best when it hit it's stride in Season's 3 and 4. Season 1 had a nice wonky style to it.., and it improved then Roddenberry told Frakes to be more himself and lighten up after the first year.

The 2nd season was a bit painful at times, as was the weaker Season 1 eps.

By the time DS9 hit, NG went on 'auto-pilot', added more Troi's mom stories, and basically phoned in the creativity by the last two years, including 'Generations'..

First Contact was great fun. The best part of the series though was the behind-the-scenes stories about Frakes, Dorn, Spiner and their practical jokes. They were ruthless with the directors who were new and didn't know their characters..

As Dorn said of new directors, "if we smelt fear, they were toast..."

[johnmiic]

Next Gen was done for when GR's lawyer started re-writing scripts and sent nearly all the veteran writers running out the door. It took until Season 3/4 to see them hit their stride. Occasionally there were good stories but not very often.

DS9 was created and was not a hit. That worked to their advantage as Rick Berman devoted his time to NG & Voyager. DS9 grew, improved and went out on a high note without his interference. Voyager on the other hand got slightly better but remained a paint-by-numbers TV show like NG.

[torgospizza]

...Wesley saved the day all the freaking time.

Wesley is pretty much regarded as a Mary Sue, but most of the characters felt that way to me. The show felt that way--they have a shrink on the bridge! I don't hate it, though; I just played ostrich and it didn't exist for me.

[jimsmegos]

Beats just about anything that's on these days. I get sucked into TNG marathons everytime I come across one.