Picking up the TNG series

[Julius Seeker]

I just got the first three seasons. I must say that the season 1 episodes are somewhat entertaining. The cast wasn't any older than the Voyager cast, but they all seem older. The show feels like it is more aimed at a 35+ audience rather than the 18-35 audience Voyager was seeking. The first few episodes are funny at times; most TNG episodesI recall are of the later seasons when Wes Crusher was already gone. I am not really familiar with these ones. The funny part is seeing how Picard treats children and people not a part of his crew; a cranky authoritative old man (though Stewart is far younger than he appears on the show. He's 47 there, but looks at least 60).

Anyway, I am looking forward to watching the rest of the season. For the most part they feel like a big homage to the original series at this point; but I know that changes at some point, maybe even by season 2. They haven't really got into typical Starfleet procedure beyond what was established in the original series. Female uniforms (Yar aside) still have skirts, they seem to have no concept of quarantine procedures in medical; overall medical sucks right now compared to later Trek seasons. Also, this is where they finally decided what a Quadrant was... but they got the Greek Alphabet wrong (Gamma comes before Delta, not after). It was a big gowing period for what Star Trek was going to be later in the 90's and beyond.

Yeah, I have the Trek fever again, particularly with the movie out in a month and a half.

[SineSwiper]

Once you enter around season 3, TNG really picks up steam. They finally get into their flow, and it doesn't look as dated as the first season. My favorite episode is still the one with the higher IQ Barkley.

[Kupek]

I agree with Sine. I have difficulty watching the first two seasons, which are generally cheesy and don't distance themselves enough from the original series. I can always spot an episode as season 3 or later by the uniforms.

Also, Wil Wheaton (he played Wesley) reviews STNG episodes: http://www.tvsquad.com/bloggers/wil-wheaton/

[Imakeholesinu]

Come on, the cheesiness of the first two seasons was what made it appeal to the older fan base. They tried to make Picard and Riker like Kirk but they knew it would never go over very well. So instead enter Crusher and Troy. Only when the series actually started to take itself seriously did it transform into something greater than Star Trek II.

[Kupek]

I really don't care if that's what made it appeal to the fans of the first series; it doesn't appeal to me. Nor does the original series. But I doubt it was a conscious effort on their part, and was instead a result of lack of creativity.

[Julius Seeker]

A lot of the stories within the episodes are blatant remakes of stories from the original Star Trek; ie. The episode called "The Neutral Zone" which is the season finale, is a re-imagined version of "The Balance of Terror" from the original series (they just changed the years, instead of it being 100 as in TOS it was 50 years since they had contact with the Romulans).

It is really just the arbitrary feeling towards procedures and terminology that give it an unrefined feel. Of course, there was really a lot of things they needed to build on in these early stages. I still find the episodes to be interesting and will probably watch the first two seasons in full (I already watched the season finale, I was intrigued and already somewhat knew the story to it anyway). I had a problem with DS9 which often had episodes which just felt like "Here is a startfleet station, watch how Starfleet reacts to these predictable Trekish situations we throw at them" and I don't recall TNG ever being that constrained. Not to saythat some people wouldn't be interested in that kind of TV, but I like to see crazy out of the ordinary stuff too =)

[Imakeholesinu]

A lot of the stories within the episodes are blatant remakes of stories from the original Star Trek; ie. The episode called "The Neutral Zone" which is the season finale, is a re-imagined version of "The Balance of Terror" from the original series (they just changed the years, instead of it being 100 as in TOS it was 50 years since they had contact with the Romulans).

It is really just the arbitrary feeling towards procedures and terminology that give it an unrefined feel. Of course, there was really a lot of things they needed to build on in these early stages. I still find the episodes to be interesting and will probably watch the first two seasons in full (I already watched the season finale, I was intrigued and already somewhat knew the story to it anyway). I had a problem with DS9 which often had episodes which just felt like "Here is a startfleet station, watch how Starfleet reacts to these predictable Trekish situations we throw at them" and I don't recall TNG ever being that constrained. Not to saythat some people wouldn't be interested in that kind of TV, but I like to see crazy out of the ordinary stuff too =)

Another example "The Naked Now"

[SineSwiper]

Another example "The Naked Now"

I considered that more of an homage. It was the second episode, and it was a way of getting TOS fans stoked about the series.

Also, DS9 still kicked all kinds of ass. The big focus on that show was character development, and then it branched out to a more major plotline when the war broke out. Sisko is still one of my favorite Star Trek captains. More refined than Kirk, and not as snooty as Picard; he was the best of both worlds.

Speaking of DS9 and TOS homages, the episode they did with the mirror universe was awesome.

[Imakeholesinu]

Another example "The Naked Now"

I considered that more of an homage. It was the second episode, and it was a way of getting TOS fans stoked about the series.

That was the whole point of my original post. The reason why the first two seasons of TNG were so corny was simply because they were trying to make homages to the original series to bring back the nostalgia. Then they made Picard a bad ass, Riker the womanizer so there is your Kirk, Worf and Data were Spock, Jordi was Scotty, and Crusher and Troi were Ohura.

Checkov and Sulu were name that ensign that sits next to Data this week.

[SineSwiper]

The fact that you have to split up your character comparisons prove that it was a different show. They were trying to diversify the characters, like Gene did in TOS. (Keep in mind that Gene was involved in both shows.)

But, the diversity was different. You had a Klingon, one of the moral enemies of the other show, as a part of the crew. The first ever android. A blind engineer. A counselor, which wasn't part of the TOS crew, who could read emotions. A boy genius. (Who they didn't really use effectively in the show.)

Not to mention that the captain wasn't the guy going on away missions, which is how it works in a real ship or military mission.

[Imakeholesinu]

The fact that you have to split up your character comparisons prove that it was a different show. They were trying to diversify the characters, like Gene did in TOS. (Keep in mind that Gene was involved in both shows.)

But, the diversity was different. You had a Klingon, one of the moral enemies of the other show, as a part of the crew. The first ever android. A blind engineer. A counselor, which wasn't part of the TOS crew, who could read emotions. A boy genius. (Who they didn't really use effectively in the show.)

Not to mention that the captain wasn't the guy going on away missions, which is how it works in a real ship or military mission.

So are you saying Picard is weak?

[Lox]

So are you saying Picard is weak?

He better not be. That's Star Trek blasphemy!

[Julius Seeker]

Captain Picard can beat Klingons 100% of the time in single combat, can he not? I'd say that makes him tough... Though Kirk beats up alien races across the galaxy every day; then has sex with their women if they're hot enough. Kirk is just a demon, that's why he leads every away mission and manages to survive all of them when they have an average of ~75% survival rate. He rarely needs a phaser; One double axe handle from Kirk is devastating.

[Imakeholesinu]

Captain Picard can beat Klingons 100% of the time in single combat, can he not? I'd say that makes him tough... Though Kirk beats up alien races across the galaxy every day; then has sex with their women if they're hot enough. Kirk is just a demon, that's why he leads every away mission and manages to survive all of them when they have an average of ~75% survival rate. He rarely needs a phaser; One double axe handle from Kirk is devastating.

Tell that to the Cardassians. (Or Kardashians).

[SineSwiper]

Kardashians are waaay hotter.

Also, we used to call that double hammer that Jeffery did (in Virtua Fighter) "The Kirk".

[Julius Seeker]

Well, I am almost through the first season now. I haven't watched it in order (I watched the last two episodes early on) and I must say that I have enjoyed this far more than I should have. I felt the ideas and entertainment value far exceeded the incidents of gaping plotholes and continuity errors; one example is when Riker is on Angel 1 and the ships crew is sick so there is no way to get a group of anarchists off the planet who have been sentenced to death if they don't leave; the excuse is a potentially deadly virus is on the Enterprise, but they don't consider keeping them in a shuttlecraft instead of beaming them aboard?

Anyway. I already have season 2 ready to go when the first one is finished. I give a thumbs up for season 1 despite the obvious flaws; it has a lot of fresh feeling episodes that I don't remember later seasons having many of.

[SineSwiper]

Yeah, season 2 seemed to be a lot better than 1, and then it just got better from there. (At least from what I remember it, and the occasional episode from Spike.) I think by the time it got to season 4, it was actually a well-put together show.

[Mental]

Kardashians are waaay hotter.

No, dude, no. Repeat after me. "Trashy reality show whores are not attractive." Write that on a blackboard a hundred times until you come to your senses.

[SineSwiper]

Kardashians are waaay hotter.

No, dude, no. Repeat after me. "Trashy reality show whores are not attractive." Write that on a blackboard a hundred times until you come to your senses.

Nah, she's not a trashy reality show whore. If you want that, you can find it on Rock of Love or some shit. She's just a rich whore. There's a difference.

[Mental]

Okay, sorry. "Rich reality show whores", then.

Seriously, I know they're pretty, but I wouldn't want to go out with a Kardashian sister (I'm well aware that I wouldn't be offered the position, and this suits me just wonderfully, but I'm still going to try to make my point anyway). More maintenance than a Ferrari and it's a full-time job just trying to make the scene with that kind of girl. Spending six to eight hours a day trying to jockey to the best position to say high to the "right" people is a no. I wouldn't care if the sex was the best I'd ever had, my guess is that no matter what I'd be trying to shoot myself in the head in a week.

[Mental]

I was actually trying to type "hi", not "high", but on second thought I'm going to let that one stand.